[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 05 July 2019
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INSIGHTS NEW SECURE – 2019: YEARLONG TIMETABLE
Tomorrow’s Static Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices;
Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of
buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Why this question:
The article highlights how in recent years, minimum wage systems have been strengthened by many countries to lift workers out of poverty and to reduce levels of inequality.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must bring out the relevance of minimum wage policy to Indian scenario and in what way it can be a game changer in alleviating people out of poverty and spurring sustainable and inclusive growth.
Directive:
Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In brief explain what you understand by minimum wage policy.
Body:
Start by discussing the on going debate of the concept of minimum wage policy in economic survey. The Survey advises that the proposed labour code should include a provision for a minimum wage for both informal and formal sector workers, as 93% of the labour force is engaged in unorganized work.
Discuss how and why India needs to have a mandatory national-level minimum wage to promote social justice and curb distress migration.
Discuss both the positives and negatives of such a policy.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a fair and balanced approach.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question:
The article talks about relevance of behavioural change in the success of Swachh Bharat Mission.
Demand of the question:
The answer must talk about the Richard Thaler’s Behavioural Economics Theory and how and in what way one can correlate the success of SBM to it.
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
One can start by stating few facts to justify the success of SBM.
Body
The economic Survey said the Swachh Bharat Mission had resulted in the improvement of key primary health indicators.
It has drawn on Nobel Laureate Richard Thaler’s Behavioral Economics Theory to lay out what it describes as an “ambitious agenda” for behaviour change that will bring in social change, which in turn, will help India transit to a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.
The Survey, therefore, lays out an ambitious agenda for behavioral change by applying the principles of behavioral economics to several issues, including gender equality, a healthy and beautiful India, savings, tax compliance and credit quality.
Discuss the success of SBM with a case study to substantiate better.
Conclusion
Conclude with significance of behavioral change in driving the policies to success.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question:
The question is about analyzing the role of local community level healthcare intervention in achieving the health for all dream of India.
Key demand of the question:
The answer has to bring out the importance of local healthcare intervention in supporting the health system of the country.
Directive:
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Discuss the current stresses in terms of doctors, staff and support system the healthcare system of the country is undergoing.
Body:
One has to affirm that how significant shifts in focus would enable the Indian state to re-prioritize its policies in its pursuit to provide universal health and medical care by taking full support from the local community healthcare intervention.
Explain that the Gandhian dream of self-sufficient, networked community governments – Panchayats – is often dismissed as utopian and impractical. The contrary is true. Community institutions have many distinct advantages in looking after their own habitat and the health and welfare of their members. Interventions can be context specific and based on intimate knowledge of one another; they will rely on mutual cooperation rather than on a bureaucracy or the dictates of the ‘market’; they will be able to have a more holistic and a less ‘medicalised’ approach to health and they will be able to work out the most appropriate cost recovery methods for whatever facilities and services they provide.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
Why this question:
The question is based on the theme of Livestock sector of the country and the challenges and concerns associated with it.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss in detail the challenges and concerns associated with the growth of livestock sector in 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:
Describe the current status of livestock sector in India. Quote relevant facts/statistics depicting the contribution of livestock to the agricultural GDP.
Body:
The answer must discuss the following aspects:
First highlight the contribution of the sector to the agriculture sector of the country.
Then discuss specific challenges associated with the sector – Inadequate availability of credit, Poor accesses to organized markets deprive farmers of proper milk price, Limited availability of quality breeding bulls, Deficiency of vaccines and vaccination set-up, Due to industrialization and Urbanization Majority of grazing lands are either degraded or encroached, Diversion of feed and fodder ingredients for industrial use.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward by suggesting measures to overcome the above mentioned challenges.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
Indian geography by Majid Hussain, Indian economy by Dutt and Sundaram
Why this question:
The question is straight forward and is about discussing the agrarian revolutions that India witnessed post-independence.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the contributions of Agrarian revolutions in India and role played by them in ensuring food security in India.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin with brief on significance of important agrarian revolutions in India that started immediately after post-independence.
Body:
Discussion should include the following:
- India is primarily an agricultural economy and majority of people are still dependent on agriculture for their livelihood. After independence, development of agriculture has been assured by various revolutions supported by government.
- Green Revolution – This revolution led to tremendous rise in production of food grains, especially wheat, by use of high-yielding varieties of seeds, fertilizers and pesticide.
- White Revolution – Operation Flood (1970), an initiative of National Dairy Development Board has led to revolution in milk production in India. The world’s largest dairy development programme transformed India from a milk deficient nation to world’s largest milk producer.
- Blue Revolution – This revolution focused on management of fisheries sector and has led to phenomenal increase in both fish production and productivity from aquaculture and fisheries resources of the inland and marine fisheries.
- Other revolutions which are no less significant includes yellow revolution (oil seed production), golden fibre revolution (jute), golden revolution (horticulture), silver fibre revolution (Cotton) and red revolution (meat production).
Then suggest their contributions/significance. And conclude that To further the momentum of these programmes and assure food security in long run in face of ever increasing population, there is an urgent need for an ‘evergreen revolution’ that should focus on all round development of the agriculture sector.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration
Why this question:
The question is to analyse the importance of the virtue of humility and in what way it is the mother of all virtues.
Key demand of the question:
Explain in detail what you understand by Humility, its significance and one has discuss their personal experience and conclude with how one can be humble in life and what are its implications.
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:
Explain what you understand by Humility.
Body:
Explain the virtue of humility – Humility in true sense is not inflating oneself with ego despite of all the praises and respect offered for one’s work. Humility is at the foundation of all the virtues as said by Confucius is a profound statement with lot of depth in it.
Humility can free our mind from getting clouded by all the praises and respect. Humility counters ego which can be dangerous for further growth and development. With no ego in mind, one can invest his energy in more creative ideas.
Humility thus must be seen as virtue that makes you into someone that has the capacity of accepting or developing other virtues.
Then move on to explain humbleness in your own personal life experience and suggest ways that make a person humbler.
Conclusion:
Conclude by reasserting significance of humility in one’s life.
Topic: Work culture
Ethics by Lexicon publications
Why this question:
The question is based on the theme of professional loyalty.
Key demand of the question:
Explain in what way professional loyalty brings positive work culture in an organization. Effect that it has in civil services.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Explain in brief – what you understand by professional loyalty.
Body:
Start with what is the importance of loyalty in the workplace?
Explain that loyal employees contribute extensively to the productivity of your business. They are able to create the value required to put your business on the path to success. Customers are always on the lookout for value and nothing else.
Explain how one can demonstrate loyalty in the workplace?
Discuss the significance of professional loyalty in civil services , explain their advantages.
Conclusion:
Conclude by reasserting its significance.
NOTE:
