UPSC Civil Service Mains Previous Year General Studies Questions With

Model Answer

Model Answers For Mains

Trace the salient sequences of events in popular revolt that took place in February 1946 in the
then Royal Indian Navy and bring out its significance in the freedom struggle. Do you agree with
the views that the sailors who took part in this revolt were some of the unsung heroes of the
freedom struggle?
(Civil Services Mains 2011, 250 words)The sequences of the events of RIN revolt can be traced in
three stages. The first stage started with the protest against the British Raj by the ratings of Royal
Indian Navy; in the second stage the people of the city and region around joined the revolt. While in
the third stage the solidarity for the revolt was seen from across the country.
The RIN revolt started in February 1946, when naval ratings of HMIS Talwar struck work at Bombay. The
surcharged political milieu of the country in the background of Quit India Movement coupled with the
racial discrimination and substandard quality of the food were the immediate cause of the revolt. After
Bombay, the ratings of Calcutta and Karachi too revolted. In the second stage, the people of these
cites joined the revolt with the ratings and meetings, processions and rampant in the effected cites to
show sympathy towards the rating. In the third stage the solidarity was displayed by the students and
people from different part of the country in the support of the revolt.
Significance of the revolt
The revolt was the direct challenge to the British Empire. The revolt in the armed forces of the British
Raj had a huge psychological liberating effect on the minds of the people. It galvanized the already
surcharged political atmosphere of the country and it was clear that roots of British empire in India
were shaking.
Apart from this the revolt displayed a great example of the Hindu Muslim unity and also has the
connotations of the class struggle and communist ideology.
Since Congress and Muslim League did not officially supported the revolt and various contemporary
historians gave much emphasis on the militancy factor in the revolt. As a result the sailors who took
part in the revolt remained to be the unsung hero of the freedom struggle.

Bring out the salient features of the PCPNDT Act, 1994, and the
implication of its amendment in 2003
(Civil Services Exam 2011, 250 words)

Pre Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Act (PCPNDT), 1994 was enacted to check the declining sex ratio and
to prevent female feticide through sex selective abortions.

The main purpose of enacting the act is to ban the use of sex selection techniques and prevent the misuse of medical
diagnostic technique for sex selective abortions. Offences under this act include conducting or helping in the conduct
of prenatal diagnostic technique in the unregistered units, sex selection on a man or woman, conducting PND test for
any purpose other than the one mentioned in the act, sale, distribution, supply, renting etc. of any ultra sound
machine or any other equipment capable of detecting sex of the foetus.

The amendments of 2003 have made this act further stringent and effective. Amendment of the act mainly covered to
bring the technology of pre conception sex selection within the ambit of the act. The amendment has enlarged the
scope of the techniques that were earlier covered under the Act. The amendment puts the ultrasound techniques
within the ambit of this act. The provisions for more stringent punishments have been made through the
amendment. The Amendment has also regulated the distribution of the ultrasound machines by allowing their sales
only to the registered bodies. The Act empowered appropriate authorities with the power of civil court for search,
seizure and sealing the machines and equipments of the violators.
Although the Act was made stringent by the Amendment in the year 2003, but the recent data of Census 2011 clearly
reflects that the issue is much more complex and a lot needs to be done not only from the legal perspective but also
from the socio-economic and cultural perspectives as well to tackle the issue.

The exercise of executive clemency is not a privilege but is based on

several principles, and discretion has to be exercised in public
consideration. Analyse this statement in the context of judicial powers of
the President of India.

The executive Clemency under Article 72 is a matter of discretion and yet subject to certain standards. It is not a matter
of privilege as the President cannot arbitrarily exercise it for the benefit of the convict only and its exercise must be bona fide.
Moreover this power is exercised by the Executive with the aid and advice of the council of ministers and is subject to judicial
review.
It is a matter of performance of official duty. It is vested in the President not for the benefit of the convict only, but for the welfare
of the people. The basic tenet behind executive clemency is not to overrule the punishment awarded through a judgment but
the convict gets benefit of a liberalized policy of State pardon.
The Constitution has given this power to the Executive because founding fathers of the constitution were aware of the fact
that there are issues which are often alien and irrelevant to judicial process like: morality, public good, social and political
considerations etc.
Recently the executive Clemency was in news because of the cases related to Afzal Guru and mercy plea of those, convicted
in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and Tamil Nadu assemblys passage of a resolution over it.
However tendencies like politicization of the Clemency and using Clemency as a vehicle to gain political mileage must be
avoided so that the exercise of this power remains to be bona fide, without delays and for the welfare of the country.

Discuss the extent, causes, and implications of nutrition transition said

to be underway in India.
Nutrition Transition refers to the increased consumption of unhealthy foods which results into prevalence of overweight
and obesity in a society. Nutrition transition is malnutrition ensuing not merely from a need for food, but the need for highquality nourishment. Foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains have
been substituted by foods heavy in added sugar, saturated fat, and sodium.
Extent in India: Obesity has acquired epidemic proportions in India with 5 per cent of the population suffering from it. The
women in urban areas in India suffer from obesity and overweight in much higher proportion. As per a survey 12% women are
overweight and 2% obese.

Causes: Various factors which have contribute to the growth of nutrition transition are rapid urbanization, change in lifestyle
especially in urban areas, upward shift in the income level of the households, prevalence of consumption culture, availability
of imported food from the industrialized countries, lucrative marketing of junk food in the public media etc.
Implications: In India bulk of the population is malnourished and the governmental spending on the public health are very
low, thus nutrition transition can have severe implications on the productivity, national income and growth rate of the country.
The nutritional transition is also the major cause of prevalence of non-communicable disease e.g. diabetes, stroke, coronary
heart disease, renal disease etc.

Essentially all that is contained in the part IV-A of the constitution is first
a codification of tasks integral to Indian way of life. Critically examine this
statement.

(Civil Services, 2011- 250 words)

The Part IV-A of the constitution contain the Fundamental Duties, which were incorporated by the 42 nd Constitutional
Amendment act. Although these duties are not enforceable in a court of law yet they carry the ethical and moral
connotations that are required for smooth functioning of the plural democracy like India.
Many of these duties reflect the ethos of Indian tradition, culture, customs, mores and practices. The duties include
practices such as to abjure violence, to develop scientific tempo, to preserve the rich heritage and culture, to protect
and improve the environment and to promote spirit of brotherhood. These practices are professed by various Indian
religions like Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism etc. Various great Indian rulers like Ashoka and Akbar have also
adopted the similar tenets. Thus the Fundamental duties codify the tenets which various Indian religion, philosophies
and great rulers had envisaged since time immemorial.
However it is ironical that despite of the fact that Fundamental duties are present in the constitution and the crux of
these duties professed from time immemorial, the ground realities are entirely different. There are various instances in
day to day life where citizens act exactly opposite to what is expected as Fundamental Duties. For instance there are
rampant cases of communal frenzy, there are instances of citizens polluting the environment especially the rivers in
the guise of religion, a bulk of population is still in the grip of various superstitious practices, and there are instances
where the unscrupulous groups tend to dismantle the harmony in the society. All these are exactly opposite to the
Fundamental duties that constitution of India expects from the citizens.
We must understand that rights and duties are two sides of the same coin. For smooth functioning of a plural society
like India requires not awareness about rights but also to be bound by the duties.

Strategic interests seem to be replacing commercial interests for the host country
with regard to Cam Ranh Bay. Amplify
(Civil Services Exam 2011, 150 words)

Cam Ranh Bay is one of the most important ports in the region located in South China Sea in Vietnam. With the growing
influence of China in the region in general, and China Sea in particular Vietnam which earlier intended to develop the
port as commercial center has now gradually change its policy and is moving towards its usage as a strategic base
with foreign military access.

From the point of view of the commercial interest, the port has great commercial potential as well as this port lies in
one of the busiest trade route of western Pacific. Earlier Vietnam was trying to privatize the port but off late the country
has reversed its policy. Now the host country has intention to use it for strategic purpose by providing military access
to foreign countries and thus reduce Chinas influence in the region.

Vietnam has entered into bilateral defense relationship with US over the usage of this port. Similarly, the country is
trying to involve Russia also in context of this port to counter the influence of China.

Subsequent to the Nuclear Suppliers Group waiver in 2008, what

are the agreements on nuclear energy that India has signed with
different countries?
(IAS- 2010, 150 words)

India is accepted as the responsible state with advance nuclear technology or a de-facto nuclear state by NSG. This
has removed the label of nuclear untouchable from India and has opened the flood gates for civil nuclear cooperation
with the rest of the world.
As a result India has signed agreements with France, Russia, Mongolia, Namibia, Argentina, UK, Canada, Kazakhstan
and South Korea.
The agreement with Russia is very important in this context. The agreement guarantees uninterrupted supply of nuclear
fuel to Indian Atomic reactors. The technology transfer and military agreements are also the part of this agreement.
Likewise India has signed inter-governmental framework on civil nuclear supplies with Kazakhstan which is the country
with the one of the richest nuclear fuel availability.
In spite of the concern over the Indian nuclear weapon program, Canada also signed the agreement on nuclear supplies
with India.
These agreements to promote nuclear energy for peaceful purpose would promote energy security and supplement
the growth story of India.

Do you agree with the view that Israel is a natural ally of India?
(Civil Services Exam- 2010, 150 words)
There are two important similarities behind the logic that India and Israel are natural allies i.e. both are plural
democracies and both the countries are suffering from cross border sponsored Islamic Terrorism. However since the
history and geo-politics of the regions are different there are stronger reasons to believe that both the countries can be
allies but not natural allies.
The champions of the view that India and Israel are natural allies support their claim by the fact that cross border
sponsored Islamic terrorism is common to both the countries. According to this school of thought issues related to
Kashmir and Palestine that both these countries are facing also have similarity. This view of natural allies reached its
apex culmination during the NDA government when the idea of India-Israel-US nexus gained prominence.

However, its true that both the countries are suffering from Islamic terrorism and low intensity proxy wars across the
border, but the core issues are entirely different. Kashmir cannot be compared with Palestine at any cost since the
histories of both these are entirely different.
On the other hand there are various sectors wherein the two countries have mutually helped each other. For example
Indias raising service sector and software industry can be useful for Israel. On the other hand Israel can support India
in defense technology, drip irrigation, Falcon radars, drought resistant high yielding crops and treating sea water. Thus
India and Israel can be allies but they are not natural allies.

With respect to Cooperative Societies, what are the salient features of

the 106th and 111th Constitutional Amendment Bills as at present?
(Civil Services Exam, 2010- 150 words)

These two Bills have the purpose of empowering the Cooperative Societies, and preventing the interference of state
and bureaucracy in them. The following are the main provisions of these Acts:
1.The Bills propose to give Constitutional status for incorporating, regulating and winding up of Cooperative societies.
2.The Bills also envisages promoting the Cooperative Societies by adding the provision in Directive Principle of State
Policy for their formation and autonomous functioning
3.The Bills seek to make the management of Cooperative Societies more inclusive by including the representative from
women and Schedule Caste in the Board of Directors
4.The Bills seek formation of an independent body in each states similar to Election Commission to conduct free and
fair elections in the Cooperative societies
5.To give autonomy in the functioning of the Cooperatives the Bills have the provision for the auditing by the
autonomous agencies
The Bills if passed and implemented properly would give fillip to the cooperative movement in India.

List the significance of local storms in the country and bring out their
socio-economic impact.
(Civil Services 2010- 150 words)

The local winds have different impact in the different part of the country. These winds occur generally in the summer season,
some of them provide solace from the scotching heat while the other made the heat wave more severe.
In the Northwest and Central part of the country the dust carrying winds called Andhi are rampant in the summer season.
Sometimes these winds are very powerful and disrupt the normal life. Uprooting of trees, standing crops, electricity poles, and
shelters of poor people by these winds are common. Similarly the hot wind called Loo in North Western and Central India
add to the heat wave. The vulnerable and marginalized section of the society are effected most by this and every year many

people lost their lives due to intense heat wave. The electricity and water consumption also increases due to this wind which
has severe implications in states which are power deficit.
In eastern India, the wind called Kalbaisakhi is responsible for heavy rainfall and speed lightning. This causes damage to life
and property. However, the rainfall due to this wind is extremely beneficial from crops like jute and fruits and vegetables.
Mango Showers and Cherry Blossoms are winds that occur in Kerala and Karnataka respectively. These winds provide solace
from the intense heat wave and are beneficial for mango and coffee crops respectively

The significance of counter urbanization in the improvement of

metropolitan cities in India
(Civil Services 2011-150 words)

In just one decade India has witnessed the growth in urban centers with million plus population from 23 to 35. Although
the urban population in India is only about 28% of the total population but the pattern of urbanization is highly skewed.
The bulk of urban population is concentrated in only a few big cities in general and metropolitan cities in particular. As
a result of this there is intense pressure on the metropolitan cities to make the resources available and accessible for
the quality living. The high density of population not only creates intense pressure on the resources but also result into
sociological, cultural and political issues. The recent controversy in Mumbai regarding the influx of people from the
north India is a manifestation of these complex issues.
In the backdrop of this, counter urbanization scheme which would try to develop the small cities and rural areas thus
mitigating the gap between amenities and opportunities of metropolitan cities and other areas would lead to sustainable
and balance regional development. The ability to generate the gainful employment opportunities in small cities, towns
and rural area would be the most crucial factor in counter urbanization scheme which could mitigate migration to
metropolitan cities.
Thus the counter urbanization has significant role to play in present context in India, it would not only improve quality
of life and reduce pressure on resources in the metropolitan cities but would also help to reduce the India-Bharat
cleavage.

Small holder farms need to be strengthened to achieve national food security. Do

you agree with the statement? Substantiate.
(Civil Services Exam 2010- 150 words)

Household owing small farms along with agriculture labor constitutes more than 50% of total population of our country which
generally practice subsistence farming. The bulk of marginalized and underprivileged population of the country also belongs
to category, thus strengthening the small farms have a key role to play to achieve food security.

Food security has three connotations:

1.Affordability of the food
2.Availability of the food
3.Accessibility of the food

Strengthening the small farms would have the direct impact on the first two connotations of food security i.e. affordability
and availability of food.
The agriculture productivity of the farms in India in general and small farms in particular is very low. The investment,
capital formation and access to the institutional credit in the small farm sector are in a pathetic state. Fragmentation of
the land, lack of modern farm inputs including high yielding varieties of crop are also the constraints faced by the small
farmers.
Strengthening the above in the small farm sector would increase the productivity and production thus would ensure the
higher availability of the food. Also this would increase the farm income and thus enhance the affordability of the small
farmers. This would have direct impact on achieving the food security.

The impact of climate change on water resources on India

(150 words Civil Services 2011)

Climate change can severely impact the water resources in India. Since India is already witnessing changes in cropping
pattern, changes in irrigation and storage of water, over exploitation of water resources, rapid urbanization etc the
impact of climate change on water resources can result into further downward trend.
The rise of sea level due to climate change in the future can have severely effect the human settlements and bio
diversity near the coastal areas. In Indian peninsular region this can have severe implications.
Climate change can result into change in hydrological cycle this can have serious implications on the water resources
in India. The altered water cycle can result into rampant floods, droughts and can alter rainfall magnitude and pattern.
The climate change and increase in temperature would also increase evaporation rate. The increase in evaporation
rate would have severe implication on the soil moisture which would effect the agriculture production and productivity.
In a thickly populated country like India, where agriculture is the mainstay of the economy and highly dependant on
rainfall, the alteration in rainfall pattern along with decrease in soil moisture would impact the economy and would put
further pressure on ground water and rivers.

Cost Benefit Analysis should not be the sole consideration, while deciding to host
events like Commonwealth Games. Critically comment on this prospective.
(Civil Services Exam 2010- 150 words)

India was the host of commonwealth games in 2010. The cost that the country incurred to host this event was about
more than rupees one lakh crores. This gave birth to a debate that a developing country like India where there is acute
paucity of resources for the developmental goals was an event like this justifiable?
On the other if we minutely consider the issue its a fact that Cost Benefit analysis is a parochial way to estimate the
events of this kind. Since in the classical Cost Benefit analysis various intangible factors like increase in the prestige of
the country, the rise of India as a soft power, development of infrastructure of Delhi and surrounding areas, increase in

the civic sense, traffic sense and awareness of the citizens and moreover the environmental issue are not taken into
account thus Cost Benefit Analysis should not be the sole consideration to decide about the events of such kind.
Its true that Cost benefit analysis has some limitations when the social, environmental and human factors come into
the picture but on this pretext the economy and effectiveness should not be compromised.

Does India need World Bank?

(Civil Services Exam 2009, 150 words)

The World Bank provides long term financial assistance for developmental goals in developing and underdeveloped
countries. However there are conditionalities associated with the financial assistance of World Bank which generally
envisage neoliberal and market reform agenda. According to critics these conditionalities make the ambience of the
country exclusive since they are skewed in the favor of big multinational companies, corporate houses, rich countries
and elites in the developing and under developed countries. Thus arise the debate does India needs World Bank.
India needs World Bank, in spite of the fact that argument against the World Bank has some merits. India has one of
the lowest human development indices in the world. In various sectors social indicators are low, thus a huge investment
is required for developmental work sectors such as health, education, energy and infrastructure. India is among the
Banks top borrower with cumulative borrowing of about US $ 50 billion. From 1949 to 2000, the bank has extended
about 215 loans and 292 development credit to India.

Therefore in order to mobilize the resources; at the rates lower than the market; for vital sectors of the economy and to
improve the human development indices World Bank plays important role for India.

Discuss the impact of Globalization on the higher education in India.

(Civil Services Exam- 2006)
Globalization has linked the higher education in India with the market forces or in other words with global demand
and supply. This has resulted into mixed impact in India; however the benefits of this are greater as compared to the
drawbacks.
On the positive side, the globalization has infused competition in higher education in India as the sector is thrown open
to the private players and foreign institutions. This has given more opportunities and choices to the students and has
improved the quality of instruction along with the educational infrastructure. Last decade has witnessed a steep rise in
the number of private institutions, which have immensely increased career opportunities for the students. Linked with
the market forces, the higher education in India is now creating world class professionals to cater the demand. This
has given huge impetus to the service and software sector of the country. For the students the floodgates are now
opened for the foreign universities and multinational companies.
The flipside of this is roll back of the government from this sector, as a result of which the cost of higher education has
increase manifold. This has further excluded the bulk of population which cannot afford higher education at the market
prices. Globalization of higher education has also resulted creating homogeneous culture, promoting consumerism and
erosion in traditional values and ethics.

Since Globalization is now a irreversible phenomenon across the world, public policy must tackle the grey areas related
to this in higher education so that this become more inclusive.

Bring out the powers and responsibilities attached to the

office of the speaker of the Lok Sabha?
(Civil Services Exam- 2010)

Speaker of the Lok Sabha is one of the most important offices in Indian parliamentary democracy.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha is the Chief presiding officer of the Lok Sabha. There are various matters wherein the
decision of Speaker is final. These includes the power to decide if a Bill is Money Bill, on matter relating to breach of
privilege or contempt of the house and in the case to disqualify a member on the grounds of anti defection.
The Speaker of the Lok Sabha also presides over the joint sitting of both the houses in case of disagreement
between the two houses.
All the committees of the Lok Sabha function under the control and direction of the Speaker. The Chairmen of the
committees in the Lok Sabha are appointed by the speaker.
The speaker is responsible to maintain the decorum of the house and has the power to ask a member to withdraw
from the house or even suspend the member for disorderly behavior.

Discuss the role of public sector during the post reform period of
the Indian Economy?
(Civil Services Exam- 2006)

The role of the public sector has altered during in the neoliberal era after 1991. In the era of liberalization apart from
the social objectives, it is envisaged that Public Sector should run on the sound market fundamentals so that they can
compete with other players. Economy and efficiency are other two principles which the public sector is expected to
inculcate.
Public Sector units in the era of liberalization are expected to compete with others in the ambience of level playing field.
Various sectors which in the pre-reform era had the monopoly of the Public Sector are now open for private players. It
is expected that Public Sector apart from its traditional social objectives should be competitive. The resources mobilized
by them should come from market mechanisms rather than from governmental subsidies and tax payers money.
The performing units are also given higher autonomy for the expansion in the liberalized era. Status like Miniratna,
Navratna and Maharatna are examples of this.
Disinvestment and privatization of the Public Sector Units are also the mechanisms which the government has
leveraged in post reform era to mobilize resources for the social sector and other obligations.

Are the Dedicated Freight Corridor railway project and

Golden Quadrilateral mutually complementary or
competitive?
(Civil Services Exam-2010)

The Dedicated Freight Corridor railway project covers two routes i.e. Eastern Corridor from Ludhiana to Dakuni and
western corridor from Mumbai to Dadri. The Golden Quadrilateral highway project connects the four metros. In the
current scenario the two projects complement each other; it may be only in the future that these two might be mutually
competitive.
One of the biggest growth constraints that India is facing currently is the paucity of infrastructure and physical
connectivity. In such case nearly all of the infrastructural projects complement each other. The Rail network connecting
the four metros Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata carry the country's heaviest rail traffic. These routes are highly
congested; although they account for just 16% of Indian Railways rail track they carry more than 60% of the freight
transported. The freight corridor of the railway and Golden Quadrilateral can both help to reduce this congestion. At
present the demand for transporting freight is far greater than the infrastructure available. Moreover, in general railway
projects cannot account for the final delivery of goods at the doorsteps, which is possible only through road transport.
Thus the projects are mutually complementary of each other.
However it is only in the future when ample additional capacity is developed in rail and road wherein the demand
matches with the options for transportation, then the projects like these can be competitive.

Discuss how state governments can exercise control over

Panchayats?
(Civil Services Exam- 2004)

There are various ways in which the State government can directly and/or indirectly exercise the control over
Panchayats.
Although in the 73rd Amendment Act, the 29 subjects which should be devolved to Panchayats are clearly mentioned.
However it is the state legislature that have final say to confer on Panchayats such powers and authorities as may be
necessary.
Panchayats are very much dependant on State government in the matter of finances. A large portion of Panchayats
financial resources comes from the State government in the form of grants. The state bureaucracy is also very assertive
on Panchayats because of the role and powers given to them. In some states District Rural Development Authority and
District Collector are given roles of such kind which make them very assertive over the Panchayats.
The State Planning Bodies have power to amend, reject or modify the plans sent by the local planning bodies and
recommendations Panchayats. In Various governmental developmental schemes for Panchayats like MANREGA etc,
the bureaucracy of state has active monitoring role to play to regulate Panchayats.

Did Nehru really speak the Language of Gandhi? Locate the

points of their agreements and departure.
(Civil Services Exam-1998, 250 words)

Agreement-disagreement dichotomy was a fact in the political ideologies of Nehru and Gandhi. During freedom both
these leaders of the Congress agreed and worked together on many issues but there were issues where they took
different stands.
Nehru was in agreement with Gandhi on issues like emancipation of rural India, constructive work, Satyagraha,
Swadeshi and boycott of foreign goods to achieve political motives. There were no differences on the launch of mass
movements like Non Cooperation and Civil Disobedience. Nehru was one the first volunteer for the Individual
Satyagrha.
The economic ideologies and the developmental models of the two leaders differ to a great extant. Gandhi had deep
faith in Class collaboration and trusteeship model while Nehru believed in class conflict. Unlike Gandhi, Nehru openly
proclaimed himself as a socialist, he had deep sympathy towards the Trade Union and working class movement.
Gandhi had faith in the developmental model based on cottage industry and decentralization. However Nehru favored
development based on heavy industries with centralized planning on the lines of erstwhile Soviet Model. On political
front Nehru criticized the withdrawal of Civil Disobedience Movement by Gandhi. He demanded Complete
Independence much before Gandhi. Nehru also accepted the partition of India and Pakistan which was not acceptable
to Gandhi.

Compared to the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA), the Bay of
Bengal Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation Free Trade Area (BIMSTEC FTA) seems to be more
promising. Critically evaluate.
(Civil Services Exam-2011, 150 words)

The progress in SAFTA is slow as compared to BIMSTEC FTA, but it has huge economic potential which can be
leveraged upon for the socio-economic development of the region. Thus both the initiatives are promising.
The flip side of SAFTA is that the political and border disputes between two of its biggest member country has always
overshadowed the economic issues. As a result SAFTA is moving with a slow pace. Also in various sectors the member
countries are competitors in the world market for example India and Bangladesh in case of Jute, India and Sri Lanka in
the case of Tea etc. On the other hand members like Myanmar in BIMSTEC are very crucial in terms of their strategic
geographical location and energy security in the region. Strong economic tie ups with countries like Myanmar and
Thailand can give fillip to Indias Look East Policy. The sectors like Tourism, Fisheries, Energy, Transport and
Communication, Technology etc has huge potential to flourish under the BIMSTEC FTA regime.
However, even if the pace of SAFTA is slow, it cannot be considered as less promising. SAFTA can play an important
role in unified South Asian region. It can be a lucrative market as three thickly populated countries i.e. India, Pakistan
and Bangladesh are the members. The keen interest shown in SAFTA by countries like US, China, Russia, Japan and
South Koera is the testimonial of the fact that its potential should not be underestimated

What do you understand by repo rate and reverse repo rate?

What are the implications in raising these rates?
(Civil Services Exam-2010, 150 words)

Repo Rate stands for repurchasing agreement between the Central Bank of a country and the other commercial
banks. It is an instrument of monetary policy which is used to adjust the short term money supply in the economy.
Repo is a lending with collaterals i.e. the banks which borrow money from Reserve Bank to meet short term needs
have to sell securities, usually bonds to Reserve Bank with an agreement to repurchase the same at a predetermined
rate and date. Reserve bank charges some interest rate on the cash borrowed by banks this is called repo rate. The
lender of securities is said to be doing repo whereas the lender of cash is said to be doing reverse repo. In a reverse
repo Reserve Bank borrows money from banks by lending securities. The interest paid by Reserve Bank in this case
is called reverse repo rate.
Implications of increasing these rates:
Increase in Repo or Reverse Repo rate squeeze out the money supply generally to control inflation. Increase in repo
rate means that the bank which is lending from Reserve Bank has to pay more interest, this make borrowing dearer
and thus control the excessive liquidity.
On the other hand increase in Reverse Repo means that Banks can earn more interest by lending money to Reserve
Bank thus it is an incentive to them to lend the money to Reserve Bank. This also results in squeezing money supply
from the economy.

Agricultural productivity in India remains low. Explain the reasons

for this.
(Civil Services Exam- 2008, 150 words)

Agriculture productivity in India is very low as compared to the other countries. Various socio-economic factors as well
as institutional and infrastructural bottlenecks are responsible this.
Indian agriculture is predominantly rain fed and substantial in nature. The size of average landholding in the country is
one of the lowest in the world. The sector in the recent past has been marred by increasing fragmentation, low rate of
capital formation and decreasing public investments. The use of farm inputs like fertilizers in India is much lower than
the worlds average.
Institutional bottlenecks such as lack of political will for land reforms, land consolidation, proper land tenure system
have resulted into low productivity. Lack of governmental support for the farm inputs, paucity of institutional finance and
the use of obsolete technologies along with poorly directed farm subsidies are also responsible for the same.
Infrastructural factors such lack of public support for farm mechanization and paucity of irrigation facilities, power supply,
credit at low rate, storage and processing facilities and marketing mechanism have resulted into low productivity.

What is Round-Tripping in the context of FDI inflow, and why

has it been in the news recently in case of India?
(Civil Services Exam- 2010, 100 words)

It refers to the routing of the investment by a resident through a different country with whom the country has signed
DTAA (also called tax heavens). The only purpose to do so is to avoid taxes. For example any Indian resident if invests
directly in shares of an Indian company would have to pay capital gains taxes. However, if he routes his investments
through an entity incorporated in Mauritius, the taxes can be avoided under a double taxation avoidance treaty (DTAA)
between the two countries. Thus the resident can avoid the capital gains tax by routing his investment through tax
heavens; this is called Round Tripping.
It was in news recently because of the bulk of media attention to opaque participatory notes (PN) off FII has given fillip
to this practice.

Many Englishmen honestly consider themselves the trustee for India and
yet to what a condition they have reduced our country. Critically analyze
the statement with reference to the context in which they were made.
(Civil Services Exam- 2009, 250 words)

The statement was made by Nehru in 1929 while addressing Lahore Session of the Congress as the President. The
fundamental idea behind this statement was to highlight the cause of peasant and working class. Through these words
Nehru not only attacked the British Raj but also the Gandhian ideology within Congress which advocated for the
trusteeship model, class collaboration and status quo.
According to Nehru, Paternalism in any form would not be able to emancipate masses and improve their condition.
Some Englishmen even though they had good intention to improve the country and countrymen but since they
considered themselves as the trustee for India actually perpetuated the colonial and class interests. The concepts like
Whitemans burden were racist in the tendency and were not based on the tenets of equality and were the example
of Paternal Despotism which was ignominious to native knowledge, culture and civilization. The idea of trustee did not
devolve the power equally in India society and thus perpetuated status quo. This also ruined the country and
countrymen during the colonial rule.
The statement also has the connotations of class conflict as a means to overcome the class dominance. Therefore the
statement also defies the Gandhian model of trusteeship and class collaboration.
The aim of Nehru was to ensure participation of peasants and working in the National movement which constitutes the
majority of the countrys population. Through the statements like this he wanted to display his commitment towards the
socialist principles and dynamic socio-economic transformation of Indian society.

What are the salient features of the political and economic relationship
between India and South Africa?
(Civil Services Exam 2008- 250 words)

India and South Africa are the two emerging economies of the 21 st Century. Although located in different continents
both the countries are facing various economic issues which are common, in political context a there a is legacy of
strong relationship since freedom struggle.
Since both the countries had the history of colonial domination, there are various values which are similar. For example
India strongly opposed the imperialism and Apartheid in South Africa. India and South Africa both are the champions
of plural society and democracy. In various international political and economic forums the interests of both the
countries coincide. For example both the countries are strong supporter of multi-polar world and South-South
cooperation. Both the countries favor nuclear disarmament and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purpose. The two
countries are also on the same side on various issues in WTO. The recent multinational forums like IBSA and BRICS
have further cemented the ties between the two countries.
On economic front both the countries are emerging economies and complement each in various sectors. For example
South Africa is a country with huge gold reserves while India has the large market and demand for the gold. South
Africa is one of the leading producers of diamond while India has worlds diamonds processing Industry. India is the
largest importer of Coal from South Africa. Big Indian companies like Tata and Mahindra have done huge investments
in South Africa.
However there is still lot of economic potential between the two countries that can be leveraged upon. To harness this
potential effectively a bilateral trade agreement can play a crucial role.

Assess the significance of coastal regions in the economic development of

India.
(Civil Services Exam- 2009, 150 words)

India is bestowed with a large coastline of 5700 km which is of great economic significance. Coastal regions supports
the diverse flora and fauna, provides immense survival opportunities for human settlements and others, open the flood
gates of connectivity through water transport and act as a rich source for minerals and fossil fuels.
About 25% of the population of our country is settled within the 50 km from the coastal region. Various important cities
which are vital from economic point of view as well are located in coastal regions for example Mumbai, Chennai,
Kolkata, Panaji, Kochi, Vishakhapatnam etc.
Coastal regions open the flood gates for the connectivity with the world by providing us number of ports and natural
harbors. Since the water transport is cheapest means of transport, it plays a crucial role in foreign trade for India.
Coastal regions are also rich in minerals and especially fossil fuels. Oil exploration and natural gas are the important
economic activities in the coastal regions. For example Bombay High accounts for 15% of total oil production of the
country.
Various major industries like ship building, metallurgy, manufacturing etc are located in or around the coastal regions.
Coastal regions are also important for the Tourism industry. Various coastal regions have become famous tourist
destination for the tourist all across the world.

Chinas Peaceful Rise doctrine.

(Civil Services Exam 2009- 150 words)
The doctrine seeks to characterize China as a responsible world leader. The doctrine emphasizes soft power, and
establishes that China is committed to its own internal issues and improving the welfare of its own people rather than
interfering with world affairs. The term suggests that China seeks to avoid unnecessary international confrontation.
The doctrine is used primarily to reassure the nations of Asia and the United States that the rise of China
in military and economic prominence will not pose a threat to peace and stability, and that other nations will benefit from
Chinas raising power and influence.
In this context the steps like peacefully solving of the territorial disputes with Russia and Japan, the willingness to avoid
unnecessary confrontation with US, showing mild assertiveness on border disputes concerning with the Spratly
Islands, Diaoyu Islands, and South Tibet are also the examples of this doctrine.
However there is other is other side of the coin as well. China is still showing her assertiveness in order to fill the vacuum after
Japan to be the master in Asia. China still has difficult relations with Japan and continues a military modernization program.
She is raising her assertiveness in China sea, India and Pacific Ocean. The policy of String of Pearls is an example of this.
Chinas military supports to Pakistan to counterbalance India are some of the examples which grossly defy this doctrine.
Since international diplomacy is very complex in nature and at times mutually contradictory principles and doctrines are seen
to be applied by the countries in different contexts. The same is true for China.

Disputes between the riparian states on sharing of river waters in postIndependence India are becoming increasing complex. Objectively
analyze the major disputes in this connection, with special reference to
the southern states.

(Civil Services Exam 2010, 250 Words)

The interstate rivers have become theatre of disputes in the post independence era. The factors such as increasing
population, urbanization, regionalism, political compulsions, collation politics and increase in demand for water due to
use of fertilizers and high yielding varieties of crop have made the situation complex.
All the major rivers originate in one state and passes through the others. The data on which the water sharing is based
has become unviable and anachronic. Mostly the disputes are related to the extra utilization from the binding legal
contracts into which the respective states have entered themselves. Since water is the issue related to basic needs
and livelihoods thus the pressure groups, regionalism and politics also gets involve into the issue which further make it
complex.
The following are the major inter-state water disputes in the country:

1.

Cauvery

2.

Ravi Beas

3.

Krishna

4.

Godavari

5.

Yamuna

The issue gets intensified in Southern states because of two major factors. Firstly the rivers in south India witness steep
changes in their annual regime. Secondly, paddy cultivation is rampant in this part which requires plenty of standing
water. Cauvery and Mulperriyar Dam issues are the two major inter-state water disputes in southern India in recent
past. While Cauvery water dispute is related to water sharing between the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhara
Pradesh, Mulperiyar Dam issue is related with the height of Dam where the two states i.e. Tamil Nadu and Kerala have
taken opposite stands.
The legal agreements and awards by the Tribunals in these disputes might prove beneficial to one party in the short
term, but in order to cater to the increasing demand of water, cooperation among the states and other players is
essential to come up with innovative and sustainable solutions like treatment of sea water, promotion of drought
resistant crops etc.

What is Cloud Computing? What are its advantage and disadvantages?

(Civil Services Exam-2010, 150 Words)
Cloud computing is a model for enabling convenient, on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing
resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly rented and released with minimal
management effort or service provider interaction. This cloud model promotes availability and is composed of five essential
characteristics

1.

On-demand self-service

2.

Broad network access

3.

Resource pooling

4.

Rapid elasticity

5.

Measured Service

Advantages:
1.

It reduce the cost of infrastructure to a great extent

2.

It tackles the issue of scaling as per the demand

3.

The cost has to be incurred on the basis of actual usage.

4.

It is highly automated

Disadvantage:
1.

The security is the big issue in case of resource pooling

2.

The model requires the net connectivity

3.

Infrastructure is also a big challenge.

However if we analyze the advantages and disadvantage it could be inferred that in spite of a few disadvantages the
model has huge potential for the future.

Explain and differentiate among Plasma, LCD and LED

television technologies.

(Civil Services Exam- 2010, 150 words)

Plasma TV contains a sheet of individual Plasma cell which gets activated due to electric current. The fundamental
principle behind Plasma TV is the release of ultra violet photon when the excited electron returns to the normal state.
The LCD TV has liquid crystal which gets activated with the current. Since the panel has no light of its own, an external
source is required for the lightening.
The principle of LED is similar to that of LCD which also has liquid crystal, the difference is that the lightening source
in the case of former is light emitting diode.
On price front Plasma is the most economical technology while LED is the costliest. The performance of Plasma is
better than LED and LCD in terms of motion and the image of Plasma TV remain good at almost all angles. On the
other hand the lifespan of LED and LCD TVs are greater than that compared to Plasma technology.

Assess the contribution of Indian Diaspora in the Caribbean.

Civil Services (U.P.S.C) Exam 2010, 150 words
The Indian diaspora has contributed in amost every sphere in the Caribbean countries. No dimension in Caribbean
nations including politics, art and culture, sports and business have remained untouhced by the vital contributions of
Indian diaspora which at present is more than 2 million in number.
Several Indian origin persons have occupied key political posts and offices in the recent past. Bharat Jagdeo (President
of Guyana) and Kamala Prasad Bissessar (Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago) are a few of them who have reached
upto the apex offices in these island countries.
In the field of literature the contribution of Indian diaspora in Caribbean countries is remarkable. Sir V.S Naipaul, Samuel
Selvon, Mahadai Das, Ramabai Espinet etc have made significant contribution in enriching the literature and culture of
these countries.
In the field of medical sciences Dr Anne Dipchand and Dr Doobay are among the distinguished figures in these
countries.
Cricketers of Indian origin have also made great contribution to these countries. Players like Ramnaresh Sarwan,
Chanderpaul and Dinesh Ramdin are icons in these countries.

How far have Japans principles of Hikaku San Gensoku impacted

bilateral ties with India?
Civil Services (U.P.S.C) Exam 2o1o, 150 words
The three non-nuclear principles (Hikaku San Gensoku) strongly advocate Japan "not to possess nor manufacture
nuclear weapons, nor to permit their introduction into Japanese territory". The principles have shaped Japans attitude
towards India and effected the bilateral relations.

When India conducted its 1974 and 1998 nuclear tests, committed to these principles, Japan imposed
economic sanctions and criticized Indias nuclear policy in various disarmament forums.
Japanese political leadership because of its adherence to these principles has also persuaded Indian government to
sign the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.
These principles also had implications in the recent past when the Japanese government wanted a Nuclear Deal with
India in order to give momentum to its economic growth. The government had to face serious criticism discussions on
the nuclear deal with the non-NPT member, nuclear India. Under such pressure, Japan took almost five year to reach
a level to discuss modalities of the Indo-Japan nuclear deal. The deal is also crucial since American and French nuclear
companies have Japanese partners, and without an Indo-Japan agreement, nuclear deals with the US and France
would be non-starters.
Japan has to understand strategic needs of India, its clean track record of non proliferation and commitment towards
democratic credentials and should treat India similarly the way US and other western countries has done.

Discuss the causes and ramification of hunger in Africa.

(Civil Services Exam 2005, 150 words)

Acute and chronic hunger is one of the critical issues in Africa. Its causes are complexly interwoven into various
political, socio-economic and cultural realities. The ramification of hunger manifests itself into various forms in all
aspects of life the people as well as international relations and geopolitics of the continent.
Colonial hangover, political instability, lack of democratic institutions, extreme climatic conditions, rise in dictatorial and
authoritarian regimes and low level of human development indices are the major cause of hunger in Africa. Rampant
boundary issues and ethnic conflicts among various tribes to grab the political power and rich natural resources have
marginalized the local population and have made them vulnerable to hunger.
Ramifications of hunger are large scale malnutrition, high infant mortality rate, migration, ethnic tribal conflicts over the
resources and malaise like drug trafficking, prostitution and AIDS. In the name of mitigating hunger various western
countries are perpetuating their agenda to control the rich natural resources.
On the other hand various positive intervention by African Union, Red Cross, UNICEF and other international
organizations and international communities have been designed to combat hunger.

Model Answers For Mains

Measures taken by the Indian Government to combat piracy in the Indian
Ocean

((Civil Services UPSC Exam 2011-150 words)

Marine piracy has emerged as a huge threat to shipping community and international trade. In order to combat piracy
in the Indian Ocean some of the measures taken by the Indian authorities are:
1.

The government has come up with the staunch anti piracy laws. Since earlier the laws exclusively dealing with piracy
were missing, it was difficult to tackle the issue of anti piracy.

2.

The government has set up Inter-ministerial Group of Officers which is the main body responsible for taking pertinent
decisions in case of emergency situations.

3.

Indian government has also deployed Indian war vessels in the oceanic area where piracy is highly rampant.

In your opinion were the positive steps taken by British to modernize

India?
(Civil Services Exam 2003, 250 words)
All the policies and actions of the British Raj were aimed to consolidate British rule in India and to perpetuate the
interests of the colonial power. However, to some extent some of the positive steps modernize India as well.
The first positive step by British Raj was in the context of legal systems and laws in India. The concept like rule of
law and western judicial system was introduced by British Raj in India. These laws replaced the earlier archaic laws
and modernized the legal system but the main aim behind these was administrative ease for the alien rule.
The main aim behind the reform in Education can be best described by Macalays words that we need Brown
Englishmen. The aim to reform the education system in India was to produce an educated class that could be suitable
to perform petty administrative tasks at the same time would have high influence of British and western culture so that
a large market can created for British industries.
Likewise the communications and infrastructure advancement in the form of introduction of railways, telegraphs etc
had
implicit strategic interests to strengthen British rule in India.
Thus the main aim of behind the so called positive policies of British raj was to strengthen the interests of imperial
power.

Evaluate the contribution of revolutionary terrorism represented by Baghat

Singh to the cause of Indias struggle for Independence.
(Civil Services Exam 2008)
The freedom struggle led by Indian National Congress was based on tenets of non violence. On the other hand there
was a section of freedom fighters which believed in the cult of pistol and bombs and did not hesitate to use violence
against the British Raj. They wanted to use terror as a means to achieve the political goals by paralyzing the state
machinery and intimidating British officers. Bhaghat Singh was the proponent of this ideology.
Apart from the goal of freedom Bhaghat Singh also envisaged a classless Indian society devoid of exploitation of all
kinds. His ideas were much influenced by the socialism and Russian Revolution.
Under the leadership of Baghat Singh the revolutionaries formed Hindustan Republican Association in 1928. Among
various other revolutionary activities, Saundrers murder and Assembly bombing made a huge impact on freedom
movement in general and youths in particular.
The deep determination, courage, patriotism and sense of sacrifice of Baghat Singh and his collogues stirred the
masses. They were first to demand Complete Independence and to a great extent the socialist consciousness among
the masses in Northern India is their contribution.

Comment on the nature of Ordinance-making power of the President of

India. What are the safeguards against their possible misuse?
(Civil Services Exam- 2001, 150 words)

The power to promulgate Ordinances by the President is mentioned in Article 123 of Indian Constitution. President can
promulgate an Ordinance in case he is convinced that it is not possible to have the parliament enact on same subject
immediately and the circumstance render it necessary for him to take immediate action.
Since its the prerogative of the Legislature and not the Executive to make the laws, and in case of Ordinance the
Executive i.e. formulates the law, thus it is essential to have safeguards against its possible misuse.
There are safeguards which are explicitly mentioned in the constitution for the possible misuse of this. Firstly, the
President can promulgate Ordinances only on the aid and advice of the council of ministers. Secondly parliament has
the power to pass resolution disapproving the provisions of the ordinances. Thirdly, the ordinance automatically expires
within six weeks of the reassembly of the houses of the parliament unless passed in the houses.

What is dry-land farming? Discuss its relevance in augmenting the food

supply in India.
(Civil Services Exam- 2001, 150 marks)
The methods and techniques used for augmentation of cultivation in arid and semi arid zones (i.e. where annual
precipitation is below 120 cms) are called dry land farming. Various water conservation techniques, specific irrigation
facilities, drought resistant crops etc are the examples of dry land farming.

A large percentage of area in northern, north-western, western and central part of the country comes under the arid
and semi arid zones. Dry land farming can enhance the production and productivity of food crops in these areas. This
could augment the aggregate food grain production and therefore the food supply in the country. These techniques
could also increase the chance of cultivation in the areas which are hitherto uncultivated.
The community based dry-land farming is also ecologically sustainable, thus it can cater to the needs of the forth coming
generations as well in terms of food supply.

The condition of urban poor is more deplorable than their rural counter
parts. Give your views.
(Civil Services Exam- 2008)

Poverty is urban areas result into higher vulnerability and marginalization as compared to rural poverty.
Apart from limited access to employment opportunities and income like their rural counterparts the urban poverty is
also marred with high cost of living, greater exposure to hazardous violent and unhealthy environments.

For urban poor there are no or little social protection mechanisms. Urban poor do not have access to rich natural
resources such as forests, ponds, rivers etc. The urban poor are more vulnerable to abuses like child labor, prostitution,
beggary, drug addiction, AIDS and alcoholism.
The urban poor generally reside in slum dwelling, which are the symbol of exclusion and deplorable living conditions.
These dwellings are thickly populated generally located in extremely polluted environment with unsafe shelters and
little or no access to basic amenities like water supply, electricity, schools and toilets.
Majority of government aided developmental schemes target the rural poor. Thus its correct to say that the condition
of urban poor is more deplorable than their rural counter parts.

Evolution of Green Benches in our higher Judiciary

(Civil Services Exam 2011)

Right to a wholesome environment is now an inferred fundamental right derived from Article 21. The apex court has
widened the scope of Article 21, and has interpreted wholesome environment as a right essential for Right to Life. In
this context the Supreme Court and the High Courts have now started to entertain the cases related to environment in
their writ jurisdiction under Article 32 and Article 226 respectively. These courts have also started entertaining the
issues related to environment through Public Interest Litigations.
In this context, National Green Tribunal has been established under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective
and expeditious disposal of cases relating to environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural
resources. The Tribunal is mandated to make and endeavor for disposal of applications or appeals finally within 6
months of filing of the same.
The environment sensitive laws and attitude of the judiciary would not only help in mitigation of Climate change and
improve the quality of the life for citizens but would also have positive implications on the backward and marginalized
communities in rural and tribal areas.

Benefits and potential drawbacks of cash transfers to

Below Poverty Line Households
(Civil Services Exam 2011)

Benefits of Cash Transfer

It is the easiest way to tackle issues like poverty, chronic hunger etc. The target group can be benefitted most easily
through this. External factors such as infrastructure requirement etc are least required in these transfers. It gives choice
to the targeted group to utilize the money as per their needs. It can also mitigate problems like migration.
Drawbacks of Cash Transfers

Cash transfers create dependency syndrome in the targeted population. Since the productivity, skills or infrastructure
is not developed through cash transfers they can act as only short term measures rather than long term intervention
for inclusive development. The issue of leakages and poor targeting is also associated with the cash transfers.

The winter rains in North India are largely related to Jet

Stream and western disturbances. Bring out the relationship.
(Civil Services Exam 2008, 150 words)

Jet streams are the three dimensional movement of air mass from west to east at a high speed above the surface of
the earth. Sub Tropical Easterly Jet Stream carries the turbulent weather conditions from Mediterranean region to the
Indian sub-continent. The disturbances caused by the Mediterranean region are called western disturbances. These
are responsible for the winter rains in north and north western part of the country.
The moisture in these storms usually originates over the Mediterranean Sea. During winter the high pressure area is
developed over the land mass of the Indian Subcontinent. Due to high pressure over the land mass, a low pressure
situation prevails over the landmass which is occupied by sub tropical Easterly jet stream. This jet stream carries the
turbulent weather condition from Mediterranean to Indian subcontinent bringing winter rains. In this way the Western
Disturbances over Mediterranean sea and Jet stream are responsible for winter rains in northern India.

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