[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 11 June 2019
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INSIGHTS NEW SECURE – 2019: YEARLONG TIMETABLE
Tomorrow’s Static Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues
arising out of their design and implementation.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Why this question:
A recent study has ranked Mumbai as the most traffic-congested city in the world for the second straight year, and Delhi at fourth place. Thus its important for us to analyse the effects of congestion on economic growth and quality of life of the country.
Demand of the question:
This question seeks to examine the problems posed by traffic congestion in the Indian cities.
Directive word:
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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start with brief introduction of the context of the question.
Body
One can start by stating the recent findings – Traffic Index 2018 published by TomTom, an Amsterdam-based company that offers traffic solutions and has been publishing city rankings for eight years. The latest index ranks 403 cities across 56 countries. Mumbai is the most traffic-congested city in the world for the second straight year, and Delhi is ranked at fourth place. Bogota (Colombia) is ranked at second and Lima (Peru) is ranked third.
Mumbai’s 2018 congestion level of 65%, therefore, means that the extra travel time is 65% more than an average trip would take during uncongested conditions. For Delhi, by the same yardstick, the extra travel time is 58% more.
Then move on to explain the problems posed by traffic congestion.
Explain the link between traffic congestion and economic growth, quality of life, as to how it is a key determining factor etc.
Economic Growth: A good transportation system is an important selling point to communities
that desire to attract development that provides for employment and growth of a city. If transport
costs due to congestion increase, goods and services produced within that city tend to increase in
costs thus losing competitiveness in international markets. Efficient transportation access is
therefore a very important consideration as it has a direct impact on sound and sustainable
economic growth and productivity. The cost of congestion in the Western Province of Sri Lanka
is over Rs 20,000 million per year (around 2 percent of Regional GDP). This includes the cost of
productive time and wastage of fuel.
Quality-of-Life: To some people, congested highways are a symptom of deteriorating quality-of-
life-in a community. The amount of time that is spent on commuting to and from work is also in
reality, time that is taken away from social interactions or pursuit of activities that have a personal
value and satisfaction.
Conclusion
Conclude with solutions to the problem.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Why this question:
The article provides for a detailed analysis of RBI’s debt resolution strategies their pros and cons.
Key demands of the question:
Answer is to analyse how the steps taken by RBI had both merits and demerits and what needs to be done to manage the current prevailing conditions of stressed assets.
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
In a few introductory lines explain the role played by RBI.
Body
Discuss the role of RBI in providing for a prudential framework for resolution of stressed assets.
Discuss what are the approaches carried out by RBI in the recent past.
Explain how changes are both good and not so good – timely resolution of sticky assets through mounting punitive provisions etc. take hints from the article and list down the pros and cons.
Suggest your opinion and conclude with fair and balanced conclusion.
Conclusion
Reassert the importance of key role played by the RBI.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Why this question:
The question is about early childhood care and education in India. The draft National Education Policy 2019 wants early childhood education to be overseen and regulated by the HRD Ministry as part of the school system, rather than the private preschools and anganwadis. Thus it is important from exam point of view to analyse the ECCE conditions in India.
Key demand of the question:
The question expects us to evaluate the current conditions of ECCE scenario in India, what needs to be done with a special focus on the draft national education policy.
Directive:
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 brief introduction on what you understand by ECCE.
Body:
One can start by appreciating the key highlights of the draft education policy with focus on aspects of ECCE –
- Right to Education Act to cover the three years of preschool before Class 1. Thus, all Indian children could soon enter the formal education system at the age of three.
- Early childhood education should be overseen and regulated by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD) as part of the school system, rather than the private pre-schools and anganwadis that currently cater to the 3-to-6 years age group.
- It suggests a new integrated curricular framework for 3 to 8-year olds with a flexible system based on play, activity and discovery, and beginning exposure to three languages from age 3 onwards.
- A joint task force from Health, HRD and Women and Child Development (WCD) ministry will draft “a detailed plan outlining the operational and financial implications of the integration of early childhood education with the school education system”.
Suggest the importance of having a robust policy for ECCE.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Why this question:
Representation of women in India’s workforce is at a historic low, and even those who work toil long hours for low pay, shows latest employment survey.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must evaluate in detail the recently released official employment survey of India.
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:
In a few introductory lines bring out the highlights of the survey.
Body:
Answers must discuss the following aspects –
- What are the concerns posed by the gender gap scenario in the employment aspect of the country?
- over three out of four women over the age of 15 in India are neither working nor seeking work. This would imply that they are most likely running the house and taking care of children.
- Then move on to explain the factors responsible for such a fall in working rates of women.
- Take cues from the article, suggest data across the sectors, women of all age groups etc.
- Suggest what needs to be done to overcome such concerns and challenges.
Conclusion –
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: The role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders, Agriculture
Why this question:
The article discuses a specific case study of How an NGO named AHIMSA has been supporting farmer-producer groups across States
Key demand of the question:
The answer must first discuss the concept of agricultural development and analyse the role played by NGOs in agricultural development of the country.
Directive:
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:
In a few lines define the concept of agricultural development.
Body:
The answer must discuss the following:
- What do you understand by agricultural development?
- What way can civil societies catalyze agriculture development in India?
- Discuss the prevalent issues and challenges facing Indian agriculture.
- One can discuss a case study (say the case study of NGO AHIMSA) and explain how along with efforts of the government on the policy front, such multi stakeholders’ approach is crucial to the development of agrarian scenario of the country.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Why this question:
The article discusses in detail how AI-driven technology will become counterproductive if a legal framework is not devised to regulate it.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss as to how if AI is not regulated properly, it is bound to have unmanageable implications. One has to explain the nuances of the law to regulate the use of AI.
Directive:
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:
In a few introductory lines discuss the issues and concerns around using AI.
Body:
In brief discuss what are the possible challenges that could be posed by AI in the absence of proper regulations. Explain predicting and analyzing legal issues and their solutions, however, is not that simple.
Suggest what should be the way forward.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what more needs to be done.
General Studies – 4
Topic:Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
Ethics by Lexicon
Why this question:
The question intends to discuss the concept of utilitarianism.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the interrelationship between politics and ethics.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In a few introductory lines appreciate the dependence of politics and ethics on each other.
Body:
Utilitarianism is a philosophic conception of politics and ethics. For the Utilitarian, politics and ethics are interwoven into the science of moral duty; in other words, political philosophy and ethics are inseparable. A political action is valuable only insofar as it keeps in mind the ethical good of the people with which it is concerned; consequently, the welfare of the people in general was the supreme consideration of the Utilitarian philosopher.
Conclusion:
Conclude by reasserting significance of ethics.
NOTE:
