UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice – Insights SECURE: 15 April 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: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present significant events, personalities, issues

Q1. Moderates in the Indian National Congress believed in constitutional methods. Examine their approach. Evaluate their relevance in the pre-Gandhian phase of the freedom struggle. (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Easy

Reference: InsightsIAS

Why the question
To understand the ideological foundation of early nationalism and how Moderates shaped the initial phase of India’s freedom movement before mass movements emerged.

Key Demand of the question
The answer must explain the methods and strategies adopted by the Moderates and critically assess their contribution and limitations in the freedom struggle before Gandhi’s leadership.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction
Briefly introduce the Moderates and their historical context in early nationalism.

Body

• Approach of Moderates: Highlight their faith in constitutional means like petitions, press, and legislative reforms.
• Relevance in pre-Gandhian phase: Discuss their role in political awakening, institutional foundations, and preparing ground for mass movements.

Conclusion
Conclude with a balanced view on their contribution and how they laid groundwork for future assertive nationalism.

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

Q2. “Shrinking landholdings and rising food demand are shaping a new agricultural landscape in India”. Analyse the causes of land shrinkage and its implications for food security. Suggest structural reforms to enhance land productivity. (15 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: DTE

Why the question
The ICAR 2025 policy paper highlights critical trends of declining landholding size and rising food demand by 2047, making it necessary to examine underlying causes and solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Key demand of the question
The question demands an analysis of the reasons behind shrinking landholdings, assessment of its impact on food security, and recommendations for structural reforms to enhance productivity.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction
Mention India’s projected doubling of food demand by 2047 and concurrent decline in average landholding size.

Body

• Causes of land shrinkage: demographic pressure, urbanisation, policy gaps, climate stress.
• Implications for food security: reduced productivity, rising input costs, nutritional insecurity.
• Structural reforms to enhance land productivity: land consolidation, diversification, digitisation, credit access.

Conclusion
Emphasise the need for integrated policy measures to balance land constraints with sustainable food production for India’s future.

General Studies – 2

Topic: Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

Q3. Despite the intent to reduce judicial backlog, tribunals like Central Administrative Tribunal are grappling with their own pendency crisis. Evaluate the reasons behind this trend and its implications for administrative justice in India. (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: PIB

Why the question
Rising pendency in CAT, despite its purpose of reducing court burden, highlights systemic issues in tribunal functioning and administrative justice delivery.

Key demand of the question
The question requires an evaluation of reasons behind the pendency crisis in CAT and an analysis of how this impacts the effectiveness of administrative justice in India.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction
Briefly mention the constitutional basis of CAT and its purpose of providing speedy justice in service matters.

Body

• Reasons for pendency: delayed appointments, limited benches, procedural inefficiencies.
• Implications for administrative justice: erosion of trust, impact on governance, increased burden on higher courts.

Conclusion
Conclude by stressing urgent need for reforms in CAT functioning to ensure timely justice and restore public trust in administrative adjudication.

Topic: Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.

Q4. “India’s extradition efforts face a triangular challenge of legal complexity, diplomatic engagement, and human rights concerns”. Discuss. (15 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: TH

Why the question
Recent arrest of Mehul Choksi in Belgium has reignited debates around India’s challenges in extradition cases involving legal, diplomatic, and human rights issues.

Key Demand of the question
The question requires analysing India’s extradition challenges from three angles: legal complexities, diplomatic efforts, and human rights concerns, and then suggesting practical way forward.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction
Briefly introduce the relevance of extradition in tackling economic fugitives, citing recent cases to contextualise.

Body

• Legal complexity: Highlight procedural diversity, dual criminality, and delays in foreign legal systems.
• Diplomatic engagement: Mention role of bilateral treaties, high-level dialogues, and leveraging global forums.
• Human rights concerns: Discuss health claims, political victimisation allegations, and host country human rights obligations.
• Way forward: Suggest treaty strengthening, legal assurances, diplomatic capacity building, and intelligence cooperation.

Conclusion
Conclude with a forward-looking note on integrating law and diplomacy for effective extradition outcomes.

General Studies – 3

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

Q5. The concept of “reciprocal tariffs” has been questioned globally. Analyse the economic rationale behind reciprocal tariffs. Discuss their implications for developing economies like India. (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: NIE

Why the question
Due to rising unilateral tariff actions, especially by the US, the concept of reciprocal tariffs has gained global attention and criticism, making it relevant for India’s trade policy and global economic order.

Key demand of the question
The question demands an analysis of the logic behind reciprocal tariffs as a policy tool and an assessment of their specific consequences for developing economies like India.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction

Define reciprocal tariffs briefly and mention how they challenge global trade norms.

Body

• Economic rationale of reciprocal tariffs: Write about trade imbalance correction, revenue motives, domestic industry protection, and political signalling.
• Implications for developing economies like India: Write about impact on exports, supply chains, investments, retaliatory risks, and erosion of multilateral trade order.

Conclusion
Conclude with the need for India to adopt diversified markets and uphold multilateral trade norms for stability.

Topic: Awareness in the fields of IT, Space

Q6. “European Space Agency’s Biomass mission will transform our understanding of forest health”. Examine the technological innovations behind the mission and its role in carbon budgeting. Evaluate its implications for global climate governance. (15 M)

Difficulty Level: Difficult

Reference: ESA

Why the question
ESA’s Biomass mission is scheduled for launch in April 2025, making it a highly relevant topic to discuss technological advancements in forest monitoring, its role in carbon budgeting, and implications for global climate governance.

Key demand of the question
The question requires examining the technological innovations of the Biomass mission, analysing how it contributes to carbon accounting, and evaluating its impact on international climate policy frameworks and governance.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction
Briefly highlight the significance of forests in climate regulation and the critical need for advanced monitoring systems.

Body

• Technological innovations behind the mission: Mention unique features like P-band SAR, 3D imaging, and terrain mapping.
• Role in carbon budgeting: Cover aspects like accurate carbon stock measurement, monitoring fluxes, and supporting mechanisms like REDD+.
• Implications for global climate governance: Touch upon areas like strengthening NDCs, promoting data sharing, and aiding climate justice for vulnerable nations.

Conclusion
Conclude with a forward-looking statement on how such technologies can bridge policy gaps and enhance climate resilience globally.

General Studies – 4

Topic: Dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships

Q7. Explain how conflicts of interest can arise between personal and public obligations. Illustrate how ethical leadership can address such conflicts. (10 M)

Difficulty Level: Medium

Reference: InsightsIAS

Why the question
Conflicts of interest are increasingly seen in governance and public roles, especially with overlapping personal gains and public duties, making ethical leadership crucial to uphold integrity.

Key demand of the question
The question requires explaining how personal and public obligations clash to create conflicts of interest, and how ethical leadership can manage or prevent these situations.

Structure of the Answer:

Introduction
Briefly define conflict of interest in the context of public ethics, and highlight its relevance in ensuring public trust.

Body

• How conflicts of interest arise: Suggest key sources like nepotism, financial interests, political allegiance, and future personal gains.
• How ethical leadership addresses conflicts: Indicate ethical codes, transparency, role modelling, institutional checks, and ethics training.

Conclusion
Conclude with the role of ethical leadership in strengthening public faith and institutional integrity.

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