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General Studies – 1
Topic: French Revolution
1. Explain the impact of the French Revolution on the Spanish colonies in America. (250 words)
Reference: Mastering Modern World History by Norman Lowe
Why the question:
The question is from the static portions of GS paper I , part world history.
Key Demand of the question:
Elaborate upon the impact of the French Revolution on the Spanish colonies in America.
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:
Briefly state what the Revolution was with timelines in the introduction. French Revolution (1789-1799) was a period of social and political upheaval in France resulting in the overthrow of Monarchy and establishing of Republic.
Body:
The French Revolution had a great impact on the French, Portuguese and Spanish colonies in America. The Peninsular War that caused the Napoleonic occupation of Spain made people question their alliance with Spain.
The reign of Charles (1788-1808) coincided with the turbulent French Revolution (1789-1799). The following year France invaded Spain and ravaged its northern provinces, occupying Bilbao and San Sebastian. After initial Spanish resistance, Godoy admitted defeat.
The call for modification of society was influenced by the revolution in France, and once the hope for change found a place in the hearts of the Haitian people, there was no stopping the radical reformation that was occurring.
Conclusion:
Conclude with overall influence and impact.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
Recently, the Supreme Court decision quashed the sedition charges against a senior journalist. Civil society hailed this as a heartening development, especially in the context of the increasing number of sedition cases filed.
Key Demand of the question:
Account for the view of bringing down the sedition law in the country.
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 historical background of Sedition Law.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
First discuss the historical background in which the sedition law came into action.
Then explain the relevance of sedition law.
Bring out the shortcomings of the law and need to scrap the law.
Conclusion:
Conclude that with Supreme Court has quashed sedition charges slapped on a journalist, we as the citizens of the Indian Republic should demand the quashing of the sedition law in its entirety to fulfill the vision of the Constituent Assembly, which rejected sedition while framing the Constitution.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Reference: Financial Express
Why the question:
The article brings to us insights on the effect of Pandemic on the space sector.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain in detail the impact of pandemic on space sector and that to maximise the impact of reforms, the government must end hibernation of the space launch sector.
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 how the Covid-19 pandemic has put India’s space activities into suspension.
Body:
Such answers are best explained with relevant facts, explain that – competition is stiff; during the pandemic, countries like Iran carried out their first-ever space launches on indigenous launch vehicles. Monaco, Slovenia, Guatemala, Myanmar, Tunisia, Moldova, and Paraguay had their first satellite launches via commercial launch contracts. The major space powers, US and China, went to Mars. China launched the first module of its space station in the low-Earth orbit, and also launched its first 6G satellite. The UAE also went to Mars on a Japanese launch vehicle. Japan received its Hayabusa-2 space capsule that was returned from the asteroid Ryugu.
In comparison, India’s space activities slowed. India’s global share in the total space launches continues to be low at 1.8%. The three launches from the Sriharikota Range took place between November 2020 and February 2021, between the first and second waves of COVID-19 in India.
Suggest what needs to be done to make India more competitive.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money laundering and its prevention.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article highlights the threat posed by cyberattacks to our critical infrastructure and suggest the ways to deal with the ever evolving threat.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail methods of guarding civilian targets and critical infrastructure against rising cyberattacks 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 context of the question.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Talk about the Civilian targets of cyberattacks recently witnessed.
Explain what are the challenges; Defending civilian targets, and more so critical infrastructure, against cyberattacks such as ransomware and phishing is almost certain to stretch the capability and resources of governments across the globe.
The distinction between military and civilian targets is increasingly getting erased and the consequences of this could be indeterminate.
Explain in detail the associated concerns.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life. Security challenges and their management in border areas – linkages of organized crime with terrorism.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, the article discusses the national security threat emanating from biological weapons.
Key Demand of the question:
Highlight the biosecurity concerns of synthetic biology, analyse India’s preparedness in the domains of biosafety and biosecurity.
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 the definition of Synthetic biology. Synthetic biology is a revolutionary technology that can help us manipulate biological organisms and processes for human betterment, especially in treating diseases, by re-engineering cells.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
First explain the risks involved; possibility of deliberate misuse of synthetic biology, need to carefully review, especially in the wake of the pandemic, the biosecurity systems in place where such technologies are in use, Accidental leaks of experimental pathogens are another concern etc.
Discuss the mechanism for regulation in existence.
Highlight the concerns for India.
Conclusion:
Conclude by suggesting solutions to address the issue.
General Studies – 4
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: The Hindu
Why the question:
The question is based on the importance of Moral and ethical values.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in what way Moral and ethical values change from time to time with progress in human life.
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 general importance of moral and ethical values in human life.
Body:
Morals are the prevailing standards of behavior that enable people to live cooperatively in groups. Moral refers to what societies sanction as right and acceptable.
While some moral principles seem to transcend time and culture, such as fairness, generally speaking, morality is not fixed. Morality describes the particular values of a specific group at a specific point in time.
Historically, morality has been closely connected to religious traditions, but today its significance is equally important to the secular world. For example, businesses and government agencies have codes of ethics those employees are expected to follow.
Give relevant examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance.
Topic: Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
Reference: Ethics, Integrity and aptitude by Lexicon Publications
Why the question:
The question is premised on the importance of scientific temper and spirit of enquiry.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain what scientific temper and spirit of enquiry are and their importance for a citizen to be responsible and be able to contribute to the nation.
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:
Define scientific temper and briefly explain its meaning.
Body:
A scientific temper refers to an open, questioning, seeking mind. A mind that seeks truth and accepts it when proven. A mind that is ready to consider that an alternative viewpoint could have merit.
Explain the importance of it; A person of scientific temper experiences indirectly an internal strength that orders life. Order results from internal strength than from external induction. Spiritualists call it Self-realization. It is the Scientific Temper that helps in developing Secularism, Humanism & Spirit of enquiry and reform.
Spirit of inquiry is a persistent sense of curiosity that informs both learning and practice. As per the values of Indian family system, children are told right from our childhood to accept whatever has been told to them.
Give examples to justify points.
Conclusion:
Conclude that a nation can thrive without producing any literature worth a mention (think Singapore), but will rarely do so in the long run if it puts superstition above reason. Therefore, for individual development and national prosperity, there is need of developing scientific temper and spirit of inquiry among children.
