[Insights Secure – 2019] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 17 May 2019
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INSIGHTS NEW SECURE – 2019: YEARLONG TIMETABLE
Tomorrow’s Static Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating
to Health, Education, Human Resources.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Salient features of Indian Society.
1) Analyse in detail the role of the family in tackling crimes against women. (250 words)
The Big Picture – Tackling Crime Against Women
Why this question:
The International Family Day was celebrated on 15th May, it highlights the importance of families as a basic unit of society. It provides an opportunity to promote awareness of issues relating to families and to increase knowledge of the social, economic and demographic processes affecting them. It inspires a series of awareness-raising events, including national family days. In many countries, this day highlights different areas of interest and importance to families. Thus, on such an occasion its imperative to discuss role of the family in tackling crimes against women.
Key demands of the question:
The answer must briefly discuss the role of the family in tackling crimes against women.
Directive:
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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction
In a few introductory lines explain the context – International Family Day highlights the importance of families as a basic unit of society. May 15 was decided to be celebrated as International Family Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993.
Body
The body of the answer has to capture the following aspects:
- Explain that the crimes against women have been in focus over the past few weeks, with several heinous ones being reported across the country.
- Quote the recent examples – Kashmir incident, Rajasthan Dalit women rape case and others.
- The focus of the answer should be to justify the crucial role that a family has to play to address the crimes against women; explain how Family relationships can either encourage or constrain a girl’s or a woman’s ability to take advantage of opportunities that are provided
through local, national or international initiatives.
- Infer how the family can act as a foundation for promoting gender equality and empowerment.
Conclusion
Conclude that It is thus, critical that gender targets and benchmarks also acknowledge the fundamental family dimensions that either constrain or
advance gender equality and empowerment.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive.
Why this question:
The article captures a detailed discussion of whether multiparty rule is good or bad for India depending on the prevalent political circumstances amidst the upcoming election results.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must evaluate the role of coalition politics in relevance to Indian democracy.one has to provide for arguments weighing the benefits of majority stable government vs coalition unstable government.
Directive word:
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin with what you understand by stable and unstable government in a democracy.
Body:
Discussion should include the following aspects –
- Narrate a background for the question discussing the current situations of elections in India.
- Explain what is coalition government India? – A coalition government is a cabinet of a parliamentary government in which multiple political parties cooperate, reducing the dominance of any one party within that coalition.
- Discuss its impact on Indian politics? – In a Parliamentary democracy, coalitions arise mainly as a result of political compulsion. conflicts. It may also be formed due to emergency. The policies that are adopted by the coalition government are made by the coalescing parties and merely finalized by the leader of the coalition.
- Then move on to discuss how many a times coalition politics helps overcome the tyranny of the majoritarian politics and acts as a perfect check and balance mechanism.
- Take cues from the article for more points.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward signifying importance of Democracy.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Why this question:
The article discusses in detail the role played by Apprenticeships in the growth and development of the business firms in India.
Demand of the question:
The question is about discussing the significance of Apprenticeships in harnessing the success of Skill India mission and in what way it could help various business firms raise productivity.
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
Start with brief introduction of what you understand by apprenticeships.
Body
Discuss the following points in detail:
- Highlight the necessity of training youth – by 2022, or just seven years from now, it is estimated that there will be nearly 600 million people in India between the ages of 15 and 59.
- Comment on how India would soon have the world’s largest workforce. And then discuss the odds – India’s workforce is among the world’s least skilled — only 3.5% of India’s workforce has skills of any sort, while the comparable number for China is 47%, Germany 74%, Japan 80% and South Korea a stupendous 96%.
- Discuss what is apprenticeship? What is its significance.
- Role of Apprenticeship (Amendment) Bill, 2014 in India.
- Explain – Apprenticeships are an effective way for young adults to transit from school to work life while improving links between industry and training institutions. Apprenticeships are successful because they facilitate ‘learning by earning’ and ‘learning by doing’, combining formal education with hands-on experience.
- Conclude by listing governments efforts in this direction.
Conclusion
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
The Big Picture – Education agenda for new India
Why this question:
The question is straightforward and is about discussing the education agenda of the country.
Demand of the question:
The answer must explain the issues currently facing the education system in India and why there is a need for overhaul in the system and what needs to be done to overcome it.
Directive:
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.
Structure of the answer:
The answer to the question is direct, one must explain the issues concerning the education system, explain why it requires a revolutionary change? What are the issues that need urgent attention? What should be the new education agenda? Discuss and analyse the failures of policies in the past , explain how these issues can be explained with a robust education agenda which is reformative and addresses the loopholes of the current education system.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what should be the way ahead.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development – Agriculture.
Why this question:
The article discusses in detail how the discourse on Indian agriculture has been dominated by farm distress leading to politics of competitive support offers.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must debate about the interrelationship that is witnessed between the farm distress and the social security aspects provided through various schemes and policies.
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:
In a few introductory lines explain the context of the question.
Body:
- Highlight the current scenario of agrarian distress looming the Indian scenario.
- Discuss how often the political discourse on agriculture has focused on support to farmers, notwithstanding that what has most failed the Indian agriculture is markets for outputs.
- Explain the flaws associated with the schemes that aim to provide social security net, as to why they lead to farm distress eventually.
- Discuss that Social protection programmes often aim to address the underlying market failures that may have contributed to the persistent state of poverty but however they end up leading to farm distress.
- Discuss what needs to be done? – change in policy directions, focus shift to markets etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what should be the way forward.
Topic : Issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth.
Why this question:
The article explains how Growth in EVs in India is not just a question of pushing one technology over another, it analyses in detail the relationship of mobility vehicles and sustainable and livable cities.
Key demand of the question:
The answer must discuss in detail the pros and cons associated with growth of electric vehicles in India and their contribution towards sustainable and livable cities.
Directive word:
Account for – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer
Introduction:
write a few introductory lines on electric mobility of vehicles.
Body:
Answers must discuss the following aspects :
- What do you understand by sustainable mobility? Role of electric vehicles in achieving the same.
- How can we achieve sustainable mobility to make India’s cities more livable? – Explain how as India builds technology-filled “smart” cities, policymakers have an important opportunity to use sustainable mobility strategies to design cities around people, not cars.
- Comment on Urban mobility in India.
- Discuss in detail role played by electric vehicles, have a discussion on government’s efforts in this direction lie FAME II etc.
Conclusion –
Conclude that there is a need for models that marry efficiency and speed, cost, mobility and employment. At the core, initiatives must address the need to move people rather than traffic.
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation.
Why this question:
The article discusses in detail A recently conducted study of microplastics in three coastal cities in the country that has found that the population size has a direct impact on the abundance and nature of microplastics on their seashore. It has also been found that fibrous microplastic is more prevalent than granular microplastics on Indian shores.
Key demand of the question:
Answer is straightforward and is about discussing the concept of microplastics and the issues associated with it along with suggestions of what needs to be done to overcome the menace.
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:
In a few introductory lines highlight the context of the question.
Body:
- In brief discuss what you understand by microplastics? – Microplastics are tiny particles which are present in many sources, including carry bags and pet bottles. These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the water bodies, posing a potential threat to aquatic life. Microbeads, a kind of microplastic, are used as exfoliates in some cleansers and toothpastes. Even though banned in US and Canada, microbeads are still used in India.
- How harmful is it? – Microplastics can migrate through the intestinal wall and travel to lymph nodes and other bodily organs, shows the Orb report. Microplastics have also been shown to absorb toxic chemicals linked to cancer and other illnesses, and then release them when consumed by fish and mammals. So if plastic fibers are in your water, experts say they’re surely in your food.
- What are the concerns? – It holds the potential for both bioaccumulation and biomagnification.
- What needs to be done?
- Regulations on use of plastics in general and microplastics in particular should be put in place by the government.
- Alternatives should be found to tackle with rising consumerism and the increasing use of plastic in everyday life.
- Invention of new, more readily degradable bio-based materials for the plastics could be a way.
- The entire flow chain from manufacturer to the user to the waste collector and the recycling authority should be made aware of the risks.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
NOTE:
