The welfare and social sector section covers India's policy architecture for human development — how the state measures and addresses poverty, ensures food and nutrition security, delivers education and health services, and deploys targeted welfare schemes for disadvantaged groups. GS2 tests both the design logic of these programmes and their performance.

Chapters

# Chapter Key Focus
1 Poverty Measurement & Poverty Lines Lakdawala, Tendulkar, Rangarajan committees; MPI; SECC; poverty trends
2 Food & Nutrition Security Right to food, NFSA 2013, PDS, PMGKAY, malnutrition (NFHS-5), PM POSHAN, ICDS
3 Food Security Schemes NFSA beneficiaries, AAY, ONORC, food fortification, GHI 2024
4 Education Policy & NEP 2020 RTE Act, NEP 2020 — 5+3+3+4 structure, multidisciplinary, mother tongue, GER targets
5 Health Policy & Universal Health Coverage NHP 2017, Ayushman Bharat (PM-JAY + HWCs), PMJAY coverage, NHM, UHC indicators
6 Welfare Schemes for Vulnerable Groups PM Awas, PM Kisan, MGNREGS, Ujjwala, Jal Jeevan Mission, Skill India — design and coverage
7 Welfare Scheme Performance & Evaluation Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), JAM trinity, outcome vs output evaluation, convergence challenges
8 NGOs, SHGs & Civil Society Role of NGOs, FCRA 2010, SHGs & microfinance, Kudumbashree, civil society in service delivery