GS-01

Q. “Regionalism is a threat to maintaining ‘unity in diversity’ in

India.” Critically analyse the given statement. (250 words)
01 Nov, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Define regionalism and the concept of unity in diversity.

 Discuss the causes of regionalism in India.
 Give positive and negative impacts of regionalism.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 Unity in Diversity: India is a land of diversity; however, there are

bonds of unity underlying all this diversity. These are geo-political
unity, the institution of pilgrimage, tradition of accommodation,
and tradition of interdependence.
 Regionalism: Regionalism is an ideology and political movement
that seeks to advance the causes of regions. Regionalism at
national level refers to a process in which sub-state actors
become increasingly powerful; power devolves from central level
to regional governments.

o Roots of regionalism is in India’s diversity of languages, cultures,

ethnic groups, communities, religions and so on, and encouraged
by the regional concentration of those identity markers, and fueled
by a sense of regional deprivation.

Body
Causes of Regionalism
 Language: The demand of linguistic states has fuelled
regionalism which led to formation of new states like Andhra
Pradesh, Punjab etc.
 Religion: It is also one of the major factors of regionalism.
Example:

o The demand of three autonomous states in Jammu & Kashmir is

based on religion. The bases for their demands are- Kashmir for
Muslim dominated, Jammu for Hindu dominated and Ladakh for
Buddhism dominated region.
 Regional Culture/Ethnic: The North-east states were created on
the basis of cultural aspects. Besides the economic issues, the
regional culture played significant role in the formation of
Jharkhand as a state
 Economic Backwardness: The uneven pattern of
socioeconomic development has created regional disparities. The
categorization and sub-categorization of the states on the basis of
socioeconomic development and use of resources have
generated resentment, leading to regionalism. Example:

o Split of Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, demand for separate

statehood for Vidarbha, Saurashtra etc.
 Rise of Political Parties: Coalition politics and rise of regional
political parties has led to gaining of regionalism as a political tool
to garner votes, thereby deepening the fault lines.
 Son of the Soil Doctrine: According to this, a state specifically
belongs to the native group only, who are the sons of the soil or
local residents. The doctrine gains currency due to competition for
jobs and resources between migrant and local educated middle
class youth. Example:

o Maharashtra for Marathas, Gujrat for Gujaratis etc.

Negative Impacts
 Rise of Insurgency: Regionalism is a threat to the development
and unity of the nation as it creates internal security challenges by
the insurgent groups (Khalistan movement in Punjab), who
propagate the feelings of regionalism against the mainstream
politico-administrative setup of the country.
 Asymmetrical Development: Regional demands undermine
national demands as Developmental plans are implemented
unevenly focusing on regions to which important leaders belong,
hence unrest is generated among the rest of the regions.
 Challenge to Foreign Policy: Regionalism creates hurdles in
international diplomacy, for example in case of Mamata Banerjee
not agreeing to Land Boundary agreement and Teesta River
Water sharing, when the leaders at centre level were ready to do
it.
 Restricting Fundamental Rights: Restricts freedom of
movement and profession, defeating Article 19 of the constitution,
as non natives are exploited and mistreated leading to
vulnerability of the migrant population. For ex: recent Gujarat
migrant crisis.
 Against Constitutional Ethos: It goes against ethos, culture and
constitutional ideals of India which are syncretic, democratic,
federal polity.

Positive Impacts

 Symmetrical Development: Regional aspirations have a positive

impact on balanced regional development as concerns are voiced
and heard by central authority which then tries to minimize the
disparities.
 Competitive Federalism: It helps in the development of a spirit
of competitive federalism, thereby lifting the underdeveloped
regions on par with national growth.
 Promotes Democratic Ethos: Regionalism helps in promoting
the democratic culture of society by discussion, debate and action
on regional issues.
 Safety Valve: It provides an outlet to the diverse discourse and
concerns of society and their timely redressal, which helps in
releasing tension/ stress that may arise in a diverse society
thereby acting as a safety valve.

Conclusion
Thus, regionalism is a natural phenomenon in a federal polity like
India where diversities are territorially grouped, largely on political,
ethnic, cultural and linguistic basis. The federal system of polity
has indeed made regionalism feasible and vice-versa.

hat do you understand by Sufism. Explain how Sufism is relevant

in the present times?
18 Oct, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Sufism is the name given to mysticism in Islam, a school of
practice that focuses on the spiritual search for God and shuns
materialism., and those who practice Sufism are called Sufis.
Sufism came to India in the 10-11th century and became popular
in the 12th century. By the 12th century, the Sufis were organised
in 12 orders or Silsilas. A Silsila was generally led by a prominent
mystic who lived in a Khanqah or hospice along with his disciples.
The four most popular Silsilas were:

 Chistis
 Suhrawardis
 Qadri-riyas and
 Naqshbandis.

Salient Features of Sufism

 Fundamental principle: God, man and the relation of love

between God and man is fundamental to Sufism.
 Central Ideas: The idea of soul, divine proximity, divine love and
self annihilation are central to the theory of Sufism.
 Love of humanity: According to Sufism, love of God meant love
of humanity and thus, they stressed that service to God is nothing
but service of humanity.
 Belief in Equality: Sufism transcends all religious and communal
distinctions and treats all human beings as equal.
 Self discipline: Sufism also lays stress on self discipline and
considers it essential to gain knowledge of God.
 Inner Purity: Unlike orthodox Muslim sects, who lay emphasis on
external conduct. Sufism lays stress on inner purity.

Relevance of Sufism in the present times

With growing intolerance and violence in society, Sufism has
become all the more important in present times.

 Non Violence: Sufism believes in love and devotion to God. It

has no place for violence in its order. It is antithetical to the violent
and radical form of Islam as followed by Taliban.
 Equality of Beings: It does not believe in any societal
classification such as religion, caste, class or gender. With
growing differences between people, Sufism gives the message
of essential equality of all human beings.
 Social Welfare: It stresses on social welfare which has led to the
establishment of works of charitable nature, opening of
orphanages and women service centres. Nizamuddin Auliya was
famous for distributing gifts amongst the needy irrespective of
religion or caste. The importance of social welfare work came to
the fore during Covid-19 pandemic.
 Morality: At a time when struggle for power is the prevailing
madness, Sufism reminds men of their moral obligations. In this
world which is torn by strife and conflict, It gives the message of
peace and harmony.
 Meditation: Another idea emphasized by Sufism is meditation.
With growing stress in our body and mind, meditation gives a
 sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your
emotional well-being and your overall health.

Conclusion
Sufism has left a prevailing impact on religious, cultural, and
social life in the world. Its teachings of service to humanity and
love for God still resonates with people today. Sufis were firm in
abstaining from religious and communal conflict and strived to be
peaceful elements of civil society.
In these tough and uncertain times, the teachings of Sufism can
be a guiding light to humanity the world over.

. The bank nationalization in 1969 did India more harm than good.
Critically examine. (250 words)
04 Oct, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Write about the history of bank nationalization in the introduction.

 Mention its objectives and benefits for the Indian economy.
 Mention the negative fallouts of the move.
 Conclude by giving its relevance for the ongoing banking reforms
today.

Introduction
On 19 July 1969, Indira Gandhi government decided to
nationalize fourteen of India's major private sector banks. It is
considered as the most radical change in the history of the
banking sector in India.
The decade of 1960-70 was marked with major events like two
wars in 1962 with China and in 1965 with Pakistan, and two
successive years of drought. The overall economy was in bad
 shape. In this backdrop, the decision of bank nationalization was
taken.
Body
The major causes and objectives of bank nationalization were:

 Financial inclusion: Indian rural financial system was dominated

by rich landlords, moneylenders and traders. 93% of household
debt came from non-institutional sources.
 Social welfare: Lack of social protection like insurance facilities,
investment options for old age, etc. in the rural areas.
 Controlling private monopolies: Private Banks were owned by
a limited number of people who dominated the credit market.

It had a significant impact on the lives of people of lower strata of

society. Major benefits of the bank nationalization move are:

 Branches of the public sector bank India rose to

approximately 800% in deposits and advances took a huge jump
by 11,000%.
 Government ownership gave the public implicit faith and
immense confidence about the sustainability of the banks.
 Indian banking system reached the remotest corners of the
country with the advent of Lead Bank Scheme where major banks
were allowed to expand and lead a district.
 It had multiplier effects and even led to the success of the
Green Revolution. It also promoted rapid growth in agriculture,
small industries and export, encouraged new entrepreneurs in
backward areas.

However, many political analysts argue that the move was suited
for political gains of the government to show India’s socialistic
leanings with ‘Garibi Hatao’ as a household slogan at that time. It
had many negative fallouts for the already crisis stricken economy
at that time:
 It sowed the seed of the NPA crisis that emerged in 2012. The
credit bubble that grew under political patronage emerged out of
government's control over Banks.
 It led to an incredibly complex interest rate structure with
hundreds of interest rates for different types of loans.
o It increased corruption, bureaucratic inertia and license raj so
that loans never reached the needy ones.
 The move was against market fundamentals. It reduced
competition among the banks as they were forced to extend
loans as per priority sector lending norms.
 Dampened growth in other sectors due to lack of credit to core
industries.

Conclusion
Former RBI governors M Narasimham (as early as the 1990s)
and more recently Raghuram Rajan and Urjit Patel have called for
governance reforms and asked that the government let go control
of some banks, if not all. So the government should consider a
couple of state-owned banks to meet social objectives while the
rest slowly getting out of government control.
India’s goal of becoming a $5 trillion economy by 2024 can only
be achieved by resolving the ongoing crisis like non-performing
assets, the inherent deficiency of public sector banking, the
structure of non-banking financial companies and small- and
medium-enterprises.

Q. The 'Quit India' movement, more than anything, united the

Indian people against British rule. Discuss. (150 Words).
01 Oct, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Explain about the Quit India movement in brief.

 Discuss the success of the movement in uniting Indian people
against British rule.
 Also discuss the failure of the movement.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
On 8th August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call to end
the British rule and launched the Quit India Movement at the
session of the All-India Congress Committee in Mumbai.
Gandhiji gave the call “Do or Die” in his speech delivered at the
Gowalia Tank Maidan.
Causes of the movement

 The immediate cause for the movement was the collapse of

Cripps Mission. The mission failed because it offered India not
complete freedom but the Dominion Status , along with the
partition.
 The British assumption of unconditional support from India to the
British in World War II was not taken well by the Indian National
Congress.
 The anti-British sentiments and demand for full-independence had
gained popularity among indian masses.
 Shortage of Essential Commodities: The economy was in shatters
as a result of World War II.

Body
Successes of the Movement

 Rise of Nationalism: A greater sense of unity and brotherhood

emerged due to the Quit India Movement. Many students dropped
out of schools and colleges, people gave up their jobs and
withdrew money from the banks.
 Women Participation: Women took active participation in the
movement. Female leaders like Usha Mehta helped set up an
 underground radio station which led to the awakening about the
movement.
 Rise of Future Leaders: Underground activities were taken by
leaders that included Ram Manohar Lohia, J.P. Narayan, Aruna
Asaf Ali, Biju Patnaik, Sucheta Kriplani, etc which later emerged
as prominent leaders.
 Paved the way for Independence: While the Quit India
campaign was crushed in 1944, with the British refusing to grant
immediate independence, saying it could happen only after the
war had ended, they came to the important realization that India
was ungovernable in the long run due to the cost of World War II.

o It changed the nature of political negotiations with British,

ultimately paving the way for India's independence.

Failure of the Movement

 Brutal Repression: The movement saw violence at some places

which was not premeditated.

o The movement was violently suppressed by the British – people

were shot, lathi-charged, villages burnt and enormous fines
imposed.
o Over 1,00,000 people were arrested and the government resorted
to violence in order to crush the agitation.
 Lack of Support: Muslim League, the Communist Party of India
and the Hindu Mahasabha did not support the movement. The
Indian bureaucracy also did not support the movement.

o Meanwhile, Subhas Chandra Bose, organised the Indian National

Army and the Azad Hind government from outside the country.
o Many Congress members like C Rajagopalachari resigned from
the provincial legislature as they did not favour Mahatma Gandhi's
idea.
 Conclusion
The Quit India movement was the spontaneous participation of
the masses compared to the other Gandhian movements like
non-cooperation and civil disobedience. The great significance of
this historic movement was that it placed the demand for
independence on the immediate agenda of the national
movement.
After ‘Quit India’ there could be no retreat. Independence was no
longer a matter of bargain. And this became amply clear after
World War-II

. Food fortification is the new panacea for nutritional deficiency in

the Indian population. Critically discuss. (250 Words)
27 Sep, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start with explaining about the food fortification.

 Discuss the potential advantages of food fortification in India.
 Discuss the adverse impacts of using food fortification.
 Conclude with the way forward.

Introduction
Food fortification is the process of adding micronutrients
(essential trace elements and vitamins) to food. It can be carried
out by food manufacturers, or by governments as a public health
policy which aims to reduce the number of people with dietary
deficiencies within a population.
Body
Advantages of Food Fortification
 Increase in Nutritional Value: The biofortified crops have 1.5 to
3 times higher levels of protein, vitamins, minerals and amino
acids compared to the traditional varieties.
 Safer Method of Fortification: It is worth noting that these
varieties are not genetically modified — they have been
developed through conventional crop breeding techniques by the
scientists. Moreover, the addition of micronutrients to food does
not pose a health risk to people.
 Nutritional Security at Large: Since the nutrients are added to
staple foods that are widely consumed, this is an excellent
method to improve the health of a large section of the population,
all at once.
 Does Not Require Behaviour Change: It does not require any
changes in food habits and patterns of people. It is a socio-
culturally acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people.
 Quick Results: It can be implemented quickly as well as show
results in improvement of health in a relatively short period of
time.
 Cost Effective: This method is cost-effective especially if
advantage is taken of the existing technology and delivery
platforms.

o The Copenhagen Consensus estimates that every 1 Rupee spent

on fortification results in 9 Rupees in benefits to the economy.

Adverse Impacts of Food Fortification

 Not a Substitute of Good Nutrition: While fortified foods contain

increased amounts of selected micronutrients, they are not a
substitute for a good quality diet that supplies adequate amounts
of energy, protein, essential fats and other food constituents
required for optimal health.
 Fails to Cater to the Poorest Segment of the
Population: Poorest segments of the general population have
 restricted access to fortified foods in the open markets due to low
purchasing power and an underdeveloped distribution channel.
 Inconclusive Evidence: Evidence supporting fortification is
inconclusive and certainly not adequate before major national
policies are rolled out.
 Can Have Detrimental Effects: Adding one or two synthetic
chemical vitamins and minerals will not solve the larger problem,
and in undernourished populations can lead to many detrimental
effects like toxicity.
 Decrease Value of Natural Food: Once iron-fortified rice is sold
as the remedy to anaemia, the value and the choice of naturally
iron-rich foods like millets, varieties of green leafy vegetables,
flesh foods, liver, to name a few, will have been suppressed by a
policy of silence.

Way Forward

 Increasing Women’s Nutritional Literacy: There is a direct

correlation between mothers’ education and the wellbeing of
children.

o Hence, programmes for improving the educational status of girls

and reducing the school dropout rates, particularly at the
secondary and higher educational levels, need to be promoted.
 Need For Multi-pronged Approach: It must be recognised that
in the long run, India needs a multi-pronged approach [access to
basic infrastructure (electricity, drinking water and sanitation)] to
eliminate the root cause of this complex problem.

Gupta period in ancient India is noted for its achievements in the

arts, architecture, sciences, religion, and philosophy. Comment.
(150 Words).
 20 Sep, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach

 Introduce with writing about the Gupta empire and its expanse.
 Discuss the achievements of the Gupta empire in the fields of art,
architecture, sciences, religion, and philosophy.
 Also discuss social issues that emerged in this period.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
The Gupta Empire stretched across northern, central and parts of
southern India between 320 and 550 CE. The period is noted for
its achievements in the arts, architecture, sciences, religion, and
philosophy.
Body

 Governance: They ruled over an extensive empire with their

capital at Pataliputra and maintained unity and integrity of india.

o The Gupta age witnessed political unification of India after long

period of more than 500 years after the decline of Mauryans.
o The efficiency of their martial system was well known. The large
kingdom was divided into smaller pradesha (provinces).
 Economic prosperity: Gupta age was full of economic
prosperity. According to Chinese traveller Fa-hien Magadh, the
power centre of Gupta empire was full of cities and its rich people.

o In ancient India, the Guptas issued the largest number of gold

coins which were called ‘dinaras’ in their inscriptions.
o Gold and silver coins were issued in great numbers which is a
general indicator of the health of the economy.
o Trade and commerce flourished both within the country and
outside. Silk, cotton, spices, medicine, priceless gemstones,
pearl, precious metal and steel were exported by sea.
 Religion: They were devout Vaishnava themselves, yet that did
not prevent them from being tolerant towards the believers of
Buddhism and Jainism.
 Literature: Poet and playwright Kalidasa created such epics as
Abhijnanasakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram, Raghuvansha and
Kumarsambhaba. Harishena composed Allahabad Prasasti,
Sudraka wrote Mricchakatika, Vishakhadatta created
Mudrarakshasa and Vishnusharma penned Panchatantra.
 Science and Technology: Varahamihira wrote Brihatsamhita
and also contributed to the fields of astronomy and astrology.
Genius mathematician and astronomer Aryabhata wrote Surya
Siddhanta which covered several aspects of geometry,
trigonometry and cosmology. Shanku devoted himself to creating
texts about Geography.
 Architecture: The Gupta age craftsmen distinguished
themselves by their work in iron and bronze. For example, iron
pillar found at Mehrauli in Delhi manufactured in the 4 th century
AD has not gathered any rust over the subsequent fifteen
centuries which is a great tribute to the technological skill of the
craftsmen.

o The finest examples of painting, sculpture and architecture of the

period can be found in Ajanta, Ellora, Sarnath, Mathura,
Anuradhapura and Sigiriya.

Social degradation during the period

 However, it should be noted that the Gupta age did not witness
progress in social development, for example the number
of chandalas (untouchables) increased and their condition
worsened during the Gupta age.
 The first example of the sati occurred during the Gupta
period in 510 AD etc.

Conclusion
 The Gupta age began a period of overall prosperity and growth
that continued for the next two and half centuries which came to
be known as a Golden Age in India's history.
However, the golden character of Gupta age can be accepted
only in degrees not in absolute terms.

Q. ‘France and the United States are rightly considered the birth
places of modern democracy.’ Discuss the statement in the light
of the French and American revolution.
13 Sep, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start with writing in brief about the French and American

revolutions.
 Discuss how the two revolutions pave the way for democratic
ideals in the world.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
The American Revolution and the French Revolution are
considered as a cardinal epoch in world history. It gave a death
blow to the old orthodox system of governance and installed
modern ideals for governing nations.
Body
American Revolution’s contribution to Modern World

 Principles of liberty and democracy: The declaration of

independence proclaimed that “all men are equal”. It provided an
impetus to the people of the world to demand liberty and freedom.
 Constitutionalism: The revolution led to the first written
constitution in the world which served as an inspiration for many
nations who borrowed many ideas from the American constitution.
 The American war of independence gave birth to a novel system
of government, viz, Federalism. In the course of time, the federal
form of government got popularity. This provided a nice template
for power sharing in diverse countries that needed complex
polities.
 Promotion of Human Rights: The American war of
independence laid stress on the rights of the human being. The
“Declaration of Rights” of Thomas Jefferson awakened the people
about their rights.

French Revolution’s contribution to Modern World

 The democratisation of society: The French Revolution was a

pan-European revolution. It hacked the roots of the ancient
system in Europe and ended the centuries-old feudal system.
Before the revolution, the society was based on inequality,
disparity, privileges and concessions. The revolution attacked the
roots of this disparity. It initiated a new social organization.
 Ideals of modernity: liberty, equality and fraternity brought
political awakening in Europe.
 Secularism: The revolution ended the sovereignty, despotism
and corruption of the Church. The importance of the worship of
intellect and reason became more prominent.
 The people demanded not only political freedom but also the right
to property and freedom of expression. They also demanded
voting rights. Women claimed equal rights with men.
 The Revolution aroused the spirit of nationalism. It paved the
way for the unification of Italy and Germany. It also popularized
the concept of democracy.
 Colonised peoples reworked the idea of freedom from bondage
into their movements to create a sovereign nation-state.
 Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy are two examples of individuals
who responded to the ideas coming from revolutionary France.

Conclusion
French and American revolution not only laid the edifice for a
newly emerging egalitarian society and a new way of polity in their
respective countries but they also acted as the philosophical basis
and aspiration of the people of other nations. The revolutions
highlighted the fundamentals of a civilised world which continues
to shape the global aspirations of today’s time.

Q. India is on the right side of demographic transition that

provides a golden opportunity for its rapid socio-economic
development, if policymakers align the developmental policies
with this demographic shift. Discuss. (250 Words)
06 Sep, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start with explaining about the demographic dividend and how it

is a golden opportunity for India’s socio-economic development.
 Discuss the issues faced in the realisation of the demographic
dividend stage in India.
 Suggest what should be the policy for the realisation of the
demographic dividend.

Introduction
According to United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA),
demographic dividend means, "the economic growth potential that
can result from shifts in a population’s age structure, mainly when
the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is larger than
 the non-working-age share of the population (14 and younger,
and 65 and older)".
India has 62.5% of its population in the age group of 15-59 years
which is ever increasing and will be at the peak around 2036
when it will reach approximately 65%. According to Economic
Survey 2018-19, India’s Demographic Dividend will peak around
2041, when the share of working-age,i.e. 20-59 years, population
is expected to hit 59%.
Body
Demographic Dividend provides golden opportunity

 Better economic growth brought about by increased economic

activities due to higher working age population and lower
dependent population. It will be channelised in following ways:

o Increased Labour Force that enhances the productivity of the

economy.
o Increased fiscal space created by the demographic dividend to
divert resources from spending on children to investing in physical
and human infrastructure.
o Rise in women’s workforce that naturally accompanies a decline
in fertility, and which can be a new source of growth.
o Increase in savings rate, as the working age also happens to be
the prime period for saving.

Challenges Associated with Demographic Dividend

 Lack of skills: Most of the new jobs that will be created in the
future will be highly skilled and lack of skill in Indian workforce is a
major challenge. India may not be able to take advantage of the
opportunities, due to a low human capital base and lack of skills.
 Low human development parameters: India ranks 130 out of
189 countries in UNDP’s Human Development Index, which is
[Link], health and education parameters need to be
 improved substantially to make the Indian workforce efficient and
skilled.
 Informal nature of the economy in India is another hurdle in
reaping the benefits of demographic transition in India.
 Jobless growth: There is mounting concern that future growth
could turn out to be jobless due to de-industrialization, de-
globalization, the fourth industrial revolution and technological
progress. As per the NSSO Periodic Labour Force Survey 2017-
18, India’s labour force participation rate for the age-group 15-59
years is around 53%, that is, around half of the working age
population is jobless.

Way Forward-Policy making need

 Building human capital: Investing in people through healthcare,

quality education, jobs and skills helps build human capital, which
is key to supporting economic growth, ending extreme poverty,
and creating a more inclusive society.

o Skill development to increase employability of the young

population. India’s labour force needs to be empowered with the
right skills for the modern economy.
o Education: Enhancing educational levels by properly investing in
primary, secondary and higher education. India, which has almost
41% of population below the age of 20 years, can reap the
demographic dividend only if with a better education system. Also,
academic-industry collaboration is necessary to synchronise
modern industry demands and learning levels in academics.
o Health: Improvement in healthcare infrastructure would ensure a
higher number of productive days for the young labourforce, thus
increasing the productivity of the economy.
o Job Creation: The nation needs to create ten million jobs per
year to absorb the addition of young people into the workforce.
 Promoting businesses’ interests and entrepreneurship would help
in job creation to provide employment to the large labourforce.
 India’s improved ranking in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing
Business Index is a good sign.
 Urbanisation: The large young and working population in the
years to come will migrate to urban areas within their own and
other States, leading to rapid and large-scale increase in urban
population.

o How these migrating people can have access to basic amenities,

health and social services in urban areas need to be the focus of
urban policy planning.

Conclusion
By learning from global approaches from countries such as Japan
and Korea and designing solutions considering the domestic
complexities, we would be able to reap the benefits of
demographic dividend.

Q. What do you understand by Black Carbon? Discuss its impacts

on the melting of glacier. (150 Words)
30 Aug, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start with explaining about Black carbon.

 Discuss its impacts especially on the melting of glaciers.
 Give a way forward.

Introduction
 Black carbon, that often causes glaciers to recede, is emitted in
the atmosphere due to incomplete combustion of fossil fuels in
motor vehicles and aircraft exhausts, biofuel and biomass.
Body
Black Carbons

 Black Carbon is a short-lived pollutant that is the second-largest

contributor to warming the planet behind carbon dioxide (CO 2).

o Unlike other greenhouse gas emissions, BC is quickly washed out

and can be eliminated from the atmosphere if emissions stop.
o Unlike historical carbon emissions it is also a localised source
with greater local impact.
o Black carbon is a kind of an aerosol.
 General Impacts: Among aerosols (such as brown carbon,
sulphates), Black Carbon (BC) has been recognized as the
second most important anthropogenic agent for climate change
and the primary marker to understand the adverse effects caused
by air pollution.
 Emission: It gets emitted from gas and diesel engines, coal-fired
power plants, and other sources that burn fossil fuel. It comprises
a significant portion of particulate matter or PM, which is an air
pollutant.

Impacts of Black Carbon on the Glacier

 It acts in two ways hastening the pace of glacier melt:

o By decreasing surface reflectance of sunlight.

o By raising the air temperature.
 Black materials absorb more light and emit infra-red radiation that
increases the temperature. So, when there is an increase in black
carbon in the high Himalayas, it will contribute to faster melting of
Himalayan glaciers
 In the long run, changes in the atmospheric composition of the
high Himalayas will affect rain and snow precipitation patterns.
Accordingly, natural resources and socio-economic activities of
Himalayan communities will also be affected.
 Analysis of the data from weather stations in real time has helped
us to know about black carbon concentrations and seasonal
variations in the high Himalayas. It has been found that the
concentration of black carbon increases in summer months due to
varied factors.

Measures to be taken

 In the Himalayas, reducing black carbon emissions from

cookstoves, diesel engines, and open burning would have the
greatest impact and could significantly reduce radiative forcing
and help to maintain a greater portion of Himalayan glacier
systems.
 Banning fossil fuels or the introduction of glacier tax can be a
deterrent in these high-altitude areas.

Conclusion
Even a minor change of 1 degree Celsius will result in a major
decrease in the area under snow cover along Himalayan glaciers,
along with a major loss to flora and [Link], it is imperative
to take actions to reduce the black carbon concentration in the
region.

. Examine how India’s freedom struggle impacted the art and

literature during that phase. (250 words)
23 Aug, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach
 Introduce by mentioning about India’s rich cultural heritage.
 Explain the changes in the style and compositions of art and
literature due to the freedom struggle.
 Conclude by giving their contribution in developing nationalism in
India.

Introduction
India is known for its rich art and cultural heritage. As society
changes, so does art and literature. Origin of great religions like
Jainism, Buddhism, the ancient and medieval times were known
for its religious influence on Indian art. Similarly, in the modern
times, the avant-garde movement rooted in the pride of
nationalism, transformed Indian art by bringing ‘Swadeshi’ values
to it.
Body
The freedom struggle brought nationalist fervour and expression
to Indian art and literature in the following ways:
Paintings

 The Swadeshi movement of 1905 led to the birth of the Bengal

School of Art which originated at erstwhile Calcutta and
Santiniketan.

o In 1906, to oppose the partition of Bengal, Abanindranath

Tagore painted the Banga Mata/Bharat Mata as a voice against
western influence. Its four attributes - food, cloth, learning and
spiritual knowledge were seen as objects of nationalist goals.
 The paintings were used as a tool to evoke the glorious past of
Indian history. An example of such painting is ‘The Passing of
Shah Jahan’ by Abanindranath Tagore as an homage to the
Mughal miniature tradition.
 The romanticized style of ‘company paintings’ was replaced by
Raja Ravi Varma’s paintings of Hindu divinities, mythological
scenes and Indian life. They were recreated in dozens in his
 printing press and were distributed in middle class homes all
across the country in the form of posters and calendar art.
 Nandalal Bose created a series of paintings which invoked and
celebrated the spirit of Indian life and indigenous occupations.
These posters rejected western material / style and instead, used
Japanese calligraphy strokes, natural colours and rural-life
scenes. For ex: posters for the Congress Committee’s Haripura-
meet.
 The Kalighat style of painting: Artisans and craftspeople (patua
or scroll painters) infused their traditional knowledge with
European techniques. They created souvenirs on religious
themes (oriental art) mixed with contemporary society-the babu
culture (Occidental art).
 Artists like Zainul Abedin created sketches to show the horrific
conditions during the Bengal famine of 1943, which was a result
of policies of the British government in India.

Music and Literature

The themes of poems, slogans, folk songs, and music shifted to
political awareness and social issues, which were earlier based
on religion, Sufism and love for their partner.

 Writers and poets such as Rabindranath Tagore, Muhammad

Iqbal, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhya used literature, poetry and
speech as a tool to spread awareness against the atrocities by
British on Indians and to provoke the thought of freedom to
encourage people to fight for the country.
 Birth of novels was closely associated with social reform
movements of the 19th century. Vande Mataram- mantra of
Indian revolutionaries and nationalist leaders was written in
Bankim Chandra Chattopadhya’s Bengali fiction Anandamath in
1882.
 Novels were written to re-examine evil social customs and
practices like untouchability, caste distinctions, denial of
remarriage of widows, etc.
 Conclusion
Therefore, these art and literature are hugely significant to the
Indian Freedom struggle as they played a pivotal role in breaking
British cultural supremacy, rebuilding self-identity and inspiring
pride in indigenous practices amidst the masses.

Q. Diversity of religion is both India’s strength and weakness.

Examine. (150 words)
20 Aug, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Mention about Indian values and its religious diversity in

introduction.
 Explain how religious diversity is India’s strength.
 Mention how religious diversity creates problems and can prove
to be its weakness.
 Conclude how India can achieve constitutional goals by utilizing
its religious diversity.

Introduction
Indian civilization values of tolerance, cosmopolitanism and
multiculturalism gives a unique character to Indian culture. We
have people belonging to a variety of ethnicities and religions.
While 94% of the world’s Hindus live in India, there are also
substantial populations of Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists,
Jains and adherents of folk religions.
They all have the fundamental right to freedom of religion (Article
25-28) as well, making India a secular country.
Body
This religious diversity is India’s strength in the following manner:
 It adds to India’s rich cultural heritage. Diverse traditions and
festivals like Holi, Diwali,Christmas, Eid give India a unique way of
life. This diversity leads to rich music, dance, art and literature as
well.
 It leads to diversity in intellectual viewpoints which helps to
make laws more adaptable to societal values.
 India represents a model for international society in the current
era marked with religious intolerance. Indian value of ‘Vasudeva
Kutumbhkam’ can lead the world to peace and prosperity.
 Religious diversity gives opportunity for India to increase people-
to-people contacts across the globe. This not only helps in
expanding India’s trade frontiers but also acts as backchannel
diplomacy in crisis situations.

However, religious diversity creates a lot of challenges as well.

Few of them are:

 It increases the chances of communal disharmony. Few

people use hate speech to spread communal hatred which may
lead to riots and tensions among people of different religions.
 Certain anti-national elements use religion for illegitimate
interests like radicalizing youth to indulge in terrorist activities in
the name of religion.
 Accommodating diverse religious practices that may not be
suitable for the rest of the country. It may open a Pandora’s Box
to legitimize different religious practices.
 State interference in religious practices of minorities may disturb
their autonomy and may hamper their belief in constitutional
principles. Thus, the conflict between constitutional morality
and religious morality poses difficult questions for the judiciary.

Conclusion
India represents the most complex amalgamation of various
cultural identities. Religious diversity can be a boon or a bane
depending upon the maturity of the society. If the citizens adhere
 to the constitutional principles of fraternity and brotherhood, only
then India can truly achieve ‘unity in diversity’.

Q. The speedy events under Mountbatten caused anomalies in

arranging the details of partition and failed to prevent the partition
massacre. Critically analyse. (150 Words).
16 Aug, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer with the events that took place under
Mountbatten just before the independence of India.
 Discuss how the anomalies in arranging the details of partition
failed to prevent partition massacre.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
Mountbatten proved more firm and quick in taking decisions than
his predecessors because he was informally given more powers
to decide things on the spot. He also had the advantage of the
firm decision of the British government to quit at the earliest.
His task was to explore the options of unity and division till
October 1947 and then advise the British government on the form
of transfer of power.
Body
On July 5, 1947 the British Parliament passed the Indian
Independence Act which was based on the Mountbatten Plan,
and the Act got royal assent on July 18, 1947. The Act was
implemented on August 15, 1947.

 The Act provided for the creation of two independent dominions of

India and Pakistan with effect from August 15, 1947.
 Each dominion was to have a governor-general to be responsible
for the effective operation of the Act.
 The constituent assembly of each new dominion was to exercise
the powers of the legislature of that dominion, and the existing
Central Legislative Assembly and the Council of States were to be
automatically dissolved.

However, the breakneck speed of events under Mountbatten

caused anomalies in arranging the details of partition and totally
failed to prevent the Punjab massacre, because

 There were no transitional institutional structures within which

partition problems could be tackled;
 Mountbatten had hoped to be the common Governor- General of
India and Pakistan, thus providing the necessary link, but Jinnah
wanted the position for himself in Pakistan;
 There was a delay in announcing the Boundary Commission
Award (under Radcliffe); though the award was ready by August
12, 1947. Mountbatten decided to make it public after August 15
so that the British could escape all responsibility for disturbances.

Need For Immediate Partition

 Only an immediate transfer of power could forestall the spread of

‘direct action’ and communal violence. The virtual collapse of the
Interim Government also made the notion of Pakistan appear
unavoidable.
 The partition plan ruled out independence for the princely states
which could have been a greater danger to Indian unity as it
would have meant Balkanisation of the country.
 Acceptance of partition was only a final act of the process of step-
by-step concessions to the League’s championing of a separate
Muslim state.

Conclusion
 The partition horrors was one of the black chapters in Indian
history. The peaceful transfer of power was attempted but
partition horror still remains that could have been avoided. India
recently announced 14 August to be celebrated as Partition
Horror Remembrance Day.

Q. There were some common characteristics of the tribal

uprisings even though they were separated from one another in
time and space. Discuss. (250 Words)
09 Aug, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start with writing the expanse of tribal uprisings and causes of

such uprisings under British rule.
 Discuss common characteristics of the tribal uprisings.
 Conclude by writing the significance of these uprisings in the
Indian freedom struggle.

Introduction
Tribal movements under British rule were the most frequent,
militant and violent of all movements.
The tribal movements can be categorised into mainland tribal
revolts and frontier tribal revolts concentrated mainly in
the north-eastern part of India.
Body
Uprising Sparked by Number of Factors:

 Mainland Tribal Revolts: The land settlements of the British

affected the joint ownership tradition among the tribals and
disrupted their social fabric
o As agriculture was extended in a settled form by the Company
government, the tribals lost their land, and there was an influx of
non-tribals to these areas.
o Shifting cultivation in forests was curbed and this added to the
tribals’ problems.
o Exploitation by the police, traders and money-lenders (most of
them ‘outsiders’) aggravated the tribals’ sufferings
o Christian missionaries came to these regions and their efforts
interfered with the traditional customs of the tribals.
o Eg. Chuar Uprising, Kol Mutiny, The Santhal Rebellion, Bhil
Revolts etc
 Frontier Tribal Revolts (in north-eastern part of India): Their
revolts were often in favour of political autonomy within the Indian
Union or complete independence.

o These movements were not forest-based or agrarian revolts as

these tribals were generally in control of land and forest area.
o Continued for a longer time than the non-frontier tribal
movements. De-sanskritisation movements also spread among
the frontier tribals.
o Eg. Khasi Uprising, Ahoms’ Revolt, Singphos’ Rebellion, Kukis’
Revolt etc

Characteristics of Tribal Revolts

 Tribal identity or ethnic ties lay behind the solidarity shown by

these groups.
 Not all ‘outsiders’ were seen as enemies: The poor who lived
by their manual labour or profession and had a
socially/economically supportive role in the village were left alone;
the violence was directed towards the money-lenders and traders
who were seen as extensions of the colonial government.
 Against Foreign Government: A common cause was the
resentment against the imposition of laws by the ‘foreign
 government’ that was seen as an effort at destroying the tribals’
traditional socioeconomic framework.
 Many uprisings were led by messiah-like figures who
encouraged their people to revolt and who held out the promise
that they could end their suffering brought about by the
‘outsiders’.
 Technologically Backward: The tribal uprisings were doomed
from the beginning, given the outdated arms they fought with as
against the modern weapons and techniques used by their
opponents.

Conclusion
It is evident that the colonial rule even, during the days of the east
India Company witnessed numerous uprising and disturbances.
These varied grievances reached their climax in the revolt of
1857, which in spite of targeting certain groups of Indians remains
the prominent uprising against the British before the beginning of
the Indian Freedom movement.

Q. As the severity of the water crisis in India increases every year,

all stakeholders must use a variety of measures to tackle the
water crisis. Comment. (250 Words)
02 Aug, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Introduce with emphasising the severity of the water crisis, give

an overview of the water crisis in India.
 Discuss various measures that can be taken to resolve the crisis.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
 India constitutes 16% of the world’s population, but the country
has only 4% of the world’s freshwater resources. With the
changing weather patterns and recurring droughts, India is water
stressed.
As many as 256 of 700 districts have reported ‘critical’ or ‘over-
exploited’ groundwater levels, according to the latest data from
the Central Ground Water Board (2017).
This means that fetching water in these districts has become
harder as the water table has fallen.
Body
Water Crisis Overview in India:

 Low Rate of Collection: India receives 3,000 billion cubic metres

of water every year through rainfall or other sources such as
glaciers; of this, only 8% is collected.
 Over-extraction & Over-reliance on Groundwater: India fills
groundwater aquifers at the rate of 458 bcm per year, while it
extracts around 650 bcm of water from the earth.

o 89% of India’s water resources are used for agriculture, out of

which 65% is withdrawn from under the ground.
o Thus, one of India’s biggest challenges is to conserve
groundwater.
 Water Stress: As per a NITI Aayog report, currently nearly 820
million people in 12 major river basins of India face extreme water
stress.
 Qualitative Issue: Adding to the issue of lack of water availability
is the issue of water quality.

o Groundwater in one-third of India’s 600 districts is contaminated

mainly through fluoride and arsenic.
o Further, there has been a 136% increase in the number of grossly
polluting industries between 2011- 2018, according to the State of
India’s Environment report, 2019.

Way Forward

 India has been consistently working towards improving access to

water. The Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) guidelines released in
2019 provide provision of tap water connections to households,
which hold promise for the women in the country.

o JJM stresses the need to involve women in leading the scheme’s

activities, especially at the village level.
 Incentive based water conservation in rural parts in the water
stressed areas is another solution, for example, if a particular
level of groundwater level is maintained, higher MSP can be
provided to the farmers of that region.
 Improving Water Use Efficiency: Water-use efficiency in
agriculture can be ensured by making farmers aware and by
providing them, on the ground, technologies like the one related
to water resistant crops.

o In-situ water conservation techniques like rain water harvesting,

check dams need to be continued.
 Water Management: For the time being, there is a need to
design and develop around water management. Also, water
management needs to be the central focus of efforts in the
agriculture sector and the environment improvement. Right water
management will lead to right land management, health
management and education management.
 Data and System Integration: Various datasets including
demography, socio-cultural, economic, and other parameters
need to be integrated with spatial and non-spatial data related to
 water, like soil moisture, annual rainfall, rivers, aquifer,
groundwater levels, water quality etc.
 Sharing of Best Practices: A lot of knowledge exists that can
help stakeholders to leverage from and not reinvent the wheel.

o A central repository of such a knowledge base, in the form of a

Knowledge Portal can be created and maintained by the Ministry
of Jal Shakti that includes case studies, best practices, tools,
information on data sources etc.

Conclusion
The Government needs to holistically handle the supply as well as
the demand side of water management and everybody in the
society, i.e. the central government, the state governments
(water, being the state subject), citizens, NGOs and companies
need to come together to tackle the water crisis in the country.

. The empowerment of youth will ensure that demographic

dividend, which is a time-limited opportunity, becomes a boon for
India. Discuss. (250 words)
26 Jul, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Introduce with explaining demographic dividend which is a time-

limited opportunity.
 Discuss the challenges in realising youth potential.
 Give a way forward for achieving empowerment of the youth.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
 According to United Nations Population Fund
(UNFPA), demographic dividend means, "the economic growth
potential that can result from shifts in a population’s age structure,
mainly when the share of the working-age population (15 to 64) is
larger than the non-working-age share of the population (14 and
younger, and 65 and older)".
A study on demographic dividend in India by United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA) said the window of demographic
dividend opportunity in India is available only for five decades
from 2005-06 to 2055-56.
Body
Challenges In Realising Youth Potential

 Lack of Education and Skill: India’s underfunded education

system is inadequately equipped to provide the skills young
people need to take advantage of emerging employment
opportunities.

o According to the World Bank, public expenditure on education

constituted only 3.4% of GDP in 2020.
 Impact of the Pandemic: Various studies show that school
closures have a serious impact on the learning, lives and mental
well-being of children.

o A survey by the International Labour Organization (ILO) reveals

that 65% of adolescents worldwide reported having learnt less
during the pandemic.
 Issues of Young Women: Child marriage, gender-based
violence, their vulnerability to abuse and trafficking, especially if
primary caregivers fall ill or die. All these issues restrict young
women to achieve their full potential.
 Jobless Growth: The main contributor in India’s GDP is the
service sector which is not labour intensive and thus adds to
 jobless growth.

o Further about 50% of India's population is still dependent on

agriculture which is notorious for underemployment and disguised
unemployment.
 Low Social Capital: Further high levels of hunger, malnutrition,
stunting among children, high levels of anaemia among
adolescent girls, poor sanitation etc., have reduced the
productivity of India’s youth in realising their potential.

Way Forward

 Inter-sectoral Collaboration: It is imperative to have in place

mechanisms for better inter-sectoral collaboration to safeguard
the futures of the young generation. Coordination across
departments can enable better solutions and greater efficiencies
in tackling any crisis.

o Eg.: Mid-day meals scheme not only provides an incentive for

parents to send their children to school but also provides the
calorie intake required to stay alert in the classroom.
 Skill Development to increase employability of the young
population. India’s labour force needs to be empowered with the
right skills for the modern economy.

o Government has established the National Skill Development

Corporation (NSDC) with the overall target of skilling/up-skilling
500 million people in India by 2022.
 Improving Social Infrastructure: If India wants to leverage the
economic potential of its youth bulge, then it must invest in
improving social infrastructure viz. good health, quality education,
and endeavour to provide decent employment to their entire
population.
 Helpline For Youth: To address the mental health of
adolescents, the Health and Education Ministries should
strengthen outreach via existing helplines and by enabling
conversations on critical issues regarding their reproductive and
sexual health.
 Immediate Steps After Pandemic: Prioritising the vaccination of
teachers and school support staff and also allowing a
decentralised approach where district-level officials may reopen
schools based on local Covid-19 transmission rates, schools
could be opened in a safe and phased manner.

Conclusion
Therefore, it is critical that India focus its attention on
safeguarding young people’s well-being because India’s welfare
hinges on them.

. A unique form of temple architecture developed on the Himalaya

in northern Indian states. Elucidate. (150 Words)
19 Jul, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach

 Give a brief about the main temple architectural styles of ancient

India.
 Elucidate, by giving some examples, how the hill architecture was
different from the other forms.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
Most of the architectural remains that survive from Ancient and
Medieval India are religious in nature. In different parts of the
 country, the distinct architectural style of temples was the result of
geographical, ethnic and historical diversities.

 Two broad orders of temples in the country are known as Nagara

in the north and Dravida in the south.
 At times, the Vesara style of temples is also found as an
independent style, created through the selective mixing of the
Nagara and Dravida orders.

Body

 Gandhara Influence: A unique form of architecture developed in

the hills of Kumaon, Garhwal, Himachal and Kashmir. Kashmir’s
proximity to prominent Gandhara sites (such as Taxila, Peshawar
and the northwest frontier) lent the region a strong Gandhara
influence by the fifth century CE.
 Influence of the Gupta and post-Gupta traditions that were
brought to it from Sarnath, Mathura and even centres in Gujarat
and Bengal.

o The images of Mahishasuramardini and Narasimha at the

Laksna-Devi Mandir are evidence of the influence of the post-
Gupta tradition. Both the images show the influence of the metal
sculpture tradition of Kashmir.
 The hills also had their own tradition of wooden buildings with
pitched roofs. At several places in the hills, while the main
garbhagriha and shikhara are made in a rekha-prasada or latina
style, the mandapa is of an older form of wooden architecture.
 Sometimes, the temple itself takes on a pagoda shape.
 One of the most important temples is Pandrethan, built during the
eighth and ninth centuries. In keeping with the tradition of a water
tank attached to the shrine, this temple is built on a plinth built
in the middle of a tank.
o This temple is a Hindu one, possibly dedicated to Shiva. The
architecture of this temple is in keeping with the age-old Kashmiri
tradition of wooden buildings.
 Due to the snowy conditions in Kashmir, the roof is peaked and
slants slowly outward in hill temples.
 The temple is moderately ornamented, moving away from the
post-Gupta aesthetics of heavy carving.
 However, of the temples in Kumaon, the ones at Jageshwar in
Almora, and Champavat near Pithoragarh, are classic examples
of nagara architecture in the region.

Conclusion
Thus, both the Buddhist and Hindu traditions intermingled and
spread in the hills and that led to a unique style of architecture.

Q. The pursuance of a foreign policy, guided by the interest of

British imperialism often led to India’s conflicts with neighboring
countries. Discuss.
16 Jul, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning the goals of British Foregin

policy.
 Discuss the major reasons conflicts due to British Foreign Policy
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
British Foregin Policy was aimed at British expansion and
territorial conquests outside India’s natural frontiers. These
imperialist tendencies clashed with other european imperialist
powers, which resulted in conflicts.
 Body
Reasons of Conflicts due to British Foreign Policy

 There were many factors that impelled the Government of India to

reach out for natural, geographical frontiers for internal cohesion
and defence. For example,

o Political and administrative consolidation of the country;

o Introduction of modern means of communication;
o These factors sometimes resulted in border clashes.
 The British Government had as its major aims in Asia and Africa:

o Protection of the invaluable Indian empire;

o Expansion of British commercial and economic interests;
o Keeping other European imperialist powers, whose colonial
interests came in conflict with those of the British, at an arm’s
length in Asia and Africa.

Conclusion
British foreign policy interests dragged British India into conflicts,
While the interests served were British, the money spent and the
blood shed was Indian.

Q. Mahatma Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose had a deep

respect for one another despite their hugely differing
[Link] (250 words)
12 Jul, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Introduce by writing a few lines showing deep respect for one

another.
 Discuss the ideological differences of Gandhi and Bose.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
In 1942, Gandhi ji called Bose the “Prince among the
Patriots”. Gandhi ji said that Netaji’s “patriotism is second to
none. His bravery shines through all his actions. He aimed high
and failed. But who has not failed.” On another occasion Gandhi
said, “Netaji will remain immortal for all time to come for his
service to India.”
While Bose believed Gandhiji as a symbol of Indian nationalism
and called him “The Father of Our Nation”.
Body
Similarities in their ideologies:

 Both personalities considered socialism to be the way forward in

Independent India.
 They both were religious men and disliked communism.
 They worked against untouchability and spoke for women’s
emancipation.

Differences:

 Non-Violence versus Militant Approach:

o Gandhi was a firm believer in ahimsa and satyagraha while, for

Bose Gandhi’s strategy based on non-violence would be
inadequate for securing India’s independence. For Bose, violent
resistance alone could oust the alien imperialist rule from India.
 Means and Ends:

o Bose had his eye on the result of the action. He had no moral
issue in taking the help of the Nazis, Fascists or later of Imperial
Japan.
o But for Gandhiji one could not just use any means to achieve an
end however desirable that end may be
 Form of Government:

o In early writings Bose expressed the opinion that democracy was

the acceptable political system for India. But later, he seemed to
have veered towards the idea that, at least in the beginning, a
democratic system would not be adequate for the process of
nation rebuilding and the eradication of poverty and social
inequality
o Gandhi’s idealised state, Ramrajya did not need a representative
government, a constitution, an army or a police force. Gandhi
was opposed to centralisation.
 Militarism:

o Subhas Bose was deeply attracted to military discipline while

Gandhiji was against the military on the whole. His Ramrajya was
built on the concept of truth and non-violence and self-regulation
 Ideas on Economy:

o Gandhi’s concept of Swaraj had its own brand of economic vision.

He wanted a decentralised economy without state control while
Bose was in favour of large industrialisation for India.
 Education:

o Gandhi was against the English system of education as also

against the use of English as a medium of instruction.
o Subhash Bose was for higher education, especially in the
technical and scientific fields, as he wanted an industrial India.

Conclusion
 Gandhi and Subhash Bose had a deep respect for one another
despite their hugely differing ideologies. However, each
appreciated the work done by the other in the national struggle for
freedom and played a very important role in the freedom struggle
of India.

Q. Has the formation of linguistic States strengthened the cause

of Indian Unity?
07 Jul, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly stating the context of linguistic

formation of states in India.
 Discuss the positives and challenges posed by linguistic formation
of states to unity of India.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
At the time of independence in 1947, India consisted of british
India and more than 500 princely states, which were merged
together to form different states.
Initially, the grouping of states was done on the basis of political
and historical considerations. However, in 1956 based on the
Fazal Ali commission recommendation, the government started to
reorganise the states on linguistic or cultural basis.
This linguistic reorganisation has strengthened the unity of the
country but has put forward some challenges also.
Body
Positive effect of Linguistic formation of states:
 After the formation of states on linguistic basis the path to politics
and power was now open to people speaking regional languages
rather than the small English speaking elite or majoritarian hindi
speaking northern India.
 Reorganizing the states on linguistic lines has strengthened the
regional identities of diverse cultural entities in India. This has
strengthened federalism in India.

Challenges posed by Linguistic formation of states:

 It has led to several unintended consequences such as

regionalism, linguistic chauvinism and the foundation of the “Sons
of the soil” doctrine.
 It has been used for divisive purposes and transformed into
disruptive tendencies, such as communalism, casteism and
linguistic or regional exclusiveness.
 The issues of jobs, educational opportunities, access to political
power and share in the larger economic cake has fueled rivalries
and conflicts based on religion, region, caste and language.
 Several issues that are a threat to India’s integrity have also
emerged such as demand for new states on the basis of
backwardness such as Marathwada and Saurashtra, ethnicity in
the North East etc.

Conclusion

 Disputes over boundaries between different states, linguistic

minorities and economic issues such as sharing of waters, and
power and surplus food still persist.
 However, their decision to linguistically reorganize the states has
removed one important factor that would’ve jeopardized India’s
integrity and thus strengthened the cause of Indian unity.
 Q. Elucidate the challenges faced by a newly independent India.
01 Jul, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning the independence of India.

 Discuss the various Challenges faced by India post independence
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
After a long struggle for freedom, India became independent from
colonial rule on 15th August 1947. However, independence
brought with itself a slew of social, economic and political
problems.
Body
Various Challenges faced by India post independence

 Partition: Partition was marked with large-scale communal

violence. Apart from it, the legacy of Partition is responsible for
the origin of the Kashmir problem and consequent war with
Pakistan.

o Also, India needed to provide rehabilitation of a large number of

refugees.
 Mass Poverty & Illiteracy: At the time of Independence, the
incidence of poverty in India was about 80% or about 250 million.
Famines and hunger pushed India to take external help for its
food security.
 Ensuring Unity In Diversity: A newly independent India, needed
to maintain the unity and sovereignty of the country, majorly on
account of challenges emanating from assimilation of princely
states.
o The boundaries of the British Indian provinces had been drawn
and redrawn in a haphazard manner without any thought to
cultural and linguistic cohesion.
 Low Economic Capacity: Stagnant agriculture and poor
industrial base. In 1947, agriculture accounted for 54% of India’s
GDP. At the time of independence, 60% of India’s population
depended on agriculture for a living.
 Cold-War Tensions: Most of the developing countries were
band-wagoning either of the two superpowers USA or the Soviet
Union.

o India followed a policy of Non-Alignment to stay away from cold-

war politics and focus on its internal development.

Conclusion
Owing to the socio-economic and political challenges, on the eve
of independence, many british scholars predicted that India as a
nation will not survive.
However, it was due to India’s strong commitment to its
constitutional principles that led India to not only survive as a
nation but also to emerge as the leader of the newly independent
countries.

Q. Discuss the elements of colonial legacy in post-independent

India.
25 Jun, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning what colonial legacy is.

 Discuss the positives and negatives of Colonial Legacy.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
India was under direct British administrative control for almost a
century and gained independence from Britain in August 1947.
However, British imperialism had a number of significant impacts
on the region.
These legacies of british rule continue to impact the country’s
economic and social positions.
Body
Elements of Colonial Legacy

 Use of the English Language: During the British regime English

served as the official language for the entire country.

o Even today English continues to be the official language. It serves

as the lingua franca and as a medium of higher education.
o However, the use of english has created an economic and social
divide between Urban and Rural India.
 Three pillars of the British Rule: Provision of law and order was
an important contribution of the British rule. In this, the
bureaucracy, police and the army were the backbone of the
British Raj in India.

o The successor of the Indian Civil Service known as the Indian

Administrative service still continues to be the “steel frame” upon
which the independent nation’s stability and development chiefly
depends.
o However, the attitude of police with respect to common people
still remains colonial in nature.
 Partition: Partition between India & Pakistan remains the biggest
colonial legacy. Due to which, the relations between the countries
 continue to enemical.

o As a result, the South Asian region remains to be one of the most

disintegrated regions in the world.
o Further, the Kashmir problem also has its origin in British policies.
 Establishment of a Unified Administrative System: The British
for the first time brought the whole subcontinent under one
imperial rule.

o Under the British rule, a unified administrative system became

possible and it reached out even to the remotest areas of the
country.
o However, even after nearly 75 years of independence, we are
following numerous laws that were enacted during th british rule.

Conclusion
While some of the impact of colonial legacies were positive for
India, many resulted from British imperial interests being
prioritized over domestic interests, which led to an uneven pattern
of development and weak central government.
Thus, it can be concluded that a century of foreign control may
have done more harm than good for the country’s development.

Q. Globalization is a phenomenon driven by technology and the

movement of ideas, people, and goods. Discuss.
21 Jun, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly defining the concept of globalisation.

 Discuss the various stages in evolution of Globalisation.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
Globalization is the process by which people, goods & ideas
move easily across borders. After World War II, the international
community came together to build a shared future. This led to
global emphasis on Globalisation as a model of development.
Over the decades, Globalisation has evolved both as a concept
and practice. However, globalisation has created opportunities
and challenges for the global community.
Body
Evolution of Globalisation

 Globalization 1.0: It was pre-World War I globalization, which

was launched by a historic drop in trade costs and expansion of
colonialism.
 Globalization 2.0: It is the post-World War II phase where trade
in goods was combined with complimentary domestic policies.

o It saw the establishment of institute-based, rule-based

international governance, specifically the UN, IMF, World Bank,
GATT/WTO, International Labor Organization etc.
 Globalization 3.0: It created a new world of manufacturing in
which high-tech was combined with low wages.

o This was achieved through establishment of global supply chains

as factories crossed international borders.
o It was variously called New Globalization, Hyper globalization,
Global value chain evolution.
 Globalization 4.0: The emergence of Fourth Industrial Revolution
(Big data, Artificial Intelligence, 5G, etc.) is moving from an
electronic based industry to a process which is the combination of
 human beings and electronics.

o Globalisation 4.0 may help in dealing with Global issues like

Climate change and exploring new avenues in the field of space,
quantum mechanics, etc.
o On the flip side, it may increase inequalities, unemployment, open
new domains of warfare (like cyber wars).

Conclusion
Globalisation 4.0 requires us to recognize that we are living in a
new type of innovation-driven economy, and that new global
norms, standards, policies, and conventions are needed to
safeguard the public trust.

Q. What are seismic waves? Give a detailed account of different

types of seismic waves.
15 Jun, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by introducing the origin of seismic waves and

their types.
 Discuss the different types of seismic waves and their
characteristics.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
During an earthquake seismic waves are generated which spread
outwards in all directions from the focus. Seismic waves are of
three types (i) P waves or Primary Waves, (ii) S Waves or
Secondary Waves, and (iii) L Waves or Surface Waves.
Body
 Types of Seismic Waves and their Characteristics

 P-Waves:

o These are compressional waves which cause the particles of rock

to vibrate in the longitudinal direction.
o The P waves travel fastest, therefore they reach a seismic station
first
o Their velocity is 1.7 times than that of S waves
o They pass through solids as well as liquids.
 S-Waves:

o These are shear waves which are transverse in nature.

o These can only pass through solids.
 L-Waves or Surface Waves:

o When P and S waves reach the earth's surface, they are

converted into L waves.
o The L waves travel along the surface and cause earthquakes.
o They are transverse in nature and their velocity is much less than
the P and S waves.
 Conclusion
Surface waves are responsible for causing earthquakes while the
main significance of P and S waves is in the study of the earth's
interior. P and S waves travel through the interior of the earth and
are reflected and refracted as they enter a layer of different
material.

Q. Explain the geological and palaeontological evidence of

continental drift theory.
09 Jun, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing the continental drift theory.

 Discuss the various evidences of Continental Drift Theory.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
 Continental drift is the hypothesis that the Earth's continents have
moved over geologic time relative to each other, thus appearing
to have "drifted" across the ocean bed. It was given by Alfred
Wagner in 1912.
He suggested that at the beginning of the Mesozoic era (about
200 million years ago) all the continents of the earth were united
together to form a single supercontinent which he called
"Pangaea''. This supercontinent later broke into small continents.
Body
Evidence of Continental Drift Theory.

 Similarities in Shape of Coastlines: The mapping of the

continental slopes of eastern South America and west Africa has
indicated that their contours match excellently.
 Similar Orogenic Belts: If the eastern coast of South America
and the western coast of Africa are fitted together, the orogenic
belts of the two continents which have the same range of ages
and similar structural trend, are found to align themselves across
the joint.

o For example, in Ghana near Accra (west Africa) there is a clear

boundary between 2000 million year old rocks and the much
younger (about 400 million year old) rocks.
 Permo-Carboniferous Glaciation: If these land masses had
always been in the tropical latitude, as they are today, it would
mean that glaciation extended from the polar regions to the
equator.

o This idea is apparently unreasonable. The only explanation for

this puzzle is that all these continents were joined together to form
a single landmass.
 Paleomagnetic Evidence: Igneous rocks record the earth's
magnetic field present at the time of their formation.
o The orientation of the earth's magnetic field in each of the
separate lava flows is found to be different.
o Thus paleomagnetic techniques which locate the magnetic pole of
any stage in the past, give consistent results on each continent
only when they are placed in the proposed framework of
continental drift theory.

Conclusion
If the evidence of seafloor spreading and plate tectonics are
added to the argument, continental drift may be regarded as an
established fact.

Q. Discuss the internal structure of the Earth and comment on S

and P-waves shadow zones with suitable diagrams.
02 Jun, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning the interior of earth.

 Discuss the differentiation of layers of earth and role of seismic
waves in the study of the interior of earth.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
On the basis of seismic investigations, the earth can be divided
into three major layers: crust, mantle, core.
Body
Differentiation of layers of Earth

 Crust: The outer superficial layer of the earth is called the "crust".
In continental regions, the crust can be divided into two layers.
o The upper layer which is less dense and granitic in character, is
known as "sial", while the lower layer which is basaltic in
character is known as "sima".
o It extends down to 30 or 40 kilometer beneath continents and to
about 10 km beneath ocean basins
 Mantle: The mantle is located beneath the earth's crust and has a
thickness of about 2900 km. It has been divided into two layers: (i)
upper mantle, and (ii) lower mantle.

o The boundary between these is at about 700 km depth.

o The upper mantle contains a most important zone called the
"asthenosphere". It is located at depths between 50 to 100 km.
o This zone provides lava for volcanic eruptions.
 Core: The core (inner core and the outer core) accounts for just
about 16 per cent of the earth's volume but 33% of earth’s mass.
Like Mantle, core can also be distinguished into two layers
namely outer core and inner core.

o The outer core is composed of iron mixed with nickel and trace
amounts of lighter elements.
o The outer core is not under enough pressure to be solid, so it is
liquid even though it has a composition similar to the inner core.
 Role of Seismic Waves in Study of Interior of Earth
The study of the passage of seismic waves through the earth has
helped in knowing the structure of the earth's interior and in
defining the physical properties of various layers. For example:

 The "outer core" was discovered when it was found that P-waves
P
were bent inwards thereby producing a "shadow zone" at the
surface.
 Since the S-waves
waves do not pass through the outer core, it is
concluded that it may be in the liq
liquid state.
 Conclusion
Seismic waves travel different velocities depending on the nature
of the layer in which they are travelling. Thus they not only
indicate the position of each layer but also give clues as to its
composition.

Q. Discuss, in a nutshell, the causes of the downfall of the Mughal

empire in India.
26 May, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing the start and fall of Mughal
empire.
 Discuss main causes for the decline of the Mughals.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
The period of the Great Mughals, which began in 1526 with
Babur’s accession to the throne, ended with the death of
Aurangzeb in 1707. Aurangzeb’s death marked the end of an era
in Indian history.
When Aurangzeb died, the empire of the Mughals was the largest
in India. Yet, within about fifty years of his death, the Mughal
Empire disintegrated.
Body
Some of the main causes for the decline of the Mughals were
as follows:

 The government of the Mughals was a personal despotism and so

its success depended on the character of the reigning ruler. The
 later Mughals were worthless and neglected the administration of
the state.
 With the absence of a definite law of succession, there always
occurred a war of succession; this weakened the stability of the
government, and fostered partisanship at the cost of patriotism.
 The degeneration of the rulers led to the degeneration of the
nobility, with factious quarrels and intrigues costing the empire
heavily.
 The deterioration of the army also proved disastrous for the
empire.
 The empire had become too vast and unwieldy to be efficiently
governed from a central authority under weak rulers, especially
under the existing conditions of transport and communication.
 Aurangzeb’s religious policy was largely responsible, leading to
revolts by Rajputs, Sikhs, Jats and Marathas.
 Aurangzeb’s Deccan policy was a complete failure and was an
important cause of the downfall of the Mughal empire.
 Invasions of Irani and Durrani kingdoms gave a death-blow to the
Mughal empire.

Conclusion
There was no Indian power except Marathas that could fill the
power vacuum created by the downfall of Mughal empire.
However, Marathas’ loss in Third battle of Panipat didn’t let them
become paramount power in India. This paved the way for the
British to form an empire in India.

Q. In what ways the Non-cooperation movement was different

from the civil disobedience movement. Discuss.
20 May, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach
 Start the answer by briefly the philosophy behind both the
movements.
 Discuss major differences between the two.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
Non-Cooperation movement (NCM) and Civil Disobedience
Movement (CDM) were main events of the Indian freedom
struggle that were based on Gandhian ideologies. However, they
had major differences.
Body
Differences Between NCM and CDM
Aim Non-cooperation Civil disobedience
movement was movement was
launched to unify launched to attain
Hindu and Muslims ‘Purna Swaraj’ or
and to attain Swaraj. complete
independence.

Methodology Non Cooperation The Civil

movement aimed at Disobedience
the refusal to Movement was aimed
cooperate with the at breaking certain
government. laws like the Salt
Main agenda of the Laws.
Movement were People also refused to
surrender of titles and pay taxes at some
the boycott of places.
government
controlled schools,
offices and courts.

Mass There was large scale The growing

participation of proximity of the
Participation Muslim working Congress party &
class in the Non- Hindu Mahasabha
Cooperation and british policy of
movement. divide and rule
In the Non- prevented the
Cooperation Muslims from
Movement, women participating in the
did not participate on Civil Disobedience
a large scale. Movement.
But large scale
participation of
women is one of the
most significant
features of the Civil
Disobedience
Movement.

Geographical It remained The civil

Spread geographically disobedience
confined to certain movement saw
parts of India. widespread
geographical
coverage and mass
participation in
comparison to the
non-cooperation
movement.

Withdrawal of Due to the Chauri- The movement was

the Movement Chaura incident the withdrawn after the
movement was called signing of the
off in 1922. Gandhi-Irwin pact in
1931.

Conclusion
 Though both the Non-cooperation movement and civil
disobedience movement had many differences, they helped break
the myth of benevolent despotism of british raj and unifying
masses for future movement for independence.

. Discuss how the policies of Jawaharlal Nehru helped in the

nation-building and post-independence consolidation of India.
13 May, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly explaining the challenges faced by the

newly independent India.
 Discuss Nehru’s role in post independence consolidation and
nation building.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
India gained independence in 1947, but as a nation faced very
difficult circumstances. For instance, freedom came with partition
of the country and communal violence. Entire country was
burdened by poverty, illiteracy and lack of development. On the
foreign policy front, geopolitics was witnessing the start of the cold
war.
In this scenario, Jawahar Lal Nehru became the first Prime
Minister of Independent India and initiated a slew of reforms and
policies that helped in nation building and post-independence
consolidation of India.
Body

 Consolidation of the Nation: JL Nehru established the State

Reorganization Committee to fulfil regional aspirations of the
 people which would lower the chances of them wanting to cede
from the nation.
 Rehabilitation of Refugees: Refugees from Pakistan were given
shelter and attempts were made to reduce communalism.
 Secularism: It was mainly due to JL Nehru’s efforts that India
emerged as a secular state in the mid-twentieth century.

o Much before independence, he played a heroic role in the

development of a secular basis for Indian polity.
o This helped in building the narrative of ‘Unity in Diversity’.
 Welfare state: JL Nehru was a practical idealist and believed that
socialism and democracy were not contradictory but
complementary to each other.

o He wanted to build a welfare state for the equitable distribution of

wealth.
 Planning Commission: JL Nehru, a pragmatic socialist
understood the importance of the welfare state in a country which
does not have sufficient infrastructure, established a planning
commission for long term planning of social schemes.
 Non-Alignment Policy (NAM): JL Nehru, being the Foreign
Minister, did not want to join either of the power blocs. Also he did
not want India to remain aloof from world politics. Therefore,
Nehru’s visionary approach to establish NAM with other third
world countries proved to be an ideal foreign policy approach.

Conclusion
Despite facing daunting challenges, JL Nehru was successful in
maintaining and strengthening the nation. Carrying the traditions
of the national movement, he nurtured the newly born nation,
India. That is why he is widely acclaimed as one of the architects
of modern India.
 . Namami Gange project is a step in the right direction to clean
the river Ganga and should be emulated to deal with pollution in
other rivers of India. Comment.
07 May, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by mentioning the context of the launching the

Namami Gange project.
 Mention the role played by namami gange project.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
Over time, the increase in population, coupled with unregulated
industrialization and unsustainable agricultural practices, have led
to a significant increase in pollutants in the Ganga river and its
tributaries.
In pursuit of reducing the pollution in River Ganga, the
government of India has launched the flagship program called
Namami Gange. The program envisages a holistic approach to
public policy, technology intervention, and community
participation.
Body
Role Played by Namami Gange Project

 Cooperative Federalism: The Namami Gange Yojana is

implemented by the National Mission for Clean Ganga along with
its State Programme Management Groups (SPMGs).
 Mains Pillars: The main pillars of the Namami Gange can be
depicted as the following:
o Sewerage Treatment Infrastructure & Industrial Effluent
Monitoring.
o Development of river-front as well as river-surface cleaning.
o Bio-Diversity & Afforestation.
o Public Awareness.
 Public Policy: Under the Namami Gange project, the
government issued a notification to authorize the National Mission
for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to exercise powers under the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.

o Due to this, the NMCG also issued directives regulating mining

activities on river banks, prohibiting encroachment, and regulating
activities like the immersion of idols.
 Technology Intervention: NMCG adopted cutting-edge
technologies like satellite imagery, remote sensing, and
geospatial solutions which facilitated real-time monitoring of
pollutants in Ganga and its tributaries.
 Community Participation: Namami Gange also encourages
community participation in cleaning the river.

o It runs an awareness campaign regularly carried out in cities,

towns, and villages alongside Ganga through a newly-established
community force called “Ganga Praharis”.
o Through them, the government seeks to transform “jal chetna”
into “jan chetna” and turn it into a “jal aandolan”.

Conclusion
The Supreme Court has declared that the right to a decent and
clean environment is a fundamental right. In this context, the
Namami Gange project is a step in the right direction to clean the
river Ganga and should be emulated to deal with pollution in other
rivers of India.
 Q. The role played by B R Ambedkar has helped in nation-
building and continues to have a prominent impact on the present
Indian socio-economic-political setup. Discuss.
03 May, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning the various roles played by

BR Ambedkar that have helped in nation building.
 Discuss the major contribution of BR Ambedkar.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
BR Ambedkar’s role as a social reformer, chairman of the draft
committee of the Indian Constitution, and first law minister of the
country is well-known. His contributions helped in nation-building
and continues to have a prominent impact on the present Indian
socio-economic-political setup.
Body
Major Contribution of BR Ambedkar

 Father of Indian Constitution: BR Ambedkar's legal expertise

and knowledge of the Constitution of different countries was very
helpful in the framing of the constitution.
 Building a Just Society: The Poona Pact (signed between
Mahatma Gandhi & BR Ambedkar) assured a fair representation
of the depressed classes in the public services while earmarking
a portion of the educational grant for their uplift.
 Role in Ensuring Gender Parity: His advocacy for universal
adult franchise ensured that women had the right to vote
immediately after Independence.
o He also helped to establish the principle of “equal pay for equal
work” irrespective of sex and maternity benefits.
o His advocacy of the Hindu Code Bill was a revolutionary measure
towards ameliorating women’s plight by conferring on them the
right to adopt and inherit.
 Distinguished Economist: The Reserve Bank of India was
conceptualized from the Hilton Young Commission’s
recommendation, which considered Ambedkar’s guidelines laid
out in The Problem of the Rupee: Its Origin and Its Solution.
 Labour Leader: Ambedkar was the voice of the Depressed
Classes on every platform. As their representative at the Round
Table Conference, he championed the cause of labor and
improving the condition of peasants.

Conclusion
As India is about to celebrate the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to
commemorate 75 years of Independence, it is imperative to
recognise the role played by BR Ambedkar. However, today India
is facing many socio-economic challenges such as casteism,
communalism, separatism, gender inequality, etc. We need to find
the Ambedkar's spirit within us, so that we can pull ourselves from
these challenges.

Q. Indian Monsoon remains one of the most complex geophysical

phenomena. In light of the statement explain the mechanism of
the onset of the Indian monsoon.
27 Apr, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly describing the phenomenon of Indian

monsoon.
 Explain the mechanism of the onset of the Indian monsoon.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
Indian Monsoon can be best described as the seasonal reversal
of winds. In the Indian monsoon winds flow from sea to land
during the summer and from land to sea during winter.
The mechanism of the Indian monsoon can be understood in two
phases namely, the onset of the South-West Monsoon and
retreating monsoon season.
Body
The onset of the South-West Monsoon:

 Differential Heating: The differential heating and cooling of land

and water create a low pressure on the landmass of India and
high pressure on the Indian ocean area.
 Shifting of ITCZ: This leads to the shifting of the position of the
Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) in summer, over the
Ganga plain. The ITCZ in this position is often called the Monsoon
Trough.
 Bending of Winds: The southeast trade winds of the southern
hemisphere cross the equator and start blowing in the southwest
to the northeast direction under the influence of Coriolis force.

o As these winds blow over the warm Indian ocean, they collect
moisture.
 Withdrawal of Westerly Jet Stream: The shift in the position of
the ITCZ is also related to the phenomenon of the withdrawal of
the westerly jet stream from its position over the north Indian
plain, south of the Himalayas.
 Onset of Easterly Jet Stream: The easterly Jet Stream (Somali
Jet) sets in along 15°N latitude only after the western jet stream
has withdrawn itself from the region.
o This easterly jet stream is held responsible for the burst of the
monsoon in India. As these winds approach the land, their
southwesterly direction is modified by the relief and thermal low
pressure over northwest India.
 Dividing Monsoon into Branches: The monsoon approaches
the Indian landmass in two branches:

o The Arabian Sea branch: The monsoon winds originating over the
Arabian Sea.
o The Bay of Bengal branch: The Arakan Hills along the coast of
Myanmar deflect a big portion of this branch towards the Indian
subcontinent.

Conclusion
The monsoon, therefore, enters West Bengal and Bangladesh
from the south and southeast instead of from the southwesterly
direction. It plays a big role in India and has social, political, as
well as economic implications.

Q. Explain the term western disturbances and their impact on the

Indian weather systems.
21 Apr, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by defining the western disturbances.

 Discuss the impact of western disturbances on the Indian weather
systems.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
 Western Disturbances are low-pressure depressions that occur
during winters, particularly in northern India. They are the
extratropical storms that originate in the Mediterranean region and
bring sudden winter rain and snow to the north-western parts of
the Indian subcontinent.
Body
Impact of western disturbances on the Indian weather
systems:

 Western disturbances are estimated to bring 5-10% of India’s total

annual rainfall. They are the cause of the most winter and pre-
monsoon season rainfall across North-West India.
 Western disturbances are usually associated with a cloudy sky,
higher night temperatures, and unusual rain.
 Wheat is one of the most important crops, which helps to meet
India’s food security. Western disturbances precipitation has great
importance in the growth of wheat and other Rabi crops.

o However, strong western disturbances bring excessive

precipitation that can cause crop damage, landslides, floods, and
avalanches.
o On the other hand, weak western disturbances are associated
with crop failure and water problems across north India.

Conclusion
Western disturbances are generally observed as a favorable
beneficial phenomenon. However, owing to climate change, they
have caused disasters in the form of cloud bursts and hailstorms.

Q. Discuss the major factors that are responsible for the origin of
ocean currents across the globe.
 14 Apr, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by defining the ocean currents.

 Discuss the major factors that are responsible for the origin of
ocean currents
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
Ocean currents are continuous movements of water in the ocean
that follow set paths, kind of rivers in the ocean. There are two
distinct current systems in the ocean—surface circulation, which
stirs a relatively thin upper layer of the sea, and deep circulation,
which sweeps along the deep-sea floor.
Body
Ocean currents can be caused by wind, density differences in
water masses caused by temperature and salinity variations,
gravity, and events such as earthquakes or storms.

 Gravity: Surface currents in the ocean are driven by global wind

systems that are fueled by energy from the sun. Also, Coriolis
forces from the Earth’s rotation interact with the currents.
 Planetary Winds: Patterns of surface currents are determined by
wind direction.

o Surface wind-driven currents generate upwelling currents in

conjunction with landforms, creating deepwater currents.
 Variation in Density: Currents may also be caused by density
differences in water masses due to temperature (thermo) and
salinity (haline) variations via a process known as thermohaline
circulation.

o These currents move water masses through the deep ocean—

taking nutrients, oxygen, and heat with them.
 Occasional Events: Geophysical events such as huge storms
and underwater earthquakes can also trigger serious ocean
currents, moving masses of water inland when they reach shallow
water and coastlines.

o Earthquakes may also trigger the rapid downslope movement of

water-saturated sediments, creating strong turbidity currents.
 Topography: When a current that is moving over a broad area is
forced into a confined space, it may become very strong.

o On the ocean floor, water masses forced through narrow

openings in a ridge system or flowing around a seamount may
create currents that are far greater than in the surrounding water.
o This affects the distribution and abundance of organisms as well
as the scientists and their equipment seeking to study these
organisms.

Conclusion
The ocean currents act as the global conveyor belt and thus play
a dominant role in determining the climate of many of Earth’s
regions.

Q. Explain the various types of landforms formed under Karst

topography.
08 Apr, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by defining codes of ethics and codes of conduct

separately.
 Discuss the major differences between the code of ethics and the
code of conduct.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
The term karst describes a distinctive topography that indicates
dissolution (also called chemical solution) of underlying soluble
rocks by surface water or groundwater.
Karst, terrain usually characterized by barren, rocky ground,
caves, sinkholes, underground rivers, and the absence of surface
streams and lakes. This topography is commonly associated with
carbonate rocks (limestone and dolomite).
Body
Formation of Karst Topography or its Cycle of Erosion

 Conditions that promote karst development are well-jointed,

dense limestone near the surface; moderate to heavy rainfall; and
good groundwater circulation.
 Limestone (calcium carbonate) dissolves relatively easily in
slightly acidic water, which occurs widely in nature.
 Rainwater percolates along both horizontal and vertical cracks,
dissolving the limestone and carrying it away in solution.
 Limestone pavements are produced by the removal of surface
material, and the vertical fissures along joints are gradually
widened and deepened, producing a grooved and jagged terrain.
 As it flows along cracks underground, the water continues to
widen and deepen the cracks until they become cave systems or
underground stream channels into which narrow vertical shafts
may open.

Karst Landforms

 Sink Hole: If a cave becomes large enough and the top extends
close enough to the surface, the top collapses. This produces
 depressions called sinkholes, which are among the most
characteristic features of karst topography.
 Karst Window: When a number of adjoining sinkholes collapse,
they form an open, broad area called a karst window.
 Stalactite: A portion of the roof hangs on the roof and on
evaporation of water, a small deposit of limestone is left behind
contributing to the formation of a stalactite, growing downwards
from the roof.
 Stalagmite: The remaining portion of the drop falls to the floor.
This also evaporates, leaving behind a small deposit of limestone
aiding the formation of a stalagmite, thicker and flatter, rising
upwards from the floor.
 Column: Sometimes, stalactite and stalagmite join together to
form a complete pillar known as the column.

Conclusion
Karsts are found in widely scattered sections of the world,
including the Causses of France; the Kwangsi area of China; the
Yucatán Peninsula in the United States.

Q. Discuss the term heat budget and how it impacts the

temperature in the earth's atmosphere.
02 Apr, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by defining what is the heat budget of the earth.
 Discuss the mechanism of the heat budget with a suitable
diagram and how it impacts the temperature of the earth.
 Conclude Suitably.
 Introduction
The earth receives a certain amount of Insolation (short waves)
and gives back heat into space by terrestrial radiation (longwave
radiation). Through this inflow and outflow of heat, the earth
maintains a constant temperature and this phenomenon is
referred to as the heat budget of the earth.

Body
The Sun doesn’t heat the Earth evenly. Because the Earth is a
sphere, the Sun heats equatorial regions more than polar regions.
The atmosphere and ocean work non-stop to even out solar
heating imbalances through evaporation of surface water,
convection, rainfall, winds, and ocean circulation.
This coupled atmosphere and ocean circulation maintain the
temperature on earth in the following ways:

 The climate’s heat engine must not only redistribute solar heat
from the equator toward the poles but also from the Earth’s
surface and lower atmosphere back to space.
 When the flow of incoming solar energy is balanced by an equal
flow of heat to space, Earth is in radiative equilibrium, and global
temperature is relatively stable.
 Regions within the equator and 40° N and S latitudes receive
abundant sunlight and hence they are energy surplus regions.
Regions beyond 40° N and S latitudes lose more heat than that
gained from sunlight and hence they are energy deficit regions.

o The atmosphere (planetary winds) and the oceans (ocean

currents) transfer excess heat from the tropics (energy surplus
region) towards the poles (energy deficit regions) making up for
heat loss at higher latitudes.
 Most of the heat transfer takes place across the mid-latitudes (30°
to 50°)[more while studying jet streams and cyclones], and hence
much of the stormy weather is associated with this region.
 Thus, the transfer of surplus energy from the lower latitudes to the
deficit energy zone of the higher latitudes maintains an overall
balance over the earth’s surface.

Conclusion
Sun is the ultimate source of heat. And the differential heat
received from the sun by different regions on earth is the ultimate
reason behind all climatic features. So understanding the patterns
of distribution of temperature in different seasons is important for
understanding various climatic features like wind systems,
pressure systems, precipitation, etc.

Q. Discuss what led to the evolution of the Capitalist and the

Socialist pattern of industrialization.
22 Mar, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing capitalism and socialism.

 Discuss the factors leading to the evolution of the Capitalist and
the Socialist patterns.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
Capitalism is defined as an economic system in which the means
of production, trade, and industry are owned and controlled by
private individuals or corporations for profit. Also known as the
free market economy or laissez-faire economy.
Socialist Economy is defined as an economy in which the
resources are owned, managed, and regulated by the State. The
central idea of this kind of economy is that all the people have
similar rights and in this way, each and every person can reap the
fruits of planned production.
Body
Capitalist Pattern of Industrialization

 Capitalism is the first stage in the history of the world to coincide

with the phenomenon of industrialization in its full brown form
together, the new economic institutions (like banking insurance)
and the new technology that transformed the world.
 As a result of the renaissance in Europe in the seventeenth
century, the methods of science, philosophy, and trade were
being applied for utilitarian purposes.
 This led to the new discoveries of markets, and subsequently the
industrial revolution (dominated by heavy machinery which
repealed manpower) in European countries.
 The industrial revolution turned production by the masses to mass
production.
 However, this capitalist mode of production resulted in inequalities
between the classes and imperialism across the globe.

o This led to the development of the antithesis of capitalism by Karl

Marx and Frederich Engels. However, socialism gets manifested
 after the Russian revolution in 1919 and the subsequent
establishment of the USSR (now Russia).

Socialist Pattern of Industrialization.

 The Socialist pattern of industrialization emphasizes co-operative

enterprise and various forms of community enterprise that would
benefit the public as a whole.
 It implied activity to strengthen trade unions, friendly societies,
and labor syndicates with or without the assistance of political
parties.
 Nationalization was looked upon as a way of constituting an area
of activity where the workers had no say.
 Governments evolved with state control of the economy. These
governments used public welfare as their reference point.
 Hence the economy as it matured was called a planned economy.
 However, most socialists had an abiding fear of the state and
state control as a possible source of intensification of exploitation
rather than a solution to it.

Conclusion
Capitalism leads to the creation of wealth but it advocates
distinction between the haves and have-nots. Socialism fills the
gap between rich and poor, but at the same time it wipes out the
encouragement to work hard, due to which the country's Gross
Domestic Product falls down and everyone turns out to be poor.
Thus, as every coin has two aspects, it is very difficult to say
which system is better than the other.

Q. Discuss the similarities and differences between the basic

tenets of Buddhism and Jainism.
 18 Mar, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning the origin of both religions.

 Discuss the similarities and differences between Buddhism and
Jainism.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
Mahavira and Buddha founded Jainism and Buddhism
respectively. Like Buddhism, Jainism also rose partly in reaction
to ritualism which marked the Vedic religion. Though both the
religions were contemporaries and there was much in common
they are marked by distinct characteristics.
Body
Similarities

 They were both inspired by the philosophy of the Upanishads and

other Hindu religious sects. For example, the ultimate goal of life
is salvation.
 Both the sections appealed to the socially downtrodden and
admitted people from different ranks of society.
 Both believed that Nirvana or salvation liberates from the eternal
chain of birth and death.
 Both emphasized strong moral principles rather than the practice
of ritualism or devotion to and worship of God as a means to
attain salvation.

Differences

 Unlike Buddhism, Jainism has survived in India throughout history

despite the mutability it faced.
o This is due to the strict adherence of Jains to their religious
discipline. However, Buddhism remained liberal in its
interpretation in foreign countries.
 Jainism believes in a more holistic view of life. According to it
everything in nature, every living and non-living thing has a soul of
its own.

o However, Buddhism does not believe so.

 While Buddhism doesn’t discriminate between males and
females, according to Jainism, women and men householders
cannot attain salvation.
 Elements of Jain teaching such as ahimsa, include opposition to
animal sacrifices.

o The concept of Ahimsa (non-violence) is different in Buddhism as

it permitted the eating of animal flesh where it was a necessity or
traditional diet of the people.

Conclusion
Buddhism and Jainism are sometimes referred to as children of a
common parent and have a lot in common. However, W.W.
Hunter writes "Jainism is as much independent from other sects,
especially from Buddhism as can be expected, from any other
sect.

Q. Explain the term earthquake swarms and how they are

different from aftershocks and foreshocks.
12 Mar, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly defining the term earthquake swarms

 Discuss what you mean by aftershocks & foreshocks.
 Discuss the characteristics of the earthquake swarms and
compare them with aftershocks & foreshocks.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
An Earthquake swarm is a sequence of mostly small earthquakes
with no identifiable mainshock. Swarms can last weeks and
produce many thousands of earthquakes within a relatively small
volume.
Body
Aftershocks & Foreshocks

 Foreshocks are earthquakes that precede larger earthquakes in

the same location. An earthquake cannot be identified as a
foreshock until after a larger earthquake in the same area occurs.
 Aftershocks are a sequence of earthquakes that happen after a
larger mainshock on a fault.
 When an earthquake occurs, the state of stress around the
earthquake dramatically changes. The Earth wants to get back to
some type of equilibrium, and that is the process that produces
aftershocks.
 Aftershocks become less frequent with time, although they can
continue for days, weeks, months, or even years for a very large
mainshock.

Characteristics of the Earthquake Swarms

 Earthquake swarm’ is a series of low magnitude earthquakes that

occur in a localized region and over a period of time ranging for
days, weeks to even months.
 When seismic energy piles up inside the Earth and is released in
small amounts from certain points, such a series of earthquakes
can occur.
 The earthquake swarms occur at rates and with magnitudes that
don’t obey any of the “rules” that aftershock sequences follow.
 Sometimes, these rumblings of the Earth are also accompanied
by acoustic or sound emissions.
 At volcanoes that are active and getting ready to erupt, swarms
can be a sign of magma moving in the subsurface. However, not
all swarms are associated with fluids and volcanoes, tectonic
forces can also trigger swarms.

o For example, in India, a Geological Survey of India (GSI) report

held that the Deccan Plateau region experiences earthquake
swarms, owing to tectonic activity.
 They can come as foreshocks to the main earthquake which
could be much greater in magnitude.
Conclusion
Seismic activities can be classified into either a major quake
followed by aftershocks or an earthquake swarm. Therefore, both
reflect the pent-up seismic activity inside the earth’s crust.

Q. Explain the significance of the Eastern Ghats for India.

Suggest steps that can be taken to conserve the biodiversity of
the region (250 Words).
08 Mar, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach
 Introduce by giving general information (like location, biodiversity)
about the Eastern Ghats.
 Explain the significance of the Eastern Ghats for India.
 Write about increasing threat to the Eastern Ghats and degrading
forest cover and biodiversity.
 Suggest steps that can be taken to conserve the biodiversity.
Conclude suitably in brief.

Introduction
The Eastern Ghats, discontinuous hill-ranges spread across
Odisha, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu,
are home to unique ecosystems.
This diverse landscape is home to endemic flora and fauna. Many
animals, including tigers and elephants, and some 400 bird
species are found in these discontinuous forests that receive an
annual average rainfall of 1,200 mm to 1,500 mm.
Body
Significance

 Spread across some 75,000 sq. km, Eastern Ghats play an

important dual role in fostering biodiversity and storing
energy(biomass) in trees.
 It has many dams like Krishnagiri, Sathanur, Shenbagathoppu,
Kariyalur, Gomuki,, Mriganda, Chengam, etc.

o They help in irrigation and flood management by controlling

water flow.
 Waterfalls such as the Periyar Falls, Megam Falls, Beeman Falls,
Killiyur Falls, Hogenakkal, make the land fertile apart
from drawing tourists.
 The forest resources of the region act as Carbon sink, thereby
helping in reduced concentration of water.

Threats to Eastern Ghats

 The Eastern Ghats face a serious threat from climate
change. The area has shrunk by 16% over the past century, and
just one region, Papikonda National Park, lost about 650 sq. km.
over the last twenty years.
 Tremendous stress, degradation and damage due to human
greed, population pressure, unsustainable development,
apathy by the public, negligence by public servants, etc.
 Haphazard mining, logging, poaching, forest fires,
unsustainable harvest of forest produce, pilferage of rare species,
smuggling and export of rare flora and fauna, encroachments of
forest land and infrastructure development industrialization,
springing up of habitations with an intention to colonize and
devour the forest.

Steps To Be Taken to Conserve the Eastern Ghats

 Promotion of sustainable use of forest resources should be

done in order to counter overexploitation.
 Adequate Agricultural Practices: Government should
incentivize settled agriculture in order to counter the impact of
shifting agriculture because the practice of shifting agriculture will
directly contribute to deforestation.
 Afforestation: Improving tree cover nationally can confer multiple
benefits, including modulation of the monsoon, improved air
quality and wider spaces for biodiversity to persist.
 Planting Indigenous varieties: Government should finance the
usage of indigenous plants and trees for restoring and
strengthening the peripheral areas of the forest of Eastern Ghats
by tapping into the International Climate Fund available.
 Local Participation: There is a need for concerted and macro-
level conservation movement by the involvement of all
stakeholders especially the public.

o Collectivizing or binding all individuals and civil society groups into

a network will bring much focus and strength to the cause.
 Eco-tourism: It takes care of the livelihood of locals by making
them stake-holders, the forest and its biodiversity are guarded by
eco-tourism management committee members in turn.
 Holistic Conservation: Conservation of ecosystems like wildlife
Corridors, specialised ecosystems, and special breeding
sites, areas with intrinsically low resilience, sacred groves and
frontier forests etc. is also very important.

Conclusion
Only if an effective strategy for the eco-development of these
regions is developed by involving the local people, the flora, fauna
and other natural resources of Eastern Ghats can be protected.
Otherwise the future of the Eastern Ghats and its precious
biodiversity will be only an illusion.

Q. Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar made it possible to think of an end

to, if not a beginning for, the profound inequities of caste in India.
Comment.
03 Mar, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing BR Ambedkar.

 Discuss the contribution of Ambedkar in awakening Dalit
consciousness.
 Conclude Suitably.

Introduction
In the pre-independence era, the question of the oppression of
Dalits as a problem for thought was raised by many leaders like
Jyotiba Phule, E.V. Ramasamy. However, it was due to the efforts
of B. R Ambedkar, the Dalit issue transformed into nationwide
 social movement activism. He not only gave a voice to the
voiceless people of India but also a political identity.
Body
Contribution of Ambedkar in Awakening Dalit
Consciousness:

 Father of the Dalit Consciousness: His political and literary

contribution to the awakening of the Dalit Consciousness is
immense and he is universally accepted as the father of the Dalit
Consciousness.

o Ambedkar launched full-fledged movements for Dalit rights during

the 1930s.
o He demanded public drinking water sources open to all and right
for all castes to enter temples.
o He openly condemned Hindu Scriptures advocating discrimination
and arranged symbolic demonstrations to enter the Kalaram
Temple in Nashik.
 Provided Political Rights to Dalits: He adopted various means
to safeguard Dalit rights.

o He was a delegate at the Round Table Conference in London,

where he asked for a separate electorate for Dalits.
o In 1932, the Poona Pact was signed between Dr. Ambedkar and
Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya to ensure reservation of seats for
the untouchable class in the Provincial legislatures, within the
general electorate.
o Being the chairman of the drafting committee of Indian
Constitution, Dr B.R. Ambedkar provided certain constitutional
provisions to protect the rights of Dalits in social, economic,
educational, employment, and political fields, in the form of
positive discriminations or preferential treatments or reservation
policy.
 Provided Dalits With Political Identity: According to Ambedkar
what British imperialism was to India, Hindu imperialism was to
the untouchables. He linked nationalism with the social and
political aspirations of the untouchables.

o In 1936, Ambedkar founded the Independent Labor Party which

later transformed into the All India Scheduled Castes Federation.
o He saw that the Dalit movement lacked philosophical justification.
So he wrote about the French revolution ideas of fraternity, liberty
and equality.
o He encouraged the Dalits to embrace Buddhism to liberate their
own selves from Hindu subjugation.

Conclusion
The Dalit movement in India is a legacy of the multiple streams of
Ambedkar’s efforts to bring equality and to make systemic
changes to the social order.

. COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty

in India. Comment. (UPSC GS-1 Mains 2020)
25 Feb, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing the present status of

inequalities and widespread poverty in India.
 Discuss the impact of the pandemic on class inequalities &
poverty.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
 Inequality was alarmingly high and destabilizing social and
political order in much of the world even before the pandemic
struck. According to Oxfam report 2019, In India the top 1% hold
51.53% of the national wealth, while the remaining 99% make do
with almost 48%.
However, the Inequality Virus Report, released by Oxfam
International, has found that the Covid-19 pandemic deeply
increased the existing inequalities in India and around the world.
Body
Impact of the Pandemic on Class Inequalities & Poverty

 India introduced one of the earliest and most stringent lockdowns

in the face of the pandemic and its enforcement brought the
economy to a standstill, triggering unemployment, hunger,
distress migration, and untold hardship.
 The rich were able to escape the pandemic’s worst impact; and
while the white-collar workers isolated themselves and worked
from home. However, a majority of the not-so-fortunate Indians
(migrant workers) lost their livelihood.

o India’s large informal workforce was the worst hit as it made up

75% of the 122 million jobs lost.
 The unemployment rate among women rose from an already high
15% before Covid to 18%.
 Beyond income and job losses, poorer women also suffered
healthwise because of the disruption in regular health services
and Anganwadi centers.
 A new study from the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) has found that an additional 207 million people could be
pushed into extreme poverty by 2030 due to the severe long-term
impact of the coronavirus pandemic, bringing the total number of
the world’s extremely poor to more than a billion.

Conclusion
 In order to combat the ill effects of Covid-19, the government has
launched PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and Atma-Nirbhar
Bharat Abhiyan. However, undoing the impacts of Covid-19 will
certainly not be a short-term process.

Q. Account for the present location of iron and steel industries

away from the source of raw material, by giving examples. (UPSC
GS-1 Mains 2020)
18 Feb, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing major location factors for

the iron and steel industries.
 Discuss the present location factors of iron and steel industries
away from the source of raw material
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
Raw material and power resources are key components of the
establishment, development, and concentration of the Iron and
steel industry. During the 19th and early 20th centuries, due to the
high amount of weight loss during processing, early steel plants
were mostly located where coal was available.
However, with the passage of time, the depletion of raw material,
emergence of new technologies (like electric furnaces), and fuel-
saving transportation, promoted the Iron and Steel industry to
locate away from the raw material sources.
Body
 Apart from the availability of raw materials, capital and market are
also important factors in the localization of industries, including
the iron and steel industry.

 Market-based location is generally found in countries where coal

and iron ore deposits are rare.

o For example, Japan is deficient in both iron ore and coal and
almost all raw materials are to be imported from overseas
countries.
o This makes Japanese steel plants mostly market-based.
o The great ‘Tokyo-Yokohama’ and ‘Osaka – Kobe – Heemeji’ iron
steel regions are market-based.
 Transportation is another controlling factor of the location of iron
and steel industry.

o The intermediate location, in some cases, gets distinct

advantages in terms of the accessibility with raw materials,
market and transportation. Its port location is of advantage.
o For example, the Vizag Steel Plant, Visakhapatnam in Andhra
Pradesh, is the first port-based plant that started operating in
1992.
 The raw material-based industries are now facing disadvantages
because of depleting reserves of raw material.

o Apart from this, the drastic reduction of coal use and development
of fuel economy also attracted industries to the areas where
transport is cheaper.
o For example, a cheap water route or break of bulk location, where
due to loading and unloading facilities, raw materials are available
at a much cheaper rate.

Conclusion
 Nowadays, the localization of steel plants, each of the three
factors, i.e., coal, iron ore, and the market, have equal
importance. The geographic coincidence of any two factors,
however, determines the steel plant site.

Q. How will the melting of Himalayan glaciers have a far- reaching

impact on the water resources of India? (UPSC GS-1 Mains
2020)
12 Feb, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly discussing the importance of the

Himalayas.
 Discuss the effect of melting Himalayan glaciers on water
resources.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
The Himalayas is referred to as the Third Pole. Being the major
source of water for the rivers, these glaciers are the lifeline for
one-third of the population across the globe.
However, the rapid melting of Himalayan glaciers has put
enormous pressure on the weather resource of India.
Body
Effect of Melting Himalayan Glaciers

 Frequent Flooding & Droughts: Himalayan glaciers provide for

a vital regional lifeline to over two billion people through 10 main
rivers that originate from the glaciers.
o Given that there are 8,790 glacial lakes in the region, rapid
melting of glaciers could lead to floods from glacial lake outbursts.
For example in Uttrakhand flash floods in 2013 and 2021.
o Glacial melt could result in more streamflow due to high glacial
melt but for a short time, after which the flow would start reducing
and result in conditions of droughts.
 Impacting Moonsoon: The Himalayas exerts a significant
influence on seasonal shifts in the monsoon circulation and the
distribution of rainfall over India.

o The south-west monsoon accounts for 70% of the annual rainfall

in India.
o According to IPCC projections, the melting of glaciers could
indicate a likely increase in summer rainfall by 4-12% in the near
term and 4-25% in the long term.
o Changing monsoon patterns, including increased severity and
frequency of storms, could lead to mountain hazards that may
destroy critical infrastructure.
 Destabilize Flow of Indian Rivers: Increasing glacial melts could
destabilize Indian rivers by changing their streamflow.

o The Indian rivers like Ganga and the Brahmaputra are partly fed
by glacier melt and partly mainly monsoon-fed rivers
o With the impact on monsoon, this will hamper agriculture that
accounts for the largest share of water usage.

Conclusion
According to a recent IPCC report the Himalayan glaciers are
melting and receding at an alarming rate and if adequate steps
are not taken to limit global warming, two-thirds of glaciers in the
Hindu Kush Himalayas could melt by 2100.
 Q. Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including
the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting
remedial measures. (UPSC GS-1 Mains 2020)
08 Feb, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start the answer by briefly mentioning the major cause of the

frequent occurrence of urban floods.
 Discuss the various factors responsible for frequent Urban
Flooding.
 Discuss the remedial measures to address urban floodings.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
 As climate variability and extreme weather events increase, urban
flooding becomes more and more common in many Indian cities,
like Hyderabad.
While the untimely heavy rains can be attributed to climate
variability, the urban flooding is mainly due to unplanned
urbanization.
Body
Reasons For Frequent Urban Flooding

 Inadequate Drainage Infrastructure: Cities like Hyderabad,

Mumbai rely on a century-old drainage system, covering only a
small part of the core city.

o In the last 20 years, the Indian cities have grown manifold with
their original built-up area. However, not much was done to
address the absence of adequate drainage systems.
 Cities Becoming Impervious: Indian cities are becoming
increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing
built up but also because of the nature of materials used (hard, a
non-porous construction material that makes the soil impervious).

o Moreover, irreversible damage has been done to the city by

property builders, property owners, and public agencies by
flattening terrain and altering natural drainage routes.
 Poor Implementation of EIA: Even with provisions of rainwater
harvesting, sustainable urban drainage systems, etc., in
regulatory mechanisms like the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA), adoption at the user end and enforcement
agencies remains weak.

Remedial Measures For Urban Flooding

 Holistic Engagement: Urban floods cannot be contained by the

municipal authorities alone. Floods cannot be managed without
 concerted and focused investments of energy and resources.

o The Metropolitan Development Authorities, National Disaster

Management Authority, State revenue, and irrigation departments
along with municipal corporations, should be involved in such
work together.
 Developing Sponge Cities: The idea of a sponge city is to make
cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls
upon them.

o New porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or

mandated across scales to improve the city’s capacity to absorb
water.
o Sponge cities may deploy technologies like bioswales and
retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement,
drainage systems that allow stormwater to trickle into the ground,
green roofs, and harvesting systems in buildings.
 Water Sensitive Urban Design: These methods take into
consideration the topography, types of surfaces (permeable or
impervious), natural drainage and leave very less impact on the
environment.

o Vulnerability analyses and risk assessments should form part and

parcel of city master plans.
o Watershed management and emergency drainage plan should be
clearly enunciated in policy and law.
 Convergent Approach: These can all be delivered effectively
through an urban mission along the lines of the Atal Mission for
Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), National
Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY),
and Smart Cities Mission.

Conclusion
 Overburdened drainage, unregulated construction, no regard for
the natural topography, and hydro-geomorphology all make urban
floods a man-made disaster.

Q. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the

functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate
your answer. (UPSC GS-1 Mains 2020) (250 words)
01 Feb, 2021 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Start your answer by briefly discussing the context of the question

 Discuss the Advantages & Disadvantages of Digital Initiatives in
the Education system.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 The covid-19 pandemic has dragged the traditional model of

education (school, colleges, classroom model) in the crisis. In this
situation, online education has come to the rescue of the cause of
education.
 Moreover, even before the pandemic, digital initiatives have
helped to promote inclusivity of education. However, there are
several challenges of online education and the same needs to be
fixed.

Body
Advantages of Digital Initiatives in Education

 Flexibility: Digital Initiatives a vast space to learn and tech any

number of skills and courses. For example, E- Pathshala provides
 e-content for studies, and the SWAYAM portal provides an
integrated platform for online courses.

o It also helps to develop a multi-disciplinary approach.

o Due to this, a growing number of universities and higher
education schools are coming forward to offer online versions of
their programs for various levels and disciplines.
 Cost-Effective: Digital initiatives enable lesser monetary
investment as compared to the traditional model of education.

o With the online mode of learning, the money spent on study

materials along with commute charges is considerably less.
 Inclusivity: Digital Initiatives help education to reach the rural
and one of the remotest areas of the country. Also, online learning
allows students to work in the environment that best suits them.

Disadvantages of Digital Initiatives in Education

 Digital Divide: e-Learning is a privilege for the students from

middle and upper class but it has proved to be a nuisance for
students from the lower middle class and people living below the
poverty line (BPL).

o Poor students, who do not have access to e-resources

(computers, laptops, internet connectivity), will not be able to
attend classes from home.
o Thereby, digital initiatives in education also exacerbate the digital
divide.
 Traditional Classroom, A Social Institution: Organizations like
schools and colleges, are social spaces, whereby a student not
just learns academic knowledge but many social skills also) which
are necessary for all-round development.
 Commercialization of Education: Corporate houses, technology
firms and educational institutions will be working closely to
 achieve the goals of e-learning which may aggravate the
commercialization of education and exclude the self-dependent
tutors and students from economically weak backgrounds.

Conclusion
Digital education is very useful yet not completely successful in
India. Hence, there is still a lot to do in terms of checking if
students’ entitlements are not being compromised or in providing
meaningful academic curriculum alternatives.

Q. The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the

multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods, and
interrupted navigation. Critically examine.
28 Jan, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Start your answer by briefly discussing the motive of interlinking of

rivers.
 Discuss its pros and cons.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
Interlinking of rivers envisions transferring water from water
‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding to water ‘deficit’ basins
where there is drought/scarcity through inter-basin water transfer
projects.
The northern plains of India are endowed with surplus water due
to the presence of perennial rivers originating from the Himalayas.
Southern and western India generally witnesses drought, as this
region is drained by seasonal rivers whose water level largely
depends on the Indian monsoon.
 Body
Proposed Benefits of the Interlinking of Rivers

 Hydropower Generation: It would generate additional

hydropower, which will help India fulfill its commitment to the Paris
Climate Deal.
 Round the year Navigation: As it would address the low levels
of water in southern India’s rivers, it would provide around year
waterways connectivity.

o This will reduce the cost of transportation & levels of pollution and
help in economic development.
 Irrigation Benefits: Interlinking of rivers will increase the
country’s total irrigation potential, preventing some of the surface
runoff into the sea.

Associated Concerns With Interlinking of Rivers

 Perennial Rivers Are Not So Perennial: A new analysis of

rainfall data reveals that monsoon shortages grow in river basins
with surplus water and falling in those with scarcities.
 Federal Issue: The spirit of federalism is ignored in the river
interlinking project.

o Historically, there has been dissent on the part of the state

governments regarding water sharing. For example, as evident
from the ongoing disputes on rivers like Cauvery, Mahadayi.
 Tensions With Neighboring Countries: Bangladesh being a
lower riparian state, is less likely to agree to India’s interlinking
project.

o Further, India will be less likely to pressure China on its version of

the interlinking river. This will eventually affect lives in north-east
India.
 High Environmental & Economic Cost: The interlinking of rivers
project, which is of a sub-continent magnitude, will incur a huge
economic cost.

o Moreover, it would harm many ecological factors like Delta

formation, growth of mangroves, and aquatic life.

Conclusion
Interlinking of rivers has its pros and cons, but given the
economic, political, and environmental implications, it may not be
a wise decision to carry out this project at a centralized national
level. Instead, interlinking of rivers may be pursued in a
decentralized manner, and more sustainable ways like rainwater
harvesting should be promoted to mitigate floods and droughts.

Q. Discuss the geophysical characteristics of Circum- Pacific

Zone.
25 Jan, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach:

 Start the answer by giving a brief introduction of Circum- Pacific

Zone.
 Mention the salient geophysical characteristics of Circum- Pacific
Zone.
 Conclude suitably.
 Introduction
The Circum-Pacific Belt, also referred to as The Ring of Fire, is a
path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes
and frequent earthquakes.
Body

 Location: A nearly continuous chain of volcanoes surrounds the

Pacific Ocean. The chain passes along the west coast of North
and South America, from the Aleutian Islands to the south of
Japan, from Indonesia to the Tonga Islands, and New Zealand.
 Formation: This Circum-Pacific chain of volcanoes (often called
the Ring of Fire) and the mountain ranges associated with it owe
their formation to the repeated subduction of the oceanic
 lithosphere beneath the continents and the islands that surround
the Pacific Ocean.

o The Ring of Fire is the result of plate tectonics (Convergent,

Divergent Plate Boundary, Transform Plate Boundary).
 Harbors Majority of Volcano & Earthquakes: Seventy-five
percent of Earth’s volcanoes—more than 450 volcanoes—are
located along the Ring of Fire.

o Ninety percent of Earth’s earthquakes occur along its path,

including the planet’s most violent and dramatic seismic events.
 List of Some Volcano Circum-Pacific Belt: Mount Fuji of
Japan, The Aleutian Islands of US, Krakatau Island Volcano in
Indonesia, etc.
 Formation of Hot Spots: The Ring of Fire is also home to hot
spots, areas deep within the Earth’s mantle from which heat rises.

o This heat facilitates the melting of rock in the brittle, upper portion
of the mantle. The melted rock, known as magma, often pushes
through cracks in the crust to form volcanoes.

Conclusion
As the Circum-Pacific Belt harbors the majority of global Volcanic
eruptions & Earthquakes, it holds immense significance regarding
the study of the earth’s interior.

[Link] process of desertification does not have climate

boundaries. Justify with examples. (150 words) (UPSC GS-1
Mains 2020).
18 Jan, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
 Approach

 Start the answer by explaining the phenomena of d

 esertification.
 Explain the factors involved in the increase of desertification and
how it is not restricted by climate boundaries.
 Conclude suitability.

Introduction
The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) states
that desertification means land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and
dry sub-humid areas resulting from various factors, including
climatic variations and human activities. Although it’s an issue that
reaches far beyond those living in and around the world’s deserts,
threatening the food security and livelihoods of more than two
billion people, defying climate boundaries.
Body
There are many factors that contribute to the process of
increasing desertification. Moreover, the process of desertification
is not just restricted to a particular climate boundary, i.e. arid and
semi-arid areas. It is a global phenomenon that can be
corroborated in the following examples.

 Climate Change: Climate change is a global issue that poses a

threat to all progress done by mankind in the last two centuries.
The effect of Climate change is also a significant factor in
increasing desertification.

o As the land surface is warming more quickly than the Earth’s

surface as a whole, this results in smaller increases in surface
ocean temperatures compared to the land surface as global
temperatures rise.
o Further, both natural variabilities in climate and global warming
can also affect rainfall patterns around the world, which can
contribute to desertification.
o While this sustained, human-caused warming can by itself add to
heat stress faced by vegetation, it is also linked to worsening
extreme weather events like Floods, Droughts, Landslides.
 Soil Erosion: One of the main processes for desertification is
erosion. This is typically through some force of nature such as
wind, rain, and waves, but can be exacerbated by man-made
activities including plowing, grazing, or deforestation.

o The World Atlas of Desertification (2018) indicated that it is not

possible to deterministically map the global extent of land
degradation.
o Further, soil erosion is a global phenomenon that affects
almost all major biomes in the world.
o The occurrences of dust storms in northern India testifies to
this observation.
 Loss of Soil Fertility: A loss of soil fertility is another form of
degradation. In order to increase agricultural production, whether
it is a developed or developing country, soils are being exposed to
the overuse of fertilizers.

o Due to this salinization and acidification of soils is increasing.

 Urbanization: According to several reports, urbanization is
increasing at a rapid pace. Even in India, almost 50% of the
population is expected to live in urban areas, by 2050.
o As urbanization increases, the demand for resources increases,
drawing more resources and leaving lands that easily succumb to
desertification.

Conclusion
As can be seen from the above arguments, desertification and its
impacts are not restricted to certain climatic boundaries. That’s
why UNCCD describes Desertification as one of the greatest
environmental challenges of our time and it must be tackled in a
holistic manner.
 Q. During the Industrial revolution the deplorable working
conditions of labourers especially for the women and children
negated the sense of employment. Comment. (150 words)
11 Jan, 2021 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Briefly explain industrial revolution and working conditions at that

time.
 Discuss the working conditions during the industrial revolution.
 Highlight the issues with respect to women and children workers.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
The transformation of industry and the economy in Britain
between the 1780s and the 1850s is called the first industrial
revolution. This had far-reaching effects in Britain. Later, similar
changes occurred in European countries and in the USA. In most
of these countries overall working conditions of labour were poor
and sometimes even dangerous. Unlike today, all the workers
during the Industrial Revolution were expected to work long hours
or they would lose their jobs.
Body
After the Industrial Revolution, women and children got work all
round the year unlike the seasonal jobs in farms. Their income
rose to usher in them economic self-reliance. However, the
deplorable working conditions in the factories and mills negated
this sense of self-development:

 Monotonous and inhumane working conditions: There was no

arrangement for aesthetics and leisure for labourers even when
 the factories had long unbroken hours in the same kind of work.
Besides, the women and children were subjected to stricter
discipline and sharp forms of punishment.
 Absence of safety: Machinery like the cotton spinning jenny was
designed to be used by child workers with their small build and
nimble fingers. Children were often employed in textile factories
because they were small enough to move between tightly packed
machinery. Cases of permanent injury without adequate
compensation were quite common in those times.
 Exorbitant working hours and cruelty: The long hours of work,
including cleaning the machines on Sundays, allowed them little
fresh air or exercise. Children caught their hair in machines or
crushed their hands, while some died when they fell into
machines as they dropped off to sleep from exhaustion.
 Exploitation of vulnerabilities: The earnings of women and
children were necessary to supplement men’s meagre wages. As
the use of machinery spread and fewer workers were needed,
industrialists preferred to employ women and children who would
be less agitated about their poor working conditions and work for
lower wages than men.
 Employment in hazardous mines: Coal mines were also
dangerous places to work in. Roofs caved in or there could be an
explosion, and injuries were therefore common. The owners of
coal mines used children to reach deep coal faces or those where
the approach path was too narrow for adults. Younger children
worked as ‘trappers’ who opened and shut doors as the coal
wagons travelled through mines, or carried heavy loads of coal on
their backs as ‘coal bearers.’
 No standards on minimum working age: Factory managers
considered child labour to be important training for future factory
work. The evidence from British factory records reveals that about
half of the factory workers had started work when they were less
than ten years old and nearly one-fourth when they were under
14.
 Absence of welfare measures: Lack of social security,
insurance, safe working conditions and amenities like creche
made the children and women workers suffer even more.

Conclusion
Thus, women and children may have gained increased financial
independence and self-esteem from their jobs in the Industrial
revolution but this was more than offset by the humiliating terms
of work they endured.

Q. Discussing the impacts of Micro Climatic zones shifting in

India, suggest measures required to mitigate its impact. (250
words)
05 Jan, 2021 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Briefly explain the Micro climatic zones shifting in India.

 Discuss the impact of Micro climatic zones shifting.
 Suggest measures to combat the impacts of Micro climatic zones
shifting.
 Write a forward looking conclusion.

Introduction

 The microclimates of a region are defined by the moisture,

temperature, and winds of the atmosphere near the ground, the
vegetation, soil, and the latitude, elevation, and season. Weather
is also influenced by microclimatic conditions
 Microclimatic zones are shifting across various districts of India. A
shift in microclimate zones may lead to severe disruptions across
 sectors. For example: every 2 degrees Celsius rise in annual
mean temperature will reduce agricultural productivity by 15-20%.
 Some reasons identified behind this shift in microclimatic zones is
change in land-use patterns, deforestation, encroachments upon
mangroves, disappearing wetlands and natural ecosystems by
encroachment, and urban heat islands that trap heat locally.

Body
Impact of Micro Climatic zones shifting

 Increase in frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of

extreme events: While India witnessed 250 extreme climate
events in 35 years between 1970 and 2005, it recorded 310 such
weather events in only 15 years since then.

o With an unusual spike in extreme events since 2005, these

districts are bearing the effects of changing microclimate with loss
of property, livelihoods and lives.
 Loss of lives and property: Extreme weather events resulting
from climate change led to 4,95,000 human deaths across the
world in 1999-2018. More than 12,000 extreme weather events
led to losses worth USD 3.54 trillion (measured in terms of
purchasing power parity or PPP) during this period. The current
trend of catastrophic climate events results from a mere 0.6
degrees Celsius temperature rise in the last 100 years.

Measures to mitigate impacts of Micro Climatic zones

shifting

 Develop a Climate Risk Atlas to map critical vulnerabilities such

as coasts, urban heat stress, water stress, and biodiversity
collapse.
 Develop an Integrated Emergency Surveillance System to
facilitate a systematic and sustained response to emergencies.
 Building Sustainable and Environmentally-friendly Cities.
 Legislating laws that plan and provide environmentally sound
cities and smart growth.
 Mainstream risk assessment at all levels, including localised,
regional, sectoral, cross-sectoral, macro and micro-climatic level.
 Enhance adaptive and resilience capacity to climate-proof
lives, livelihoods and investments.
 Increase the participatory engagement of all stakeholders in
the risk assessment process.
 Integrate risk assessment into local, sub-national, and national
level plans.

Conclusion
According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water
(CEEW), India is already the 5th most vulnerable country globally
in terms of extreme climate events, and it is all set to become the
world’s flood capital. Thus, India needs to take immediate steps
taking cognisance of the report “Preparing India for Extreme
Climate Events” released by CEEW, so that India is well equipped
and prepared to mitigate the vulnerabilities from Micro Climatic
zones shifting.

Q. Communalism is one of the most serious problems that India

faces today. Critically examine the factors responsible and
suggest ways to deal with it. (250 words)
26 Oct, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Introduce by briefly writing some of the recent incidents of

communal violence in India and their impact on the society.
 Examine the various factors responsible for communalism.
 Suggest ways to deal with the problems of communalism.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 Communalism, in a broad sense, means a strong attachment to

one’s own community. In popular discourse in India, it is
understood as an unhealthy attachment to one’s own religion.
 The anti-Sikh riots-1984, the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi
controversy-1992, Gujarat communal riots-2002, Uttar Pradesh
worst violence -2013 and recently Delhi communal riots-2020
broke out.
 Violation of Human Rights, economic loss, social dissonance and
erosion of Constitutional values are some of the worst impacts
aftermath of riots.

Body
Factors responsible for communalism:

 Divisive Politics: Communalism is often defined as a political

doctrine that makes use of religious and cultural differences in
achieving political gains.
 Economic Causes: Uneven development, class divisions,
poverty and unemployment aggravates insecurity in the common
men which make them vulnerable to political manipulation.
 Politics of Appeasement: Prompted by political considerations,
and guided by their vested interests, political parties take
decisions which promote communal violence.
 Isolation and Economic Backwardness of Muslim
Community: The failure to adopt the scientific and technological
education and thus, insufficient representation in the public
service, industry and trade etc has led to the feeling of relative
deprivation among Muslims.
o The resurgence of Hindu-Muslim economic
competition, especially among the lower and middle class strata
has fuelled the communal ideology.
 Administrative Failure: A weak law and order is one of the
causes of communal violence.
 Psychological Factors: The lack of interpersonal trust and
mutual understanding between two communities often result in
perception of threat, harassment, fear and danger in one
community against the members of the other community , which
in turn leads to fight, hatred and anger phobia.
 Social Media: It is often accused of sensationalism and
disseminates rumours as "news" which sometimes resulted into
further tension and riots between two rival religious groups.

Measures to Deal with Communalism

 There is a need to reform in the present criminal justice

system, speedy trials and adequate compensation to the victims,
may act as a deterrent.
 Increase in representation of minority communities and
weaker sections in all wings of law-enforcement, training of forces
in human rights, especially in the use of firearms in accordance
with UN code of conduct.
 Codified guidelines for the administration, specialised training for
the police force to handle communal riots and setting up special
investigating and prosecuting agencies can help in damping major
communal disgruntlement.
 Emphasis on value-oriented education with focus on the values
of peace, non-violence, compassion, secularism and humanism
as well as developing scientific temper (enshrined as a
fundamental duty) and rationalism as core values in children both
in schools and colleges/universities, can prove vital in preventing
communal feelings.
 The Hong Kong model of combating communalism by setting up a
“Race Relation Unit” to promote racial harmony and facilitate
integration of ethnic minorities, can be emulated by India.
 Government can encourage and support civil society and NGOs
to run projects that help create communal awareness, build
stronger community relations and cultivate values of communal
harmony in the next generation.
 There is a need for minority welfare schemes to be launched and
implemented efficiently by administration to address the
challenges and various forms of discrimination faced by them in
jobs, housing and daily life.
 A legislation is required to curb the communal violence.
Communal Violence (Prevention, Control and Rehabilitation of
Victims) Bill, 2005 must be enacted soon.

Conclusion

 Maintaining communal harmony and respecting pluralism in a

country as diverse as India can be a challenge. However, it is
important to address the collective conscience of people of the
country to uphold the constitutional values like fraternity and
secularism.
 A strong nation, which is built by the contribution of communities
working together for its prosperity can further contribute to the
maintenance of global peace and harmony.

Q. What were the aims and objectives of the indian National

Congress at the time of its inception? Discuss how far was it
successfull to achieve the targets. (250 words)
19 Oct, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
 Approach

 Start with the situation prevalent at the time of formation of indian

National Congress (INC).
 Explain the aims and objectives of the INC at the time of its
inception.
 Evaluate the success of INC to achieve the targets in its early
phase.
 Conclude by emphasizing significance of INC in Indian freedom
struggle.

Introduction

 In the later 1870s and early 1880s, a solid ground had been
prepared for the establishment of an all-India organisation. The
final shape to this idea was given by a retired English civil
servant, A.O. Hume, who mobilised leading intellectuals of the
time and, with their cooperation, organised the first session of the
Indian National Congress in December 1885.

Body
The main aims of the Indian National Congress in the initial
stage-

 Found a democratic, nationalist movement;

 Politicise and politically educate people;
 Establish the headquarters for a movement;
 Promote friendly relations among nationalist political workers from
different parts of the country;
 Develop and propagate an anti-colonial nationalist ideology;
 Formulate and present popular demands before the government
with a view to unifying the people over a common economic and
political programme;
 Develop and consolidate a feeling of national unity among people
irrespective of religion, caste or province;
 Carefully promote and nurture Indian nationhood.

Evaluation of the success of INC in the early phase

Successes

 They represented the most progressive forces of the time.

 They were able to create a wide national awakening of all Indians
having common interests and the need to rally around a common
programme against a common enemy, and above all, the feeling
of belonging to one nation.
 They trained people in political work and popularised modern
ideas.
 They exposed the basically exploitative character of colonial rule,
thus undermining its moral foundations.
 Their political work was based on hard realities, and not on
shallow sentiments, religion, etc.
 They were able to establish the basic political truth that India
should be ruled in the interest of Indians.
 They created a solid base for a more vigorous, militant, mass-
based national movement in the years that followed.

Issues with functioning in its early phase

 The early nationalists did a great deal to awaken the national

sentiment, even though they could not draw the masses to them.

o The moderate phase of the national movement had a narrow

social base and the masses played a passive role. This was
because the early nationalists lacked political faith in the masses;
they felt that there were numerous divisions and subdivisions in
the Indian society, and the masses were generally ignorant and
had conservative ideas and thoughts.
 INC in the early phase failed to widen their democratic base and
the scope of their demands.
 Conclusion

 Earlier, there was a theory that Hume formed the Congress with
the idea that it would prove to be a ‘safety valve’ for releasing the
growing discontent of the Indians. However, INC represented the
urge of the politically conscious Indians to set up a national body
to express the political and economic demands of the Indians.
 In the circumstances,Historians observe, the early Congress
leaders used Hume as a ‘lightning conductor’ i.e., as a catalyst to
bring together the nationalistic forces even if under the guise of a
‘safety valve’.

Q. The Socio-Religious reformers of the 19-20th century aimed at

modernization rather than westernization. Discuss. (150 words)
12 Oct, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 In the introduction briefly explain about the socio-religious reforms

of the 19-20th century.
 Write a line about the difference between modernization and
westernisation.
 Discuss how such socio-religious reforms aimed at modernisation
rather than westernation.
 Conclude with the positive impacts of the reforms on Indian
society.

Introduction

 From the early 19th century, debates and discussion about social
customs and practices took a new character due to the
development of new forms of communication.
 Various reformers like Raja Rammohun Roy, Ishawarchandra
Vidyasagar, Swami Dayananda Saraswati persuaded people to
give up degraded age-old traditions like Sati, child marriage,
polygamy, female infanticide etc. by adopting a new way of life.
 They were keen to spread knowledge of modernization in the
country and bring about greater freedom and equality for women
and “lower caste” people.

Body
Westernisation vs Modernisation

 In simple terms, Westernization is a process of imitation of culture

and values of western countries by non-western countries.
 On the other hand, Modernization has a wider connotation.
Adopting the modern style or modern ways and ideas of thinking,
living, etc is ‘Modernization’. Modernization is a change or
modification which offers the promise of the preservation of the
past.

19-20th century socio-religious reforms aimed at

modernisation rather than westernisation

 The aim of these reformers was never to replace the local culture
of India with the western culture. Rather they simply assimilated
some western values which they saw as desirable for the
development of the society such as humanism.
 They emphasised more on the interpretation of scriptures and
simplification of rituals rather than outrightly imitating
westernisation.
 Swami Vivekananda sought to bring reform through
reinterpretations of the Vedas in the context of the changing
world. He stressed on the ideal of social service and selfless
action.
 Similarly, Raja Rammohun Roy had great respect for the western
way of thinking, yet gave utmost respect and importance to Vedas
and Upnishads.
 Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar used the ancient texts to suggest that
widows could remarry. His suggestions were adopted by British
officials, and a law was passed in 1856 permitting widow
remarriage.
 Such thinkers were against certain social evils like Sati, idolatry,
polytheism, untouchability etc but they believed in the essence of
scriptures as a persuasive truth and not that was not compatible
with the modern notions of equality and dignity of all individuals.
 In India, social reform did not ordinarily mean a reorganisation of
the structuring of society at large, as it did in the West, for the
benefit of underprivileged social and economic classes. Instead, it
meant the infusion into the existing social structure of the new
ways of life and thought; the society would be preserved, while its
members would be transformed.

Conclusion

 In the evolution of modern India the reform movements of the 19-

20th century have made very significant contributions. They stood
for the democratization of society, removal of superstition and
abhorrent customs, spread of enlightenment and the development
of a rational and modern outlook.
 By the end of the 20th century, women themselves were actively
working for reform. They wrote books, edited magazines, founded
schools and training centres and set up a women’s association.
 These women, later on, joined various kinds of nationalist and
socialist movements and contributed immensely in the freedom
struggle.
 Q. Mathura school was a great centre of art and sculptures during
the early historic period. How did it differ from the Gandhara
school? (150 words)
05 Oct, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach

 Start with writing a few introductory lines about Mathura and

Gandhara school of art.
 Differentiate between the two schools of art.
 Conclude by summarising your answer.

Introduction

 The first century CE onwards, Gandhara (now in Pakistan) and

Mathura in northern India emerged as important centres of art
production.
 Buddha in the symbolic form got a human form in Mathura and
Gandhara. The sculptural tradition in Gandhara had the
confluence of Bactria, Parthia and the local Gandhara tradition.
 The local sculptural tradition at Mathura became so strong that
the tradition spread to other parts of northern India.

o The best example in this regard is the stupa sculptures found at

Sanghol in the Punjab.
o The Buddha image at Mathura is modelled on the lines of earlier
Yaksha images whereas in Gandhara it has Hellenistic features.

Body

 Difference between Mathura and Gandhara school of art

o Area: The Gandhara school of art mostly flourished in areas of

Afghanistan and present North-west India whereas Mathura
 school of art developed and flourished in Mathura and areas of
Uttar Pradesh.
o Time period: The Gandhara school of art flourished from first
century BC to fifth century AD whereas the Mathura school of art
originated in the first century BC and flourished till twelfth century
AD.
o External influence: Gandhara school of art was influenced by
Greek and possibly Macedonians whereas Mathura school of art
was purely indigenous with no external influence.
o Religious influence: Gandhara school of art was influenced by
Buddhism while Mathura school of art was Influenced by
Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism.
o Material used: Gandhara school of art used bluish Grey and grey
sandstone whereas Mathura school of art used spotted red
sandstone.
o Expression: The expression of calmness is the centre point of
attraction of Gandhara Buddha whereas Mathura Buddha is
delighted in mood, seated in Padmasana and right hand in
Abhyamudra and left hand on left thigh showing masculinity.
o Halo: The Halo around the head of Buddha was not decorated
generally in Gandhara school of art while it was largely decorated
in Mathura school of art.

Conclusion

 The other two famous schools were Amaravati School and

Sarnath School of art. All these art schools were mostly inspired
by religion and have left behind a rich heritage.
 The Art of India constitutes a unique chapter in the history of
human endeavour. It unveils the deepest recesses of the human
mind and offers a mirror to the Indian soul. The spiritual and
religious dimensions of India’s creative genius has found full and
perfect expression in the myriad aesthetic creations.
 Q. What do you understand by the phenomenon of the inversion
of temperature? Examine how does it impact the atmosphere and
the weather.(150 words)
28 Sep, 2020 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 In the introduction, define the term temperature inversion.

 Explain the favourable conditions that lead to temperature
inversion.
 Discuss the impact of temperature inversion on the atmosphere
and the weather.
 Conclude by summarising your answer.

Introduction

 Temperature inversion is a reversal of the normal behavior of

temperature in the troposphere. Under this meteorological
phenomenon a layer of warm air lies over the cold air layer.
 It is caused in stac atmospheric conditions while some times, it
occurs due to horizontal or vertical movement of air.
 Temperature inversion is usually of short duration but quite
common nonetheless

Body
Favourable conditions for temperature inversion

 Long winter nights: Loss of heat by terrestrial radiation from the

ground surface during night may exceed the amount of incoming
solar radiation.
 Cloudless and clear sky: Loss of heat through terrestrial
radiation proceeds more rapidly without any obstruction.
 Dry air near the ground surface: It limits the absorption of the
radiated heat from the Earth’s surface.
 Slow movement of air: It results in no transfer or mixing of heat
in the lower layers of the atmosphere.
 Snow covered ground surface: It results in maximum loss of
heat through reflection of incoming solar radiation.

Effects on atmosphere and weather

 Temperature inversion determines the precipitation, forms of

clouds, and also causes frost due to condensation of warm air
due to its cooling.
 Dust particles hanging in the air: Due to inversion of
temperature, air pollutants such as dust particles and smoke do
not disperse on the surface.
 Stops the movement of air: It causes the stability of the
atmosphere that stops the downward and upward movement of
air.
 Less rainfall: Convection clouds can not move high upwards so
there is less rainfall and no showers. So, it causes a problem for
agricultural productivity.
 Lower visibility: Fog is formed due to the situation of warm air
above and cold air below, and hence visibility is reduced which
causes disturbance in transportation.
 Thunderstorms and tornadoes: Intense thunderstorms and
tornadoes are also associated with inversion of temperature
because of the intense energy that is released after an inversion
blocks an area’s normal convention patterns.
 Diurnal variations in temperature tend to be very small.

Conclusion
To conclude, temperature inversion might be a desirable
phenomena when it comes to cooler air temperatures, and
comfort after an extremely hot and oppressive day, the after-
effects on air quality are certainly not desirable.
 Q. Indian nationalism grew partly as a result of colonial policies
and partly as a reaction to colonial policies. Discuss. (250 words)
25 Sep, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Introduce with explaining the Indian model of nationalism.

 Discuss the factors that led to the rise of Indian nationalism
especially focusing on colonial policies and Indian reaction to
them.
 Conclude suitably on a positive note.

Introduction

 Indian Nationalist Movement was a grand and prolonged struggle

launched against British imperialism. Nationalism was the main
ideology and the instrument with whose help this struggle was
launched.
 In the context of the Indian Nationalist Movement, Indian
nationalism represented two major ideas: anti-imperialism and
national unity. In other words, any person, movement or
organisation that practised and upheld these two ideas, could be
considered a nationalist.

Body
Factors that led to rise of Indian Nationalism:
Colonial Policies:

 Western education: When the British introduced Western

education in India, they aimed at creating a class of educated
Indians who could serve the British Interests. However, the
 English language helped nationalist leaders from different
linguistic regions to communicate with each other and create a
sense of national identity.

o Modern western education also propagated the ideas of

Nationalism, democracy, rights and freedom.
 Socio- religious reforms: These reform movements sought to
remove social evils which divided the Indian society; this had the
effect of bringing different sections together, and proved to be an
important factor in the growth of Indian nationalism .
 Modern press: the second half of the nineteenth century saw the
rise of modern press in India. It helped in often criticising the
British policies and bringing together people from different
backgrounds by spreading awareness.
 Political unity: The political unification of the country,
necessitated by the convenience had a two fold effect:

o The economic fate of the people of different regions got linked

together; for instance, failure of crops in one region affected the
prices and supply in another region.
o Modern means of transport and communication (esp Railways)
brought people, especially the leaders, from different regions
together. This was important for the exchange of political ideas
and for mobilisation and organisation of public opinion on political
and economic issues.

Reaction to colonial policies:

 Rediscovery of India’s past: The historical researches by

European and Indian scholars created an entirely new picture of
India’s past.

o The theory put forward by European scholars, that the Indo-

Aryans belonged to the same ethnic group from which other
 nations of Europe had evolved, gave a psychological boost to the
educated Indians.
o The self-respect and confidence so gained helped the
nationalists to demolish colonial myths that India had a long
history of servility to foreign rulers.
 Rise of middle class intelligentsia: British administrative and
economic innovations gave rise to a new urban middle class in
towns. This class, prominent because of its education, new
position and its close ties with the ruling class, came to the
forefront. The leadership to the Indian National Congress in all its
stages of growth was provided by this class.
 Racial arrogance of rulers: Racial myths of white superiority
were sought to be perpetuated by the British through a deliberate
policy of discrimination and segregation. Indians felt deeply hurt
by this.

o Example: Lytton’s reactionary policies such as reduction of

maximum age limit for the I.C.S. examination from 21 years to 19
years (1876)
o It became clear to the nationalists that justice and fair play could
not be expected where interests of the European Community
were involved. However, the organised agitation by the
Europeans to revoke the Ilbert Bill also taught the nationalists how
to agitate for certain rights and demands.

Conclusion

 The British policies and the growing anger against the colonial
government brought together different groups and classes of
Indians into a common struggle for freedom.
 In a nutshell, we can say that Indian nationalism grew partly as a
result of colonial policies and partly as a reaction to colonial
policies.
 Q. Covid-19 looks like a “bend but won’t break crisis” for
globalization. Discuss how isolationism forced by Covid-19
pandemic has paused the growth of globalisation in the world.
(250 words)
21 Sep, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Introduce, with the current scenario of globalisation in the world.

 Discuss the effects of Covid-19 on globalisation.
 Explain the prospects of globalisation after the Covid-19
pandemic.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 Globalisation envisages a borderless world or seeks the world as

a global village. It may be attributed by accelerated flow of goods,
people, capital, information, and energy across borders, often
enabled by technological developments.
 On the negative side, globalization has been criticised on account
of exacerbating global disparities, the spread of international
terrorism and cross-border organised crime, and allow for the
rapid spread of disease.
 These trends pave way for an anti-globalization or protectionism
sentiment, which may further amplify due to the spread of the
Covid-19 pandemic.

Body
Effect of Covid-19 on Globalization
 The ongoing phase of globalisation hasn’t fully recovered from
systemic shocks given by the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) of
2008-09. However, the spread of Covid-19 pandemic presents a
challenge of a different magnitude.

 Global Economic Crisis: United Nations Economic and Social

Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in its annual
Economic and Social Survey, held that the Covid-19 crisis is a
challenge never seen before and it is going to be a bigger shock
for the world economy than the GFC.

o This may act as a severe blow to liberal world order dominated by

globalisation.
 Problem faced by Emerging and Developing Economies: The
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development held that
emerging and developing economies which rely on export-led
growth, will now be severely impacted as the global economy
contracts and the world opts protectionism policies.
 Disruption of Global Value Chain: Covid-19 crisis is having
devastating repercussions for corporations and businesses that
have benefited from economic interdependence supported by
cross-border supply chains.

o China is the world’s largest production base and lies at the heart
of many supply chains. Since the outbreak of this coronavirus,
many companies that had come to depend on China were hard
hit.
 Bringing Back Import Substitution: From a risk analysis
perspective, we could at the very least see a rapid trend towards
moving from globally dispersed production bases back in favour
of domestic facilities.
o Countries are reconfiguring their economies to look at import
substitution with greater clarity now, as the perils and pitfalls of
overdependence on foreign supplies become clear.
 Restriction on People to People Movement: National
governments will have to weigh the risks of contagious diseases
against the benefits of ease of travel or may have to consider
stronger safeguards.

o In the short run, the World’s Tourism industry will get affected
even after the crisis gets over.

Prospects of Globalisation after the Pandemic

 For the global growth patterns, the key lesson is that international
flows tend to swing dramatically with macroeconomic cycles. In
good times, they usually grow faster than GDP, and in bad times
they shrink faster, too, as people and firms hunker down behind
borders.

o Thus, after the pandemic as the economies grow, the trade

patterns and globalisation will again become near normal.
 Although there may be some challenges in the global Supply
chain, after the pandemic smooth business and transaction will
again make a stronger supply chain with some changes in it.
 To make globalisation work even better, advanced economies like
the United States can consider donating or lending (on
concessionary terms) to a trust fund dedicated to helping poorer
countries.
 At the same time, there is a need to work towards eliminating
problems such as social and economic disparities caused by
globalization.
 Once the world recovers from the crisis, it is crucial to create
mechanisms to respond to disease through effective international
cooperation.
 Conclusion

 While the heat against globalisation has been simmering for a

while, the pandemic has added fuel to the fire.
 However, we need to realise that globalisation has brought more
good than harm. Therefore, nations must work together for a
better future through globalisation, as climate change, pollution
and global warming issues can only be tackled through collective
action.

Q. Urbanization has long been associated with human

development and progress, but it has been observed that urban
settings can also lead to significant inequalities and health
problems. Discuss the statement. (250 words)
14 Sep, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Write a few introductory lines about urbanization and current

status in India.
 Discuss how it is associated with human development and the
problems associated with it.
 Provide a way forward for these problems.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 Urbanization refers to the mass movement of populations from

rural to urban settings and the consequent physical changes to
urban settings. In 2019, the United Nations estimated that more
than half the world’s population now lives in urban areas and by
2041, this figure will increase to 6 billion people.
 Over 34% of India’s current population lives in urban areas (UN
World Urbanisation Prospects Report 2018). It has expanded
rapidly as an increasing number of people migrate to towns and
cities in search of economic opportunity.

Body
Urbanisation is associated with human development and
progress

 Urbanization has the potential to augment economic activity,

provide employment opportunities and enhance access to basic
services.
 Throughout history, cities have been the main centres of learning,
culture and innovation. It is not surprising that the world's most
urban countries tend to be the richest and have the highest
human development.
 Ongoing rapid urbanisation has the potential to improve the well-
being of societies.
 Although only around half the world’s people live in cities, they
generate more than 80 percent of Global Domestic Product
(GDP).
 Cities are also younger: home to relatively more young and
working-age adults than rural areas, making them pivotal places
to capture demographic dividends.
 However, urbanization can turn cities into places of deprivation,
inequality and exclusion.

Issues associated with urbanization

 Poor nutritional health: Urbanization has a major negative

impact on the nutritional health of poor populations. The urban
people sometimes lack balanced diets and this leads to
malnourishment.
 Obesity: People in urbanized areas of developing countries are
vulnerable to obesity due to lack of physical space, continually
 sitting in workplaces, and excessive energy intake and low energy
expenditure.
 Urban Crimes: Crime rates in urban areas are rising especially
human trafficking, sexual assault, child labour etc.
 Proliferation of Slums: Due to poor infrastructure and rising cost
of living in urban areas, the poor people are forced to live in
slums. The number of slums have been rising from the past few
years. The largest slum of Asia, Dharavi is located in Mumbai,
India.
 Pollution: Pollution is another major contributor to poor health in
urban environments. For instance, the World Health Organization
estimated that 6.5 million people died (11.6% of all global deaths)
as a consequence of indoor and outdoor air pollution and nearly
90% of air-pollution-related deaths occurred in low- and middle-
income countries.
 Waste generation: Due to rising migration and population in
urban areas, waste generated has been increasing exponentially
which is posing a serious health problem.

Way forward

 Although urbanization has become an irreversible phenomenon,

we must tackle the root causes of the problem, such
as improving the socio-economic situation of the urban poor.
 Some examples of policies and practices that should be
considered include

o Policies addressing urban environmental issues, such as planned

urban space and taxes on the use of vehicles to reduce use or to
encourage vehicles that use less fuel as well as encourage
bicycle use, walking, and other forms of human transportation;
o Greater cooperative planning between rural and urban regions to
improve food security e.g., subsidies for farmers providing locally
produced, unprocessed and low cost food to urban centers.
o Social protection and universal health coverage to reduce wealth
disparity among urban dwellers; including introduction of
programs and services for health,

 For example by establishing primary healthcare clinics accessible

and affordable for all including those living in urban slums

Conclusion
Until the conditions in rural areas improve, populations will
continue to migrate to urban settings. The governments and
development agencies should concentrate on adapting to the
challenges of urbanization, while seeking to reduce unplanned
urbanization.

Q. Landslides are more than just a natural phenomena. Discuss

the statement and suggest the ways to mitigate the disaster. (250
words)
31 Aug, 2020 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Introduce by defining landslides.

 Write the natural causes of landslides.
 Also, mention the man made factors responsible for landslides.
 Suggest ways to mitigate the disaster.
 Conclude on a positive note.

Introduction

 The term ‘landslide’ includes all varieties of mass movements of

hill slopes and can be defined as the downward and outward
movement of slope forming materials composed of rocks, soils,
 artificial fills or combination of all these materials along surfaces
of separation by falling, sliding and flowing, either slowly or
quickly from one place to another.
 Although the landslides are primarily associated with mountainous
terrains, these can also occur in areas where an activity such as
surface excavations for highways, buildings and open-pit mines
takes place.

Body
Natural Causes of Landslide: There are several natural causes
of landslides. Some of the major causes are as follows:

 Geological Weak material: Weakness in the composition and

structure of rock or soil may also cause landslides.
 Intense rainfall: Storms that produce intense rainfall for periods
as short as several hours or have a more moderate intensity
lasting several days causes erosion of the slopes that triggers
abundant landslides.

o Heavy melting of snow in the hilly terrains also results in

landslides.
 Earthquake shaking has triggered landslides in many different
topographic and geologic settings. Rock falls, soil slides and
rockslides from steep slopes involving relatively thin or shallow
dis-aggregated soils or rock, or both have been the most
abundant types of landslides triggered by historical earthquakes.
 Volcanic eruption: Deposition of loose volcanic ash on hillsides
commonly is followed by accelerated erosion and frequent mud or
debris flows triggered by intense rainfall.

Man-made Factors responsible for Landslides:

 Human Excavation of slope and its toe, loading of slope/toe, a

drawdown in reservoir, mining, irrigation, vibration/blast, Water
 leakage from services.

o Erosion of slopes due to human interference increases the

vulnerability of the terrain to slide down.
 Other factors:

o Intense deforestation, soil erosion;

o Construction of human settlement in landslide prone areas;
o Roads or communication lines in mountain areas;
o Building with weak foundations;
o Buried pipelines;
o Lack of understanding of landslide hazards, lack of warning
system.

Possible Risk Reduction Measures

 Hazard mapping locates areas prone to slope failures. This will

help to avoid building settlements in such areas. These maps will
also serve as a tool for mitigation planning.
 Land use practices such as:

o Areas covered by degraded natural vegetation in upper slopes

are to be afforested with suitable species. Existing patches of
natural vegetation (forest and natural grassland) in good
condition, should be preserved.
o Any developmental activity initiated in the area should be taken
up only after a detailed study of the region has been carried out.
o In the construction of roads, irrigation canals etc. proper care is to
be taken to avoid blockage of natural drainage
o Total avoidance of settlement in the risk zone should be made
mandatory.
o Relocate settlements and infrastructure that fall in the possible
path of the landslide.
o No construction of buildings in areas beyond a certain degree of
slope.
 Retaining Walls can be built to stop land from slipping (these
walls are commonly seen along roads in hill stations). These are
constructed to prevent smaller sized and secondary landslides
that often occur along the toe portion of the larger landslides.
 Surface Drainage Control Works: The surface drainage control
works are implemented to control the movement of landslides
accompanied by infiltration of rainwater and spring flows.
 Increasing vegetation cover: it is the cheapest and most
effective way of arresting landslides. This helps to bind the top
layer of the soil with layers below while preventing excessive run-
off and soil erosion.
 Insurance will assist individuals whose homes are likely to be
damaged by landslides or by any other natural hazards.

Conclusion

 Increasing human interference with nature has led to rise in the

number of natural disasters.
 However, the National Disaster Response Force under
The Disaster Management Act, 2005 have conducted several
successful rescue operations by providing aid and assistance to
the affected state, including deploying, at the State's request, of
Armed Forces, Central Paramilitary Forces, and such
communication, air and other assets. They have also worked to
increase the awareness among people to reduce the effect of
such natural calamities by organising preparedness campaigns.
 Q. The artists of Indus valley Civilisation surely had fine artistic
sensibilities and a vivid imagination. Substantiate the statement
with examples.
28 Aug, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach

 Give a brief introduction on Harappan art forms.

 Discuss the features, uniqueness and vivid imagination of art
forms of the artists of Indus valley civilisation (IVC).
 Explain the significance of the distinct art forms used in social life.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 The arts of the Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) emerged during the
second half of the third millennium BCE. The forms of art found
from various sites of the civilisation include sculptures, seals,
pottery, jewellery, terracotta figures, etc.
 Their delineation of human and animal figures was highly realistic
in nature, since the anatomical details included in them were
unique, and, in the case of terracotta art, the modelling of animal
figures was done in an extremely careful manner.

Body
The artists of IVC surely had fine artistic sensibilities and a vivid
imagination. This can be seen in the following examples from the
Indus valley civilization:

 Stone Statues: Excellent examples of handling three-

dimensional volumes, for example male torso figure in red
sandstone and bust of a bearded man in soapstone.
 Bronze Casting: Bronze statues were made using the ‘lost wax’
technique. Human as well as animal figures were common
examples: Dancing Girl Statue, buffalo with its uplifted head,
back and sweeping horns and the goat are of artistic merit.
 Terracotta: Compared to the stone and bronze statues the
terracotta representations of human form are crude in the Indus
Valley. They are more realistic in Gujarat sites and Kalibangan.

o Deities like bearded man, mother goddess and toy carts, animals
were common.
 Seales and tablets: Made of steatite, and occasionally of agate,
chert, copper, faience and terracotta, with beautiful figures of
animals, such as unicorn bull, rhinoceros, tiger, elephant, bison,
goat, buffalo. Rendering of animals in various moods is
remarkable, for example Pashupati Seal.

o Commonly used for commercial purposes but usage for amulets

for identity cards.
o The standard Harappan seal was a square plaque 2×2 square
inches, made from steatite. Every seal is engraved in a
pictographic script.
o Square or rectangular copper tablets, with an animal or a human
figure on one side and an inscription on the other, or an
inscription on both sides have also been found.
 Pottery: It consists chiefly of very fine wheel made wares, very
few being hand-made. Plain pottery is more common than painted
ware.

o Plain pottery is generally of red clay, with or without a fine red or

grey slip. It includes knobbed ware, ornamented with rows of
knobs.
o The black painted ware has a fine coating of red slip on
which geometric and animal designs are executed in glossy
black paint.
o Polychrome pottery is rare and mainly comprises small vases
decorated with geometric patterns in red, black, and green,
rarely white and yellow. Incised ware is also rare and the incised
 decoration was confined to the bases of the pans, always inside
and to the dishes of offering stands.
o Perforated pottery includes a large hole at the bottom and small
holes all over the wall, and was probably used for straining
beverages.
 Beads and Ornaments: Produced from every conceivable
material ranging from precious metals and gemstones to bone
and baked clay, gold and semi-precious stones, copper bracelets
and beads, gold earrings and head ornaments, faience pendants
and buttons, and beads of steatite and gemstones.

o The beads are in varying shapes—disc-shaped, cylindrical,

spherical, barrel-shaped, and segmented. Some beads were
made of two or more stones cemented together, some of stone
with gold covers. Some were decorated by incising or painting
and some had designs etched onto them.
 Significance

o The sites of Indus Valley Civilisation (IVC) like Harappa and

Mohenjodaro showcase excellent town planning as well, like
houses, planned streets, public baths, drainage systems, storage
facilities, etc.
o They tell how the Indus Valley people used stone in construction.
The artists and craftsmen of the Indus Valley were extremely
skilled in a variety of crafts—metal casting, stone carving, making
and painting pottery and making terracotta images using
simplified motifs of animals, plants and birds.

Conclusion
Their artistic versatility showed in the range of materials they used
and the forms they made out of it. The patterns, motives and
designs found on the articles shows the creativity that existed and
judging from the excavated evidences, one can only conclude the
people of Indus civilization were indeed true art patrons.
 Q. "An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to bring women
empowerment." Substantiate this statement with suitable
examples. (250 words)
24 Aug, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Give a brief introduction about the status of women.

 Highlight the link between poverty alleviation and women
empowerment.
 Comment upon the various challenges in achieving women
empowerment and give some steps to empower women.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 “It is impossible to think about the welfare of the world unless the
condition of women is improved. It is impossible for a bird to fly on
only one wing.” — Swami Vivekananda.
 However, poverty eradication and improving the status of women
remained a major challenge for the Government and the
policymakers in India. About 26 per cent still live in a status of
acute poverty. Even though the number changes from state to
state, poverty in India is considered to be a mass problem,
especially in rural areas.

Body
Women Empowerment is needed for poverty alleviation

 Women constitute almost half of the country's

population, therefore improving their condition in the country can
immensely contribute to poverty alleviation.
 Women’s empowerment plays a catalytic role towards the
achievement of transformational economic, political and social
changes required for sustainable development.
 Empowerment of women and eradication of poverty is very critical
for the development of the country since it will enhance both
the quality and the quantity of human resources available for
development. Failing in these efforts will deprive both men and
women in getting the fruits of development.
 Many reports and studies suggest that women typically spend
their income on food and healthcare for children, which is in
sharp contrast to men, who spend a higher proportion of their
income for personal needs.
 Increasing gender equality and women’s empowerment, as a
means of accelerating growth and development, is an end in
itself. It allows individual women and girls to enjoy their full human
rights, and it leads to more stable economies and stronger
societies.
 Access to family planning and maternal health services, as well
as education for girls, typically results in improved economic
opportunity for women and lower fertility.
 Healthy, educated girls with equal access to opportunities can
grow into strong, smart women who can take on leadership
roles in their countries. This will help in having a better view
of women perspective in the government policies which will in
turn help in poverty alleviation.
 Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that if women
farmers had the same access to tools and credit as men,
agricultural output in 34 developing countries would rise by an
estimated average of up to 4%, translating to up to 150 million
fewer hungry people.

Challenges to women empowerment: There are several

challenges that are plaguing the issues of women's right in India.
 Education: The literacy gap between women and men is severe.
While 82.14% of adult men are educated, only 65.46% of adult
women are known to be literate in India. The gender bias is in
higher education, specialized professional training which hit
women very hard in employment and attaining top leadership in
any field.
 Health and Safety: The health and safety concerns of women
are paramount for the wellbeing of a country and are an important
factor in gauging the empowerment of women in a country.
However there are alarming concerns where maternal healthcare
is concerned.
 Professional Inequality: This inequality is practiced in
employment and promotions. Women face countless handicaps in
male customized and dominated environs in Government Offices
and Private enterprises.
 Morality and Inequality: Due to gender bias in health and
nutrition there is unusually high mortality rate in women reducing
their population further especially in Asia and Africa.
 Household Inequality: Household relations show gender bias in
infinitesimally small but significant manners all across the globe,
more so, in India e.g. sharing burden of housework, childcare and
menial works by so called division of work.

Steps to be taken for women empowerment:

 Social:

o Health: Improvement in the health indicators of women can

significantly contribute to overall health of family and the new
borns. Since the significant amount of earnings of underprivileged
are spent on medical treatment, improved women’s health and
their newborns can drastically reduce household expenditure.
o Education is the major tool for eliminating poverty. Educated
women are more sensitive toward their children's education and
contribute more to their development.
 Economic

o Equal Wages: Wage disparity between men and women has

serious implications on poverty. Equal wages for females would
ensure increased household income and productive expenditure
on health and nutrition of the whole family.
o Skill Development: Women are significantly involved in
collecting minor forest produce and household based industries.
Enhancing their skills can directly reduce their economic
dependence on their husbands, which in-turn will increase their
decision making power in productive expenditure and family
matters.
 Political:

o A society where the female voice is sought and heard, where

the principles of equity (fairness) and equality (opportunity) co-
exist, is a more powerful and effective society.
o Increasing due representation of women in decision making at
grassroot level can effectively help better targeting government
poverty alleviation programs.

Conclusion

 Poverty and empowerment issues cannot be adequately

addressed where only half of the population is positively and
actively engaged, therefore actively engaging women as the
driver for bringing positive change and eliminating poverty from
the country is the key to focus on.
 However, the government in its recent social sector program has
effectively engaged women centric efforts like rural sanitation
through Swachh Bharat, improving health outcomes
through POSHAN Abhiyan and UJJWALA Scheme etc.
 Q. The Industrial Revolution was not only a technological
revolution but a social-economic revolution that changed the way
people lived afterwards. (250 words)
17 Aug, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Introduce by writing what is meant by the Industrial Revolution.

 Discuss the revolution that took place in technology.
 Explain various social and economic changes that took place
during the time.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 The Industrial Revolution, which took place from

the 18th to 19th centuries, was a period during which
predominantly agrarian, rural societies
in Europe and America became industrial and urban.
 Industrialization marked a shift to powered, special-purpose
machinery, factories and mass production. The iron and textile
industries became the mainstay of the industrial revolution. From
cooking appliances to ships, all had components of iron and steel.
The process went into hyperdrive with the advent of steam
engines and ships.

Body
Technological changes that took place during the industrial
revolution
During the industrial revolution, acceleration in the processes of
technological innovation brought about an array of new tools and
machines.
 The following are key technological changes that took place
during the industrial revolution:

 Textiles: During the period, the organization of cotton production

shifted from a small-scale cottage industry, in which rural
families performed spinning and weaving tasks in their homes, to
a large, mechanized, factory-based industry.

o The boom in productivity began with a few technical devices,

including the spinning jenny, spinning mule, and power loom.
 Agriculture: Several factors came together in 18th-century
Europe to bring about a substantial increase in agricultural
productivity.

o These included new types of equipment, such as the seed

drill developed by Jethro Tull around 1701. Progress was also
made in crop rotation and land use, soil health, development
of new crop varieties, and animal husbandry.
o The result was a sustained increase in yields, capable of
feeding a rapidly growing population with improved nutrition.
 Energy: The mining and distribution of coal set in motion some of
the dynamics that led to Britain’s industrialization. The coal-fired
steam engine was in many respects the decisive technology of
the Industrial Revolution.
 Transportation: Concurrent with the increased output of
agricultural produce and manufactured goods arose the need for
more efficient means of delivering these products to market.

o Steam engines and railways became important features of the

industrial revolution during the 19th century.

Social and economic changes that took place during the

industrial revolution
 A lot of socio-economic change took place during the Industrial
Revolution. It changed the character and culture of people in the
whole world.

 Population Explosion: Advancement in technology and better

agricultural production led to better medical facilities and greater
employment which led to population explosion.
 Development of Banking and Finance System: the middle
class began opening up new factories for which they required
financing and therefore, the banking and finance system began
developing.
 Status of Women: The Industrial Revolution marked a dramatic
change for women as many of them entered the workforce for the
first time. Women had to compete with men for jobs. Female
factory workers often made only one-third as much as men.
 Rising Middle Class: The middle-class men started owning
factories, sent their male children to school and rose up in society
due to an increase in wealth.
 Urbanisation: People started moving to urban areas in search of
better jobs in factories due to which these areas became highly
populous with poor housing facilities.
 The exploitation of resources: industrial Revolution made the
production of goods easy and ready in much less time. Therefore,
more and more goods began to be produced which led to the
exploitation of resources.

Conclusion
The Industrial Revolution was a revolutionary experience. It also
increased material wealth, extended life, and was a powerful force
for social change. And therefore, there was more to the
Industrial Revolution than a bunch of machines, it was not
only a technological revolution but a social-economic revolution
that changed the way people lived afterwards.
 Q. Traditional knowledge of water conservation is the only
sustainable way to counter the dangers of national water
emergencies. Discuss. (250 words)
10 Aug, 2020 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 Introduce by stressing on the need for water conservation in the

age of urbanisation.
 Discuss various traditional water conservation techniques across
the country.
 List out various pros and cons of traditional water conservation
techniques.
 Conclude by giving out a balanced opinion on the usage of
traditional methods along with modern techniques.

Introduction

 Water resources of a country constitute one of its vital assets, but

its availability is changing fast both in terms of quantity as well as
quality.
 The situation is further aggravated by the looming climate change
which is going to alter the paradigm of management of water
resources. Hence there is a need for conservation of water in this
age of rapid urbanisation
 India with its rich culture and heritage in terms of images, rituals,
traditional knowledge to conserve water, cultural practices and
metaphors on water wisdom can suffice the efforts of water
conservation in a traditional way by using cultural images on
water, ancient practices and work by water warriors to affirm the
value of traditional heritage on water wisdom.

Body
 India has wide temporal and spatial variation in the rainfall with
some season/ areas having high rainfall while others remaining
dry. Because of these variations, different parts of the country
have developed different traditional methods from ancient times to
conserve and store water. Some of these includes:

o Tanks in Karnataka: these are artificial reservoirs to store water

taking advantage of depression.
o Stepwell: these are found in Rajasthan and Gujarat. It
incorporated a cylinder well that extended down to the water
table—provided water for drinking, washing, bathing, and the
irrigation of crops.
o Pyne-ahar: system of south Bihar on which the cultivation of
paddy depends.
o Kuls: these are diversion channels that carry water from a glacier
to village. Often spanning long distances, with some over 10 km
long, kuls have been around for centuries. They are the lifeline of
people of Spiti valley of Himachal Pradesh and in Jammu too.
o Tanka system: it is used in Rajasthan, which is a cylindrical
ground pit which receives rainwater from the nearby catchment
area.
o Bamboo drip irrigation: used in the northeast, suitable for
irrigation in hilly terrains.
 Advantages of traditional water conservation methods:

o Sustainable and cost-effective: Traditional methods of water

conservation are small scale projects that are sustainable and
cost-effective
o Protects the environment: Along with water conservation,
traditional methods serve other purposes as well. One of them is
environmental protection, unlike modern methods like dams which
do more harm than help, traditional methods do not disturb the
environment.
o Community participation: In order to make traditional methods
work, the whole of the community needs to work. For example, for
rainwater harvesting, every house needs to have a system
installed. Community participation gives people a sense of
belonging and hence, work more efficiently.
o Suitable to local mass: the local people are familiar with the
traditional methods of water conservation and hence it becomes
easier for them to adapt to these methods.
 Disadvantages of traditional water conservation techniques:

o Low efficiency: the efficiency rate of traditional techniques is low.

Therefore, they are not suitable for a large urban population.
o Not suitable for urban masses: there is very less vacant land
available in urban areas for traditional infrastructures. Also, urban
masses are not familiar with these ideas.
o Lack of leadership: to make traditional methods successful, the
whole community needs to give their contribution. In the absence
of a strong leadership, these techniques may turn into failures.

Conclusion
These traditional systems are ecologically safe, viable and cost-
effective alternatives to rejuvenate India’s depleted water
resources. But using only traditional methods is not enough.
Productively combining these structures with modern rainwater
saving techniques, such as percolation tanks, injection wells and
subsurface barriers, could be the answer to India’s perennial
water woes.

. Discuss the features of feudalism in India during the post-

Mauryan period. How was it different from feudalism in Europe?
(250 words)
 27 Jul, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 Introduce by defining feudalism.

 Explain the rise origin of feudalism in the post-Mauryan period.
 Discuss the features of feudalism in India during the post-
Mauryan period.
 Differentiate between feudalism in India and post Mauryan
feudalism.
 Conclude by summarizing your answer.

Introduction
Feudalism was a dominant social system in the medieval times. In
this system the nobility held lands from the Crown in exchange for
military service, and vassals were in turn tenants of the nobles,
while the peasants were obliged to live on their lord's land and
give him homage, labour, and a share of the produce, in
exchange for military protection.
Body

 Origin of feudalism in the post-Mauryan period

o From the Post Mauryan period and especially from Gupta times,
certain political and administrative developments tended to
feudalise the state apparatus.
o The most striking development was the practice of making land
grants to Brahmanas and Buddhist monks and later to officials for
their military and administrative services.
o These grants meant the transfer of all sources of revenue and
surrender of police and administrative functions thus giving rise to
feudalism.
 Features of Feudalism in the post-Mauryan period
o Vassalage: Vassalage expressed the relation of personal
dependence and loyalty between the lord and his vassals.
o Hierarchy of feudal lords: Different titles signified the position
and powers within the rank of feudal lords.
o Hereditary administrative positions: Weak enforcement of
power led to the resumption of independence and some high
administrative positions became hereditary.
o Decentralisation of Power: Samantas were granted lands
instead of salary and proceeded to seize ownership of the area
while continuing to refer to themselves as vassals of their rulers.
o Oppressive tax system: Imposition of proper and improper
taxes, fixed and unfixed taxes along with rent exploited the labour
class.
o Prosperity was not shared equally: It was believed that some
people were meant for cultivation of land and some for enjoying
the fruits of production and hence, prosperity was not shared
equally.
o Fragmentation of social formation: Castes were split up into
thousands of other castes and subcastes.
o Manorial system: Under the manorial system, the landlord
granted lands to persons who would render different services
including labour on the lands of the lords in exchange of land.
 Difference between post-Mauryan feudalism and European
feudalism

o The post-Mauryan feudalism was based on a caste system which

divided the society into 4 parts- Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas
and Shudras, whereas the European feudalism divided the
society into church, nobility and the commoners.
o Unlike the European system, most of the power structures within
the state did not have to pay taxes
o Western European Feudal lords granted lands to their serfs in
order to get their own land cultivated but Indian Kings made
grants to collect taxes and surplus.
 Conclusion

 Feudalism in India was characterized by a class of landlords and

by a class of subject peasantry, both living in a predominantly
agrarian economy marked by a decline in trade and urbanism and
by a drastic reduction in metal currency.
 Different ecological factors contributed to the nature of social
structure and dynamics and hence the difference in European and
post-Mauryan feudalism.

Q. What do you understand by tropical cyclones? Elaborate how

tropical cyclones differ from the temperate cyclones. (250 words)
20 Jul, 2020 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach

 In introduction, explain the phenomenon of tropical cyclones and

in brief its area of influence.
 In body, compare how tropical cyclones differ the temperate
cyclones in terms of their characteristics such as area of
occurrence, expanse, wind speed, their impact etc.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 Tropical cyclones are an intense circular storm that originates

over warm tropical oceans and is characterized by low
atmospheric pressure, high winds, and heavy rain.
 Tropical cyclones develop in the region between the Tropics of
Capricorn and Cancer. They are large-scale weather systems
developing over tropical or subtropical waters, where they get
organized into surface wind circulation.
 Body

 Major differences between tropical and temperate cyclones:

TROPICAL TEMPERATE
CYCLONE CYCLONE
ORIGIN Thermal origin- Dynamic origin-
Tropical cyclones They are formed
typically form over due to interaction of
large bodies of warm and cold air
relatively warm masses.
water.
LATITUDE Confined to 10 – 30Confined to 35 – 65
degree N and S of degree N and S of
the equator. the equator. They
are more
pronounced in the
Northern
hemisphere due to
greater temperature
contrast owing to
large expanse of
landmass.
FRONTAL Frontal system is The very cyclone
SYSTEM absent in tropical formation is due to
cyclones frontogenesis.
FORMATION They form only on Temperate cyclones
seas with can be formed on
temperatures more both land and sea
than 26-27 degree
C. They dissipate
on reaching the
land.
SEASON Tropical cyclones Temperate cyclones
 are seasonal in are irregular in
nature, it mostly nature but they
occurs in late occur more in
summers (Aug – winters and few in
Oct) summers
WIND Wind velocity of Wind velocity in
VELOCITY AND tropical cyclones is temperate cyclones
DESTRUCTION much greater (100 – is comparatively
250 kmph) (200– low. Typical range:
1200 kmph in upper 30 – 150 kmph.
troposphere) Less destruction
Greater destruction due to winds but
due to winds, more destruction
storm surges and due to flooding.
torrential rains.
SHAPE Tropical cyclones The shape of
are elliptical in temperate cyclones
shape. is ‘inverted V’.
LIFETIME Tropical cyclones Temperate cyclones
don’t last for more may last for 2 to 3
than a week. weeks.
PATH They generally They move from
move from east to west to east.
west.
INFLUENCE ON Tropical cyclones Temperate cyclones
INDIA affect both the bring rains to north-
coasts of India but west India. The
the east coast is a associated
hot spot. instability is called
‘Western
Disturbances’.
Conclusion
 Although Tropical cyclones are known for destruction they cause,
when they strike they also bestow certain benefits like- they carry
heat and energy away from tropics, relieve drought conditions etc.
With the advent of climate change, tropical cyclones have
become more frequent accompanied by great intensity.
Tropical cyclones are very frequent in India and thus it is one of
the worst affected areas in the world. The most recent is Cyclone
Amphan which turned into a “super cyclonic storm”.

Q. Religion in India was never static in character but was driven

by an inherent dynamic strength. Explain. (250 words)
13 Jul, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Briefly define religion and describe its importance in India.

 Discuss the dynamic nature of religion in India through different
religions that evolved through the ages.
 Conclude by summarizing your answer.

Introduction
Religion is the science of relation between man and soul. Morality
and ethics have their foundation on religion. It plays an important
part in the lives of the Indians from the earliest times. Religious
ideas, thoughts and practices differed among groups, and
transformations and developments took place in the various
religious forms in the course of time. In India religion through ages
had assumed different forms in relation to different groups of
people associated with them.
Body
Pre-Vedic and Vedic Religion
 From archaeological findings, it seems that people were
worshippers of the forces of nature like the sun and the moon.
 The nature of the religious beliefs and practices of the Aryans is
also known from the Rig Veda, They believed in many gods like
Indra, Varuna, Agni, Surya and Rudra.

o Sacrifices and ritual offering of food and drink to fire in honour of

the Gods, constituted the main religious practices.
o The Sama Veda and the Yajur Veda elaborated the different
aspects of the sacrificial acts and this ritualism was further
elaborated in the Brahmanas.
 The Atharva Veda contained a great deal of animistic beliefs.

Unorthodox religious movements

 It includes Jainism and Buddhism along with many other creeds.

 Both Buddhism and Jainism were atheistic creeds in the
beginning. However, Buddhism endorsed the doctrine of the Law
of Karma
 Many of these viewpoints are also found in the major Upanishads.

Theistic Religions

 Influence of pre-Vedic and post-Vedic folk elements was most

conspicuous in the origin of theistic religions.
 The primary factor that motivated these creeds was Bhakti.
 This led to the evolution of different religious sects
like Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism.
 These sects in course of time came to have a significant impact
on the popular forms of Buddhism and Jainism.

Vaishnava Movement

 The history of the Vaishnava movement from the end of the

Gupta period till the first decade of the thirteenth century AD is
 mainly concerned with South India. The poet-saints known
as alvars.
 They preached single-minded devotion for Vishnu.

Shaivism Movement

 Shaivism had its origin in antiquity unlike Vaishnavism. The

Shaiva movement in the South flourished at the beginning
through the activities of many of the 63 saints known in Tamil
as Nayanars.
 Panini refers to a group of Shivaworshippers as Shiva-Bhagavata,
who were characterised by the iron lances and clubs they carried
and their skin garments.

Minor Religious Movements

 Worship of the female principle (Shakti) and of Surya did not

achieve equal importance.
 In the Vedic age, respect was shown also to the female principle
as the Divine Mother, the Goddess of abundance and personified
energy.
 However, a clear reference to the exclusive worshippers of the
Devi is not to be found until a comparatively late period.

Conclusion
Every system of religious philosophy in India is a quest for Truth,
which is one and the same, always and everywhere. The modes
of approach differ, logic varies, but the purpose remains the same
– trying to reach that Truth. Despite having so many different
religions and cultures evolving across different time periods, India
has taught the world tolerance and universal acceptance. Hence,
India with its inherent dynamic strength gave the world so many
different religions.
 Q. The Chola temples represent an outstanding creative
achievement in the conception of the Dravidian style of
architecture. Explain. (250 words)
06 Jul, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach

 Briefly mention the main characteristics of Chola temples.

 Explain how Chola temples brought about improvement and
refinement in Dravidian style architecture.
 Illustrate these improvements with a few suitable examples.
 Conclude by summarizing your answer and highlighting the
importance of Chola temples as UNESCO world heritage.

Introduction
The Chola kings utilised their wealth earned through their
extensive conquest in building exquisite monuments. It is due to
this, the Chola period witnessed the culmination in evolution of
dravidian temple architecture making the Chola temples of that
era artistically elaborate and sophisticated. Chola temples are
characteristized by:

 Circular and Square Sanctums.

 Beautified inner side of the external walls.
 Special vimanas on the upper side of the sanctum.
 Dome shaped sikhara and kalasa on the top of Gopurams.
 Intricate sculptures and inscriptions on the walls of these temples.
 Pillared mandapams namely ardha mandapa, maha mandapa
and nandi mandapa.

Body
Contribution of Chola in the development of temple
architecture
 More elaborative structures: The temple architecture evolved
from the early cave temples and Monolithic temples of
Mamallapuram to more elaborate and complex in the Chola
period. Example: Brihadeshwara temple.
 Stones replaced bricks: During this period stones were used
instead of bricks for making temples. This added aesthetics and
value to its temples.
 Gopurams become meaningful: In the chola period simple
gopurams evolved into more exquisite and well composed
structures with carvings and series of effigies on them.
 Elaborate pyramidal storeys: Pyramidal storey about the deity
room depicts the maturity and grandeur Cholas brought in the
temple architecture. Example Shiva temple of Thanjavur depicts
the material achievement of the Chola Temple.
 Monolith shikaras: The Chola temples have evolved beautiful
shikharas at the top with elaborate meticulous carving. Example:
Octagonal shikhara of Gangaikondacholapuram temple.
 Dwarapalas became permanent: The guardian figures
(dwarpalas), at the entrance to the mandapa, or hall which started
from the Pallava period, became a unique feature of the Chola
temples.
 Polished sculptures: During this period the architectural
development reached its zenith. The temples were decorated with
artistic stone pillars and wall decoration. Emphasis was on
elongated limbs and polished features. Example: Carvings of the
wheel chariot in Airavatesvara Temple are so fine that all the
minute details are visible.

Conclusion
Thus,Chola temples flourished under the royal patronage of
imperial chola kings. The artists patronised by them, through their
influences from Amravati at school and various other
contemporary schools, elevated the Dravidian architecture styles
to greater height. Due to their grandeur, Chola temples have been
 recognised for their international importance and therefore get
special protection as world heritage by UNESCO.

Q. “India needs to address the challenge of engaging with

modernity along with cultural preservation”. Discuss. (150 words)
29 Jun, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 In Introduction, briefly explain the presence of both modernity and

cultural preservation (traditionality) in Indian society.
 In body, discuss the challenges of achieving modernity along with
cultural preservation.
 Also suggest what needs to be done to remove these challenges.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction

 India with its long history and varied heritage is one of the
societies deeply rooted in traditions.
 Besides, India is also making perceptible strides towards
becoming a modern nation.

o Since independence, modernization of India has been an integral

part of the national strategy.
o Also, conscious and sustained efforts are being made for the
overall development of India’s economy, polity, social framework
and cultural matrix.

Body
Modernization signifies a transformation from rudimentary
traditional values to modern rationalist traditional
 values. Thus, Modernity is not antithetical to Cultural preservation
but a rational view of culture. So, achieving modernity should be
the aim of society in order to thrive on modern and rational
traditional values.
Challenges in engaging with modernity

 Lack of understanding about the concept of Modernity: One

of the biggest challenges in engaging with modernity is lack of
understanding about the concept of modernity among people.

o They fail to understand that Modernization is not about leaving

one’s cultural practices. But opting for rational traditional
practices/rituals.
 Challenge by fundamentalism: Religious fundamentalism and
rudimentary religious practices is another big challenge to
engaging with modernity.

o Religious fundamentalism sometimes fails to promote rational

thinking and adoption of rational cultural practices.
 Lack of inclusive modern education: Modern education has
failed to reach every section of the society due to some structural
obstacles, caste stratification or some negative elements of
tradition or discriminatory attitudes of individuals in society.
 Low status of women: Although politically women enjoy equal
rights in Indian society, their social condition is not very pleasant.

o They are ill treated (issues such as Patriarchy, women's

economic dependence on man still exist) and thus, it is one of the
biggest challenges in achieving modernity.

Steps to be taken

 Need for social movement: Modernity does not amount to

undermining our collective memories, our cultural traditions and
 indigenous knowledge systems.

o Thus, people need to be made aware of this fact and motivate

through social movements for building rational and modern
thinking.
 Bridging the gender gap: There is a desperate need to bridge
the gender gap in Indian social structure. Focus should be on
increasing literacy and economic opportunity for women.

o Modernity will usher in the Indian society when its women

possess a modern rational view of culture and are not bound by
rudimentary practices like Patriarchy.
 Focus on Human development: Modernity, further, implies the
constant pursuit of improvement in human lives and of the pursuit
of progress (social as well as economic).

o Thus, focusing on overall human development will help in

inculcating rationalistic attitude among individuals and societies.

Conclusion
We have to understand that the tradition occurs as part of a chain
while handling down from one generation not another. Thus, there
is no clear division between tradition and modernity. What is
modern for the present civilization would be traditional for the
civilization that exists a few decades later.

Q. Peasant movements of the twentieth century in India were

deeply influenced by the ongoing struggle for national freedom.
Discuss the important features of these movements. (150 Words)
15 Jun, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach
 Briefly explain the change in the characteristics of peasant
movements in the 20th century as compared to earlier peasant
movements.
 Discuss the features of peasant movements with respect to the
development of national freedom struggle.
 Discuss the role of national leaders in the formation of peasant
organisation and their influence on peasant movements.
 Highlight the nature of important peasant movements in twentieth-
century across India.
 Conclude the answer by summarising the overall influence of the
peasant movement.

Introduction
Unlike the earlier peasant movements that arose from
discontentment among the peasantry, the peasant movements in
the twentieth century were influenced by national freedom
struggle. This phase witnessed an increased involvement of
middle-class, modern educated class in peasant resistance
movements. This led to percolation of the idea of nationalism
among the peasantry too.
Body
Gandhian Peasant Movements

 These movements were essentially non violent in nature.

Satyagraha (fast unto death) was the defining feature of these
moments to build moral pressure on britishers to accept their
demands.
 Champaran Satyagraha: In Champaran, the peasants were
agitating against the planters who were forcing the peasants to
grow indigo under the exploitative tinkathia system. This system
forced cultivation of indigo in 3/20th of land held by the peasant.

o One of their leaders, Raj Kumar Sukul invited Gandhi to resolve

the issue.
o Gandhi led the movement by launching satyagraha and mobilised
the peasantry in the area defying the British authority.
o This satyagraha brought the tinkathia system to an end and
helped in determining the rent payable by the peasants to the
planters.
 Kheda Satyagraha: In Kheda, on the request of the local peasant
leaders, Gandhi decided to support the struggle of the peasants
for revenue remission in 1918.

o Here the peasants had lost about 25 percent of their crop due to
excessive rains. They wanted the land revenue installments to be
suspended. They sent several petitions to the government.
However, the Government was adamant on recovering its dues.
o Gandhi supported their just demand. Although the struggle did not
succeed, the government at least agreed not to confiscate the
property of the non-paying peasants.
o Bardoli Satyagraha In Bardoli, the nationalist leadership,
between 1921 and 1927, undertook the task of generating a
model peasant movement by linking the local peasant discontent
with the larger problem of nationalism.

 The issue was the periodic upward revision of land revenue

without paying attention to the ground situation.
 Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel mobilised the peasants and sustained
the movement. The government tried to forcibly collect the entire
revenue but failed to do so. Finally, a compromise was reached
and the revenue demand was lowered.

Peasantry during Non Cooperation movement

 Organisation of Kisan Sabhas: In the Awadh region, a powerful

peasant movement developed under the leadership of Baba
Ramachandra. This movement gained momentum when
 Ramachandra was arrested and the Congress leaders,
particularly Jawaharlal Nehru, became involved.
 The Moplah Rebellion was an extension of the Khilafat
Movement in Kerala in 1921. The Government had declared the
Congress and Khilafat meetings illegal. So, a reaction in Kerala
began against the crackdown of the British.

o But soon the Muslims peasants, known as Moplahs, were

polarised against Hindu and numerous communal riots outbreak
from 1921 onwards.
 The Eka Movement was started in 1921 in Awadh region. The
initial thrust was given by the leaders of Congress and the Khilafat
movement. The main reason for the movement was high rent,
which was generally higher than 50% of recorded rent in some
areas.

o When leadership was passed on to Madari Pasi, he was reluctant

to accept non-violence. This led the movement to lose contact
with nationalist class. It gradually ended in 1922.

Peasantry during Civil Disobedience movement

 Emergence of radical leadership: The launch of the Civil

Disobedience movement in such an atmosphere brought a very
large number of peasants within the ambit of the nationalist
movement.

o No-rent and no-revenue campaigns in various parts of the

country were taken up by the peasant leaders.
o A new generation of radical leadership committed to the peasant
movements emerged from among the Congress left wing and the
communists.
o Leaders like Swami Sahajanand, N.G. Ranga, Indulal
Yagnik and many others became prominent in mobilisation of
peasantry.
 Formation of All India Kisan Sabha: In 1936, at the Lucknow
session of the Congress, All India Kisan Sabha was formed with
Sahajanand as its first president.

o It later issued a Kisan manifesto which demanded abolition of

zamindari and occupancy rights for all tenants.
o Under pressure from its socialist members and leaders, the
Congress adopted an Agrarian Programme in December 1936.

Peasant movement during Quit India Movement

In this movement all sections of peasants, cutting across caste
lines, and even many landlords supported the movement
believing that the British rule was at an end.

 Tebhaga Movement: The communist-led Bengal Kisan Sabha

prepared the ground for the widespread Tebhaga movement in
1946 which continued for about a year before being suppressed
by the government and the landlords.
 Abolition of Zamindari: During the 1940s, the Congress
accepted the idea of zamindari abolition on a larger level. In its
election manifesto of 1946, it proposed that landlordism would be
abolished after paying an equitable compensation to the
landlords.

Conclusion
Thus, the rise of nationalism, formation of congress and
emergence of Gandhi helped to redefine the peasant movements
in the twentieth century. The idea of a nation spread by the
nationalist movement played a big role in raising the
consciousness of the peasantry and created the basis for their
assimilation in the freedom struggle. It encouraged the localised
 peasant movements to assume national character and
significance.

Q. “The second World War was the result of nationalistic tensions,

unresolved issues, and economic depression”. Discuss (250
words)
01 Jun, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 In the introduction briefly discuss the formation of military

alliances and the Second World War.
 Discuss the background of the 1st World War and Treaty of
Versailles.
 In body mention various factors that led to the outbreak of the
Second World War.
 The rise of militarism in Germany and Japan, and the failure of
the League of Nations.
 Conclude the answer suitably.

Introduction
The Second World War (WW-II) was a global military conflict
which lasted from 1939 to 1945. The vast majority of nations
formed two opposing military alliances, the Allies and the Axis.

 The Allies consisted of France, Poland and the United Kingdom,

as well as their dependent states, such as British India. Later
joined by the US and China.
 The Axis, also known as "Rome–Berlin–Tokyo Axis", consisted of
Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Body
 Factors led to the Second World War

 Unresolved issues: The Treaty of Versailles was signed in

1919 in a hostile environment after the first World War to bring
peace in Europe.

o The treaty was harsh on Germany and served as a humiliation for

the Germans. It brought many hardships for the German
population and further deteriorated the entire geopolitical
landscape of Europe.
o The treaty could not contain the rise of extreme nationalism in
fascist regimes of Italy, Germany and Japan which in turn led to
the increased scramble for new colonies.
 Nationalistic tensions: Disintegration of German population into
newly created nations was used by Hitler to justify German
aggression and expansion before the second World War.

o The humiliating conditions of the treaty of Versailles annoyed the

Germans for years and in many ways led to the rise of Nazism in
Germany.
o The terms of the Treaty of Versailles were violated by Hitler which
led to the formation of alliances like the Anti-Comintern Pact
(1937) between Germany, Japan and Italy and the Non-
Aggression Pact (1939) between Germany and USSR.
 The economic depression: The period before World War II was
a time of great economic suffering throughout the world called the
Great Depression. It posed severe risks to the entire economies
of the world and specifically in Europe..

o Aggressive foreign policy: Unemployment, poverty lead the

cause for development of dictatorial regimes across Europe, who
rationalized the idea to take anything by force, led to more
aggressive/nationalist foreign policy.
o Empire building forces: In the atmosphere of cut-throat
economic trade/Depression, the answer of countries like Japan &
Italy was to build an empire.

 This secures their supplies of raw materials and natural

resources. Countries like Japan (Manchuria), Italy (Abyssinia) and
Germany (eastern Europe), therefore, set international conflict
and tension, mistrust.
 This created unstable governments and turmoil around the world
that led to the Second World War.
 The 1930s economic depression gave opportunity to Mussolini
and his Fascist Party came to power, making Italy rich and
powerful.
 Rising to power in an economically and politically unstable
Germany, Adolf Hitler and his National Socialist (Nazi Party)
rearmed the nation to further his ambitions of world domination.

Other Factors Includes

 Japan’s Militarism: In 1931, Japan was hit badly by the

economic depression. Japanese people lost faith in the
government. They turned to the army in order to find a solution to
their economic problems.

o In order to produce more goods, Japan needed natural resources

for its factories. The Japanese army invaded China, an area rich
in minerals and resources.
 Failure of League of Nations: The treaty led to the formation of
the League of Nations which failed to prevent actions of fascist
regimes like invasion of Manchuria by Japan.

o The idea of the League of Nations was to prevent wars through

disarmament, collective security and negotiation. Unfortunately
the League failed miserably in its intended goal.
 Appeasement policy: The failures of the League in the 1930s
were not only because of aggressor nations undermining its
authority, but also down to its own members.

o Britain and France, the two most influential members, ignored the
League in their efforts to appease Hitler, it allowed Hitler to
expand German territory unchecked, this led to the outbreak of
the Second World War.

Conclusion
The seeds of the Second World War were sown in the treaty of
Versailles. The harsh restriction led to the growth of dictatorial
regimes and ingrained the feeling of revenge in Germany and
Italy. Both these nations re-emerged as a strong military power
with fascist tendencies driven by extreme nationalism in their
respective countries.
Whereas, Japan’s economic condition after the great depression
and its militaristic policy in search of natural resources led to the
formation of alliances with axis powers.

Q. Discuss how the Shraman tradition marked the beginning of

new religious and social movements in ancient India? (150 words)
15 May, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach

 In the introduction briefly explain Shramanas and explain how

they were different from existing brahmanical order.
 In the body, discuss in detail about the new social and religious
movement brought about by the Shramanas traditions.
 In conclusion, mention the long term impacts of Shramanic
traditions.

Introduction
Shramana traditions in ancient India were brought about by the
ascetics who renounced worldly life to search for the truth about
life and the universe. They included many groups, sects and
varieties of opinions. The most famous among them were the
Buddhists, the Jains, the materialist Lokayatas and groups like
the Ajivikas.
In the Brahmanical order the Brahmins were privileged as
intermediaries between deities and followers, and were
considered the protectors of the sacred learning found in the
Vedas. The Shramanas rejected the authority of the Brahmins
and opposed the ritualistic orthodox ideas of the Brahmanas.
Body
Religious Movement brought about by the Shramanas

 Emergence of new religions: All the Shramanas sects denied

the supremacy of philosophies of Vedic texts. Some of them like
Budhha and Mahavira got enlightenment through meditation and
after realising truth propagated the right way of life to their
followers.
 Simplifying the meaning of truth: In vedic literature the concept
of truth was metaphysical and complex for common people to
understand. Like truth (Satya) in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is
equated to Brahman which connotes the highest Universal
Principle, the Ultimate Reality in the universe. Shramanas sought
to simplify the meaning of truth, like Buddha said there are Four
Noble Truths:

o The world is full of suffering.

o All sufferings have a cause: desire, ignorance and attachment are
the causes of sufferings.
o The suffering could be removed by destroying its cause.
o In order to end sufferings one must know the right path. This path
is the Eight Fold Path (Ashtangika Marga).
 More emphasis on karma than rituals: Shramana held a view
of samsara (world) as full of suffering (Dukka). They practiced
Ahimsa, Eight Fold Paths and believed more in the principles of
Karma rather than rituals.
 Shramanas believed that the aim of human life should be Moksha
and viewed rebirth as undesirable.

Social Changes brought about by the Shramanas

 Increase in power of the social groups of Vaishyas and

Kshatriyas: With the economic and political developments, the
Vaishyas and the Kshatriyas became more influential classes.

o Unlike the Brahamincal order, Shramana traditions of Buddhism

and Jainism did not give much importance to the notion of birth for
social status, they attracted the Vaisyas and Kshatriyas to their
fold.
o It is also to be noted that both Buddha and Mahavira came from
Kshatriya class but in their search for answers to the pressing
problems of society they went beyond boundaries set by their
birth.
 Rejection Of Caste system: Another reason for the rapid spread
of Buddhism and Jainism was their rejection of the existing caste
system.

o This egalitarian outlook of shramanic traditions appealed to the

masses, who were exploited in the caste system like the shudras,
to leave the complex brahmanism and adopt simple doctrines of
sects like Buddhism.
 Change in royal patronage: The royal patronage by powerful
kings like Kings of Mauryan dynasty to these non brahmanical
 orders enabled greater social acceptance. For example, After
the Kalinga war, Ashoka propagated Dhamma as the state policy
of Magadha on the basis of Buddhist teachings.
 Promotion of social harmony: In Brahmanical traditions, wars
were fought among different tribes for performing different Yajnas.
This often wrecked the social peace, the Shramanic traditions’
adherence to non violence (Ahimsa) and support to universal
brotherhood seemed more appealing to the peace loving
societies.

Conclusion
Thus, the sharmanas revolutionised the prospects of the social
and religious dimensions of ancient India in such a way that even
after many centuries these traditions continue to attract humanity
across many countries.

Q. “Next to war, famine and pandemic the worst thing that can
happen to agriculture is absentee-landlordism”. Analyse this
statement with reference to the land revenue system of Britishers
in India. (250 words)
11 May, 2020 GS Paper 1 History
Approach

 In the introduction briefly explain the meaning of absentee

landlordism.
 Establish the relationship of absentee landlordism with the land
revenue system of Britishers.
 Highlight the implications of absentee landlordism on the
agriculture sector.
 In the body, starting with the cause, analyse the effects of
absentee landlordism under various headings in such a way that
their implications are elaborated.
 Conclude by summarising the effects of absentee landlordism and
with the future changes brought about by it.

Introduction

 An absentee landlordism in agriculture occurs when the owner of

the land does not live within the agricultural region of its land
holding. It was one of the worst effects of the zamindari
system introduced by the Britishers in 1793.
 It had wide implications on the existing agricultural system, social
structure and relationship of various entities such as zamindar
and the cultivator with the land. The main victims of such an
unprecedented occurrence were the peasants who cultivated land
under the zamindari system.

Body
The main cause:

 Permanent settlement Act was introduced in 1793 in which the

land revenue collection rights were auctioned to the zamindar,
who had to pay the 10/11 of the collected revenue to the
Britishers within the stipulated time.
 Most of the Zamindars used to sublet the land to middlemen and
would relocate to big cities like Calcutta to live a luxurious life
which created absentee landlordism.

Changes brought about by the absentee landlordism

Detachment of zamindars from the land: Zamindars were not
the same old hereditary landholders, now anyone could become a
Zamindar provided he had good connections in East India
Company or some other hack. Many subordinates of old
Zamindars and even traders and merchants became the so-called
 new Zamindars. They did not have the same kind of attachment
with the land as the old hereditary Zamindars.

 Increase in social Inequality: This system strengthened

feudalism in upper sections and slavery in lower sections of
society. Due to the fixation of land revenue, the income of the
government through land revenue could not increase even if the
cost of agricultural land and production increased.
 Increasing the commercialization of land: Permanent
Settlement led to a commercialisation of land that previously did
not exist in Bengal. Absent landlordism further increased it, as it
led to a change in the social background of the ruling class.
 Deterioration of agricultural productivity: Most of the absentee
zamindars had their focus on collection of maximum revenue
rather than focusing on betterment of agricultural land, In lack of
good inputs and over-cultivation the quality of land increased.
 Over exploitation of the peasants: The unofficial middlemen
were oppressive in collecting the land revenue, in many cases
they collected taxes at exorbitant rates which were higher than
the official tax rate, many peasants could not even save enough
for their sustenance.
 Distress Migration: The peasants were depressed by the
excessive rent and by loans taken for the cattle, seed and other
agricultural inputs. Most of the time they were not able to repay
and they could never extricate themselves from debt.
 The peasants were disheartened by such abject misery that is
why they could not labour in spirit. They could hardly earn a
scanty subsistence without hope of bettering their situation, many
farmers migrated to cities and towns to find better avenues of
survival.

Conclusion
Thus absentee landlordism caused sub-feudalization in Bengal
and deteriorated the condition of peasants and became one of the
contributing factors of agricultural crises such as famine in and
 around Bengal. The plight of poor farmers due to oppression by
these intermediaries was criticized by some of the British officers
who opposed the emulation of the zamindari system in other parts
of the British India. Thus for other areas, new systems revenue
collection i.e. ryotwari and mahalwari were devised in
subsequent years.

Q. The phenomenon of reverse-migration poses various

challenges in front of the administration. Discuss its overall impact
on the economy and society. (250 words)
04 May, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach

 Discuss the concept of migration and the context of reverse-

migration.
 Statistics of migrant workers in India.
 Impact of reverse migration
 Challenges associated in front of the administration.
 Conclude suitably with the suggestion.

Introduction

 The International Organization for Migration defines a migrant as

any person who is moving or has moved across an international
border or within a state away from his/her habitual place of
residence.
 The lockdown since the Covid-19 outbreak has caused the mass
exodus of migrant workers from industrial hubs towards their
native places with the fear of livelihood loss. This has been
termed as reverse migration.

Body
Statistics of migrant workers
 The Economic Survey of India 2017 estimates that the
magnitude of inter-state migration in India was close to 9 million
annually between 2011 and 2016.
 According to the Census 2011 the total number of internal
migrants in the country (inter- and intra-state movement) at a
staggering 139 million.
o The Hindi belt is the main source of migrants as four states, Uttar
Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh accounted for
50% of India’s total inter-state migrants.
o Delhi and Mumbai are widely considered migrant magnets.

Impact of reverse migration

 Lack of employment: It is one of the biggest drivers of migration.

o According to the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy
(CMIE) unemployment rate in rural areas is 23.7% and in states
like Bihar and Jharkhand, it is highest in the country.
o Workers are returning home after 40 days of joblessness with
drained pockets. At such a time, the state's unprecedented rate of
unemployment will certainly not help.
 Rise in disguised unemployment: The returned workforce from
cities will engage in agricultural work in villages. The agriculture
sector is already stressed and the dependence of a large
population will enhance the problem.
o The migration is highest for landless households or has less than
an acre of land.

Challenge for administration

 Health emergency: This has opened up the serious threat of the

rural spread of Covid-19, which can result in medical
emergencies.
o Villages have only rudimentary health infrastructure and lack
proper hospitals with ventilators which are needed to fight the
virus. There is less than one doctor per 1,000 population.
 Social stigma: Due to lack of understanding of the disease the
migrants are facing stigma and that is causing social tension in
rural areas.
 Availability of essential goods: The sudden spike of the
dependent population in rural areas will put an extra burden on
the state treasury.
 Hindrance in economic recovery: With basic sustenance
support from the government for three months, many interstate
migrants may not return to work soon. Labour shortage, it is being
feared, can hinder economic recovery.

Conclusion

 The families of migrant workers from under-developed states like

Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand etc depend on the remittances
they receive every month. The sudden imposition of the national
lockdown has rendered workers jobless and thus drying up the
source of remittances.
o It is important for the government to engage those migrant
workers in employment generated in the local area.
 The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee
Act (MGNREGA) scheme can act as a cushion for the state
government to tackle the huge flow of migrant labourers in rural
areas. The government should increase the scope of work done
under the MGNREGA scheme.

Q. What do you understand by seismic noise? Discuss its impact

on measuring the earth's seismic activities. (150 words)
27 Apr, 2020 GS Paper 1 Geography
Approach
 Discuss the context of the topic in brief.
 Discuss seismic noise and its source.
 Discuss the impact of seismic noise on measuring seismic
activities.
 Conclude with its significance.

Introduction
The scientist at British Geological Survey (BGS) recently
reported a change in the Earth’s seismic noise and vibrations
amid the coronavirus lockdown. It is observed that there is 30-50
per cent fall in levels of ambient seismic noise.
Body
Seismic Noise and its Source

 Seismic noise: It refers to the relatively persistent vibration of the

ground. It is the unwanted component of signals recorded by a
seismometer which makes it difficult for scientists to study seismic
data that is more valuable.

o This noise includes vibrations caused due to human activity, such

as transport and manufacturing.
o The seismic noise vibrations caused by human activity are of high
frequency (between 1-100 Hz), and travel through the Earth’s
surface layers.
 Seismic noise is also termed as ambient vibrations in other fields
of studies such as oil exploration, hydrology, and earthquake
engineering.

Benefits of reduction in seismic noise:

 Usually, to measure seismic activity accurately and reduce the

effect of seismic noise, geologists place their detectors 100
metres below the Earth’s surface.
 However, since the lockdown, researchers have said that they
were able to study natural vibrations even from surface readings,
owing to lesser seismic noise.

Conclusion
Seismologists around the world are making an collaborative effort
to study the fall in seismic noise levels. Due to lower noise levels,
scientists are now hoping that they would be able to detect
smaller earthquakes and tremors that had slipped past their
instruments so far.

Q. The provincial style of architecture during the Delhi Sultanate

period was greatly influenced by Indo-Islamic style. Discuss. (250
words)
20 Apr, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Heritage & Culture
Approach:

 Discuss the term Indo-Islamic architecture.

 Discuss with examples, the various provincial architecture during
Delhi Sultanate period that are influenced by Indo Islamic
architecture.
 Conclusion

Introduction

 The term Indo-Islamic indicates the growth of composite culture

as a result of contact, intermixing and assimilation of the cultural
tradition of India and the Islamic world during the medieval period.
 In the field of architecture, a mix of many structural techniques,
stylised shapes, and surface decorations came about through
constant interventions of acceptance, rejection or modification of
 architectural elements. These architectural entities or categories
showcasing multiple styles are known as Indo-Saracenic or Indo-
Islamic architecture.

Body

 The Indo-Islamic Architecture after 12th century AD began to

evolve, adding to it the local flavour of the provisional kingdom of
Bengal, Gujarat, Jaunpur, Golconda, Malwa and the Deccan.
Thus, leading to development of provincial style of architecture.
 Features of Indo-Islamic Architecture
o Arch and dome method(arcuate style)
o Existence of minars
o Mortar was used as a cementing agent to create arch and dome.
o Avoided the representation of human beings.
o Provided spaciousness, massiveness and breath to Hindu
architecture.
o Use of pietra dura technique
o Use of arabesque method
o Significance of Symmetry
o Use of water in premises
 Features provincial style of architecture :
o Malwa style: The cities of Dhar and Mandu in the Malwa plateau
became prominent seats of architecture.
The most prominent feature of the buildings here is the use of
different coloured stones and marbles. The pietra dura
technique was used for decoration purposes.
 The buildings had large windows and were decorated by a
stylised use of arches and pillars. It made the buildings and
rooms well-ventilated.
 Artificial reservoirs known as ‘baulis’ were constructed in the
premises for storage of water based on the imperial architecture.
 The use of batter system introduced by the Tughlaqs made the
buildings strong.
 No use of minars as found in other Indo-Islamic architecture.
 Example: Rani Roopmati pavilion, Jahaz Mahal, Ashrafi Mahal
etc.
o Jaunpur style: The main feature of Sharqi mosques is the huge
rectangular pylon (gateway) with arches. Through these
arches, we entered the three main mosques in Jaunpur: Atala
Masjid, Jama masjid and Lal Darwaza.
 They are made of stone and have fine carving and latticework.
Unlike the Delhi mosques of the same period, there are no
minarets.
 The unique feature of the buildings here is the use of bold and
forceful characters painted on huge screens in the centre and
side bays of the prayer hall.
o Bijapur or Deccan style: A special feature of the Bijapur style
was the treatment of its ceilings, which were without any
apparent support.
 Iron clamps and a strong plaster of mortar were used to give
strength to the buildings. The walls were decorated with rich
carvings.
 The number of mosques, tombs and palaces which were unique
in the use of 3-arched facade and bulbous dome, which were
almost spherical and with a narrow neck.
 It emphasizes minarets in preference to multiple or large domes,
beautifying monuments through surface decoration and artistic
parapets.
 Example: Gol Gumbaj, the mausoleum of Adil Shah, in Bijapur
o Gujarat style: It was said to have a markedly regional character
for patrons borrowed elements from regional temple traditions
such as toranas, lintels in mihrabs, carvings of bell and chain
motifs, and carved panels depicting trees, for tombs, mosques
and dargahs.
o Bengal style: It characterised in its use of bricks and black
marble suitable for the very heavy rains, were adopted into a
distinct local style of Indo-Islamic architecture.
 The mosques built during this period continued the use of
sloping ‘Bangla roofs’, which was previously used for temples.
 Examples: Qadam Rasul mosque in Gaur, Adina Mosque in
Pandua, etc.

Conclusion

o The influence of Indo-Islamic architecture of Delhi on the

provincial style depended on the distance of the province from
Delhi and the association of the rulers of the province with that of
Delhi. However, the local architects retained certain flavours of
the local architectural traditions as well.
o The building art varied by the reasons like availability of local
materials, building techniques and even climatic conditions.

Q. Domestic abuse is one among many other social challenges

posed by the conditions created by the pandemic. Discuss (250
words)
13 Apr, 2020 GS Paper 1 Indian Society
Approach:

 Define the term violence against women with an emphasis on

domestic abuse.
 Establish the link between the recent surge in domestic violence
cases and COVID-19.
 Briefly explain the causes behind domestic violence and
challenges associated.
 Discuss various steps need to be taken.
 Conclude suitably.

Introduction
 Recently, the UN Secretary-General appealed to governments to
pay attention to and prevent a global surge in domestic violence
amid lockdown measures imposed by several countries to tackle
the COVID-19 pandemic.
The term domestic violence is used in many countries to refer to
intimate partner violence, but it also encompasses child or elder
abuse, or abuse by any member of a household. It includes acts
of physical violence, sexual violence, emotional (psychological)
abuse and controlling behaviours.
Body
COVID-19 and Domestic Violence:

 In India, the National Family Health Survey-4 (2015-16) (NFHS-

4) suggests that 30% of women in India in the age group of 15-49
have experienced physical violence.
 Further, various data suggest that the domestic violence cases in
India have also increased after the mandatory stay-at-home rules,
social distancing, economic uncertainties and anxieties caused by
the COVID-19 pandemic.

Causes of Domestic Violence:

 Gender Disparity: It is one of the deep-rooted cause of violence

against women that put women at risk of several forms of
violence. Discriminatory gender norms and gender stereotypes
result in structural inequality.
 Psychiatric Morbidity: Generally refers to the incidence of both
physical and psychological deterioration as a result of a mental or
psychological condition, generally caused due to the consumption
of alcohol.
 Sociodemographic factors: Patriarchy has been cited as the
main cause of violence against women.
 Family factors: Exposure to harsh physical discipline during
childhood and witnessing the father beating the mother during
 childhood is a predictor of victimization and perpetration of
violence against wife in adulthood.

Other challenges:

 The violence negatively impacts on the mental health of women.

This further increases with job losses and other economic
pressures on women.
 Any form of violence against women hinders their realization
of fundamental rights under article 14, 21, and 19 of the Indian
constitution.
 It also impacts on child well being, female and child mortality,
intergenerational social and psychological cost.
 Further, the SDG- 5 which seeks to eliminate all forms of
discrimination and violence against women by 2030 is
compromised.

Steps Need to be Taken:

 Availability of essential services: It is critical that governments

utilise a human rights and intersectional based approach to
ensure access to necessary information, support systems and
resources during the current crisis.
The state governments need to declare helplines as “essential
services” that should remain open during lockdowns.
 Sensitization efforts: Media can sensitize the public against
gender-based violence, publicise resources and services
available and encourage the equitable sharing of domestic tasks
at home.
 Role of civil society: Increase resourcing for NGOs that respond
to domestic violence and provide aid like shelter, counselling, and
legal aid to survivors.
 Providing health services: Ensure women’s timely access to
necessary and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health
 services during the crisis, such as maternal health services, safe
abortion etc.
 Ensuring rule of law: The perpetrators of domestic violence
must be brought to trial and repeated offenders must be dealt with
strictly as per the provisions of law.

Conclusion

 As the steps to contain the transmission of the virus might require

more stretches of isolation and confinement for the public, the
government all around the globe, need to address the upsurge in
domestic violence immediately.