Which committee is known as the Health Survey and Planning Committee?

RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-3rd)

Community Health Nursing

Easy

Appeared in: RRB Nsg. Superintendent-20 July 2019 (Shift-3rd)

Explanation

The Mudaliar Committee, chaired by Dr. A. Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, was appointed by the Government of India in 1959.
It is officially and popularly known as the 'Health Survey and Planning Committee'.
Its main purpose was to survey the progress in the health sector since the Bhore Committee report and to plan for future health development in the country.
The committee recommended strengthening existing infrastructure rather than rapid expansion, focusing on quality of services at PHCs and district hospitals.

Option A: The Bhore Committee is known as the 'Health Survey and Development Committee', not the 'Planning Committee'.
Option B: The Shrivastav Committee was known as the 'Group on Medical Education and Support Manpower'.
Option C: The Kartar Singh Committee was the 'Committee on Multipurpose Workers under Health and Family Planning'.

Visual 1: Timeline Infographic - A timeline showing the establishment year and key purpose of major Indian health committees (Bhore, Mudaliar, Kartar Singh, Shrivastav, etc.) to help visualize the evolution of health planning.
Visual 2: Comparison Table - A detailed table comparing the key recommendations, focus areas, and outcomes of the Bhore Committee versus the Mudaliar Committee.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Major Health Committees in India and their official names/mandates as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Understanding the evolution of India's health system through these committees is crucial for community health nurses to appreciate the structure and function of PHCs, sub-centres, and referral systems.
The recommendations of these committees directly influence the roles and responsibilities of healthcare workers, including the concept of multipurpose health workers (MPHWs) which is a foundational role in rural healthcare.
What if? - If the Mudaliar committee had recommended rapid expansion of new PHCs instead of strengthening existing ones, the focus might have shifted to quantity over quality, potentially leading to a wider but less effective network of under-equipped health centers.

How to Approach the Question

This is a factual recall question based on the history of public health in India.
First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'Health Survey and Planning Committee'.
Next, differentiate this from the very similar 'Health Survey and Development Committee'. The word 'Planning' is the key differentiator.
Recall or deduce the committee associated with each name. The Bhore Committee was for 'Development' (it developed the initial concept of PHCs), while the Mudaliar Committee was for 'Planning' (it planned the next phase of development).
Eliminate the other options by recalling their primary focus (Shrivastav on manpower, Kartar Singh on multipurpose workers).

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Major Health Committees in India and their official names/mandates.
Stem keywords: committee, Health Survey and Planning Committee
Lead-in keywords: Which

Q1ch-SyZzg5l8SJP68hGQl