The Chadah committee recommended all the following except:

Correct Answer: D. One PHC for 50,000 population

The Chadah Committee (1963) was a landmark health planning body in India that made specific recommendations for strengthening primary healthcare infrastructure. The question asks what was NOT recommended by this committee. Option D states "One PHC for 50,000 population," which is incorrect according to Chadah's recommendations. The Chadah Committee actually recommended one PHC for every 10,000 population (not 50,000), reflecting a much denser network of primary health centers to improve rural healthcare accessibility. This was a progressive recommendation aimed at decentralizing healthcare delivery in post-independence India. The 50,000 population ratio represents a much lower density of PHCs and was not part of Chadah's vision. Understanding the specific numerical recommendations of various health committees (Chadah, Mudaliar, Bhore, Mukerji) is crucial for PSM examinations, as these form the foundation of India's health policy framework and are frequently tested in NEET PG.

Why the other options are wrong

A. PHC at block level — This WAS recommended by the Chadah Committee. The committee advocated for establishing PHCs at the block level to serve as the primary point of contact for rural populations. Block-level PHCs became a cornerstone of India's three-tier healthcare system (PHC → CHC → District Hospital). This is a correct statement about Chadah's recommendations, making it a wrong answer to the 'except' question. B. One basic health worker per 10,000 population — This WAS explicitly recommended by the Chadah Committee. The committee emphasized the need for adequate health workforce at the grassroots level, recommending one basic health worker (ANM/multipurpose worker) per 10,000 population. This recommendation aimed to ensure basic preventive and promotive health services reach rural communities. This is a correct Chadah recommendation, making it incorrect as an answer to the 'except' question. C. Responsibility of PHCs in malaria eradication — This WAS recommended by the Chadah Committee. The committee assigned PHCs a crucial role in disease surveillance and eradication programs, particularly malaria control—a major public health challenge in post-independence India. PHCs were envisioned as frontline workers in India's malaria eradication efforts. This is a correct Chadah recommendation, making it an incorrect answer to the 'except' question.

High-Yield Facts

Mnemonics

Chadah's PHC Density Rule Chadah = 10,000 (one PHC per 10,000 population). Remember: Chadah came early (1963) and recommended DENSE coverage. Higher density = better access in rural India. NOT 50,000 (which is too sparse). Health Committee Timeline (India) BBMC: Bhore (1946) → Bhore → Mudaliar (1962) → Chadah (1963) → Mukerji (1962). Chadah is the 10,000 population PHC committee—remember it as the 'dense' one.

NBE Trap

NBE pairs "PHC" with "50,000 population" to trap students who confuse Chadah's recommendations (10,000) with later, less ambitious health policies or with the Mudaliar Committee's different ratios. The 50,000 figure may sound plausible for a sparse rural setting, luring students who don't recall Chadah's specific numerical recommendation.

Clinical Pearl

In rural India today, the PHC remains the first contact point for primary care. Chadah's vision of one PHC per 10,000 population was ambitious for 1963 but reflected the urgent need to decentralize healthcare post-independence. Many rural areas still struggle to meet this density, highlighting the enduring relevance of Chadah's recommendations in Indian health policy debates.

_Reference: Park's Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, Chapter on Health Planning and Committees; KD Tripathi or standard PSM texts covering Indian health policy history._