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General Studies – 1
Topic: population and associated issues, poverty and developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
Urban flooding is a recurring event. This article highlights the reasons behind it.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in what way unplanned growth, with no defenses against weather disasters, is leaving Indian cities a lot poorer.
Directive:
Illustrate – A similar instruction to ‘explain’ whereby you are asked to show the workings of something, making use of definite examples and statistics if appropriate to add weight to your explanation.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with context of the question.
Body:
Due to global warming, the volume and duration of monsoonal rain are becoming unpredictable, and its catastrophic impacts on cities will become more frequent.
One can give the example of Mumbai city and the urban floods it is witnessing. The revival of the monsoon has affected Mumbai and its suburbs once again. It has disrupted drinking water supplies and had exposed the ill state of its infrastructure.
The limitations of Mumbai’s infrastructure to accommodate intense monsoons, and its inability to provide affordable inner-city housing to the less affluent, are making other cities look more attractive.
Discuss what needs to be done.
Conclusion:
Mumbai’s neglect is not unique; most big cities are unsustainably expanding to the suburbs where even basic infrastructure is absent. Lakes and river areas are heavily encroached in these cities. Such unplanned growth, with no defenses against weather disasters, is leaving cities a lot poorer.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent)
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The article explains that clean drinking water is a basic human necessity. It must be ensured by resolving all the challenges.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail the clean and safe drinking water situation in India and possible solutions to improve water stressed situation.
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with some key facts related to availability of clean and safe drinking water in India.
Body:
The answer body must have the following aspects covered:
Discuss the water stress situation in India first. India is facing a water emergency; it has 16% of the world population, but only 4% of freshwater resources. Water availability in the country was about 5,000 cubic meters per capita per year at the time of independence. It was greater than what was necessary. India has failed to generate such additional availability over time.
Discuss the reasons behind the water-stressed situation in India.
Suggest solutions to overcome the situation.
Explain in what way clean drinking water is a basic human necessity. It must be ensured by resolving all the challenges.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary—Ministries and Departments of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article highlights the role of public prosecutors in ensuring a fair justice system.
Key Demand of the question:
Account for the role played by public prosecutors in ensuring a fair justice system in the country.
Directive:
Account – Weigh up to what extent something is true. Persuade the reader of your argument by citing relevant research but also remember to point out any flaws and counter- arguments as well. Conclude by stating clearly how far you are in agreement with the original proposition.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with who a public prosecutor is and her/his role in judiciary.
Body:
The answer body must explain in detail that the public prosecutor has an ethical obligation to balance the interests of the victims, the accused, and society. His/her conduct shouldn’t be of a persecutor aiming to persistently harass the accused.
Discuss role of public prosecutor in criminal justice system with examples.
The public prosecutors represent the public and are not mere mouthpieces for law enforcement agencies. They have an ethical obligation to seek justice balancing the interests of the victims of crime, society, and those accused of crimes.
Conclusion:
Thus, public prosecutors who support criminal justice reform can be a powerful force for altering the culture of under trial detention.
Topic: India and its neighborhood- relations. Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian diaspora.
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The article discusses India’s future Afghan policy in the light of American exit from Afghanistan.
Key Demand of the question:
Explain in what way India must reset its Afghan policy and engagement with Taliban is a reality which cannot be ignored.
Directive:
Comment– here we have to express our knowledge and understanding of the issue and form an overall opinion thereupon.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background and context of the question.
Body:
With the withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan in process, New Delhi has decided to ramp down its civilian presence in the war-torn country, bracing for a full-blown civil war.
Discuss what should India do; Open talks with Taliban: India must, in its own national interest, begin ‘open talks’ with Taliban. However, this doesn’t mean that India should give recognition to the Taliban.
Explain the evolution of India’s Taliban policy. Also discuss why India should engage the Taliban directly.
Conclusion:
Conclude that India as of now is strategically limited to Indo-pacific arena. Afghanistan could provide, if not immediately, India with a way out.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment.
Reference: Business standard
Why the question:
The article presents different strategies to lower India’s carbon emissions.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail different strategies to lower India’s carbon emissions.
Directive:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with brief background of the question.
Body:
Researchers and policymakers are exploring various pathways for Indian carbon emissions over time. These pathways range from Business-As-Usual (BAU) to Low-Carbon to Net-Zero. In each pathway, it is becoming increasingly important to establish when carbon emissions for India will peak and then start to decline.
Discuss – Peaking concept is linked to the theory that a country’s economic development is closely linked to fossil fuel consumption.
Talk about global peaking levels.
Discuss solutions; take hints from the article.
Conclusion:
Conclude that while we do have ample time to make the necessary changes to our economy, we must begin now to decide which pathway we would like to pursue. Each pathway requires different policy packages and sets up different investment and consumption incentives.
Topic: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention.
Reference: ifc.org
Why the question:
The question is based on the theme of money laundering and the need for technology driven anti-money laundering mechanism.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss first evolving threats of money laundering and the need to address them.
Directive:
Elucidate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with what Money laundering is.
Body:
Money laundering is concealing or disguising the identity of illegally obtained proceeds so that they appear to have originated from legitimate sources. It is frequently a component of other, much more serious, crimes such as drug trafficking, robbery or extortion.
Discuss the use of technology to Money laundering.
Explain the steps taken by government of India to prevent money laundering.
Suggest the need to develop advanced Anti-Money Laundering mechanisms.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward.
Topic: Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.
Reference: Economic Times
Why the question:
A study by Deloitte and global software firm Autodesk has ranked Indian businesses fifth among 12 Asia Pacific (APAC) nations for risk of automation and ninth for level of preparedness. Thus the question.
Key Demand of the question:
Discuss in detail the impact of automation on the existing work scenario and suggest steps that need to be taken to cope with the changeover of workforce to automation.
Directive:
Explain – Clarify the topic by giving a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the particular context. You must be defining key terms where ever appropriate, and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start with definition of Automation in general.
Body:
Automation is the application of technology, programs, robotics or processes to achieve outcomes with minimal human input. It is a term for technology applications where human input is minimized. This includes business process automation (BPA), IT automation, personal applications such as home automation and more.
Talk about the drivers of Automation and highlight its potential benefits.
Explain with examples as to how Automation will affect Current Work.
Discuss methods to manage the upcoming workforce transitions.
Conclusion:
Work with automation will be different, requiring new skills, and a far greater adaptability of the workforce than we have seen. Government, private-sector leaders, and innovators all need to work together.
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