[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 04 September 2019
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General Studies – 1
Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present.
Why this question:
The question intends to discuss the transformations that agriculture underwent in British times.
Key demand of the question:
One must explain the factors that led to changes in agriculture system and structure during British times.
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:
Write in a few introductory lines that there was a tremendous impact on agrarian system of the country.
Body:
Question is straightforward and one has to detail upon the various agrarian changes that British brought into the country –
- Britishers’ introduced a new class of landlords called Zamindars who regarded land as their private property and aimed at obtaining maximum monetary gains out of it.
- Commercialization of agriculture became prominent.
- Better means of communication (equipped with rapid development of railways and shipping) made trade in agricultural products feasible, especially over long distances.
- There were also efforts made by the British to ‘improve’ Indian agriculture, during the 18th and 19th centuries.etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with balanced opinion that the efforts were both positive and negative and Indian agriculture even today hosts few features as the British rule legacy.
Topic: Geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Geography by Majid Hussain
Why this question:
The topic is from the static portions of GS paper I .
Key demand of the question:
Explain the various factors responsible in the formation of soils with suitable examples.
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.
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:
Define soils in brief and their significance.
Body:
Explain the process of soil formation in detail –
The soil is one of the important components of the sustainability of an ecosystem because it is the vitally important natural medium for the growth of vegetation. The soil is one of the important components of the sustainability of an ecosystem because it is the vitally important natural medium for the growth of vegetation.
Explain each factor in detail.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance of soil in the ecosystem.
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 question is amidst the recent violence faced by doctors across various pockets of the country and thus the coming of the Bill.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must be able to address whether the provisions of the bill alone are sufficient to handle the issue or there are bigger causes to the situation.
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:
Explain that India is woefully short of doctors and its healthcare infrastructure is creaky. Public hospitals are overcrowded, even as private ones are too expensive for most Indians. It is at such hospitals that instances of violence typically take place, usually triggered by the death of a patient.
Body:
Explain first the underlying causes for such incidences; quote the recent gruesome acts where doctors, medical officers have been lynched to death.
Then discuss the need to enhance the capacity of public services. Explain what measures must be taken by the govt. to ensure such incidences are put to an end – regularize private hospitals, charter for patient rights, increase the numbers of healthcare service personnel, provide for security of life to doctors and clinical establishment etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.
Why this question:
The article is based on the development of Artificial intelligence and the atmosphere required for its startups in the country.
Key demand of the question:
One must explain the prerequisites that are must to develop AI as a solution to many problems amidst varying human culture.
Directive:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must 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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In brief define AI.
Body:
Explain first the potential and significance that AI hold in today’s times.
Provide for the detailed picture of AI and its development in India.
Explain what needs to be done to foster the growth of AI in India.
Discuss the challenges and advantages.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Why this question:
The article highlights India’s strategic neglect of Central Europe in the past decades and highlights the recent productive engagement with the region by the current government.
Key demand of the question:
Analyse the trends in India –Europe relations from past to present.
Directive:
Justify – When you are asked to justify, you have to pass a sound judgement about the truth of the given statement in the question or the topic based on evidences. You have to appraise the worth of the statement in question using suitable case studies or/ and examples.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In brief explain the context of the question.
Body:
First discuss the historical relations that India shared with European countries.
Explain how today, Located at the crossroads of Asia and at the heart of the Indian Ocean, India sees itself as a maritime power in the Indo-Pacific with big interests in continental Eurasia.
Explain in what way In deepening its partnership with Europe, Delhi can overcome some of the recent challenges that have emerged in the conduct of its foreign policy.
Conclusion:
Conclude with significance of such increasing ties and way forward.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question:
Up to 25 medical students at the Gulbarga Institute of Medical Sciences (GIMS) in Kalaburagi district in Karnataka have contracted the vaccine-preventable disease, diphtheria. Thus necessary to understand the scenario from the exam point of view.
Key demand of the question:
One must analyse the causes and consequences of the rising number of incidences of the disease in the country and explain what needs to be done to overcome and eradicate the disease completely.
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:
Define Diphtheria and highlight the incidences of it in India.
Body:
Explain that Diphtheria is an acute bacterial infection of respiratory system which can cause mild to severe illness.
Discuss that a disease which has disappeared from most of the world and one for which India introduced a vaccine as a part of routine immunization as early as 1978 – in the national capital so far. The resurgence across the country shows that the vaccination is not reaching everyone.
Explain the possible causes that have led to rise in the numbers.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what needs to be done to overcome the epidemic of Diptheria.
General Studies – 3
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.
Why this question:
The question aims to discuss the ethical concerns involving the participation of politicians and bureaucrats and their ill will.
Key demand of the question:
One must bring out the conflict of interests of the politicians and the bureaucrats involved in the practice of ethical conduct in their professional duties.
Directive:
Critically analyze – 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:
In brief narrate the context of the question, highlight the importance of ethics.
Body:
Discuss the significance of ethics and in what context usually they are compromised when it is about the politicians and bureaucrats and their personal needs and wants. Explain this with suitable examples.
Discuss solutions to address these concerns.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what needs to be done to overcome these challenges.
NOTE: