NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Chapter 7 – India’s Struggle for Independence by Bipin Chandra.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 as mentioned in Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To clearly contrast on the nature of political and economic demands of the Moderates during the initial phase of Congress.
Directive word:
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin your answer by writing about Economic Critique of Colonialism.
Body:
Mention the overall approach of the moderates in responding to the reforms brought by the British wherein for the Political reforms, the moderates were seeking political changes in such a way as to not instigate or make the British insecure about their control on India and resorted to prayers and petitions.
However for the Economic reforms, the moderates were more vocal through critiques such as Drain Theory, using of Indian raw materials for British Industries, demand for preserving local Industries, scope for Indian control on the public purse, criticism of the official policies on tariff, trade, transport and taxation
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising the impact of Economic Critique of Moderates.
Introduction
The phase of the Indian National Congress or the Indian national movement during the first twenty years of its history is roughly referred to as moderate phase. They were people who believed in British justice and were loyal to them. They believed in peaceful and constitutional methods to demand and fulfil those demands. Used petitions, meetings, resolutions, pamphlets, memoranda and delegations to voice their demands. Their method has been called 3P – Prayers, Petition and Protest.
Body
The moderate leaders included Dadabhai Naoroji, WC Bonnerjee, G Subramanya Aiyer, GK Gokhale, SN Bannerjee, Rash Behari Ghosh, R C Dutta, M G Ranade, Pherozeshah Mehta, P R Naidu, Madan Mohan Malaviya, Ananda Charlu, S Subramania Iyer and William Wedderburn.
Aims and demands of the moderates:
- Education of the masses and organising public opinion, make people aware of their rights.
- Indian representation in the Executive Council and in the Indian Council in London.
- Reform of the legislative councils.
- Separation of the executive from the judiciary.
- Decreased land revenue tax and ending peasant oppression.
- After 1892, raised the slogan, “No taxation without representation.”
- Reduced spending on the army.
- Abolishing salt tax and duty on sugar.
- Holding the ICS exam in India along with England to allow more Indians the opportunity to take part in the administration.
- Freedom of speech and expression.
- Freedom to form associations.
- Development of modern capitalist industries in India.
- End of economic drain of India by the British.
- Repealing the Arms Act of 1878.
- Increasing spending on education of Indians.
Successes of Moderate phase:
- Economic critique of colonialism by moderates:
- The most significant historical contribution of the moderates was that they offered an economic critique of colonialism.
- The early nationalists took note of all the three forms of contemporary colonial economic exploitation, namely, through trade, industry and finance. They clearly grasped that the essence of British economic imperialism lay in the subordination of the Indian economy to the British economy.
- They complained of India’s growing poverty and economic backwardness and the failure of modern industry and agriculture to grow and they put the blame on British economic exploitation.
- British colonialism had transformed itself in the 19th century by jettisoning the direct modes of extraction through plunder, tribute and mercantilism in favour of free trade and foreign capital investment. This turned India into a supplier of agricultural raw materials and foodstuffs and a consumer of manufactured goods.
- Dadabhai Naoroji’s work focused on the drain of wealth from India into England through colonial rule. Naoroji’s work on the drain theory was the main reason behind the creation of the Royal commission on Indian Expenditure in 1896 in which he was also a member.
- Excellent work in legislative councils:
- Indian Councils Act of 1892 was the first achievement of the INC.
- This Act increased the size of the legislative councils and also increased the proportion of non-officials in them.
- Legislative councils in India had no real official power till 1920. Yet, work done in them by the nationalists helped the growth of the national movement.
- They wanted to broaden Indian participation in legislatures.
- Nationalists were able to transform these councils into forums for ventilating popular grievances, for exposing the defects of an indifferent bureaucracy, for criticising government policies/proposals, raising basic economic issues, especially regarding public finance.
- Early nationalists worked with the long-term objective of a democratic self-government.
- The scope of constitutional demands was widened and they demanded self-government like the self-governing colonies of Canada and Australia.
- Also, leaders like Pherozshah Mehta and Gokhale put government policies and proposals to severe criticism.
- They were able to sow the seeds of nationalism in the people.
- They popularised ideals like democracy, liberty and equality.
- Administrative:
- The first demand of the moderates was for the Indianisation of the services. An Indianised civil service would be more responsive to the Indian needs. It would stop the drainage of money, which was annually expatriated through the payment of salary and pension of the European officers. More significantly, this reform was being advocated as a measure against racism.
- They demanded Separation of judicial from executive functions.
- The other administrative demands of the moderates included the extension of trial by jury, repeal of the arms act, and a campaign against the exploitation of the indentured labour at the Assam tea gardens, Increase in expenditure on welfare i.e., health, sanitation, education, irrigation works and improvement of agriculture, agricultural banks for cultivators, etc.
