[Insights Secure – 2020] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 29 January 2020
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INSIGHTS NEW SECURE – 2020: YEARLONG TIMETABLE
General Studies – 1
Topic: Indian Culture will cover the salient aspects of Art forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
1. Trace the Socio-economic life of the regional kingdoms in Medieval India. (250 words)
Reference: Class XI NCERT Medieval India by Satish Sharma, Class XI NCERT Ancient India by Satish Sharma
Why this question:
The question is straightforward from the portions of GS paper I and there isn’t much to deliberate.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the Socio-economic life of the regional kingdoms in Ancient India in detail.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly explain the Kingdoms that ruled India and parts of it.
Body:
The body of the answer should discuss the aspects of social and economic life in the various kingdoms that existed during the times.
Discuss the Main Characteristics of Medieval India age.
In the Medieval Period, the growth of Human development was pushed up to a great extent.
Social Development:
- With the coming of Muslims, the people of different places and different faiths were mixed with the Indian people.
- The Society was divided into higher, middle and lower classes.
- The Bhakti and Sufi movements influenced the social-religious life of the people.
- The Worship of one God, Bhajans and Prayers became popular.
Economic Development in Medieval India:
- Agriculture was well developed.
- The Major share of agriculture yield was enjoyed by kings and landlords.
- Jagir system was prevalent.
- The Middlemen controlled the sale of products.
Conclusion:
Conclude by reasserting significance of the life in Medieval India and emphasis on the fact that characteristics from the past are still alive in today’s India.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
Reference: Economic Times
Why this question:
NITI Aayog released its vision for the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP) recently, thus the question.
Key demand of the question:
Discuss in detail the significance of such a platform in aiding to democratize access to publicly available government data.
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:
Start with the concerns that were raising about access of available government data.
Body:
Comment on the features of the National Data and Analytics Platform (NDAP).
- It aims to democratize access to publicly available government data.
- It will host the latest datasets from various government websites, present them
- Coherently and provide tools for analytics and visualization.
- It will follow a user-centric approach and will enable data access in a simple and intuitive portal tailored to the needs of a variety of stakeholders.
- It will spearhead the standardization of formats in which data is presented across sectors
- It would cater to a wide audience of policy makers, researchers, innovators, data scientists, journalists and citizens.
Discuss the advantages of the move, explain any concerns associated.
Conclusion:
Conclude that the platform will bring in more transparency and accountability and will helps in achieving the Vision of Digital India under one of its pillars – Information For All.
Topic: Parliament and State Legislatures – structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these. Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary; Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Reference: The Hindu
Why this question:
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear a plea from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to direct political parties to not field candidates with criminal antecedents. Thus the question.
Key demand of the question:
Discuss in detail the aspects of criminalization of politics and the efforts made through various supreme court judgments to decriminalize politics.
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:
Define what you understand by criminalization of Politics.
Body:
Discuss key facts like – The petition filed in the SC claims that 46% of Members of Parliament have criminal records. The current Lok Sabha has the highest (29%) proportion of those with serious criminal cases compared to the predecessors.
Explain the scenario; why there is ineffectiveness in the SC Judgment.
Discuss in detail the landmark judgments pertaining to the issue.
Suggest solutions as to what needs to be done.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation. Technology missions.
Reference: The Hindu
Why this question:
The article presents with arguments for and against the use of Biotechnology, especially with respect to Bt. Cotton, in India. Thus the context of the question.
Key demand of the question:
Discuss in detail transformational changes in India’s cotton cultivation owing to the introduction of BT Cotton.
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:
Describe what BT Cotton is.
Body:
Start with key facts that highlight the change such as – India’s cotton production in 2019 is projected as the highest ever. India’s cotton production has doubled over the past decade. India is expected to be the world’s largest cotton producer, surpassing China in output in 2020.
Present arguments for and against BT. Cotton, take cues from the article.
Explain that the outcome of using a technology such as Biotechnology is determined by the context in which it is deployed, and not just by the technology itself.
It is important to recognize that apart from the technology itself, its relevance to the particular context is also important. If the context is suboptimal and does not prioritize the needs of the farmers, it can have significant negative fallouts, especially in India with a high proportion of farmers being marginal and subsistence farmers.
Conclusion:
Conclude that In a fast-evolving global market, India’s farmers need the best technologies to remain competitive and Biotechnology can be a harbinger in this direction.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Disaster and disaster management.
5. Discuss in detail the Institutional Framework for Disaster Management in India. (250 words)
Reference: VikasPedia
Why this question:
The question is direct from the static portions of GS paper III.
Key demand of the question:
One must discuss in detail the Institutional Framework for Disaster Management in India.
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:
Briefly explain the Conceptual and Institutional Framework of Disaster Management in the country.
Body:
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) was set up in 2005 by the Government of India as an apex body to spearhead and implement a holistic and integrated approach to Disaster Management.
NDMA has the responsibility for laying down policies, plans and guidelines for disaster management and coordinating their enforcement and implementation for ensuring preparedness, mitigation and timely and effective response to disasters.
NDMA has launched a number of initiatives to take the message of
Disaster management to all the stakeholders including community at the grassroots level.
NDMA has taken up mainstreaming of disaster risk reduction concerns in Government departments, States, Districts and civil society, School and College education, technical education, Panchayati Raj Institutions and
Urban Local Bodies. NDMA has laid down the framework of capacity building and mainstreaming DM for various disasters through its National Disaster Management Guidelines.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Disaster and disaster management.
Reference: Live Mint
Why this question:
Wuhan has been the epicenter of this spread of Coronavirus. There has been a consistent rise in number of cases registered and death due to it in the province. WHO has confirmed that the virus can spread from human-to-human. Thus the context of the question.
Key demand of the question:
Discuss in detail what a public health emergency of international concern is.
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:
Public health emergency of international concern is defined as an “extraordinary event that is determined to constitute a public health risk to other States through the international spread of disease and to potentially require a coordinated international response.” The public emergency announcement is the highest level of alarm that is only raised during the gravest of outbreaks.
Body:
Discuss the case of corona virus spreading rapidly in China.
Explain the factors that need focus during such an outbreak.
Explain how China is managing the outbreak.
Discuss the levels of preparedness of India for such mass epidemics.
Conclusion:
Current health infrastructure in India paints a dismal picture of healthcare delivery system in the country, however India needs to ensure that the Central and state health agencies act in tandem and gear up the capacity to handle such concerns.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: The Hindu
Why this question:
37 sites in the country have been freshly recognized under the international treaty of Ramsar Convention.
Key demand of the question:
Discuss in detail the importance and role played by Wetlands in the Ecological conservation of Earth.
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:
First discuss what wetlands are – Wetlands are defined as: “lands transitional between terrestrial and aquatic eco-systems where the water table is usually at or near the surface or the land is covered by shallow water”.
Body:
Discuss first the importance of wetlands to the ecosystem.
- Wetlands are highly productive ecosystems that provide the world with nearly two-thirds of its fish harvest.
- Wetlands play an integral role in the ecology of the watershed. The combination of shallow water, high levels of nutrients is ideal for the development of organisms that form the base of the food web and feed many species of fish, amphibians, shellfish and insects.
- Wetlands’ microbes, plants and wildlife are part of global cycles for water, nitrogen and sulphur. Wetlands store carbon within their plant communities and soil instead of releasing it to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide.
- Wetlands function as natural barriers that trap and slowly release surface water, rain, snowmelt, groundwater and flood waters. Wetland vegetation also slow the speed of flood waters lowering flood heights and reduces soil erosion etc.
Discuss the importance of Ramsar convention. Explain the scenario in India.
Conclusion:
Conclude that along with such treaties, Spreading awareness by initiating awareness programs about the importance of wetlands and constant monitoring of wetlands for their water quality would provide vital inputs to safeguard the wetlands from further deterioration.
