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
General Studies – 1
Topic: Disaster management
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the question
India lies in one of the most active seismic zones of the world, and recent quakes in Nepal, Assam and Himalayan states have highlighted both natural and human-induced vulnerabilities, making earthquake preparedness a pressing concern.
Key Demand of the question
The question asks to explain the geophysical causes of earthquakes in India, examine how human activities aggravate seismic risks, and assess India’s current mapping and monitoring mechanisms for high-risk zones.
Structure of the Answer
Introduction
Briefly highlight India’s tectonic collision with Eurasia and its high seismic vulnerability.Body
- Geophysical causes: Plate collision in the Himalayas, intraplate activity in peninsular India, subduction along Indo-Burma arc, and active fault systems.
- Anthropogenic activities: Reservoir-induced seismicity, mining and hydrocarbon extraction, unplanned urbanisation in fragile zones, and mega-projects in the Himalayas.
- Preparedness: Seismic zoning maps, microzonation of major cities, BIS building codes, NDMA and NERMP initiatives, and use of satellite/AI-based monitoring.
Conclusion
Point towards strengthening a technology-driven, community-inclusive, and multi-hazard approach for future seismic resilience.
Introduction
The Indian subcontinent is located at the collision zone of the Indian and Eurasian plates, making it one of the most seismically active regions globally. The 2023 Nepal earthquake and frequent tremors in the Himalayan belt and Indo-Gangetic plains reaffirm the urgent need for robust preparedness.
Body
Geophysical causes of earthquakes in the Indian subcontinent
- Plate collision and Himalayan orogeny: The northward drift of the Indian plate at 5 cm/year against the Eurasian plate creates compressional stress, triggering shallow-focus earthquakes.
Eg: 2015 Nepal earthquake (7.8 magnitude) due to thrust fault movement in the Main Himalayan Thrust. - Intraplate seismicity: Peninsular India, though stable, faces intraplate quakes due to reactivation of ancient faults.
Eg: 1993 Latur earthquake (6.2 magnitude) in Maharashtra occurred far from plate boundaries. - Subduction zone activity: The Indo-Burma arc and Andaman–Nicobar region experience quakes due to subduction of the Indian plate under the Burma plate.
Eg: 2004 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami devastated the Andaman coast. - Fault systems and shear zones: Major faults like the Delhi–Haridwar Ridge Fault and Kutch Rift Fault generate localized seismicity.
Eg: 2001 Bhuj earthquake (7.7 magnitude) caused by stress along the Kutch fault system. - Reservoir induced seismicity: Large reservoirs alter stress distribution, inducing quakes in seismically sensitive zones.
Eg: Koyna earthquake (1967, Maharashtra) linked to the Koyna dam reservoir.
Anthropogenic activities contributing to seismic risk
- Unregulated urbanisation: Construction on alluvial soil in high seismic zones amplifies damage.
Eg: 2023 Turkey earthquake case showed collapse of poorly enforced urban structures (UNDRR report 2023). - Mining and quarrying: Deep mining in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh destabilises rock strata, enhancing vulnerability.
Eg: Studies by NGRI, 2022 link tremors near Dhanbad coal mines to blasting activity. - Hydrocarbon extraction and fracking: Oil and gas drilling in Assam and Gujarat increase micro-seismic events.
Eg: Oil India tremors in Assam (2020) linked with extraction-induced stresses (ONGC data). - Infrastructure megaprojects: Large dams, tunnels, and metro projects in the fragile Himalayas aggravate seismic sensitivity.
Eg: Tehri dam area flagged for high seismic risk by M S Raghunathan Committee (2001). - Groundwater depletion: Over-extraction changes hydrostatic balance, weakening crustal stability.
Eg: Delhi-NCR micro tremors 2021 correlated with groundwater drawdown (CGWB report 2022).
India’s preparedness in mapping and monitoring high-risk zones
- Seismic zoning and microzonation: India is divided into 4 seismic zones (II–V); cities like Delhi and Guwahati have completed microzonation studies.
Eg: NDMA 2019 report highlighted microzonation for 30 major cities. - Early warning systems: Pilot Uttarakhand earthquake early warning system developed by IIT Roorkee provides alerts up to 20 seconds before shaking.
Eg: Dehradun EWS (2021) successfully tested (DST data). - Strengthening building codes: The Bureau of Indian Standards (IS 1893 & IS 4326) sets seismic safety codes, though compliance remains weak.
Eg: NDMA audit 2020 found <10% compliance in tier-2 cities. - Satellite and sensor networks: ISRO’s Cartosat satellites and 115 broadband seismic stations monitor crustal movement in real time.
Eg: GAGAN programme helps detect ionospheric disturbances linked with quakes. - Institutional framework: NDMA Earthquake Guidelines 2007, revised in 2020, mandate state-level disaster management plans.
Eg: National Earthquake Risk Mitigation Project (NERMP, 2020) under NDMA enhances retrofitting and awareness programmes.
Conclusion
Earthquake risk in India demands a multi-hazard integrated strategy that blends geophysical research with resilient infrastructure, strict urban codes, and community-based preparedness. Harnessing digital monitoring and grassroots awareness will decide whether seismic hazards translate into disasters.
Topic: Disaster management
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: InsightsIAS
Why the question
Because disasters in India increasingly expose how developmental choices like urbanisation, deforestation, and faulty planning convert natural hazards into man-made crises, making it a critical issue in geography and disaster studies.Key Demand of the question
The question requires explaining how unplanned development intensifies disasters with recent examples, and then suggesting reforms in developmental planning for resilience.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Link India’s disaster vulnerability with the role of unsustainable development.
Body –
- Show how floods, landslides, industrial accidents, and droughts are aggravated by faulty planning.
- Suggest reforms like risk-sensitive land use, independent regulators, resilient infrastructure codes, decentralised planning, and climate integration.
Conclusion
Stress on sustainable, risk-proof, and climate-resilient growth as the future path.
Introduction
India’s hazard-prone geography makes floods, landslides, earthquakes and cyclones inevitable, but the scale of destruction is human-induced. The UNDRR 2023 report found that nearly 80% of India’s disaster losses are driven by development choices like urban sprawl, weak regulation and ecological neglect rather than purely natural causes.
Body
Disasters as outcome of unplanned development
- Encroachment on floodplains: Urbanisation over riverbeds and wetlands blocks natural drainage, intensifying flood damage in cities.
Eg: Chennai floods 2023 were aggravated as Pallikaranai marshland was reduced by half due to real estate projects, a lapse highlighted in the CAG report 2024. - Construction in seismic-prone zones: Large-scale tunnelling and unregulated urbanisation without seismic code compliance magnify earthquake and subsidence risks.
Eg: Joshimath subsidence 2023 was traced to hydropower tunnelling (NTPC Tapovan project) and uncontrolled building activity, as per ISRO and NDMA studies. - Deforestation and slope cutting in Himalayas: Road widening and hydropower projects destabilise fragile slopes, making heavy rainfall catastrophic.
Eg: Himachal Pradesh 2023 monsoon landslides claimed 400+ lives, with the MoEFCC report linking slope instability to the Char Dham project and haphazard construction. - Weak regulation of hazardous industries: Clustering of chemical plants near habitations without safety audits increases the chance of technological disasters.
Eg: Vizag LG Polymers gas leak 2020 killed 12 and hospitalised hundreds, with the NGT faulting poor zoning and absence of real-time safety monitoring. - Unsustainable agriculture and water use: Promoting water-intensive crops in drought-prone zones worsens resource depletion and rural vulnerability.
Eg: Marathwada droughts 2015–18 saw crop failures as sugarcane cultivation expanded in a semi-arid zone, flagged by the NITI Aayog drought report.
Reforms needed in developmental planning
- Risk-sensitive land use planning: City master plans must integrate hazard zonation and prohibit construction in ecologically fragile zones under the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
Eg: Kozhikode District Plan 2022 incorporated flood-risk mapping based on NDMA guidelines, reducing exposure in high-vulnerability wards. - Independent environmental regulator: The Supreme Court in Lafarge Umiam Mining case (2011) directed creation of a regulator for scientific appraisal of projects, ensuring impartiality in clearances.
Eg: Though MoEFCC has begun internal mechanisms, full statutory backing is required to avoid conflicts of interest in project approvals. - Disaster-resilient infrastructure codes: Enforcement of BIS seismic and flood-resistant standards in all public works is essential for long-term safety.
Eg: Delhi Metro Phase IV applied seismic design norms specific to Zone IV, showing that compliance enhances resilience of mass transit systems. - Decentralised risk governance: Local bodies empowered under the 73rd and 74th Amendments can prepare micro-level hazard maps and mitigation plans.
Eg: After the Kerala floods 2018, gram panchayats under the People’s Plan campaign incorporated flood-control works and community shelters into local plans. - Climate-integrated development financing: Infrastructure investment must undergo climate risk appraisal, aligning with Article 21’s right to life and India’s Paris commitments.
Eg: The National Infrastructure Pipeline 2025 (₹111 lakh crore projects) mandated screening for climate resilience, embedding adaptation into development finance.
Conclusion
India’s disasters are no longer just acts of nature but outcomes of a developmental model blind to ecological limits. Future planning must embed resilience, climate adaptation, and decentralised governance so that growth itself becomes a tool of disaster prevention.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: NIE
Why the question
The question is relevant in light of recent Supreme Court interventions directing mandatory training for judges, highlighting the link between judicial education, accountability, and delivery of substantive justice.Key Demand of the question
The question demands an explanation of how judicial training and sensitisation advance substantive justice, identification of institutional shortcomings in judicial education, and suggestions for reforms to strengthen the system.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Briefly highlight the role of judicial competence and sensitisation in ensuring justice beyond procedure.
Body –
- Contribution of training and sensitisation towards substantive justice (constitutional morality, social context, bail/sentencing consistency).
- Institutional gaps in current judicial education (fragmented framework, funding, curriculum, evaluation).
- Reforms for a robust system (uniform curriculum, continuous education, performance audits, technology integration, oversight body).
Conclusion
Forward-looking note on how judicial education can build a judiciary that is empathetic, updated, and constitutionally grounded.
Introduction
The legitimacy of a democracy rests not only on judicial independence but also on the competence and sensitivity of judges. In India, where socio-economic diversity and constitutional values intersect, training and sensitisation of judges become critical to ensuring substantive justice beyond mere procedural correctness.
Body
Judicial training and sensitisation and substantive justice
- Understanding constitutional morality: Regular training equips judges to interpret laws in line with Articles 14, 19, and 21 safeguarding rights.
Eg: Navtej Johar (2018) highlighted constitutional morality over popular morality. - Social context adjudication: Sensitisation helps judges appreciate caste, gender, and disability concerns, ensuring justice that is inclusive.
Eg: Delhi High Court’s gender sensitisation training modules (2023) for judges under POSH framework. - Balancing rights and state interests: Judicial education enhances capacity to weigh individual rights vis-à-vis state power, essential in cases on preventive detention or surveillance.
Eg: Puttaswamy (2017) case where privacy was elevated as a fundamental right. - Reducing arbitrariness in bail and sentencing: Training ensures consistency and prevents lapses in bail/sentencing that compromise justice.
Eg: SC order (Sept 2025) mandating 7-day training for two Delhi judges due to flawed bail orders. - Global best practices: Sensitisation to international human rights law aligns Indian justice delivery with obligations under ICCPR and other treaties.
Eg: Bangladesh Judicial Academy’s continuous human rights workshops offer a regional example.
Institutional gaps in judicial education
- Fragmented institutional framework: The National Judicial Academy (2006) and 24 state academies lack uniform curriculum or mandatory refresher courses.
Eg: NITI Aayog’s Justice Report (2022) flagged uneven quality in judicial training. - Limited budgetary allocation: Judicial academies often receive inadequate funding, curtailing infrastructure and faculty development.
Eg: Allocation for the NJA in Union Budget 2024-25 was less than ₹50 crore despite huge training needs. - Absence of evaluation mechanisms: No structured assessment of how training impacts judicial performance or reduces pendency.
Eg: Law Commission 245th Report (2014) criticised lack of performance audits in judiciary. - Inadequate focus on contemporary issues: Training modules often ignore digital forensics, AI, or cybercrimes, leading to outdated judicial reasoning.
Eg: K.S. Puttaswamy II (2019, Aadhaar) showed gaps in technical understanding of data protection. - Limited sensitisation on ethics and accountability: Judicial academies focus on procedure rather than ethical dilemmas, corruption, or public trust issues.
Eg: In-house mechanism for judges’ misconduct (1997) remains weak due to lack of structured training in ethics.
Reforms for a robust judicial education system
- Comprehensive national curriculum: Harmonise training across NJA and state academies, including modules on constitutional morality, gender, caste, environment, and technology.
Eg: Malimath Committee (2003) recommended uniform training framework for judges. - Mandatory continuous education: Make refresher training compulsory every 3-5 years, with penalties for non-compliance.
Eg: UK Judicial College model requires periodic continuing education. - Performance linked evaluation: Introduce audits of training outcomes linked to judicial efficiency, pendency reduction, and citizen satisfaction.
Eg: Singapore’s Judicial Performance Framework integrates training with measurable indicators. - Integration of technology and interdisciplinary learning: Include cyber law, forensic sciences, behavioural psychology, and economics in curriculum.
Eg: E-Courts Project Phase III (2023) can be leveraged for online training modules. - Independent oversight body: Establish a Judicial Education Council with representation from SC, academia, and civil society to oversee funding, curriculum, and evaluation.
Eg: Justice Verma Commission (2013) stressed institutional accountability in training for gender justice.
Conclusion
Judicial training is not a peripheral exercise but the bedrock of substantive justice in a diverse democracy like India. By bridging institutional gaps and adopting holistic reforms, India can nurture a judiciary that is technically sound, socially empathetic, and constitutionally anchored.
Topic: Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the question
The recent MHA directive (Sept 2025) mandating NGOs to apply for FCRA renewal 4 months in advance has highlighted how regulatory delays affect NGO functioning and raised the issue of balancing scrutiny with operational continuity.Key Demand of the question
The question asks you to first show how regulatory delays weaken NGO service delivery, and then suggest institutional mechanisms that can ensure scrutiny without disrupting ongoing activities.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Briefly highlight the role of NGOs in India’s welfare ecosystem and the regulatory environment under FCRA.Body
- Impact of regulatory delays on NGO service delivery (halted projects, loss of trust, rights concerns, SDG setbacks).
- Institutional mechanisms to balance scrutiny and continuity (advance submission, time-bound approvals, digital systems, risk-based oversight, appellate mechanisms).
Conclusion
Suggest the way forward focusing on proportional, transparent, and predictable regulation that safeguards both security and civil society vitality.
Introduction
NGOs act as vital partners in implementing welfare schemes and international commitments, but regulatory uncertainty under FCRA has increasingly disrupted their functional autonomy and weakened service delivery in recent years.
Body
Impact of regulatory delays
- Halted welfare programmes: When FCRA renewals are delayed, NGOs cannot utilise foreign funds, forcing suspension of critical projects in health and education.
Eg: CARE India’s maternal health interventions were halted in 2022 due to FCRA suspension, affecting rural health outcomes . - Erosion of beneficiary trust: Sudden stoppage of NGO services creates uncertainty among communities and damages the credibility of voluntary organisations in welfare delivery.
Eg: Amnesty International India’s exit in 2020 after licence suspension eroded trust in rights-based advocacy platforms across multiple states. - Livelihood insecurity for staff: Thousands employed in the voluntary sector face abrupt layoffs, undermining Article 21 right to livelihood and worsening social vulnerabilities.
Eg: Oxfam India had to lay off hundreds of staff in 2022 when foreign funding was frozen due to procedural delays. - Curtailment of associational freedom: Prolonged pendency of registration impacts Article 19(1)(c) right to form associations, limiting civic participation in democracy.
Eg: In PUCL v Union of India (2003), the Supreme Court recognised the democratic role of NGOs in realising socio-economic rights. - Developmental and SDG setbacks: Delay in NGO projects hinders India’s progress in achieving Sustainable Development Goals, especially in health, education, and climate action.
Eg: NITI Aayog’s SDG Index 2023 highlighted civil society participation as a key driver of social indicators, which gets disrupted by regulatory bottlenecks.
Mechanisms to ensure balance
- Advance submission mandate: Requiring NGOs to apply well before expiry ensures enough time for security vetting without disruption to their ongoing projects.
Eg: MHA’s September 2025 directive mandated 4-month advance applications for 16,192 active NGOs to avoid suspension of services (The Hindu, 2025). - Statutory time-bound approvals: Fixed deadlines for renewals under a Citizen’s Charter framework can reduce uncertainty and bring administrative accountability.
Eg: The Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2009) recommended statutory timelines for clearances to minimise bureaucratic delays. - Risk-based differentiated oversight: Low-risk NGOs can undergo simplified scrutiny while high-risk ones face detailed vetting, preventing blanket disruption of activities.
Eg: FATF Best Practices Report (2021) on non-profit organisations suggested proportional regulation aligned to financial risk categories. - Digital compliance monitoring: A transparent, IT-enabled workflow for FCRA filings reduces human discretion, speeds up scrutiny, and enhances accountability.
Eg: The FCRA online system integrated in 2023 under Digital India has reduced pendency in filing and verification of applications. - Independent appellate review: A quasi-judicial body for appeals ensures impartiality in cases of rejection or suspension, protecting constitutional freedoms.
Eg: The Supreme Court in Indian Social Action Forum (2019) emphasised that restrictions on NGOs must meet proportionality standards and judicial oversight.
Conclusion
By combining advance timelines, digital governance, and risk-based oversight, India can strike a balance between national security imperatives and uninterrupted NGO operations, strengthening democratic accountability and welfare delivery.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: DTE
Why the question
NCRB highlights rising suicides in the farm sector, showing that the issue is rooted in systemic weaknesses of India’s agrarian economy rather than just personal crises, making reforms urgent.Key Demand of the question
The question asks to justify how suicides reflect structural fragility in Indian agriculture and then outline comprehensive reforms that can strengthen resilience and prevent such distress.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Briefly link farmer suicides with structural weaknesses of agriculture and cite recent NCRB data.
Body –
Show structural fragilities such as low incomes, climate risks, credit gaps, and labourer distress.
Suggest comprehensive reforms including MSP assurance, credit/insurance reforms, diversification, labour protection, and value-chain reforms.
Conclusion
End with a future-oriented note on sustainable and resilient agriculture as the foundation of farmers’ dignity.
Introduction
India’s farm sector is marked by low productivity, high risks, and weak institutional support, turning hazards into chronic distress. The NCRB Report 2023 recorded 10,786 suicides in the agricultural sector, showing that suicides stem from structural weaknesses, not just individual vulnerabilities.
Body
Structural fragility of India’s farm economy
- Low farm incomes: Fragmented holdings, poor yields, and rising input costs create chronic indebtedness.
Eg: Maharashtra 2023 saw over 2,500 farmer suicides, largely from smallholders dependent on cash crops (NCRB 2023). - Climate vulnerability: Dependence on monsoons and rising extreme weather make agriculture risky.
Eg: Himachal Pradesh 2023 floods destroyed apple orchards, with NITI Aayog estimating 60% agriculture is climate-sensitive. - Inadequate institutional credit: Farmers rely on informal lenders due to collateral barriers in banks.
Eg: RBI Household Finance Committee 2017 noted over 40% rural debt in states like Maharashtra came from moneylenders. - Market volatility: Price crashes for crops erode incomes despite bumper harvests.
Eg: Onion farmers in Maharashtra 2023 sold produce below cost due to supply glut despite record output. - Labourer distress: Agricultural labourers face wage insecurity and lack social protection.
Eg: NCRB 2023 reported 6,096 suicides among farm labourers, surpassing farmer suicides for the first time.
Reforms to strengthen agrarian resilience
- Price assurance and MSP reforms: Provide legal MSP backing or adopt Price Deficiency Payments .
Eg: Madhya Pradesh Bhavantar Scheme compensated farmers when prices fell below MSP. - Climate-smart agriculture: Promote diversification into pulses, millets, and agroforestry under the National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture.
Eg: 2023 UN Millet Year spurred procurement in Karnataka, raising farmer incomes. - Strengthened credit and insurance: Expand Kisan Credit Cards to tenant farmers, digitalise PMFBY for faster claims.
Eg: Andhra Pradesh Rythu Bharosa Kendras integrated credit, seeds, and insurance support. - Labour welfare and social safety nets: Expand MGNREGA convergence with agriculture and introduce rural job security for landless workers.
Eg: Tamil Nadu 2022 initiative allowed MGNREGA labour for on-farm works, supporting wages during drought. - Value-chain and market reforms: Promote Farmer Producer Organisations (Dalwai Committee, 2017), contract farming safeguards, and e-NAM integration.
Eg: Maharashtra onion cooperatives 2023 secured higher prices via collective bargaining.
Conclusion
Agricultural suicides are not isolated tragedies but systemic alarms about the fragility of India’s farm economy. Embedding income security, climate resilience, and institutional support in rural policy will make farming sustainable and restore dignity to India’s farmers.
Topic: Infrastructure: Energy.
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the question
The government has recently launched the PM E-Drive scheme (2025) with 100% subsidy for EV charging infrastructure, making it a critical policy milestone in India’s sustainable mobility transition.Key demand of the question
The question requires examining how the scheme seeks to expand charging infrastructure, identifying the key challenges in its implementation, and assessing its broader impact on mobility and clean energy transition.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Mention the scheme’s launch, objectives, and its importance in bridging EV adoption gaps.Body
- Expansion of charging infrastructure: Outline major features of PM E-Drive and focus areas.
- Challenges in implementation: Highlight financial, institutional, and technical hurdles.
- Impact on sustainable mobility and energy transition: Explain expected outcomes in pollution reduction, energy security, and renewable integration.
Conclusion
A forward-looking remark on how convergence of subsidy, private investment, and resilient grid management can make EV transition transformative for India.
Introduction
India’s EV ecosystem is at an inflection point with PM E-Drive 2025 (₹10,000 crore) aiming to make charging infrastructure a national public good. It reflects a shift from fragmented pilots to coordinated, subsidy-backed rollout.
Body
Expansion of EV charging infrastructure under pm e-drive
- Subsidy support: Offers up to 100% subsidy for upstream infrastructure like transformers, cabling, and civil works along with EVSE costs, creating large-scale public infrastructure.
Eg: As per MHI guidelines 2025, ₹2,000 crore has been earmarked exclusively for charging infrastructure across priority cities. - Priority geographies: Targets million-plus cities, smart cities, NCAP cities, and satellite towns of metros to maximise utilisation and visibility of EV infra.
Eg: MoHUA’s Smart Cities Mission provides the official list that guides prioritisation for early rollouts in urban centres. - Inter-city corridors: Integrates with MoRTH to build charging along highways for long-distance EV adoption, bridging urban and regional connectivity.
Eg: The Delhi–Jaipur NH-48 corridor pilot (2024) under CESL was the first attempt at such inter-city EV-ready highways. - Institutional coverage: Empowers CPSEs like IOCL, BPCL, HPCL, AAI, NHAI and metro corporations to directly set up stations under nodal agencies.
Eg: IOCL’s EVSE plan 2025 includes installing 10,000 chargers at retail fuel outlets nationwide. - Decentralised flexibility: Allows states and UTs to appoint nodal agencies to map demand, ensuring bottom-up identification of charging sites.
Eg: Delhi’s DISCOM-led EV cell has mapped charging points near housing clusters and commercial hubs since 2024.
Challenges in implementation
- Grid readiness: Existing urban distribution networks face capacity bottlenecks with high-load fast chargers creating risks of outages.
Eg: CEA’s 2024 report highlighted that urban feeders in cities like Bengaluru were already operating at 80% of their designed load. - Financial sustainability: Heavy dependence on subsidies raises doubts about investor interest once subsidies phase out, risking stalled growth.
Eg: NITI Aayog’s EV policy brief 2023 warned that subsidy lock-in could crowd out private capital over the medium term. - Coordination bottlenecks: Multi-layer involvement of ministries, CPSEs, and state nodal agencies creates delays and overlapping approvals.
Eg: CAG’s audit of FAME-II in 2022 revealed underutilisation of funds due to poor inter-agency coordination. - Standards and interoperability: Multiple charging protocols across manufacturers reduce confidence and create inefficiency for users.
Eg: BIS 2023 guidelines on Bharat AC/DC standards remain patchily enforced across cities and private operators. - Land and urban constraints: Limited urban land availability and clearance delays hinder timely setup of charging stations.
Eg: The Mumbai EV cell 2024 report cited lack of parking space as the single biggest challenge to expansion in city centres.
Impact on sustainable mobility and clean energy transition
- Air quality improvement: Deployment in NCAP cities is expected to reduce vehicular emissions in some of the most polluted hotspots.
Eg: CPCB’s 2024 findings linked Delhi’s EV bus deployment with a 2–3% fall in PM2.5 during peak traffic months. - Reduced oil import bill: Large-scale EV adoption enabled by charging infra can significantly reduce fossil fuel dependence.
Eg: NITI Aayog 2023 study estimated annual savings of $60 billion in crude imports by 2030 with strong EV penetration. - Renewable integration: EV charging can be coupled with rooftop solar and battery storage, boosting renewable energy uptake.
Eg: Bangalore Metro’s solar-powered EV stations (2024) became a model for integrating chargers with clean energy. - Job creation: Scaling of EV infrastructure generates jobs in installation, operations, and advanced manufacturing.
