Topic: Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
2. The idea of India is being consistently challenged by narrow ideologies in recent times in our society. Analyse the causative factors for this phenomenon as well discuss the impact of such a situation and suggest measures to tackle the same.(250 words)
Why this question:
The article captures in what way the substantive versions of these ideas have been evoked in the popular upsurge across the country today.
Key demand of the question:
Bring out the trajectory of the democracy in the country. Explain how the idea of democracy has evolved over a period.
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.
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 first what you understand by the Idea of India.
Body:
Discuss the recent happenings that have been challenging the idea of India.
Explain the reasons that have led to such phenomenon. Use hints from the article and list down the factors responsible.
Explain how we go about retrieving ideas of democracy and nation authentic to our context.
Conclusion:
Conclude that while this popular upsurge does not give us a full-blown ideal of democracy that we wish to be and the image of the nation it recasts, the indicators are all there to see. There is a surplus in the ideas of nation and democracy that formal rules of law and modes of representation can never exhaust, and one cannot trump the former by invoking the latter.
