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General Studies – 1
Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: firstpost.com
Why the question:
The way Shivaji handled all aspects of administration, especially the agriculture sector, can be the guiding spirit for the modern-day administrators and policymakers of India.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about administration of Shivaji, his agricultural policy and lessons for present day administrators.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving context of Shivaji as the first Maratha king and an able administrator.
Body:
First, write about the key aspects of the overall administration of Shivaji and his organisation of administration.
Next, write about the Shivaji’s agricultural policy and its various features.
Next, write about the key lessons that can be drawn by the present-day policy makers form the administration of Shivaji. Cite examples to substantiate.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Shivaji’s administration was greatly inspired from the Deccan style of administration. Most of the administrative reforms were inspired from Malik Amber reforms in Ahmednagar. The King was the supreme head of state who was assisted by a group of eight ministers known as the ‘Ashtapradhan’. The peshwa, also known as the mukhya pradhan, originally headed the advisory council of the raja Shivaji.
Body
Shivaji was a great administrator. He laid the foundations of a sound system of administration. The king was the pivot of the government. He was assisted by a council of ministers called Ashtapradhan. However, each minister was directly responsible to Shivaji.
System of administration and officials under Shivaji’s Maratha Kingdom
- Most of the administrative reforms of Shivaji were based on the practices of the Deccan sultanates. For example, Peshwa was the Persian title. The revenue system of Shivaji was based on that of Malik Amber of Ahmadnagar.
- Official setup
- Peshwa: Finance and general administration. Later he became the prime minister.
- Sar-i-Naubat or Senapati: Military commander, an honorary post.
- Amatya: Accountant General.
- Waqenavis: Intelligence, posts and household affairs.
- Sachiv:
- Sumanta: Master of ceremonies.
- Nyayadish:
- Panditarao: Charities and religious administration.
- The forts played an important role in the military operations of the Marathas. By the end of his reign, Shivaji had about 240 forts. Each fort was put under the charge of three officers of equal rank as a precaution against treachery.
- Shivaji was really a constructive genius and nation-builder.
- His rise from jagirdar to Chatrapathi was spectacular.
- He unified the Marathas and remained a great enemy of the Mughal empire. He was a daring soldier and a brilliant administrator.
Agricultural policy of Shivaji
- Lands were measured by using the measuring rod called kathi. Lands were also classified into three categories – paddy fields, garden lands and hilly tracks.
- He reduced the powers of the existing deshmuks and kulkarnis.
- He explicitly ordered a decree to support farmers and bring wasteland under cultivation and increase the revenue.
- If a farmer could continue agriculture but unable to pay arrears of dues and is therefore in dire straits, then the realisation of dues was suspended.
- He also ordered his officials to provide seeds and oxen to farmers who could not afford it or did not already have the adequate resources. Such grants were also interest free in nature.
- A lot of support with respect to trade was also done to increase the price of produce, but levying customs duties wherever required.
Lessons for modern India
- Those who are offering blanket freebies in present day India in terms of waivers of farm loans can probably take a leaf out of Shivaji’s administrative book in terms of following the principle of economic prudence while taking care of the interests of the farmers.
- The money advanced for oxen and grain should subsequently be realized, gradually, and according to his ability without charging an interest.
- Ensuring benefits reach to farmers directly through the government, without any middlemen in the fray.
- The direct benefit transfer is a good example of this.
- In the coming time, fertiliser subsidy must also be done away with and appropriate cash transfers must happen to prevent any leakage.
- Market system: Bringing efficient trade policy, levying proportionate duties on imports, ensuring free trade through ports and removing restrictions are good measures that can be emulated.
- Aid and regulation: In times of drought and monsoon failures, handholding of farmers is required to help their livelihood income.
- Infrastructure creation: This will benefit all farmers from farmgate to plate, and help realise more income for their products. It includes cold storage, warehouses, water for crops, reefer trucks, mandi’s etc.
Conclusion
Shivaji had an able administrative setup which brought in efficiency and productivity. He has the acumen to encourage farmers to bring in more land under cultivation. For this he had dedicated lot of resources and personnel to assist the farmers. The same vision for Indian farmers today can surely help in achieving the aim of doubling their incomes.
Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper –1.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about how various forms of oppression resulted in various tribal revolts and its significance.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by mentioning that eighteenth and the nineteenth centuries witnessed many tribal uprisings against the oppression of ruling class.
Body:
Mention about the various issues faced by tribals such as imposition of a high land revenue demand by the state, corrupt practices, the colonial policies further aggravating their hardships such as destruction of Indian handloom and handicraft industries eviction of peasants from their lands, encroachment on tribal lands etc, money lenders, eviction etc. Cite a few instances of peasant and tribal revolts such as Bhil, Mappila, Santhal etc to substantiate your points.
Next, Write about its significance of these tribal revolts.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning that in the long run up to the National freedom struggle, the Peasants and tribals struggle evolved and became part of main stream national movement eventually.
Introduction
The Tribal population, being conservative, was interested in retaining the existing salient features of their society. Tribal movements were inspired by revolutionary tendencies. They wanted to make use of the situation to fight and eliminate evils and ill-tendencies that existed in the contemporary tribal society. Before British influence, tribals had depended on the forest for food, fuel and fodder. They practiced shifting cultivation (jhum, podu, etc.), taking recourse to fresh forest lands when their existing lands showed signs of exhaustion. The colonial government changed all this.
Body
The causes for the tribal uprisings included
- Imposition of Land revenue Settlement. For instance, Famine, enhanced land revenue demands and economic distress goaded the Chuar aboriginal tribesmen of the Jungle Mahal of Midnapore district and also of the Bankura district (in Bengal) to take up arms.
- British policies and acts like the establishment of the Forest department in 1864, Government Forest Act (1865) and Indian Forest Act (1878)which restricted the activities of tribals in forest areas led to their ire against the British. g.: Koya revolt against British for denial of tribal’s rights over forest areas.
- Extension of settled agriculture. E.g.: : The British expansion on their territory led to an uprising by the martial Pahariyas of the Raj Mahal Hills in 1778.
- New excise regulations which imposed a ban on tribals to make their own liquor, an important trait of their culture.
- Large scale transfer of forest land. g.: large-scale transfers of land from Kol headmen to outsiders like Hindu, Sikh and Muslim farmers and money-lenders who were oppressive and demanded heavy taxes.
- Restrictions on shifting cultivation in forest. For e.g.: Khasi and Garo rebellions against occupation of hilly land and ban on shifting cultivation.
- Introduction of the notion of private property.
- Exploitation by low country traders and money lenders. E.g.: Santhal rebellion against moneylenders and traders. The Ulgulan uprising against money lenders
- Work of Christian Missionaries and against the interference of other religions such as Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. g: Tana Bhagat Movement
Significance
- The uprisings helped create an united notion against the oppressive nature of British rule.
- It laid bare the colonial rule of East India company.
- It played an important role in bringing the tribal people together and imparting to them the consciousness of belonging to one country.
- The Tribal rebellions in India took place for social, cultural and political reasons, particularly against the acquisition of their land and exerted their rights over forest resources.
Reasons for failure
- Though these early movements created a healthy culture promoting expression of local dissent against authoritarianism, they also faced certain limitations.
- Though as single events, these revolts were powerful and pervasive in their region; from the national perspective, they were localised and isolated events that didn’t capture the popular imagination of the nation at large. This limited the effect that these uprisings could have had.
- Additionally, most of these uprisings arose from dissatisfaction over local grievances, and the rest of the nation could not identify with the agitating persons and express empathy for their grievances.
- The uprisings were not revolutionary in ideas, thought or ideology, but were just external manifestations of protests over particular grievances.
- They presented no alternate solution to the public, and failed to galvanise them into action.
- The leaders of most of these uprisings were semi-feudal in character and hence, had a traditional, conservative outlook.
- They were easily satisfied if the British provided even minor concessions or agreed to their specific demands.
- Hence, no large scale reform of society was perceived or even demanded for by the people participating in these protests.
Conclusion
It is evident that the colonial rule even, during the days of the east India Company witnessed numerous uprising and disturbances. These varied grievances reached their climax in the revolt of 1857, which in spite of targeting certain groups of Indians remains the prominent uprising against the British before the beginning of the Indian Freedom movement.
Topic: population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Money Control
Why the question:
World Day Against Child Labour 2022: This year, the day is being marked with the theme “universal social protection to end child labour”.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the causes behind child labour menace and role of universal social protection in ending it.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate 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:
Begin by giving statistic relating to child labour in India.
Body:
First, write about the various measures to curb child labour and reasons for its continuance despite it – Poverty, inequality, lack of educational opportunities, slow demographic transition, traditions and cultural expectations etc.
Next, write about universal social protection – what it is, how it can help in curbing child labour. Cite examples and facts. Also, mention its shortcomings and how that can be addressed.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward and importance of ending child labour in achieving SDG’s.
Introduction
Child labour typically means the employment of children in any manual work with or without payment. It is a deep rooted social ill in India. As per the 2011 Census, in the age group 5-14 years, 10.1 million of 259.6 million constituted working children. The true extent of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on child labour is yet to be measured but all indications show that it would be significant as children are unable to attend school and parents are unable to find work. However, not all the factors that contribute to child labour were created by the pandemic; most of them were pre-existing and have been exposed or amplified by it.
The United Nations observes June 12 each year as the ‘World Day Against Child Labour’ to bring attention to the evil practices of child labour across the world. The International Labour Organisation launched this day in 2002 to tackle this global issue against child labour.
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Factors behind continuance of child labour in India
- Poverty
- The main reason for child labour is poverty.
- Poverty forces families to push their children to work for a living.
- Lack of educational resources
- There are instances where children are deprived of their fundamental right to education.
- There are areas with no proper facilities of education.
- Lack of affordable school for poor children leaves them illiterate and helpless which push them into the trap of child labour.
- Social and economic backwardness
- Due to illiteracy, many times parents are not aware of various information and schemes for child education.
- Lack of education, illiteracy and lack of awareness of their rights have encouraged child labour.
- Also, uneducated parents do not know about the impact of child labour on their children.
- Disease or Disability
- In many families, due to disease or disability, there is no earning, and the child’s wages are the sole means of family’s sustenance.
- Poor compliance of laws
- In the absence of proper compliance of the laws, child labour is continuing.
- It can be prohibited only by strict adherence to the related laws.
- Lure of cheap labour
- Some shopkeepers, companies and factory owners employ children so that they have to pay less to them.
- With the development of globalization, privatization, and consumerist culture, the need for cheap labour and its linkage with economic needs of poor families have encouraged child labour.
- Discrimination between boys and girls
- Even today some believe that girls are weaker and there is no equal comparison between boys and girls.
- Considering girls weaker than boys deprives them of school and education.
- In labourer families, girls are found to be engaged in labour along with their parents.
Does universal social protection help end the menace of child labour
- By reducing family poverty risks and vulnerability, supporting livelihoods and school enrolment amongst other things, government social protection systems are essential in the fight to eradicate and prevent child labour.
- The good news is that in recent years many countries have significantly improved social protection coverage, by strengthening their social protection systems, and establishing effective social protection floors.
- However, global coverage is still too low: as of 2020, less than half of the global population were effectively covered by at least one social protection benefit, leaving more than four billion people wholly unprotected.
- Social protection coverage varies widely by region, broadly aligned with income levels.
- Measures to reduce the income insecurity of adults, including unemployment protection, employment guarantee schemes, disability benefits, maternity benefits and social pensions, also contribute to mitigating vulnerability for poor households, and can contribute to preventing and reducing child labour.
- Within any broader social security system, building a national social protection floor is particularly relevant to addressing vulnerabilities associated with child labour.
- Social protection floors provide a set of basic social security guarantees, including a basic level of income security throughout the life cycle and access to essential health care.
- These basic guarantees, in turn, are essential in addressing the multifaceted economic and social vulnerabilities which give rise to and perpetuate child labour.
- Where children and their families enjoy basic income security and access to essential health care, and where the necessary education and other services are in place, child labour can be effectively prevented.
Conclusion
Eliminating child labour is firmly placed within Goal 8 of the SDGs. A stronger nexus between the discourse on SDGs and the discourse on eliminating child labour can take the advantage of complementarities and synergies of a wide range of actors engaged in both areas of work. The fight against child labour is not just the responsibility of one, it is the responsibility of all. Social protection instruments can play an important role in reducing child labour by mitigating poverty and economic vulnerabilities and enhancing poor families’ resilience.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Polity by M. Laxmikanth.
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 2.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about asymmetric federalism and its need.
Directive word:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining asymmetric federalism in India.
Body:
Explain the asymmetric federalism prevalent and followed in the country; the main forms of administrative units in India are the Centre and the States. But there are other forms, too, all set up to address specific local, historical and geographical contexts. Besides the Centre and the States, the country has Union Territories with a legislature and Union Territories without a legislature. Substantiate with examples.
Conclusion:
Conclude with uniqueness and importance of India’s federalism.
Introduction
Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent political units. The Constitution of India establishes a federal structure to the Indian government, declaring it to be a “Union of States”. Indian model of federalism is called quasi-federal system as it contains major features of both a federation and union
Body
Uniqueness of principle of federalism in India:
Federal Features of the India Union:
- Two governments i.e. Union Government and State governments
- Division of powers between the union and its constituents (Seventh Schedule of the Constitution contains three lists such as the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List)
- Supremacy of the Constitution (Basic structure of the Constitution is made indestructible by the Judiciary)
- Partial rigidity of the Constitution
- Independent Judiciary
- Bicameralism
Unitary Features of the Constitution:
- A strong centre – The Union Government becomes all powerful in certain times like emergencies. Article 200 of the Constitution of India demands that the States must comply with the central laws.
- Single Constitution
- Single citizenship
- Flexibility of Constitution
- Integrated judiciary
- Appointment of the Centre. E.g.: Governor
- All India Services
- Emergency provisions
The following four characteristics highlighting the fact that the Indian Constitution is not a “traditional federal Constitution”:
- Firstly, being that there is no provision of separate Constitutions for each State as required in a federal state. The Constitution of India is the supreme document, which governs all the states.
- Secondly, the Constitution can be altered only by the Union Parliament; whereas the States have no power to alter it.
- Thirdly, in contradiction to a federal Constitution, the Indian Constitution renders supreme power upon the Courts to invalidate any action which violates the Constitution.
- Fourthly, the distribution of powers facilitates local governance by the states and national policies by the Centre.
- The main forms of administrative units in India are the Centre and the States. But there are other forms, too, all set up to address specific local, historical and geographical contexts. Besides the Centre and the States, the country has Union Territories with a legislature, and Union Territories without a legislature.
- Just as the Centre and the States do not have matching powers in all matters, there are some differences in the way some States and other constituent units of the Indian Union relate to the Centre. This creates a notable asymmetry in the way Indian federalism works
Constitutional Asymmetry in Indian Federalism has been able to accommodate diversity in India
- The Indian Constitution is a constitution sui generis.
- On one hand, the constitution contains features which are of high importance for a federal arrangement, at the same time it contains provisions which fight for a strong Centre, thus making it quasi-federal in nature.
- The fact to be appreciated here is that these dual federalism provisions were deliberately incorporated to best fit a polyglot country like India
- These special provisions in the Constitution help in protecting fundamental rights, and compensate for initial inequalities in the social system.
- Allowance for separate laws to govern different religious groups, and provisions for various kinds of affirmative action for extremely disadvantaged groups help in ensuring justice to them.
- These provisions respects and preserve diversity of the country by protecting vulnerable group through special powers. This ensure unity in diversity leading to ‘sabka sath sabka vikas’.
- It act as a solution to satisfy different needs of various federal units, as the result of an ethnic, linguistic or cultural difference. Asymmetric federalism has helped in reducing dissatisfaction among various states
- Special powers given to the state of Jammu and Kashmir help in reducing radicalisation. The state of Jammu and Kashmir was given special power because the state though include several diverse population, but the majority of the population of the state is Muslim, and the state was also near the new country “Pakistan’ which is a major ‘Muslim’ country.
- It has helped in providing representation to minority areas and areas with less population providing them justice.
Conclusion
The Indian Constitution is neither purely federal nor purely unitary, but it’s a combination of both. Indian Constitution is mainly federal with unique safeguards for enforcing national unity and growth. Also, federalism is not dead in India, as evidenced by the fact that new regions are demanding statehood and union has yielded, thus states like Manipur, Tripura, Goa, etc. have been created.
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express ,Insights on India
Why the question:
The Election Commission has notified the election of India’s next President on July 18. A look at the voting procedure, how the votes of MLAs and MPs are weighted, and how previous elections have played out.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the role of President of India in the Indian executive.
Directive word:
Critically comment – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘comment’ is prefixed, we must express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving a brief about president as the head of the Indian state.
Body:
First, discuss how he is just a titular head – He is the nominal head of the government but the real power lies with the Prime Minister. Discuss article 53, 74, 75 etc. Use suitable examples of recent incidents from which it is evident that he is a mere rubber stamp.
Next, give the counter view – situations where President has powers and does not act as a rubber stamp. For Example -Veto powers of president like pocket veto, suspensive veto etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced opinion.
Introduction
Article 53 reads as ‘The executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers’ subordinate to him’. In spite of the expression ‘directly’ in Article 53 of the Constitution, India’s President merely ‘reigns and does not rule’. The role of president is largely ceremonial in nature. This was the consequence of 42nd Constitutional Amendment that drastically curtailed the President’s powers with respect to the Council of Ministers. Article 74 (1) now mandates the President to act on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. This prevents the president becoming a power center rivalling that of prime minister.
Body
President’s role in Indian political setup:
- The President of India is the Head of State and the Chief Executive. The executive powers of the Union are in the hands of the President.
- The President of India is vested with Legislative, Executive and Judicial powers. But as the advice given by CoM is binding on Indian President, in reality, most of these powers rest with the COM; but decisions are taken in the name of President of India.
- He exercises these either directly or through officers subordinate to him. However, being the head of a parliamentary system, he is only a constitutional/titular head and exercises nominal power.
- The President always acts in accordance with the advice of the Council of Ministers and the Prime Minister. All his powers are really used by the Prime Minister and the Union Council of Ministers.
- The President holds the highest office in India, represents the sovereignty of India, enjoys the highest position and plays a valuable part in the working of the Indian Constitutional system.
- President is also the supreme commander of armed forces and has powers to prorogue or dissolve the Parliament.
- He/She further makes appointments to important posts including the PM, state governors and Supreme Court and High Court judges.
By looking at the powers of the President, it becomes quite easy to evaluate the position of the President. At the face value, the powers of the President appear to be very big and formidable. A close review, however, reveals that President of India is a nominal and constitutional executive head who exercises all his powers on the advice of the Prime Minister and his Council of Ministers. The President is always bound to accept the advice of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. However, despite such a provision, the President is neither merely a titular head nor a rubber stamp in the hands of the Ministry.
President’s discretionary powers:
- Suspensive Veto:
- The President has discretionary power when he exercises suspensive veto ie. when he returns a bill (not money bill) for reconsideration of the parliament.
- However, if the bill is passed again by the Parliament with or without amendments and presented again to the President, it is obligatory for him to give his assent to the bill.
- Pocket Veto:
- This is not a provision mentioned in the Indian constitution, but this is a possible situation when the President of India can use his discretionary power. In this case, the President neither ratifies nor reject nor return the bill, but simply keeps the bill pending for an indefinite period.
- As the time limit within which the President has to take the decision with respect to a bill presented to him for assent, has not been mentioned in the constitution, in effect the inaction of the President stops the bill from becoming an act.
- President can seek information from Prime Minister:
- Under article 78 the President enjoys the right to seek information from the PM regarding the administration of the affairs of the union.
- Under the established convention, the President has the right to warn or encourage the Council of Minister (CoM) in the exercise of its power.
- Case of no sitting of both houses:
- Under Article 85, the President can summon each House of Parliament to meet at such time and place as he thinks fit, to ensure that six months shall not intervene between its last sitting in one session and the date appointed for its sitting in the next session.
- Case of no majority:
- When no political party or coalition of parties enjoy the majority in Lok Sabha, then the President has discretion in inviting the leader of that party or coalition of parties who in his opinion is able to form a stable government.
- Case of no-confidence with CoM- dissolving Loksabha:
- It is for the president to decide if he should dissolve Loksabha or not when CoM loses the majority in Lok Sabha. The President can dissolve Lok Sabha only on the advice of CoM but the advice is binding only if the government is a majority government.
- Case of no-confidence with CoM- dissolving CoM:
- It is for the president to decide if he should dissolve CoM or not when CoM loses the majority in Lok Sabha.
- Case of a caretaker government:
- A caretaker government does not enjoy the confidence of Lok Sabha and hence it is not expected to take major decisions but only to make the day-to-day administrative decisions. It is for the President to decide the day-to-day decisions.
Indian Presidents are not titular heads or mere rubber-stamps:
- While India’s first President Dr. Rajendra Prasad is known to have frequently disagreed with then PM Jawaharlal Nehru, seventh President Giani Zail Singh is known to have a rocky relationship with PM Rajiv Gandhi.
- K R Narayanan, India’s tenth President, famously told the Parliament that he is ‘not a rubber stamp’ while returning a proposal calling for imposition of President’s rule in UP.
- Pranab Mukherjee was more assertive than any of his predecessors. Although he is known to have rejected 28 mercy petitions, a record number, he commuted four sentences, in defiance of the government’s wishes and refrained from sending those back to the government for reconsideration.
President can play an effective role:
The President is not a silent institution and his role stands beyond the constitutional provisions and established conventions. The powers of the President flow from the oath he takes under Article 60 to ‘preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and submit himself to the service and well -being of people of India’. Therefore, new norms can be devised and used to preserve the faith and belief of the common man in the system. These norms can be:
- The Constitution is silent on the limitations on the President’s activities in public affairs. Public speaking of president can initiate the debate in the society.
- Use of pocket veto in the cases which are considered to be undermining the Constitution.
- Reaching out to the people of India.
Conclusion
The office of the President should not be conceived as merely a ceremonial post or a rubber stamp. Within the confines of constitution, a president can redefine the activities of his office. The President can declare Emergency, suspend rights, dissolve state Assemblies and declare the government bankrupt.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Economic Times
Why the question:
Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan has said that if unemployment rates in India remain high, it may lead to ‘entrepreneurial’ politicians who cater to religious divisions, rather than focusing on actually enhancing jobs.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the implications of employment and ways to tackle it.
Directive word:
Analyse – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by citing a statistic to show the extent of unemployment in India.
Body:
First, mention the factors that have contributed to unemployment in India and its impact – reduced demand, consumption, and buying power, which in turn causes lower profits for businesses and leads to budget cuts and workforce reductions.
Next, write about the measures that are needed to create jobs.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
According to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), India’s unemployment rate touched a four-month high of 7.9% in December 2021. Pandemic has worsened the employment situation in India further. Approximately 10 million salaried jobs have been lost, across urban and rural India, and one is not sure how many people will get back their livelihoods.
India needs to bring policy reforms to ensure that employment rate in the country increases so that there is productive growth in the economy and soon we may reach 5 trillion .
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Causes of unemployment in India
- Agriculture: Agriculture remains the biggest employer in the country contributing to 51% employment. But the sector contributes a meagre 12-13% to the country’s GDP. The problem of disguised unemployment is the biggest contributor behind this deficit. Also, the seasonal nature of employment in the sector lead to recurring cycles of unemployment for the rural population.
- Lack of skills: There has been a push towards providing the employment opportunities to the people by government by skilling them. But skill deficit still is a big issue.
- Poor Industrialisation: The industrial sector in India still lags behind. Agriculture still remains as the biggest employer in the country.
- Rush for government jobs: Many educated youth run behind government jobs due to job profile and security. This led to many remain unemployed due to students preparing for government jobs.
- Lack of Investment: Inadequacy of capital investment has been a key contributor in not generating enough industry that in turn provides employment to the labour force.
- About 90% of Indian Workforce is in the unorganized sector which was majorly affected during Demonetization and GST introduction.
- Declining Capital formation which is not backed by Public and Private Investment.
- Low female LFPR to the tunes of 24% also adds to high unemployment rate.
- Automation and IR4.0 is a looming threat to many jobs which have repeated work or sequential work.
Measures to remedy unemployment
- One of the remedies of the unemployment situation in India is rapid industrialisation. Increased number of industries will translate into increased number of employment
- The curriculum should be changed with increased focus on learning and skill development.
- More institutions need to be established that offer vocational courses that will translate directly into relevant jobs.
- New Education policy must be implemented in war footing.
- Self-employment should be encouraged more with introduction of liability free loans and government assistance for funding.
- Incubation centres need to be promoted to cultivate original business ideas that will be financially viable.
- Precision farming: Better irrigation facilities, better farming equipment, dissemination of knowledge regarding multiple crop rotation and crop management should be focused on.
- Government as well as leading business houses of the country should seek to invite more foreign collaboration and capital investment in every sector.
- There are number of labour-intensive manufacturing sectors in India such as food processing, leather and footwear, wood manufacturers and furniture, textiles and apparel and garments. Special packages, individually designed for each industry are needed to create jobs.
- Public investment in sectors like health, education, police and judiciary can create many government jobs.
Conclusion
The low level of economic growth in primary sector curtailed the job opportunities at rural level. Thus, it resulted in jobless growth. Further, rapid population growth adds more labour force to the market. More population means more consumption and less saving, less saving implies less capital formation and less production which finally leads to less employment. Thus, a collaborative effort is needed by government and industry to nudge an inclusive growth by supporting new sectors.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and the world to the concepts of morality;
7. What is moral absolutism? Explain with examples. (250 words)
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Philosophical Mondays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by defining moral absolutism.
Body:
In detail, explain the moral absolutism and use examples to substantiate you points.
Next, write a critique of moral absolutism.
Conclusion:
Conclude the answer by summarizing.
Introduction
Moral absolutism is an ethical view that particular actions are intrinsically right or wrong. Stealing, for instance, might be considered to be always immoral, even if done for the well-being of others (e.g., stealing food to feed a starving family), and even if it does in the end promote such a good.
Body
Moral absolutism stands in contrast to other categories of normative ethical theories such as consequentialism.
For example, someone who believes absolutely in non-violence considers it wrong to use violence even in self-defence.
Absolutism takes a universal view of humanity that there is one set of rules for everyone – which enables the drafting of universal rules – such as the Declaration of Human Rights. Religious views of ethics tend to be absolutist.
It is a form of deontology. The challenge with moral absolutism, however, is that there will always be strong disagreements about which moral principles are correct and which are incorrect. For example, most people around the world probably accept the idea that we should treat others as we wish to be treated ourselves. But beyond that, people from different countries likely hold varying views about everything from the morality of abortion and capital punishment to nepotism and bribery.
Moral absolutism contrasts with moral relativism, which denies that there are absolute moral values. It also differs from moral pluralism, which urges tolerance of others’ moral principles without concluding that all views are equally valid. So, while moral absolutism declares a universal set of moral values, in reality, moral principles vary greatly among nations, cultures, and religions.
Moral absolutism was popular amongst ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato and Aristotle. It also largely shaped historical societies through the “divine right of kings.” The divine right of kings gave royalty political and religious right to rule as they were under the mandate of God. It also made the setting up and upholding of laws easier as rulers were subject only to the will of God, and not to the people over which they served. This has carried over into the creation of laws and justice systems across the world, where the law must be upheld with no exceptions
Conclusion
A primary criticism of moral absolutism regards how we come to know what the “absolute” morals are. The authorities that are quoted as sources of absolute morality are all subject to human interpretation, and multiple views abound on them. For morals to be truly absolute, they would have to have a universally unquestioned source, interpretation and authority. Therefore, so critics say, there is no conceivable source of such morals, and none can be called “absolute”. So even if there are absolute morals, there will never be universal agreement on just what those morals are, making them by definition unknowable.
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