Eg: Skill India EV Taskforce 2025 projected over 5 lakh jobs in the EV infra sector by 2030. - Global competitiveness: Robust EV infra can make India attractive for global automakers and enhance exports of EV components.
Eg: Tesla’s India entry in 2025 was conditional on the availability of a nationwide charging backbone.
Conclusion
PM E-Drive’s success will hinge not just on subsidies but on grid resilience, private participation, and policy convergence. If implemented effectively, it can anchor India’s transition towards clean, self-reliant, and globally competitive mobility by 2030.
General Studies – 4
Difficulty Level: Medium
Reference: TH
Why the question
Recent debates on values in governance and public service highlight how compassion shapes humane decisions and strengthens trust between citizens and institutions.Key demand of the question
The question asks to explain the ethical role of compassion in guiding decision-making and to show how it contributes to building and sustaining social trust.Structure of the Answer:
Introduction
Define compassion as an ethical value and its significance in moral reasoning.Body
- Role of compassion in ethical decision-making -link with virtue ethics, public service values, and humane governance.
- How compassion strengthens social trust – connect with inclusivity, legitimacy of institutions, and long-term harmony.
Conclusion
Give a forward-looking statement on embedding compassion into institutional ethics for a cohesive and humane society.
Introduction
Compassion is the value that transforms abstract morality into humane action, ensuring that ethical choices are not limited to legality or efficiency but anchored in empathy and dignity.
Body
Role of compassion in ethical decision-making
- Foundation of virtue ethics: Compassion, as emphasised by Aristotle and later by Gandhi, enables moral agents to pursue the “golden mean” by balancing self-interest with concern for others in decision-making.
Eg: Gandhi’s trusteeship model (Harijan, 1939) framed wealth as a trust for society, showing how compassion can guide ethical redistribution beyond law. - Balancing justice with humanity: Compassion ensures that rigid deontological duty is tempered with humane considerations so that justice is not mechanical but contextual.
Eg: SC in Shatrughan Chauhan v. Union of India (2014) commuted death sentences of mentally ill convicts, showing how justice infused with compassion respects human dignity. - Enhancing public service ethos: Compassion guides civil servants to design and implement welfare schemes in a people-centric manner, ensuring that vulnerable voices are not ignored in bureaucratic processes.
Eg: Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008) recommended compassion and empathy as core values for responsive public service delivery. - Moral accountability to dignity: Decisions guided by compassion uphold Article 21 by recognising that the right to life also implies living with dignity and security.
Eg: Justice Krishna Iyer’s progressive judgments repeatedly invoked compassion to expand rights for prisoners, labourers, and undertrials beyond legal minimums. - Humanising ethical dilemmas: Compassion helps reconcile competing values like efficiency and welfare, allowing decision-makers to choose morally sustainable outcomes.
Eg: NITI Aayog’s Aspirational Districts Programme (2018) prioritised backward regions, demonstrating compassion by focusing state resources where needs were greatest.
How compassion strengthens social trust
- Builds credibility of institutions: Citizens develop trust in institutions when decisions reflect empathy and humane concern rather than mechanical legality.
Eg: Frontline healthcare workers’ compassionate service during Covid-19 (2020–21) reinforced public trust in medical institutions despite hardships. - Strengthens social cohesion: Compassion creates solidarity across diverse social groups, reducing social tensions and promoting shared responsibility.
Eg: Community kitchens in Kerala during the 2018 floods fostered inclusive trust as citizens saw the state and civil society acting compassionately together. - Reduces moral distance: Compassion bridges the gap between authority and citizens by making governance more inclusive, transparent, and humane.
Eg: Lok Adalats under the Legal Services Authorities Act (1987) settle disputes with conciliatory compassion, which improves trust in justice delivery systems. - Cultivates ethical culture: Compassion shapes organisational culture where fairness and empathy become operational norms, thereby deepening trust in institutions.
Eg: CBSE’s Ethics curriculum (2023) includes compassion as a value to nurture a culture of empathy among students, building long-term societal trust. - Long-term societal harmony: Compassion reduces resentment and fosters reconciliation, ensuring that societies remain peaceful and cooperative even after crises.
Eg: Nelson Mandela’s Truth and Reconciliation approach (1996) demonstrated how compassion in governance built trust between formerly divided communities.
Conclusion
Compassion ensures that ethical decision-making does not remain abstract or elitist but translates into lived trust between citizens and institutions. A compassionate society is thus not only more humane but also more resilient and cohesive.
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