UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice – Insights SECURE: 30 January 2025

The Insights IAS Secure Initiative for UPSC Mains Answer Writing practice enables you to practice daily answer writing, enhancing your skills and boosting your scores with regular feedback, expert tips, and strategies. Let consistency be the hallmark of your preparation and utilize UPSC Mains Answer Writing practice initiative wisely

Click on EACH question to post/upload you answers.

How to Follow Secure Initiative?

How to Self-evaluate your answer? 

MISSION – 2025: YEARLONG TIMETABLE

Join IPM 4.0 to get an assured review of 2 secure answers everyday

General Studies – 1

Topic: The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country.

Q1. “Nonviolence (Ahimsa) was not just a strategy but a fundamental philosophy for Mahatma Gandhi”. Examine how Mahatma Gandhi’s commitment to nonviolence shaped India’s national movement and influenced global struggles for justice. (15 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: PIB

Why the question:
On the occasion of Martyrs’ Day, the National Archives of India (NAI) and the National Gandhi Museum (NGM) in collaboration with the National Film Archives of India, and Prasar Bharati Archives, are announcing a special exhibition titled “Journey of the Mahatma: Through His Own Documents”.

Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must establish Ahimsa as Gandhi’s core philosophy, not just a strategy, analyze how this commitment shaped India’s national movement, and examine its influence on global struggles for justice.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Briefly explain how Ahimsa was deeply rooted in Gandhi’s ethical, spiritual, and political vision, making it a fundamental philosophy rather than just a tactical tool.

Body:

• Ahimsa as a fundamental philosophy: Discuss its spiritual roots, integration with truth (Satya), and application beyond politics, shaping social and moral reform.
• Impact on India’s national movement: Explain how nonviolence mobilized the masses, delegitimized British rule, and provided a sustainable mode of resistance through movements like Non-Cooperation, Civil Disobedience, and Quit India.
• Influence on global justice struggles: Examine how leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Aung San Suu Kyi adopted Gandhian nonviolence in their movements against racial discrimination, apartheid, and authoritarianism.

Conclusion:
Highlight the continued relevance of nonviolence in modern-day conflicts, emphasizing its role in peaceful resistance, conflict resolution, and ethical leadership worldwide.

Topic: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent)

Q2. While global competition for critical minerals intensifies, India has lagged in developing a resilient supply chain. Analyze the role of National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) in strengthening India’s critical mineral security. (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: TH

Why the question:
The government approved a ₹16,300-crore National Critical Mineral Mission, envisaging a total outlay of ₹34,300 crore spread over seven years, with an aim to achieve self-reliance and accelerate India’s journey towards green energy transition

Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must analyze India’s failure in developing a resilient critical mineral supply chain and then evaluate how NCMM strengthens India’s mineral security through various policy measures.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Briefly highlight the growing global competition for critical minerals and India’s reliance on imports, emphasizing the need for a self-reliant supply chain.

Body:

• Rising global competition for critical minerals: Discuss how countries are securing mineral resources through exploration, trade policies, and strategic partnerships.
• India’s weaknesses in critical mineral supply chain: Explain India’s dependency on imports, lack of domestic processing, slow exploration, and regulatory hurdles.
• Role of NCMM in addressing these challenges: Highlight key interventions such as boosting domestic exploration, acquiring global mineral assets, promoting mineral processing, and stockpiling.

Conclusion:
Summarize how NCMM is a crucial step toward securing India’s mineral future while also aligning with long-term goals of green energy and industrial self-reliance.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.

Q3. “Game-based learning is increasingly being recognized as an alternative pedagogical” tool. Critically evaluate its impact on enhancing cognitive development in students. (15 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: TH

Why the question:
With education evolving towards experiential learning, game-based learning is being explored as a pedagogical tool to enhance cognitive development. Understanding its impact, benefits, and limitations is crucial for shaping effective education policies.

Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must analyze why game-based learning is gaining recognition, critically evaluate its positive and negative effects on cognitive development, and assess its role in improving education outcomes.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Briefly explain what game-based learning is and why it is emerging as an alternative pedagogical tool in modern education.

Body:

• Recognition of game-based learning as a pedagogical tool: Discuss how it fosters interactive, personalized, and scenario-based learning, improving student engagement.
• Positive impact on cognitive development: Examine how it enhances problem-solving, logical reasoning, decision-making, memory retention, and attention span.
• Challenges to cognitive development: Discuss concerns like dependency on rewards, superficial learning, cognitive overload, and weaker deep analytical thinking.

Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for a balanced integration of game-based and traditional learning methods to maximize cognitive benefits while addressing its limitations.

Topic: Issues relating to poverty and hunger

Q4. How can India balance the dual challenge of undernutrition in vulnerable populations and rising overnutrition in affluent groups through targeted policy interventions? (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: TH

Why the question:
India faces a dual burden of malnutrition, with undernutrition persisting among vulnerable populations and overnutrition rising in affluent groups. Addressing this requires targeted policy interventions to ensure balanced nutrition and public health.

Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must analyze how India can simultaneously tackle undernutrition in disadvantaged groups and overnutrition in wealthier sections through policy measures, awareness programs, and regulatory frameworks.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Briefly introduce the coexistence of undernutrition and overnutrition in India, highlighting the nutritional divide and its implications on public health.

Body:

• Addressing undernutrition in vulnerable groups: Discuss improving food security programs, fortification, affordability of nutritious food, and maternal-child nutrition.
• Managing overnutrition in affluent groups: Examine regulatory measures, public awareness campaigns, dietary guidelines, and lifestyle interventions.

Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for a comprehensive and inclusive nutrition strategy that ensures equitable access to healthy diets, preventing both malnutrition and overnutrition for a healthier India.

General Studies – 3

Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment

Q5. Despite being a major employment provider, the unincorporated sector suffers from low capital investment and limited access to institutional credit. Examine the reasons behind this and suggest policy measures for financial resilience and growth. (15 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: PIB

Why the question:
The unincorporated sector is a major employment provider but struggles with low capital investment and limited credit access, affecting its growth and formalization. Addressing these issues is key to ensuring economic resilience.

Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must highlight the financial constraints faced by the sector, analyze the reasons behind them, and suggest policy measures to improve financial resilience and capital access.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Briefly mention the sector’s role in employment and GDP while highlighting the capital and credit challenges it faces.

Body:

• Capital and credit challenges: Discuss informality, lack of financial records, weak collateral, reliance on informal credit, and liquidity constraints.
• Reasons behind financial constraints: Explain banking penetration issues, financial risk perception, underutilization of credit schemes, lack of credit ratings, and absence of customized financial products.
• Policy measures: Suggest expanding formalization, strengthening credit schemes, leveraging fintech, enforcing payment timelines, and promoting alternative financing models.

Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for financial inclusion and structured policy interventions to enhance the sector’s sustainability and economic contribution.

Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation

Q6. Discuss the implications of shifting climate responsibilities onto developing nations due to weak commitments from developed countries. How can developing nations balance climate action with their developmental needs? (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: TH

Why the question:
Developing countries, in the face of the U.S.’s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, need a calibrated strategy that must not fall prey to the illusion that they can make up the huge gap created by America’s stand.

Key Demand of the Question:
The answer must discuss how weak commitments by developed countries are shifting climate responsibilities onto developing nations, analyze the economic, energy, and social impacts of this shift, and suggest policy measures to balance climate action with developmental needs.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction:
Briefly explain the principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) and how developed countries’ inaction is disproportionately affecting developing nations.

Body:

• Implications of shifting climate responsibilities: Discuss the economic burden, energy security risks, reduced climate finance, carbon space limitations, and food security concerns for developing nations.
• Strategies for balancing climate action with development: Suggest solutions such as strengthening climate finance mechanisms, phased energy transition, technology transfer, and resilience-focused adaptation policies.

Conclusion:
Highlight the need for equitable climate governance, ensuring that developing nations are not forced into an unjust energy transition, while advocating for stronger global commitments.

General Studies – 4

Q7. “Public officials are expected to maintain political neutrality, yet their personal political attitudes inevitably influence decision-making”. Analyze the ethical dilemmas arising from this conflict. What safeguards should be in place to ensure unbiased governance? (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: InsightsIAS

Why the question?

The ethical challenges public officials face in maintaining political neutrality while carrying personal political attitudes. It is relevant to bureaucratic ethics, governance, and constitutional morality.

Key Demand of the Question

The answer must analyze how personal political attitudes influence decision-making, the ethical dilemmas arising from this conflict, and suggest safeguards to ensure unbiased governance while adhering to constitutional and ethical principles.

Structure of the Answer

Introduction:

Define political neutrality in governance and its significance for ethical administration. Mention relevant constitutional provisions or ethical principles.

Body:

• Explain how public officials’ personal political attitudes can shape decision-making and governance outcomes.
• Analyze ethical dilemmas such as conflict between duty and belief, pressure from political leadership, and selective law enforcement.
• Suggest safeguards like conduct rules, institutional autonomy, fixed tenures, and ethical training to maintain neutrality in administration.

Conclusion:

Emphasize the importance of constitutional morality and institutional integrity in ensuring ethical governance free from political bias. Suggest a forward-looking approach for strengthening neutrality mechanisms.

Join our Official Telegram Channel HERE

Please subscribe to Our podcast channel HERE

Subscribe to our YouTube ChannelHERE

Follow our Twitter Account HERE

Follow our Instagram ID HERE

Follow us on LinkedIn : HERE