- They demanded better treatment for Indian labour abroad in other British colonies, who faced oppression and racial discrimination there.
- Military:
- Moderates demanded that this military expenditure should be evenly shared by the British government. They demanded higher positions for Indians in the army.
- Social:
- Some Moderates like Ranade and Gokhale favoured social reforms.
- They protested against child marriage and widowhood.
- Defence of Civil Rights:
- The early Indian nationalists were attracted to modern civil rights, namely, the freedoms of speech, the Press, thought and association. They put up a strong defence of these civil rights whenever the Government tried to curtail them.
- The struggle for democratic freedoms became an integral part of the nationalist struggle for freedom.
Limitations:
- However British rule, to most of them seemed to be an act of providence destined to bring in modernization.
- The moderate politicians could not or did not organize an agitation against British rule because of them still shred an intrinsic faith in the English democratic liberal political tradition.
- Their politics was very limited in terms of goals and methods. They were secular in their attitudes, though not always forthright enough to rise above their sectarian interests. They were conscious of the exploitative nature of British rule, but wanted its reforms and not expulsion.
- They equated liberty with class privilege and wanted gradual or piecemeal reforms.
- Early Congressman had an implicit faith in the efficacy of peaceful and constitutional agitation as opposed to popular mean of agitation.
- The movement was confined to the educated classes only. Did not try to employ the masses.
- Believed in Petition, Prayer and Protest. They did not go for mass mobilisation. The basic weakness of the early national movement lay in its narrow social base. It did not penetrate down to the masses. In fact, the leaders lacked faith in the masses.
- Their immediate demand was not for full self-government or democracy. They demanded democratic rights only for the educated members of the Indian society, who would substitute for the masses.
Conclusion
Despite limitations representation, the historical significance of the early Congress lay in the fact that by providing an economic critique of colonialism and by linking Indian poverty to it, the moderate politicians had constructed a discursive field within which the subsequent nationalists attack on colonialism could be conceptualized.
Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Chapter 12 – A Brief History of Modern India by Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum Publishers)
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1 as mentioned in Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
Directive word:
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:
Give a detail on what is the ideology of extremism and to analyse it in the Indian National scene.
Body:
Start by highlighting that the Extremists did not rise post the Moderates phase, but the flavour of extremist ideas were present even during the 1857 revolt.
Mention the approach of the various social reformers to bring the masses to connect with their own culture, religion and polity instead of adoring everything western.
Mention the centres of rise of Extremist ideologies- Maharashtra, Bengal & Punjab and important leaders thereof and how certain social reformers like Aurobindo who equated the nation to that of mother, Vivekananda’s ideas being placed in the western world & Bankim Chandra’s critique of the moderates has set the ideological ground for the later Extremists to build upon.
Conclusion:
Mention that although activities wise, the Extremists followed up after the moderates, ideologically, the ground was being prepared right since the 1857 reforms.
Introduction
In the beginning of the 20th century, a new class of national leaders called Extremists emerged in India which was different from the moderate group. They took a more aggressive stance against the British Empire. They were typically younger and did not believe in the soft and persuasive approach of moderate leaders.
British colonial rule in India had been established through a series of wars fought across the subcontinent from the mid-18th century onwards. It was bloody and gradual, and rested on a thin foundation of coercion and military dominance.This was made painfully clear by the uprising of 1857, in which a series of rebellions erupted across northern India, seriously undermining imperial confidence. Although the mutiny was crushed, the memory of it continued to inspire generations of Indian anti-colonialists, who would later refer to it as the First War of Independence.
Body
The nationalist ideas behind the Revolt of 1857, according to the Extremists, were Swadharma and Swaraj. Attachment to rationalism and western ideals had almost alienated the ‘Liberal’ (Moderate) school from the masses in India. That is why despite their high ‘idealism, they failed to make any effective impact on the people.
In due course a section was bound to come to fill this gap. In the place of adoration and imitation of all things Western, there was a movement by the eighties of the nineteenth century urging people to look to their ancient civilization.
An under-current of this type had existed earlier but during the Indian National Congress :
- The economic exploitation by the British agitated other people to unite and react against British Government’s control over their lives and resources.
- The social and religious reform movements of the 19th century also contributed to the feeling of Nationalism.
- Revolt of 1857 had suddenly burst into open. However, the English educated community by and large had kept itself aloof from the main current of Indian life and remained untouched by this trend.
- The historic task of bridging the gulf between the educated few and the general people was accomplished by Paramahamsa Ramakrishna and his English educated disciple, Swami Vivekananda.
- Swami Dayananda, who was well-versed in Vedic literature and the Arya Samaj founded by him also played a vital role in this direction.
- The Eclectic Theosophical Society of Annie Besant too made a contribution.
- They revived the glory of ancient India, created faith among the people in their religion and culture and thus gave the message of love for their motherland.
- The intellectual and spiritual side of Nationalism was voiced by persons like Bankim Chandra Chatterji, Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Aurobindo Ghosh.
- Bankim Chandra’s hymn to the Motherland, ‘Vande Matram’ became the rallying cry of patriotic nationalists. It inspired generations to supreme self-sacrifice.
- Simultaneously, it created a fear in the minds of the British. The impact was so strong that the British had to ban the song.
- Similarly, Swami Vivekananda’s message to the people, “Arise,awake and stop not till the goal is reached”, appealed to the Indians. It acted as a potent force in the course of Indian Nationalism.
- These social reform movements gave impetus to political radicalism.
- There was instinctive attachment to native culture, religion and polity.
- The political radicals who derived inspiration from their traditional cultural values were ardent nationalists who wanted to have relations with other countries in terms of equality and self-respect.
- They had tremendous sense of self respect and wanted to keep their heads high. They opposed the moderates who were considered by them to be servile and respectful to the British.
Impact of the above happenings on the Extremists during Indian National movement:
- The Bengal Extremists were greatly influenced by the ideas of Bankim Chandra, who was a liberal conservative like Edmund Burke.
- He wanted no break with the past which, he thought, might create more problems than it would solve.
- He was opposed to precipitate reforms imposed from above. In his view, reforms should wait on moral and religious regeneration which should be based on fundamentals of religion.
- Bankim blazed the trail for the Extremists in his contemptuous criticism of the Moderates.
- This nationalism of the Extremists was emotionally charged.
- The social, economic and political ideals were all blended in this inspiring central conception of nationalism.
- Carrying this message to the West Vivekananda generated tremendous self-confidence and will – power.
- Aurobindo even raised patriotism to the pedestal of mother worship. He said in a lever, “I know my country as my mother. I adore her. I worship her.”
- Aurobindo was very much attracted by the teachings of Dayananda who was hardly influenced by any ideas from the West. He credited Dayananda with more definite work for the nation than any other reformer.
- Bankim Chandra, Dayananda and Vivekananda had thus prepared the ideological ground on the basis of which the Extremists drew up their political programme.
Conclusion
Although activities wise, the Extremists followed up after the moderates, ideologically, the ground was being prepared right since the 1857 reforms. The political radicalists had set up a ground work for the future extremists to take up the baton against the British rule.
General Studies – 2
Topic: India and its neighbourhood- relations.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Live Mint, Insights on India
Why the question:
India has always been a strong proponent of process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. However, a collapse of the Afghan government and return of the Taliban marks the beginning of a new phase in the India-Afghanistan relationship.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the course of action India must pursue to protect its interests in Afghanistan in the wake of Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.
Directive word:
Analyse – 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:
Begin the providing context as to the paradigm shift of political power in Afghanistan and its impact on India.
Body:
In brief, using a flow chart, trace the Indo-Afghan relationship till date.
Write about the strategic interests of India in Afghanistan – India’s trade and investment, India and Afghanistan strategic partnership, India’s development portfolio in Afghanistan, gateway to Central Asia and Linkages with Iran especially the Chabahar port etc.
Next, mention how India has not held any direct talks with Taliban including during the peace talks. Suggest reasons as to why India must diplomatically engage with Taliban and incorporate new changes to his Afghan Policy. This part must be written comprehensively and must cover protecting strategic interests, the Pakistan angle, Recognition by international powers and need to be proactive in geo-politics.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward which summarises that India needs to engage in order to protect its own interests.
Introduction
India has always been a strong proponent of an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned, broad-based and inclusive process of peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. However, a collapse of the Afghan government and return of the Taliban marks the beginning of a new phase in the India-Afghanistan relationship.
Body
Need for India to engage with Taliban:
Strategic interests:
- Taliban engaging with Pakistan deep state will not be in India’s best interest.
- The role of Pakistan is going to expand significantly, with the US depending upon it to implement the interim deal. This will be a diplomatic victory for Pakistan.
- If India does not engage now Russia, Iran, Pakistan and China will emerge as the shapers of Afghanistan’s political and geopolitical destiny, which for sure will be detrimental to Indian interests.
- US administration’s collision course with Iran is another hurdle to realising its South Asia policy. Iran is a neighbour to both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and any action against Tehran will have consequences on the region.
- US is also against Iran which is important to give access to the sea to landlocked Afghanistan through Chabahar port- which is in India’s interests etc.
- The U.S. has announced a new, surprise formation of a “Quad” on regional connectivity — U.S.-Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistanthat does not include India.
Trade and Significant investments:
- India has made significant investments in Afghanistan and needs patience in protecting its existing trade, investment and strategic interests in the country.
- The launch of a dedicated air-freight corridor and operationalization of the Chabahar Port in Iran in 2017 gave a much-needed impetus to trade. India’s untapped export potential in Afghanistan is estimated at $825.9 million.
- India has a significant comparative advantage and thus export potential in pharmaceutical products and transport vehicles, apart from apparel, etc.
- In 2017, bilateral trade crossed the $1 billion mark, and in 2020, it was estimated at $1.4 billion.
- Sugar and sugar confectionery, man-made filaments, apparel and pharmaceutical products are India’s top items of export to Afghanistan.
- Trade is tilted in favour of India, which has consistently maintained a trade surplus with Afghanistan. It was estimated at $344 million in 2020.
Connectivity
- India sees Afghanistan as a gateway to Central Asia, as the country offers access to Central Asian energy markets and connectivity projects.
- India’s complex relationship with its immediate neighbour to the north-west and the recent border standoff with China imply that roundabout routes must be found to reach broader markets in Central Asia.
- The Chabahar Port provides an alternate route for trade between India and Afghanistan.
- Thus, despite US sanctions on Iran, India received a waiver to develop this Arabian Sea port and an associated railway line to Zahedan in Iran by demonstrating that this was a way to economically support the landlocked territory of Afghanistan.
- In March 2021, India proposed the extension of membership to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan in the International North South Transport Corridor (INSTC) project and envisaged an ‘eastern corridor’ comprising a land route between Kabul and Tashkent (in Uzbekistan).
- India has also suggested the inclusion of Chabahar Port in the INSTC route.
- The completion of this project will help India increase the scope of trade multifold and could yet act as a game changer in India’s Eurasia and Central Asia trade policy.
- India and Afghanistan signed a strategic partnership agreement in October 2011.
- This provided Afghanistan with assistance in rebuilding its infrastructure and institutions.
- The construction of Afghanistan’s parliament building, restoration of its Stor Palace, rebuilding of Habibia High School and reconstruction of its Salma dam, now known as the Afghan-India Friendship Dam, are among the various projects carried out by India.
- As of November 2020, India’s development portfolio in Afghanistan amounted to $3 billion, with over 400-plus projects covering all 34 of its provinces.
- India also provides assistance to Afghan nationals under its Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) and Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) programmes, thus helping the country realize its development potential by aiding the skill development of its human resources.
- So far, more than 65,000 students have studied in India under various scholarships, and there are 15,000 such students presently.
Way forward:
- Open dialoguewith the Taliban should no longer be a taboo; it is a strategic necessity. Therefore, our outreach must now be direct and unambiguous.
- Perhaps most importantly, opening up the congested north-western frontieris key to bringing India’s continental grand strategy on an even keel, a process India has already started.
- Backchannel talks with Pakistan and a consequent ceasefire on the Line of Control, political dialogue with the mainstream Kashmiri leadership, secret parleys with Taliban all indicate that India is opening up its congested north-western frontier.
- Proactive engagementof the Taliban will provide this effort with more strategic heft.
- India needs to reassess its policy choicesin close coordination with Russia and Iran, constantly reminding them that complete surrender to the Taliban’s demands will be detrimental to their own security.
Conclusion:
Defeatism or a lack of ambition for the India-Afghanistan relationship at this juncture would be much more detrimental to India’s interests than anything the Taliban’s return to Afghanistan’s political centre-stage can do. India needs to reassess its policy choices in close coordination with Russia and Iran, constantly reminding them that complete surrender to the Taliban’s demands will be detrimental to their own security.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Down to Earth, Insights on India
Why the question:
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on the country’s 75th Independence Day a new goal aimed at transforming India into an ‘energy-independent’ nation by 2047. Biofuels will play an important part in that.
Key Demand of the question:
Directive word:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give a brief on Biofuels and its classification into various generations.
Body:
Highlight the energy security issues in India and globally and the importance of biofuels through facts/figures. (Tip: Make a note of facts/figures/data you use in your answers in a separate book/sheet to collect it and use it in your answers and essays in the future)
Next, Mention about the need of clean energy in the context of Climate change. Further, bring in the dimension of energy security being a decisive factor in geopolitics, self-sufficiency in energy, role in robust rural economy which in turn will help in overall economic development.
Write about India’s policy on Biofuels and further steps it should take to reap its benefits.
Conclusion:
Mention the way forward for any nation in the backdrop of limited fossil fuel is to diversify and hence India should have an effective strategy for biofuels.
Introduction
Biofuel is a type of renewable energy source derived from microbial, plant, or animal materials. Examples of biofuels include ethanol (often made from corn in the United States and sugarcane in Brazil), biodiesel (sourced from vegetable oils and liquid animal fats), green diesel (derived from algae and other plant sources), and biogas (methane derived from animal manure and other digested organic material).
Biofuels can be solid, liquid, or gaseous. They are most useful in the latter two forms as this makes it easier to transport, deliver, and burn cleanly.
Body:
Biofuels may be solid, liquid or gaseous in nature.
- Solid: Wood, dried plant material, and manure
- Liquid: Bioethanol and Biodiesel
- Gaseous: Biogas
Classification of Biofuels:
- First-generationbiofuels
- These are made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil, or animal fats using conventional technology.
- These are generally produced from grains high in sugar or starch fermented into bioethanol; or seeds that which are pressed into vegetable oil used in biodiesel.
- Common first-generation biofuels include vegetable oils, biodiesel, bioalcohols, biogas, solid biofuels, syngas.
- Second-generationbiofuels
- These are produced from non-food crops, such as cellulosic biofuels and waste biomass (stalks of wheat and corn, and wood).
- Common second-generation biofuels include vegetable oils, biodiesel, bioalcohols, biogas, solid biofuels, and syngas.
- Research continues on second-generation biofuels including biohydrogen, biomethanol, DMF, Bio-DME, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, biohydrogen diesel, mixed alcohols and wood diesel.
- Third-generationbiofuels
- These are produced from extracting oil of algae – sometimes referred to as “oilgae”.
- Its production is supposed to be low cost and high-yielding – giving up to nearly 30 times the energy per unit area as can be realized from current, conventional ‘first-generation’ biofuel feedstocks
- Micro-organisms like algae can be grown using land and water unsuitable for food production, therefore reducing the strain on already depleted water sources.
- One disadvantage is that fertilizers used in the production of such crops lead to environment pollution.
- Fourth-generation biofuels
- These are produced from crops that are genetically engineered to take in high amounts of carbon are grown and harvested as biomass.
- The crops are then converted into fuel using second generation techniques. The fuel is pre-combusted and the carbon is captured.
- Then the carbon is geo-sequestered, meaning that the carbon is stored in depleted oil or gas fields or in unmineable coal seams.
- Some of these fuels are considered as carbon negative as their production pulls out carbon from environment.
Government of India initiatives to promote the use of Biofuels:
Since 2014, the Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to increase blending of biofuels.
- The major interventions include administrative price mechanism for ethanol, simplifying the procurement procedures of OMCs, amending the provisions of Industries (Development & Regulation) Act, 1951 and enabling lignocellulosic route for ethanol procurement.
- The Government approved the National Policy on Biofuels-2018 in June 2018. The policy has the objective of reaching 20% ethanol-blending and 5% biodiesel-blending by the year 2030.
- Among other things, the policy expands the scope of feedstock for ethanol production and has provided for incentives for production of advanced biofuels.
- The Government has also increased the price of C-heavy molasses-based ethanol
- Pradhan Mantri JI-VAN Yojana, 2019: The objective of the scheme is to create an ecosystem for setting up commercial projects and to boost Research and Development in 2G Ethanol sector
- GOBAR (Galvanizing Organic Bio-Agro Resources) DHAN scheme, 2018: It focuses on managing and converting cattle dung and solid waste in farms to useful compost,biogas and bio-CNG, thus keeping villages clean and increasing the income of rural households. It was launched under Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).
- National Biofuels policy 2018
- Categorisation of biofuels to enable extension of appropriate financial and fiscal incentives under each category. The two main categories are:
- Basic Biofuels- First Generation (1G) bioethanol & biodiesel
- Advanced Biofuels – Second Generation (2G) ethanol, Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) to drop-in fuels, third Generation (3G) biofuels, bio-CNG etc.
- Expands the scope of raw material for ethanol production by allowing use of Sugarcane Juice, Sugar containing materials like Sugar Beet, Sweet Sorghum, Starch containing materials like Corn, Cassava, Damaged food grains like wheat, broken rice, Rotten Potatoes, unfit for human consumption for ethanol production.
- Allows use of surplus food grains for production of ethanol for blending with petrol to ensure appropriate price to farmers during surplus. However, it needs the approval of the National Biofuel Coordination Committee.
- Thrust on Advanced Biofuels: Viability gap funding scheme for 2G ethanol Bio refineries of Rs.5000 crore in 6 years in addition to additional tax incentives and higher purchase price as compared to 1G biofuels.
- Encourages setting up of supply chain mechanisms for biodiesel production from non-edible oilseeds, used Cooking Oil, short gestation crops.
- Synergising efforts by capturing the roles and responsibilities of all the concerned Ministries/Departments with respect to biofuels in the policy document itself.
Potential Benefits of Biofuels:
- Reduce Import Dependency: The large-scale production of biofuels would reduce import dependency on crude oil and save forex.
- Cleaner Environment: By reducing crop burning & conversion of agricultural residues/wastes to biofuels there will be reduction in GHGs emissions and other particulate matters.
- Municipal Solid Waste Management: It is estimated that, annually around 62 MMT of Municipal Solid Waste gets generated in India. The policy promotes conversion of waste/plastic, MSW to drop in fuels (hydrocarbon fuels from solid waste).
- Infrastructural Investment in Rural Areas: addition of 2G bio refineries across the Country will spur infrastructural investment in the rural areas.
- Employment Generation: the establishment of bio-refineries would create jobs in Plant Operations, Village Level Entrepreneurs and Supply Chain Management.
- Additional Income to Farmers: Farmers can capitalize on agricultural residues /waste which otherwise are burnt by them. They can sell their surplus output to ethanol making units when price dump, thus, ensuring appropriate price.
Shortcomings in India’s biofuel programs
- Efforts taken to achieve Biofuel production could lead to food security and strain water resources.
- According to critics, the policy is overly ambitious. Given the constraints in technology and current abysmally low status of blending (2%), the targets of the 2018 policy are too ambitious to be fulfilled
- The policy is totally silent on octane (which is blended with petrol) which has direct consequences of air quality and pollution.
- The policy advocates the use of untested technologies like the production of 2G ethanol. Relying technology which is commercially untested is not a viable option.
- According to critics, the ways in which companies are selected to develop and boost Biofuel in India is not transparent.
- Other biofuels, such as jatropha, have often proven to be commercially unviable.
- Achieving 20% blend rate would require India to divert an extra one-tenth of its net sown area towards sugarcane.
- Any such land requirement is likely to put a stress on other crops and has the potential to increase food prices.
- Abuse of policy especially when prices of crude oil soar as farmers would find it economically more rewarding to convert farm produce into ethanol for doping with petrol.
- Need of improvement in technological and financial feasibility with respect to production of biofuels. Thus, industry academic collaboration should be enhanced in an integrated manner.
- Inadequate supply-chain infrastructure to deliver biofuels to the final consumer. Hence, improved investment should be done in building robust infrastructure.
- The government should also take steps to remove policy barriers that have discouraged private investment in building supply chains for tapping India’s huge biofuel potential.
Way Forward
- The government has set some ambitious goals for the energy sector which include electrification of all census villages by 2019, 24×7 electricity and 175 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2022, reduction in energy emissions intensity by 33%-35% by 2030 and producing above 40% electricity from non-fossil fuels by 2030.
- These goals clearly exhibit the Centre’s push towards strengthening the energy infrastructure of the country while promoting the agenda of sustainability.
- Additionally, in the official gazette of the National Policy on Biofuels, 2018, MNRE has also discussed the government’s five-point strategy to curb the country’s dependency on foreign imports in the oil and gas sector.
- The strategy involves increasing domestic production, adopting biofuels and renewables, energy efficiency norms, improvement in refinery processes and demand substitution.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Live Mint
Why the question:
Over the past few months, there’s been growing excitement about the ‘metaverse’. Microsoft was the first major tech company to work towards it and followed by Facebook.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about technological and regulatory preparations that India must ensure for developments of new virtual environments like metaverse.
Directive word:
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:
Begin by explaining the concept of metaverse – a science fiction concept about to be turned into reality.
Body:
Elaborate on the various components of the metaverse and its possible applications. Substantiate with examples.
Analyse the areas that India needs to proactive prepare to reap maximum benefits while reducing the negative impacts. Infrastructure development, interoperability, Payments system, Preventing Cartelization by big companies, Security, Privacy and regulatory issues that must be put in place.
Conclusion:
End the answer with a way forward which summarises need to make most of the opportunity of technology of metaverse.
Introduction
The term “metaverse” is used to describe the vision whereby the internet will evolve into a virtual world. The idea was first conceptualised in 1992 by the American novelist Neal Stephenson in his science fiction classic, Snow Crash. It foresees the internet as a 3D virtual living space, where individuals dip in and out, interacting with one another in real time.
The metaverse is a form of mixed reality that is fast becoming commonplace in everyday tech products. The combination of augmented and virtual reality will not only introduce digital elements in the real world, but it will also merge Internet with the virtual world.
Body
Many in Silicon Valley, USA still view the metaverse as the future. For example, Google is heavily invested in augmented reality (AR), which is where you use technology to look at the real world but with digital 3D objects layered on top. But Facebook appears the most committed of all to this new vision. In his quest to turn Facebook into a metaverse company, Zuckerberg is seeking to build a system where people move between virtual reality (VR), AR and even 2D devices, using realistic avatars of themselves where appropriate.
Working of Metaverse:
- Simply put, the metaverse is the next stage of the internet’s evolution that will allow us not just to access it, as we now do, but also immerse ourselves in it—in a shared virtual experience where everyone is simultaneously present.
- It is the realization of virtual worlds like those described in science-fiction classics such as Snow Crash and Ready Player One.
- But the metaverse is not just an immersive world you can escape to by putting on a virtual-reality headset.
- When fully realized, it will be an entirely new way of interacting with the world around us, and could transform every aspect of our lives in much the same way as the mobile internet did.
Challenges posed by Metaverse:
- The metaverse requires infrastructure that currently does not exist, and the current form of Internet is limited in its design to hold the digital space. The space will need a broader and more complex set of standards and protocols than traditional Internet. This means large technology companies like Amazon, Google, and Facebook will need to prepare for cross integrating their systems.
- Unlike the internet, which was built using patient capital, the metaverse will most likely be created by big tech companies, giving rise to concerns of walled gardens and cartelization.
- That said, it is clear that if the metaverse is to become as ubiquitous as the internet, it needs to remain open so that everyone can participate in it.
- The interoperable metaverse could also raise questions of data protection since industry-wide consensus on data security and persistence will be harder to establish.
- One of the key features of the metaverse will be its ability to replicate the physical world within its virtual environment.
- The creation of these mirror-worlds will call for mega-scans of our physical surroundings—enormous centimetre-resolution images of the physical world that we can render within the metaverse to faithfully recreate our physical environs in a virtual space.
- The metaverse will need altogether new rules for censorship, control of communications, regulatory enforcement, tax reporting, the prevention of online radicalisation, and many more challenges that we’re still struggling with today.
- It’s hard not to then start thinking about how these new technologies will shape our society, politics and culture, and how we might fit into that future.
- This idea is called “technological determinism”: the sense that advances in technology shape our social relations, power relations, and culture, with us as mere passengers. It leaves out the fact that in a democratic society we have a say in how all of this plays out.
- Another element of the metaverse that is still being worked out is its payment rails. While cryptocurrencies are widely touted as the ideal payment system of the metaverse, it is unlikely that they will be able to operate at the velocity at which transactions are likely to occur in these virtual environments.
Way forward for India:
- To achieve this, we will need to agree on a set of open standards that govern its essential aspects, ensuring interoperability across environments.
- We may ultimately need to pass regulation to ensure that other aspects of the metaverse—the devices we use to interface with it, the payment systems that drive its economy and the portals that connect the virtual world to the physical—comply with open protocols framed to ensure that we are not locked into any single device or service provider.
- India needs to put in place regulations that encourage the development of these new virtual environments while ensuring that they can still function in an open, interoperable manner.
- If this is the next evolution of internet technology, we should ensure that the many features it is likely to offer are deployed to our advantage.
- India’s digital payments platforms, on the other hand, have demonstrated that they can operate at population scale—processing 10 billion transactions a month without breaking a sweat.
Conclusion
A new iteration of the internet is being worked on and this will have massive implications for society. Marketing, communications, and branding professionals will face new challenges but also new opportunities. This new era of the metaverse will unleash amazing creativity and open up new frontiers and horizons for brands and businesses.
India was a relatively late adopter of the internet, and, as a result, was unable to take advantage of its many features until much later. We have an extraordinary opportunity now to actively participate in the development of the metaverse. We would do well to dive right in.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;
Difficulty level: Easy
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving a simple understanding of the meaning of the quote.
Body:
Mention the morality of conscious inaction, its consequences. no action resulting in injustice. Cite examples.
In the context of Afghanistan, highlight the various stakeholders including the US military, NATO and the other global powers. Their role and responsibilities in a political set up, failures and its consequences.
You may bring in the aspect of communitarian ethics where the good men have the responsibility to speak out and act in the face of evils, to preserve their community.
Conclusion:
Conclude by underscoring injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere and hence calls for ‘good men’ to take responsibility.
Introduction
The phrase or quote; “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” is famously attributed to Edmund Burke. The other distinguished man, Albert Einstein, also said that: “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil but by those who watch them without doing anything.”
The quote means that if you allow something to happen that was inherently bad or evil when you had knowledge or experience that the event happening was wrong morally, then you would have let “evil” win and have its way and it will have “triumphed”.
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Conscious inaction
For instance, when you see an old person getting mugged or a girl being eve teased and you chose inaction about it during the incident.
You may have felt you could not interfere because “it was none of your business”. Or you were afraid that you will be the next target. Or maybe, you assumed somebody else would step up and say something. Or you thought you could not spare the time. Or you may even think that perhaps you were misjudging the situation. Or someone will take action or say something for you.
In spite of every possible reason on earth, we allow evil to prevail because we are afraid to be unpopular, scared or plainly, do not care.
The case of Afghanistan:
This is the exact replication of events that has happened in Afghanistan with the Taliban taking over the control of Kabul. What the world has been witnessing with the Taliban victory and people trying to escape from Afghanistan and many getting killed in this effort is indeed pure evil. One cannot justify it in any way, shape, or form. We cannot sit idly by and watch it on our computer screens and TV screens. It must be confronted or it will grow like a cancer throughout the world.
President Biden said his hands were tied to a withdrawal given the awful peace deal negotiated between the Trump administration and the Taliban. But there was still a way to pull out American troops while giving Afghans a better chance to hold the gains US made with them over the last two decades.
Biden chose otherwise. The way he announced the drawdown and eventual departure of American troops — at the start of the fighting season, on a rapid timeline and sans adequate coordination with the Afghan government — has in part gotten us into the current situation.
At the very least, the United States should have continued to support the Afghans through this period to help them blunt the Taliban’s latest offensive and buy time to plan for a future devoid of American military assistance.
American diplomats could have used this time to negotiate access to regional bases from which to continue counterterrorism operations. Simultaneously, the American military should have prepared contingencies in case those negotiations failed.
Reasonable people can disagree about the wisdom of keeping American military forces in Afghanistan indefinitely, even at very low numbers. A responsible withdrawal needed more time and better preparation.
Conclusion
As another famous philosopher, John Stuart Mill, said: ‘Let not any one pacify his conscience by the delusion that he can do no harm if he takes no part, and forms no opinion. Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than those good men should look on and do nothing.’
Thus, the need of the hour is for the multilateral organizations like UN, UNHRC to step in and negotiate with the Taliban rulers to grant the necessary democratic rights of the local people.
Topic: Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators;
7. What does this quote means to you? (150 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Quotes Wednesdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin the answer by defining in quote in the context of democratic politics.
Body:
Explain the issues of non-participation such as Corruption, maladministration, lack of accountability, misappropriation of funds and inefficient governance etc with suitable illustrations for India and across the world. You can talk about criminalisation of politics. The impact of the above on our country and the world.
Conclusion:
Write how participation is the key and need for the participation of the competitive and ethical people is a necessary precursor in good governance.
Introduction
Plato (427–347 BC) is considered one of the most brilliant and influential philosophers in history. In the above quote, Plato makes the point that if good, honourable, intelligent men do not to wish to serve in government, then they will be punished by being ruled by those who are corrupt, dishonourable and inefficient.
Body
Across the globe, the word politics over time has come to be associated with corruption, political manipulation, opportunism, nepotism, along with weak moral integrity and character of political leaders. The flexing of muscle and money power in politics has made people with ethical conduct wary of joining politics.
What happens when good people refuse to participate in politics?
- Corruption will be at highest level where things are just on papers and citizens’ entitlements do not reach the common people.
- Corruption would hurt economy and lead to misuse of funds like in cases 2G scam, Coalgate etc. in UPA regime, and Kargil Coffin scam during the BJP government.
- If people with virtues decline to participate in politics, people with criminal background and apathetic attitude towards public good get the chance to sit atop the political hierarchy. This may create further aversion for politics among masses.
- Leaders with criminal background would rule the country leading to the problems of destitution, poor infrastructure and poor health.
- The main victims are the poor people who are living a miserable life and all credit goes to the dirty politics.
- Political leaders who support reservation system to fill their vote bank that is completely disastrous for a democracy.
- Politicians without ethical conduct would enhance communalism and destroying the very existence of democracy.
- When the ruler himself is right, people naturally follow him in his right course. If governance is by men who are derelict, the governed will suffer. If one refuses to participate in politics, he is virtually paving the way for others, perhaps the less able persons to govern him.
Thus, It is only when the youth, educated and good people become aware of the problems that the country is facing and choose the candidate who is most likely to bring about a change, that the right representatives will come to power and country’s future will be in safe hands. Democracy cannot survive without both citizens’ participation and politicians’ accountability.
Measures needed to increase political participation of good people
- Electoral reforms to curb the use of muscle power can encourage women to participate in electoral politics.
- Electoral reforms must include steps to curb criminalization in politics
- Electoral reforms aimed at curbing excessive use of money power may generate more chances for the disadvantaged to compete with the rich in electoral politics.
- Women quota in Parliament and assemblies may be a big push for greater participation of women in politics.
- Making political activities more ethical and working of political parties more transparent can transform the public image of politics as business and decrease the aversion among masses.
- Political parties should allow themselves to be covered under RTI Act.
- End of dynastic politics and merit-based party position will attract more talent in politics.
Innerparty democracy should be promoted to give a greater say to party workers and party leaders. It may make workers more aware and active. Difference of opinion should be respected to allow the sense of democracy to prevail.
- The 2nd ARC has recommended a code of ethics for MPs, MLAs and Ministers. This recommendation must be adopted to infuse ethical values among our politicians. Ethical politics may become an attraction for youths.
- There should be proper and effective legal mechanism in place to punish the erring politicians and encourage the virtuous ones.
- Good people must be motivated by rousing the feeling of patriotism and projecting politics and a means to express the value of the love for nation.
- Youth must be motivated by highlighting the stature and role of important leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Lal Bahadur Shastri etc. in nation building. It is important to make youth aware of the struggle these leaders faced for the country.
Conclusion
It is the need of the hour in a country like India to have equal participation of all the sections of society in mainstream political activity therefore necessary steps should be taken to promote it.
