Economy Five Year Plans Summary
Five Year Plans Summary – RRB Quick Revision
Mnemonic: “1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-12-None” → 1st to 12th Plan + NITI Aayog era (no 13th)
1. Timeline & Core Theme
| Plan | Years | Tag-line / Focus | GDP Growth Target | Actual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1951-56 | Agriculture & Irrigation | 2.1 % | 3.6 % |
| 2nd | 1956-61 | Industrial base (Steel) | 4.5 % | 4.2 % |
| 3rd | 1961-66 | Self-reliance | 5.6 % | 2.8 % (war/drought) |
| Plan Holiday | 1966-69 | Annual Plans | – | – |
| 4th | 1969-74 | Growth w/ stability “Garibi Hatao” | 5.7 % | 3.3 % |
| 5th | 1974-79 | Poverty removal (minimum needs) | 4.4 % | 5.0 % (ended early – 1978) |
| Rolling | 1978-80 | Janata Plan (oil shock) | – | – |
| 6th | 1980-85 | Poverty & Employment | 5.2 % | 5.5 % |
| 7th | 1985-90 | Food-Work-Productivity | 5.0 % | 6.0 % |
| Annual | 1990-91 | Crisis stabilization | – | – |
| 8th | 1992-97 | Human development + Reform | 5.6 % | 6.8 % |
| 9th | 1997-02 | “Growth w/ Social Justice” | 6.5 % | 5.5 % |
| 10th | 2002-07 | “Towards faster, more inclusive” | 8.0 % | 7.7 % |
| 11th | 2007-12 | “Inclusive growth” | 9.0 % | 8.0 % |
| 12th | 2012-17 | “Faster, Sustainable, More inclusive” | 8.0 % | 7.1 % |
| After 2017 | NITI Aayog | 3-year Action Plans (no 13th) | – | – |
2. Quick Facts to Memorise
- Longest Plan: 6th (5 yrs) → shortest effective was 5th (ended 1978)
- Highest actual growth: 8th Plan (6.8 %)
- Lowest actual: 3rd Plan (2.8 %)
- First Plan chair: Jawaharlal Nehru (also Set-up Planning Commission 1950)
- Plan Holiday: 3 Annual Plans (1966-69) after 3rd Plan failure
- Rolling Plan concept introduced by: Janata Govt (1978-80)
- Disinvestment policy started: 1991 → reflected in 8th Plan
- NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission: 1 Jan 2015 (no 13th Plan)
3. Sector-Special Snapshots
| Plan | Flagship Scheme / Project |
|---|---|
| 1st | Bhakra-Nangal, Hirakud dams; Community Development |
| 2nd | Steel plants (Bhilai, Durgapur, Rourkela) |
| 3rd | 3 IITs (Bombay, Kanpur, Madras) |
| 5th | Integrated Rural Employment Programme (IREP) |
| 6th | National Rural Employment Programme (NREP) → later MGNREGA roots |
| 8th | Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) launched |
| 11th | MGNREGA expanded; Right to Education (2010) |
| 12th | Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), Digital India seeding |
4. Memory Tricks
“A-B-C-D-E” of 1st-5th Plans:
A – Agriculture (1st)
B – Basic & Heavy Industries (2nd)
C – Crisis & self-reliance (3rd)
D – Drought → Plan Holiday
E – Eliminate poverty (5th)8-9-10-11 = Growth rate keeps jumping 6→7→8 % (approx.)
5. Likely RRB MCQs
Q1. Which Five-Year Plan is also called “Gadgil Yojana”?
Ans. 3rd Five-Year Plan (1961-66)Q2. The Planning Commission was set up in ______ by a resolution of the Government of India.
Ans. 15 March 1950Q3. The slogan “Garibi Hatao” was associated with which Plan?
Ans. 4th Five-Year PlanQ4. First Plan emphasized on which sector the most?
Ans. Agriculture & IrrigationQ5. Which Plan recorded the highest actual average annual GDP growth?
Ans. 8th Plan (6.8 %)Q6. The term “Inclusive Growth” was explicitly used for the first time in which Plan document?
Ans. 11th Five-Year PlanQ7. After which Plan was the Planning Commission dissolved?
Ans. 12th Plan (dissolved before 13th)Q8. During which Plan was the New Economic Policy (Liberalization) introduced?
Ans. 8th Plan (1992-97)Q9. The concept of “Rolling Plan” was introduced during which government?
Ans. Janata Party Government (1978-80, between 5th & 6th)Q10. Who was the last Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission?
Ans. Montek Singh AhluwaliaLast-day tip: Just remember 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-12 → no 13th. Highest growth = 8th; Agriculture = 1st; Inclusive = 11th. Good luck!
BETA
