Health, Education, Human Resources

Story hook

It is 23 September 2018, Ranchi, Jharkhand. The Prime Minister launches Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY) — the world's largest government-funded health insurance scheme. ₹5 lakh per family per year for 10.74 crore poorest families (~55 crore individuals) per SECC 2011. The companion arm — Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (later renamed Ayushman Arogya Mandir) — pledges to convert 1.5 lakh sub-centres + PHCs into primary care hubs by 2022. By November 2024: 7+ crore hospital admissions, ₹89,000+ cr value of care delivered.

Six weeks later, on 5 November 2018, the Prime Minister meets Dr. K. Kasturirangan to receive India's first new education policy in 34 years — the draft NEP 2020, formally approved by Cabinet on 29 July 2020. 5+3+3+4 structure replaces 10+2; mother tongue till Class 5; HEIs to become multi-disciplinary; Foundational Literacy and Numeracy (FLN) by Class 3.

Health and education are the two grand-budget service sectors (₹ over 8 lakh crore combined Centre + State in 2024-25). Add skill development (PMKVY 4.0), labour codes (4 codes 2019-20), and demographic dividend management (median age 28, working-age ~67%) and you have the Human Resources triangle that ARC II called the "largest reform challenge of the next 25 years".

For UPSC, this unit is asked as a sector-overview stem in GS-II and overlaps with GS-III (economy, employment).

Why this matters for UPSC

• Prelims: 3-4 questions per year on scheme launch years, outlays, indicators (IMR, MMR, GER, NER, dropout).
• Mains GS-II: Standalone health + education stems most years (2014-2024); HR + demographic dividend in GS-I/III.
• Interview: NHM funding, PMJAY exclusions, NEP implementation.