These issues were being addressed very seriously by the Indian government, said Planning Commission member Abhijit Sen. He said the plan called for school dropout rates to fall 20 per cent and to cut maternal mortality by three-quarters to one death per 1,000 births by 2012.

“These are all achievable targets that don't require much in the way of resources or time to achieve them,” he said.

‘Take a cue from them’

Oxfam listed positive developments in the countries and said they presented an example to be followed by others. The report singled out Sri Lanka as an example of a developing country that has achieved universal free schooling, drastically reduced infant mortality rates and boosted life expectancy to levels comparable to developed countries. Bangladesh was also praised for achieving equality in school enrollment between boys and girls.