NCERT Solutions for Class 12 Geography Fundamentals of Human Geography Chapter 6: Tertiary and Quaternary Activities

Chapter at a glance

Exercise Questions

Question 1 (i)

Which one of the following is a tertiary activity?
(a) Farming (b) Trading (c) Weaving (d) Hunting

Answer

Farming and hunting are primary activities, weaving is a secondary activity, and trading is a tertiary (service) activity.

2. Trading

Question 1 (ii)

Which one of the following activities is NOT a secondary sector activity?
(a) Iron Smelting (b) Catching fish (c) Making garments (d) Basket Weaving

Answer

Iron smelting, making garments and basket weaving transform raw materials (secondary activities). Catching fish is a primary activity.

2. Catching fish

Question 1 (iii)

Which one of the following sectors provides most of the employment in Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata?
(a) Primary (b) Quaternary (c) Secondary (d) Service

Answer

In large metropolitan cities, most people are employed in the service sector (trade, transport, finance, administration, health, education, IT, hotels etc.).

4. Service

Question 1 (iv)

Jobs that involve high degrees and level of innovations are known as:
(a) Secondary activities (b) Quaternary activities (c) Quinary activities (d) Primary activities

Answer

Quinary activities are services that focus on the creation, re-arrangement and interpretation of new and existing ideas, data interpretation and the use and evaluation of new technologies — the highest level of decision-makers and policy-makers, involving high levels of innovation (“gold collar” professions).

3. Quinary activities

Question 1 (v)

Which one of the following activities is related to quaternary sector?
(a) Manufacturing computers (b) University teaching (c) Paper and raw pulp production (d) Printing books

Answer

Quaternary activities involve the collection, production and dissemination of information and knowledge — e.g. university teaching, research, IT, consultancy. Manufacturing computers, paper production and printing are secondary activities.

2. University teaching

Question 1 (vi)

Which one out of the following statements is not true?
(a) Outsourcing reduces costs and increases efficiency. (b) At times engineering and manufacturing jobs can also be outsourced. (c) BPOs have better business opportunities as compared to KPOs. (d) There may be dissatisfaction among job seekers in the countries that outsource the job.

Answer

KPOs (Knowledge Processing Outsourcing) involve highly skilled workers doing research, analysis and consultancy, and offer better business opportunities and higher value than BPOs (Business Process Outsourcing), which do routine tasks like call centres. So statement (c) is not true.

3. BPOs have better business opportunities as compared to KPOs — this is not true.

Question 2 (i)

Explain retail trading service.

Answer

Retail trading is the business activity concerned with the sale of goods directly to the consumers. Most retail trading takes place in fixed establishments or stores solely devoted to selling. Street peddling, handcarts, trucks, door-to-door, mail-order, telephone, automatic vending machines and the internet are examples of non-store retail trading. Retail outlets range from small shops to supermarkets and malls; consumer cooperatives and chain stores are also part of retail trade.

Retail trading is the sale of goods directly to consumers, mostly through fixed stores (shops, supermarkets, malls) and also through non-store methods such as street peddling, handcarts, door-to-door selling, mail order, telephone, vending machines and the internet.

Question 2 (ii)

Describe quaternary services.

Answer

Quaternary activities centre around research, development and may be seen as an advanced form of services involving specialised knowledge, technical skills and administrative competence. They involve the collection, production and dissemination of information. People engaged include those in education, IT, finance, consultancy, R&D, media, administration, office buildings, elementary schools and university classrooms, hospitals and doctors’ offices, theatres, accounting and brokerage firms. Like some tertiary functions, quaternary activities can also be outsourced; they are not tied to resources, affected by the environment, or necessarily localised by market. The quaternary sector is growing rapidly in developed economies.

Quaternary services are knowledge-based activities involving the collection, production and dissemination of information, research and development, requiring specialised knowledge and technical skills — e.g. education, IT, finance, consultancy, media and administration; they are not tied to resources and can be outsourced.

Question 2 (iii)

Name the fast emerging countries of medical tourism in the world.

Answer

India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are the fast emerging countries of medical tourism; others include South Korea, Turkey, Mexico, Costa Rica and the UAE. Patients from the USA, UK, the Middle East and other countries travel to these countries for affordable, high-quality treatment (e.g. heart surgery, joint replacement, eye and dental care).

India, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia are the fast emerging countries of medical tourism.

Question 2 (iv)

What is digital divide?

Answer

Digital divide refers to the unequal access to information and communication technology (ICT) — computers, the internet, mobile networks — and the opportunities it offers. Opportunities emerging from ICT are unevenly distributed across the globe; there are wide differences in economic, political and social conditions among countries. Developed countries have gone ahead, while developing countries lag behind. Similar divides exist within countries — e.g. in India, metropolitan centres have better connectivity and access than peripheral rural areas, and between rich and poor, men and women.

The digital divide is the unequal access to information and communication technology (computers, internet, mobile networks) and its opportunities — between developed and developing countries and within countries, e.g. between Indian metros and rural areas, rich and poor, men and women.

Question 3 (i)

Discuss the significance and growth of the service sector in modern economic development.

Answer

Significance: 1. Largest sector – in developed countries, the service sector employs the majority of the workforce (over 75% in some countries like the USA and UK), and contributes the largest share of GDP; in India too, services contribute over half of GDP. 2. Supports other sectors – trade, transport, communication, banking and insurance are essential for agriculture and industry to function; they link producers and consumers. 3. Employment – services provide jobs ranging from low-skilled (domestic help, hawkers) to highly skilled (doctors, engineers, IT professionals). 4. Quality of life – health, education, recreation and tourism services improve human development. 5. Knowledge economy – quaternary and quinary services (research, IT, finance, consultancy, decision-making) drive innovation and growth. 6. Global integration – outsourcing, tourism, medical tourism and international trade in services connect economies; e.g. India’s IT and BPO/KPO industry earns foreign exchange.

Growth of the service sector: 1. As economies develop, the share of employment and GDP shifts from primary to secondary and then to tertiary activities (with rising incomes, demand for services increases). 2. Growth of information and communication technology (internet, mobile phones, satellites) has led to rapid expansion of services, outsourcing (BPO, KPO), e-commerce and digital services. 3. Tourism has become the world’s largest tertiary activity in terms of total registered jobs and revenue. 4. Urbanisation creates demand for services such as retail, transport, health and education. 5. In developing countries, services are growing rapidly, but often in the informal sector.

The service sector is the largest contributor to employment and GDP in developed economies (and over half of India’s GDP); it supports agriculture and industry through trade, transport, communication and finance, provides jobs at all skill levels, improves quality of life through health, education and tourism, and drives the knowledge economy. It has grown with rising incomes, urbanisation, ICT, outsourcing, e-commerce and tourism.

Question 3 (ii)

Explain in detail the significance of transport and communication services.

Answer

Transport services: 1. Movement of people and goods – transport is a service by which persons, manufactured goods and property are physically carried from one location to another. It links areas of production (raw materials, factories) with areas of consumption (markets). 2. Economic development – transport is essential for agriculture (moving inputs and produce), industry (raw materials and finished goods), trade and tourism; it reduces costs and enables specialisation. 3. Integration – it integrates regions and nations, helps in national unity, defence and administration, and connects countries through international trade. 4. Factors – the transport network consists of nodes and links; distance can be measured in km, time or cost; factors affecting transport demand include population size and density, and route choices depend on cost. 5. Modes – land (road, rail, pipelines), water (inland and ocean), air; each mode complements the others.

