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General Studies – 1
Topic: Effects of globalization on Indian society Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
Reference: un.org
Why the question:
The question is based on the impact of globalisation on the cultural diversity of India.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain in detail to what extent globalization has predisposed the fundamentals of cultural diversity 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:
Start with definition of globalisation in general.
Body:
One has to analyse both positives and negatives of globalization :
Linguistic diversity: resulted in centralist language, which dominates regional dialects, and minority languages. E.g.: In urban areas, most of the families these days talk in English even at homes. But it has a positive dimension, where it had led to Indians excelling in the services sector of the economy.
Caste Diversity: has led to decreased emphasis on localized castes but the socio-economic disparities in societies continues to cause conflicts, which are dominated by caste hegemony.
Religious diversity: increased prosperity and materialistic pursuits have decreased the religion based conflicts but religion continues to dominate the social sphere mostly concerned with ethos and values. It also had led to questioning the age old exploitative traditions like Devadasi and Triple-talaq. Also though India was multi-religious but was dominated by Hindu’s with globalization it has led to be polarized by few religions. Also, exposed India to religious fundamentalism.
Racial diversity: Globalization to an extent has changed the racial demography to an extent with decreasing numbers of Mongoloid race. Migration from North East side of India has to an extent changed the demography of Indian races. The economic inequalities and slow movement towards mono-culture has led to increased attacks on racial minorities, E.g.: NE students attacked in New Delhi.
Enlist the negative influences too.
Conclusion:
Conclude that Globalization to an extent acted as a unifying force but monitored access would help India preserve its multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-caste society
General Studies – 2
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question:
The article explains that after devastating India’s biggest cities, Covid-19 wave has reached India’s unprepared rural areas.
Key Demand of the question:
Analyse the deficits in the rural healthcare system during the pandemic and propose some steps that can be taken to make the process resilient.
Directive:
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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with key facts representing question context.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Briefly first present the picture of the Indian rural health care system.
Discuss in detail what are the weaknesses of the Indian rural healthcare system and their manifestation into disproportionate impact of Covid-19 on rural areas?
Suggest steps to make the rural healthcare resilient for future pandemics.
Conclusion:
Conclude that although it is impossible to transform its primary health care in a day or a week or a month, the right steps in this direction will help in dealing with future pandemics and other health emergencies.
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The author in the article explains that there needs to be a federal coalition to preserve the idea of a plural India, in terms of culture and politics.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the need for federal alliance for better governance 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:
One can start with recent encounters between centre and state.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Discuss the issue between centre and States which is often seen as a challenge to development. Explain the past to present experiences; while coalition governments in the past enabled the rise and the visibility of regional businesses in post-reform India, the current dispensation is working towards centralizing economic power in conjunction with political centralization. It is becoming clear that aligning politically with the BJP is critical to do business.
Discuss the challenges – uses of executive and legislative aggression, Central institutions are increasingly weakening the policy levers of State institutions etc.
Highlight thus the need of State coalition.
Conclusion:
Conclude with need for federal alliance for better governance in India.
Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article highlights the contrast in India’s diplomacy during the first wave of the pandemic and the second wave. It also discusses the challenges ahead for India.
Key Demand of the question:
The question is about the impact that covid-19 has left upon the Indian diplomacy.
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 present conditions of covid-19 in the country.
Body:
Explain the India’s diplomatic structure in two Covid waves. In the past month, the focus for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Missions abroad has shifted.
During the first wave of the pandemic, focus was on coordinating exports of COVID-19 medicines, flights to repatriate Indians abroad through the ‘Vande Bharat Mission’ after the lockdown, and then exporting vaccines worldwide- ‘Vaccine Maitri’.
After the second wave, Covid Diplomacy 2.0 has a different order of tasks, both in the immediate and the long term.
Discuss various dimensions of vaccine diplomacy taken up India amidst the two waves.
Conclusion:
Conclude that With its seat at the UN Security Council as non-permanent member and its position on WHO’s Executive Board, India could seek to regain the footing it has lost over the past few months of COVID-19 mismanagement, by taking a lead role in ensuring the world is protected from the next such pandemic.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question:
The article explains that with President Joe Biden’s administration recommitting the United States to the Paris climate agreement, and with a major United Nations climate-change conference (COP26) coming later this year, there is new hope for meaningful global policies to meet the challenge .
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss the need and importance of a distinct global carbon incentive scheme.
Directive:
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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the question.
Body:
The answer body must explain the importance of global climate change and need to mitigate the same globally.
Discuss the importance of global carbon incentive scheme – The economic solution is simple: a global carbon incentive (GCI). Every country that emits more than the global average of around five tonnes per capita would pay annually into a global incentive fund, with the amount calculated by multiplying the excess emissions per capita by the population and the GCI.
Analyse in detail and suggest solutions.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance.
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article brings to us the detailed account of evolution of Satellite based internet services .
Key Demand of the question:
Deliberate upon the evolution of Satellite based internet services in recent years. Also analyse it’s significance in government’s vision of enabling Digital India.
Directive:
Deliberate – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you agree with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with a fact like – Euroconsult, a leading satellite consultancy firm, estimates that 1,250 satellites will be launched annually this decade, with 70% of them for commercial purposes.
Body:
Explain that from Sputnik to SpaceX, satellites have come a long way. The next era of satellite internet will be the result of a race to deliver affordable high-speed, low-latency internet to underserved regions of the world. Several well-funded organizations have already begun launching satellites and more have launches scheduled soon.
Despite the competition featuring a diverse field of space racers, they’re all focused on variations of the same solution, orbiting networks. Let’s take a closer look at those networks and the companies building them.
Give examples and analyse its significance in government’s vision of enabling Digital India.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
7. State the principles of morality of international politics according to John Rawls. (250 words)
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude by G Subbarao and P N Chowdury
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of principles of morality of international politics.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain the principles of morality of international politics according to John Rawls.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Briefly talk about what are the principles of morality in international politics.
Body:
Rawls contends that the most rational choice for the parties in the original position are two principles of justice: The first guarantees the equal basic rights and liberties needed to secure the fundamental interests of free and equal citizens and to pursue a wide range of conceptions of the good.
Discuss in detail the principles of morality of international politics with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance.
