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  • 17 Oct 2016 | GS4 | You are recently posted as district development officer for Shivamogga district, Karnataka. Shortly thereafter you found that there is considerable tension in the rural areas of your district on the issue of communalism.

    GS4 (Case study)

    You are recently posted as district development officer for Shivamogga district, Karnataka. Shortly thereafter you found that there is considerable tension in the rural areas of your district on the issue of communalism.

    Dalits and indigenous people (Scheduled Tribes or adivasis) face discrimination, exclusion, and acts of communal violence. Laws and policies adopted by the Indian government to provide a strong basis for protection are not being faithfully implemented by local authorities. On December 25, 1992 a group of 44 striking Dalit village labourers were murdered by a gang, allegedly sent by their landlords, as they were demanding higher wages.

    On 11 July 1997, a statue of B.R. Ambedkar in the Dalit colony of Sugur village was dishonoured by unknown individuals. An initially peaceful protest was fired on by the police, killing ten people. Commentators suggested that the arbitrarily violent response from the police had been the result of caste based prejudice, as the leader of the team stood accused in multiple cases involving caste-based discrimination.

    One day you are informed that an unpleasant incident has taken place. The members of the Karnataka Dalit Sangharsh Samiti (DSS) were protesting over refusal to allow a Dalit to be cremated on the land allotted by the district administration. In April, 2016 the district administration sanctioned 32 guntas of gomala land on the outskirts of Sugur village to develop a cremation ground. But those who were engaged in the cultivation of this land brought an injunction order against outsiders entering it. On Thursday, Ramaswamy (60), a Dalit resident of the village, died. When his body was taken for cremation, those cultivating the land refused to allow it. A verbal duel ensued between them and a few DSS members.

    Following this, the DSS members staged a protest.

    (a) What steps would you take to ensure safety of the Dalit community without disrupting their daily life?

    (b) How would you manage and mould discriminatory attitude of the villagers to ensure harmony?

    GS4 question powered by mitrasias.com

    Best answer

    Amruta Joshi wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    The case study mentioned above shows the prevalence of caste based discrimination still present in the Indian society. The situation mentioned shows the vulnerability of the dalit community towards the other elements and the discrimination they have been facing since years.

    Thus, the first need is to ensure the safety of vulnerable community and the following steps would be taken:
    1. As the case mentions about the police being insensitive to the community, there is a need to sensitize them towards the plight of dalit and reminding them of their duty to serve each and every section equally. Providing police protection to them would be the next step.
    2. Setting up of a cell to monitor the activities of other community members and a greivance redressal to solve the problems faced by the dalits would ensure in preventing conflicts and monitor their safety.
    3. Rigorous implementation of SC and ST prevention of atrocities act would be looked upon.

    Though the above steps would ensure for dalit safety but the real change has to come from the villagers who still believe in this discrimination.
    1. Roping in NGO’s and sensitizing the villagers through plays,acts about the plight of dalits.
    2. Making them realize that they too form a part of society and enjoy equal rights as everybody.

    Caste based discrimation ,today still grapples the society and the need is to change this attitude and has to largely come from the society. As , a development officer the need is to even see the social development of the society ,which is the core to ensure harmony among communities.

  • 17 Oct 2016 | GS3 | India’s cash to GDP ratio is one of the highest in world and India lags far behind when it comes to the number of cashless transactions. What are the challenges India faces in moving towards a cashless economy?

    GS3 (Science and Technology)

    India’s cash to GDP ratio is one of the highest in world and India lags far behind when it comes to the number of cashless transactions. What are the challenges India faces in moving towards a cashless economy?

    Best answer

    Aman Chauhan wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    From Belgium (93%) ,US ( more than 80% ) to U.K. and even economies like china increasingly adopting non cash transactions in stark contrast to our nation where less than 5% transactions are cashless .
    A cashless economy has following advantages –
    1.curbing black money – It becomes easier to check on tax evasion / corruption and keeps a check on parallel economy
    2.security to wealth of individual
    3.saving expenditure in manufacturing and transporting currency notes
    4.plugging leakages in govt disbursal and promoting inclusion
    5. Increases direct tax collection thereby more money with the govt for spending on welfare schemes and health and education sector
    But on average each Indian does about 6 non cash transactions annually due to certain challenges like –
    1.Cash transactions are quick and hassle free unlike card payments
    2.very few merchants have POS machines (1.2 million against 30 million merchants ) and is indeed true for small merchants in our neighbourhood
    3.Pos machines are costly and a percentage of sale goes as merchant discount rate to banking firms making small transactions via card non appealing to such merchants
    4.various e-wallets provide transactions only on certain services like ola wallet for rides , phone pe wallet for shopping on certain sites ,etc .
    5.inspite of financial inclusion schemes like Jan Dhan, penetration of bank branches in rural areas has been low and most of functional debit cards are accounted for in urban areas .
    Way forward –
    1. Incentivise cashless transactions by offering small income tax rebate
    2. Provide cheap PoS machines to small merchants specially in rural areas
    3. Decrease the transaction fees on such payments
    4. Unified payment interface integrated with Aadhar and a smartphone with risks scanner can be promoted as PoS machines
    5. Increase bank branches in rural areas to further inclusion
    6. Adopting an integrated universal wallet which can be used from shopping to taxi rides to recharges to pretty much anything
    7. Increase familiarity and awareness with digital payment systems
    India has a lot to gain if our economy becomes cashless . But, a gradual implementation of UPI with timely removal of digital bottlenecks is need of the hour .

  • 17 Oct 2016 | GS2 | The recent amendments to the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014 offers steps to end discrimination and ensure equality for the affected people. Discuss.

    GS2 (Polity and Governance)

    The recent amendments to the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Bill, 2014 offers steps to end discrimination and ensure equality for the affected people. Discuss.

    Best answer

    Nitish Singh wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    India is home to the world’s third-largest population suffering from HIV/AIDS. With over 2 million people, there is a lot of stereotyping and social stigma attached to these patients. The following are the problems faced :

    a) Social : Stereotype in the mind of the people who consider HIV positives as “against” the culture of this country. Also the misconception that it spreads by touching and eating together also prevails in many parts.
    b) Economic : Very difficult for them to get job, insurance cover or any monetary assistance.
    c) Political : Don’t have the confidence to fight elections as people wouldn’t even consider the patient as a competent candidate.

    The Bill seeks to remove this stigma attached to the patients “legally”, also making it obligatory to provide health insurance to such patients, which if denied, would be punishable by law.

    Amendments proposed :
    a) Prohibits all kinds of discrimination against an HIV infected person.
    b) Makes the consent of the person compulsory for any kind of HIV tests, medical treatment and research.
    c)Safeguards employment, educational services, public facilities, property rights, holding public office, and insurance for people living with HIV.

    The amendments are major steps in eradicating inequality with the infected persons. Now no insurance company can deny insurance citing HIV as a reason. Also, recruiters cannot cite the infection of the person as a reason for denying him the job. Although all these moves cannot guarantee complete eradication, but the legislative framework making it a legally punishable offence would at least instill a fear in the minds of such persons.
    Again, discrimination against a person is against Article 14 of the Indian constitution, and eradication of HIV infected persons one of the SDG’s. Eradication can happen only when the stereotyping is removed. This bill is a step in this direction.

  • 17 Oct 2016 | GS1 | While India dreams of campaigns like Digital India on one hand, the data released by Global Hunger Index India’ s findings reflect a cause for serious concern. Discuss the findings of the report and analyse the causes. On which issues does India need to focus in such a situation?

    GS1 (Poverty and developmental issues)

    While India dreams of campaigns like Digital India on one hand, the data released by Global Hunger Index India’ s findings reflect a cause for serious concern. Discuss the findings of the report and analyse the causes. On which issues does India need to focus in such a situation?

    Best answer

    Nitish Singh wrote the best answer for this question and got a score of 4.5/10 (if the best answer is an image, it cannot be uploaded here, hence scroll down to see those). The answer is being reproduced below for everyone’s convenience. Of course these answers can always be improved. (Best answer  of a particular only involves those given on that day, later answers may not have been checked)

    The new Global Hunger Report released by IFPRI showed that India suffers from the menace of acute hunger with about 15% and 39% of the population being “under-nourished” and “under-5-stunted” respectively. Except for Pakistan, India scores severely bad among its neighbors, with a global ranking of 97 among 118 developing nations.

    The following can be regarded as the causes for this hunger :
    a) Social : Low status of women in the house. Because of this many women are denied education, and hence don’t have the awareness level to give proper nourishment to her child, who goes on to become undernourished.
    b) Economic : Low purchasing power of the house, no family planning and sole earning members on which the whole family depends. Hence low amount of food left for individual’s consumption. Stunted growth among children as family cannot afford nutritious supplements.
    c) Political : Lack of political will. Politicians awaken only during elections, many states still don’t consider implementing National Food security act.
    d) Prevailing corruption : In PDS, leakages, ghost beneficiaries and channeling of benefits to wrong routes.
    e)Institutional : Problems in bufferstocks, grains rot while people die.
    f)Cultural : Muslim Communities -> No to Immunization (with certain beliefs) > Immunization is a part of Holistic Development of Children > Malnourished.

    Approach to be adopted :
    a) Empowering women, educating them,providing them jobs, increasing family income hence.
    b) Better implementation of schemes like NFSM, increasing efficiency of PDS.
    c) Bio-fortification of food to make them nutritious rich (Vitamin A rich Rice, Zinc rich Bajra, Iron rich Ragi which serve the nutrition needs of the women and children)
    d) Including nutritious food like egg, apple a day under Mid Day meals.

    Way forward : Keeping Sustainable Development Goal of eradication acute hunger and keeping in mind the need for an able manforce in the coming times, time is ripe to make sure children of today become capable enough to be the future of tomorrow.

  • 16 Oct 2016 | Target Mains: Weekly Essay Challenge

    25 Years since 1991 Economic Reforms: How has India changed and where is India heading?

    (Its relevance – 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of economic liberalization in India)

    Instructions: Write the following essay in 1000-1200 words.

    (This essay topic was suggested by @pablo-escobar, those interested can give suggestions here – https://www.civilsdaily.com/imp-essay-challenge-inviting-ideas/)

  • 15 Oct 2016 | Target Mains: GS Questions & DNA Framework

    GS1 (Modern History)

    The conditionality’s imposed by Lucknow Pact proved harmful to Hindu Muslim unity in coming years of India’s Freedom Struggle. Critically discuss.

    Demand – Discuss features and background of Lucknow pact and the conditionality’s which were imposed by the Pact. Since the questions says critically discuss you have to write both the viewpoints i.e. How Lucknow pact strengthened Hindu-Muslim Unity in immediate years and how it proved to be harmful to Hindu-Muslim unity in long run.

    Approach –

    -Key features background of Lucknow Pact and the conditionality’s imposed. (3 Marks)

    -Positives and significance of Lucknow Pact. (3 Marks)

    -How it was Harmful to Hindu-Muslim unity in long run. (3.5 Marks)

    GS2 (International Relations)

    BIMSTEC offers India a way out to move forward with our eastern neighbours. Comment in the light of Pakistan’s veto on SAARC agreements in recent years.

    Demand – Discuss how SAARC has been paralysed by Pakistan in recent years. Discuss key objectives of the BIMSTEC and how BIMSTEC can help India in strengthening relations with our eastern neighbours. What should be done by India to Promote BIMSTEC?

    Approach –

    -How has SARRC has been paralysed by Pakistan in recent years. (3 Marks)

    -How can BIMSTEC help India in strengthening relations? (4 Marks)

    -What should be done by India to Promote BIMSTEC? (3 marks)

    GS3 (Disaster Management)

    What do you understand by heat waves? What factors are responsible for the increasing heat waves phenomenon in recent times in India? What are the possible health hazards of the heat waves? What  needs to be done to reduce this phenomenon?

    Demand – Discuss the phenomenon of heat waves. Why it has become more prominent in recent years? Its possible effect on health and what needs to be done to reduce both the phenomenon of heat waves and causalities associated with it.

    Approach –

    –Definition of heat waves. (2 Marks)

    –Factors responsible for increasing heat waves. (2.5 Marks)

    –Possible health hazards. (2.5 Marks)

    –Steps needed. (2 Marks)

    GS4 (Quality of service)

    What are citizen charters and how do they help to achieve citizen centric governance? Also discuss problems in implementation.

    Demand – Discuss citizen charters and their implementation issues.

    Approach –

    –What are citizen charters? (3 mark)

    –How do they bring about citizen centric governance? (3 mark)

    –Problems in implementation. (3 mark)

    –Way forward. (1 mark)

  • 15 Oct 2016 | GS4 | What are citizen charters and how do they help to achieve citizen centric governance? Also discuss problems in implementation.

    GS4 (Quality of service)

    What are citizen charters and how do they help to achieve citizen centric governance? Also discuss problems in implementation.

  • 15 Oct 2016 | GS3 | What do you understand by heat waves? What factors are responsible for the increasing heat waves phenomenon in recent times in India? What are the possible health hazards of the heat waves? What needs to be done to reduce this phenomenon?

    GS3 (Disaster Management)

    What do you understand by heat waves? What factors are responsible for the increasing heat waves phenomenon in recent times in India? What are the possible health hazards of the heat waves? What  needs to be done to reduce this phenomenon?

  • 15 Oct 2016 | GS2 | BIMSTEC offers India a way out to move forward with our eastern neighbours. Comment in the light of Pakistan’s veto on SAARC agreements in recent years.

    GS2 (International Relations)

    BIMSTEC offers India a way out to move forward with our eastern neighbours. Comment in the light of Pakistan’s veto on SAARC agreements in recent years.

  • 15 Oct 2016 | GS1 | The conditionality’s imposed by Lucknow Pact proved harmful to Hindu Muslim unity in coming years of India’s Freedom Struggle. Critically discuss.

    GS1 (Modern History)

    The conditionality’s imposed by Lucknow Pact proved harmful to Hindu Muslim unity in coming years of India’s Freedom Struggle. Critically discuss.