Mentor’s comment: The question is straightforward and asks about the difference in the impact of ocean currents and water masses on marine life and coastal environment. In the intro, briefly describe the ocean currents and water masses. In the body, described in the first part the impact of ocean currents on marine life and coastal… Continue reading How do ocean currents and water masses differ in their impacts on marine life and the coastal environment? Give suitable examples. (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment: The subject matter of the case study is the sexual harassment of women in the workplace. Here you need to identify the ethical issues involved and options available for the victim to get justice and how to prevent them in the future.  Ethical dilemmas- Self-interests vs. Social interests Mean vs. Ends Write down… Continue reading An apparel manufacturing company having a large number of women employees was losing sales due to various factors. The company hired a reputed marketing executive, who increased the volume of sales within a short span of time. However, some unconfirmed reports came up regarding his indulgence in sexual harassment at the workplace. After some time a woman employee launched a formal complaint to the management against the marketing executive about sexually harassing her. Faced with the companies’ indifference, in not taking cognizance of her grievances, she lodged an FIR with the police. Realizing the sensitivity and gravity of the situation, the company called the women employee to negotiate. In that, she was offered a hefty sum of money to withdraw the complaint and the FIR and also give in writing that the marketing executive is not involved in the case. Identify the ethical issues involved in this case. What options are available to the women employee? (20 marks)

Mentor’s comment In the intro, mention what is biotechnology. In the body, mention the areas in which biotechnology is helping the farmers. For example, GM Crops, Organic farming techniques, Innovation in the field of agriculture Molecular farming, etc.  Also, mention that with scientific understanding, farmers are becoming better in terms of awareness and technical understanding.… Continue reading How can biotechnology improve the living standards of farmers? (15 Marks)

Mentor’s Comment: The question is an analytical one. The demand of the question is to explain how in the era of the neo-liberal paradigm, multi-level planning has brought inefficiency in governance.  In the introduction mention the change in developmental planning in the context of the neoliberal era.  In the body, explain what is multi-level planning,… Continue reading ‘In the context of the neo-liberal paradigm of developmental planning, multi-level planning is expected to make operations cost-effective and remove many implementation blockages’- Discuss (15 marks)

Mentor’s comment: The question is straight forward. And asks about the importance of urban mass transportIn the intro, briefly state about the rising problem of traffic congestions in the urban areas. In the body, the focus should be on the connection between the mass transport system and how it is connected with economic growth. Benefits… Continue reading How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development of India? (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment  This case study deals with the day to day functioning of the civil servant that involves decision making on several issues. This case study highlights the risks involved in such decision making.  Values and dilemmas include-honesty, integrity, accountability and decision making.  In the answer explain how the trend of holding civil servants accountable… Continue reading Honesty and uprightness are the hallmarks of civil servants. Civil servants possessing these qualities are considered as a backbone of any strong organizations. In the line of duty, they take various decisions, at the time some become bonafide mistakes. As long as such decisions, are not taken intentionally and do not benefit personally, the officer cannot be said to be guilty. Though such decisions may, at times, lead to unforeseen adverse consequences in the long term. In the recent past, a few instances have surfaced wherein civil servants have been implicated for bonafide mistakes. They have often been prosecuted and even imprisoned. These instances have greatly rattled the moral fibre of the civil servants. How does this trend affect the functioning of civil services? What measures can be taken to ensure that honest civil servants are not implicated for bonafide mistakes on their part? Justify your answer. (20 marks)

Mentor’s comment It’s a straightforward question. In the intro, state what you understand by traditional knowledge of medicine. In the main body of the answer, describe the steps taken by the government in this direction like Traditional Knowledge Digital Library-India and the formation of the Ministry of Ayush and their role in the protection of… Continue reading How is the government of India protecting traditional knowledge of medicine from patenting by pharmaceutical companies? (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment: The question is an analytical one. It demands whether the qualities expected from a lawmaker as a representative of the people are on the decline or not. In the intro briefly state how democracy is about the representation of the people. In the body, explain how factors like the rise of personality cults… Continue reading Individual parliamentarian’s role as the national lawmaker is on a decline, which in turn, has adversely impacted the quality of debates and their outcome. Discuss. (15 marks)

Mentors Comments:  In the intro briefly describe what you understand by the mountain ecosystem and how India is endowed with it across the country from the Himalayas to the Western Ghats in the south.  In the body, suggest various measures to restore and safeguard this fragile ecosystem. The various suggestions could include- declaring the region… Continue reading How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism? (15 Marks)

Answer: Here, the anger of people is misplaced due to the popular perception of government servants. Once people witness self-abnegation, dedication, and courage in the rescue work they will start cooperating. My response to such a situation The safety of the public, as well as the official, is the first priority. Considering the injury of… Continue reading You are heading the rescue operations in an area affected by severe natural calamity, thousands of people are rendered homeless and deprived of food, drinking water and other basic amenities. Rescue work has been disrupted by heavy rainfall and damaged to supply routes. The local people are seeding with anger against the delayed limited rescue operations. When your team reaches the affected area, the people there heckle and even assault some of the team members. One of your team members is even severely injured. Faced with this crisis some team member pleads with you to call off the operations freeing threats to their life. In such trying circumstances, what will be your response? Examine the qualities of a public servant which will be required to manage the situations. (20 marks)

Mentor’s comment It’s a direct question asking about the policy measures undertaken by the government to meet the challenge of the food processing sector. In the intro, briefly explain what the food processing sector is. In the body, explain the challenges like-raw material availability, transportation issues, storage issues, etc. In the next part explain the… Continue reading Elaborate on the policy taken by the government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector. (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment: The question is a direct one. It requires to role and duties of the Attorney-General of India. In Intro mention Article 76 of the Constitution which provides for the appointment of the Attorney-General. In the body, elaborate on the appointment and the terms of office. Next, explain the roles and functions performed by… Continue reading “The Attorney-General is the chief legal adviser and lawyer of the Government of India.” Discuss (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment:  The question is straight forward.  In the intro, define what you understand by water stress.  In the body explain how water stress in India experience regional variation with some area experiencing more stress than the other like Vidarbha, Shimla, and Chennai with each experiencing the water stress. Also explain the reasons for the… Continue reading What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India? (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- This quote connects the purity or righteousness in one’s heart with world peace.  Write how each part of the sentence matters and ultimately leads to world peace. First, righteousness in one’s heart contributes to building one’s character and ultimately it adds to the beauty in one’s character. One’s character matters for the harmony… Continue reading “Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world.” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. What does this quotation mean to you? (10 marks)

Mentor’s comment In the intro, mention the importance of PDS for the country. In the body, significant steps taken by the government to stop the leakage and increase the efficiency can be mentioned-Automation of Fair Price Shop, direct benefit transfer, use of Aadhaar seeding, deletion of duplicate entries, etc.  Conclude stating the need to reform… Continue reading What are the reformative steps taken by the government to make food grain distribution system more effective? (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment In the intro, mention the significance of local self-government (Democratic decentralization, transparency & accountability).  In the first part of the body, elaborate on the significance and the positive impact of reservation of seats for women in these institutions like their increased political participation, empowerment, providing a political voice to their concerns, increase in… Continue reading “The reservation of seats for women in the institution of local self-government has had a limited impact on the patriarchal character of the Indian political process”. Comment. (15 marks)

Mentor’s comment In the intro, briefly state how both the events were the watershed events in the history of the world so much so that their impact is difficult to miss even today. In the first part of the body elaborate on the influence of each of the events. In the case of the American… Continue reading Explain how the foundations of the modern world were laid by the American and French Revolutions. (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment The quote underscores the importance of thoughts in the shaping of personality. Elaborate on the role played by our thinking in guiding our lives. What we chose to do is guided and circumscribed by the way we think and make a decision in life. Thoughts can be constructive or destructive, positive or negative,… Continue reading “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes.” – M.K.Gandhi. What does this quotation mean to you? (10 marks)

Mentor’s comment The question is analytical in nature. In the intro, state the changes that were made in the economy i.e. change in the government’s role from driving force of the growth to the facilitator of the growth. In the body, elaborate the three pillars of Public Expenditure Management – Aggregate fiscal discipline (Fiscal deficit,… Continue reading The public expenditure management is a challenge to the government of India in the context of budget-making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it. (15 Marks)

Mentor’s Comment: The question is an analytical one and demands the proper understanding of the evolutionary process of the basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution. In the intro, briefly state what the basic structure doctrine of the Indian Constitution is. In the body, elaborate how plain reading of article 368 seems to place no… Continue reading “Parliament’s power to amend the constitution is limited power and it cannot be enlarged into absolute power”. In light of this statement explain whether parliament under article 368 of the constitution can destroy the Basic Structure of the Constitution by expanding its amending power? (15 marks)