Which of the following pairs are correct?
(A) Pranab Bardhan : The Political Economy of Development in India
(B) Atul Kohli : The State and Poverty in India
(C) Amartya K. Sen : Development as Freedom

Question

Which of the following pairs are correct? 
(A) Pranab Bardhan : The Political Economy of Development in India 
(B) Atul Kohli : The State and Poverty in India 
(C) Amartya K. Sen : Development as Freedom

Accepted Answer

The correct option is 4:

The correct option is 4: (A), (B) and (C) are correct. All three pairings correctly attribute the seminal work to the respective economist or political scientist, making this the fully accurate choice. These books represent landmark contributions to the study of development, political economy, and poverty, particularly in the Indian context.

Pair (A) is correct: Pranab Bardhan is a highly distinguished economist known for his work in development and political economy. His book, *The Political Economy of Development in India* (originally published in 1984), is a foundational text that examines the role of dominant proprietary classes—the industrial bourgeoisie, the rich farmers, and the professional class—and how their conflicting demands impede coherent policy formulation and development in the country. This work pioneered the application of rigorous political economy frameworks to understanding India's complex development challenges.

Pair (B) is correct: Atul Kohli, a prominent political scientist, is the author of *The State and Poverty in India: The Politics of Reform* (1987). This classic study undertakes a comparative analysis of three Indian states (West Bengal, Karnataka, and Uttar Pradesh) to understand why some states are more successful than others in implementing poverty-alleviating reforms. Kohli emphasizes the crucial role of state capacity, political will, and the organization of the ruling party in shaping outcomes for the poor. His work highlights the critical intersection of political regimes and social inequality.

Pair (C) is correct: Amartya K. Sen, a Nobel Laureate in Economics, is the author of the influential book *Development as Freedom* (1999). This book presents his central conceptual framework, arguing that development should not be measured merely by economic growth (GDP) or income, but fundamentally by the expansion of "capabilities" and "freedoms" that people enjoy. Sen's theory defines poverty as capability deprivation, and his work has profoundly influenced global policy debates, including the creation of the Human Development Index (HDI).

The incorrect option is 1:

Option 1 states "Only (C) is correct." This is incorrect because, while Amartya Sen's *Development as Freedom* is indeed a correct pairing (C), both pairings (A) and (B) are also factually correct attributions of major works by Pranab Bardhan and Atul Kohli, respectively. Choosing only (C) discounts the established contributions of Bardhan's political economy analysis of India's development trajectory and Kohli's comparative political study on state efficacy in addressing poverty. All three works listed are standard academic pairings in the field of Indian politics and development studies.

The incorrect option is 2:

Option 2 suggests that "Only (B) and (C) are correct." This choice is flawed because it omits the correct pairing (A) Pranab Bardhan: *The Political Economy of Development in India*. Bardhan’s book is recognized as a pioneering work that shifted the focus of development studies in India towards structural political constraints rather than merely administrative or economic ones. Since all three pairings are historically and factually accurate representations of the authors’ major publications, excluding pairing (A) renders this option incomplete and incorrect.

The incorrect option is 3:

Option 3 claims that "Only (A) and (B) are correct." This is an incorrect assessment because it excludes pairing (C), Amartya Sen: *Development as Freedom*. Sen’s book, which connects the concept of freedom directly to the objective and means of development, is perhaps one of the most widely cited and influential texts in modern development economics and philosophy. Since this attribution is universally correct and highly significant, omitting it while including the other two correct pairings (A and B) makes this option fundamentally wrong.