[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 23 April 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: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business,
powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions and basic structure.
Why this question:
The citizenship Bill does not require any changes if Clause 6 of the Assam Accord is implemented properly according to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal. If Clause 6 is implemented in letter and spirit, then the indigenous people of Assam are well guarded and protected. Thus we need to evaluate Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and how it affects the interests of indigenous people.
Key demand of the question:
Discussion should be around the controversy and issues surrounding the bill, how the bill seeks to affect the interests of indigenous people.
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:
Introduce with context of the question.
Body:
- Explain what is the citizenship amendment bill 2016?
- The Citizenship Amendment Bill 2016 seeks to allow illegal migrants from certain minority communities in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan eligible for Indian citizenship. In other words, it amends the Citizenship Act of 1955.
- The Citizenship Amendment Bill seeks to allow illegal migrants belonging to the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi or Christian religious communities coming from Afghanistan, Bangladesh or Pakistan to not be imprisoned or deported.
- It also appeals for the minimum years of residency in India to apply for citizenship to be lessened from at least 11 to six years for such migrants.
- The Bill, however, does not extend to illegal Muslim migrants. It also does not talk about other minority communities in the three neighbouring countries, such as Jews, Bahais etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what should be the way forward.
Topic: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
Polity by Lakshmikant
Why this question:
The question is in the context of office of profit, and the controversies associated with .
Key demand of the question:
The answer must explain in detail what constitutes an ‘office of profit’, what are the issues and concerns associated with it and role of judiciary in determining the significance.
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 you understand by office of profit
Body:
- Office of Profit means any office that finds its origin as appointment by government and imparts a special position and/ or benefits to that person.
- This term has reference in Indian Constitution under article 102 (1)(A) and 191 along with this the representatives cannot hold an office of profit under section 9 (A) of the Representation of People Act.
- Discuss the cases involved – Pradyut Bordoloi vs. Swapan Roy
- Underlying principle of the office of profit.
- In detail discuss the role played by judiciary.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stating need for upholding the constitutionality of such concept.
Topic: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
Why this question:
The question highlights the usual deluge of political propaganda.
Key demand of the question:
Critically analyze – When asked to analyze, 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.
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 the controversies surrounding the political advertisement using tax payer’s money.
Body:
In brief analyse SC ruling on govt ads and how they trample on executive’s domain. Discuss how there are other angles that leaders should be mindful of. The use of taxpayer money for popularizing governmental narratives puts Opposition parties at a disadvantage, tempting them to use similar devices when in power and perpetuating the spin cycle. Regulatory standards can be devised but compliance will be challenging to ensure.
Parties may be better off reflecting on the content of advertisements to enhance credibility of ministers. Relentlessly positive narratives become a tough sell when reputations are constantly under pressure amid the media glare. Being visible in representative democracy is admittedly difficult.
But politicians should know that the citizen’s aesthetic demands are a lot more evolved now.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic : Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Why this question:
The question is about discussing role of election commission in checking violations of MCC.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the recent violations in MCC and the role of ECI in addressing these violations .
Directive:
Critically Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications. 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:
Introduce by highlighting the recent incidences of violation of MCC.
Body:
The body of the answer should address the following dimensions:
- Discuss the recent incidences of violation of model code of conduct.
- Role of Election Commission of India in such scenario.
- Key Functions and Powers and Independence of the Election Commission.
- Discuss the recent cases where ECI went vociferously and also instances where it was helpless and handcuffed.
Conclusion –
Conclude with way forward.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security.
Why this question:
The article provides for a brief analysis of how some regulation to check fake news is necessary, despite the risks of regulatory capture. This is in the light of the responses of the Sri Lankan government to the terrorist attack on Easter recently that was to clamp down on social media.
Key demands of the question:
The answer must discuss evolution of evolution of separation of powers and explain how the Separation of Powers is implemented in our nation.
Directive word
Critically analyze – When asked to analyze, 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
Introduce by highlighting the situation in Sri – Lanka and steps taken by govt.
Body
The body of the answer should address the following dimensions:
- How and why Social media is prone to herd behaviour?
- Why the suppression of social media presumably helps prevent the spread of fake news, rumors and hate speech.
- What are the negatives associated? – economic costs, in terms of a shutdown of legitimate e-commerce. It hurts businesses and services that depend on digital connectivity etc.
- Take cues from the article and suggest solutions.
Conclusion
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
Why this question:
The article discusses significance of Green practices on the eve of World Earth day. The theme for Mother Earth Day 2019 is ‘greening the blue’.
Demand of the question:
The answer must bring out importance of Implementing green practices in homes and offices that can help reduce waste, conserve resources, improve air and water quality, and protect ecosystems and biodiversity.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start by explaining the need for greening.
Body
- What do you understand by Green practices?
- What are the ways and methods , who all are the stakeholders?
- Discuss the significance of political action and civic participation.
- Take hints from the article and discuss the examples of best practices.
- Conclude with what should be done?
Conclusion
Conclude with way forward.
General Studies – 4
Topic : Ethics and Human Interface
Ethics by Lexicon publications.
Why this question:
The question is based on the ethical angle of evaluation of the parochial mindset prevalent in our society.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss in detail the situation of parochial mindset of our society, its evolution. And the need for addressing the faulty ethical framework that guides and fosters such system.
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:
Highlight the context of question.
Body:
- Such answers are best explained with examples, highlight the societal mindset prevalent in the country.
- Explain why parochial mindset starts at home?
- What are the fault lines
- Suggest what set of ethical framework should be adopted to address this challenge.
Conclusion:
Conclude with significance of robust ethical framework.
NOTE:
