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: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , Business Standard
Why the question:
Earlier this month, the Dhauladhar ranges in the Himalayas were the setting for a gathering of State Tourism Ministers — a first-of-its-kind meeting to discuss, debate and deliberate on modes and mechanisms to develop tourism in India.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the potential of national tourism policy in promoting tourism in the country.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, write about the India’s ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ policy – its meaning and present-day relevance.
Next, mention the major features draft National Tourism Policy 2022 and what it seeks to achieve with regards to promoting tourism. Write its potential and limitations.
Next, write about the various measures that are needed to promote sustainable, responsible and inclusive tourism in the country.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
According to UNICEF, early childhood is defined as the period from conception through eight years of age. Early childhood care and education (ECCE) is more than preparation for primary school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs in order to build a solid and broad foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing. Target 4.2 of SDG 4 aims that by 2030, to ensure that all girls and boys have access to quality early childhood development, care and pre-primary education.
Body
Need for ECCE
- Early childhood is a time of remarkable growth with brain development at its peak.
- It is crucial to the overall development of children, with impacts on their learning and even earning capabilities throughout their lifetimes.
- Over 85% of a child’s cumulative brain development occurs prior to the age of 6, indicating the critical importance of appropriate care and stimulation of the brain in a child’s early years for healthy brain development and growth.
- In a recent study by the Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy, 45% of the 650+ households surveyed in urban Maharashtra reported that they prioritise their older child’s education over ECE.
- Studies have found that the act of making conversation with your child in the early years has significant gains on language skills they develop.
- It is, therefore of the utmost importance that every child has access to quality early childhood care and education (ECCE).
Benefits of ECCE
- The overall aim of ECCE will be to attain optimal outcomes in the domains of physical and motor development, cognitive development, socio-emotional-ethical development, cultural/artistic development, and the development of communication and early language, literacy, and numeracy.
- It also includes a focus on developing social capacities, sensitivity, good behaviour, courtesy, ethics, personal and public cleanliness, teamwork and cooperation.
- These years lay the foundations for her/ his learning and holistic development.
- Children will be better prepared for primary school and will reach better education outcomes.
- Quality ECCE also helps reduce repetition and drop-out rates.
- Positive outcomes are even more pronounced among children from vulnerable groups.
- It helps promote human resource development, gender equality and social cohesion, and to reduce the costs for later remedial programmes.
- An overview of 56 studies across 23 countries found impacts on health, education, cognitive ability, and emotional development.
Challenges associated with institutionalising ECCE in India
- One of the major issues of ECCE is the unavailability of trained teachers.
- Only 12.7% schools comply with the law’s requirements, and at the pace seen since RTE became law in 2010, it will take decades to achieve full coverage.
- Anganwadis are currently quite deficient in supplies and infrastructure for education.
- As a result, they tend to contain more children in the 2-4 year age range and fewer in the educationally critical 4-6 year age range.
- Anganwadis also have few teachers trained in or specially dedicated to early childhood education.
- Private pre-schools often consist of formal teaching and rote memorisation with limited play-based learning.
- Poor financial support to education has thwarted the progress, for instance, only 2.7% of GDP was alloted in 2017-18.
- A 2017 study by the Ambedkar University showed that “a significant proportion of children in India who completed pre-primary education, public or private, did not have the needed school readiness competencies when they joined primary school.
Conclusion
The proposal to extend RTE’s scope to younger children through early childhood education is, however, wholly positive. The move suggested in the draft National Education Policy to put children three years and older in a stimulating nursery environment is a welcome logical measure. Education reform is vital to prepare for a future in which cutting-edge skills will be necessary for continued economic progress. Changes to the RTE Act that will prepare all children for a more productive schooling phase can help make India’s educational system morally fair and more egalitarian.
Value addition
Draft NEP and ECCE
- The draft National Education Policy (NEP) developed by a committee chaired by K. Kasturirangan was shared for public comment.
- The NEP proposal to infuse the existing child development schemes, which are primarily nutrition-oriented, with a learning component is in line with this thinking on holistic development.
- The Policy projecting an expansion of the Right to Education Act to cover the three years of preschool before Class 1.
- It suggests a new integrated curricular framework for 3 to 8-year olds with a flexible system based on play, activity and discovery, and beginning exposure to three languages from age 3 onwards.
- The policy aims to provide High-quality early childhood care and education for all children between the ages of three and six by 2025.
- This will be done within schools and anganwadis, which will take care of the overall well-being of the child.
- These institutions will also provide similar support to families for children younger than three years of age—within their homes.
- This policy will result in a massive positive multiplier effect on society.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
With limited funds to deal with the gargantuan task of restoring degraded land and reversing desertification in the country, the government is now planning to bring convergence between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
Key Demand of the question:
To write about advantages that convergence between MGNREGS and PMKSY will offer.
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 giving objectives of both MGNREGS and PMKSY.
Body:
First, write about the statistic related to unemployed and land degradation in India.
Next, write about the advantages that convergence between MGNREGS and PMKSY will offer especially with a special emphasis on job creation and restoration of degraded lands.
Next, write about the various bottlenecks the above convergence can face and steps to overcome it.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a way forward.
Introduction
With limited funds to deal with the gargantuan task of restoring degraded land and reversing desertification in the country, the government is now planning to bring convergence between the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
According to the Desertification and Land Degradation Atlas published by the Environment Ministry in 2021, at least 30% of India’s total geographical area is under the category of “degraded land”. At the same time, unemployment was said to be at a 45 year high in India. Ensuring convergence will tackle both problems with one solution.
Body
Objectives of MGNREGS
- MGNREGA is one of the largest work guarantee programmes in the world which was launched in 2005.
- The primary objective of the scheme is to guarantee 100 days of employment in every financial year to adult members of any rural household willing to do public work-related unskilled manual work.
- Unlike earlier employment guarantee schemes, MGNREGA aims at addressing the causes of chronic poverty through a rights-based framework.
- At least one-third of beneficiaries have to be women.
- Wages must be paid according to the statutory minimum wages specified for agricultural labourers in the state under the Minimum Wages Act, 1948.
Objectives of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
PMKSY is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme (Core Scheme) launched in 2015. Centre- States will be 75:25 per cent. In the case of the north-eastern region and hilly states, it will be 90:10.
- Convergence of investments in irrigation at the field level,
- To expand the cultivable area under assured irrigation (Har Khet ko pani),
- To improve on-farm water use efficiency to reduce wastage of water,
- To enhance the adoption of precision-irrigation and other water saving technologies (More crop per drop),
- To enhance recharge of aquifers and introduce sustainable water conservation practices by exploring the feasibility of reusing treated municipal based water for peri-urban agriculture and attract greater private investment in a precision irrigation system.
Convergence of MGNREGS and PMKSY
- The employment scheme will work in tandem with the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana to help take up treatment of about 30% more land than feasible with the current scheme size.
- Under the latter, activities such as ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moisture conservation, rainwater harvesting, nursery raising, afforestation, horticulture and pasture development are done. The Union government now wants the States to undertake these activities using MGNREGS funds, which go towards both material and wage components.
- The Rural Development Ministry is now hoping that by making use of the MGNREGS, which for the financial year 2022-23 has a budget of ₹73,000 crore, the government can scale up the area to be covered.
- By the Ministry’s own estimate, a convergence with the MGNREGS could help take up treatment of about 30% more land than feasible with the current scheme size.
Conclusion
There is a need for better coordination between various government departments and the mechanism to allot and measure the work. This is one of the best welfare schemes in recent years and it has helped the rural poor. However, government officials need to take the initiative to implement the scheme and must not block the work. The government must ensure that work is provided notwithstanding the demand and should expand the scheme and focus on value addition and multiply community asset works.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Easy
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about monetary aggregates factors that affect money supply in India.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving a brief about the concept of monetary aggregates.
Body:
First, write in detail and explain the various monetary aggregates – M0, M1, M2, M3 and M4.
Next, write about the various factors that affect the money supply in the economy – Monetary Base, Money Multiplier, Policies of the government. Cite examples to substantiate.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
The money supply is the total value of money available in an economy at a point of time. Money Supply is measured and expressed using different monetary aggregates like M1, M2, M3, M4 etc.
The supply of money is a stock at a particular point of time, though it conveys the idea of a flow over time. The term ‘the supply of money’ is synonymous with such terms as ‘money stock’, ‘stock of money’, ‘money supply’ and ‘quantity of money’.
Body
Monetary aggregates followed by RBI
- The total stock of money in circulation among the public at a particular point of time is called money supply.
- It needs to be noted that total stock of money is different from total supply of money.
- Supply of money is only that part of total stock of money which is held by the public at a particular point of time.
- The circulating money involves the currency, printed notes, money in the deposit accounts and in the form of other liquid assets.
- RBI publishes figures for four alternative measures of money supply, viz. M1, M2, M3 and M4.
- M1 = CU + DD
- M2 = M1 + Savings deposits with Post Office savings banks
- M3 = M1 + Net time deposits of commercial banks
- M4 = M3 + Total deposits with Post Office savings organisations (excluding National Savings Certificates)
- CU is currency (notes plus coins) held by the public and DD is net demand deposits held by commercial banks.
- The word ‘net’ implies that only deposits of the public held by the banks are to be included in money supply.
- The interbank deposits, which a commercial bank holds in other commercial banks, are not to be regarded as part of money supply.
- M1 and M2 are known as narrow money. M3 and M4 are known as broad money.
- These gradations are in decreasing order of liquidity.
- M1 is most liquid and easiest for transactions whereas M4 is least liquid of all.
- M3 is the most commonly used measure of money supply. It is also known as aggregate monetary resources.
Factors that affect money supply in India
- Hike in repo rate: Interest rate has a positive effect on the money multiplier and hence on the money supply.
- A rise in the interest rate will reduce the reserve ratio (r), which raises the money multiplier (m) and hence increases the money supply and vice versa.
- Open market operations: Open market operations is the sale and purchase of government securities and treasury bills by RBI or the central bank of the country. The objective of OMO is to regulate the money supply in the economy.
- When the central bank wants to infuse liquidity into the monetary system, it will buy government securities in the open market. This way it provides commercial banks with liquidity.
- In contrast, when it sells securities, it curbs liquidity. Thus, the central bank indirectly controls the money supply and influences short-term interest rates.
- Monetary policy has positive or negative influence on the money multiplier and hence on the money supply, depending upon whether reserve requirements are lowered or raised.
- If reserve requirements are raised, the value of reserve ratio (r) will rise reducing the money multiplier and thus the money supply and vice versa.
- Real income (Y) has a positive influence on the money multiplier and hence on the money supply. A r se in real income will tend to increase the money multiplier and thus the money supply and vice versa.
- Confidence in bank money: General economic conditions affect the confidence of the public in bank money and, thereby, influence the currency ratio (c) and the reserve ratio (r). During recession, confidence in bank money is low and, as a result, c and r ratios rise. Conversely, during prosperity, c and r ratios tend to be low when confidence in banks is high.
- Seasonal factors have negative effect on the money multiplier, and hence on the money stock. During holiday periods, the currency ratio (c) will tend to rise, thus, reducing the money multiplier and, thereby, the money supply.
Conclusion
The supply of money at any moment is the total amount of money in the economy. There are three alternative views regarding the definition or measures of money supply. The most common view is associated with the traditional and Keynesian thinking which stresses the medium of exchange function of money as discussed above.
Value addition
Factors that affect demand for money
- The rate of interest on loans
- The number / value of monetary transactions that we expect to carry out
- The extent to which we also want to hold other financial assets, such as bonds, property, saving (this is also influenced by the rate of interest) – this is known as the speculative motive for holding money
- Changes in GDP
- The extent to which it is possible to use debit cards / credit cards i.e. the pace of financial innovation
- The extent to which we might have to pay out large unexpected payments, for example, for i.e. the precautionary motive
- The rate of anticipated inflation
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2023 Secure timetable.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about Repo rates, macroeconomic impact of its hike and opinion regarding the recent hike.
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 defining Repo rate.
Body:
First, write in detail about the various macroeconomic impact of raising Repo rates – inflation, lending rate, saving and Forex etc.
Next, write about rationale behind raising of Repo rate in the current global economic scenarios. Examine as to how it seeks to address the various issues and also mention any potential shortcomings.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced opinion regarding the hike in Repo rate by RBI.
Introduction
REPO denotes Re Purchase Option, the rate by which RBI gives loans to other banks. In other words, it is the rate at which banks buy back the securities they keep with the RBI at a later period. On May 4th, the monetary policy committee in an emergency move, increased the repo rate by 40 basis points. The rationale behind this decision was the upside risks posed by global factors to India’s inflation trajectory. The repo rate now stands at 4.40 per cent, with immediate effect.
