NORCET 9 Mains - 2025: Family Planning Programme in India was first started in which year?

NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: NORCET 9 Mains - 2025

Explanation

India holds the distinction of being the first country in the world to launch a national-level Family Planning Programme.
The program was officially initiated in 1952 with the objective of 'reducing the birth rate to the extent necessary to stabilize the population at a level consistent with the requirement of the national economy'.
The initial phase of the program was modest, focusing on a clinic-based approach to provide contraceptive services and education.

Option A: This is the year India gained independence. While a landmark year, the national family planning program was established five years later.
Option C: This year marked a significant shift in the program with the introduction of the Intrauterine Device (IUD), specifically the Lippes Loop. This was an expansion and strategic change, not the initial launch.
Option D: The Medical Termination of Pregnancy (MTP) Act was passed in 1971, legalizing abortion under specified conditions. This was a separate but related legislative measure to support family welfare, not the start of the main program.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Public Health Programmes in India as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses are the backbone of the Family Welfare Programme, responsible for counseling couples, providing a range of contraceptive services, and educating communities on reproductive health.
A thorough understanding of the program's history and evolution helps nurses appreciate the context of current policies and the variety of services available, from spacing methods to terminal methods and MTP services.
What if? If a client is only aware of sterilization as a family planning method, a nurse's knowledge of the program's comprehensive offerings (including spacing methods like IUDs, oral pills, and injectables) is crucial for providing client-centered counseling and ensuring informed choice.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question testing knowledge of major public health milestones in India.
First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'Family Planning Programme... first started'.
Scan the options, which are all significant years in modern Indian history.
Mentally place the event in a historical context. A major national program like this would likely start after India's independence in 1947.
Recall or deduce the events associated with the other years. 1971 is strongly linked to the MTP Act, and 1965 to the IUD program expansion. This process of elimination points towards 1952.
Confirm that 1952 represents the initial launch, making it the correct answer for a question about the 'first start'.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Parks TextBook of Preventive & Social Medicine part 2 — Subpart A (pp 1-232 of 464) pp. 10-12, 11-13