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Table of Contents

Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. ______6 Q) ” Just as a patriarchal culture cannot tell stories of truly empowered women, so also, it cannot envision a truly supreme goddess.” Comment on the depiction of women as goddess in the Indian art. (200 Words) ______6 Q) Discuss the architectural and cultural significance of Taj Mahal. (200 Words) ______6 Q) Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, along with Amir Khusrau, symbolises our syncretic culture. Comment. (200 Words) ______8 Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues ______8 Q) Discuss Gandhiji’s views on modernity, religiosity, science and spirituality. Also comment if his views on these aspects are relevant today. (200 Words) ______8 Q) Examine the impact certain literary works has had on formulation of Gandhiji’s ideas. (200 Words) ______9 Q) Discuss the relevance and significance of political philosophy of Jayaprakash Narayan. (200 Words) ______10 Q) Comment of significance and relevance of Rammanohar Lohia’s seven revolutions (sapta kranti). (200 Words) ______10 Q) Discuss the nature and significance of the events that led to liberation of Goa i 1961. (200 Words) ______11 Q) The historical evidence on the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ Tipu Sultan can be read as competing narratives ranging between visionary to freedom fighter to bigot. Discuss critically relevance and significance of such narratives today. (200 Words) ______12 Topic: The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country. ______13 Q) Why are Dalits denied equal rights despite laws against such a denial? Examine Dr Ambedkar’s views on the limitations of the present policies and the solution he offered for protection of rights of Dalits. (200 Words) ______13 Q) Was Sir Syed Ahmad Khan indeed the father of the two-nation theory or was he merely advocating modern ideas of multiculturalism and differentiated citizenship? Critically examine. (200 Words) ______14 Q) “Robert Clive founded the British Raj, Lord Macaulay sowed the seeds of its end.” Critically comment. (200 Words) ______15 Q) While Nehru was a natural democrat, Sardar Patel was pragmatist. Comment. (250 Words) _ 16 Topic: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country. ______17 Q) Multiple dialogue processes in Kashmir lack consistency, continuity, and comprehensiveness. Comment. (200 Words) ______17 Q) How did Jawaharlal Nehru try to resolve Kashmir issue. Give a critical account. (200 Words) 18

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Topic: Political philosophies ______19 Q) Plutocracy is the antithesis of democracy. Do you think India treats different classes in Indian society differently when it comes to an development agenda? Comment. (200 Words) ______19 Q) “The tyranny of democracy undermines democracy.” Comment. (200 Words) ______20 Topic: Salient features of Indian Society; Social empowerment; Population – issues ______20 Q) Discuss critically the causes behind rising suicides among the youth in India. (200 Words) ___ 20 Q) Traditional norms that affect social principles such as gender rights must be examined on priority. Comment. (200 Words) ______22 Q) The root of the problem of lack of sanitation in India lies in institutional discrimination against the scheduled castes. Comment in the light of objectives of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. (150 Words) ______22 Topic: Role of women ______23 Q) What explains the decline of the already low female labour force participation rate in India, particularly during a period of rapid economic growth? Examine. (200 Words) ______23 Q) Social Media campaigns can raise voices but have limited actionability. With reference to the Me Too campaign, examine how can social media campaigns be more effective. (200 Words) ______24 Q) “As marriages in India come under the purview of personal laws, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) stops short of invalidating child marriage.” In the light of recent Supreme Court judgement criminalising sex with a child bride, discuss the statement. (200 Words) ______25 Topic: Poverty and developmental issues ______26 Q) Inequality is reprehensible not only because it is inherently unfair and unjust, but because it can cause harm in a number of domains of everyday living. Discuss. (200 Words) ______26 Q) Both China and India have recorded appallingly unequal growth over the last three decades, but in China, even though it is not a democracy in the sense of permitting free expression of public opinion, its growth process over the period 1980–2014 has been relatively much less unequal than India’s. Examine why. (200 Words) ______27 Q) Access to the internet is now fundamental to life and liberty. Comment. (200 Words) ______28 Topic: Changes in critical geographical features (including waterbodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes ______29 Q) Write a critical note on the working and findings of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM). (200 Words) ______29 Topic: Urbanization – problems and remedies ______30 Q) Multiplicity of agencies and functional overlap deter effective urban governance. With reference to the recent incident in Mumbai, critique on how urban governance can become more seamless. (200 Words) ______30 Q) How is urbanisation affecting social and cultural life of rural migrants in Indian cities? Examine. (200 Words) ______31 Q) Urban Health Disorders are a self inflection despite resource availability. Comment. (200 Words) ______32 Q) Mumbai’s new proposed development plan focuses on providing employment space for 80 lakh persons and is depending on additional metro systems and the controversial coastal road project to take the potential load off the rail network. In the light of recent tragedy of stampede, comment its new development plan. (200 Words) ______32 www.insightsonindia.com 4 www.insightsias.com

Topic: Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India) ______33 Q) Affordability and cleanliness are the twin pillars of Responsible Tourism. Analyse the impact of these focus areas on Tourism suggesting additional priority areas. (200 Words) ______33 Q) Recently India began shipment of wheat to Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar. Discuss the geography of this route and its strategic importance for India and Afghanistan. (200 Words) ______34

NOTE: Please remember that following ‘answers’ are NOT ‘model answers’. They are NOT synopsis too if we go by definition of the term. What we are providing is content that both meets demand of the question and at the same time gives you extra points in the form of background information.

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General Studies Paper - I

Topic: Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times. Q) ” Just as a patriarchal culture cannot tell stories of truly empowered women, so also, it cannot envision a truly supreme goddess.” Comment on the depiction of women as goddess in the Indian art. (200 Words) The Hindu Introduction :- Indian society since ancient times has been deeply patriarchal. But this has not deterred the women in society to come forward. The worship of goddess in Indian culture and religions tells the similar trends about gender subjugation. Goddesses in Indian art and culture :- . The major festivals like Dasara, Diwali and Kali Puja shows that the goddess has always been present and it is time to acknowledge her power and her place in our lives. . The goddess appears in many forms in popular Hinduism, from serene and domesticated Lakshmi to fiery Durga and to wrathful Kali. . In many parts of the country Dasara celebrates the victory of the goddess over the buffalo demon Mahisha. Patriarchal culture can’t envision a truly supreme goddess :- . In Indus valley civilization and Vedic civilization finds mentions of many female goddess like mother goddess figurine, Usha, Aditi, Brahmvadinis etc. but they fail to establish their independence and true supremacy. Indian society was patriarchal in majority of time periods. . Shakti is usually depicted as having the weapons of all the gods, even the Trimurti. She holds the trident of Shiva, the Chakraof Vishnu, the Vajra of Indra, the Gada of Yamaraaj. She is depicted the most powerful but her power is derived from male gods. . If Prakriti is celebrated as the maker of the world, she is also responsible for Maya, its illusory nature which keeps us bound in the cycle of rebirth. . Though Durga remains independent, she is created from the surplus energy of the gods. Kali’s outstretched tongue expresses shame as she dances on Shiva’s corpse. . Sita had to give Agni Pariksha owing to her captivity in Lanka. However without her any fault she was held responsible and impure unless she proved her chastity. All these examples show that the societal nature defines not only position of it’s women but also position of it’s goddess. In India’s case subjugation for females is deeply entrenched and significantly visible.

Q) Discuss the architectural and cultural significance of Taj Mahal. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: Taj Mahal is one of the famous wonders of the world. It was built in regime of Mughal ruler Shahjahan in 17th century. Taj Mahal was built in Agra by Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal. Architectural significance Taj Mahal was the apogee of the evolutionary architectural process in medieval India. 1. Orderly, simple plan and elevation  At the corners of the terrace stand four tall, tapering minarets, one hundred and thirty two feet high. www.insightsonindia.com 6 www.insightsias.com

 The main body of the building is topped with a drum and dome and four cupolas forming a beautiful skyline.  The tomb structure is a square with chamfers forming eight sides, recessed with deep arches. This structural stylisation produces in the elevation of the building a variety of contrasting planes and shade and solids and voids effects.  All sides of the building, the twin elevations of floor to roof and roof to pinnacle, atop the foliated crest of the dome, measure 186 feet each.  The interior arrangements of the mausoleum consist of a crypt below and a vaulted, octagonal tomb chamber above, with a room at each angle, all connected with corridors.  Light to every part of the building is obtained by means of carved and perforated jalis, set in the arched recesses of the interior.  The ceiling is as high as the façade creating a void with the help of a double dome. 2. Perfect proportions or symmetry  The plinth, the walls of the structure and the drum-dome are in perfect proportion to one another.  Towards the west of the white marble-faced tomb lies a red sandstone mosque and a similar construction in the east to maintain balance. 3. Ethereal quality marble  The Taj complex is entered through a monumental red sandstone gateway the opening arch of which beautifully frames the mausoleum.  Marble for the building was quarried from the Makrana mines in Rajasthan and this white edifice is contrasted with the red sandstone of the surrounding structures. 4. Perfect setting of bagh and river  The tomb is laid out in a Chahar Bagh, criss-crossed with paths and water courses, interspersed with pools and fountains.  The structure is placed on the northern extremity of the bagh instead of the middle to take advantage of the river bank. 5. Patina  The patina the Taj has lends it a different hue at various times of day and night.  A straight path through the bagh reaches the plinth of the tomb from where is accessed the floor terrace of the edifice. 6. Embellishments  Four types of embellishments have been used with great effect for the interior and exterior surfaces of the Taj Mahal.  These are stone carvings in high and low relief on the walls, the delicate carving of marble into jalis and graceful volutes (spiral ornament on the pillar), and the creation of arabesques with pietra dura (yellow marble, jade and jasper) on walls and tombstones and geometric designs with tessellation. 7. Calligraphy  The art of calligraphy is used with the inlay of jasper in white marble to write Quranic verses. Calligraphy provided a decorative element on the walls and a continuous connection with the Almighty.

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Q) Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana, along with Amir Khusrau, symbolises our syncretic culture. Comment. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana and Amir Khusrao represented the syncretic culture of India where native traditions intersected with Islamic culture. This is also termed as the “Ganga-Jamuni Tehjeeb“. Both are poets, scholars and lovers of literature and thus broke cultural barriers and appealed to wider audience easily & efficiently. Amir Khusrao . Born in 1253 in Delhi during the Delhi Sultanate period, he came to be known as the “Parrot of India”. . He was a Sufi mystic, poet, scholar and writer. . He is supposedly the founder of “Kawwali“, a Sufi devotional music form which is still popular in the subcontinent. . He transcended the language barriers using Hindavi & Persian words in his poems and Ghajals. . He is also credited with to compile a dictionary containing Persian words & their explanation in Hindavi ( a mixed form of Braj, Avadhi & Khari Boli). Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana . He was a statesman, courtier, soldier, poet, linguist, humanitarian, patron. . He was one of the nauratans of the court of emperor Akbar. He served three Mughal rulers and was regarded second in hierarchy to Akbar himself. . His atelier (literary kaarkhana) produced Persian translations of the Ramayana and Mahabharata along with Ragmala paintings. . As a patron of art, artists, poets, craftsmen were welcomed wherever he went — Sindh, Gujarat or the Deccan. . His translation of Baburnama from Chaghtay Turki to Farsi was a singular scholarly feat. . He chose to be a poet in vernacular Hindi rather than courtly Persian Rahim. . It was the pluralistic canvas of Akbar’s durbar which enabled Abdul Rahim Khan-e-Khanan to be just Rahim and not only write in Hindi but commission Hindi and Sanskrit in a Persian court. . The painting of Krishna holding mount Govardhan reproduced in the book was commissioned by Akbar. The one of Hanuman holding Mount Drongiri which contained the Sanjeevni plant was commissioned by Rahim. . The tomb of Abdur Rahim Khan-e-Khana is in Nizamuddin, Delhi. In the synthesis both achieved, they are worthy of becoming a national icon, gives a roadmap for India’s future.

Topic: Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant events, personalities, issues Q) Discuss Gandhiji’s views on modernity, religiosity, science and spirituality. Also comment if his views on these aspects are relevant today. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction :- Gandhiji had deep view regarding diverse areas of life . Modernity :- . Gandhi offered an alternative and non-Western form of modernity, that embodied a different set of values and ideals, which blended what he considered to be the best of both Indian tradition and modernity. . It is a mistake to regard Gandhi as a staunch traditionalist as he often is described. www.insightsonindia.com 8 www.insightsias.com

. This characterization overlooks the fact that Gandhi was quite critical of many aspects of Hindu tradition, from caste and untouchability to its seeming lack of concern for questions of social and economic justice. . By the same token, modernity for Gandhi did not imply the wholesale rejection of tradition. Religiosity :- . Religiosity, for Gandhiji, was a lifelong quest for self-transformation. . It was an engagement with the world without tamasic inertia or rajasic ego, but with sattwic calmness. . It was to see politics as a field of sadhana characterized by the Bhagavad Gita’s principle of anasakti yoga as well as the power of love Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount. . He gave a new meaning to a series of disciplinary/religious practices like austerity, fasting and control over body and sexuality. Science :- . It was not anti-science as is commonly misunderstood. . Gandhi went on to say that he appreciated the urge that led scientists to conduct basic research, to do ‘science for the sake of science’. . But he worried that scientists and science students in India came overwhelmingly from the middle class (and upper castes), and hence knew only to use their minds and not their hands. Spirituality :- . For Gandhiji religion was both, the formal where ritual practices diverged, and the eternal where all faiths had common goals. . Prayers were needed to affirm and activate the divine within, not to ask favours. He did not care for dogmas. For him, it was not theology but morality that mattered. . He argued for sadbhava, that is goodwill and toleration. Therefore religions could gain much by a dialogue, and none should claim exclusivity since it would amount to “spiritual arrogance.” As people are reduced commodities and consumers, Gandhiji’s moral engagement with self and society must be revisited as a protest ideology and they are relevant in present time as well owing to their eternal strengths and powerful ideas.

Q) Examine the impact certain literary works has had on formulation of Gandhiji’s ideas. (200 Words) The Hindu Introduction :- “The greatest genius is the most indebted person” These words of Emerson, The American thinker are very true for M. GANDHI. Inspirations both mould and give direction to life. There are certain books and literary works which influenced Gandhiji and helped in making of the Mahatma. . Tolstoy’s “The Kingdom of God is within you” overwhelmed Gandhi. It left an abiding impression on Gandhi. Tolstoy manifested independent thinking, profound morality and truthfulness. . Ruskin, the English thinker, was perhaps the most powerful source of inspiration when Gandhi himself described Ruskin’s book, “Unto This Last” as “the magic spell”. Gandhi was offered Ruskin’s book by Gandhi’s intimate friend Mr. Polak and Gandhi read it on his train journey from Johannesburg to Durban. The book gripped Gandhi so much that its teaching of the book appealed to Gandhi instantaneously and Gandhi paraphrased it into Gujarati as “Sarvodaya” (The welfare of all). Gandhi learnt the teachings of the book to be: . The good of the individual is contained in the welfare of all. . All have same right of earning their livelihood from their work. . That a life of labour is the life worth living. . Gandhi read the Gita for the first time in England, i.e. Sir Edwin Arnold’s “The song Celestial”, and it made a deep impression on his mind and Gandhi regarded the Gita par excellence for the knowledge of Truth and it afforded www.insightsonindia.com 9 www.insightsias.com

him invaluable help in his moments of gloom. The Gita became Gandhi’s life long companion and guide, especially the last eighteen verses of the second chapter of the Gita. Gandhi derived the Gospel of selfless action or duty from the Gita. His commentary on the Gita reflects his life and mission. . Gandhi read the Bible, especially “The New Testament” and “The Sermon on the Mount” which went straight to his heart. The compassion and renunciation of Jesus appealed greatly to Gandhi. . Leo Tolstoy’s The Kingdom of God is Within You , which rejects all sorts of violence including those sanctioned by the state or the Church, and espouses the need for simple living. Two other Tolstoy books are recommended: What is Art? and The Slavery of Our Times . Some of Gandhi’s views may have been influenced by the works of American philosopher Henry David Thoreau, particularly his 1849 essay ‘Civil Disobedience’.

Q) Discuss the relevance and significance of political philosophy of Jayaprakash Narayan. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction :- Jayaprakash Narayan (11 October 1902 – 8 October 1979), popularly referred to as JP or Lok Nayak was an Indian independence activist, theorist and political leader, remembered especially for leading the mid-1970s opposition against Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, for whose overthrow he called a “total revolution“. Political philosophy of Jayaprakash Narayan :- Relevance and significance . JP was fully convinced that socialism in India could be established if sufficient power was obtained by a socialist party. He was in support of adult franchise on a functional basis, organising cooperatives, strengthening the producing masses with the powers and overpowering role of the state in the economic life of the country. These ideas became the philosophy and objectives of the Congress Socialist Party. . He broadened the philosophy of socialism. As Socialism is not merely anti-capitalism, nor statism. Nationalization of industry and collectivization of agriculture are important aspects of socialist economy; but in themselves they are not socialism. Under socialism there is no exploitation of man by man, no injustice and oppression, no insecurity and an equitable distribution of wealth and services and opportunities. . He was a democrat. For him the state in socialist India must be a fully democratic state. There can be no socialism without democracy. He was convinced that a democratic society offers the chances for socialism to come into existence. Otherwise the bureaucratic state emerges with the support of the capitalist class. At this point people will resort to violent means; hence democracy is the only system for a free, non-violent socialist society. . In 1948 he, together with most of the Congress Socialists, left the Congress Party and in 1952 formed the Praja Socialist Party. Soon becoming dissatisfied with party politics, he announced in 1954 that he would thenceforth devote his life exclusively to the Bhoodan Yajna Movement, founded by Vinoba Bhave, which demanded that land be distributed among the landless. . In 1974 Narayan suddenly burst on the Indian political scene as a severe critic of what he saw as the corrupt and increasingly undemocratic government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Although he gained a following from students and opposition politicians, there was less enthusiasm from the masses. The relevance of Jayprakash Narayan’s political views hold relevance today in terms of impact they have created not only on Indian masses but also on Indian constitution, welfare programs and changes brought by his total revolution. Movements like the one done by Anna Hazare can be gauged on lines of Jayprakash Narayan’s ideas and vision. There can be much positive results is we apply them in politico, socio and economic life of country.

Q) Comment of significance and relevance of Rammanohar Lohia’s seven revolutions (sapta kranti). (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction :- Ram Manohar Lohia (23 March 1910 – 12 October 1967) was an activist for the Indian independence movement and a socialist political leader. During the last phase of British rule in India, he worked with the Congress Radio which was broadcast secretly from various places in Bombay city till 1942.

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Ram Manohar Lohia and Seven Revolutions :- . He was a forceful exponent of decentralised socialism better termed as ‘New Socialism’. He said the socialist doctrine needs to be redefined in terms of the simple truth that all men are equal not only within the nation but among nations. If this is done, a decent and minimum standard of living will be assured for all men, not only within national frontiers but also in the world. . In his view, socialism was a newer doctrine than capitalism or communism. Dr Lohia formed the concept of Sapta Kranti or seven revolutions which included (i) civil disobedience against violent revolutions, (ii) economic equality, (iii) abolition of castes, (iv) emancipation of women, (v) national independence, (vi) an end to colour discrimination, and (vii) the individual’s freedom of thought which is free from coercion from collectives of any kind. . According to him, the attainment of ‘New Socialism’ all over the world depended upon the success of these revolutions. Lohia felt that the only country in the world which can develop evolutionary socialism is India. As a nationalist, Lohia was a valiant fighter for Indian independence and his primary concern was to rebuild India through principled politics, approximate equality, decent standard of life, capital formation through control over wasteful expenditure and conspicuous consumerism, rightful place of Indian languages, elimination of castes and time- bound preferential opportunity for the backwards.

Q) Discuss the nature and significance of the events that led to liberation of Goa i 1961. (200 Words) Livemint Introduction :- The Goa liberation movement was a movement which sought to end Portuguese colonial rule in Goa, India. The movement built on the small scale revolts and uprisings of the 19th century, and grew powerful during the period 1940-1961. The movement was conducted both inside and outside Goa, and was characterised by a range of tactics including nonviolent demonstrations, revolutionary methods and diplomatic efforts. However, Portuguese control of its Indian colonies ended only when India invaded Goa in 1961 and incorporated the territories into the Indian Union. Nature and significance of events leading to liberation of Goa :- . Ending the colonial rule :- While India attained independence from the British Raj on 15 August, 1947, Goa was still languishing under four and a half century of Portuguese rule. The Portuguese were among the very first to colonise parts of India, and were the last to leave. Hence it was very much important to liberate Goa from colonial rule. . Diver nature of fight and efforts from all sections :- Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule on December 19, 1961. Armed guerrillas, satyagrahis, journalists and even legendary film artists fought for Goa’s independence. Leaders like Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, Dr Juliao Menezes, young leader Prabhakar Vitthal Sinari (just 13 year old in movement), revolutionaries like Nana Kaajrekar, a wrestler from Pune, Sudhir Phadke, a music director and nationalist from Bombay and many others joined it. . Diplomatic efforts :- In December 1947, independent India and Portugalestablished diplomatic ties. In January 1948, Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru met the Portuguese consul and raised the issue of Goa’s integration into the Indian Union. In January 1953, the Indian delegation in Portugal, sought to negotiate with Portugal on the issue of its territories in India. The Indian government offered a direct transfer; however, the Portuguese refused and diplomatic relations between the two countries deteriorated. Despite Nehru clearly stating India’s policy in relation to colonial outposts, Portugal and France refused to cede their colonies. Subsequently, India launched a campaign through the UN in an attempt to persuade the Portuguese to leave India peacefully. . Initial hesitation by nascent Indian government :- The involvement of the young Indian government in this was very low initially. Since Portugal was a part of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) and Indian government was not ready to get into a conflict with a NATO nation. . Subsequent aggressive actions and Operation Vijay :- In November 1961, the Portuguese provoked India by firing at Indian steamers and fishing boats, killing one fisherman and they also tried to pull out villagers and take them hostage. Krishna Menon, the then Defence Minister prevailed upon Jawaharlal Nehru that it was time to use www.insightsonindia.com 11 www.insightsias.com

force. 30,000 Indian troops with full air and naval support were sent to fight, and in less than 48 hours, Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule.

Q) The historical evidence on the ‘Tiger of Mysore’ Tipu Sultan can be read as competing narratives ranging between visionary to freedom fighter to bigot. Discuss critically relevance and significance of such narratives today. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: . Tipu was the son of Haider Ali, a professional soldier who climbed the ranks in the army of the Wodeyar king of Mysore, and ultimately took power in 1761. . He was born in 1750 and, as a 17-year-old, fought in the first Anglo-Mysore War (1767-69)and subsequently, against the Marathas and in the Second Anglo-Mysore War (1780-84). . Haider died while this war was on, and Tipu succeeded him in 1782. Fought the British . Tipu mounted the most serious challenge the Company faced in India. He allied with the French to frustrate its attempts to control the politics of the Deccan and Carnatic, and challenged its vital trading interests. . He fought Company forces four times during 1767-99, and gave Governors-General Cornwallis and Wellesley bloody noses before he was killed defending his capital Srirangapatnam in the Fourth Anglo-Mysore War. . With Tipu gone, Wellesley imposed the Subsidiary Alliance on the reinstated Wodeyar king, and Mysore became the Company’s client state Modernised army . Tipu has so far been seen as a man of imagination and courage, a brilliant military strategist who, in a short reign of 17 years, . Tipu reorganised his army along European lines, using new technology, including what is considered the first war rocket. Agricultural reforms . He devised a land revenue system based on detailed surveys and classification, in which the tax was imposed directly on the peasant, and collected through salaried agents in cash, widening the state’s resource base. . He modernised agriculture, gave tax breaks for developing wasteland, built irrigation infrastructure and repaired old dams, and promoted agricultural manufacturing and sericulture. Established trading posts . He built a navy to support trade, and commissioned a “state commercial corporation” to set up factories. As Mysore traded in sandalwood, silk, spices, rice and sulphur, some 30 trading outposts were established across Tipu’s dominions and overseas. Annexations and religious persecutions . Haider and Tipu had strong territorial ambitions, and invaded and annexed territories outside Mysore. . Haider annexed Malabar and Kozhikode, and conquered Kodagu, Thrissur and Kochi. . Tipu raided Kodagu and Kochi. . In Kodagu, Mangaluru and Malabar today, Tipu is seen as a bloodthirsty tyrant who burnt down entire towns and villages, razed hundreds of temples and churches, and forcibly converted Hindus. . He was keen to subjugate Kodagu because it lay on the road from Mysore to Mangaluru, the port that Tipu wanted to control.

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. There is evidence that Tipu persecuted Hindus and Christians, but there is also evidence that he patronised Hindu temples and priests, and gave them grants and gifts. He donated to temples at Nanjangud, Kanchi and Kalale, and patronised the Sringeri mutt. . When linguistic states were formed in the 1950s, many regions that read their historical past differently were merged under a common linguistic identity. Kodagu, now part of Karnataka, has always seen Tipu as an invader, and the old Mysore state’s narrative of him as a moderniser would not be acceptable to Kodagu only because it is now the official state narrative. Conclusion Placing a personality in binary terms is neither rational nor progressive. Historical perspectives should be critically analysed only to study from the past so as to live in a better present and build a better tomorrow. Attempts to see such narratives in political, communal or religious lines to create divisions in society should be vehemently opposed. Furthermore historical narratives are contextualised. Tipu is revered as builder of modern Karnataka in the particular state whereas in areas like Malabar he is seen as tyrant who butchered masses. It serves no purpose to view Tipu’s multilayered personality through the prism of morality or religion; it is not necessary that he be judged only in terms of either a hero or a tyrant.

Topic: The Freedom Struggle – its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different parts of the country. Q) Why are Dalits denied equal rights despite laws against such a denial? Examine Dr Ambedkar’s views on the limitations of the present policies and the solution he offered for protection of rights of Dalits. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction :- Caste denotes a traditional system of rigid social stratification into ranked groups defined by descent and occupation. Caste divisions in India dominate in housing, marriage, employment, and general social interaction- divisions that are reinforced through the practice and threat of social ostracism, economic boycotts, and physical violence. This practice relegates Dalits untouchables (known in Indian legal parlance as scheduled castes), to a lifetime of discrimination, exploitation and violence, including severe forms of torture perpetrated by state and private actors in violation of the rights guaranteed by the Convention. Legal provisions for stopping Dalit atrocities :- . Article 17 of Indian Constitution seeks to abolish ‘untouchability’ and its practice in any form is forbidden. . The SC/ST Atrocities Act was passed in 1989 by the Parliament. Denial of equal rights and pathetic conditions of Dalit people :- Caste-motivated killings, rapes, and other abuses are a daily occurrence in India. Between 2001 and 2002 close to 58,000 cases were registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act – legislation that criminalizes particularly egregious abuses against Dalits and tribal community members. A 2005 government report states that a crime is committed against a Dalit every 20 minutes. According to unofficial estimates, more than 1.3 million Dalits – mostly women – are employed as manual scavengers to clear human waste from dry pit latrines. In several cities, Dalits are lowered into manholes without protection to clear sewage blockages, resulting in more than 100 deaths each year from inhalation of toxic gases or from drowning in excrement. Dalits comprise the majority of agricultural, bonded, and child laborers in the country. Many survive on less than US$1 per day. Dr Ambedkar’s view on limitations of present policies and the solution he offered for protection of rights of Dalits :- Although B.R. Ambedkar was instrumental in developing legal and other measures to ensure equality, he was not very optimistic about the effectiveness of some of these measures and he offered alternatives. www.insightsonindia.com 13 www.insightsias.com

. Ambedkar helped to enact Untouchability (Offences) Act (1955) but he was aware of it’s limitations and said laws could be effective if violated by an individual but not when the entire community is opposed to the rights of a minority. . He said the social and moral conscience that governs the caste system does not support equality. The social beliefs that support inequality continue to influence the behaviour of “high” caste people in the villages. This belief system is at the root of the denial of rights and the use of violent methods against Dalits. . Ambedkar argued that the actions of people are a natural outcome of their belief in caste codes. Unfortunately, there is no engagement by the government and high-caste Hindu civil society with people who practise untouchability. . Ambedkar was equally aware of the economic and demographic imbalance between Dalits and high castes in villages. To correct this imbalance, Ambedkar suggested a geographical and economic distance between high castes and Dalits in the villages and argued for separate settlements or villages for Dalits, with independent sources of livelihood. . Ambedkar also advocated the gradual move of Dalits to cities. He saw the urbanisation of Dalits as a path to free them from the exploitative milieu in the villages to relatively harassment-free social spaces in cities. . Ambedkar also argued that without securing equal rights for about one-fifth of the population — Dalits — we cannot become a true nation. The Center for Human Rights and Global Justice and Human Rights Watch call on CERD to scrutinize the gap between India’s human rights commitments and the daily reality faced by Dalits. It suggested that Indian government should : . Identify measures taken to ensure appropriate reforms to eliminate police abuses against Dalits and other marginalized communities; . Provide concrete plans to implement laws and government policies to protect Dalits, and Dalit women in particular, from physical and sexual violence; . Identify steps taken to eradicate caste-based segregation in residential areas and schools, and in access to public services; and, . Outline plans to ensure the effective eradication of exploitative labor arrangements and effective implementation of rehabilitation schemes for Dalit bonded and child laborers, manual scavengers, and for Dalit women forced into prostitution.

Q) Was Sir Syed Ahmad Khan indeed the father of the two-nation theory or was he merely advocating modern ideas of multiculturalism and differentiated citizenship? Critically examine. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: . Sir syed Ahmed khan was a teacher, politician, social reformer etc and founder of Aligarh muslim university. . Sir syed Ahmed khan has often been criticised as the father of Two nation theory which led to the formation of two seperate nations i.e. India and Pakistan. . It is erroneously believed by some historians that the Hindu-Muslim divide in India was the by-product of the two-nation theory which supposedly had its origin in Sir Syed’s ideology. Nationalism a new concept . “Nationalism” as a consciously-held idea was a 20th century phenomenon even in Europe, from where it was imported to India. . Eminent historian Anil Seal has rightly pointed out that during Sir Syed’s times, “there were no two nations, there was not even one nation, there was no nation at all.” . Till 1898, when Sir Syed breathed his last, there was nothing like an Indian “nation”, nor did the founding fathers of the Indian National Congress make such a claim. www.insightsonindia.com 14 www.insightsias.com

. Sir Octavian Hume, the founder of the Congress, talked of “a congeries of communities”, not a nation. . Badruddin Tyabji, the (third) President of the Congress (Madras, 1887), affirmed “the existence of numerous communities or nations which had peculiar problems of their own to solve”; Surendranath Banerjee had titled his autobiography as A Nation in the Making. Syed’s faith in secularism . Sir Syed’s concept of nation was inextricably woven with secular ideals. . He rightly said in a lecture at Patna in 1883: “My friends! This India of ours is populated by two famous communities, the Hindus and the Muslims. These two communities stand in the same relation to India in which the head and the heart stand in relation to the human body.” In 1884, in Gurdaspur, he remarked: “O Hindus and Muslims! Do you belong to a country other than India? Do not you live on this soil and are not buried under it or cremated on its ghats? If you live and die on this land, then, bear in mind, that… all the Hindus, Muslims and Christians who live in this country are one nation.” Belief in multiculturalism . Sir Syed believed in a multiculturalism under which all cultural communities must be entitled to equal status under state. . The view that people must be incorporated not merely as citizens but also members of distinct communities possessing multiple identities is one of the most cherished norms of liberal democratic traditions. This means rejection of “melting pot” and acceptance of “salad bowl” theory where integration rather than assimilation is the preferred choice. . Thus, under Article 29 of the Indian Constitution, distinct cultural communities are entitled to preservation of their distinct language, script and culture. Establishment of Aligarh Muslim University . Explaining the rationale of establishing MAO College, Sir Syed said, “I shall feel sorry if anybody thinks that this college has been established so as to show discrimination between Hindus and Muslims. The main reason behind the establishment of this institution…was the wretched dependence of the Muslims…. Their religious fanaticism did not let them avail the educational facilities provided by the government schools and colleges. It was, therefore, deemed necessary to make some special arrangement for their education.” Sir syed Ahmed khan has been a personality of debate however his efforts should not be ignored in the light of controversies. He was a reformist in pure sense.

Q) “Robert Clive founded the British Raj, Lord Macaulay sowed the seeds of its end.” Critically comment. (200 Words) The Indian Express Robert Clive was largely responsible for the EIC getting the control of Bengal thus leading to whole of India later on. He has been called “Conqueror of India”. This is because he helped win the first major battle – The Battle of Plassey. In 1757 Robert Clive led the Company’s army against Sirajuddaulah. Robert Clive has bribed on the commander’s of Sirajuddaulah not to fight which was a significant factor contributing to the EIC’s victory. Clive became the first Governor of Bengal and started his dual system of Governance. Later in 1832, when British government wanted to spend 1 lakh rupees on the Education of Indians & the British officials were divided over the point of envisaging Indian or English education. Lord Macaulay was given the authority to decide upon the dispute on the position of law and education in India so that to create New Penal Code and Educational System. Lord Macaulay suggested enriching other languages so that they became vehicles of European Scientific and literary expression. This led to English being introduced as a medium of education form class 6th onwards. Though the main aim behind MACAULAY’S MINUTE presented in 1835 was to produce Indian clerks through educating them in English which would consolidate the British Empire and westernisation of Indian culture by “producing the Indians looking Indian in physical features but British in thinking, behaviour & mind”. www.insightsonindia.com 15 www.insightsias.com

But . Macaulay’s educational scheme proved to be the cause of end of British Raj as the Indians became aware after getting Western Education and understood the value of modern political values and Science and Technology . English education encouraged nationalism amongst the people of India in leaps and bounds. From the social reformation alongside cultural rejuvenation, the establishment of Congress in 1885 to its widening mass base under Gandhiji can be attributed to English education. . Access to English, opened door for Indians to learn modern ideas of freedom, democracy and liberty. The social and political injustices of the British were recognized, the developments around the world were absorbed and the need for better institutions as found in the developed world was felt. This awakening ultimately led to the demise of the British Raj. Though Macaulay is said to sow the seed of End of British Raj in India, but this “seed” grew because of the water supplied by the use of truth, non-violence, Satyagraha of Gandhi and the sacrifice of many others.

Q) While Nehru was a natural democrat, Sardar Patel was pragmatist. Comment. (250 Words) The Indian Express The Hindu Introduction: Natural democrat would be one who shall aims to follow the tenets on democracy unfailingly, even if it leads to idealism. Pragmatist is a one who will try to optimize the outcome in a situation taking up an practical approach which may not adhere to some defined principles. While Nehru exhibited the former, Sardar Patel manifested the later. This can see from the following cases. Kashmir and other consolidation measures . Nehru did not aim to take military action in Kashmir issue, and opted for UN to get involved to resolve the issue hoping that it will enhance India’s international standing, besides invoking democratisation of international politics. . Patel in contrast was in favour of military action to deter any military advantage to Pakistan. Similarly against Nehru wishes he went ahead with military action in Hyderabad and strong diplomacy in Junagarh. China . Nehru formulated Panchsheel with China when Tibet was invaded to reaffirm non-interference in Chinese internal affairs. Also, Nehru envisaged “Asian dream” heralded by India and China and thus probed China as a partner due to shared colonial experience and ancient civilisations. . Patel was critical of Nehru’s approach and asked to deal China as a modern nation state with expansionist ambitions. Economic policy . Nehru advocated Fabian socialism in which state will gradually direct the society towards socialistic order. This reflects moral democratic vision. . Patel though recognised the vices of capitalism, but was not against the profit making per se. All India Services . Nehru considered the service as a vestige of colonial rule and wanted to disband it in the interest of new India to be built. . Patel however chose to retain the services by amending them according to the conditions and aspirations of Indian people. www.insightsonindia.com 16 www.insightsias.com

Conclusion Nehru and Sardar came to divergent thought many time but never let their conflict to overcome their common agenda of ‘India First’. Hence both characters were indispensable for the Nation Building , and it is because of them we saw today a moderned India.

Topic: Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country. Q) Multiple dialogue processes in Kashmir lack consistency, continuity, and comprehensiveness. Comment. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: . India has off-late witnessed a surge in insurgency related incidents in the Kashmir Valley. The military response has been swift and the counter-insurgency campaign has gone full throttle. . The magnitude of local support for the insurgency has increased tremendously in the last couple of years. Though the authorities have been providing the youth with skill training and vocational opportunities, and engaging the populace through various welfare programs, they view the functional state apparatus only in the gun-toting uniformed men. . However in September 2017, Home Minister Rajnath Singh spelt out the contours of a plan of engagement in Jammu and Kashmir. . He said that a permanent solution to the Kashmir problem was based on five Cs, which he would define as “compassion, communication, coexistence, confidence building and consistency”. . Also Dineshwar Sharma has been appointed “as the Representative of the Government of India to initiate and carry forward a dialogue with the elected representatives, various organisations and concerned individuals in the State of Jammu and Kashmir” Lack of political outreach . In Kashmir, the conflict cycle operates like a sine or cosine wave; there is always limited time for a congenial environment under which reconciliation efforts can take place. . The lack of a political initiative that complements the tactical military effort is a consistent feature in India’s handling of the conflict. 1. Compassion . On the political front as had been indicated at the height of the 2016 summer uprising when he tried to reach out to the separatist camp. . However, the hard-line approach that advocated and pursued a security-oriented approach. 2. Communication . Communication has been missing. . The line of communication has been not kept open for all . By not engaging in a political dialogue with forces such as the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, the Government of India is also giving them an excuse to not do anything. . Having a line of communication and putting their ability to test would have helped people think about the capacities of the leadership, but that perhaps cannot come without communication that has no precondition. 3. Coexistence . There is no coexistence on the ground. Particularly in the past few years, the effort has been to isolate the community. . New Delhi has defeated the idea of Jammu and Kashmir being an “integral part of India” on the ground by not showing any respect for coexistence. www.insightsonindia.com 17 www.insightsias.com

. Use of military power, that too, indiscriminately against the civilian population, putting them under curfew for 54 days at a stretch, and protecting those who commit human rights violations are some of the hard facts that talk about a different existence. 4. Confidence building . Confidence-building measures have been another casualty. Confidence has been shaken for a long time now. . Deploying more and more forces does not help to build confidence; it dents the very essence of it. . Confidence comes from measures that are aimed at addressing the concerns that are directly linked to people’s existence, their daily life, and their rights. . When institutions fail to deliver justice, there can be no hope of confidence building. By treating the people as the “other”, confidence-building measures can become far-fetched and that is how it has played on the ground. . The finest example of confidence building vis-a-vis Kashmir was when former Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee took a giant step by extending a hand of friendship to Pakistan from Srinagar on April 18, 2003. This gesture was followed by opening the roads between the divided Jammu and Kashmir, starting trade exchanges across the Line of Control (LoC) and allowing people on the borders to live peacefully. 5. Consistency . Consistency is the only requirement in dealing with an issue like Kashmir. . No matter what happens, foreign policy has to be consistent. Need for military . The security environment within Jammu and Kashmir has largely improved on account of India’s information asymmetry with respect to the militants. Security forces are successfully locating and initiating encounters against militants. Way forward . Not acknowledging or addressing the issue of local support ensures that there is a recurring security cost for India, regional deterrence stability is cyclically impacted and external actors both state and non-state view the insurgency as a feasible enterprise. . The nature of local support for the Kashmir insurgency is changing and the lack of other approaches barring the military one ensure that insurgency as an enterprise is feasible and the recurring cost of violence is borne by India

Q) How did Jawaharlal Nehru try to resolve Kashmir issue. Give a critical account. (200 Words) The Hindu Nehru efforts . In September 1960, Jawaharlal Nehru travelled to Pakistan for a visit amid high expectations all around for the resolution of Kashmir. . The visit followed the resolution of some major bilateral issues including sharing of Indus waters, . As former High Commissioner to Pakistan T.C.A. Raghavan recounts in his book The People Next Door, Nehru and Ayub Khan were going to give the impasse over Jammu and Kashmir a personal push. . However, matters came to a full stop after Nehru suggested that the “status quo” at the ceasefire line was the only solution. . For Ayub Khan, this was a non-starter, as he felt the ceasefire line would never be accepted by Pakistan given that it had no political or religious underpinnings. Vajapayee and Manmohan Singh strategies . Forty years later, as Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and then Manmohan Singh started a similar conversation with Pakistan’s Pervez Musharraf. www.insightsonindia.com 18 www.insightsias.com

. The four-step formula, as their version of the talks from 2000-2008 was called, came around to the idea that eventually “borders cannot be redrawn”. . As Musharraf wrote in his memoirs, and the Prime Minister’s special envoy Satinder Lambah outlined in a speech in 2014, the “out of the box” solution on Kashmir would require greater freedoms and interactions for Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC), leading to a lasting peace. . The cross-LoC bus, which allowed Indian Kashmiris and Pakistani Kashmiris to visit each other, seemed the logical first step forward. . On the Indian side, the period saw a greater level of engagement between New Delhi and Srinagar, and of the mainstream with separatist thought, even including an abortive attempt for talks with the militant group, Hizbul Mujahideen, in 2000. Conclusion . The move acknowledges that the solution of the problems in J&K lies in the realm of politics, and not security. . Second, the open mandate to speak to all parties implicitly indicates that the government is willing to speak to separatists for a “sustained dialogue”, a considerable turn from the hardline policy of the Modi government thus far.

Topic: Political philosophies Q) Plutocracy is the antithesis of democracy. Do you think India treats different classes in Indian society differently when it comes to an development agenda? Comment. (200 Words) Livemint Introduction :- Plutocracy or plutarchy, is a form of oligarchy and defines a society ruled or controlled by the small minority of the wealthiest citizens. Unlike systems such as democracy, capitalism, socialism or anarchism, plutocracy is not rooted in an established political philosophy. The term plutocracy is generally used as a pejorative to describe or warn against an undesirable condition. . The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) says that monthly per capita expenditure above Rs 4,610 in the year 2011-12 puts you in the top 10% bracket of urban consumers. The Oxfam report states that the riches 1%in India own 56% of country’s wealth. . India has adult franchise. Political democracy makes sense only when there is economic equality i.e., when citizens can find contesting in elections affordable to an extent. Here only those who have money power and muscle power can make it to contest and win the elections. There is a limit of Rs.20 lakh to Rs.28 Lakh per candidate per constituency in the parliamentary election under Representation of People’s Act. This amount is far beyond the reach of many citizens to spend on elections, the money spent with hope to enter into the Parliament or the Legislative assembly is light years ahead of it. This shows India is rules by plutarchy. Treatment to different classes in Indian Society and exercise of plutarchy :- . Plutocracy is also characterized by suborning of national institutions. Public-private partnerships (PPPs) are perhaps the best examples of how this financing mode was used to reward private sector partners with state resources. . India’s largest commercial bank, the State Bank of India (SBI), decided to step outside its sandbox and experiment with new revenue sources: it decided to penalize customers who failed to maintain the monthly average balance in their savings bank account. . RBI example shows how policy moves when it does not take into account customer profile, feasibility options or its impact on various income groups. Demonetization is another example of how an autarchic policy decision affected livelihoods for a wide spectrum of the population. . The Supreme Court recently upbraided the Centre for the rapid—and, in some cases, inexplicable—rise in politicians’ assets www.insightsonindia.com 19 www.insightsias.com

However few examples of misplacement and policy paralysis cant paint India as a whole as plutarchy. India has a rule of law, government has initiated many reforms and regulations like regional development through MSME promotion, green, white revolutions, setting ambitious targets like doubling farmers income by 2022. Government time and again initiate many welfare programs for weaker section of society like reservation for backward classes, protection to women, SC ST etc. Indian judiciary and legislations make it sure that here the law prevails over personalization of power. Indian constitutions guarantees the equality to it’s citizens. Hence portraying India a plutarchy is not justified.

Q) “The tyranny of democracy undermines democracy.” Comment. (200 Words) The Wire Introduction :- “Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.” — John Adams In these simple words John Adams tried to explain the tyranny of democracy. The term democracy is used today to denote everything that is wholesome in the social world. Though it is considered the most appropriate for of political system today keeping democracy in its place is not easy. The very idea of collective self-government tempts us into thinking that citizens must be perpetually fixated on the task of ruling themselves. The tyranny of democracy undermines democracy :- . The rule by democracy often turns into rule by majority. Hence the imposition of majoritarian views on minority results into tyranny. . The saturation of civic life by democratic politics crowds out the fundamental bases for community and social cooperation that the democratic ethos needs in order to flourish. . The election process though placed in utmost good sense has become flawed and tyrannical in recent times. The use of money and muscle power, criminalization of politics shows the ugly face of democracy. . The basic tenets of democracy are often misused when it comes to blind demands and practices under the garb of democracy. For example the freedom of speech and expression enjoyed by media leads to no regulation of media and it is being exploited in critical situations like live coverage in terror attack as seen in Mumbai attack. As democracy rests on civic friendship, it is perhaps no surprise that in order to practice better democracy, we need to engage with each other on matters that are not political. Our civic lives must be structured around shared activities and common experiences that do not have politics at their core, arenas of social engagement that are not already structured and plagued by political categories. We must talk with strangers about matters of substance that are not at all political. We must create sites of social involvement in which party affiliation and platform allegiance are simply beside the point. We must ‘tune out’, not from society as such but from society as it is constructed by democratic politics. In short, if we want to do democracy right, we need sometimes to do something else entirely.

Topic: Salient features of Indian Society; Social empowerment; Population – issues Q) Discuss critically the causes behind rising suicides among the youth in India. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: . India has one of the world’s highest suicide rates for youth aged 15 to 29, according to 2012 Lancet report, which illustrated the need for urgent interventions on this problem. . According to NCRB data, every hour one student commits suicide in India, several cases being unreported. . This growing trend of suicide among youth globally and particularly in India is not a sudden phenomenon. It has causes deep rooted in social setup. www.insightsonindia.com 20 www.insightsias.com

. Youth present unique vulnerabilities, not least when a young person feels trapped by circumstances beyond his control. Importance of youth . To be an adolescent means that you don’t feel comfortable with what all is going on around you, but older people don’t find it easy to deal with you. . This is not merely an emotional response to an imperfect world; it is also proof of their fully developed logical capacity. By defying the adults surrounding them, adolescents develop their own identity as individuals. This is not easy, so they depend on their peers to plan and decide. . Their private fantasies are mostly benign and transformative. We can say that adolescent dreams represent a nation’s wealth. In India, this wealth is mostly burnt up in preparation for examinations. Reasons for suicides in youth 1. Unique character of being young . The young people are developmentally primed to take risks and behave impulsively is well-recognised. . It is the result of a unique combination of biological events (such as changes in the brain and puberty) and social expectations (such as those related to completing education and finding a partner) which occur during this period of life. . These developmental characteristics are essential to prepare the adolescent to successfully negotiate the transition from dependence on one’s parents to being able to face up to the inevitable challenges of adult life. 2. Conflict of values . In India, customs and traditions which have thrived for centuries are now in conflict with the desires of young people and it is this conflict which is, at least in part, fuelling our astonishing rate of youth suicide. . Young Indians become more progressive but their traditional households become less supportive of their various choices. Age old customs and tradition are in direct conflict with the desires of young people. 3. Educational expectations . A vast number of India’s adolescents feel seriously unhappy and resentful. Ignoring or oppressing adolescents is not uncommon in other countries, but India’s case is somewhat extreme. . Over more than a century, our system of schooling has honed its tools to oppress and defeat the adolescent. The tool used to subdue the rebellious adolescent mind is the Board examination. 4. Career . There is tremendous pressure to attain absurdly high grades to secure admission to prized colleges and droves of youth are packed off to tuition factories in places like Kota, which has been in the news for being the epicentre of youth suicides. . High unemployment rate with dwindling prospects to earn and engage also add salt to the limited career opportunities. 5. Failed romantic relationships accentuated by social restrictions on love . For some youth, being denied the right to love a person because of their religion, caste, community or sexual orientation, is the most tragic trigger for suicides. . Conservative social customs are poisoning the lives of our youth, fuelled by forces which champion antiquated views of our society, stratified by class, caste and religion. Conclusion . If young people are the hope for our nation’s future, we must bring hope into their lives by entitling them with the freedom to choose how they live and whom they love. . Government initiatives such as Stand up India, Startup India, MUDRA, skill development, vocational training, entrepreneurship, MGNREGA, are in the right direction which seek to engage youth creatively. www.insightsonindia.com 21 www.insightsias.com

. It is imperative for all the stakeholders to give a healthy environment to the youths so that the future generation is well preserved.

Q) Traditional norms that affect social principles such as gender rights must be examined on priority. Comment. (200 Words) The Hindu Introduction: . The modern polity has recognised certain social principles which are premised on equality. In this context, gender rights form the core of these principles, established as such through SDG Goal 5 – gender equality. . However, they often conflict with the traditional norms that exist in the society and are deeply entrenched. For example, entry of menstruating women is banned in Sabrimala temple to prevent temple from being “impure”. . Also, traditional norms also hamper economic development, perpetuates backwardness of communities like lower castes and behavioural stereotypes. . These stereotypes cannot be tackled comprehensively without confronting them on priority basis. Impact of such traditions . They affect mental and physical integrity and hinder the potential of individuals to think and do out of bounds. . They significantly alter the equality enshrined in the constitution under Article 14 as fundamental right. In particular temple case, women’s right to religion under Article 25 is also being violated. . The widening gap and inequalities in society make the human resource utilization not feasible which thus become roadblock for the nation. Way forward . Disadvantaged persons like women and dalits should be empowered to access their fundamental rights guranteed by the constitution. . Their human resource development as suggested by Amartya Sen capability approach will be fitting against discriminatory norms. . The participation of all in faith and community groups should be emphasised. Recently Kerala appointed non- Brahmin priests in temples.

Q) The root of the problem of lack of sanitation in India lies in institutional discrimination against the scheduled castes. Comment in the light of objectives of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. (150 Words) The Wire Introduction: . Central government’s flagship Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (SBA) campaign, actually make matters significantly worse by implicitly relying on this form of labour without any concern for the lives, safety and working conditions of the workers. . The explicit aims of the SBA were fourfold: to eliminate open defecation, to eradicate manual scavenging, to bring in modern and scientific municipal solid waste management, and to effect behavioural change regarding healthy sanitation practices. Institutional discrimination against SCs vis a vis Swachh Bharat objectives 1. Eliminating open defection . Most of the energy and resources have been concentrated on this aspect with toilet construction as the core aim. . A lot of new toilets are being constructed but without any strategy to address how they are to be cleaned. www.insightsonindia.com 22 www.insightsias.com

. They are seldom if ever linked to sewage, drainage or water facilities, and there has been little or no investment in procuring mechanised equipment for the physical removal of excreta. 2. Eradicating manual scavenging . But toilet construction will not help the sanitation workers and will, in fact, push us back into manual scavenging, unless the entire exercise is mechanised and well thought out with proper planning. . Manual scavenging is defined as “the removal of human excrement from public streets and dry latrines, cleaning septic tanks, gutters and sewers”. . The practice is still widely prevalent in India, driven by class and income divides and much more by caste and patriarchy. All manual scavengers in the country are Dalits, and even among Dalit castes, such workers tend to be lower in the hierarchy, coming from some of the most marginalised and oppressed sub-castes. . Women workers dominate in the cleaning, removal and carrying of faeces from toilets in both rural and urban areas. This work tends to be the lowest paid. . The men clean septic tanks, gutters and sewers. . Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) of 2011 identified 1,80,657 manual scavengers across the whole of India, whereas the SKA estimates that there are more than six times that number, around 1.2 million. . In rural areas, where people are unused to having toilets within their homes, or even within the compound, and see toilets as polluting, the danger is that “lower” caste people will be the ones employed for cleaning. . The current Budget allocates the princely sum of Rs.5 crore for rehabilitation. So workers who cannot get other employment because of caste discrimination in what is anyway a stagnant labour market are forced to go back to manual scavenging. . The Supreme Court ordered compensation of Rs 10 lakh for each person killed in septic tanks and sewer lines. But it did not fix responsibility. . When the prime minister and his ministers picked up the broom, it is, in effect, romanticised the act. For the workers, the broom is a symbol of oppression and society’s inhumanity 3. Solid waste management . In urban areas, more toilets will directly result in more septic tanks being built because most of our cities do not have an underground sewage system, though septic tanks are increasingly cleared out by suction pumps. . In cities, make sure there are underground drainage systems. If that is not possible, completely ban and eliminate manual cleaning of sewers with or without protective gears.

Topic: Role of women Q) What explains the decline of the already low female labour force participation rate in India, particularly during a period of rapid economic growth? Examine. (200 Words) EPW Introduction :- National Sample Survey (NSS) data for India show that labour force participation rates of women aged 25-54 (including primary and subsidiary status) have stagnated at about 26-28% in urban areas, and fallen substantially from 57% to 44% in rural areas, between 1987 and 2011. Different age groups or different surveys essentially tell the same story, even though the levels differ slightly. This is despite India enjoying economic and demographic conditions that would ordinarily lead to rising female labour-force participation rates. Reasons for decline in FLFPR :- . One possible reason for this is India is behaving according to the feminization U hypothesis. According to it, in the development process, female labour force participation first declines and then rises. . Another reason is that the rising education and incomes are allowing women to get out of menial and undesirable employment, while jobs deemed appropriate for more educated women have not grown commensurately. www.insightsonindia.com 23 www.insightsias.com

. The lack of availability of agricultural and non-agricultural jobs in rural areas appears to be driving the declining participation in rural areas says one study. . Structural change in India also led to a rapidly shrinking agricultural sector in favour of a rapidly expanding service and construction sector. . A study by Klasen and Pieters shown that rising household incomes and husband’s education, falling labour market attachment of highly educated women, as well as adverse development in district-level labour demand, have contributed to declines in female participation.

Overall, better jobs for women benefit individuals, families, communities, companies, and economies. India which is riding on the high economic growth for last few years could ensure its sustainability by improving women’s participation in market. India can take cue from newly industrialized countries like China, South Korea, Malaysia etc which invested hugely in increasing the share of female in labour-force participation and are reaping its benefit.

Q) Social Media campaigns can raise voices but have limited actionability. With reference to the Me Too campaign, examine how can social media campaigns be more effective. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction: . Social media has emerged as the sixth pillar of democracy. It has provided avenue to the people to raise their voices. . The voices against gay rights, sexual abuse of women and many more are raising now globally. . The recent #Me too is such a campaign that asking women who had been sexually harassed or assaulted to publicly acknowledge that experience. It turns a private trauma into a collective voice of anger and indignation. The campaign also had made a solidarity among women who had gone through such experience. But such campaign has limited accountability in many respects. 1. No channeling to the concerned agencies . It is important to involve the state agencies to make effective database and action. . But such sporadic campaign on the social media does not amount to concrete action on the ground. 2. Limited presence of people on cyberspace . In a country like India with rampant illiteracy, it is hard to determine how such campaigns can mobilise opinion on a large scale. www.insightsonindia.com 24 www.insightsias.com

. In effect, the camapigns stays at the elite levels and do not percolate to the levels down where it is far much needed due to paucity of avenues to raise voice. 3. Other factors important to alter patriarchal attitude . The male attitude is not going to change in the abrupt fashion the campaigns come and go. The campaigns can be made more effective by following ways – . It should address the problem to the concerned authority. . Social media campaign should involve more into action rather than merely sharing information, discussion or debates, though the latter is also very critical. . The sustained nature of mobilisation is thus the key for informing against the patriarchal attitudes.

Q) “As marriages in India come under the purview of personal laws, the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA) stops short of invalidating child marriage.” In the light of recent Supreme Court judgement criminalising sex with a child bride, discuss the statement. (200 Words) The Indian Express Introduction . Supreme Court read down the marital rape exception for married girls between the ages of 15 and 18. The judgment is prospective in nature. . Essentially, the court held that since sexual assault in marriage is already a crime under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (POCSO), it is discriminatory and arbitrary to suspend the protection of the rape law for these underage married girls. . Supreme Court questioned the rationality and validity of the Exception 2 under Section 375 provided in the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which validates intercourse of a man with a girl who could be between the ages of 15 and 18 provided she is his wife. . As a girl did not cease to be a child under the age of 18, Exception 2 ran contrary to the beneficial intent in Article 15 (3) of the Constitution, which enabled Parliament to make special provisions for girls and women. . In April 2017, Karnataka inserted “sub-Section (1A) in Section 3 of the PCMA, declaring that henceforth every child marriage that is solemnised is void ab initio”, i.e., it is to be treated as invalid from the outset. Child marriages . A 2014 UNICEF report, which ranked India 6th among the top 10 countries with high rates of child marriage among women, found that the median age at first marriage was 15.4 years for women in the poorest quintile, and 19.7 years for those in the richest quintile. . The prevalence in Rajasthan was as high as 65%, followed by Jharkhand at 63%. . The Rapid Survey on Children commissioned by the Ministry of Women and Child Development in 2013-14 estimated that such marriages had declined from 47.4 per cent according to the National Family Health Survey- 3 (2005-06) data to 30.3 per cent. . As per census 2011, the percentage of child marriage in 2011 is 31.6% which was 52 % in 2001 which shows a decreasing trend. . As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-4(2015-16), the percentage of Women age 15-19 years who were already mothers or pregnant is 6.3% which was 16% in National Family Health Survey (NFHS)-3 (2005-06). Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 . There are provisions in the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act (PCMA), 2006, that allow for annulment of a child marriage within two years of the minor attaining majority.

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. For the order to be effective, it is important for the legislature to step in and amend the PCMA, making marriage between minors void, and not just voidable, i.e., capable of being adjudged void, as is the case now. . As marriages in India come under the purview of personal laws, the PCMA stops short of invalidating child marriage. It holds that marriage between a boy of under 21 years and a girl under 18 years of age is voidable, at the option of the contracting parties. . This means a child marriage, even under the secular laws, can only be annulled if a case is filed in a district court by either of the two contracting parties within two years of becoming adult, or through a guardian if still a minor. . Child Marriage Restraint Act, 1929, was amended to create the PCMA in 2006, introducing more stringent punishments, including a jail term of up to two years for the 18-years-plus boy or anyone who abets/performs such a marriage Personal laws and PCMA 1. Dissolution of marriage . Under the Hindu Marriage Act, 1955, (applicable to Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains) and the Dissolution of Muslim Marriages Act, 1939, a girl can legally seek dissolution of her marriage if she was married off before the age of 15 years — but she has to do so before she is 18 years of age (unlike the PCMA which sets the age at 20 for girls and 22 for boys). 2. Age of marriage . The uncodified Muslim personal law considers puberty (presumed to be 15 years) as the minimum age of marriage for girls. . The Hindu Marriage Act, while making the marriage of an under-18 girl punishable, applies the punitive measures only against the boy who is over 18 years of age, and not against the parents or guardians. . The Indian Christian Marriage Act also in a way legitimises child marriage by stating that marriage registrars have to put up a public notice for 14 days prior to the marriage of a minor. Way forward . While the PCMA overrides personal laws, it has been argued that personal laws should be amended to make them consistent with PCMA.

Topic: Poverty and developmental issues Q) Inequality is reprehensible not only because it is inherently unfair and unjust, but because it can cause harm in a number of domains of everyday living. Discuss. (200 Words) Livemint Introduction :- Our inequality materializes our upper class, vulgarizes our middle class, brutalizes our lower class - MATTHEW ARNOLD Inequality is one of the worst form of evil in society. It leaves the poor, downtrodden helpless and hopeless as it is unfair and unjust. It can impact the life of poor in in everyday in number of domain :- . The poor spend the bulk of their income on necessities, the marginal propensity to consume out of income is higher for the poor than it is for the rich. . The concentration of wealth and income in the hands of a few is conducive to a market structure that is monopolistic or oligopolistic. Monopolistic pricing is associated with deadweight losses in welfare. . Inequality is often both the source and the consequence of economic domination by one group of people over another. The ghettoization of the Muslim community in Gujarat after the events of 2002, and the attempt at nullification of the community’s economic status, is a case in point. www.insightsonindia.com 26 www.insightsias.com

. Inequalities of income and wealth have a way of spilling over into other domains, such as health. Economic inequalities are known to have stress and demoralization effects on workers. Inequality can thus dampen productivity, and so earning potential, and so productivity again in a vicious cycle. . Public health and public education might be expected to be among the casualties of a system of self-centred vested interests wrought by large concentrations of economic resources and political power in the hands of a few. Way for ward :- . Income differences can be reduced via redistribution through taxes and benefits, or by reducing differences in pre-tax incomes. The international evidence suggests that greater equality confers the same benefits on a society whether it is achieved through one of these approaches or the other. . Forms of economic democracy, such as employee ownership, employee representation on boards, employee share ownership, mutuals and cooperatives tend to reduce the scale of income inequality and help equality to become more embedded in a society. . To reduce inequality, policies should be universal in principle paying attention to the needs of disadvantaged and marginalized populations. . In most cases, it is the result of institutional structures that create social barriers based on: sex, age, ethnicity, social status, among other variables that define individuals’ initial conditions. Hence creating an enabling environment is necessary with steps like spreading education, empowering the weaker section by skilling, providing free health, food facilities etc. . Targeting helps to reduce income inequality and inequalities related to education and health. Income transfers programmes can have a greater and longer term impact if better targeting is used, ensuring people with wider gaps in access and income inequality are participants of the programmes. For ex. MGNREGA, PDS . Revision of legislative frameworks that foster inequality and enacting enabling laws:-This strategy can help to identify discriminatory laws or laws that generate inequalities among people or regions. Recently Maharashtra government has passed law against social boycott to reduce social inequality and discrimination. Discrimination against certain groups of population might isolate them and limit their access to opportunities for a better wellbeing. Media campaigns and advocacy efforts, which identify this kind of discrimination and promote the participation of these sectors, can make people with disabilities, migrants, religions groups and indigenous groups more confident about their inclusion in the State. Affirmative action can help to reduce the impact of ancient discrimination and inequality towards social groups. Quotas for education, political participation can also improve their voice on public policy.

Q) Both China and India have recorded appallingly unequal growth over the last three decades, but in China, even though it is not a democracy in the sense of permitting free expression of public opinion, its growth process over the period 1980– 2014 has been relatively much less unequal than India’s. Examine why. (200 Words) EPW Introduction: . World Inequality Report 2018 asserts that there has been continuous growth in inequality here since the mid- 1980s. . However, inequality in India declined for three and a half decades since 1950 even as the economy grew steadily, though maybe not spectacularly. . Article 38 – 44th amendment – reduce inequalities in income, status Case of China . World Development Indicators data released by the World Bank show that per capita income in China was five times that of India in 2016 while the percentage of the population living on less than $1.90 a day was about 10 www.insightsonindia.com 27 www.insightsias.com

times less at the beginning of this decade. India has a forbidding gap to traverse in all directions, but for now let us focus on inequality. . Since 1980, while the Chinese economy has grown 800% and India’s a far lower 200%, inequality in China today is considerably lower than in India. The share of the top 1% of the Chinese population is 14% as opposed to the 22% reported for India. . Inequality actually declined in China from the early 21st century. Investment in human Capital . If there is to be a meta narrative for China’s economic development, it is that its leadership combined the drive for growth with the spreading of human capital. Human capital is a person’s endowment derived from education and robust health. . The spread of health and education in China enabled the Chinese economy to grow faster than India by exporting manufactures to the rest of the world. . As the human capital endowment was relatively equal, most people could share in this growth, which accounts for the relative equality of outcomes in China when compared to India. . An ingredient of this is also the greater participation of women in the workforce of China, an outcome that eludes India. Way forward for India . India’s full panoply of interventions, invariably justified as being pro-poor, have not only not spread human capital, but they have also not been able to prevent a growing income inequality. . The focus must be on expanding profit-sharing arrangements, without stifling or centralizing market incentives that are crucial to drive growth. . A first step would be to give all of a country’s residents the right to a certain share of the economy’s profits . There is need to spread health and education far more widely amidst the population.

Q) Access to the internet is now fundamental to life and liberty. Comment. (200 Words) The Hindu Introduction: Internet is quickly becoming an integral component of our life. From driverless cars to a gateway to digital world and services, from government’s dream of Digital India to Citizens’ campaigns to protect individual’s rights, access to internet is at their heart. Importance of internet . In the 21st century, the Internet has assumed an increasingly important place in our lives. . From banking to political speech, and from complex medical procedures to the purchase of basic necessities, important aspects of our economic, social, and cultural life now depend upon the Internet. . Many of the fundamental rights guaranteed by our Constitution — the freedom of speech and expression, the freedom of association, the freedom of trade — are exercised in significant part on the Internet. How it is fundamental to life and liberty ? Right to livelihood . A positive correlation between Economic growth and Internet penetration has already been established. Higher economic growth can lead to employment generation and provide livelihood to people. . Also, E-commerce is playing an important role to increase the business’ efficiency and hence livelihood of people.

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Right to health and legal services . Right to timely medical treatment and justice are integral to Right to life. With the use of video conferencing for consultation and online reports/facts/case sharing, internet is transforming the way services are delivered having better outreach and quickness. . Tele-law and Tele-medicine services will only broaden the influence of internet in this sphere. Right to Information . Internet is a gateway to knowledge and skill development. Videos, literatures, case studies, research data, interviews and books are present on internet on almost all subjects. It is solving the problem of affordability, accessibility and availability for many. . Government’s initiative like SWAYAM, Online-RTI, e-governance and e-NAM are reducing the dependence on offline or physical mode. Liberty . Preamble to our constitution secures to all its citizens: liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. . Internet (social media) is acting as a platform for citizens to raise and express their concern, a medium to propagate their views, a tool to put pressure on government to concede their demands. . Denial of access to internet is infringement on this liberty. Conclusion However, right to life also includes, right to privacy, right to live with human dignity and right of women to be treated with decency and dignity. A weak regulation of internet and rising cases of data hacking, online abuses and shaming infringes on these very rights. With India’s internet penetration a little over 25%, it will only be partially correct to conclude that access to internet is now fundamental to life and liberty.

Topic: Changes in critical geographical features (including waterbodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes Q) Write a critical note on the working and findings of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM). (200 Words) Down to Earth Introduction: . Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage (WIM) was established at Conference of Parties (COP 19) in Warsaw in 2013. . The organisation main aim was to access and help the countries facing loss and damage due to climate change phenomenons specially the developing countries. . While monsoon floods have displaced millions and killed more than 1,000 people in South Asia, prolonged drought in Africa has drastically communities’ capacity to adapt to specific circumstances. Due to increased vulnerability and limited capacity to deal with climate impacts, the countries now look forward to getting assistance from the WIM. Functioning 1. Fragile implementation . Countries in 2016 agreed to start the process of financial support. However, no progress happened on this crucial decision. . There is still no clarity on amount of fund required to make these vulnerable nations climate-resilient and ways to channelise the fund. www.insightsonindia.com 29 www.insightsias.com

. The agriculture sector is the worst affected due to climate change and 22 per cent of the economic impact caused by extreme climate events are in developing countries. But no development emerged on establishment of financial mechanisms, including safety nets, to help the most vulnerable sector—the agriculture sector in developing countries. . When it comes to financial instruments, the launch of clearing house on risk transfer was announced at COP 23 to serve as a repository for information on insurance and risk transfer that would help the Parties to develop and implement comprehensive risk management strategies. 2. Loss and Damage neglected . Though, WIM’s functioning itself runs on subsidiary budget of the UNFCCC, loss and damage has turned out to be one of the most neglected issues under climate agenda. . Under the Paris Agreement, a separate section—Article 8—recognises “the importance of averting, minimizing and addressing loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change”, but at the same time it “does not involve or provide a basis for any liability or compensation”, which means the developed countries are not liable to offer financial assistance to vulnerable nations to deal with climate change, thereby shirking their historical responsibility. . Discussions were mostly along the lines of technical reports and increased knowledge on slow onset events, migration and displacement. 3. Undemocratic . The Excom, which implements the functions of WIM, has met only six times since 2013and the meetings are mostly closed door and with near absence of civil society and different stakeholders.

Topic: Urbanization – problems and remedies Q) Multiplicity of agencies and functional overlap deter effective urban governance. With reference to the recent incident in Mumbai, critique on how urban governance can become more seamless. (200 Words) The Hindu Introduction :- Cities like Mumbai are facing disasters in form of urban floods, pollution menace etc. The “resilient Mumbai spirit” in the face of crisis has been lauded by many. But when crises keep occurring frequently, it is a sign that something has gone badly wrong with the city’s governance. The recent stampede at Elphinstone station shows this. Impact of multiplicity of agencies and functional overlap :- . Cities in India are governed by multiple organisations and authorities which have their own jurisdictions; thus Indian cities are characterised by multiple boundaries. . The governing authorities in a city include urban local bodies (ULB) with the primary functions of service delivery, planning for socio-economic development and regulation of development. . Large cities also have development authorities, urban development authorities or improvement trusts responsible for planning and development that divide cities into various planning zones. . This all results in lack of co ordination among various agencies and confusion in charge of work. This makes the public suffer as they don’t get effective and necessary infrastructure. . This also means lack of an adaptive and flexible planning process in response to the economic forces that drive demand for land and land use. . Coordination and cooperation among all public authorities concerned needs to take place not just in response to a crisis but as a regular and routine feature of the governance set-up. This requires a single coordinating agency.

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CASE STUDY DELHI :- . Until 2012, Delhi was governed by three municipal corporations — the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and the Delhi Cantonment Board. The area under the MCD was further sub- divided into 12 zones. . In 2012, the MCD area was divided into three municipal corporations — the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, the South Delhi Municipal Corporation and the East Delhi Municipal Corporation. Thus the NCT is governed by five bodies. . In 2012, the administrative boundaries were reformed to include two more districts — South East and Shahdara — to form 11 districts. The Master Plan for Delhi, 2021, notified in 2007 and formulated by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), identifies 15 planning zones. It is crucial that the agency have a clear functional mandate and adequate autonomous power for planning and decision making. Further, it should have jurisdiction over certain functions such as transport for the entire metropolitan region. Besides transit, other functions such as solid waste disposal and water supply, that require provisioning at a regional level, could be delineated to be undertaken by this agency. It needs to have representatives from other public organisations and domain experts from outside the public sphere. Finally, it needs to be accountable to citizens for the functions in the region. This could be done by having direct or indirect elections to appoint the political head for this agency.

Q) How is urbanisation affecting social and cultural life of rural migrants in Indian cities? Examine. (200 Words) Livemint Introduction :- Urbanization is an index of transformation from traditional rural economies to modern industrial one. It is a progressive concentration of population in urban unit (Davis, 1965). Kingsley Davis has explained urbanization as process of switch from spread-out pattern of human settlements to one of concentration in urban centers India shares most characteristic features of urbanization in the developing countries. It is the most significant phenomenon of 20th century which has almost affected all aspects of national life in India. Large numbers of young people are migrating because rural India is saturated and cannot provide employment opportunities for a growing population. Many end up as rag pickers or casual construction workers. They come alone and then bring their relatives or friends. It is a chain migration. According to 2011 survey 68% migrants were rural migrants. Impact of urbanization on Socio cultural life of rural migrants :- . Freedom, recognition :- Many of the rural migrants find it good to migrate to cities in order to get rid off the rigid barriers of caste, community, social hierarchy of rural India. They get the feel of equality and freedom to adopt one’s own choice of work rather than ascribed work to them. . Economic enhancement :- If worked properly these rural migrants earn much better as compared to their rural incomes which helps them to survive and enhance their economic life. . Cultural shock :- The migrated rural folk experience some alien culture and have to adapt to the fast city life. Brotherhood bondages of village life are replaced with anonymity, neighbourhood with isolation and healthy living with congested slum areas. . Self doubts, rejections :- the advanced city life disillusions the rural people. They often get adopted to lower chores and daily wage works hence feel dejected. Self doubts like we are not part of this urban life, we are uneducated, less aware, confident hence should confine our self to meagre things prevails in them. Urbanisation is the revolutionary phenomenon. It will impact every aspect of the life of people. Rural migrant population is more vulnerable owing to their background. Hence suitable steps by urban authority must be taken like registration of such people, care for their living, regulation of their working conditions, check on their harassments by authorities, arrangements for education, sanitation etc. Governments schemes like Housing for all, Electricity for all, Rajiv Gandhi urban slum development program etc. can be helpful.

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Q) Urban Health Disorders are a self inflection despite resource availability. Comment. (200 Words) Down to Earth Introduction :- India is rapidly becoming urbanized. By 2030, around 40% of the country’s population will live in urban areas. The extent to which India’s health system can provide for this large and growing city-based population will determine the country’s success in achieving universal health coverage and improved national health indices. India has peculiar nutritional status where under nutrition and over nutrition coexist among urban population. While under nutrition has given rise to vitamin deficiencies, anemia and stunted growth, over nutrition is the reason behind the rise of non-communicable diseases like cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension and diabetes mellitus, among urban population. FACTS :- . Rajasthan, Kerala, Gujarat, New Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry have the highest obesity rates in the country with 44 per cent of adult women and 33 per cent of men being obese. . New Delhi, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala lead in hypertension rate with 31.1 per cent of men and 26.1 per cent of women being affected by it. . While 21.5 per cent of men and19.4 per cent of women are suffering from diabetes in the country, Puducherry and New Delhi have highest number of diabetes-affected people. . About 63 per cent of men and 72 per cent of women in urban India work for eight hours per day. They mostly lead a sedentary life. Dichotomy of resource availability and health disorder in urban area :- . Cereals form the significant part of the diet among the households in India. However, it has been found that the average intake was 320g per day, lower than the recommended daily intake (RDI). . Consumption of milk and sugar products is also below the RDI. Intake of other micronutrients like thiamine (vitamin B1), Niacin, iron, and energy and protein is lower. Common urban health and social challenges include: overcrowding; air pollution; rising levels of risk factors like tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol; road traffic injuries; inadequate infrastructure, transport facilities, poor solid waste management systems, and insufficient access to health facilities in slum areas. WHO has appealed for helping the Urban health matters, in critical ways, for more and more people and has requested support for promoting urban planning for healthy behaviors and safety; improvement of urban living conditions; ensuring participatory urban governance; building inclusive cities that are accessible and age friendly; and, making urban areas resilient to emergencies and disasters.

Q) Mumbai’s new proposed development plan focuses on providing employment space for 80 lakh persons and is depending on additional metro systems and the controversial coastal road project to take the potential load off the rail network. In the light of recent tragedy of stampede, comment its new development plan. (200 Words) EPW Introduction: . 20 odd people were crushed to death on a railway foot overbridge at Elphinstone Road Station on the Western Railway zone of Mumbai’s suburban railway network. Poor urban planning . The incident brought to the fore failures at various levels, with the prime ones being the lack of a responsive disaster management mechanism and a lack of planning that dovetails land use with the needs of an increasing commuting population. www.insightsonindia.com 32 www.insightsias.com

. These are failures that not only plague a city that has grown inured to many human-made disasters, but also most urban centres in the country, and its lessons would be relevant too, if they are taken to heart. Dwindling transport system . The public transport system linking the new residential hubs in the extended suburbs to the commercial spaces in south and central Mumbai has simply not kept pace. . These spaces also suffer from heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic congestion that is not helped by the lack of coordination between the various bodies like the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA), the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the railway authorities. . More metro and monorail stations, which will become operational soon, will only add to the congestion. . Many of Mumbai’s unique characteristics are interlinked with the suburban rail network. . These range from the mobility of its women and the “safety” they enjoy due to trains running for almost 22 hours daily, it being the most extensive and cheapest form of transport contributing immensely to the city’s famed resilience—decidedly growing thinner of late—and the work ethic of its working population, both blue- and white-collared, and an entire microcosm of the self-employed who sell everything, from flowers and hairpins to vegetables, fruits and books. . Residential and commercial complexes have grown around railway stations, almost like civilisations around river banks of old, and these include buildings, slums and shanties. . The bad news is that this growth is neither planned nor regulated in the far-flung suburbs, while in the central parts of the city frenzied building of “towers” continues and whose occupants will emerge onto narrow and congested roads. Way forward . Better-maintained rail tracks and signalling systems . Independent authority for the suburban rail network, . Building multi-modal transport to absorb the strain of the railways, . Creation of east–west corridors.

Topic: Factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India) Q) Affordability and cleanliness are the twin pillars of Responsible Tourism. Analyse the impact of these focus areas on Tourism suggesting additional priority areas. (200 Words) The Hindu Tourism plays a pivotal role for the economic growth of a country, leisure time with family members, relief from stress and break from monotonous life. Importance of tourism . Domestic tourism is one of the major engines of economic growth and development for many regions and states of India. . Not only does it contribute to income generation (6.77% of gross domestic product or GDP) but also is the source of large-scale employment (43.8 million [mn] or 8.2%) in both formal and informal activities . Domestic tourism can also act as one of the channels to reduce interregional inequality through the spending pattern and multiplier effect generated across regions. For example, low income and growth regions can get the spillover effect of high-growth regions through development of domestic tourism.

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. Further, with the growing economy and increasing income and spending of Indians, domestic tourism is considered a booming activity with the potential to create large-scale employment opportunities, and contribute to regional development. In order to promote responsible tourism, affordability and cleanliness need to be prioritised in the following manner Affordability . Affordable tourism will attract more tourists every year thus generating more revenue from tourism sector. . Affordable packages will be an incentive for the people to travel within the country itself with all sorts of diversity. It will not only prevent foreign exchange, but also distribute wealth across states. . Facilities like visas on arrival, e-visas etc can bring down costs. Cleanliness . Cleanliness along with functional toilets, hygienic foods etc will attract more tourists thus generating employment opportunities, fillip to local industries and local cuisine. . Cleanliness is also important protect monuments, statues etc from damage. For eg Taj Mahal got damaged due to refineries in the region which caused acid rain. . The development and maintainence of infrastructure such as street lights, railways, roadways, hotels are highly required for easy tourism Government efforts such as Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan, PRASAD, HRIDAY etc are steps in the right direction for promoting tourism and to promote India as tourism hub.

Q) Recently India began shipment of wheat to Afghanistan through the Iranian port of Chabahar. Discuss the geography of this route and its strategic importance for India and Afghanistan. (200 Words) The Hindu Introduction: India-Iran-Afghanistan signed Trilateral Agreement in 2016 to build Chabahar port in Iran in order to seek an alternative route for trade & transit to & from Afghanistan. Now India has sent its first wheat consignment to Afghanistan through Chabahar port. This is a significant step in the history of strategic relationship of the three Countries. GEOGRAPHY OF ROUTE . Seeing the restrictions put by Pakistan on trade & passage of goods through Bagha border & through its territory to reach Afghanistan, it was necessary for India to envisage a new route to land-locked Afghanistan which found way in the Chabahar port’s development. . Chabahar port is in Gulf of Oman & on the strategically & geographically important route for trade & connection between Middle East Asia to South Asia & further reaching to South East Asia. IMPORTANCE OF THIS ROUTE FOR INDIA . India is not dependent on mercy of Pakistan to trade with Afghanistan. . This route will help in easy transport of oil from Iran & other Middle Eat Asian countries to India. . It will boost trade & commerce between India & Afghanistan . It will be helpful for the reconstruction activities & development projects including training of military, police of Afghanistan by India. Stability in Afghan will curb cross-border Terrorism by Pakistan-good for the neighbouring India’s security. . It will also be important for building US-India tries stronger as US wants more efforts from India for development works in Afghanistan

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IMPORTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN . The developmental projects envisaged by India will get speed & strength in Afghanistan – helpful in fight against terrorism . Economy of Afghan will get strong, getting more funds to be spent for peace-making efforts . Afghanistan will put pressure on Pakistan to crackdown the terror outfits in its territory. Conclusion Though the Chabahar port will be fully built in one year, but wheat shipment has paved the way for the operationalization of the port and in the future it may prove to be a right step towards peace & development in the region.

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