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General Studies – 2
Topic: Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article presents an analysis on growing fissures and challenges to the unipolar global order led by the US.
Key Demand of the question:
Comment on the changing global order and analyse the challenges of unipolar global order led by the US.
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 judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief history of power-centric global order.
Body:
From the Renaissance period onwards (14th-15th century) – an era of Eurocentrism: Europe began its hegemonic ambitions through trade and commerce, taking almost 500 years to colonize.
Post-colonial phase: Pax Britannica gave way to Pax Americana: American ascendency began after the end of British imperialism in the aftermath of the Suez Crisis (1956). Defining third world aspirations: Bandung Conference of 1955 set the schema for the rise of Asia, politically and economically.
Then present an overview of widening fissures in the present global order- talk about Trumpism and far-right ultra-nationalism, Rising scepticism on China, Rising threat of military conflict, Unquestionable capabilities of the rising economies.
Conclusion:
Conclude that a kind of dualism persists in the world order with no clear hegemony that can be bestowed on one single nation. Global power gradually extends across many countries.
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
Despite the detained refugees having United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) refugee cards, over 170 Rohingya refugees were detained in Jammu after a biometric verification drive.
Key Demand of the question:
Examine in what way Supreme Court’s recent ruling on disposing of an application seeking the release of Rohingya refugees ignores India’s commitments to international law.
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 brief background of the question.
Body:
Discuss the concerns of India’s treatment of Rohingyas as refugees.
Absence of domestic legislation: While the difference between illegal migrants and refugees is not clear due to the absence of legislation, despite that, India in the past has allowed for a differentiated.
Bias against: Rohingyas is even excluded from the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act despite their fleeing described as a ‘textbook example of ethnic cleansing. Explain the lack of judicial consciousness.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: GS-1: Social empowerment
GS-2: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation
Reference: The Hindu
Breaching The Boys’ Club – The Economic Times
Why the question:
The article presents a critical analysis of the performance of the gender quota policy (At least one woman on board) for corporate boards, mandated under Indian Companies Act, 2013.
Key Demand of the question:
In detail critically analyse the gender quota policy mandated under Indian Companies Act, 2013.
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 judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with the nuances of the Act.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Present first the positive aspects of the policy: Indian Companies Act, 2013 mandated the presence of at least one woman on boards of public and private companies that meet a certain threshold of paid-up capital or turnover.
Account for the criticisms of the policy –
Anti-meritocratic: As it puts gender over merit in board appointments.
Symbolic female appointments: 5% of companies only met the lowest threshold required by the quota of appointing one woman on board.
There is a continuance of rigid corporate work culture that relies on old boys’ clubs for director-level recruitment, male-heavy networks of existing board members etc.
Reinforcing fiefdoms: One-fifth of companies appointing at least one woman have familial ties to their board.
Discrimination in the role: Women directors are often sidelined in committees like nomination committees that are responsible for director- and executive-level recruitment.
No positive spillovers: In the form of recruitment of more women at lower levels.
Conclusion:
Suggest way forward.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment
Reference: Financial Express
Why the question:
The article explains that as the government seeks to promote the use and adoption of technology across sectors, it must first adopt a whole-of-government approach.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the need for the government of India to find better innovation in the field of technology.
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 brief background of the question.
Body:
The Antitrust watchdog Competition Commission of India (CCI) recently launched an investigation into the new WhatsApp privacy policy (it allowed the platform to share metadata with parent company Facebook), even as the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has urged the Delhi High Court to restrain WhatsApp from implementing this.
There’s nothing reprehensible about being big and established. But it is the ‘how’ of their growth that raised concerns. Governments globally have questioned some of these investments alleging that their objective is to neutralize competition, leading to monopolization and stifling of innovation.
Discuss what India must do.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: BBC
Why the question:
Uttarakhand has witnessed over 1,000 incidents of forest fire over the last six months. Since the start of 2021, there has been a series of forest fires in Himachal Pradesh, Nagaland-Manipur border, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, including in wildlife sanctuaries.
Key Demand of the question:
Account for the fire prone regions in India and explain the major challenges in controlling the forest fires.
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:
Start with some data related to forest fires in India.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Briefly discuss the importance of forest fires in India. Forests play an important role in mitigation and adaptation to climate change. They act as a sink, reservoir and source of carbon.
Spatially account for Fire-prone forest region in India. Draw a map to support it well.
Discuss the causes of forest fires. Then examine the major challenges in handling them.
Discuss the Government efforts in controlling forest fire.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: NCERT Class VIII Science Chapter – 18
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of Acid Rains and its impact on Earth.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the conditions that lead to acid rains and its impact on biotic and abiotic components of Earth while highlighting the measures needed to stop the same.
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:
Start with what you understand by Acid rains. Acid rain is the rain that has been acidified – with a pH less than 5.6 – formed when oxides of sulphur and nitrogen react with moisture in the atmosphere. .
Body:
Explain first the major reasons behind the occurrence of acid rains.
Discuss that acid rains are harmful for both biotic and abiotic elements. it corrode the surface and rendered it riddled with hole. Yellowing of marble and lime stone and other such delicate surface gets destroyed. It is also harmful for textile and metals as it reduce their quality and make them weak. Moreover it makes the soil acidic and reduces the fertility.
Discuss what needs to be done. Highlight the efforts of the government in this direction.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
Reference: jstor.org
Why the question:
NEI has been witnessing insurgency since 1950s and there is no end in sight. Even though some states in the NEI have remained peaceful after ending insurgencies, overall the situation in the region is not conducive to peaceful living and corresponding prosperity. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the issue of extremism in North Eastern States.
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 brief background of North East States.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
First explain why Extremism in NE has become a major challenge to the development of the region.
Present an overview of conflict in North East.
Explain the general conditions favoring Insurgency. Large scale migration has created a fear in the minds of people that they will be reduced to minority in their own states or regions. Migrants threaten their culture and traditions and also occupy already limited employment opportunities. Migration of Muslims has also imparted it a communal color. Lack of economic opportunities and governance deficit making it easier for people to feel alienated and left out and thus providing support for insurgency. Porous international borders and easy availability of arms. Difficult terrain and weak infrastructure facilitating insurgents involved in conflict. Deep sense of alienation due to human right violation and excesses by security forces.
Conclusion:
The insurgencies of NEI have continued for the past seven decades despite various efforts by GoI for a permanent solution. Resolving the ongoing insurgencies in NEI will be the harbinger of peace and consequent economic prosperity for the millions of people in NEI.
