[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 11 February 2019
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Tomorrow’s Static Topic: Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
General Studies – 1
Topic– geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain what smog and haze is and explain the difference between them. Thereafter, it expects us to how haze impacts warming in South Asia.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that precipitation comes in several form including smog and haze.
Body
- Explain what smog and haze is
- Haze is traditionally an atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky (No condensation). Sources for haze particles include farming (ploughing in dry weather), traffic, industry, and wildfires.
- Smog = smoke + fog (smoky fog) caused by the burning of large amounts of coal, vehicular emission and industrial fumes (Primary pollutants).
- Unlike fog and mist, haze is a suspension of very small, dry molecules in the air. Smog is a type of air pollution. It is a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals that makes the atmosphere appear thick and dark or yellow in colour.
- Smog is similar to haze but there is condensation in smog
- Discuss the impact of haze on warming in South Asia.
- composition of a class of carbon-carrying aerosols in the haze changes as it travels from above the landmass to the oceans. The light absorption capacity of brown carbon — a key component of the haze — decreases during transport but its bleaching half-life is 3.6 days compared to 9 to 15 hours in other regions. This means that brown carbon stays in the South Asian atmosphere for a longer duration and thereby may contribute to warming of the region, according to researchers.
Conclusion – Discuss what needs to be done.
Topic: geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
2) Explain the reason and impact of shifting magnetic poles?(250 words)
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the reasons as to why the earth’s magnetic poles are shifting. It also wants us to write in detail about the implications of such a phenomenon for the world.Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that the Earth’s magnetic behaviour is far more complex than that of a simple bar magnet. Its north poles and south poles move around sometimes erratically. Over large periods of time, they change their locations significantly, sometimes even interchanging their positions
Body
- Explain that the shifting of poles is a periodical affair with no fixed time period, however research and shown that the pace of shift has accelerated in recent years – Scientists have now realised the pace of this movement has suddenly increased, quite significantly, from about 14-15 km per year till the 1990s to about 55 km per year in the last few years. This led to scientists on Monday updating the World Magnetic Model (WMM) that tracks this movement. It was a year ahead of schedule
- Discuss why this is happening – The movement of liquid iron and other metals in the outer core of the Earth is known to influence the magnetic field, but this movement is chaotic and turbulent. Scientists do not fully understand how the movement happens or why. The study of the phenomena happening inside the earth can only be done indirectly or through computer modelling, because of the extremely hot temperatures prevailing there. Scientists hope that this acceleration in the shifting of magnetic north pole would throw some new insights into the phenomena happening deep inside the Earth’s surface.
- Discuss its consequences – impact on transportation sector, some birds that use magnetic fields to navigate, An overall weakening of the magnetic field isn’t good for people and especially satellites and astronauts. The magnetic field shields Earth from dangerous UV radiation etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
Why this question
The article highlights the efforts made by Akshaya Patra foundation and how it has helped in tackling hunger on a large scale in this country. This brings into question the role played by NGOs in addressing developmental challenges and how in cooperation with government they can bring about huge social changes.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to discuss the role played by NGOs and developmental institutions in tackling the hunger problem. First we need to highlight the hunger problem in India and thereafter explain how NGOs and international institutions can and are playing a huge role in tackling such challenges.
Directive word
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that in a democracy, civil society has an important role to play in fulfilling developmental agenda and organised efforts happen through NGOs.
Body
- Discuss the state of problem of hunger in India – India currently has the largest number of undernourished people in the world and this is in spite of the fact that it has made substantial progress in health determinants over the past decades and ranks second worldwide in farm output.
- Highlight how NGOs help in addressing the hunger problem and the role played by international institutions in resolving the hunger crisis
- Discuss what more needs to be done. Discuss the issues faced by such NGOs and what needs to be done in this regard.
Conclusion – Give your view and discuss way forward.
General Studies – 3
Topic -Awareness in the field of space
Why this question
The article discusses the advancements made by space agencies of various countries and the strategic implications of the same. The article also discusses how India and Japan are cooperating in the arena of space research and why this cooperation is important.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain the advancements made by the space agencies of various countries and the space policies of the major powers which suggests that space race is hotting up. Thereafter, it expects us to discuss the strategic cooperation between India and Japan and why this is beneficial for India.
Directive word
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Highlight that the cold war witnessed the first space race and once again the competition is heating up amongst several space agencies in an era of geopolitical flux.
Body
- Discuss the US space policy directive, landing on moon by China, the need to tap into space resources and making a base for further exploration and how several countries are involved in it
- Discuss the terms of India and Japan cooperation in space research
- Both Japan and India have been eyeing the growth of China’s military space programme under the leadership of the People’s Liberation Army. The changing balance of power equations in Asia along with the troubled history among key Asian powers are likely to lead to competition in the outer space domain as well.
- India-Japan strategic partnership has been growing stronger, and this also extends to their cooperation on matters of outer space. The two countries recently announced that they will be holding their first space security dialogue in March this year. Until now, India has held a space security dialogue only with the US, which began only in March 2015.
- Discuss the scope of indo japanese cooperation in space arena – Earth observation, satellite-based navigation, space sciences and lunar exploration.
Conclusion – Explain about the scope of this partnership and how this might prove useful for India.
Topic – Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Why this question
The article discusses the problems faced by the discoms in India and analyzes how far Uday has been successful in addressing such challenges. This question would enable you to prepare in detail the problems faced by discoms in India and how far Uday has been successful.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to highlight the issues faced by discoms in India which create hindrances in setting ambitious renewable energy targets and establish the need for power sector reforms. Thereafter, we need to highlight the role of Uday in addressing such challenges and examine how far has it been successful.
Directive word
Critically analyze – When asked to analyze, you have to examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them as a whole in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, all you need to do is look at the good and bad of something and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Highlight that India requires to accelerate itself on the path of clean energy. But even before that it needs to work on deepening electricity penetration in the country for which power sector reforms and imperative.
Body
- Discuss the issues plaguing power generation , transmission etc in India and why power sector reforms are required
- Explain about the Uday scheme and discuss how successful has it been –
- a) Bad Loans – The Banks have provided Loans to Public Sector Power Generation Companies which they failed to recover and hence this resulted in accumulation of Bad Loans in Sector.
b) Distribution Losses – Although UDAY succeeded in cutting down Distribution losses by around 21% , a Major share of Losses is still left which is a major challenge for DISCOMS.- Electricity Theft – Electricity Theft is not curbed completely and hence possess major challenge to DISCOMS.
- Metering and Billings – The inadequacy in Metering and Billing Process is a major challenge to DISCOMS in gaining Economic Stability.
- Discuss what more needs to be done
- Strict Actions to curb Electricity theft and other actions that lead to Losses to DISCOMs.
- Integrating UDAY scheme with Make in India and Startup India to ensure overall Development.
- Integrating UDAY with KUSUM to increase amount of electricity to DISCOMS.
Conclusion – Give your view and discuss way forward.
General Studies – 4
Topic– Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
6) Explain the role of emotional intelligence in administration and governance?(250 words)
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain what emotional intelligence is and how is it useful in administration and governance. We also need to discuss how can emotional intelligence concepts be better utilized in administration and governance.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain what emotional intelligence is – Emotional intelligence is generally said to include three skills: emotional awareness; the ability to harness emotions and apply them to tasks like thinking and problem solving; and the ability to manage emotions, which includes regulating your own emotions and of others.
Body
- Discuss the role of emotional intelligence in governance
- There are actions in the realm of governance which remains spontaneous, intuitive or experience based. A person with emotional intelligence will respond better in such situations.
- Responsiveness to citizens must carry with it sensitivity and sympathy to public needs and demands and this means being aware of feelings and emotions. It also helps in managing emotional responses of the citizens.
- During a conflict situation, the ability to manage emotions may be the only way out
- Identifying emotions in faces, voices, postures, and other content during public management activities can help in giving a better response.
- Emotions could be evoked to motivate others to get the task done.
- Identifying emotions can also allow us to better evaluate the repercussions of our actions.
- Give examples of some administrators who have employed emotional intelligence in governance and succeeded.
Conclusion – Summarize the importance of emotional intelligence in governance and administration.
Topic- Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to explain how emotional intelligence is important at workplaces and how the impact of intelligence quotient differs from emotional intelligence in general and particularly in workplaces.
Structure of the answer
Introduction – Explain that emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, evaluate and manage emotions of self and of others. Emotional importance helps a person to deal with adverse situations in a better way.
Body
- Discuss the role of emotional intelligence in public places
- Emotional intelligence is important at workplaces to build the social capital at work place by creating a positive work culture
- It’s role in managing stress
- Interacting and working with a team with diverse people etc
- Discuss how EQ differs from IQ
- IQ is assessment of an individual’s cognitive and knowledge grasping ability. EQ differs from IQ in following aspects : While its easy to measure IQ of a person through standard tests, measuring EQ is difficult because numerous parameters are involved; Possession of high EQ is becoming more important nowadays than high IQ, because high IQ makes good task performers, but high EQ makes a person an efficient doer, manager, negotiator, leader etc.
Conclusion – Summarize the role of emotional intelligence at workplaces.
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