[Insights Secure – 2020] Daily UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: 29 October 2019
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General Studies – 1
Topic: Salient features of world’s physical geography. Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.
Physical Geography by G C Leong
Why this question:
The question is straight forward and is based on the static portions of GS paper I.
Key demand of the question:
One must explain the concept of Intrusive landforms with suitable diagrams and discuss them in detail.
Directive:
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 short define what landforms are.
Body:
Explain the following in the answer body-
Volcanic eruptions result in the formation of landforms and here we are going to discuss volcanic landforms.
Intrusive Forms – The lava that is discharged during volcanic eruptions on cooling develops into igneous rocks.
The cooling may take place either on arriving on the surface or also while the lava is still in the crustal portion.
According to the location of the cooling of the lava, igneous rocks are categorized as plutonic rocks and volcanic rocks.
The lava that cools inside the crustal portions takes diverse forms. These forms are called intrusive forms.
Conclusion:
Conclude with importance of these landforms.
Topic: Salient features of world’s physical geography. Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,
Physical geography NCERT class XI
Why this question:
The question is based on the concept of Earth’s heat budget.
Key demand of the question:
One has to explain the concept in detail with necessary diagrams.
Directive:
Explain – 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:
Define the concept of heat budget in brief.
Body:
The sun is the ultimate energy source for the entire universe. Though the sun is continuously radiating energy, the earth as a whole does not accumulate or lose heat. It maintains its temperature. This is popularly known as heat budget or heat balance of the earth.
This can happen only if the amount of heat received in the form of insulation is equal to the amount lost by the earth in the form of terrestrial radiation.
Briefly explain the different ways of heating and cooling of the atmosphere.
Conclusion:
Conclude by highlighting the application of the concept in day to day life on Earth.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
Why this question:
The article highlights the fact that our human rights should not be based on
The basis of religious, national or cultural differences.
Key demand of the question:
One has to highlight the importance of human rights in a democratic political setup.
Directive:
Explain – 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:
In brief explain the essence of human rights and their significance in a democracy and in what way Human rights rooted in an abstract concept of caste, religion will be bad for Indian society.
Body:
Explain the following aspects:
In India, instances of honor killing are on the rise. Perpetrators of this crime believe that their crime is justified since they are upholding the purity of their family.
Caste violence in India is on the rise in recent times. Dalit rights and other minority rights have suffered due to this caste violence which is powered by the existing narrow majoritarian ideology in the society now.
Example: Cow lynching.
Violation of Dalit rights is justified on caste grounds.
How should human rights be defined then?
Basic human rights have to be the same across all such differences.
basic human rights —food, inheritance and reproductive rights,
Education and freedom of work and movement— cannot be denied on the basis of gender differences, just as they cannot be denied on the basis of ‘race’.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic:Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of their design and implementation.
Why this question:
The article highlights the fact that the 2019 Global Hunger Index (GHI) report highlights that India’s poorer neighbors: Bangladesh, Nepal, and even Pakistan have overtaken India in the battle against hunger. Thus necessitating us to evaluate the situation.
Key demand of the question:
Discuss what should be India’s stand to tackle hunger, how should it overcome the lacunas at par with its neighbors.
Directive:
analyze – 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.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In brief bring out the details of the report.
Body:
Explain in detail the following aspects: Highlight the facts brought out by the report; The GHI report ranks India at a lowly 102 out of 117 countries listed. Among all the countries included in the report, India has the highest rate of child wasting (which rose from the 2008-2012 level of 16.5 per cent to 20.8 per cent).Its child stunting rate (at 37.9 per cent) also remains shockingly high.
Discuss the causes that have led to the situation.
Explain that the relative success of our neighbors in combating hunger — Nepal emerging from 15 years of civil war and Pakistan still torn by internal conflict — is a sobering reminder of what India has not accomplished.
Conclusion:
Conclude with what needs to be done.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Why this question:
The article highlights as to how we must enable small businesses to grow since these hold the greatest potential for job creation.
Key demand of the question:
Explain the background of the current economic situation in the country and bring out the role played by small businesses; discuss the positives and negatives associated.
Directive:
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:
In short set the context of the question.
Body:
Explain the following aspects in the answer body:
First discuss that India’s economy has an excessive proportion of less productive, informal micro businesses.
Relate it to the employment factor in the country.
Then discuss the need for the government to recognise the impetus that small industries have to contribute to the overall growth.
Conclusion:
Conclude that there is an urgent need to recognise the significance of small businesses to the overall economic growth of the country.
TOPIC: : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
Why this question:
Last October, in a landmark judgment, the Supreme Court of India mandated the use of green crackers for Deepavali, prescribing specific norms for the manufacture. This year, for the first time, ‘green crackers’ have been made available in markets, though the reach has been limited. These are milder avatars of traditional firecrackers in terms of the sound and smoke generated when burnt. Thus making it important for us to have an understanding of what are Green Crackers.
Key demand of the question:
Explain in detail what Green Crackers are and explain their significant contributions to environment in controlling pollution.
Directive:
Explain – 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:
In brief define green crackers and highlight the SC judgments in this regard.
Body:
In brief, show the impact of burning crackers on the environment.
Define green crackers and discuss various aspects of green crackers.
Add a note, in brief, on their supplies as of now.
Comment in detail whether green crackers are less polluting or not?
Assess the extent to which there is awareness about the green crackers.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
General Studies – 4
TOPIC: Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity; Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
Why this question:
The article explains that the questions of corporate governance must be urgently addressed in the interest of investors, and also the larger economy.
Key demand of the question:
One has to bring out the current case of Infosys and the corporate governance crisis the company is facing and suggest solutions to address such issues for the overall health of the economy.
Directive:
Critically analyze – 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. 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 judgment.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
In brief narrate the Infosys case study.
Body:
Discuss first the concept of corporate governance.
Corporate governance is a concept which revolves around the appropriate management and control of a company.
It includes the rules relating to the power relations between owners, the board of directors, management and the stakeholders such as employees, suppliers, customers as well as the public at large.
Sustained growth of any organization requires the cooperation of all stakeholders, which requires adherence to the best corporate governance practices.
In this regard, the management needs to act as trustees of the shareholders at large and prevent asymmetry of benefits between various sections of shareholders, especially between the owner-managers and the rest of the shareholders.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way ahead.
NOTE:
