22 October 2014
Answer ALL the questions in about 200 words:
1) Recently the Finance Ministry rolled out reforms aimed at efficient management of government expenditure. Critically comment on them.
2) Sexual violence in India has many dimensions. Comment.
3) At the end of a function to celebrate a birth anniversary of an important national leader, the national anthem was played. Everyone, except a lady who appeared to be a foreign national, present at the function stood up and sang the song. One of the volunteers in the function rudely questioned the lady why she didn’t respect his countries’ national anthem when everyone else did. When a person next to her tried to defend her, he was beaten by few individuals. The lady told organisers that she respected the national anthem and didn’t know it was compulsory to stand up and sing it. Despite her explanation, the lady was sent away from the function with rude remarks.
a) What is your opinion about the lady’s conduct? Do you think that a code of conduct (official or unofficial) is necessary to sing national anthem? Comment. (200 Words)
b) If you were present next to the lady, what would have been your reaction and course of action? (150 Words)
4) Explain the significance of recent move by the government to speed up auction of coal blocks after Supreme Court’s order cancelling allocations made previously.
5) “There is a need to debate the issue of the extensive use of force as a preventive measure during the constitutive democratic moment i.e. during election process in India.” Critically comment.
6) In the light of recent protests by handloom workers in Karnataka, critically examine the governments’ policies regarding this sector and highlight the problems faced by handlooms in general.
7) France is now being labelled by few as new ‘Sick Man of Europe’. Examine why.
8) In the light of recent political developments that have taken place in India and Indonesia, analyse the relation between two countries.
