[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 28 February 2019
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Tomorrow’s Static Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the
present- significant events, personalities, issues .
General Studies – 1
Topic– Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
Modern Indian History by BIPIN CHANDRA PAL (NCERT TEXTBOOK OLD)
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the fall of the Mughal empire and the reasons responsible for it.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the decline of Mughal empire. E.g the beginnings of the decline of the Mughal empire can be traced back to Aurangzeb who inherited a large empire and yet adopted an expansionist policy.
Body-
Discuss in points about the reasons as to why the Mughal empire declined. E.g
- The objective of Aurangzeb to unify the entire country under one Central political authority was justifiable in theory but not in practice.
- Unwillingness to accept the regional autonomy inability to forge regional alliances. Aurangzeb absence from the north for our 25 years and his failure to subdue the Marathas led to the deterioration of the administration really, undermined the prestige of the empire and its army which further led to the neglect of the vital NWFP.
- The strength of the Mughal empire was challenged at its nerve center, Delhi by Satnami, the Jat and the Sikh uprisings.
- Aurangzeb’s religious orthodoxy and his policy towards the Hindus damaged the stability of the Mughal empire.
- In the absence of a fixed rule for succession, the empire was always plagued after the death of a King by a civil war between the princes resulting in loss of life and property and of capable military commanders.
- After Bahadur Shah’s reign came a long list of weak, worthless and luxury-loving Kings.
- The condition of the Indian peasants worsened during the seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries and the burden of land revenue increased on the peasants and agriculture deteriorated, which further led to peasant discontent etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Topic– Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
Modern Indian History by BIPIN CHANDRA PAL (NCERT TEXTBOOK OLD)
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to look into the social and economic conditions of the people in India, in the eighteenth century.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the eighteenth century India. E.g India of the 18th century, failed to make sufficient economic, social or cultural progress necessary to save the country from collapse.
Body-
Discuss in points, the social and economic conditions of the people of Indian in the eighteenth century. E.g
- The increasing revenue demands of the state, oppression by the officials, the greed and rapacity of the nobles, revenue farmers and zamindars, marches and counter-marches of the rival armies made the life of the people wretched.
- Extreme poverty of the peasants existed side by side of the extreme luxury of the powerful nobles.
- Techniques of production remained stationary for years.
- Even though Indian villages were largely self-sufficient and imported little from outside, extensive trade within the country and with other countries of Europe and Asia was carried on under the Mughals.
- However constant warfare, d
Conclusion- based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Topic-Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues
3) The battle of Plassey is of immense historical importance. Discuss.(250 words)
Modern Indian History by BIPIN CHANDRA PAL (NCERT TEXTBOOK OLD)
Directive word
Discuss- this is an all-encompassing directive which mandates us to write in detail about the key demand of the question. we also have to discuss about the related and important aspects of the question in order to bring out a complete picture of the issue in hand.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to write in detail about the battle of Plassey and discuss at length as to why it is of immense historical importance for India.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the battle of Plassey. E.g
Body-
Discuss in points as to why the battle of Plassey was of immense historical importance for India. E.g
Conclusion- based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Topic – climate change
Why this question
The question explain India’s risk profile to changing climatic conditions and explores the options our farmers have in coping with such changes.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to first highlight the risk that India faces as a result of climate change and thereafter examine what kind of smart agriculture would be suited for India’s needs to deal with such vagaries of nature.
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 the fact that farmers in several parts of India have suffered as a result of unusual weather events.
Body
- Discuss India’s risk profile to climate change – India is fortunate to have the monsoon, but it is also uniquely vulnerable to rising temperatures, with the country ranked 14th on the Global Climate Risk Index 2019. The country has over 120 million hectares suffering from some form of degradation. This has consequences, especially for marginal farmers. According to one estimate, they may face a 24-58% decline in household income and 12-33% rise in household poverty through exacerbated droughts. With rain-fed agriculture practised in over 67% of our total crop area, weather variability can lead to heavy costs, especially for coarse grains
- Discuss the potential solutions –
- Promotion of conservation farming and dryland agriculture, with each village provided with timely rainfall forecasts
- weather-based forewarnings
- mandate to change planting dates, particularly for wheat, should be considered, which could reduce climate change induced damage by 60-75% etc
- Highlight what India should do in this regard.
Conclusion – give your view and discuss way forward.
General Studies – 3
Topic– Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
Why this question
Today the rise of algorithms and the AI is being seen inevitable. In this context it is important to discuss the need for adequate institutional framework to regulate inherent bias in algorithms and AI.
Directive word
Critically analyze- here we 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. based on our discussion we have to form a concluding opinion on the issue.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to look deeper into the inherent bias in algorithms and bring out why there is a need for adequate legal, organizational framework in India to take care of the algorithm bias.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the rise of AI and algorithms. E.g The reasons for the increasing reliance on algorithms are evident. First, an algorithm can make decisions more efficiently than human beings, thus indicating its superiority to human rationality. Second, an algorithm can provide emotional distance — it could be less “uncomfortable” to let a machine make difficult decisions for you.
Body-
- DIscuss about the bias in algorithms. E.g
- A machine learning algorithm is designed to learn from patterns in its source data. Sometimes, such data may be polluted due to record-keeping flaws, biased community inputs and historical trends.
- Other sources of bias include insufficient data, correlation without causation and a lack of diversity in the database. The algorithm is encouraged to replicate existing biases and a vicious circle is created.
- Bias can lead algorithms to make unfair decisions by reinforcing systemic discrimination. For example, a predictive policing algorithm used for foretelling future crimes may disproportionately target poor persons etc.
- Bring out the need for an adequate legal and organizational framework to tackle the issue. E.g
- The extant law in India is glaringly inadequate. Our framework of constitutional and administrative law is not geared towards assessing decisions made by non-human actors.
- Further, India has not yet passed a data protection law and the existing SPDI rules issued under the IT Act, 2000 do not cover algorithmic bias.
- The first step to a legal response would be passing an adequate personal data protection law.
- The right to the logic of automated decisions can be provided to individuals. Such a right will have to balance the need for algorithmic transparency with organisational interests.
- A general anti-discrimination and equality legislation can be passed, barring algorithmic discrimination on the basis of gender, caste, religion, sexual orientation, disability etc in both the public and private sectors etc.
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
Topic: Security management in border areas
Why this question
The article discusses the recent precision airstrikes in Balakot and analyzes why this changed strategy of using airpower is a valid strategy in dealing with Pakistan. The article examines the reasons why India hesitated from using such an option in the past and discusses the opportunities provided by such strikes.
Key demand of the question
The question expects us to bring out the fact that air strikes in counter-terrorist operations are the preferred first option across the Western world. The question expects us to discuss why India hesitated from using such an option in the past and the impact of using airstrikes as a means of deterrence. Finally, we need to provide a fair and balanced conclusion and discuss the way forward.
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 about the recent Balakot air strike in response to Pulwama strike.
Body
- Highlight the significance of the strike – a calibrated, decisive and yet restrained show of force, the Indian Air Force (IAF) converted Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s promise of punitive action into reality as it pounded jihadi training camps in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) in a series of coordinated air strikes
- Discuss why such an option was not explored by India in the past – responsibility, restraint and escalation
- Discuss what makes these airstrikes an effective strategic option –
- while many of these reasons — responsibility, restraint and escalation — may hold true while conducting sub-conventional operations in the hinterland, different paradigms have existed in Jammu and Kashmir ever since Pakistan raised the tempo of its covert war by employing proxies like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM).
- Discuss the impact of this strategy critically highlighting both the pluses and the minuses
Conclusion – Give a fair and balanced view and discuss way forward.
General Studies – 4
Topic – Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions;
Directive word
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Key demand of the question.
The question wants us to express our knowledge and understanding of ethical decision-making and bring out why shelving hard decisions is the least ethical course.
Structure of the answer
Introduction– write a few introductory lines about the civil services in India. E.g bring out the huge amount of stress and pressure faced by a public servant and mention the need to make decisions on a daily basis.
Body-
Discuss in points how decision making should be done and why shelving had decisions is the least ethical course. E.g
Conclusion– based on your discussion, form a fair and a balanced conclusion on the given issue.
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