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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.
General Studies – 1
Topic: Society: Role of women and women’s organization, population, and associated issues
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: The Hindu
Why the question:
The recent Lancet estimates of COVID-19-associated orphanhood, which put the number at over 19 lakh children orphaned as a result of COVID-19, has raised India’s hackles.
Key Demand of the question:
Impact on Children of a crisis
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Give data from the Lancet study about impact on children
Body:
Show with the help of examples how children are impacted due to the Pandemic, especially the orphaned children
Highlight what measures are being taken to tackle those issues e.g. Delhi government announced free education of children orphaned by Pandemic.
Suggest what more needs to be done to mitigate the impact and empower children
Conclusion:
Conclude with the futuristic way forward.
Introduction
Disasters and Pandemics take an unthinkable toll on children — a social, emotional and academic ordeal so extreme that some advocates and experts warn its repercussions could rival those of a hurricane or other disaster.
They harm health, social and material well-being of children worldwide, with the poorest children, including homeless children and children in detention, hit hardest. School closures, social distancing and confinement increase the risk of poor nutrition among children, their exposure to domestic violence, increase their anxiety and stress, and reduce access to vital family and care services.
Body
Impacts of Disaster and pandemic on Children
- Loss of education
- Children are at heightened risk of exploitation, especially since school closures have not only precluded many from access to education but also from a main source of shelter and nourishment.
- In some countries, because of the pandemic, more children are forced on to the streets in search of food and income, heightening their risk of infection and exploitation.
- Challenges posed by Digital education
- Widespread digitalisation mitigates the education loss caused by school-closures, but the poorest children are least likely to live in good home-learning environments with internet connection.
- Furthermore, increased unsupervised on-line internet use has magnified issues around sexual exploitation and cyber-bullying.
- Child trafficking
- Data compiled by Bachan Bachao Andolan (BBA), the non-profit founded by Nobel laureate Kailash Satyarthi, indicates that 9,000 children who were rescued when they were being trafficked for labour between April 2020 and June 2021 as the Covid-19 pandemic ravaged the country.
- At 3,183, the largest number of children were rescued in Uttar Pradesh, followed next by Telangana (2,805), Andhra Pradesh (593), Rajasthan (430) and Gujarat (333).
- Child kidnapping
- Alongside the trade of women, many child kidnappings Kidnappers force many of the victims into servitude within industries of agriculture and manufacturing.
- Orphaned children are particularly vulnerable to trafficking and other exploitation like forced begging, or child labour. In such families, there is also the likelihood of older children dropping out of school to support their younger siblings.
- Child Marriage
- Recent analysis by UNICEFpoints out that one in three of the world’s child brides live in India.
- It has also warned India against the increase in child marriages owing to the adversaries of COVID-19.
- Child labour
- The coronavirus pandemic is forcing India’s children out of school and into farms and factories to work, worsening a child-labour problem that was already one of the direst in the world.
- Children are seen as a stop-gap measure to fill jobs left vacant by migrant labourers who fled cities for their rural homes during the lockdown.
- Parental loss and children
- Parental loss can have devastating effects on children’s social, emotional and cognitive growth.
- It adversely affects children’s mental health, inducing anxiety, depression and sleep disturbances and often worsens a family’s economic status, resulting in children’s poorer academic performance and school drop-outs.
- The recent Lancet estimates of COVID-19-associated orphanhood, which put the number at over 19 lakh children orphaned as a result of COVID-19, has raised India’s hackles.
- Substance abuse
- There is a greater risk of substance abuse among children who drop out of school and adolescents who lose parents also display more sexually risky behaviours.
- Sexual abuse
- Activists said other complicated situations are also emerging as a result of the pandemic. Among the poorer sections of society, the pandemic has left children affected in several ways since last year. Eg cases of sexual abuse of children in slums because they were left vulnerable.
Way forward
- A detailed child protection policy, guidelines, and action plan must be designed to protect children from various forms of vulnerabilities emerging from the disaster and pandemic.
- This should be effectively implemented in coordination with various bodies, volunteers and civil society organisations.
- A standard and clear policy on learning and education during the pandemic must be prepared keeping in mind the best interests of all children and must be followed uniformly and without discrimination across government, aided and private schools/systems.
- The Village Child Protection Committee Program under the Integrated Child Protection Scheme must be effectively implemented in partnership with school teachers and civil society organisations.
- This committee should ensure access to services, monitor and prevent violations like child abuse, child marriage, child trafficking and child labour and create awareness on the rights of children.
- Governments should proactively reach out to those in distress using its database of Covid-19 deceased, which has addresses and contact details. This is an approach adopted by the Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR), Government of Delhi.
- Special child care protection must be provided to the children of migrant workers and all frontline workers including sanitation workers, ASHA workers and other essential workers.
- A monitoring system and periodic audits must be put in place to track the welfare of children in child care institutions and juvenile homes. Children in these institutions must have access to regular health screening and counselling services.
- With an objective of providing psychological and emotional support to children affected during Covid-19 Pandemic, National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) is providing Tele-Counselling to children through SAMVEDNA (Sensitizing Action on Mental Health Vulnerability through Emotional Development and Necessary Acceptance). This is a step in the right direction
- Article 39 of the Constitution prohibits the tender age of the children from being abused. Therefore, orphaned children who have lost both their parents or abandoned or surrendered due to the Covid-19 pandemic must not be neglected and left to face an uncertain future. They must be taken care of by the authorities entrusted with responsibilities under the JJ Act.
Conclusion
Children are an important national asset, and the well-being of the nation, and its future, depend on how its children grow and develop. The primary purpose of giving a child in adoption is his welfare and restoring his or her right to family.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Salient Features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Reference: Polity by M.Lakshmikanth
Why the question:
The process to improve Electoral processes in India often finds a reference, and is a recurrent theme in GS Paper
Key Demand of the question:
The improvement in electoral processes with the use of Technology in India
Directive word:
Examine– When asked to ‘Examine’, we must look into the topic (content words) in detail, inspect it, investigate it and establish the key facts and issues related to the topic in question. While doing so we should explain why these facts and issues are important and their implications
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Brief on the electoral process, issues and references, if any
Body:
First, mention how the use of Technology has led to an evolution in the conduct of elections in India, highlighting the measures taken by the Election Commission from this perspective
Then, brief on the recurrent issues related to the Electoral process in India
Then, mention the measures that need to be taken to further improve the electoral process in India
Conclusion:
A relevant closing statement
Introduction
In electoral democracies, free and fair elections convert voters’ preferences into a political mandate that forms the basis for policymaking. More precise and efficient voting procedures boost the strength of democratic institutions.
The scale of the recently held general election in India bears testimony to how EVM technology addresses electoral fraud and simplify the electoral procedure. The election witnessed a historic 67 percent voter turnout from nearly 900 million registered voters across 542 parliamentary constituencies.
Body
Technological disruption to Indian elections
- Use of EVMs: Use of EVMs was not simply the replacement of sturdy ballot boxes and ballot papers. It was a paradigm shift for everyone including the political parties, candidates and the voters.
- With introduction of EVMs, booth capturing in its traditional sense of the term lost its sheen.
- The muscle power at the local level could not guarantee conversion of physical booth capturing into votes polled in favour of a particular candidate.
- Conducting elections used to be round the clock strenuous nightmarish exercise beginning from cleaning of the ballot boxes to counting of votes running over a few days.
- VVPAT: An additional technical device called VVPAT (Voter-verified Paper Audit Trail) machine has been introduced to instil the confidence among the stakeholders.
- The voter can view the symbol of the candidate of his choice on the screen of VVPAT machine after casting his vote by pressing the button of the EVM.
- e-EPIC: Now users can download their e-EPIC card online, especially the newly registered voters.
- It is another matter that other proofs of identity are also allowed on the day of poll to absolutely ensure that no one is derived from exercising his franchise
- De-duplication software: The electoral roll has also been cleaned by using de-duplication software across the constituencies.
- Earlier having the same name at multiple places resulted in the electoral malpractices.
- Use of suitable software has also ensured cropping of the electors image on the electoral roll.
- This ensures prohibition of forged voting on the day of poll.
- Linking Aadhar to EPIC: Linking of electoral roll with Aadhar database would further buttress the integrity of the roll and thus purity of the election process.
- Election personnel: Database of the polling personnel is thoroughly randomized using a software developed by the National Informatics Centre to ensure concealment of the identity of the polling station where any polling staff would be posted.
- This obfuscates any kind of intimidation or inducement of the polling personnel.
- Intermix of the personnel in a polling party is carried out in such a way that no official is from the same department, region or class.
- Such finesse has been made possible only by use of appropriate technology.
- Cvigil app: This can be used by the citizens for posting their complaints directly. They can click photographs and videos which can be uploaded. The app is in public domain.
Level playing field to make electoral process fairer
- Access to technological solutions such as online website of parties, web channels and podcasts are easily available to bigger parties while independent candidates and small parties lose out to the big ones.
- Election commission can come up with certain mandates in this regard.
- Ensuring enough resources to smaller political parties to leverage technology.
- Bridging the digital divide between urban and rural masses, and equal access to all information regarding their political representatives.
- Assistive technologies to include those with special needs to be able to contest and vote in elections.
- Increasing participating of people through digital means, digital voting can lead to making every voice included in the democracy.
Conclusion
Free and fair elections are the bedrock of any healthy democracy. But conducting free and fair elections is easier said than done. In a huge and diverse country like India, it is much more complex and challenging. Humongous logistics issues in terms of material and manpower are involved in the entire process. Free and fair elections need to provide level playing field to all the players in the game. The entire electoral process should be capturing true mood of the electorate. This is possible today with technology and technology must be accessible to all before this can truly be called as fair.
Topic: Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Reference: The Indian Express
Why the question:
The issues around Global rules-based order becomes important at a time of War now
Key Demand of the question:
The importance of Global Rules-based order, and its relevance now
Directive word:
Comment– here we must express our knowledge and understanding of the topic and form an overall opinion thereupon
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Brief on Global Rules based order
Body:
First, mention the importance of Global rules based order
Then, mention the implications both positive and negative, of such a rules based order
Highlighting the present war situation as a reference, arrive at a conclusion if such an order in the present world is a myth or a needed reality
Conclusion:
A relevant way forward in this perspective
Introduction
Liberals believed that war could be prevented if nations agreed on set of values, mechanism to reduce conflict and also manage conflict in a certain manner without escalation of a war. If all nations agreed to this notion, then war would be impossible.
A global rules-based order can also be understood, less ideologically, as a mechanism for managing competition between states with divergent values. Eg: The arms control agreements that helped keep war cold between the US and the USSR owed little to democratic values.
Body
Concise definition of rules-based order is as follows
- The rules that protect sovereignty, preserve peace and curb excessive use of power, and enable international trade and investment;
- The international standards related to health and pandemics, to transport, telecommunications and other issues that underpin the global economy.
- Thirdly, the norms that underpin universal human rights, gender equality and the rule of law.
Rules based order is an idealistic myth: Reasons
- Defying of international institutions by powerful nations: Threat to the Rules-based order of the world by side-lining of the Global bodies like UNSC, WTO such as USA.
- Eg: Pursuing unilateralism and Protectionism goes against the ideal of Rules-based international world order.
- Self-interest reigns supreme: India was perhaps the first victim of this situation. In a fit of idealism, Jawaharlal Nehru took the issue of the tribal invasion of Kashmir to the UN. But then geopolitics kicked in.
- So, at the instance of the UK, the complaint of a tribal invasion was changed into the ‘India-Pakistan Question’ in the UNSC.
- Chinese dominance: China lost an arbitration on the status of the South China Sea islands in 2016. China ignored the ruling of UNCLOS and there is nothing anyone can do short of war to make it dismantle its constructions.
- It claims almost all of South China Sea, and has been aggressive in this regard.
- USA’s defiance: If China ignores one aspect of the UNCLOS, the US is unique in that it has simply not ratified UNCLOS, though it claims to adhere to it.
- Russia-Ukraine war: Russia invading Ukraine, even without any provocation by the latter is a direct violation of sovereignty of Ukraine.
Conclusion
Realists believe that international relations are solely based on power and national interest and has no place for morality. In the words of Thucydides “the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must”. Singapore diplomat Bilahari Kausikan called the Rules Based Order a ‘Rashomon term’, ie its meaning depending on the perspective of the user. He concluded that it was actually a diplomatic tool ‘rather than a term with an exact or stable meaning’. And its value to diplomacy lay in its ambiguity.
General Studies – 3
Topic : -Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Basic Economy, NCERT
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key demand of the question
Sen Vs Bhagwati Debate
Structure of the answer
Introduction
Briefly explain the two arguments about growth and development
Body
Explain Sen’s argument and how it will suit India’s development:
Sen believes that India should invest more in its social infrastructures like health and education to improve human capabilities that will push economic development. In his opinion, without such efforts, inequality widens which ultimately hampers the process of economic development.
Then explain Bhagwati’s argument:
Bhagwati argues that focusing on economic growth is important so that enough resources are available for social welfare programs. In his view, inequality may raise with economic growth initially but sustained growth will eventually also sustain the social benefit programs to redistribute and mitigate the effects of the initial inequality.
Give utility and limitations of both viewpoints.
Conclusion:
Summarize with a relevant way forward and a balanced viewpoint.
Introduction
The debate between professors Jagdish Bhagwati and Amartya Sen as to what exactly India’s right development path is, has continued unabated. The dispute was whether social welfare and health and education were best served by rapid economic growth, which was the view from Bhagwati’s corner, or whether social equity and health and education lay the groundwork for rapid growth, which was Sen’s thesis.
Body:
Jagdish Bhagwati and his co-author Prof. Arvind Panagariya, in their new book, India’s Tryst with Destiny, suggest that growth is critical for the generation of resources that can then be used for tackling poverty and engendering development. This is the essence of Bhagwatinomics!
Conversely, Amartya Sen, with his co-author Jean Dreze, in their new book Uncertain Glory: India and its Contradictions, strongly supports active participation by the State in the provision of healthcare, education, and the development of social and physical human capital so that there can be eradication of ill health, anomie and illiteracy. Thereby, development will occur. This is the essence of Senology!
This debate between Bhagwatinomists and Senologists is nothing new. However, both are liberal, neoclassical economists, who support deregulation and disapprove of existing subsidies.
Sen says growth depends on creating a dynamic workforce capable of learning on the job, which needs health and education. Bhagwati believes laissez-faire growth will raise incomes sufficiently for the workforce to be able to invest in their own health and education.
Bhagwati was a strong votary of the Gujarat model and Sen, the Kerala model. Bhagwati described the Gujarat model as a metaphor for a primarily growth and private entrepreneurship driven development and the Kerala model for a primarily redistribution and state-driven development.
In a broad sense, the Gujarat model privileges growth and infrastructure development. The underlying logic was that growth and industrial development will play a bigger role in reducing poverty.
The Kerala model, on the other hand, privileged a rights-based approach to development with a strong emphasis on social and human development. It involves high social spending resulting in growth — as a role model for other states to follow. Sen is of the view that the Gujarat development model suffered from weaknesses on the social side and could not be considered a success.
Sen had proposed a multidimensional approach to measuring poverty than based on consumption alone. He also developed the capability approach, along with the likes of Nussbaum, a concept that inspired the creation of the UN’s Human Development Index.
The capability approach brings in various factors, including individual freedoms, which were excluded from welfare economics earlier.
Shortcomings of Bhagvati & Sen:
- Both Bhagwati and Sen haven’t paid enough attention to key flaws in India’s record in implementing government programmes.
- India is a country where public delivery mechanisms have not worked well and to compare this system with countries in Asia — such as Korea, Taiwan and Thailand — is a flawed approach
- Besides, Sen hasn’t delved deep into issues related to labour reforms or financing of political parties, issues that are crucial in determining the way our democracy functions.
