Consider the following diseases:
- 1.Diphtheria
- 2.Chickenpox
- 3.Smallpox
Which of the above diseases has/have been eradicated in India?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 3 only
Only smallpox has been eradicated. WHO declared it eradicated worldwide in 1980, and it is the only human infectious disease to reach that status. Diphtheria and chickenpox still occur, including in India.
- ✗ 1. Diphtheria has been controlled by vaccination but not eradicated. WHO says no WHO region is completely free of it, and areas with low immunization coverage allow the bacteria to circulate.
- ✗ 2. Chickenpox (varicella) is caused by the varicella-zoster virus. WHO describes it as occurring worldwide, so it has not been eradicated anywhere, India included.
- ✓ 3. Smallpox was declared eradicated by WHO in 1980. It is the only human infectious disease to achieve this. It no longer occurs in India, and the last natural case anywhere was in Somalia in 1977.
Remember · Smallpox is the only human disease eradicated (declared 1980). India was certified polio-free in 2014, but polio is not yet eradicated worldwide. Diphtheria and chickenpox still circulate.
Sources
- WHO – Smallpox (health topic) ↗ “In 1980 WHO declared smallpox eradicated – the only infectious disease to achieve this distinction.”
- WHO – Diphtheria fact sheet ↗ “No WHO region is completely free from diphtheria, and areas with low immunization coverage with the diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine allow the bacteria to circulate”
- WHO – Varicella (chickenpox) ↗ “It occurs worldwide and is usually self-limiting in children, but complications and severe disease can occur.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2014, General Studies Paper I. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·
