1.

Investment in the future of girl child is not only a question of economic

priority but also one of social attitude. Comment. How can the government schemes
help change entrenched social attitudes vis a vis the girl child?

Investment in the future of a girl child is inextricably linked to the goal of

gender equality and women empowerment. This includes investing in their education,
health, skill development, etc. McKinseys 2015 report, The Power of Parity:
Advancing womens equality in India, estimates that India can add $700 billion of
additional GDP in 2025 by matching the momentum towards gender parity to the
fastest country in the region. A majority of this would come from improving labour
force participation by 10 percentage points. This will require bridging both social
and economic gaps.
Some of the ways in which investment in the future of girl child can help improve
social attitude are:
? Greater participation of men in women empowerment programmes like He4She
campaign.
? Innovative methods such as nukkad nataks.
? Naming and shaming of the perpetrators of women related crimes.
? Making women more aware of their rights and involving them in formulating
policies.

Role of government:
Government welfare schemes bring out change in attitude of society and address the
gender
discrimination by creating a positive environment in favor of the girl child. The
roles played by such schemes are as follows:
? Elimination of all forms of violence against women and the girl child.
? Strengthening legal systems aimed at elimination of all forms of gender
discrimination - enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedom by women on
equal basis with men in all political, economic, social, cultural and civil
spheres.
? Creating an environment through positive economic and social policies for full
development of girl child in order to enable them to realize their full potential.
? Equality in decision making in social political and economic spheres.
? Equal access to health care, quality education at all levels, career and
vocational guidance, employment, equal remuneration, occupational health and
safety, social security and public life etc.

Examples:
? Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao (BBBP) Scheme was launched to empower the girl child and
enable her education and bring positive change in the societal attitude towards the
birth of the girl child.

? The Sukanya Samriddhi Scheme help in encouraging people to save for a girl child
and discourage child marriages.
? The Ladli Scheme Implemented by Delhi & Haryana Government aims at curbing female
foeticide and improving the social state of the girl child by supporting education
and protecting them from discrimination.
There is a necessity for peoples involvement for success of any programme. For
women, the ability to exercise choice will be limited unless there is a change in
social attitude.
2. Suicide is a leading cause of death among young people not only in India but
also in other countries.
Why are the youth vulnerable to suicides? Discuss some strategies to address the
problem of suicides among the youth.

According to NCRB data, suicide is a leading cause of death in young people.

According to the government, 60,000 young ones commit suicide annually, which is
much lesser than other independent estimates. Suicide is also leading cause of
death among young people in other countries.
Youth is a vulnerable period for suicide globally because this is the phase of life
which is associated with dramatic changes in ones self-image and aspirations, and
some of the most important life decisions related to education and relationships
are made. This is why suicide attempts in youth, are often impulsive, triggered by
acute disappointments such as a poor examination result or loss of a romantic
relationship. However, depression is also a major cause of suicide and it is more
gradual. Some risk factors of depression among youths are long drawn academic
pressure, alcohol consumption, loss of a valued relationship, frequent change of
residency, poor family patterns, youths confused about their sexual identities
particularly if they have suffered harassment, etc. In some instances, there is a
history of social problems precipitating a clinical depression.
Further, it is seen that such suicides are more common in developed States.
Possibly a key reason for this is the growing gap between the aspirations of
educated youth and the harsh perception they have of society. For example, the will
to freely choose their life partner or to live a life free of social prejudices or
to choose a career of their choice does come into conflict with what the society
expects.
Strategy to tackle suicide among youths can involve the following: an open dialogue
to challenge the stigma surrounding mental health; building of life skills in
schools to strengthen emotional regulation, which can help build resilience to cope
with periods of loss of hope that are inevitable in the transition from childhood
to adulthood; parenting interventions to reduce the pressures on young people to
perform academically and to choose their partner; ensuring freedom from violence,
gender
discrimination, and social exclusion of youth, not least in campuses; a campaign to
ensure the safe storage of pesticides, most commonly used suicide method; and easy
access to trained personnel to deliver psychological treatments in educational
institutions and health-care facilities.
No matter whether the suicide was impulsive or well planned, no one attempts to end
their lives unless they have lost hope for their future. Hence, a well devised
strategy to tackle problem of youth suicide is need of the hour.
3. The skewed sex ratio in India not only has social but economic implications as
well. Explain. Also, suggest policy correctives that the government needs to make
to achieve a healthy sex ratio.

A number of states in India have abysmally low sex ratios. Overall, India fares
poorly worldwide in terms of SR. There are both social and economic implications of
the low sex ratio:

Social implications:

? Districts with lower proportion of females have higher rates of murder and crime
against women.
? In regions with lows sex ratio men are distrusting of women and assert their
supremacy through violence and abuse.
? Marital relationship in low sex ratio regions is often disturbed.
? Since women are vulnerable to crime, parents dont prefer daughters, thus
creating a vicious cycle.
? Low sex ratio breeds human trafficking and prostitution.

Economic implications:

? It is hypothesized that in countries with high sex ratio, men need to be more
economically productive to improve their standings in marriage market.
? This leads to higher saving rates, lower CAD and lower exchange rate.
? Linkages have been found in the improvement of sex ratio and inducing of more
entrepreneurship and hard work in China, which stimulated economic growth.
? A sexist but economic argument is that women are largest consumer of FMCGs,
household products, fashion and cosmetics industries. Hence, they are driving force
behind economic consumption.
? Low sex ratio breeds crime and hence is not favourable for bringing in investment
and talent.

In the light of socio-economic benefits, following steps can be taken by the

government to improve sex ratio:
? Control the prevalence of dowry, through use of mass media campaigns and active
involvement of social and religious institutions.
? Government campaign should highlight female achievers from various fields to
change the attitude of people towards potential of women.
? To discourage female infanticide, Government could consider a mothering
allowance to mother for first six years after the birth of a girl child.
? Strict implementation of PCPNDT Act to curb abortions of female foetus. In S.
Korea strict implementation of rules and punishment has led to improvement in sex
ratio.
? Couples having only daughters could be eligible for a higher than the normal
universal old age pension, and even starting at earlier age than normal criteria.

4. "With the success in reducing child mortality, the challenge before India is to
safeguard early-life conditions in order to prevent long-run loss in welfare for
individuals and the economy". Discuss in the context of the issue of child
malnutrition and its long term impact.

The reduction of Child mortality in India to 48 per 1000 children under-5 in 2015
signifies a tremendous success, but the challenges for India are still far from
over. Parents and Children need to be given proper access to health, education,
nutrition, sanitation and other basic necessities to help them contribute
effectively to the economy.

Malnutrition is manifested in 3 forms - being underweight, stunted or wasted. The

factors which leads to malnutrition are:
? Mothers health Indian mother at the end of their pregnancy weighs lower than
even sub Saharan regions women in the beginning of their pregnancy. It also is a
reason for underweight and stunted children.
? Lower status of women The status of women in the family determines her decision
making ability regarding nutrition of her child. Given lower status in India,
mothers are not able to utilise finances as desired.
? Illiteracy Unawareness about nutritional requirements of a child also is one of
the major reasons for malnutrition.
? Poverty Lower purchasing power compounded by the lack of availability of
government support in the area adds to the problem.
? Low Sanitation facilities Open defecation is still prevalent in India, which
leads to greater susceptibility of children towards diseases and under-nutrition.

This requires active intervention so as to prevent loss in welfare for individuals

and of economy. The impact on individuals welfare and the challenges it poses for
the economy are:

? Lower productivity Malnutrition may lead to permanent stunting and wasting or

predisposing them towards certain nutrition-deficiency related diseases, thus
lowering their productivity and chance at better future.
? Cognitive impairment under-nutrition also leads to under development of
cognitive abilities, thus, hampering their chance at good education which is major
driver of social mobility as well.
? Increase in economic burden The unproductive population has to be supported by
the productive ones and through government interventions, thus posing additional
burden on exchequer. It will also lead to diversion of funds from other social
sector programs.
? Deepening of poverty The extra burden of a child with lower productivity
reduces the probability of them being coming out of the poverty. Rather families
just above poverty line may also be forced below it due to malnutrition. They are
just one illness away (which they are most susceptible to) from plunging back into
poverty or deeper into it as the case may be.
? Increase in inequality - Malnutrition gives edge to the children from good
families having sufficient nutrition in studies and overall work, which increases
the probability of undernourished to remain poor and never been able to reach up to
their actual potential
Thus child malnutrition should be adequately handled as it also is one of the major
contributers to child mortality rate in India.
5. The decriminalization of homosexuality in India has been debated at length in
recent times. Enumerate the major strands of this debate keeping in mind the issue
of individual rights, law and social morality.

In 2009, Delhi High Court had ruled the Section 377 of the IPC (which criminalises
intercourse against the order of nature) as unconstitutional. But, in 2013, Supreme
Court quashed the HC judgment stating it as judicial overreach. However, SC
recently decided to entertain a curative petition in this regard.
Section 377 is a Victorian era law that criminalizes unnatural sex. It includes
sex between gay partners and even sexual activities between heterosexuals. This
section has led to intense debate on its validity in a modern democratic society:
In favor of Section 377:
? There is a very strong connection between homosexuality and prevalence of
HIV/AIDS.
? Its removal will encourage pedophilia, hence propelling child rapes.
? Homosexuals are fixated on physical pleasure.
? Homosexuality is against Indian culture which does not permit such activities.
? Homosexuals have bad influence on children and are a social evil.
Against Section 377:
? Criminalizing consensual adult sex in private violates Articles 21, 14 and 15 of
Constitution and basic human rights of equality, dignity and privacy.
? It can be used by anyone against a gay person to harass him/her even for
unrelated reasons.
Homosexuals are miniscule minority and criminalization of homosexuality leads to
extreme
marginalization.
? Since, SC has granted status of third gender to trans-genders, Section 377 is
inconsistent with the judgment.
? It is a colonial era law, which has been done away in England itself which has
legalized same-sex marriage.
? Ancient and Medieval India had evidence of existence of homosexuality.
? Rampant sexual assaults on women by men worldwide are not cited to ban
heterosexual relations between consenting adults. Logic dictates that the same
reasoning be applied to same-gender relations.
? Criminalization makes LGBT persons vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases.
Social and familial chauvinism breeds secrecy leading to risky practices since sex
in a normal, regular environment is infeasible. Access to health services and
awareness-building exercises is limited in a homophobic environment.
Considering the fact it is against the rights of individuals in a democratic
society and a source of harassment and discrimination, it would be appropriate to
do away with this archaic law when most democracies have legalized same sex
relationships or are moving towards it.

6. Unemployment cannot be ascribed only to economic factors, social and personal

factors equally contribute to this phenomenon. Discuss.

Unemployment occurs when a person who is actively searching for employment is

unable to find work.
Unemployment is often used as a measure of the health of the economy.. Generally
economic causes such as inadequate economic growth, automation, increase in savings
as compared to investment and over production etc are seen as the key reasons,
However, social and personal factors too are important drivers of the phenomenon.
Social factors:
? Alarming growth rate of population - If the population is growing faster than the
expansion of corresponding avenues of employment, it is bound to result in greater
unemployment.
? Degrading social status The status of a person in society also is a major
factor. For example the probability of a person belonging to a lower caste to be
unemployed is more in our nation.
? Geographical immobility It refers to a situation when there is surplus labour
in one place and inadequate in other. It leads to unemployment. It may be due to
lack of information.
? Defective Education System - Our system of education is also defective. It is not
satisfactorily related to the socio-economic needs of our people. It does not breed
innovation as required in todays world rather education has become synonymous to
cramming and scoring ranks in our nation which decreases employability.

Personal factors:
? Lack of technical qualification - Advances in technical skills and highly
specialized division of labour makes it difficult to retain the existing workers
owing to lack of technical qualifications.
? Lack of experience It may be due to young age or lack of vocational training.
? Illness and disability It affects a person capability to achieve its maximum
potential, thus affecting productivity.
Thus unemployment can be explained effectively by combining the social and personal
with the economic factors.

7. Gender inequality is not a homogenous phenomenon but a collection of disparate

and interlinked problems. Discuss.

Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or perceptions of individuals based

on their gender. It can persists in multiple forms and has all pervasive effects.
According to the formulation offered by Amartya Sen:
? The preference for boys over girls is reflective in Natality inequality and
Mortality inequality.
? Basic facility and Special opportunity inequality manifests in in health,
education and professional training.
? Professional inequality emerges via differential wages and quality of work.
? The Ownership inequality prevails via absence of claims to property by females.
? Household inequality, in terms of sharing the burden of housework and child care
along with derivative inequalities in employment and recognition outside.
The Global Gender Gap Index score published by the World Economic Forum for each
nation every year focuses on the relative gap between men and women in four
fundamental categories - economic participation, educational attainment, health and
survival, and political empowerment. Similarly, the Gender Inequality Index of the
UNDP, which captures the loss of achievement within a country due to gender
inequality, uses three dimensions: reproductive health, empowerment, and labor
market participation.

The effects of gender inequality, though primarily seen through the prism of
discrimination against women, can impoverish the lives of men as well. Gender
inequality hurts the interests not only of girls and grown-up women, but also of
boys and men, through biological connections. For instance The neglect of the care
of girls and of women in general would tend to yield more maternal
undernourishment, and through that more foetal deprivation and distress,
underweight babies, and child undernourishment. The children start deprived and
stay deprived and increases incidences of cardiovascular diseases etc. in adults.
Similarly in the sphere of economy the ill effects percolates throughout. The
inherent failure to recognize women as economic agents has economic costs. On the
other hand, financial independence allows access to greater decision making power
and opportunities According to the IMF Indias GDP can expand by 27% through gender
parity in workforce.
In the social sphere it hampers socio-economic diversification due to limited
participation. While new developments in popular culture are inhibited, cultural
stereotypes are sustained. In political sphere gender inequality undermines the
promise of democracy and good governance. True liberty and equality cannot be
achieved without addressing gender inequality.
As discussed above inequality between women and men can take very many different
forms. Thus the need is to take a plural view of gender inequality in order to
address it adequately.

8. In context of the tribal communities in India, describe the importance of Common

Property Resource as a crucial part of the socio-economic setup. How has the
destruction of forest resources dismantled the traditional economic activity of the
tribes?

Common Property Resources constitute all such resources which are meant for common
use of the communities. In India such resources play a key role in rural
communities, especially so in the case of tribal communities.
Importance of CPR can be seen as follows:
? CPR provides fodder, food, fuel and raw materials to the inhabitants.
? It is deeply engrained in tribal traditions and socio-religious sentiments.
? The community cohesiveness is strengthened due to shared interests.
? It incorporates the sustainability of the tribal agro-ecological system (includes
village pastures and minor forests etc.)
? Apart from agriculture, the CPR are important source of livelihood for the
tribals esp. women.
Weaving, rope and basket making are important products for economic sustenance.
Prominently dependent on gathering, processing and marketing of non-timber forest
produce.
? It meets the need outside of the market framework; helping to reduce the
inequalities generated by private property resource.
The destruction of the forest resources, with its inception during the colonial
rule, has
intensified in the last few decades. Coupled with population growth, privatization
and public policy restriction on free access to forest has led to a greater
estrangement of resources. It has affected the traditional tribal economy and
lifestyle as follows:
? Tribal pauperization and indebtness have proliferated with visible changes in the
workforce (now as bonded labour etc).
? Population is declining in districts where CPRs are disappearing, because they
are migrating to other districts where the forests, even if they are degraded,
remain.
? Reduced availability of raw materials for tribal products weakened economic
viability and the overall variety and quality of products declined.
? food gathering was affected due to reduced forest cover.
? The disruption of nature's regenerative processes reduced the efficacy of
traditional strategies of the tribes against environmental stress in dry regions.
? Tribal communities have also suffered from displacement induced by the
developmental projects.
Their vulnerability is also apparent inforced integration into the mainstream, from
which they were historically protected due to their relative isolation.
The preservation of tribal ecological and cultural heritage requires promising
initiatives from the government and other agencies keeping the welfare of the
aggrieved in mind.

9. Removing barriers due to disability is not only a welfare issue but also one
which includes human development and human rights. Discuss. Highlight the lacunae
in present legislations and various governmental steps pertaining to the disabled
and suggest measures to improve them.

The Indian constitution implicitly mandates an inclusive society. However,

disability, exacerbated by the social attitudes and stigma, has remained a
challenge in achieving this mandate. According to Census 2011, the disabled in
India amount to 2.21% of population. There is a common concern that disabled
persons are among the most excluded ones in the development process of the country.
Issue:
The potential of People with Disabilities (PWDs) is largely undermined. They are
denied physical access to public and workplaces, education and legal redress
against discrimination. It results in lack of an enabling environment for
employability and skill development.
The differently-abled are treated as liability and their families and are not given
equitable status.
Psychologically low-values and low self-esteem emerge. Not only do the children and
women with disabilities face multiple discriminations, the connection between
disability and poverty is undeniable.
For long the PWDs continued to be viewed as biological victims in need of help.
Often with low awareness of rights and entitlements the PWDs remained subject to
multiple deprivations.
Hence there is an infringement of multiple, if not all, basic Human rights. Perhaps
the most glaring is the exclusion of PWDs from the millennium development goals
agenda till 2015
Measures:
India has made various policies regarding PWDs
? Disabilities Act of 1995,
? National Policies on PWDs, 2005.
? Ratification of the UN Convention on Rights of PWD.
? Sector-specific policies emerging e.g. National Action Plan for Inclusion in
Education of Children and Youth with Disabilities 2005/06, the Right of Persons
with Disabilities Bill 2014.
Arguably the policies have failed to provide for a majority of politico-civil
rights. For Instance the PWD Act 1995 fell short of identifying Disabled persons as
right holders.
Furthermore, the tardy implementation of the employment provision and absence of
penal
provisions for the non-implementation remain key concerns. Similarly, schemes for
integrated education, scholarships, medical-aids lack proper implementation.
Solutions:
For an all-encompassing headway, disabled-friendly infrastructure is essential.
Universal access and education grants empowerment which aids in availing fruits of
policy initiatives. In this direction, the PWD Bill 2014 raises the reservation to
the Disabled in the Govt. jobs from 3 to 5 percent. Assured voting rights are
featured while it attempts to address gender concerns also.
A key challenge is realizing the diversity and complexities of disability while
policy-formation and inducting the views of the activists and the aggrieved.
Also urgently revamp the prejudiced model of disability as a defect into a
socially incorporating model of differently-abled as respectable citizens.
An energized social and political will ensures equitable and dignified progression.

10. Post-independence India has witnessed many instances of extreme form of

regionalism. Is regionalism a threat to national integrity? How can regional
aspirations be addressed within the constitutional framework?

Regionalism, as an ideology and political movement, seeks to advance the causes of

regions. If the interest of one region or a state is asserted against the country
as a whole or against another region or state in a hostile way, and if a conflict
is promoted by such alleged interests, then it is called regionalism.
Post independence, India has witnessed many instances of regionalism maifested in:
the demand of Dravida Nadu, Telangana movement, Bodoland movement in Assam,
Khalistan movement. Interstate disputes also carried regionalist undertones. The
underlying causes range from regional disparity to the son of soil concept as well
as diversity of languages, cultures, ethnic groups etc.
Regionalism is often seen as a serious threat to the development, progress and
unity of the nation.
Internal security challenges by the insurgent groups, who propagate and are
motivated by the feelings of regionalism pose grave challenge to the internal
security of the country.. Regionalism at times transforms
into secessionism, especially in border areas often getting support from
neighboring countries.
The Constitution of India has adequate provisions to address the issue of regional
aspirations.
? Indian federalism provides a mechanism for addressing regionalism and reconciling
of regional identities within the democratic framework.
o The 73rd and 74th Amendment acts further addressed the regional aspiration by
devolving power and resources to be used as per regional needs.
? The regions under 5th and 6th Schedule enjoys certain autonomy which give them
scope to maintain their own culture and develop according to their own need.
? The provision of PESA Act, 1996 is a step towards bringing reconciliation with
the regional aspirations.
? Art 371 has special provisions helpful in addressing concerns of some states.
These provisions need to be implemented in true spirit and with adequate political
will to address the issues engendering regionalism.

11. Even though the provision of reservation for women has enhanced their presence
and visibility, this has not necessarily translated into their empowerment. Do you
agree? On what grounds is the reservation for women in Parliament opposed?
Women in India represents nearly 50% of the total population yet has mere 12%
representation in parliament . Though India embarked on a journey of universal
adult franchise even after 5 decades the statistics show that the political
equality has not transformed into social and economic equality for women in India.

? Visibility is taken for tokenism, an oft quoted example is that women sarpanches
survive because of the sarpanch pati or beta .
? HDI report ranks india 132 out of 148 countries on gender inequality index.
? Female labor participation is mere 29% as compared to 80% of men.
? Women ownership is still 4% whereas 73% of food production is done by rural
women.
The above statistics are disheartening but it cannot be ruled out completely that
reservation do not have a positive impact on status of women in the society.
In favour:
? In states like M.P , kerala , chattisgarh, rajasthan where the reservation has
been extended to women in local municipal corporations and PRIs , positive impact
on governance is visible where they are headed by women.
? They have contributed immensely in overcoming social taboos and constraints like
removal of ghunghat , sitting at same height as men on chairs etc.
? Though it begins at token equality that caused acute discomfort and even
confrontation, women especially dalit has been able to push boundaries and create
space in the decision making sphere across all sectors.
All this may lead to a gradual change in cultural values of community which will
slowly lead to not only equality in socio-economic area but also commensurate
political equality with decision making capability.
Opposition to the 108th constitutional bill providing reservation to women are on
following grounds:
? India being a Patriarchial society, thereby denying women any role in political
participation.
? Traditional orthodox groups like khap panchayat etc in opposition and political
pressure over parties as loss of vote bank, electoral calculations.
? Fear of usurpation of power by few in the form of entry of related women of
politician in parliament, thus capturing the whole process under the aegis of
nepotism and favoritism.
? Disincentive for MP and MLA as seats will be on rotation basis so they might not
focus on their constituencies.
? Reservation do not lead to real empowerment as seats are contested by women from
rich families, business and political families.
? Denies equality of opportunity to males to contest from those seats.
Though the bill is opposed, still it should be pursued so as to enable inclusive
growth to all in the society and also to guarantee democratic rights to women at
par with men.

12. Rapid growth of social media has changed human behavior in ways we have never
seen before. Elaborate. Do you think that social media can actually do more harm
than good?

Social media has immense impact on how we view ourselves and people around us and
the way we think and behave. It has the following listed impacts on our behavior
which were not observed hitherto:
? We keep comparing our lives with others. People tend to represent their lives as
better than it actually is on the social media platforms.
? Social media can cause behavioral disorders like restlessness on not being able
to use it, addiction of it, sleep disorders, depression and anxiety.
? Social media often glamorizes drugs, alcohol, lavish lifestyles and risky
behavior, having a bad influence on the youth.
? Social media has created virtual social groups of people that we may never meet.
It often leads to person getting isolated from people around.
? Social media has made people freely express their ideas and opinions and even
mobilizing masses as seen during Arab Spring.
Social medias influence on our behaviour has created several opportunities:
? Opportunity for business to find target audience, study consumer behaviour,
interact with customers and advertise with minimal cost.
? Helps in locating friends and relatives, finding support for job or ventures.
? Choose people with commonality of interests and opinions. Create social and
political awareness and mobilise people for a noble cause.
? It helps in real time information sharing and news.
However, it also has several negative fallouts:
? When potentially offensive content is posted online, the amount of feedback can
be excessive and brutal. This is particularly true with highly opinionated subjects
like politics and religion.
? Social media is used to spread misinformation and lies by people with vested
interests. This has led to communal disharmony, riots and physical attacks.
? It leads to cyberbullying and crimes against children like harassment,
inappropriate contact and pornography.
? Risks of fraud or Identity theft.
? Can lead to certain behavioural disorders and isolation from friends and family.
? Tend to lessen physical activity breeding lifestyle diseases.
Thus, social media has both pros and cons. However, if not used judiciously then it
can cause more harm than benefits it provides. Hence, there is a need for
ingraining some regulations and security features into social media use. Moreover,
public must be educated on how to use it and the dangers they can fall prey to if
they dont act with caution.

13. What do you mean by Juvenile Delinquency? Explain its causes and examine its
consequences. Analyse the procedures in place to deal with juvenile delinquents in
India.

Juvenile delinquency refers to a large variety of disapproved behavior of children

and adolescent which the society does not approve of, and for which some kind of
admonishment, punishment or corrective measure is justified in the public interest.
It covers a multitude of different violations of legal and social norms, from minor
offences to serious crimes, committed by juveniles.
In order to develop effective prevention programmes, the reasons behind juvenile
involvement in such activities need to be understood. Various causes for Juvenile
delinquency are as follows:
? Individual factors It includes certain personality traits like feeling of
insecurity, fear, lack of self control, emotional conflict etc.
? Family Broken homes, fathers work habits, cohesiveness of the family,
relations between parents, affection of siblings, standards of home, parents
discipline and affection etc. play a very important role in defining the behavior
of a child. These factors are undergoing changes due to urbanization, globalization
and cultural changes.
? School and Peer group relations After family, the child spends most of its time
in the school and with his friends. It can supplement the role of family in
enhancing values.
? Movies Cinema and Television has emerged as strong attractions for children in
recent times. Thus,
its content needs to be moderated according to the needs of the children.
? Persistent unemployment and low incomes It increases the likelihood of their
involvement in any
kind of criminal activities and unethical behavior
Juvenile delinquencies can be associated with following consequences:
? Lack of good economic opportunities Their past record may hurt their chances of
good
employment, housing and stable future.
? Low social status They along with their families may be looked down upon by the
society resulting into further family tensions as well as social conflicts.
? Increase in crime rates The present delinquencies if not corrected may fuel
further cases of unacceptable behavior from the same families or neighborhoods.
Considering that the rate of juvenile delinquencies in India in the last decade has
steadily increased, various measures have been put up in place to deal with
juvenile delinquencies. The juveniles are treated differently from an adult
criminal. There is separate juvenile justice board to decide on such cases. In this
respect, a new juvenile justice act 2015 has been adopted which apart from
establishing a Juvenile justice board, increases transparency in adoption and
follow up of families after adoption to ensure good environment to child and
corporal punishment to persons attracting child to unlawful activities etc. The
process aims to reform the child rather than punish it.

14. While the middle class is the cornerstone of any stable democracy, the Indian
middle class has become indifferent to society in its obsession with consumption.
Examine.

? India accounts for 3% of the global middle class with 23.6 million people.
? Three structural changes which are occurring in India service-sector led
economic growth, rapid expansion of urbanisation and higher education has
resulted in a massive expansion of the middle class in India.
Middle Class and Democracy:
? The Indian middle class forms the intelligensia of the country. They are not only
politically aware but also join various organizations eg NGOs, Civil Society,
political parties.
? They question the government policies on various platforms eg Mass media, RTI
etc.
? They form the backbone of democracy by practising their rights, acting as
responsible citizens.
Current Trends of Middle Class in India:
? One of the striking aspects of the contemporary society is the rapid development
of information technology. Largely the India middle class is connected via
technology. This exposes them to manipulation and targeting by e-commerce
companies, online spamming and advertising. Vulnerable sections like women and
children are often targeted by these agencies.
? Increased economic opportunities have brought women into mainstream workforce
hence
increasing the income and spending opportunities.
? Skill based segregation of work and contractualization of labour has led to
increased employment opportunities.
? Globalization has unfolded economic opportunities in the form of hefty pay
packages for students having degrees from IIT/IIMs.
? The favorable factors like cheap labour, Technology has led to shifting of back
offices of MNCs to India eg: Chennai, Bengaluru, Pune etc.
Increased Consumption of Middle Class:
? The Globalization change in India may be generating new forms of social and
economic competition that manifest themselves in terms of increased consumption.
? With more working hours, limited time is left for leisure activities and families
are buying this time by spending on travel, food etc.
? Increased spending on special occasions eg birthdays, anniversaries and festivals
are encouraged by shops, online portals through running schemes.
? Global Integration has intensified the Indian elites obsession with the West.
? Commercialization, Modernization, Export- oriented development, growing reliance
on private sector and the obession with the profit motive has led to culture of
consumption.
? In the era of globalization there is increased intermixing of the cultures
food, music, clothing styles, mass media and so on. This has impacted the
consumption patterns of the rising middle class.
However, the middle class is not completely driven by consumption and turning blind
eye to political developments. In fact, they are using various tools on social
media to raise awareness on matters of public importance. E-governance mechanisms
have been introduced by the government to answer the public grievances to answer
the increasing aware citizenry. Though there should be a concerted attempt by
member of society to understand that though money belong to the people, resources
belong to the society at large and there should be a parsimonious use of resources.

15. Even after years of independence and despite modern legislation, the antiquated
practice of child marriage still persists in certain sections. What are the reasons
for persistence of child marriage in India? How does it affect our society? What
can be done to eradicate this practice?

Child marriage is a traditional practice that in many places happens simply because
it has happened for generations and straying from tradition could mean exclusion
from the community. On top of this, there is limited capacity among officials and
lack of willingness to go against community decisions, since officials are
themselves part of the community.
In communities where a dowry or bride price is paid, it is often welcome income
for poor families; in those where the brides family pay the groom a dowry, they
often have to pay less money if the bride is young and uneducated.
Many parents marry off their daughters young because they feel it is in her best
interest, often to ensure her safety in areas where girls are at high risk of
physical or sexual assault. Limited education opportunities, low quality of
education, inadequate infrastructure, lack of transport and therefore concerns
about girls safety while travelling to school significantly contribute to keeping
girls out of school and therefore tend to favour child marriage.
Girls are often seen as a liability with limited economic role. Womens work is
confined to the household and is not valued. Archaic laws such as those of Muslim
Personal Law allows the marriage of girls aged between 15 and 18.
Child marriage ensues the vicious cycle of poverty. With little access to education
and economic opportunities, they and their families are more likely to live in
poverty. Child brides are often disempowered, dependent on their husbands and
deprived of their fundamental rights to health, education and safety. A system that
undervalues the contribution of young women limits its own possibilities. In this
way, child marriage drains country of the innovation and potential that would
enable them to thrive.

There is a need to implement a convergent strategy:

? Law enforcement: Capacity-building on laws, support mechanisms such as a child
marriage
telephone hotline.
? Girls empowerment: Life skills, protection skills.
? Community mobilization: Working with influential leaders, oaths and pledges,
counselling, folk and traditional media.
? Promoting convergence of sectors at all levels, in particular with education and
social protection schemes and programmes.
? Building a social movement on the lines of Bachpan Bachao Aandolan which would
emphasize on an IEC campaign and generating community support against such
practices.

16. With overpopulated cities and their strained infrastructure, India is in the
midst of an urban crisis. How far can the Smart Cities Mission help in upgradation
of existing cities in the country? What are the reservations of local bodies with
respect to this mission?

Most Indian cities are examples of unplanned urbanization. Physical infrastructure

like public transport, housing, hospitals and schools etc is inadequate for
sustaining the growing population pressure, both quantitatively and qualitatively
resulting in urban dreams becoming urban nightmares.
The Smart Cities Mission is an attempt to upgrade existing infrastructure and
ensure sustainable development through focus on sustainable and inclusive
development. It is concerned with converting certain areas of an existing city into
a smart city by city improvement (retrofitting), city renewal (redevelopment) or
city extension (Greenfield development). Assured water and power supply, sanitation
and solid waste management, efficient urban mobility and public transport, robust
IT connectivity, e-governance and citizen participation along with safety of its
citizens are its aims.
With credible financial backing promised by the government, the mission if
implemented earnestly has potential to transform the urban landscape.
The Mission puts the onus on Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in providing the roadmap of
smart city.
However, centre has proposed Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) constituted in each city
with powers to implement the mission. It will plan, appraise, approve, release
funds, implement, manage, operate, monitor and evaluate the Smart City development
projects.
Many Municipal Corporations fear that they would get side-lined and their autonomy
compromised due to SPVs. ULBs will have a stake in SPVs, but an SPV is also
empowered to enter into PPPs.
The Mission encourages State government and urban local bodies to delegate the
rights and obligations of the municipal council with respect to the project to SPV.
Hence the influence of private investors and
consulting firms in urban governance is likely to increase with Smart Cities and
this is worrying for ULBs.
Concerns regarding the stifling of local autonomy and democracy are valid since,
instead of the democratically elected local government, it will be an SPV mandated
by a central policy that will govern the smart city.
Admittedly, our local governments are not the most efficient or responsive, but an
SPV-driven Smart City is not a lasting solution to the ills of city governance.
A sustainable urban future would require comprehensive governance reforms that
empower city governments with more administrative and financial powers and devolve
functions further to lower units within the city government in true democratic
spirit.

17. What are Personal Law Boards? Are their decisions binding on citizens? How can
the incongruence between the principles followed by them and those of the common
law courts be reconciled? Discuss.

In India different religions are governed by their own personal laws. Every
religion follows its own personal law in the matters pertaining to marriage,
adoption, successions etc. All these matters are decided and mobilized by various
personal law boards representing the religion.
Personal Law Boards are non-governmental organization constituted to adopt suitable
strategies for the protection and continued applicability of Personal laws in
India. The Boards present themselves as the leading body of religious group opinion
in India. These Boards work liaise with and influence the Government and guide the
general public about the critical issues. They primarily defend the personal laws
from any laws or legislation that they consider infringes on it.
The decisions of these Boards which are backed up by the legislations like that of
the Hindu Law act (1955-56), Muslim personal law (shariat) application acts, 1937
etc. are binding on the citizens. However, those decisions which infringe upon the
Fundamental rights of the citizens are not binding, although not following them can
have repercussions like community boycott or personal attacks.
The incongruence between the principles followed by them and those of the common
law courts can be reconciled through greater interaction between them, judges, law-
makers, religious leaders and community. This will help to iron out the differences
in the legal opinion regarding matters of personal law. Hardly any forums for such
interactions exist as of now. It should be done on urgency considering the divisive
and sensitive nature of such issues. Some other measures can be:
? Clearly interpreting Article 25 in conjunction with Article 44.
? Addressing the fears of minorities by citing example of Hindu Law which has
become part of regular law courts and proved quite progressive.
? Most vulnerable and victimized section that is women need to be brought into
these Boards and codes should be made keeping their plights in minds.
? A comprehensive review of the personal laws with an aim to align the with modern
progressive ethos.

18. What seems globalisation at the macro-level, is actually glocalisation at the

local level. Discuss.

Globalisation is the process of international integration arising from the

interchange of world views, products, ideas and other aspects of culture. While
various trade agreements have brought the world closer in terms of economy, the
dominance of ideas, corporations, media outlets and art forms belonging to west
have led to homogenization in political, social, cultural and behavioral realm.
However, a closer look tells a different story. To increase the acceptance of
foreign products among a local audience, global restaurants can be seen altering
the menu to suit local taste and cuisine. This simultaneity or co-presence of both
global and local tendencies can be called glocalisation.
In the field of culture, glocalisation can be seen when elements of global culture
(such as movies, global brands, or consumption patterns) are reinterpreted by local
cultures. It can also happen when elements of a local culture are combined with a
global phenomenon. For instance, when in the lobby of an international standard
hotel, elements of local culture are introduced through, for instance, a local
style of decoration or uniforms.
In the field of economics, glocalisation also occurs when global firms open
branches in region where there are specific labour skills that are relatively
difficult to find. In this case, global firms become locally territorialized
through their workers or specific local settings (for example through their
proximity to a prestigious university or through good relations with their
suppliers), in the sense that they are dependent on these specific local goods or
services and therefore cannot move away easily. This is, for
example, the case of Silicon Valley and some other industrial districts.
Internet encourages globalization, such as encouraging people to make websites in
their native languages.
Glocalisation dynamics have created context-dependent outcomes based on local
sensitivities and needs.
One can say glocalisation is the way in which globalisation really operates.

19. Over the past few years, there have been innumerable cases of domestic workers,
nearly all of them female, being abused and exploited by their employers. What are
the factors that make domestic workers vulnerable to abuse and exploitation?
Enumerate the provisions in Domestic Workers Welfare and Social Security Act 2010
to prevent their exploitation.

Every year thousands of complaints of exploitation and abuse of domestic workers

are received with most of them about unpaid wages, food and sleep deprivation and
long work hours with verbal, physical and sexual abuse. The reported cases are
miniscule per cent of actual abuse of a workforce consisting of 80% of women.
Several factors have led to such state:
? Absence of legal protection through a specific law.
? Paid domestic work continues to be excluded from the central list of scheduled
employments under the Minimum Wages Act of 1948. It is also not covered under
Payment of Wages Act (1936), Workmens Compensation Act (1923), Contract Labor Act
(1970) or the Maternity Benefit Act (1961).
? Only seven states have the provision of minimum wages for them. Hence, wage
fixation and payment is arbitrary. Even, where it has been fixed, the wage rate is
very low.
? Sector is dominated by women. In India, 73% of working women are illiterate or
educated upto primary level. Thus, they are unaware of their rights and fail to
unite themselves.
? Majority of domestic workers are distress migrants, SCs/STs and EWS, seeking
employment
desperately. They accept work under any conditions and become vulnerable to
exploitation as well as caste and class discrimination.
? Mobilizing domestic workers to assert their rights is difficult. Also, workplace
is an extremely amorphous term in this particular context, as it typically connotes
more than one household. The isolated and unprotected nature of the activity makes
workers vulnerable.
To improve the situation of domestic workers, NCW drafted Domestic Workers Welfare
and Social Security Act, 2010 Bill. Some important provisions are as follows:
? It brings domestic workers under the ambit of organized sector.
? Three tier architecture of Central Advisory Committee to implement and review the
Act, State Advisory Board for implementation in states and District Boards at the
district level.
? It creates a Domestic Workers Welfare Fund.
? Defines rights of full-time domestic workers and process of their registration
and identification.
? It also has provisions for registering part-time helps and migrant domestic
workers.

? It seeks to regulate minimum wages, working conditions and working hours..

? The bill mandates domestic worker to be above 18 years.
Since, India is signatory to ILO Convention on Domestic Workers, it is high time
that we pass this bill which is hanging since years to protect the rights of the
domestic workers.

20. Reservation policy is a logical and useful strategy for ensuring justice and
providing equal opportunity to the socially oppressed groups. Discuss.

The reservation policy was a corrective step towards the castes that were
subjugated and marginalized since centuries. Since, they were not in position to
compete openly for the employment and education opportunities, reservation came as
a great equalizer.
It has been useful in ensuring justice and equal opportunity to the socially
oppressed groups due to following reasons:
? Increase opportunities It provides greater opportunities for the backward
classes to break the shackles of oppression in a society where still caste plays a
dominant role.
? Equitable distribution of benefits of development It increases the possibility
of distributing the benefits of development equally and reduce inequality in the
society.
? New social order It helps in securing a just position to the underprivileged in
the society and an opportunity to rise on social scale.
? Political and economic power- It has led to emergence of political and economic
leaders among the lower castes giving them confidence that had been missing for
centuries.
However, reservation has been a matter of continuous debate in Indian polity. It is
opposed due to following reasons:
? Hardening caste identities and promoting caste based politics.
? Replacing of merit by mediocrity especially in cases of promotion.
? Political attempts to include more and more castes in the reserved list for votes
? Reservation and anti-reservation agitations triggering violence like that in
Haryana and Gujarat.
? Increasing discontent among advanced castes due to misuse of this policy.
? Concentration of reservation of benefits by the well to do segments of the lower
castes rather than benefitting the needy amongst them.
Thus, without doubt the policy has been proved to be a great equalizer, but it is
also true that it has been misused. Moreover, it leaves out the poor and
marginalized of other sections that need a push. Hence, it would be judicious to
review the policy by improving its accessibility to every stratum of the lower
castes.
A gradual movement towards reservation based on economic criteria is now a feasible
idea with the advent of ICT tools like Adhaar.