- Biggest paradox in these models of development is the highest unemployment rate in Kerala with lowest poverty ratio and lowest unemployment rate in Gujarat with higher poverty ratio.
There is no doubt that even after more than two decades of economic reforms, an unacceptably large number of Indians are deprived of decent healthcare, nutrition and education. Ethically, this raises many disturbing questions about the nature of Indian society and polity. What’s more worrying is that the high growth rates in the ‘boom’ years of 2004-08 did not significantly raise the employment rate, a fact accepted even by the Planning Commission.
Conclusion
The focus should be on development rather than growth. The problem of jobless growth must be tackled with development in the social infrastructure, promotion of MSMEs. Karnataka model of development and Tamil Nadu model of development models are being vouched as alternate models of development.
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Reference: NCERT Class XI
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3 and mentioned as part of Mission-2022 Secure timetable.
Key demand of the question:
Argument that even with some inequality growth is necessary to eradicate poverty
Directive:
Discuss – This is an all-encompassing directive – you must debate on paper by going through the details of the issues concerned by examining each one of them. You must give reasons for both for and against arguments.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Define Inequality and inclusive growth
Body:
Argue why perfect equality is not necessarily desirable:
But if we aim for equality of outcomes which is regardless of merit the outcome achieved by all should be the same, then it spoils the economy. Since both meritorious and undeserving will get the same benefits there will be no motive to contribute and innovation will be nil. Such an economy will not generate any value (GVA) and everyone would be a free-rider e.g. the concept of the welfare state in which freebies culture suppresses economic activity and fosters laziness.
Then Argue about India’s economic model of growth to achieve inclusive growth:
India after LPG reforms grew at 8% and also in double-digit. Inequality in asset holdings indeed occurs and it is widening. But inequality that affects basic living is not worse as we think. States with more inequality in assets also have wider access or universal access to healthcare and education eg. Punjab, Haryana, Kerala, TN, etc.
Economic survey 2021 statistically proven that regions with more income inequality also are the good performers in health index, education index, or sanitation outcomes.
Thus, only income inequality is widening but with the capitalistic growth socio-economic indicators are becoming better.
Poverty is worse than inequality. In India, the growth process indeed widened income inequality but it eradicated millions out of poverty, as WB said, India is credited with the world’s fastest poverty reduction after LPG reforms. So, it is argued that the present growth model should not bother us because though income inequality is increasing poverty is reducing.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced viewpoint.
Introduction
Economic survey notes the difference between inequality and poverty. Inequality refers to the degree of dispersion in the distribution of assets, income or consumption. Poverty refers to the assets, income or consumption of those at the bottom of the distribution
Inclusive growth means economic growth that creates employment opportunities and helps in reducing poverty. It means having access to essential services in health and education by the poor. It includes providing equality of opportunity, empowering people through education and skill development.
Body
Perfect equality not desirable
- If we aim for equality of outcomes which is regardless of merit the outcome achieved by all should be the same, then it spoils the economy.
- Since both meritorious and undeserving will get the same benefits there will be no motive to contribute and innovation will be
- Such an economy will not generate any value (GVA) and everyone would be a free-rider e.g. the concept of the welfare state in which freebies culture suppresses economic activity and fosters laziness.
Targeting inclusive growth in India
- Cushioning the vulnerable in the lockdown and boosting consumption and investment while unlocking, mindful of fiscal repercussions and entailing debt sustainability.
- India should pay more attention to economic growth as a primary means of decreasing poverty rather than expending more resources on curtailing inequality as redistribution will be better achieved if the size of the pie increases, the economic survey has said.
- Economic growth has a greater impact on poverty alleviation than inequality.
- The survey says that unlike advanced economies, in India economic growth and inequality “converge” in terms of their effects on socio-economic indicators.
- Therefore, given India’s stage of development, India must continue to focus on growth to lift the poor out of poverty by expanding the overall pie.
- In other words, redistribution in a developing economy is feasible only if the size of the economic pie grows.
- Finally, National Health Mission played a critical role in mitigating inequity as the access of the poorest to pre-natal/post-natal care and institutional deliveries increased
- Economic Survey suggests that Ayushmaan Bharat must become the key program to reduce inequality in access to healthcare.
Conclusion
Reducing inequalities is very important but it should be a medium-term target. Between growth and distribution, India must get the sequencing right. According to Oxfam if India stops inequality from rising further, it could end extreme poverty for 90 million people by 2019. If it goes further and reduces inequality by 36%, it could virtually eliminate extreme poverty. But as Economic Survey suggests, there is a clear convergence on growth and inequality in India and hence must focus on wealth creation.
Value addition
Inequality in India
- Education: The most vulnerable suffered the most on every front. For instance, in education, there was increased the drop-out rate among the children of the poor.
- Digital Divide was high as they had the least access to digital networks – only 4 per cent of rural households had a computer, and only 15 per cent had access to an internet connection.
- Gender inequality: While gender gaps in education and nutrition have been closing over time the disadvantaged position of women is very visible in the labour market. Labour force participation of women is staggering around 3%.
- Health: India has the world’s second-largest cumulative number of Covid-19 positive cases and globally, the poor, marginalised and vulnerable communities have higher rates of Covid-19 prevalence.
- The spread of disease was swift among poor communities.
- Only 6% of the poorest 20% households had access to non-shared sources of improved sanitation, compared to 93% of the top 20% households in India.
- Rich vs Poor: The 40-50 million seasonal migrant workers, typically engaged working in construction sites, factories etc. were particularly distressed.
General Studies – 4
Topic: Case Study
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Case Study Fridays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by giving context.
Body:
First, write a few options which are available to the District Collector in helping the groom starting from the least viable one to the most viable. Analyze the pros and cons of all the options from an ethical point of view.
Next, select the best possible action according to you and justify ethically the reasons behind its selection. Mention steps to overcome any negative ramifications of the actions.
Conclusion:
Conclude by stressing on the importance of taking actions guided by ethics and morals.
Introduction
In many villages of India, the nature of certain social equations has not changed from what they have been for centuries. The Dalits’ struggle for an equal share of honours in temple festivals has repeatedly ended in failure. Despite repeated judgements by the courts favouring Dalits, it has not been put into force. Discrimination against Dalits is widespread and ingrained in the psyche across India, in rural settings in particular. In some places it takes the form of violent oppression, in others it is disguised yet omnipresent.
Body
Stakeholders
- Dalit man who wants to enter the temple
- Myself as a District Collector
- Upper class community in the locality
- Dalit community
Ethical issues
- Rule of law being violated
- Untouchability enforced despite Article 17 in force
- Injustice to Dalit community
- Safe access to public places
- Equality of all human beings
- Violation of human rights
Course of action
- Ideally the Dalit man is entitled as a matter of right to enter any public temple and worship. If people of different community can conduct rituals, so should Dalit community. With this backdrop, I would ensure that the Dalit man would get access to the temple to conduct his wedding rituals.
- Before that, i would try to reconcile the members of the upper caste community who have till now barred Dalits from entering the temple.
- Conciliation alone can solve problems rather than force in such cases.
- Making people aware that temple access is everyone’s right is the first step. Also, I would ensure that religious leaders also preached same line of thought.
- To make sure no violence occurs between the upper caste and the Dalit community, I would bring in police reinforcement. Especially if upper caste community does not agree with the mandate.
- The job would not end here, because it must be ensured that no such social boycott ever happens to another person of the same community. Constitutional provisions upheld eradication of untouchability and treating every person equally irrespective of caste. This must become ingrained in everyone’s mind and must be brought into practice.
Conclusion
The need of the hour is political and economic empowerment of Dalits. Ensuring that the affirmative actions are benefitting the poorest of the Dalits, so that they can climb the social ladder. There is also need for massive attitude change in the rural areas to ensure that no such young man ever needs to seek protection from the district authorities for what is a matter of right.
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