- How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of the Gupta numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times? (150 words)
- Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the spectre of a fragmented polity. (150 words)
- Why did the ‘Moderates’ failed to carry conviction with the nation about their proclaimed ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century? (150 words)
- What problems are germane to the decolonization process in the Malay Peninsula? (150 words)
- How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth? (150 words)
- “Inspite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development”. Discuss (150 words)
- Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulses because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by United Nations. (150 words)
- How does the cryosphere affect global climate? (150 words)
- In the context of the diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your view point. (150 words)
- What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes(STs)? (150 words)
- The spirit of tolerance and love is not only an interesting feature of Indian society from very early times, but it is also playing an important part at the present. Elaborate. (250 words)
- Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy. (250 words)
- Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian Independence since the twenties of the last century. (250 words)
- Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects. (250 words)
- Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications. (250 words)
- In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India? (250 words)
- What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the world population residing in Monsoon Asia? (250 words)
- The women’s questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What are the major issues and debates concerning women in that period? (250 words)
- Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words)
- “The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues of employment, but has also created new problems”. Substantiate this statement with examples (250 words)
General Observations:
order of topics NOT maintained
Variable Marking
10 marks - 150 words
15 words - 250 words
In fact, we just told our aspirants last night that we shouldn't be taken aback if variable marking scheme is adopted by UPSC
These are the few areas in which UPSC wants to outmaneuvre you
You have to be ready for the unexpected !
09 Qs from Geography - paper skewed towards Geog.
05 Modern India : expected
02 Post Independence : more or less expected
02 on Social issues : a bit ignored
01 from Culture : a tuf qs - but can be played with logic.
Culture may shoot up next year !
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Q1 - difficult - the examiner wants to derail you - do not get disturbed, use logic & obviously knowledge. However, if the qs seems unplayable, move on to the next & come back after you finish other qs.
HINTS for the answer:
a. The Gupta monarchs were famous for their gold coins. They also issued silver coins.
b. The gold coins of the Gupta rulers are the extraordinary examples of artistic excellence. The coins depicted the ruling monarch on the obverse and carried legends with the figure of a goddess on the reverse.
c. The artists depicted the ruler in various poses. The study of these imageries is very interesting. Mainly the images celebrated the martial qualities and the valor of the ruler. In many coins of Samudragupta, he is depicted as carrying an axe.
In others, he is carrying a bow in his left hand and an arrow in his right hand. The coins of Kumaragupta I (c. 415-450 CE) depicted him riding an elephant and killing a lion. Another very interesting image of Samudragupta depicted him as playing a ‘veena’, a stringed musical instrument.
d. However, even Rajput coinage were usually of gold, copper or billon, very rarely silver. These coins had the familiar goddess of wealth, Lakshmi on the obverse. In these coins, the Goddess was shown with four arms than the usual two arms of the Gupta coins; the reverse carried the Nagari legend. The seated bull and horseman were almost invariable devices on Rajput copper and bullion coins
e. The Sultanate coins were a reused version of Rajput coins - without any ingenuity.
f. Much later, Sher Shah and then Akbar tried to consolidate coinage in the form of currency.
It may be said that coinage by Sultanate or Mughals were more with a pragmatic approach for using as a currency. Moreover, heavy use of Gold coins during Gupta period indicate abundance of Gold.
Furthermore, workmanship in Gupta coinage shows the perspective of the Gupta rulers to promote art. Islam does not encourage depiction of human figures.
Coinage was one component which bolsters the historical notion that Gupta period was the Golden Age of Indian History.
Q2 - good one - discussed in our Classroom programme last cycle
Reasons for Fragmented Polity in mid-18th century:
a. Weak Mughal Centre - ineffectual emperor
b. Foreign invasions/depredations of Nadir Shah & Abdali
c. Rise of regional power centres : Awadh, Bengal, Hyderabad, Carnatic, Maratha consolidation
d. Mughal factional politics, Court intrigues
e. Penetration of Europeans & their involvement in internal affairs of Indian princes
Q3 - Straight forward - only the language of the qs is twisted
HINTS:
a. The pinnacle of glory of the Moderates was the Indian Council Act 1892 & Welby Commission formation in 1895. Thereafter, it reached saturation.
b. Their methodology of Prayer-Petition & Mild Protest was being questioned by new radical leadership of Aurobindo & Tilak
c. The Moderates garnered the authority to discuss & debate on bills in the legislature, but that was NOT enough.
d. Dialectically, every movement gradually emerges into a fork-shape with thesis & anti-thesis of ideas.
Moderates & their anti-thesis Extremists was in that sense a dialectical formation.
Radicalisation of any movement in the natural progression in revolutionary actions.
Q 4 - not expected qs - bit bizarre, there are so many areas in World history from where Qs cud have been asked !!!
HINTS:
a. Japanese invasion & Communist insurgency against the British in Malay peninsula were the peculiarities in its decolonisation
b. similar issues cropped up in Vietnam too. After Ho Chi Minh's guerrillas fought against the Japanese, along with the imperial forces, they had to fight the French in the famous battle of Dien Bien Phu to get formal independence
http://www.historytoday.com/
Q5 - Juno misison - bouncer !!!! unexpected, almost impossible to prepapre for such qs
Q6 - standard
Q7 - standard
Q8 - standard
Q9 - region vs provinces - requires application of mind
HINTS:
a. provinces/states were formed on the basis of language
b. regions provide a better cultural bond - transcends beyond language only
c. festivals, food, worldview, history, climate are the defining bonds for the different regions in India
d. East, North-East, Peninsular India, Western part, Central India, Northern India
e. the recently mooted policy of GoI to have All India Service cadres on the basis of region is a welcome step in that direction
Q10 - within syllabus
The Panchayat (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act 1996
&
Forest Rights Act 2006
Q11 - spirit of tolerance & love - not unexpected, syncretic culture has to be stressed upon
See our 16. “Our traditions have always celebrated the
‘argumentative’ Indian not the ‘intolerant’ Indian.” Critically evaluate.
See : 4. Account for the decline of urban handicraft under the British rule. [http://trademark-ias.
Q13 Objectives which got added to the Vision:
non-violence, satyagraha, anti-untouchability, values & morality:
basically Gandhian principles - Qs on Gandhi always expected
women emancipation, egalitarian society, secularism
Importance of the objectives: the formed the bedrock of socio-economic and political fabric of post-colonial India. Provided an ethical foreign policy. Projected India's image as the largest democracy in the comity of nations.
Helped to usher in a New India
Q14 - standard
Q15 - Petroleum
[http://trademark-ias.
See Qs 54 & 60 of
http://trademark-ias.blogspot.
Q18 - standard
19th c reform movs in colonial India - with focus on Women's movs - Sati, widow remarriage, women education - focus on reformers like Rammohun, Vidyasagar
Basically the debate was whether to keep women within the 4 walls or allow her to interact with the outside world?
A fight between Obscurantism+Tradition Vs modernity.
Q19 - communalism in independent India
Salafi ideology turning into Islamist communalismQ20 - Cities as IT hubs
See
38. Examine the trends of urbanisation in India in the 21st century.
http://trademark-ias.blogspot.
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