Communication services: 1. Transmission of information – communication involves the transmission of words, messages, facts and ideas. Earlier, communication depended on transport (letters carried by post); the invention of the telegraph, telephone, and later mobile phones, radio, TV, satellites and the internet made communication instant. 2. Telecommunications – the use of telecommunications is linked to the development of modern technology; it has revolutionised communications because of the speed with which messages are sent — from weeks to minutes. Mobile telephony and satellite communication (e.g. India’s INSAT) are important. 3. Mass media – radio, TV, newspapers inform, educate and entertain people. 4. Internet and cyberspace – the world of electronic computerised spaces; it is changing the economic and social space — e-commerce, e-banking, e-governance, e-learning, remote work. 5. Significance – communication helps in business, administration, education, disaster management, social interaction; it has created a “global village” and supports outsourcing and the knowledge economy.

Transport and communication services together are the “lifelines” of the economy and society.

Transport carries people and goods, linking production and consumption, supporting agriculture, industry, trade and tourism, and integrating regions and nations through complementary road, rail, pipeline, water and air modes. Communication transmits information instantly through telegraph, telephone, mobile phones, mass media, satellites and the internet, enabling business, administration, education, disaster management, e-commerce and outsourcing — together they are lifelines of a modern economy.

Question Project/Activity – (i)

Find out the activities of BPO.

Answer

BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) means contracting specific business tasks or processes to a third-party service provider, often in another country (offshoring). India is one of the world’s leading BPO destinations (e.g. Gurugram, Noida, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune, Chennai, Mumbai).

Activities of BPOs: 1. Customer care / call centres – handling customer queries, complaints and technical support by phone, email and chat (inbound); telemarketing and sales calls (outbound). 2. Back-office operations – data entry, data processing, document management, transcription (medical and legal), payroll processing, billing. 3. Finance and accounting – bookkeeping, accounts payable and receivable, tax preparation, insurance claims processing. 4. Human resources – recruitment, employee records, training. 5. IT-enabled services – technical help desk, software support. 6. Healthcare services – medical billing and coding. 7. KPO (higher end) – research and analytics, legal services, market research, engineering design.

Benefits: cost reduction for companies, employment for educated youth, foreign exchange. Problems: night shifts, stress, health problems, job insecurity.

BPOs perform outsourced business processes such as customer care and call centres (inbound and outbound), back-office work (data entry, transcription, billing, payroll), finance and accounting, HR services, technical help desks and medical billing, with higher-end KPOs doing research, analytics and legal work — providing jobs and foreign exchange, though with night shifts and stress.

Question Project/Activity – (ii)

Find out from a travel agent the documents you need to travel abroad.

Answer

(Typical list of documents for international travel from India.)

1. Passport – valid for at least six months beyond the date of return (issued by the Ministry of External Affairs through Passport Seva Kendras).
2. Visa – permission from the country to be visited (tourist, student, business, employment); some countries offer visa-on-arrival or e-visa.
3. Air tickets – confirmed onward and return tickets.
4. Travel insurance – medical and trip insurance (mandatory for some countries, e.g. Schengen).
5. Foreign exchange – currency, forex card or international credit card; declaration if carrying above permitted limits.
6. Proof of accommodation – hotel bookings or invitation letter.
7. Financial documents – bank statements, income tax returns (for visa).
8. Health documents – vaccination certificates (e.g. yellow fever for some African and South American countries).
9. Photographs, photocopies of documents, and an emergency contact list.
10. For students/workers – admission letter, employment contract; Emigration Check Required (ECR) clearance for certain categories of workers going to some countries.

Documents needed include a valid passport (6+ months’ validity), a visa (or e-visa/visa on arrival), confirmed air tickets, travel insurance, foreign exchange, proof of accommodation, financial documents such as bank statements, vaccination certificates where required, photographs, and admission/employment letters or emigration clearance where applicable.

Topic checklist

• ☒ Tertiary, quaternary and quinary activities (Q 1 (i)–(v), 2 (ii))
• ☒ Trade, transport and communication (Q 2 (i), 3 (ii))
• ☒ Outsourcing, medical tourism, digital divide (Q 1 (vi), 2 (iii), 2 (iv), project (i))
• ☒ Growth of services (Q 3 (i)); travel documents (project (ii))

Total questions answered: 14 of 14