💥UPSC 2026, 2027 UAP Mentorship September Batch
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Archives: Questions

Q.2 What are the issues facing fiscal federalism in India? How do these issues affect the states’ role in addressing the socio-economic inequalities? (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comments- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/the-poor-state-of-indias-fiscal-federalism/article65690849.ece In the intro, mention the role of the Finance Commission in fiscal transfers in India. In the body mention the issues with the fiscal federalism such as politicisation of Finance Commission, loss of autonomy due to Centrally Sponsored Schemes, use of cess by central government proceeds of which are not shared with the… Continue reading Q.2 What are the issues facing fiscal federalism in India? How do these issues affect the states’ role in addressing the socio-economic inequalities? (10 Marks)

Q.3 What is gross domestic product (GDP) ? What are the implications of weakened correlation between GDP growth and formal sector jobs? (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/whose-gdp-is-it-anyway/article65685838.ece In the intro, mention the issue of obsession with GDP in the political as well as economic space. In the body mention the weakened employment intensity of GDP growth and its implications for economy and polity. In the next part, mention that the phenomenon is at the global level and not just India.… Continue reading Q.3 What is gross domestic product (GDP) ? What are the implications of weakened correlation between GDP growth and formal sector jobs? (10 Marks)

Q.2 How populist policies and freebies affect the interest of the country? What are the factors that need to be considered while formulating the policies for welfare? (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/pm-modis-remarks-on-revdi-culture-should-be-heeded-by-those-promising-imprudent-unsustainable-subsidies-8055674/ In the intro, mention the recent debate on the welfare policies and thin line between such policies and freebies. In the body mention the difference between freebies and the welfare policies. In the next part mention how freebies affect the state finances and divers resources away from where these are required. In… Continue reading Q.2 How populist policies and freebies affect the interest of the country? What are the factors that need to be considered while formulating the policies for welfare? (10 Marks)

Q.3 Why public investment is important for India’s economic growth? Analyse the change in investment distribution in the past decade in India. (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/weighing-in-on-indias-investment-led-revival/article65678946.ece In the intro, mention that India’s long term growth prospects are embedded in public capital expenditure programs. In the body mention that significant part in investment is in the form of public investment and as a result important driver of growth. In the next part mention that there is not significant change… Continue reading Q.3 Why public investment is important for India’s economic growth? Analyse the change in investment distribution in the past decade in India. (10 Marks)

Q.2 How China’s military modernisation, nuclear expansion and strategic assertiveness underscores the need for new debate about India’s nuclear weapons policies? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/its-time-india-and-japan-rethink-their-nuclear-policy-8051160/ In the body, mention the use of nuclear threat by Russia during the Ukraine crisis. In the body, mention factors that contributing to the need for rethink such as expansion and modernisation of nuclear arsenal by China, muscular approach to territorial dispute and reluctance of other countries in the Ukraine conflict due… Continue reading Q.2 How China’s military modernisation, nuclear expansion and strategic assertiveness underscores the need for new debate about India’s nuclear weapons policies? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

Q.3 What are the reasons for discrimination or bias in the AI? How agreement reached at the UNESCO on AI governance could help deal with the issues with AI? (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-new-global-standard-for-ai-ethics/article65548955.ece In the intro, briefly mention the increasing adoption of AI in various walks of life. In the body, mention the way AI is developed through feeding the data and how issues in the data could reflect in the decision-making of the AI. In the next part mention the UNESCO agreement on  Recommendation on… Continue reading Q.3 What are the reasons for discrimination or bias in the AI? How agreement reached at the UNESCO on AI governance could help deal with the issues with AI? (10 Marks)

Q.2 “The combined financial firepower, human capital, and technology prowess available between the two countries would place the world on a safer and more stable plane. The India-US partnership is, in that sense, not a nicety but a necessity for the new multipolar world order.” Comment. (15 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/the-key-to-us-india-partnership-defence-and-technology-cooperation-8049285/ In the intro, mention the emergence of China and India to make the global order multipolar. In the body mention that India and the US are the natural partners in countering the common threats, cooperation in various areas such as technology, defence, finance, trade etc. You can conclude by mentioning that demographic… Continue reading Q.2 “The combined financial firepower, human capital, and technology prowess available between the two countries would place the world on a safer and more stable plane. The India-US partnership is, in that sense, not a nicety but a necessity for the new multipolar world order.” Comment. (15 Marks)

Q.3 What are the issues with the use of monetary policy instruments to deal with the food-prices-driven inflation? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/the-cost-of-misrepresenting-inflation/article65661880.ece In the intro, mention the issue of rising inflation in the world. In the body, mention the case with India in which inflation is driven by rising food prices. In the next part, mention that the use of monetary policy for curbing the inflation driven by food prices harms the economy and… Continue reading Q.3 What are the issues with the use of monetary policy instruments to deal with the food-prices-driven inflation? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

Q.2 Technically, a subsidy is the unrecovered cost of any service (or good) provided by the government. What are the purposes served by the subsidies and what are the issues with it? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/pms-revdi-remark-we-need-to-disentangle-good-subsidies-from-bad-8043837/ In the intro, mention that there has been debate over the culture of political populism and freebies in India. In the body, mention that certain subsidies are desirable as they serve the purpose of benefiting society with positive externalities and the recipient of subsidies. In the issues mention fiscal stress induced by… Continue reading Q.2 Technically, a subsidy is the unrecovered cost of any service (or good) provided by the government. What are the purposes served by the subsidies and what are the issues with it? Suggest the way forward. (10 Marks)

Q.1 Though various women organisations have played a key role in promoting entrepreneurship among women, there continue to exist obstacles that impede women entrepreneurship. Discuss in the context of India. (10 Marks)

Mentor’s Comments- Briefly mention the current status of women entrepreneurship. Mention the role played by women organisations in promoting entrepreneurship among women. Substantiate the factors or reasons that hinder the women entrepreneurship in India. Discuss with examples, the role of women organisations in rural entrepreneurship. Conclude accordingly.

Q.4 An Indian company is active in the telecom sector and is the majority owner of a telecom company based in other geographies across the world. At one of its European headquarters, there emerged whistleblowing allegations that a local executive was bribing local government officials in order to obtain telecom cabling and construction contracts from the local government. The kickbacks were allegedly paid through a third-party consultant. More specifically, there were allegations that the executive, the third party, and a government official had some sort of business interest in common, possibly shareholdings in a limited company or the joint ownership of an undisclosed asset. The company is thought to be particularly close to the ruling dispensation in India and the news has now raised pressure to put its business operations in India under scanner as well. In this context, answer the following questions: (a) What are the ethical challenges in the given case? (b) Identify the different stakeholders and their interests. (c) As the CEO of the firm, how would you respond to the given situation? (20 Marks)

Mentor’s Comments- Start with a very brief summary of the case. Mention the stakeholders and list the ethical challenges involved. Evaluate your options and bring out the most appropriate response that you will opt for. Conclude accordingly.

Q.3 India is vulnerable to climate change-induced disasters. In context of this, suggest the approach India needs to adopt to deal with the challenges. (10 Marks)

Mentor’s comment- https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/indias-climate-imperative/article65654280.ece In the intro, mention the increasing frequencies of extreme weather events due to climate change in India such as heat waves and floods. In the body, mention the need to adopt a two part approach in the form of adaptation and mitigation measures. In the measures mention resilience in agriculture, dealing with… Continue reading Q.3 India is vulnerable to climate change-induced disasters. In context of this, suggest the approach India needs to adopt to deal with the challenges. (10 Marks)

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