[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 11 March 2019
Click on EACH question to post/upload you answers.
How to Follow Secure Initiative?
How to Self-evaluate your answer?
INSIGHTS NEW SECURE – 2019: YEARLONG TIMETABLE
Tomorrow’s Static Topic: History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial
revolution, world wars.
General Studies – 1
Topic– Industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries,
colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
World history by Norman Lowe, World history NCERT
Why this question:
The question is in the context of Africa, the term “Scramble for Africa” is often used to describe the period of intense European interest in colonization, occupation and annexation of Africa between the 1880s and 1914. Other terms used for the same phenomena include “Partition of Africa” and “Race for Africa“.
Directive word:
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Key demands of the question:
The answer should provide for a close examination of the heightened tension between European states in the last quarter of the 19th century, and how the partitioning of Africa may be seen as a way for the Europeans to eliminate the threat of a European-wide war over Africa. Then as to what were the ground realities and issues that were ignored.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start with the pressing causes of the event to happen.
Body
Discuss the following important factors :
- The ideas of Charles Darwin and the theory of evolution, the Eugenics movement and Racism, all helped to foster European expansionist policy in Africa.
- The vast interior between the gold and diamond-rich Southern Africa and Egypt had key strategic value in securing the flow of overseas trade.
- Britain was thus under intense political pressure to secure lucrative markets such as British Raj India, Qing Dynasty China, and Latin America from encroaching rivals.
- Discuss the issues and challenges faced.
Conclusion
Conclude with Impact of Imperialism on Africa and highlight its latency as of even today.
Topic– Industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries,
colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
World history by Norman Lowe, World history NCERT
Why this question:
The question is about what is nationalism? Causes and its consequences that led to outbreak of world wars.
demand of the question:
The answer must first define what is nationalism, its causes and then move on to evaluate how it led to world wars. Highlight how the new and aggressive nationalism was different from its predecessors that emerged in Europe at the end of the 19th century.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Discuss the coming of idea of Nationalism, its backdrop and rise.
Body
Discuss the following in detail :
- Nationalism as an intense form of patriotism. Those with nationalist tendencies celebrated the culture and achievements of their own country and placed its interests above those of other nations.
- Pre-war nationalism was fuelled by wars, imperial conquests and rivalry, political rhetoric, newspapers and popular culture etc.
- British nationalism was fuelled by a century of comparative peace and prosperity. The British Empire had flourished and expanded, its naval strength had grown and Britons had known only colonial wars.
- German nationalism was a new phenomenon, emerging from the unification of Germany in 1871. It became fascinated with German imperial expansion (securing Germany’s ‘place in the sun’) and resentful of the British and their empire.
- Rising nationalism was also a factor in the Balkans, where Slavic Serbs and others sought independence and autonomy from the political domination of Austria-Hungary.
Conclusion
conclude with the significance of Nationalism, its role in outbreak of Wars.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
Why this question:
The article talks about how cooperative federalism with social equity as its primary objective is transforming the Indian society, but when the conditions underlying cooperation are changing, the pressure to expand national power inherent in cooperative federalism is giving rise to coercive federalism.
Key demand of the question:
The question is in the backdrop of the Cooperative federalism increasingly being replaced with coercive federalism, one must explain such statements with recent examples and then move on to explain what need to be done to overcome it.
Directive word:
Elucidate – means to explain and clarify the topic, make it clear with examples.
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin with the importance of the cooperative federalism in Indian context.
Body:
The answer should mainly focus upon:
- the challenges, issues and concerns associated with Cooperative federalism in India – quote examples from agricultural reforms and NAM, Niti Ayog etc.
- What needs to be done In light of contemporary conditions? – a new consensus may have to be forged from elements of cooperative equity, competitive efficiency, and dual accountability etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with renegotiation of powers between Union and states; necessity of cooperative federalism for the development of political democracy in the right direction.
Topic: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
Why this question:
The question is in the context of Elections as an essential democratic exercise; with India about to witness the world’s largest elections, It is thus essential to know about the major issues surrounding such a large democratic exercise in the world.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must provide for a detailed analysis of the upcoming elections of 2019 in terms of the quantum, size, associated challenges that need to be addressed and a special focus needs to be made upon the social media and its role in elections.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Explain briefly the importance of elections in India, provide for specific facts indicating the magnitude of elections this time .
Body:
Discuss :
- various issues plaguing the electoral process in India.
- Role of election commission
- Impact of social media – a medium for political campaign and also as a medium of voter’s education; discuss the conundrum.
- Reforms required.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance of elections in Democracy, and emphasize specially on role of Election commission in conducting free and fair elections on such a scale.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Why this question:
The article captures the recent trends of RBI’s tight monetary policy that has kept real interest rates high, affecting investment movement and job making.
Key demand of the question
The answer must critically analyze the changing policies of the RBI, discuss that the primary objective of monetary policy is to maintain price stability while keeping in mind the objective of growth and that price stability is a necessary precondition to sustainable growth. You must critically bring out the issues wit current trends of monetary policy, what needs to be done.
Directive word
Critically analyse – When asked to analyse, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
Briefly narrate the background of the issue.
Body:
The answer should cover the following :
- Discuss first the role of RBI’s Monetary Policy.
- Monetary Policy Process and Goals Of Monetary policy.
- Current issues facing RBI policies.
- What needs to be done to address these issues and challenges?
Conclusion:
Conclude with significance of resolving such issues and how role of government policies is also of prime importance in handling such issues.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life./ Disaster and disaster management.
Why this question:
The article is in the background of the Google’s recent efforts of leveraging machine learning to predict India floods
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the significance of the Artificial intelligence in managing and mitigating floods; achieve social good in the sense of preventing fatalities.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin with what do you understand by Artificial intelligence, how can it be put to use to manage and mitigate hazards and disasters like floods .
Body:
Discuss the importance of Artificial intelligence, how advancement in Information Technology in the form of Internet, GIS, Remote Sensing, satellite communication, etc. can help a great deal in planning and implementation of hazards and provide for reduction measures.
highlight the role of information technology in management of natural disasters in India.
Discuss the significance of Google’s flood forecasting project in India, issues and challenges involved and the achievements it can make.
Conclusion:
Conclude with the importance of the use of technology and suggest way forward.
Topic: Disaster and disaster management.
Why this question:
The articles provide for a coverage of the recent anomaly in the weather conditions of India and importance of India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP). Thus making it important from the point of view of GS III paper.
Key demand of the question:
The answer should discuss the salient features of the programme, the objectives of it. you must also detail and emphasis on the need for a comprehensive policy and coordinated approach to deal with such anomalies in weather condition that can affect multiple sectors of economy such as agriculture, health etc.
Directive word
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
Briefly narrate the background of the issue, discuss the importance of the programme in the same context.
Body:
Discussion of the answer should capture the following points :
- What is the issue ? why is there a changing trend in weather/climatic conditions.
- Importance of the programme – ICAP.
- Salient features and objectives of ICAP.
- Benefits of the scheme, challenges and issues faced in implementation.
- Need for such schemes , suggest a way forward.
Conclusion –
Conclude with need for holistic approach to address the issue and suggest a way forward.
NOTE:
