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General Studies – 1
Topic: Role of women, Social empowerment
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
A college in Gujarat had forced girls to remove their undergarments to check if they were menstruating. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
The question is about the prevalence of abhorrent practices discriminating against menstruating women and in what way it’s time to prove them abnormal.
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:
Start by explaining the notions of purity and pollution.
Body:
The stigma of menstruation is perpetrated by cultural taboos, discrimination, lack of education, silence, period poverty (the inability to access/afford feminine hygiene products) and such practices have been in existence as part of women’s life.
Discuss the concerns around this; Menstruation discriminates women on the basis of gender thus violating Article 14 of the Constitution. Amounts to a violation of the Right to Privacy, perpetuates female subordination, Taboos about menstruation present in many societies impact on girls’ and women’s emotional state, mentality and lifestyle and most importantly, health.
Discuss the court interventions and their opinion in this regard.
Suggest solutions to address problems.
Conclusion:
Conclude that taboos about menstruation present in many societies impact on girls’ and women’s emotional state, mentality and lifestyle and most importantly, health.
Topic: population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Reference: Financial Express
Why the question:
The article discusses the nuances of urban congestion and the need to understand them.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail how an improved understanding of the underlying factors behind urban congestion will support the policy measures ensuring progress of urban mobility 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:
Start with some data on the urban congestion aspect in India.
Body:
The answer body must explain in what way a better understanding of the causal factors behind congestion will improve the policy measures to improve urban mobility in India, and strengthen the interactions between transportation networks, market integration and globalisation that will drive future economic growth and job creation.
Take cues from the article and list down the underlying factors and explain in what way they can effectively guide the policy measures to resolve the issue.
Conclusion:
Conclude by suggesting suitable solutions.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Reference: The Diplomat
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of demographic dividend and importance of rural youth.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain how in order to leverage demographic dividend, there is a need to have a systematic approach so as to create a suitable environment to develop opportunities for gainful employment of the rural youth.
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:
Briefly discuss the context of rising unemployment in India.
Body:
India is one of the youngest countries in the world, where the proportion of the rural youth population forms the majority share in India’s youth population. However, in recent years unemployment rates have been on the rise. Moreover, agriculture and allied activities constitute the bulk of the rural economy, its dominance has been dwindling over the years. Therefore, engaging rural youth in productive agricultural activities will help India to reap the benefits of the demographic dividend.
Discuss the rural-centric policies that can help to harness the demographic dividend.
Account for the efforts of the government in this direction.
Conclusion:
Thus, conclude that harnessing demographic dividend for country’s growth would require rural-centric policies.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Disaster and disaster management.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article explains how the Mumbai hospital fire shows that India needs to make public safety an absolute value.
Key Demand of the question:
Account for the apathy of the government towards public safety with respect to fire accidents and need to fix the same.
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 some key data related to fire accidents in the country.
Body:
Recently, the fire accident in Mumbai hospital (located inside Mumbai’s Dreams Mall) resulted in the death of 10 people so far.
An effective fire safety protocols could have prevented the devastating effect on lives and property.
The tragedy points towards the failure of the government to make fire safety a systemic compulsory in public buildings.
It has to be noted that, after a fire in Rajkot last November, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the incident. It issued directions, to task an officer with fire safety for each COVID-19 hospital.
Then move on to discuss what needs to be done.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article from Indian express explains that the current model of economic growth prioritizes capital over labour and is unlikely to resolve the unemployment crisis.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in what way the current model of economic growth prioritizes capital over labour and is unlikely to resolve the unemployment crisis amidst the pandemic situation.
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:
Start with the havoc in the economy that the pandemic has created.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
First explain how the current model of economic growth prioritizes capital over labour.
Then discuss the unemployment crisis amidst the pandemic situation.
This level of unemployment is not just a symptom of the “jobless” model of economic growth that has been followed in the last two decades, but is also a recipe for political and social instability. The pandemic and the subsequent crisis in the employment-unemployment situation have only highlighted the fragile situation of the labour market. The real crisis of unemployment and jobless growth is a bigger pandemic that is unlikely to be resolved with the current model of economic growth which prioritizes capital over labour.
Suggest what needs to be done.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Reference: Lexicon Publications
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of “Attitude”.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain how often attitude held by people in India is often characterized by stereotypes, prejudices, complacent but hostile and conflict driven attitudes.
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:
Start with the definition and importance of attitude in general.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Explain first what are prejudices and their impact on society.
Mention some examples where attitude of hostile and conflictual attitudes can be seen.
Discuss the reasons of such attitude. Also provide arguments against it.
Suggest measures to address such attitudes.
Conclusion:
Conclude that attitude of people does not change overnight. It is slow going process.
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.
Reference: Lexicon Publications
Why the question:
The question is based on a quote given by Stephen Hawking.
Key Demand of the question:
Expand the inherent message given through the quote and discuss its importance.
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:
Briefly explain the meaning of statement given in question.
Body:
In the above statement, the Stephen Hawking is trying to explain that ‘to err is human’ and those mistakes should be taken positively and learn and improve from them. As without mistakes one may not progress in society. Even the child when fell upon floor try to rise and learn from it. Life is all about making mistakes and learning from them.
Provide the arguments in favour of the statement with some examples.
Give your opinion about the statement.
Conclusion:
Conclude that there is general understanding in society that which mistake can be said as silly mistake and which as genuine one and which mistake is punishable.
