UPSC 2017 MAINS GS 1 Paper - Analysis

1.  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)
2. Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the spectre of a fragmented polity.  (150 words)
3. 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)
4. What problems are germane to the decolonization process in the Malay Peninsula?  (150 words)
5. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth?  (150 words)
6. “Inspite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development”. Discuss  (150 words)
7. 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)
8. How does the cryosphere affect global climate?  (150 words)
9. 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)
10. What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes(STs)?  (150 words)
11. 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)
12. Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy.  (250 words)
13. 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)
14. Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects.  (250 words)
15. Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications.  (250 words)
16. In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India?  (250 words)
17. 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)
18. 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)
19. Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India.  (250 words)
20. “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 World History - extension of Decolonisation - in fact an offbeat Qs : this section may go up in the coming years as 1 qs each has been asked from this section in the last 2 years
01 from Culture : a tuf qs - but can be played with logic. 

Culture may shoot up next year !

---------------------------------------

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/richard-cavendish/malayan-independence


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.

http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/09/gs-2-question-bank-for-upsc-mains-2017.html

Q12 - standard

See : 4.       Account for the decline of urban handicraft under the British rule. [http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/09/gs-1-question-bank-for-upsc-mains-2017.html]

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

See Q57 of http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/09/gs-1-question-bank-for-upsc-mains-2017.html

Q16 - Floods See : 40. “Among all the disasters that occur in India, floods are the most commonly occurring natural disasters due to the irregularities of the Indian monsoon. About 75% of the annual rainfall in India is concentrated in 3-4 months of the monsoon season. As a result there is very heavy discharge from rivers during the period causing widespread floods.” In light of this statement, discuss the ways and means of controlling floods in India.

[http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/09/gs-1-question-bank-for-upsc-mains-2017.html]Q17 - Monsoons

See Qs 54 & 60 of 
http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/09/gs-1-question-bank-for-upsc-mains-2017.html

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 21^st century.
http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/09/gs-1-question-bank-for-upsc-mains-2017.html

UPSC 2017 Essay Test - Analysis

UPSC MAINS 2017 has commenced today

Gung ho !!

It has been yet again proved that if 1 essay per week is practiced as per our directives & ATS is taken, then Essay paper is a cakewalk. 

------------

Pls find below Essay Qs paper

Now, pls see our projected essays: 

http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/08/24-probable-essays-for-upsc-mains-2017.html

http://trademark-ias.blogspot.in/2017/07/30-essays-for-practice.html

Section A : 

On farmers 

[16. Has India failed its farmers? of our ATS]

New Economic Ties on Fiscal Relations 

[1. Demonetisation, GST, Make-in-India : India has come a long way, 24 probable Essays, 

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

GS 3 : Question Bank for UPSC Mains 2017]

On NAM : Standard topic & related to Foreign Policy & history & discussed in classroom 

[Q17. Do you think that the Non-Aligned Movement [NAM] still holds relevance in a post Cold War era?  : 
of Class Test 15 OCT 2017 

9.       India' Foreign Policy post-1991, 

27.       SAARC & India

28.       Diplomacy in the modern world is a judicious mix of soft and hard power, and this holds all the more true in the context of India.  ::: 

from 30 Essays for practice]

Section B

Joy-gratitude

[not exactly ; but 15. "In spite of everything, I still believe people are really good at heart."

of 24 probable essays]

New Woman in India is Myth

[not exactly, but 

2. Triple Talaq and condition of Muslim women in India, 

23. Supreme Court says that “Indian Temples can’t ban women or restrict their entry”. And Malala Yousafzai says that “We cannot all succeed if half of us are held back”. of 24 probable essays]

Social Media

[1.       "Selfies & Social Media : Are we becoming self-obsessed?" of 30 essays for practice, 4. Social Media and Secular India of 24 probable essays]

GS 4 Ethics Questions for UPSC Mains 2017

SECTION—A 130 marks: Answer Qs A to M in about 200 words each. The questions carry equal marks

A.       Citing illustrations, explain the following aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service: dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weaker-sections.

B.       Is it correct to say that the bureaucracy is ailing? Is it that mostly due to corruption and lethargy the bureaucracy suffers?

C.       Suggest ways & means to improve Work culture & Quality of service delivery in Civil Service.

D.      What is the difference between ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Ethics’? Which one is more important on the Indian context?

E.       “Help others and give something back. I guarantee you will discover that while public service improves the lives and the world around you, its greatest reward is the enrichment and new meaning it will bring your own life” [Arnold Schwarzenegger] Do you agree?

F.        “I think there's no higher calling in terms of a career than public service, which is a chance to make a difference in people's lives and improve the world”. [Jack Lew] Explain with instances.

G.      Have controlling officers, over period of time been giving less attention to curb corruption among their subordinates? Would creation of institutions by itself eliminate corruption? Are external institutional mechanisms a substitute to internal vigilance? How to strengthen internal vigilance?

H.      Could the ‘sting operations’ be given a legal backing?

Should there be a system of evaluating and ranking offices based on corruption indices and then linking incentives to such evaluation.

I.         Does the Constitution and laws give undue protection to the civil servants? Is there a case to revisit Article 311?

J.        Can one individual put his own conscience or moral integrity/turpitude above law? Discuss in the context of Socrates’ philosophy.

K.       “Consequentialism is a theory of morality that derives duty or moral obligation from what is good or desirable as an end to be achieved”. Critically examine.

L.        Select and discuss the contributions of two moral thinkers and philosophers, one from India and one outside India.

M.     Assess the role educational institutions in inculcating values.

SECTION—A 120 marks

1A. “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi. Do you agree? In this context, can India be termed a great nation?
1B. “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.” 
― C.S. Lewis. Explain the statement. Cite illustrations.                                  [10x2=20]

2A. Do you think that Kantian ethics exists only in the realm of philosophy and imagination?
2B. What are the recommendations of the 2^nd Administrative Reforms Commission to protect the honest civil servant?                                                                                                         [10x2=20]

3A. Can India considered to be an ethical country in the comity of nations? Justify.
3B. Giving examples, discuss how law can act as deterrent to curb corruption in India? Is corruption limited to only public sector in India?                                                                             [10x2=20]

4A. Critically examine whether change in lifestyle of urban children and youth in India has given / is giving rise to a ‘different generation’ altogether?
4B. Why should a Civil Servant be impartial in his discharge of duties? Cite examples. How would you define ‘dedication’ to public service?                                                                         [10x2=20]

5A. Is there any utility of Emotional Intelligence? How does society help shape our attitudes to life?
5B. Can Yoga help alienate stress in daily life? Would you suggest any alternative to overcome stress and tension?                                                                                                         [10x2=20]

6A. “The transfer is the politicians’ basic weapon of control over the bureaucracy and thus the lever for surplus-extraction from the clients of the bureaucracy. With the transfer weapon not only can the politicians raise money by direct sale; they can also remove someone who is not being responsive enough to their monetary demands or to their request for favours to those from whom they get money and electoral support- in particular, the contractors.” Critically discuss.

6B. Carry out a comparative study of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam insofar as ethical conduct is concerned.                                

                                                                                                                     [10x2=20]

Modern Indian & World History : Question Bank for 2017

These are Questions on Modern India & World History 

Answer all questions. Marks are provided against each question. Qs No 2 to 11 carry 20 marks each.

1.       Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each:                            [10x5=50]

a.        “An important but tragic consequence of the forcible expansion of cultivation, the reclamation of grazing lands and wastelands, and the commercialization of agriculture was the increased incidence of famines, particularly in the 2^nd half of the 19^th century.”[Dube, p 111]

b.       “The first occasion for a nationalist upsurge in the 20^th century was provided by the high-handed policy of Viceroy Curzon and his decision to partition Bengal.” [Dube, p 221]

c.        “.........Gandhi’s success was due to the links he established and the support he commanded from vernacular leaders of regions that were not in the forefront of the nationalist struggle till then.” [Dube, p 282]

d.       “Political parties of distinct hues and colours participated in protests against the trials of the INA prisoners of war”[Dube, p 406]

e.        “Artillery remained the weak link in the Maratha army.....Besides, it lagged far behind in sophistication” [Dube, p 17]

2. Would you agree that post-independence, India dealt with the Princely States with a kid-glove strategy? Can you suggest any alternative model of integrating the recalcitrant Princely states?  

3. India faced a number of insurgencies, wars and internal political turmoil post-independence.  Bring out, according to your own assessment, three biggest challenges India faced after independence and thereafter discuss the issues in detail.                 

4. Critically evaluate, if 100% of the Indian Sepoys had revolted, then would the result of the revolt of 1857 been different?

5. The recent agitation in the University of Legon in Ghana against Gandhi and the controversial depiction of Gandhi by Jad Adams has essentially eroded him of the status of the Mahatma. What is your assessment?

6. “Suhrawardy, Bengal’s Prime Minister was the architect of the communal holocaust post Direct Action Day called by the Muslim League.” Comment.        

7. “Gandhian Satyagraha was merely a utopian exercise. In a span of over three decades, Gandhian political methods emasculated a large section of the populace.” Critically opine.

8. How could the Ghadar movement have been turned into a success? Should Lala Hardayal be held responsible for its apparent failure?

9. Did any ‘proletariat’ in the true sense of the term develop within Indian sub-continent post-1881? Posit instances. Was there any possibility of a proletariat-led revolution against the Imperial-bourgeoisie structure?

10. Demonstrate the difference between peasant-based anti-colonial movements of pre and post-1920. Provide special reference to Tebhaga and Telangana movements.

11. Wasn’t the tribal insurrections in colonised India only clamour of the autochthonous adivasis against external intervention, without any linkage to the notion of anti-Imperial political-nationalist struggle?

Answer all questions. Marks are provided against each question. Qs No 1 to 10 carry 20 marks each.

Q1. Citing dominant illustrations, demonstrate how reactionary regimes since 18^th century, have attempted to suppress popular resistance and coerce citizens into submission.

Q2. “The Civil War aided the Bolsheviks in cementing their hold over the people in Russia.” Critically analyse.

Q3. “In the 21st century, Africa is a comparatively peaceful continent than what it was in the post-decolonisation years.” Why do you think that was the case in Africa post-decolonisation?

Q4. “Colonialism and Imperialism prevailed over Southeast Asia from the 1500s to the mid-1940s. There were seven contending colonial powers in Southeast Asia” Discuss.

Q5. “ Though the inhabitants of Latin America had a number of grievances, yet revolution was brought about by the upper classes.” Was this peculiar, for instance, if compared with France or America?

Q6. How did Industrialisation take place in Germany? What was the role of Zollverein? Compare the German case with that of the Russian.

Q7. “The Third World was not an outcome of Cold War, but a result of economic hegemony”. Do you agree?

Q8. Elucidate the principle of collective defence, which is enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty of NATO.

Q9. “The European Union, a diplomatic marvel, continues to grapple with intermittent fissures arising out of economic contentious issues that pose a challenge to an effective integration of the Union.” Critically examine

Q10. France couldn’t, what Britain could – that is, avoid big revolutions. How and why?

Q11. Comment on the following in about 150-200 words in your own language   [10 marks each]

A.    “Gorbachev has been chosen by many historians as the perfect punchbag for justifying the collapse of Soviet Union”.

B.     “Students, peasants, and workers of Vienna stormed into the Diet demanding the dismissal of Metternich. There was civil war.”

C.     “Bismarck’s first campaign on behalf of imperial unity was launched against the Roman Catholic Church, called the ‘Kulturkampf’ “

D.    Zimbabwe took a long time than usual to break the fetters of colonialism

E.     “The rise of Socialism in Latin America in the 1960s had its roots in the Cuban Revolution”

Paper II FULL [Modern India + World History]                         [02 OCT 2017]

Max Marks: 250                                                                      Max Time: 180 mins

Question Nos. 1 & 5 are compulsory. Answer any three questions from the rest, taking at least one question from each section. Marks are detailed against each question.

Section A

1.       Critically examine the following statements in NOT more than 150 words each:   [10x5=50]

a.       “The policy of education that was followed post-1854 was ironically more influenced by the Macaulay Minute than the Wood’s Despatch”

b.       “After the First World War the Indian National Movement entered into a new phase. With the emergence of Gandhi, the element of mass mobilisation was introduced”

c.        “Against the background of Cripps Mission and the compulsive inclusion of India in the war the political scenario in India had worsened. As such if Congress was to keep its promises for an independent India , the time has come when Congress was to give a final blow to British paramount in India”

d.       “Next to Hyderabad, the most important power that emerged in South India was Mysore under Haidar Ali. The kingdom of Mysore had prescribed its precarious independence ever since the end of the Vijayanagar Empire”

e.       “Renunciation, meditation and devotion were the ways of salvation sought by Ramakrishna Paramhansa”

2A. “With the clouds of World War II looming large in the horizon, Nehru's skill in international relations would be tested once more. Nehru did not support Bose's policy of siding with the Axis forces, and intended to extend support to the Allies.” Critically discuss.

2B. “India is a puzzling and complex mix of tribal, feudal and industrial stages of social evolution.This is compounded to low literacy rate, strangle-hold of religion, superstitions, ignorance and poverty.” Do you agree in the context of India from 1947 to 1964?

2C. India and Pakistan have been in conflict ever since independence. The Indian subcontinent was partitioned 1947 and ever since there has been a conflict of interests. Explain.   [20+15+15=50]

3A. Bhagat Singh came from a family of patriots and freedom fighters. His uncle, Ajit Singh was a pioneer in opposing the Colonization Act 1905 and had to remain in exile till the country gained independence. His father also was an active participant in the struggle for the liberation of the country from the colonial rule. Do you think such family background helped Bhagat Singh to take up revolutionary activities?

3B. “British settlements in Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta became the nuclei of flourishing cities. Large numbers of Indian merchants and bankers were attracted to these cities. People attracted towards Madras, Bombay, and Calcutta partly due to the new commercial opportunities available in these cities and partly due to the unsettled condition and insecurity outside them, caused by the break-up of the Mughal Empire.” Give your opinion.

3C. Sketch the British Provincial administration post-1857 to 1885.   [15+15+20=50]

4A. The Morley-Minto Reforms Increased the number of elected members in the Imperial Legislative Council and the provincial councils. Discuss.

4B. Gandhiji took a very serious view of Chauri Chaura incident. It convinced him that the nationalist workers had not yet properly understood nor learnt the practice of non-violence without which, he was convinced, civil disobedience could not be a success. What is your opinion on Gandhiji’s methods, especially in the backdrop of this incident?

4C. The Cabinet Mission proposed a two-tiered federal plan, which was expected to maintain national unity while conceding the largest measure of regional autonomy. Do you think this was the best possible solution at that juncture? Did it work?         [10+20+20=50]

Section B

5. Critically examine the following statements in about 150 words each:   [10x5=50]

a.       “Edmund Burke was one of the first to suggest that the philosophers of the French Enlightenment were somehow responsible for the French Revolution, and his argument was taken up, and elaborated on, by many historians, including Tocqueville and Lord Acton. The philosophes undoubtedly provided the ideas. It may well be that the collapse of the old regime was the consequence of other factors.”

b.       “Great Britain was a veritable champion of liberalism. It was also the first country to destroy autocracy. However, democracy was built up, by reforms.”

c.        “As 'chancellor' of the new United Germany, Bismarck concentrated on building a powerful state with a unified national identity.”

d.       “When "power" replaced human muscles in driving machines, employers largely ceased to give their work out to men and women who bought or hired machines for use in their own homes. Instead, they gathered all the machines together in a single factory, or mill, where the "power" could be applied to all at once with the least trouble and expense.”

e.       “The Enlightenment was an intellectual movement. Enlightenment thinkers tried to apply reason and the scientific method to laws that shaped human actions.”

6A. What is totalitarianism? How did Stalin change Soviet society?
6B. How were developing nations affected by the Cold War? With special reference to Brazil, bring out what happened in Latin America post-WWII.

6C. By 1900, the Great Powers in Europe were beginning to divide themselves into two separate groups. A major cause of this had been the growth in power of Germany and its rivalry with other powers, particularly France. Discuss.               [15+15+20=50]

7A. “Russia was determined to help establish pro-Russian governments in the Balkans, pre-1914.” Critically evaluate.

7B. The groundwork for Italian unification was laid by a literary and political movement known as Risorgimento. Do you agree?

7C. Paint a picture of Africa post-decolonisation, till 1991.         [15+15+20=50]

8A. “Indian independence had an amazing demonstration effect. The attainment of independence in India triggered off a wave of same growths crossways Africa and Asia.” Demosntrate.

8B. Adolf Hitler‘s der totale krieg (Total War) had the objective of complete destruction of enemy‘s community through wholesale mobilization of the volk (general people). Explain by citing instances.

8C. “The Glorious Revolution, the American Revolution, and the French Revolution were rooted in ideals that challenged the political structure of the world.” Examine.    [20+15+15=50]