Read the below statements marked as Assertion (A) and Reason (R). Mark the correct options: Assertion (A): India's rank in the Global Happiness Index is lower than most South Asian neighbours. Reason (R): India’s GDP per capita is the lowest in South Asia.
- (a)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
- (b)Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
- (c)A is true, but R is false.
- (d)A is false, but R is true.
Answer
Why
Correct — C. R is false, and that settles the item. World Bank figures for 2024 put India's GDP per capita at about US$2,592, above Pakistan (US$1,479), Nepal (US$1,460) and Afghanistan (US$417).
Only option (c) marks R false, so the key reads A as true: India trailing most South Asian neighbours in the World Happiness Report → option (c).
Why the others are wrong
- (a)Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A. — R is false: India's GDP per capita is higher than Pakistan's, Nepal's and Afghanistan's. With R false, 'both true' cannot stand.
- (b)Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A. — This also needs R true. India is not the poorest South Asian economy per head, so the option fails whatever the link between A and R.
- (d)A is false, but R is true. — This needs R true, and it is not. It also marks A false, the opposite of the key's reading.
Concept
The World Happiness Report ranks countries by how people rate their own lives on a 0–10 ladder in the Gallup World Poll.
It explains the scores with six factors: GDP per capita, social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and perceptions of corruption. Income is one factor, not the rank itself.
Whether A holds depends on the edition. In the 2023 report India (126th) ranked below Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
In the 2025 report India (118th) ranked below Nepal (92nd) and Pakistan (109th) but above Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Key facts
- World Bank GDP per capita, 2024 (current US$): India 2,592, Pakistan 1,479, Nepal 1,460, Afghanistan 417.
- World Happiness Report 2023: India 126th, below Nepal 78th, Pakistan 108th, Sri Lanka 112th and Bangladesh 118th.
- World Happiness Report 2025: India 118th, below Nepal 92nd and Pakistan 109th, above Sri Lanka 133rd, Bangladesh 134th and Afghanistan 147th.
- The report's six explanatory factors include GDP per capita and social support.
Study next
Common traps
- Taking R as true because India has many poor people — per head, India is ahead of Pakistan, Nepal and Afghanistan.
- Quoting a happiness rank without its edition — India's place among its neighbours changed between the 2023 and 2025 reports.
The same index is tested at 16 Sep 2025, 16:00, GA Q.20, also an Assertion–Reason item keyed A true, R false, where R wrongly names UNDP as the publisher.
Related PYQs
No directly related past PYQ was found.