According to the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), what is the population norm for a PHC in hilly/tribal… - GMCH Nursing Officer-2025

GMCH Nursing Officer-2025

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: GMCH Nursing Officer-2025

Explanation

According to the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), a Primary Health Centre (PHC) is established for a population of 20,000 in hilly, tribal, or other difficult-to-access areas.
This reduced population norm, compared to 30,000 in plain areas, is designed to ensure better accessibility and healthcare coverage in regions with sparse populations and challenging geographical terrain.
The PHC serves as the first point of contact between the community and a medical officer within the rural healthcare system.

Option A: This figure is not a standard population norm for any of the primary rural health facilities (Sub-Centre, PHC, CHC) as defined by IPHS.
Option C: This is the population norm for a PHC in plain areas, not the specified hilly or tribal areas.
Option D: This is the IPHS population norm for an Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC), not a rural PHC in hilly/tribal areas.

Visual 1: Infographic: A chart illustrating the three-tier rural health infrastructure in India (Sub-centre, PHC, CHC) with their respective population norms for both plain and hilly/tribal areas.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain IPHS population norms for Primary Health Centres (PHC) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding IPHS norms is fundamental for community health nurses and public health officials for planning, resource allocation, and establishing new health centers to meet community needs.
These norms directly impact a nurse's workload, the geographical area they cover, and the population they serve, which is especially critical for ensuring health equity in remote locations.
What if? If a new tribal settlement with a population of 18,000 is established, public health officials would use the 20,000 norm to justify and plan for the creation of a new PHC to serve that community, ensuring they receive adequate healthcare access.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key terms in the question: 'IPHS', 'PHC', and 'hilly/tribal areas'. This tells you the question is about a specific standard for a specific facility in a specific location.
Second, recall the structure of India's rural health system, which is a three-tiered model: Sub-Centres, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and Community Health Centres (CHCs).
Third, remember that IPHS sets different population norms for 'plain' areas versus 'hilly/tribal/difficult' areas to ensure equitable access.
Fourth, specifically retrieve the norm for a PHC in a hilly/tribal area from your memory.
Finally, compare this recalled fact (20,000) with the given options to select the correct answer.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: IPHS population norms for Primary Health Centres (PHC)
Stem keywords: Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), population norm, PHC, hilly/tribal areas
Lead-in keywords: what is
Negative lead-in flag: false

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