[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 07 March 2019
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Tomorrow’s Static Topic: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
General Studies – 1
Topic– Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
Bipin Chandra- India after Independence
Why this question:
The question is about the Dravidian movement in the post-independence history of India and its significant impact.
Directive word:
analyse – When asked to analyse, 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.
Key demands of the question:
The answer should highlight the genesis of Dravidian movement in India from the peninsular region from – Justice party to Self-respect Movement to formation of Dravidar Kazhagam, into the concept of Anti-North Orientation and later Dravida Nadu getting Split into Dravidar Kazhagam and formation of DMK AIDMK. Thus parallelly highlighting the significance of the movement.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Start by tracing historical genesis of the movement through the formation of Justice party and how the roots of the Dravidian movement lie in Brahmin-non-Brahmin conflict.
Body
Discuss what way the Dravidian Movement initiated as a movement against Brahmins, after independence added the dimension of Anti north orientation, Role of Periyar, demand for Independent south Indian nation/ Dravida Nadu or Dravidsthan, later anti-Hindi protests. Briefly provide for a passing reference for the failures along with the social reforms it brought in.
Keywords:
Ideals of self-respect and social empowerment, Brahmin hegemony, leadership of C N Annadurai, Dravida Nadu / Dravidistan etc.
Conclusion
Conclude that despite limitations, the Dravidian movement was successful in the abolition of Devadasi system, promotion of inter-caste and inter-religious marriages and legalization of marriages without Brahman priest and therefore reducing Brahmanical dominance.
Topic– Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
Bipin Chandra – India after Independence
Why this question:
The question is in the context of post-independence Refugee crisis that immediately followed the partition of the country in 1947, The question is in general about the crisis and how the government then handled it and until today what changes have been witnessed in terms of Refugee problems and the measures taken to resolve them.
demand of the question:
The question directly is asking you to discuss the measures/steps taken by the Government of India to resolve the issue of Refugees post-independence. Thus one should very briefly discuss the issue and major focus should be on the “Measures” , later part of the answer should bring out the present conditions of refugees in India, how the government of today is handling it.
Directive word
Comment- here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
Narrate the background of events India- Pak partition, further division of Pak into East Pakistan and West Pakistan which later on led to the formation of Bangladesh and highlight the problems of Refugees and their rehabilitation.
Body
Pick up the Refugee issue across the borders of the country from past to present mainly – The refugee of Partition, The Bangladeshi refugee, Tibetan refugee Sri Lankan Tamil refugees, Afghan refugees, Rohingya refugees, Chakma and Hejong refugees etc. Discuss problems , measures taken to tackle them ( each one had a tailor made approach) etc. and discuss the conditions of today.
Keywords:
Human rights, mass exodus, violence, national security, etc.
Conclusion
conclude how over the years India has received wave after wave refugees from many of its neighbors’. And the government of India has generally followed the principle of non-refoulement, refusing to send refugees back to a place where they face a threat to their life.
Topic: urbanization – their problems and their remedies.
Why this question:
The article provides highlights of the study made by Switzerland-based IQAir AirVisual and the environmental champion Greenpeace calling for a red-alert response. According to the findings, India is home to seven of the 10 most polluted cities in the world, going by air-quality numbers recorded last year.
Key demand of the question:
The question expects us to bring out why air pollution is a huge challenge for the cities of our country, making them amongst the world’s most insufferable cities.one is expected to bring out the economic impacts, societal impacts, health impacts etc. Examine the causes behind air pollution in cities and measures to address the same.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we have to look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications.
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:
Begin with the air pollution conditions in our cities and point in the direction of its severity.
Body:
Discuss the following :
- Present some facts from the report, discuss the causes of the present condition.
- Impact of the air pollution in Indian cities under various heads like Health, economy, society etc.
- Provide for a detailed analysis of why have the problems turned into a menace and then move onto suggest measures to tackle the same.
Conclusion:
Conclude with the importance of dealing with the issue and the way forward.
Topic: Social empowerment. / population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies./ Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation./ Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Ushering in a new social contract – The Hindustan times 7March2019
Why this question:
The article discusses the role of Minimum income and how it can help the State deliver a basic standard of living for every poor family. Under this context it becomes important to analyze the pros and cons of the Universal basic income concept.
Key demand of the question
The answer must weigh the pros and cons of the concept of Universal basic income as to how the minimum income proposal would not absolve the state of its core responsibilities of providing food, education and healthcare for the poor but however It will strengthen the State’s ability to deliver on its promise of a guaranteed minimum standard of living .
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.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
One can start with facts and details of the research on the anonymous “London Patient” of HIV and the stem cell transplant involving CCR5-delta 32 homozygous donor cells.
Body:
Discuss the details of –
- What is Universal Basic Income (UBI)?
- Why Universal Basic Income?
- How does it work, pros and cons.
- challenges that the state may face in Implementation of UBI.
- Case studies supporting your opinion.
Conclusion:
UBI, though a noble idea, but should not completely outdo the existing essential social services/schemes related to education and health which are not only the core functions of the state but also indispensable for meaningful and dignified individual existence. However, the alternatives to UBI can be explored like direct benefits transfers, conditional cash transfers and other income support schemes which also hold the potential to yield the above mentioned benefits.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question:
The article highlights an approach to reform the education system in India, it recognizes that piecemeal initiatives are unlikely to improve student learning, thus its high time to take up a systemic approach to reform the current system to save the demographic dividend from turning into a demographic disaster.
Key demand of the question:
The question expects you to provide for a detailed picture of the scenario, you must detail upon the issues and challenges being faced by the system and highlight the need for systematic approach as a solution.
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.
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, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
Start with highlighting the importance of education system for the country’s progress on all fronts.
Body:
Body should discuss the following broad aspects in detail –
- Current Issues of Education system in India
- Necessity of a systematic approach; its impact
- Way forward
Conclusion:
Conclude with what way can we shorten the distance between the nation’s current state of education and its aspirations, end the answer with optimism, quote examples of government’s initiatives policies in this direction.
Topic: Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications, models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and institutional and other measures.
Why this question:
The article is in the backdrop of the recent belated acquittal of death row convicts by the supreme court that highlights the need to scrap the death penalty.
Key demand of the question:
The answer should discuss the following – the aspect whether the death penalty can stop crimes from being committed, what are the problems involved in capital punishment; a critical analysis of the subject in terms of its merits and demerits.
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, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a fair judgement.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
Discuss the context of the question, quote the recent examples, highlight the trends of the judgements passed by the apex court off late.
Body:
Discussion of the answer should capture the following points :
- Problems with death penalty.support with facts and reports.
- Arguments supporting for Death Penalty and arguments against it.
- Analyse critically the aspects such as – Doesn’t the death penalty prevent crime?, capital punishment for terrorists, humane and painless aspects of execution in a capital punishment, Human rights involved etc.
- Suggest a way forward.
Conclusion –
Suggest how two-thirds of countries in the world have either abolished the death penalty outright, or no longer use it in practice. Although there have been a few steps backwards, these must be weighed up against the clear worldwide trend towards abolition.
General Studies – 3
Topic-Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
Why this question:
The question is in the context of central government’s recent initiatives of providing farmers with solar pumps and other incentives to use renewable solar energy to aid their agriculture practices along with an opportunity to earn an extra income.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss briefly the importance of solar energy in the rural regions of India, its contributions in the development and growth of the villages, agrarian systems and in realizing the dream of doubling farmer’s income.
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:
Begin with the importance of the Solar energy specifically in the context of rural regions, establish the interlinkages.
Body:
The answer should mainly focus upon listing out the different Initiatives of the Centre in this direction; the aims and objectives of such policies and schemes along with examples justifying the significance of the same.
Discuss how Solar energy would enhance livelihood prospects, improve efficiency in rural households, provide for opportunities and bridge massive infrastructure gaps and improve the social, economic, environment aspects of rural India.
Conclusion:
Conclude with key role of Centre in expediting this process. It must develop new and affordable sources of solar energy, besides educating the rural masses about the benefits of switching to solar.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions; dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and educational institutions in inculcating values.
Why this question:
The question covers the aspects of Ethical human conduct and its relationship with professional competence. Ethics in private and public relationships is part of paper IV, thus making the question important.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss the what is meant by ethical human conduct, Characteristics of ethical human conduct, different dimensions of human conduct with respect to professional context of competencies.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
One can start with the definition of ethical human conduct and briefly bring out the characteristics.
Body:
Discuss the components of ethical human conduct; What is innateness of human beings? What is our humaneness in reality? Ways and means of achieving ethical conduct, how does it impact our professional life, competencies involved etc. then highlight how it can be achieved and the associated factors.
Conclusion:
Conclude with the importance of it and what things should be done at individual level, societal level to maintain a good ethical human conduct.
NOTE:
