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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: History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars, redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism, capitalism, socialism etc.— their forms and effect on the society.
Difficulty level: Tough
Reference: Insights on India , Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 1.
Key Demand of the question:
Highlight nature of engagement of NAM countries with the superpowers. Evaluate the role played by India, as a member of NAM and learnings from it in the present day.
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:
Introduce NAM, and the background in which it emerged.
Body:
Elaborate on the role played by NAM in easing tensions between the superpowers by citing examples. Note how NAM did not practise isolationism or neutrality.
Proceed to write the role played by India as part of NAM, and key learnings from it and its application Russia-Ukraine war.
Conclusion:
End your answer noting that India continues to embrace NAM, mentioning PM Modi’s attendance at the 2020 summit and him referring to NAM as the “world’s moral voice”.
Introduction
The Non-Aligned Movement was formed during the Cold War as an organization of States that did not seek to formally align themselves with either the United States or the Soviet Union, but sought to remain independent or neutral. The Movement has its origin in the Asia-Africa Conference held in Bandung, Indonesia in 1955. “Ten Principles of Bandung”, were proclaimed at that Conference were guiding principles of NAM.
Body
Role of India as a non-aligned country
- As a leader of NAM, India’s response to the cold war power politics was two-fold
- India steered itself away from the great power politics, positioning itself as an ‘interested observer’.
- It raised its voice against the newly decolonized nations from joining the either bloc.
- In addition, India played a significant role in defining the NAM in very neat & precise terms, which was becoming less homogeneous due to coming together of countries of various different political systems & interests.
- India’s stand on various issues showed that the movement was neither ‘isolationism’ nor ‘passivity’.
- A/q to Nehru, non-alignment was not a policy of ‘fleeing away’. On the contrary, it is based on active intervention in world affairs but in a neutral and independent manner.
- The movement seeks to take a collective position on international issues and challenges faced by the developing world.
- Eg :Based on this idea, India led the NAM effort to resolve Iran-Iraq dispute.
- During the cold war, India made a, concerted effort to activate those regional & international organizations, which were not a part of the alliances led by US & USSR, thus maintaining the spirit of NAM.
Learnings from NAM India can apply in the present Russia-Ukraine conflict
- Multilateralism must be upheld and nations must display sensitivity and reciprocity in multilateral institutions like the United Nations Security Council and the WTO to cooperate for world prosperity.
- Rhetoric of New Cold War or Cold war 2.0 is on the unveil. Trade war, military aggression in South China Sea has become frequent.
- Non-alignment policy and peaceful co-existence can ensure against the threat of war.
- South-South cooperation: To prevent band wagoning against any nation in a conflict, all developing nations can rally behind peace and against ill-effects of war such as rising crude and inflation.
- Disarmament: In the General Assembly, India submitted a draft resolution declaring that the use of nuclear weapons would be against the charter of the United Nations and crime against humanity and should therefore be prohibited.
- Such stance by all nations can help prevent the Russia-Ukraine war from spiralling into a nuclear war.
- UNSC reforms: Right from its inception NAM was in the favour of UNSC reforms, it was against the domination of US and USSR. Russia itself is now party to war while being a member of UNSC whose responsibility is world peace. Representation to nations like India can remove such irony.
- Strive for multipolarity: India is striving hard for a multipolar world order and asserting itself as one of the players. Multi polar world order is very much closed to NAM principles.
Conclusion
The philosophy and ideology of ”Non alignment” lays emphasis on strategic independence and autonomy, and the ”Non-Aligned Movement” seeks to take a collective position on challenges faced by the developing world. These principles shall always remain relevant. NAM is a platform where India can assert its soft power and provide an active leadership and by being a torchbearer for smaller countries at multilateral platforms.
Topic: Effects of globalization on Indian society.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
Insecurity in the supply of basic materials, from energy to food, is making countries shun global interdependence and shut doors.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about deglobalisation, its causes and impact on the Indian society.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by defining deglobalisation.
Body:
First, write about the various factors leading to deglobalisation – pandemic, nationalism, shortages, lack of basic needs etc.
Next write about the various positives and negatives of deglobalisation on the Indian society.
Conclusion:
Conclude with way forward to address the negatives.
Introduction
The term de-globalisation is used by economic and market commentators to highlight the trend of several countries wanting to go back to economic and trade policies that put their national interests first. These policies often take the form of tariffs or quantitative barriers that impede free movement of people, products and services among countries. The idea behind all this protectionism is to shield local manufacturing by making imports costlier.
Body
Background
- The COVID-19 pandemic is driving the world economy to retreat from global economic integration.
- Policymakers and business leaders are now questioning whether global supply chains have been stretched too far.
- In an environment where alliances are uncertain and international cooperation is absent, they are also asking whether they should reduce their economic interdependence.
- National security and public health concerns are providing new rationales for protectionism, especially for medical gear and food, and an emphasis on domestic sourcing.
Factors contributing to deglobalisation
- Right wing politics in West: A surge in populist politics in Europe and the US has ridden a wave of opposition to globalized economies and international institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and NATO.
- Brexit: Leaving the European Union (EU) is written into the constitutions of populist parties in countries such as Poland and Hungary.
- Delegitimization of International Organizations: The United Nations (UN) is widely viewed as weak and deadlocked, and populist movements tend to ridicule the notion of belonging to an international community of nations.
- International organizations have seen their reputations suffer, either condemned as too powerful or too weak.
- The World Health Organization (WHO) struggled to drive an efficient response to the COVID–19 pandemic, in large part due to uncooperative governments.
- Lockdown of national borders: The COVID-19 pandemic illustrates the danger of relying on global supply chains for essential medical supplies, while climate change demands reductions in the enormous carbon footprint of international trade.
- India came up with self-sufficient ‘Atmanirbharta’ concept and so did many other nations.
- Nations like Japan and India have joined hands to from SCRI – Supply Chain Resilience Initiative.
Impact of deglobalisation on Indian society
- Impact on food security: Indonesia, the world’s top producer of palm oil which was indicted for driving destruction of its tropical forests, has now sent shock waves as it has banned exports of this cooking oil.
- Ukraine is a supplier of wheat and the war has led to severe shortage in the globe. Same is the case with sunflower oil.
- This impacts the food security in India.
- High energy costs: It is fuelled partly because of the sanctions on Russian oil and gas that are driving the world to leapfrog to wind and solar.
- But it is a fact that much of the rare earth minerals that will be needed to power this new energy future from petro to electro are controlled by the same countries that are in the non-democracy camp, from China to Russia.
- India’s antagonism with China makes it harder for India in obtaining Lithium to achieve its FAME targets.
- Migration: De-globalisation with respect to the mobility of services and people can impact both the export of services, and the trend of Indians migrating abroad for higher education and jobs.
- Climate change cooperation impacted: We are closing borders; shutting doors of global trade and, worse, dividing and polarising the world into camps of good versus evil. This, please remember, is happening at a time when climate change needs us to come together to cooperate and act globally.
Conclusion
Just as globalization reflects a process of increasing economic interdependency, deglobalization then marks a retreat from global economic integration. And there are indications this has been happening for some time already. The Great Recession, ensuing tariff-oriented protectionism, supply chain restructuring due to the pandemic, disintegration of interlinked commodity markets because of the Ukraine war are examples of a deglobalizing world. But globalisation will always remain relevant. The peak of globalization is well behind us but globalization progress is much slower than before, but we’re not in deglobalization era yet.
General Studies – 2
Topic: Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Indian Express
Why the question:
The question before India, given its diversity and size, is whether there should be a reform of our electoral system to ensure greater legitimacy to the government in power.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the limitation of the FPTP system and suggest alternatives.
Directive word:
Critically analyze – When asked to analyse, you must examine methodically the structure or nature of the topic by separating it into component parts and present them in a summary. When ‘critically’ is suffixed or prefixed to a directive, one needs to look at the good and bad of the topic and give a balanced judgment on the topic.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by giving a brief about the existing FPTP system.
Body:
Write about the FPTP system, its merits and demerits. Argue as to why FPTP is considered not truly democratic and inclusive. Back up your arguments with relevant stats and data.
Next, write about the alternatives such as Proportional Representation and German Model etc.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
The first-past-the-post (FPTP) system is also known as the simple majority system. In this voting method, the candidate with the highest number of votes in a constituency is declared the winner. This system is used in India in direct elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. Article 81 of the constitution stipulates for FPTP.
Body
FPTP is not truly democratic or inclusive
- A democratic decision in order to be considered legitimate must include all those affected by it in the decision-making process.
- The FPTP system clearly violates this as minorities are not even accorded representation, forget about participation in the decision-making process.
- An electoral system skewed in favour of a majority is not conducive to a heterogeneous India, particularly when the Indian constitution also does not have political safeguards for religious minorities.
- Results in Two Party system: Duverger, a French political scientist, argued that the FPTP system tends to bring about a two-party system at the constituency level.
- In countries like India, this translated into the establishment of a two-party system at the State level which happened between 1967 and 1989.
- FPTP has completely failed to ensure representation to the minorities commensurate with their demographic share. For instance, Muslims, the largest religious minority in India, have dismal representation in both the present Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.
- It may exclude minority parties from representation in Parliament or Councils if they don’t have concentration areas where their candidates can win. Lesser women MPs, MLAs as they don’t have area of concentration.
- In the FPTP system, there is absolutely no link between the vote share obtained by the political parties and the concomitant number of seats secured.
- For instance, in the 2014 general elections in India, the Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) had 31% of the vote share but this translated into almost 52% of the total seats in the Lok Sabha. A 19% vote share for the Congress, however, meant only 8% of the seats.
- FPTP mostly manufactures majorities by exaggerating the share of seats of the leading party while it simultaneously penalises smaller parties, particularly those whose support is spatially dispersed.
Need to re-examine the FPTP system in India: Exploring alternatives
- Proportional Representation: The Law Commission in its 170th report, submitted in 1999, recommended that India may combine the FPTP system with PR, modelled on the lines of the hybrid system followed in Germany.
- To that end, the report suggested an increase in the Lok Sabha seats by an additional 25% which could be filled by PR while the FPTP system would continue to be used as earlier for the existing seats.
- This proposal was reiterated by the Law Commission in its 255th report issued in 2015 though the government is yet to examine its proposals and take the next steps.
- After the state assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh once again produced skewed results in favour of the leading party, an all-party parliamentary panel has started looking at alternatives to FPTP.
- Case of Nepal: Even internationally, there is growing disenchantment with FPTP and many democracies including UK and Canada, are embracing PR.
- In fact, one of India’s closest neighbours, Nepal, has chosen a hybrid electoral system combining FPTP with PR.
- However, it would be wrong to assume that a PR system or a hybrid system for that matter would be a panacea for all problems facing Indian democracy.
- After all, even the PR system would eventually lead to majoritarian decision-making, albeit all shades of opinion will at least be represented.
- Minority representation: India must consider Ambedkar’s sagacious suggestion that minorities must have representation in the cabinet in proportion to their population.
- This suggestion was put forward by Ambedkar in ‘States and Minorities’, a memorandum on the safeguards for minorities in general and the Scheduled Castes in particular drafted by Ambedkar and submitted to the constituent assembly in 1946.
- It was in the form of draft articles of a constitution and had specific provisions on fundamental rights of citizens, safeguards of the rights of minorities and Scheduled Castes to representation in the legislatures, local bodies, executive and services.
Conclusion
Thus, the election process and system should safeguard the following principles: more representation, transparency, verifiability, fairness, eligibility to vote, free, secret and universal suffrage, and accessibility. There is no one objectively “best” system. The need of the hour is to debate, discuss, to evolve more suitable election system for India with changing times and demography.
Value addition
Working of FPTP
- It is the simplest form of plurality/majority system, using single member districts and candidate-centred voting.
- The voter is presented with the names of the nominated candidates and votes by choosing one, and only one, of them.
- The winning candidate is simply the person who wins the most votes; in theory he or she could be elected with two votes, if every other candidate only secured a single vote.
Benefits of FPTP
- The FPTP system is simple and easy to understand. There is no need for specialised knowledge of elections and politics required considering the political literacy rate of India.
- During parliamentary debates members of constituency assembly representing Scheduled Caste and General Hindus rejected the system of proportional representation because of its complexity and difficult to understand for illiterate population.
- It retains link between the constituency, Member of Parliament (MP) and voter.
- FPTP fosters representation and Geographical Accountability.
- It allows voters to choose between persons rather than just between parties or balances both party and candidate. So, voter asses performance of individual candidate and party.
- Gives chance to popular candidate to get elected even without party backing.
- It is a Cost-effective method of election.
- Ensures stable government in a diverse country like India.
Limitations of FPTP
- The object of the system is just to decide which candidate races past others, almost akin to a horse race from where the term FPTP originated.
- Also, the degree of win is irrelevant and the candidate may win by a landslide or a lucky draw.
- While a candidate representing only a part of the constituency is a dangerous problem on its own, it leads to more serious issues at the state and national level.
- It will encourage development of ethnic parties. political parties base their plans, policies in favour of particular clan, religion, region, etc.
- Since there is delimitation of boundaries, cases of gerrymandering can
- It leaves a large number of wasted votes which do not go towards the election of any candidate.
- The other issue with the FPTP is that the threshold is so high that newer parties cannot enter the fray.
Topic: Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education, Human Resources.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Down to Earth
Why the question:
Over 17,000 cases of measles have been reported largely from Somalia, Yemen, Nigeria, Afghanistan and Ethiopia in January and February of 2022, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Key Demand of the question:
To give an account on important features that a resilient health system must constitute.
Directive word:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Start by mentioning the devastating impact of the pandemic on the healthcare system on India and efforts to fight it.
Body:
First, begin by describing various lacunas in present healthcare system in India and the various efforts to fight covid-19.
Next, stress on the need to focus on other health threats as well – robust Primary Healthcare system and mention about need for an inclusive approach towards beneficiaries of the healthcare system, universal vaccination, increased public funding and the need for a greater healthcare workforce catering to the population demand of the nation.
Conclusion:
Conclude by mentioning that there is a pressing need to focus on healthcare system in order to build back better and achieve SDG-3.
Introduction
Especially in times of Pandemics like Covid-19, the significance and loopholes of Indian public health sector are led bare. It gives an opportunity to reform and rehaul the healthcare sector to be better equipped for future emergencies. India needs to significantly amp its health-related infrastructure
Body
Problems in India’s health sector
- There is a massive shortage of medical staff, infrastructure and last mile connectivity in rural areas. Eg: Doctor : Population 1:1800 and 78% doctors cater to urban India (population of 30%).
- Massive shortages in the supply of services (human resources, hospitals and diagnostic centres in the private/public sector) which are made worse by grossly inequitable availability between and within States.
- Data from the National Health Profile-2019, the total number of hospital beds in the country was 7,13,986 which translates to 0.55 beds per 1000 population.
- Furthermore, the study also highlighted that, 12 states that account for 70 per cent of India’s3 billion population were found to have hospital beds per 1000 population below the national average of 0.55 beds.
- For example, even a well-placed State such as Tamil Nadu has an over 30% shortage of medical and non-medical professionals in government facilities.
- Health budget: The health budget has neither increased nor is there any policy to strengthen the public/private sector in deficit areas. While the Ayushmaan Bharat provides portability, one must not forget that it will take time for hospitals to be established in deficit areas.
- This in turn could cause patients to gravitate toward the southern States that have a comparatively better health infrastructure than the rest of India.
- Infrastructure constraints: There are doubts on the capacity of India’s infrastructure to take on the additional load of patients during pandemics like Covid-19 as seen recently.
- There is a growing medical tourism (foreign tourists/patients) as a policy being promoted by the government, and also domestic patients, both insured and uninsured.
- Absence of primary care: In the northern States there are hardly any sub-centres and primary health centres are practically non-existent. First mile connectivity to a primary healthcare centre is broken. For eg, in Uttar Pradesh there is one PHC for every 28 villages.
- Out of pocket expenditure high: Even the poor are forced to opt for private healthcare, and, hence, pay from their own pockets. As a result, an estimated 63 million people fall into poverty due to health expenditure, annually.
- Inequities in the health sector exist due to many factors like geography, socio-economic status and income groups among others. Compared with countries like Sri Lanka, Thailand and China, which started at almost similar levels, India lags behind peers on healthcare outcomes.
- Rural medical practitioners (RMPs), who provide 80% of outpatient care, have no formal qualifications for it. People fall prey for quacks, often leading to grave disabilities and loss of life.
- Dependency on import: Compounding the problem of poor health infrastructure and low spending, especially in the current COVID-19 environment that has caused significant disruptions to the global supply chains, is India’s dependence on medical devices imports.
- As per IMA data, India’s medical devices imports were around Rs 39,000 crore in FY2019, having seen a growth of 24 per cent from the previous year.
- Numerous Schemes: The Government has launched many policies and health programmes but success has been partial at best. The National Health Policy(NHP) 2002 proposed to increase Government spending on health by two to three per cent of the gross domestic product (GDP) by 2010 which has not happened yet. Now, the NHP 2017, has proposed to take it to 2.5 per cent of the GDP by 2025.
- Healthcare without holistic approach: There are a lot of determinants for better health like improved drinking water supply and sanitation; better nutritional outcomes, health and education for women and girls; improved air quality and safer roads which are outside the purview of the Health Ministry.
Steps needed
- Prioritize primary health care: The current approach requires re-emphasizing the missing priority on PHCs and CHCs for developing comprehensive primary care.
- Achieving comprehensive primary care requires a paradigm shift from disease-control vertical programmes to community-led, people-oriented primary care.
- Strengthen State’s capacity: Sharper focus in the resource-starved states should be on improving efficiency in spending without compromising equity, and this can be attained by designing programmes that would cover a large number of people and a wide range of diseases.
- For example, POSHAN Abhiyan to be strictly rolled out in BIMARU
- Since the states have higher responsibility than the Centre in matters related to health, the blueprints of primary care can further be redefined in view of the local needs.
- This should be the policy agenda for the low-performing and resource-constrained states.
- Low cost healthcare: It is relevant to develop low-cost primary care service delivery models involving nurses and allied health professionals which can lower the burden on the public health system marked by the stress of a low doctor-strength.
- Task force and collaboration : The triple helix model of innovation,e., bringing together the government, academia and industry, now more than ever. To this end, the Government of India has established a ‘COVID-19 Taskforce’ with the objective of mapping together various technological advancements related to COVID-19 in public R&D labs, academia, start-ups, and industries.
- The task force has already identified over 500 entities in the fields of medicines, ventilators, protective gear, among others.
- India has seen the benefits of such collaborations in the past – in 2014, the Rotavac vaccine was developed under the leadership of Dr M K Bhan, as part of an international consortium that included India’s Department of Biotechnology and other partners from academia and industry.
- Locally aligned: India needs to design health services to meet local needs with the opposite referral mechanism to secondary- and tertiary-care, and this can produce better health outcomes with a considerable cost-advantage.
- In this context, the role of public health professionals, those who can help design outreach and preventive programmes and implement the continuing health programme effectively, assumes paramount importance. Eg: Telemedicine
- India lacks the required number of public health professionals. The shortage is severe in many parts of the country, especially poorer states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.
- The focus should be to train a pool of social workers, psychiatrists, counsellors with public health orientation who could then transform the primary healthcare delivery system in the country.
- Ayush doctors can prescribe Allopathy medicines after a bridge course.
- Along with Ayushmaan Bharat (PMJAY), focus must be laid on strengthening the primary health centres with basic diagnostics and services, with district hospitals equipped with multi-specialty capabilities and services to people. Especially for the poor who cannot afford quality health care in private hospitals.
- Generic medicines: Access to medicines through Jan Aushadhi Kendra Scheme. It is mandated to offer 2000 medicines and 300 surgicals in all districts by 2024.
Conclusion
Covid-19 should become an eye opener for improving India’s healthcare system. Even the relatively better off people faced issues in getting timely medical attention in India, then the fate of a poor man can only be worse. Such learnings must pave way for renewed vigour to chalk out a policy for national health, making healthcare not a luxury but an accessible service.
General Studies – 3
Topic: Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization, of resources, growth, development and employment.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Financial Express , Indian Express
Why the question:
Interest rates in the banking system are set to go up after the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Wednesday (May 4) jacked up the Repo rate, the main policy rate, by 40 basis points to 4.40 per cent and the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 50 basis points to 4.50 per cent to suck out liquidity and bring down the elevated inflation.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about Repo rates, macroeconomic impact of its hike and opinion regarding the recent hike.
Directive word:
Examine – When asked to ‘Examine’, we must investigate 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:
Begin by defining Repo rate.
Body:
First, write in detail about the various macroeconomic impact of raising Repo rates – inflation, lending rate, saving and Forex etc.
Next, write about rationale behind raising of Repo rate in the current global economic scenarios. Examine as to how it seeks to address the various issues and also mention any potential shortcomings.
Conclusion:
Conclude with a balanced opinion regarding the hike in Repo rate by RBI.
Introduction
REPO denotes Re Purchase Option, the rate by which RBI gives loans to other banks. In other words, it is the rate at which banks buy back the securities they keep with the RBI at a later period. On May 4th, the monetary policy committee in an emergency move, increased the repo rate by 40 basis points. The rationale behind this decision was the upside risks posed by global factors to India’s inflation trajectory. The repo rate now stands at 4.40 per cent, with immediate effect.
Body
Background
- Repo rate is an important component of the monetary policy of the nation, and it is used to regulate the liquidity, inflation, and money supply of the nation. Additionally, repo rate levels create a direct impact on the pattern of borrowing by the banks.
- In other words, in situations of increased repo rate, the banks need to pay higher interest to RBI in order to avail funds, while in terms of lower repo rate, the cost of borrowing funds is less.
- Driven by food inflation, the headline inflation number in March 2022 had touched 7 per cent. And, high frequency price indicators for April have indicated that food price pressures would persist.
- At the same time, the direct impact of the increases in domestic pump prices is feeding into core inflation prints and is expected to have intensified in April.
- These reasons led to increase in repo rate by RBI even though the stance is accommodative.
Macroeconomic impact of raising the Repo Rate
- Borrowing becomes costly: Expensive bank loans discourage the borrower from availing credit. This reduces the money supply in the market and thereby stabilizes the liquidity in the system.
- Consumption, Expansion and production also take a downfall with the lesser money supply.
- Expensive credit hinders economic development and GDP growth even though inflation rate comes under control.
- Growth and GDP reduced: Reduced borrowing results in lower consumption demand which will lead to economic slowdown that hinders the growth of GDP for the short term. As the consumption demand reduces, profitability of every sector in the economic system takes a hit.
- Low economic expansion by corporates: Corporate loan buyers get discouraged to avail credit with the hike in repo rate. As the availability of business capital becomes expensive, production and expansion plans of corporate take a
- Investments may reduce: Companies may not invest in India due to reduced demand and higher rate of borrowing.
- Higher rate of loans for customers: Low interest has been one of the major drivers behind home sales across the country since the pandemic began. The rise in interest rates will ultimately impact overall acquisition cost for homebuyers and may dampen residential sales to some extent.
- After analysing the cost of funds and liquidity position, banks may begin to pass on their interest rate burden to its end customer in the form of elevated lending rates.
- That means higher equated monthly instalment for existing borrowers and higher rate of credit for new borrowers.
- Reduced liquidity: Lower money supply will lead to reduced consumption and hence the market consumption in general will be reduced. This spells doom for an economy that is recovering from sluggish growth due to pandemic.
Is hiking repo rate a good move?
- Relieving inflation: Reserve Bank of India revises repo rate on a regular basis to keep the inflation rate under control and also to strike a balance between both economic growth and rising inflation.
- Inflation is taxing on the poor man, who has to deal with rising prices for his bare minimum necessities of life.
- Since 21% in India are still below poverty line, inflation is bad for India’s public and their welfare.
- Keeping this in mind, RBI was prudent to hike the repo rate.
- Prudent: The monetary policy committee judged that the inflation outlook warrants an appropriate and timely response through resolute and calibrated steps to ensure that second-round effects of supply-side shocks on the economy are contained and long-term inflation expectations are kept firmly anchored.
- Balancing growth: Most alarmingly, persistent and spreading inflationary pressures are becoming more acute with every passing day and such inflation levels are highly detrimental for growth. Eg: Venezuela hyperinflation and its impact on citizens.
Conclusion
This is the first time in four years that RBI has increased the repo rate significantly after being accommodative. The idea is to reduce liquidity to bring down the inflation that has resulted in high prices of food and fuel affecting day-to-day lives of common man severely. MPC has the mandate to keep the inflation in target while at the same time balancing growth, investment and capital flows in the economy.
Topic: Major crops-cropping patterns in various parts of the country, – different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers.
Difficulty level: Moderate
Reference: Insights on India
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 3.
Key Demand of the question:
To write about the importance of pulses in nutritional security and agriculture.
Directive word:
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:
Begin by mentioning the rapid growth witnessed in the production of pulses in India in the recent years.
Body:
First, write about the nutritional benefits of pulses for a country like India.
Next, write about how cultivation of pulses leads to sustainable agriculture systems – improved resilience to climate change, adaptability to new niches (early maturity and heat tolerance), efficient seed production etc.
Next, suggest measures that are further needed to achieve self-sufficiency.
Conclusion:
Conclude by writing a way forward.
Introduction
Pulses occupy an important place in Indian agriculture. They provide protein and fibre, and are a great source of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc and magnesium. In India, pulses are grown over an area of 2.38 crore hectares with a total production of 1.86 crore tonnes. The average yield of pulses in India is about 735 kg/hectare. Pulses are generally grown in irrigated as well as rainfed area and belong to Leguminosae family. Madhya Pradesh is the leading state in India in pulses, in terms of cultivated area and productivity.
Body
Nutritional benefits:
- Pulses provide protein and fibre, as well as a significant source of vitamins and minerals, such as iron, zinc, folate, and magnesium, and consuming half a cup of beans or peas per day can enhance diet quality by increasing intakes of these nutrients.
- In addition, the phytochemicals, saponins, and tannins found in pulses possess antioxidant and anti-carcinogenic effects, indicating that pulses may have significant anti-cancer effects.
- Pulse consumption also improves serum lipid profiles and positively affects several other cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as blood pressure, platelet activity, and inflammation.
- Pulses are high in fibre and have a low glycaemic index, making them particularly beneficial to people with diabetes by assisting in maintaining healthy blood glucose and insulin levels.
- Emerging research examining the effect of pulse components on HIV and consumption patterns with aging populations indicates that pulses may have further effects on health.
- Including pulses in the diet is a healthy way to meet dietary recommendations and is associated with reduced risk of several chronic diseases.
Environment benefits:
- Pulse crops are important components of production systems that are resilient to climate change.
- Pulses are able to convert nitrogen in the atmosphere into compounds in the soil. This process is known as nitrogen fixation.
- Including pulses in intercropping farming systems and cultivating them as cover crops not only reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, but also helps reduce soil erosion, thus contributing to the creation of healthy soils.
- Healthy soils, are in turn, better able to retain moisture and facilitate the uptake of nutrients by plants.
- Pulses in general need lesser water compared to rice, wheat and sugarcane. This in turn helps in conserving the dwindling ground water resources and help the dry-land farming grow.
- The reduced need for synthetic fertilizers indirectly reduces the level of greenhouse gases released in the atmosphere.
- Pulses also promote higher rates of accumulation of soil carbon than cereals or grasses.
- Including pulses in intercropping farming systems and cultivating them as cover crops creates a more diverse environment at the field level.
- This, in turn, supports a broader range of insects and “wildlife” above ground and in the range of bacteria and fungi in the soil.
- The presence of this broader range of insects and microbial life provides for a more resilient “ecosystem” that helps keep harmful insects, diseases and pathogens in check, thus reducing the need (to) use pesticides.
- There are hundreds of different varieties of pulses and only a limited number of these are widely grown.
- It is from this diversity that climate-resilient varieties (which are adaptive) to changes in temperature and have the ability to grown in poor soils or under drought conditions can be derived.
- Since climate experts suggested that heat stress will be the biggest threat to bean production in the coming decades, the improved pulse varieties will be of critical importance, especially for low-input agricultural production systems.
Way forward:
- New research efforts should be initiated to achieve a breakthrough in the productivity.
- Innovative ideas need to be implemented instead of conducting routine research and material evaluation.
- Scientists to work for development of shorter duration, widely adaptable and biotic and abiotic stress resistant varieties to boost the production of pulses.
- Modernization of pulse breeding programme, supporting genetic gains through transgenic technology, enhancing biological nitrogen fixation through development of super nodulating plant types and breeding short duration varieties for achieving self-sufficiency in pulses.
- Extension workers and agriculture technology information centers should work more towards development and dissemination of newer technologies.
