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General Studies – 1
Topic: Urbanization, their problems and their remedies
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the Question
Street vendors are a part of the vulnerable group that faces the harshest impact of climate vagaries. To enhance their climate resilience, the Chennai Resilience Centre (CRC) — a voluntary organisation — is collaborating with government agencies and residents to co-develop practical solutions to climate challenges.
Key Demand of the Question
The question requires an examination of the socio-economic challenges faced by street vendors due to climate change and practical urban infrastructure solutions to enhance their resilience.
Structure of the Answer
Introduction:
Introduce the significance of street vendors in India’s urban economy and briefly mention their heightened vulnerability to climate risks.Body:
- Challenges faced by street vendors: Highlight issues like heat stress, product spoilage, infrastructure damage, and financial instability.
- Urban infrastructure adaptations: Discuss solutions such as climate-proof vending spaces, improved drainage systems, and solar-powered kiosks.
Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for integrating climate-resilient infrastructure with inclusive urban policies to safeguard vulnerable groups.
Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: NIE
Why the Question?
The dual role of language in fostering unity and causing divisions, a significant theme in India’s socio-political landscape, particularly in the context of rising regionalism and linguistic pride.
Key Demand of the Question
The question demands an analysis of how language can both unify and divide Indian society, followed by actionable measures to promote linguistic harmony.
Structure of the Answer:
Introduction:
Start by emphasizing language as a powerful identity marker that influences social, cultural, and political dynamics.Body:
- Language as a unifying force: Highlight how shared language promotes cultural cohesion, strengthens national integration, and aids social mobility.
- Language as a divisive force: Explain how linguistic identity can fuel regionalism, exclusionary politics, and economic barriers.
- Steps to promote linguistic harmony: Suggest solutions like inclusive language policies, educational reforms, and technology integration to bridge linguistic divides.
Conclusion:
Conclude by emphasizing the need for a balanced approach that celebrates linguistic diversity while ensuring national cohesion.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Role of civil services in a democracy
Difficulty Level: Easy
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the Question
Concerns regarding the declining neutrality of civil servants, which has become a significant issue in ensuring impartial governance and effective policy implementation.Key Demand of the Question
The question requires examining the reasons behind the erosion of civil service neutrality and analyzing its implications on governance, public trust, and democratic values.Structure of the Answer
Introduction
Briefly explain the significance of civil service neutrality and mention growing concerns over its decline.Body
- Causes for declining neutrality: Discuss factors like political interference, patronage appointments, weakening institutional autonomy, etc.
- Implications of declining neutrality: Highlight effects such as loss of public trust, compromised policy execution, and weakening democratic values.
Conclusion
Emphasize the need for institutional reforms, ethical frameworks, and enhanced accountability mechanisms to restore neutrality in the civil services.
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the Question
The dual nature of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in governance, highlighting both their role in improving service delivery and the associated risks of corporate influence.Key Demand of the Question
The question requires assessing how PPPs have enhanced service delivery while raising concerns about corporate dominance, followed by an evaluation of their impact on accountability and citizen welfare, and suggesting viable solutions.Structure of the Answer
Introduction
Define PPPs and briefly highlight their growing significance in governance for improving public service delivery.Body
- Role of PPPs in improving service delivery and concerns: Discuss benefits like faster project execution, better resource utilization, and improved infrastructure, alongside risks like monopolistic practices and profit-driven motives.
- Impact on accountability and citizen welfare: Present both positive impacts (like improved transparency and efficiency) and negative impacts (such as social exclusion and weakened oversight).
- Way forward: Suggest measures like strengthening regulatory frameworks, ensuring inclusive contracts, and promoting social audits to balance efficiency with accountability.
Conclusion
Emphasize the need for transparent frameworks, public oversight, and citizen-centric models to maximize PPP benefits while minimizing corporate risks.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: IE
Why the Question:
The exchange rate between the dollar and the euro saw a sharp change between the day Trump won the election and the day he took oath of office, with the euro weakeningKey Demand of the Question:
The answer must examine the causes behind the Euro-Dollar exchange rate fluctuations and assess their distinct impact on India’s economy, focusing on inflation, trade, and investment.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction:
Briefly highlight the connection between the Euro-Dollar exchange rate and global economic sentiment, emphasizing recent trends.Body:
- Causes of Fluctuations: Discuss key factors like US tariff policies, monetary policy divergence, EU fiscal expansion, and improved EU growth projections.
- Impact on Emerging Economies like India: Cover aspects like stronger rupee benefits for imports, challenges for exporters to the EU, inflation control, and volatility in capital flows.
Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for India to adopt proactive monetary strategies and diversify trade partnerships to ensure economic stability.
Topic: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country,
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: DTE
Why the Question
Contract farming, often touted as a solution to increase productivity and efficiency of smallholder farmers, was found to be unfair and less profitable for them, according to a new study.
Key Demand of the Question
The question demands an evaluation of both positive and negative impacts of contract farming, an analysis of how cost deductions and risk burden affect smallholder farmers, and viable frameworks for improving their financial security.
Structure of the Answer
Introduction:
Briefly define contract farming and highlight its growing relevance in India’s agricultural sector. Introduce the dual nature of its impact — offering both opportunities and risks.Body:
- Impact of contract farming on smallholder farmers: Discuss both positive aspects like assured market access and input support, as well as negative aspects like reduced bargaining power and exploitative pricing.
- Impact of production risks and cost deductions: Explain how production risks are disproportionately transferred to farmers, and how excessive cost deductions erode farmer profits.
- Alternative frameworks for better income security: Suggest solutions such as transparent pricing mechanisms, risk-sharing models, empowering Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and robust grievance redressal systems.
Conclusion:
Conclude by emphasizing the need for balanced reforms that ensure contract farming promotes both productivity gains and farmer welfare.
General Studies – 4
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the question:
The ethical concerns arising from the misuse of reservation benefits and highlights the importance of accountability in ensuring social justice and institutional integrity.Key demand of the question:
Explain the ethical principles compromised by manipulating reservation benefits and discuss the role of accountability in safeguarding affirmative action policies.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction:
Define reservation policies as instruments of social justice and briefly highlight the ethical concerns associated with their misuse.
Body:
- Ethical principles violated: Discuss principles like integrity, justice, transparency, compassion, and public trust, explaining their relevance to reservation misuse.
- Importance of accountability: Highlight aspects like fraud prevention, ensuring equal opportunity, institutional credibility, ethical conduct, and procedural fairness with relevant examples or references.
Conclusion:
Emphasize the need for institutional reforms and stricter scrutiny to uphold fairness in reservation policies.
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