Body
Background
- Repo rate is an important component of the monetary policy of the nation, and it is used to regulate the liquidity, inflation, and money supply of the nation. Additionally, repo rate levels create a direct impact on the pattern of borrowing by the banks.
- In other words, in situations of increased repo rate, the banks need to pay higher interest to RBI in order to avail funds, while in terms of lower repo rate, the cost of borrowing funds is less.
- Driven by food inflation, the headline inflation number in March 2022 had touched 7 per cent. And, high frequency price indicators for April have indicated that food price pressures would persist.
- At the same time, the direct impact of the increases in domestic pump prices is feeding into core inflation prints and is expected to have intensified in April.
- These reasons led to increase in repo rate by RBI even though the stance is accommodative.
Macroeconomic impact of raising the Repo Rate
- Borrowing becomes costly: Expensive bank loans discourage the borrower from availing credit. This reduces the money supply in the market and thereby stabilizes the liquidity in the system.
- Consumption, Expansion and production also take a downfall with the lesser money supply.
- Expensive credit hinders economic development and GDP growth even though inflation rate comes under control.
- Growth and GDP reduced: Reduced borrowing results in lower consumption demand which will lead to economic slowdown that hinders the growth of GDP for the short term. As the consumption demand reduces, profitability of every sector in the economic system takes a hit.
- Low economic expansion by corporates: Corporate loan buyers get discouraged to avail credit with the hike in repo rate. As the availability of business capital becomes expensive, production and expansion plans of corporate take a
- Investments may reduce: Companies may not invest in India due to reduced demand and higher rate of borrowing.
- Higher rate of loans for customers: Low interest has been one of the major drivers behind home sales across the country since the pandemic began. The rise in interest rates will ultimately impact overall acquisition cost for homebuyers and may dampen residential sales to some extent.
- After analysing the cost of funds and liquidity position, banks may begin to pass on their interest rate burden to its end customer in the form of elevated lending rates.
- That means higher equated monthly instalment for existing borrowers and higher rate of credit for new borrowers.
- Reduced liquidity: Lower money supply will lead to reduced consumption and hence the market consumption in general will be reduced. This spells doom for an economy that is recovering from sluggish growth due to pandemic.
Is hiking repo rate a good move?
- Relieving inflation: Reserve Bank of India revises repo rate on a regular basis to keep the inflation rate under control and also to strike a balance between both economic growth and rising inflation.
- Inflation is taxing on the poor man, who has to deal with rising prices for his bare minimum necessities of life.
- Since 21% in India are still below poverty line, inflation is bad for India’s public and their welfare.
- Keeping this in mind, RBI was prudent to hike the repo rate.
- Prudent: The monetary policy committee judged that the inflation outlook warrants an appropriate and timely response through resolute and calibrated steps to ensure that second-round effects of supply-side shocks on the economy are contained and long-term inflation expectations are kept firmly anchored.
- Balancing growth: Most alarmingly, persistent and spreading inflationary pressures are becoming more acute with every passing day and such inflation levels are highly detrimental for growth. Eg: Venezuela hyperinflation and its impact on citizens.
Conclusion
This is the first time in four years that RBI has increased the repo rate significantly after being accommodative. The idea is to reduce liquidity to bring down the inflation that has resulted in high prices of food and fuel affecting day-to-day lives of common man severely. MPC has the mandate to keep the inflation in target while at the same time balancing growth, investment and capital flows in the economy.
Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, Nano-technology, biotechnology and issues relating to intellectual property rights.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu , Insights on India/
Why the question:
The 2022 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine has been awarded to Swedish geneticist Svante Pääbo for his research in the field of genomes of extinct hominins and human evolution. Dr. Svante Pääbo had published the first Neanderthal genome sequence in 2010.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about genome sequencing, its significance and IndiGen project.
Directive word:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving 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 with a defining genome sequencing.
Body:
Firstly, in brief, explain the process of genome sequencing.
Next, write about the advantages offered by the genome sequencing. Cite the recent Nobel prize for Medicine was based on genome sequencing.
Next, write about the aims and objectives and IndiGen project as well as steps taken so fr in this regard.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Genome Sequencing refers to the method through which the order of DNA nucleotides, or bases, in a genome, the order of As, Cs, Gs, and Ts that make up an organism’s DNA are figured. The human genome is made up of over 3 billion of these genetic letters
Body
About Genome sequencing
- A Genome is the complete genetic material of an organism. It is like an instruction manual which contains information about the make-up of the organism.