Conclusion
India need to produce 40-50 lakh tonnes of additional pulses for meeting the domestic requirement and this can be possible only if we develop high yielding short duration, drought and insect-pest resistance varieties of pulses. The important role that pulses can play in sustainable crop production systems, in particular through their contribution to improved soil fertility and to agro-biodiversity along with providing a balanced and healthy diet as evidenced by their use by the World Food Programme and other food aid initiatives makes it a naturally optimal choice.
General Studies – 4
Topic: strengthening of ethical and moral values in governance
Difficulty level: Moderate
Why the question:
The question is part of the static syllabus of General studies paper – 4 and part of ‘Abstract Thursdays’ in Mission-2022 Secure.
Key Demand of the question:
trace the link between non-partisanship in public administration and equality amongst citizens.
Directive:
Elaborate – Give a detailed account as to how and why it occurred, or what is the context. You must be defining key terms wherever appropriate and substantiate with relevant associated facts.
Structure of the answer:
Introduction:
Begin by highlighting the importance of neutrality and non-partisanship in public administration.
Body:
Begin by talking about values which are important to the level of justice and continuity in public administration with suitable examples.
Mention about how public servants must be accountable to the government for the effective delivery of its programs.
Then finally talk about responsiveness of the administration to the government of the day within the law and the how constitution is key to the effective implementation of government policies in an equitable manner.
Conclusion:
Complete the answer by suggesting ways for neutrality in public administration in an increasingly polarizing world.
Introduction
Non-partisanship is not being specifically owned or affiliated with any group, party or cause. Non-partisanship can be called as political neutrality. Non-partisanship implies that the administrator is to do his/her task without any fear of or favour to any political party.
Body:
A bureaucrat is needed to be politically neutral:
- Neutrality depicts that public officials are not slaves to either the politicians or any other authority other than the moral authority of the Constitution.
- It shows that the principle of neutrality implies a measure of independence both from the partisan interests of the government of the day and the exogenous agenda that prompts certain social groups to cow others down to humiliating vulnerability.
- Bureaucracy should be neutral in terms of ideology and politics. So that there will not be an affinity to a particular class or ideology.
- For a genuine public official, commitment to constitutional principles is not only a lifelong project but, more importantly, it can be carried out without any political or ideological mediation.
- If bureaucracy won’t be neutral then it cannot lend its whole-hearted support to the existing political system, and to the economic and political system if any radical changes are introduced.
- Without neutrality, there can be a close nexus between bureaucracy and large-scale enterprises which could further lead to crony capitalism.
- By and large, the spirit of neutrality imbedded by civil servants enables them to perform their duties in a detached and impartial manner.
Impartiality and Non-partisanship which determine the foundation of a non-partisan public service. These are:
- Recruitment, promotions or even terminations should be completely free of any kind of political influence and done purely on merit basis.
- All public officials should perform their duties in an impartial manner.
- Kenneth Kernaghan has put forth a model of political neutrality which suggests the following:
- Politics and policy are completely separate from administration. While politicians take policy decisions, it is the public officials which put them in execution.
- All public officials are recruited purely on merit basis and not depending on any political inclination or affiliation.
- Public officials do not engage in any partisan politics.
- Public officials do not express their personal views on government policies and administration.
- Public officials give correct and objective advice to their political masters.
- All policies are implemented with full zeal and enthusiasm keeping all personal biases at a side.
- The major advantage of this value is that it removes all scope of controversy that a public servant may encounter during his time of service. Neutral nature of work will keep issues away from public fanfare.
- Ex: If a public servant gives permission for holding rally to a particular political party and denies the same for another, it will create controversy. By maintaining neutrality this can be avoided.
- In multi religious and multicultural society such as India there are many issues that arise between two groups, which may result in tension. The public official must exercise his duty by maintaining distance from both the parties in order to maintain peace.
- Ex: Religious procession is one of the many events where different groups show their strength. During this time the public official must be ready to take rational decisions without favouring one party over the other.
- Government is ruling body that needs to maintain distance from getting involved too closely with public. If that barrier is broken, the value and dignity of the position will be compromised.
- Ex: Members of UPSC should keep distance from candidates who they know personally. If any links are established, then reputation of the body will be under threat.
Conclusion:
Impartiality and Non-partisanship both form essential foundational values for civil services. While impartiality ensures equality without any bias and prejudices in the general, non-partisanship ensures a neutral approach in politics and a solid commitment to the government
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