BRIEF RESEARCH COMMUNICATION |
https://doi.org/10.5005/jdbahs-11017-0001 |
Updated B. G. Prasad Socioeconomic Status Classification for the Year 2024
1,2Department of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Corresponding Author: Mahesh R Khairnar, Department of Public Health Dentistry, Faculty of Dental Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India, Phone: +91 7045653288, e-mail: kmahesh222@gmail.com
How to cite this article: Khairnar MR, Kumar PGN. Updated B. G. Prasad Socioeconomic Status Classification for the Year 2024. J Dent Bio-Allied Health Sci 2024;1(1):28–29.
Source of support: Nil
Conflict of interest: Dr Mahesh R Khairnar is associated as the Associate Editorial Board member of this journal and this manuscript was subjected to this journal’s standard review procedures, with this peer review handled independently of this editorial board member and his research group.
Received on: 05 March 2024; Accepted on: 30 March 2024; Published on: 19 June 2024
ABSTRACT
Socioeconomic status (SES) is one of the influential factors that determines the health of an individual. Assessment of SES status relies on multiple factors such as income, education, occupation, and religion. BG Prasad’s SES scale is the most widely used. It is based on per capita monthly income and is widely used in India. As the price of the Rupee keeps on changing, there is a need to update the BG Prasad’s SES scale.
Keywords: BG Prasad SES, Consumer price index, Socioeconomic status scale.
INTRODUCTION
Many factors, including one’s level of education, income, occupation, religious affiliation, and so on, contribute to one’s socioeconomic status (SES), which in turn affects one’s health. Assessment of SES status involves considering all these factors, as it reflects both the social and economic standing of a person. People with high SEE tend to use more healthcare facilities and prioritize preventive measures, while those with lower SES may face barriers in healthcare utilization. The Kuppuswamy scale and the BG Prasad scale are two popular tools for gauging socioeconomic status. The latter was developed by its creator and was altered twice between 1968 and 1970 after its initial 1961 introduction.1–3 This approach is commonly used to assess socioeconomic status in India, and it applies to both urban and rural residents. The following formula is used to compute the per capita monthly income, which is the basis for this.
Monthly income per capita is calculated by dividing the total income of all families by the total number of family members.
Because it relies just on income, the BG Prasad SES scale is very straightforward to compute, which is its primary advantage. Nevertheless, it is important to frequently update the income variable since income measures may become irrelevant if the value of the rupee continues to vary owing to monetary inflation.
REVISION OF BG PRASAD SCALE
With a 1960 base value of 100 based on the consumer price index (CPI), the BG Prasad Scale was launched in 1961. Changes to the scale occurred in the years that followed. The CPI for those years went back to the original base CPI of 1960 due to the introduction of linking factors between 1982 and 2001. There were 4.63 connecting factors between 1982 and 4.93 in 2001. Recent revisions to the base year and the introduction of a linking factor of 2.88 by the Ministry of Labour Bureau reflect changes in the spending habits of the working class, which occurred after 2016. The revised information on CPI IWs at the national and regional levels served as the basis for this change.4
CALCULATION OF THE NEW INCOME RANGES
At 138.9 in January 2024, the CPI for industrial workers was 1.389 times higher than the base index figure in 2016. You may get the new income value by plugging the numbers into the formula:
The following formula is used to calculate the new income value: multiplication factor multiplied by the old income value, then multiplied by 4.63, 4.93, and 2.88. Here, 4.63, 4.93, and 2.88 are the labour bureau’s specified connecting factors. Looking at Table 1, we can see the revised per capita monthly income numbers (in Rs. per month) for January 2024.
Social class | Original BG Prasad classification of 1961(Rs./month) | Modified BG Prasad classification for January 2024 (Rs./month) |
---|---|---|
Upper class | 100 and above | 9131 and above |
Upper middle class | 50–99 | 4566–9130 |
Middle class | 30–49 | 2739–4565 |
Lower middle class | 15–30 | 1370–2738 |
Lower class | Less than 15 | Less than 1370 |
As CPI-IW values are regularly updated, all socioeconomic classifications that are based on income must be updated at the same time. The authenticity of published SES updates may be at risk due to the dynamic nature of inflation.
ORCID
Mahesh R Khairnar https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4274-9565
PG Naveen Kumar https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1972-6413
REFERENCES
1. Prasad BG. Social classification of Indian families. J Indian Med Assoc 1961;37:250–251.
2. Prasad BG. Social classification of Indian families. J Indian Med Assoc 1968;51:365–366.
3. Prosad BG. Changes proposed in the social classification of Indian families. J Indian Med Assoc 1970;55(6):198–199. PMID: 5501467.
4. Ministry of Labour and Employment. Government of India. Available from: https://labourbureau.gov.in/.
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