- While human genomes are made of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), a virus genome can be made of either DNA or RNA (Ribonucleic acid).
- DNA and RNA provide genetic instructions for growth and functioning of organisms.
- Coronavirus is made of RNA. Genome sequencing is a technique that reads and interprets genetic information found within DNA or RNA.
Importance of genome sequencing
- Genome sequencing helps researchers understand the arrangement of the make up of DNA or RNA. Sequencing the genome will help us understand where the certain virus for instance of SARS-CoV-2 came from and how it spread
- Participants of genome-sample collections represent diversity of the country’s population. It will help in following ways:
- The first obvious use would be in personalised medicine, anticipating diseases and modulating treatment according to the genome of patients. Several diseases develop through the interplay of the environment with multiple genes, which differ across populations.
- Human genome sequencing is important to establish a link between diseases and the unique genetic make-up of each individual. For instance, cardiovascular disease generally leads to heart attacks in South Asians. If such propensities can be mapped to variations across genomes, it is believed public health interventions can be targeted better.
- While genes may render some insensitive to certain drugs, genome sequencing has shown that cancer too can be understood from the viewpoint of genetics, rather than being seen as a disease of certain organs.
- Another advantage of genome sequencing is that information regarding drug efficacy or adverse effects of drug use can be obtained. Drugs developed in the Western world and sold in India are pricey and may not be effective on the Indian gene. Mapping of India’s genetic landscape is critical for next generation medicine.
- It will enhance India’s scientific capabilities. Next step would be genome sequencing of crops that would help in better understanding of the genetic basis of susceptibility of crops to blights, rusts and pests. It may become possible to deter them genetically, and reduce dependence on chemicals.
- Global science would also benefit from genome sequencing, which would provide data useful for the mapping of the spread and migration of a range of life forms in the old World and thus would help in better understanding of human evolution.
Indigen Project
- The IndiGen initiative was undertaken by CSIR in April 2019, which was implemented by the CSIR-Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology (IGIB), Delhi and CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB), Hyderabad.
- The objective is to enable genetic epidemiology and develop public health technologies applications using population genome data.
- This has enabled benchmarking the scalability of genome sequencing and computational analysis at population scale in a defined timeline.
- The ability to decode the genetic blueprint of humans through whole genome sequencing will be a major driver for biomedical science.
- IndiGen programme aims to undertake whole genome sequencing of thousands of individuals representing diverse ethnic groups from India.
Conclusion
Finally, genes account for less than 25 percent of the DNA in the genome, and so knowing the entire genome sequence will help scientists study the parts of the genome outside the genes. This includes the regulatory regions that control how genes are turned on and off, as well as long stretches of “nonsense” or “junk” DNA—so called because significance of it hasn’t been established.
Topic: Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express , Insights on India
Why the question:
In order to mainstream the state of J&K to the rest of the nation in the political, economic, social and psychological domains; promote everyone being Indian and to feel Indian it is very pertinent to defeat proxy war and bring in a social change.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about proxy wars, its impact and how it can be defeated.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining proxy war.
Body:
Firstly, in detail, mention the various modes of proxy war and its impact on security and society of the nation.
Next, write about the ways in which proxy war can be tackled and its effects neutralised permanently.
Next, write the importance of social change in the above.
Conclusion:
Conclude by summarising.
Introduction
Today, with conventional war becoming a receding option, we are said to be in an era of hybrid warfare; a diverse and dynamic blend of conventional, low intensity, and cyber operations. Low intensity warfare is being orchestrated through both regular forces and irregulars. Examples include Russia’s actions in Ukraine, and the Iranian sponsoring of Hezbollah against Israel.
Body
Background
- The prosecution of hybrid warfare through irregulars and non-state actors has gained currency over a period of time.
- Pakistan, after enacting the role of a front line state and supporting the mujahideen to defeat then Soviet Army in Afghanistan in the 1980s at the behest of the United States, has gone on to master this art.
- Having repeatedly failed to defeat India in conventional war, the Pakistan Army has pursued the low intensity warfare option, with non-state actors as its strategic asset. It has employed terrorists belonging to various groups to wage proxy war in order to achieve its prime political objective of internationalising the Kashmir issue.
- As a low cost option, this has also well served the interest of Pakistan’s military to keep the Indian Army engaged in combating terrorism.
- To inflict casualties of the magnitude of the Uri strike through conventional means would imply launching a major operation with a high risk of own losses.
- Thus the proxy war strategy suits the political bosses in Islamabad and the military brass in Rawalpindi. Given its internal turbulence, Pakistan is likely to continue to pursue this policy, may be even more proactively in future, unless India takes effective counter measures to thwart Islamabad’s grand design.
Impact of proxy wars
- States use proxies for many reasons. For the United States, the issue is often cost: Locals fight, and die, so Americans do not have to.
- In addition, because they are local, proxies are often (though not always) more accepted by the affected communities.
- Therefore, they can better gain intelligence from those communities and are less likely to promote the sort of nationalistic backlash that so often accompany foreign interventions.
- If the proxy is a guerrilla force, they often know the terrain better and can blend in with the population in a way that foreigners never can.
- Most states lack the power-projection capacity of the United States and turn to proxies as a way to influence events far from their borders.
- Iran lacks a navy or massive airlift capacity necessary to sustain large forces in Yemen
- Despite the power asymmetry, proxies almost invariably act according to their own interests and impulses.
- Right after 9/11, the United States asked the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance, its key Afghan ally made up primarily of minorities, not to take Kabul so that a force composed of ethnic Pashtun, Afghanistan’s dominant community, could do so and assuage the fears of minority dominance.
Tackling proxy wars
- Stopping support to fringe elements in the society to carry out attacks. Civilian government and democratic ideals can help in ensuring this.
- Strict regulation of movement of dual use technologies and weapons lest it falls in wrong hands. A global pact must be done.
- Ensuring an egalitarian society, where the divides aren’t extreme that may lead to unrest and flourishing of nefarious activities.
- Education of the youth and behavioural nudge to the youth of minority communities who are at risk of radicalisation.
- To prevent the further spread of proxy warfare in the region, the institutional conflict of interest in the Security Council must come to an end. The U.N. should establish a standing body to investigate the source and use of conflict armaments to ensure compliance with the laws of armed conflict and the U.N. Charter.
- The body could function in a similar manner as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — an intergovernmental organization that rates governments’ performance on efforts to reduce money laundering and terrorism financing.
Conclusion
Only through the collective and visible effort of the General Assembly will it be possible to change the calculus of arms-supplying nations supporting proxies in armed conflicts around the world.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Conceptual Tuesdays’ in Mission-2023 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about importance of compassion in self growth and ways to cultivate the attitude of giving.
Directive:
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:
Start by mentioning as to how giving is living.
Body:
First, write about the advantages of the practising compassion in our daily lives. Substantive with examples.
Next, write about the way in which one can develop the attitude of giving and be a compassionate towards others.
Conclusion:
Conclude the answer by summarising.
Introduction
Compassion is a deeper level of empathy, demonstrating an actual desire to help the suffering person. It is a unique feeling of sympathy for the suffering of others that involves emotions and empathy towards others, a sense of understanding, and the drive to protect. It is the sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others. It motivates people to go out of their way to help the physical, mental, or emotional pains of another and themselves. Compassion is often regarded as having sensitivity, an emotional aspect to suffering. Qualities of compassion are patience and wisdom; kindness and perseverance; warmth and resolve.
Body
Compassion is our first guiding star to advance humanity in crisis settings. Without compassion, which literally means ‘suffering together,’ we would not be able to put ourselves into each other’s shoes, or see a crisis through the eyes of a child and realise that other human lives are worth saving, sometimes by taking risks.
When you’re compassionate, you’re not running away from suffering, you’re not feeling overwhelmed by suffering, and you’re not pretending the suffering doesn’t exist. When you are practicing compassion, you can stay present with suffering.
Mother Teresa came all the way from her homeland to India and dedicated her life in the service of others. She chose to give up her life in a foreign land and came here to take care of the downtrodden and those discarded from the society. The two emotions that guided her were empathy and compassion.
Conclusion
Understanding is an important part of actually making the world a better place. For only through understanding discomfort, by experiencing it ourselves, can we fully engage in the process of fomenting change. Fully engaging makes all the difference between truly giving and merely going through the motions.
Join our Official Telegram Channel HERE
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel HERE
Join our Twitter Account HERE
Follow our Instagram Account HERE
