GS 3 : Question Bank for UPSC Mains 2017

60 Questions

1.       What do you know about the ‘Base movement’? How home-grown terror outfits is a challenge to India’s internal security?

2.       “Influx of Chinese Firecrackers has become a matter of concern for India” Critically discuss

3.       Considering the innovative modes of attacks unleashed by Islamist fundamentalists in Europe in the recent past, do you think India should also brace up for such attacks? What could be the pre-emptive measures?

4.       Currently, India is ranked 130th out of 190 economies, as per Doing Business Report, 2017. What has India done to improve upon its position?

5.       “The effects of globalization vary from country to country and from time to time. India’s economic liberalization has been calibrated and cautious especially insensitive sectors such as agriculture. The government constantly reviews its economic policies to ensure that the objective of inclusive growth is achieved. In multilateral forums, the effort is to achieve results which safeguard the interests of the poor.” Critically Discuss.

6.       In order to provide social security benefits to the workers in the unorganised sector including domestic workers, the Government has enacted the Unorganised Workers’ Social Security Act, 2008. Elaborate the provisions of this act.

7.        “Official data from the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) show that the murder rate in India has been steadily declining over the past two decades.” Analyse

8.       The digital payment revolution is the best disruption demonetisation has unleashed. Critcally examine

9.       India and Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, have decided to expand their defence and maritime security ties and resolved to deal with terrorism. Discuss the significance of this tie-up.

10.     “In November 2016, people in India woke up to the news about the largest data breach in the country. It involved data stolen from 3.2 million debit cards between 25 May and 10 July from a network of bank ATMs, managed by a Japanese payment services company. After demonetisation, the Government of India is pushing for digital transactions. As India goes digital, experts must recognise the huge threat to the internet from hackers.” Critically examine India’s preparedness in this regard

11.     “The National Policy on Software Products visualizes the country’s rise of India as a leading global player in creation, production and supply of innovative software” Discuss

12.     “Terrorist and Insurgent organization within India and outside employ children and women.” Critically analyse

13.    Discuss the growth of food processing industry in North-East India

14.     “According to a report on Global Wealth by Credit Suisse, the total quantum of wealth is rising in India but so is the disparity between those who have wealth and those deprived of it.” Examine

15.    A. “It is essential to break economic sources of Maoists”. Critically analyse

B. Are the Maoists spreading their wings in the

Western Ghats and Kerala?

16.    What are Angel Funds? Of late, what have been SEBI’s actions with regard to those funds?

17.    Islamic State is on the rise in Phillipines. It has already established itself in West Asia. In these circumstances, assess the threat scenario for India.

18.    India has been the top remittance-receiving country in 2016. What were the factors behind it?

19.    The state of Manipur, situated along the eastern frontier of the Indo-Myanmar border, has been the most disturbed state in the northeast region of India. Do you agree?

20.    Banks should give more loans to Self Help Groups (SHGs). Isn’t this a biased approach?

21.      “The Government of India has launched National Framework for Malaria Elimination 2016-2030 in February 2016 targeting elimination of malaria by 2030.” Enumerate the strategies in this regard. Do you believe the strategies could be effective?

22.     “Sex Ratio at Birth (SRB) continues to worsen in India, falling from 898 in 2013 to 887 in 2014, as per new data from Civil Registration System (CRS) released by the Office of the Registrar General of India” Elucidate the reasons.

23.      “Yoga has now become the icon of global health and many countries have started integrating it in their health care delivery system.” Discuss this statement in the light of AYUSH.

24.     “Arctic scientists have warned that the increasingly rapid melting of the ice cap risks triggering 19 “tipping points” in the region that could have catastrophic consequences around the globe”. Critically assess.

25.     What is Brown Carbon Aerosol? How does it cause warming of the atmosphere?
Why is protein important in diet? What have been DRDO’s efforts to innovate protein foods?

26.     "Cow urine is ingredient of several Ayurvedic formulations and also used as adjuvant with medicinal formulations and for pharmaceutical processing." Critically discuss

27.     According to an analysis of Himalayan glaciers and their possible future impact on livelihoods in States adjoining the region, potential hydro power projects in the Himalayan region would need to factor in chances of increased floods from the formation of new lakes and the expansion of existing ones due to melting glaciers. Elaborate.

28.     "Despite the link between the Zika virus infection and microcephaly being well established, the entire spectrum of challenges posed by the disease is not known." Comment.

29.     “The derailment of several trains causing death of people is a sad reality of strained infrastructure of Indian Railways which is crying for reforms.” In the light of this statement, critically assess the disaster management preparedness of Indian Railways.

30.   “For the first time, researchers have discovered hematopoietic stem cells in Drosophila (fruit flies), thus providing an invertebrate model to study hematopoietic stem cells.” Explain.

31.    What is Axion? Discuss in the backdrop of the concept of Dark Matter. Further, discuss India’s contribution in the CERN project.

32.   “Single clinics will be treated as corporates which means the cost of treatment will go up for patients. It defeats the whole purpose of subsidised treatment being provided by single clinics.” Critically evaluate this statement within the purview of The Clinical Establishments (Registration And Regulation) Act, 2010.

33.   Critically analyse the air pollution control measures taken by the government in recent past. Suggest necessary changes that need to be introduced in government’s policies for pollution control.

34.   What is a LASER? How Airborne Lasers help in archaeology? How are water-wave lasers created?

35.   “In their latest breakthrough, Central Institute of Brackish Water Aquaculture (CIBA) scientists have bred Etroplus canarensis, a breed of fish assessed by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as endangered because of its restricted distribution.” How has this been possible?

36.   What is Polar Sun Synchronous Orbit? What has been ISRO’s achievements in launching satellites in this regard?

37.   What is BCS theory? Can bismuth turn out to be an exception in the context of this theory?

What is antibiotic resistance? Discuss the issues related to antibiotic resistance.

38.   The practice of wrapping, covering or processing foods with newspaper and printed recycled paper materials in India is a contentious issue. Opine with illustrations, if any.

39.   There is estimated to be more than 100 million pieces of space junk in orbit, including discarded equipment from old satellites, tools and bits of rocket. In this context, discuss ways and means to clean space debris.

40.  Demonstrate, how climate change and sea level rise has contributed to the phenomenon of losing land, including mangrove forests in the Sundarbans?

20 more ....

Q1. Discuss the various ways in which Artificial Intelligence can be used in India.

Q2. What are nano-materials? How can they be used to combat climate change?

Q3. Has India done sufficient enough to counter desertification? Is Delhi under the sway of desertification?

Q4. There have been a lot of controversies with genetically modified crops in India. Bring out the issues and suggest possible solutions.

Q5. What have been the issues highlighted by the Comptroller & Auditor General [CAG] with respect to flood control in India? Do you think these issues could be taken care of?

Q6. “India has not grown up as far as managing earthquakes are concerned” Critically examine

Q7. According to you, what should be the better modes of counter-insurgency tactics to be used by the Indian government in Kashmir? Discuss. In this light, provide a critique to the tactics already in vogue.

Q8. Has the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 been successful in controlling terror in India? Evaluate the role of finance in encouraging terror networks.

Q9. The concept of AADHAAR has a close relationship with national security. Explain. Can you suggest any better method for identification of the citizens & safeguarding national security?

Q10. “Social Media has become a platform for igniting security conflagrations.” Discuss the issue and suggest remedies.

Q11. “At times, domestic problems in neighbouring countries turn out to be causes of internal security issues for India”. Demonstrate with instances.

Q12. How are hurricanes formed? How are they categorized? Give examples.

Q13. Is disinvestment and export-promotion the two tracks to modernize and develop India? Critically assess.

Q14. Niti Aayog recently released Ease of doing business report after surveying 3500 manufacturing firms across India. State the major points of the report. Suggest feasible solutions to the issues in hand.

Q15. “New analysis of recent data for 21 Indian cities suggests a strong correlation between the capacities–resource and people–of urban local bodies (ULBs) and their service delivery. ULBs could clearly raise more resources even allowing for constraints that straitjacket them. Technology, especially satellite imagery, can play an important role.” Critically discuss.

Q16. “Since about 1980, backed by policy reforms, India’s growth performance has been robust. Yet, there are serious challenges that might impede further rapid progress emanating in part from the fact that India started out as a poor democracy with deep social fissures.” What is your opinion? How does India compare with China in the context of economic development?

Q17. Present a pen picture of the impressive fiscal performance of the states after the introduction of Fiscal Responsibility Legislation (FRL).

Q18. Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh are close to ocean – which is a special advantage and thus they have grown faster and advanced more rapidly in economic terms. Do you agree?

Q19. How the Goods and Services Tax [GST] & Demonetisation revolutionized Indian economic scenario?

Q20. “India is one of the fast growing economies of the world. Associated with the rapid increase in incomes is rapid increase in the demand for energy.” Tell the tale for the quest of India’s energy security.