Community Development
Community Development
This domain tests the meaning of community, development indicators, participatory approaches and government programmes. Questions ask you to plan or evaluate a community action.
Core rules and concepts
- Community: a group sharing place, interest and interaction. Community development is a process of collective action to improve living conditions.
- Indicators: literacy, infant mortality rate, maternal mortality ratio, immunization coverage, sanitation, employment, per capita income.
- Participation is key: needs assessment, prioritization, planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation.
- Approaches: top-down (programme-driven) and bottom-up (participatory). PRA tools: mapping, transect walk, seasonal calendar, Venn diagram.
- Programmes: ICDS (nutrition, preschool, health), MGNREGA (rural employment), Swachh Bharat Mission (sanitation), National Health Mission.
- Leadership: democratic, autocratic, laissez-faire; a good leader involves members.
Worked example
A village has open defecation and high diarrhoea. Reasoning: do not simply build toilets. Use a transect walk and community meeting to identify sites and beliefs, involve women's groups, link with Swachh Bharat incentives, and follow up with hygiene education. Monitor toilet use, not only construction.
Traps
Equating community development with government schemes only; ignoring local participation; using a single indicator as proof of development.