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GS-IV: Ethics and Human Interface

₹300.00

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    This is a dynamic E-Book comprising the below UPSC Mains Model Questions as well as their answers written by GKToday team. The PDF E-Book can be instantly downloaded after payment. No Hadcopy is provided.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. What in your opinion is the significance of the discovery of remnants of Ice-age seawater?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  2. What do you understand by the "Smoke Detector Principle" in psychology?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  3. Bring out the relationship between the shrinking Himalayan glaciers and the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  4. Starting from inventing the 'basic structure' doctrine, the judiciary has played a highly proactive role in ensuring that India develops into a thriving democracy. In light of the statement, evaluate the role played by judicial activism in achieving the ideals of democracy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  5. Though the federal principle is dominant in our Constitution and that principle is one of its basic features, but it is equally true that federalism under the Indian Constitution leans in favour of a strong Centre, a feature that militates against the concept of strong federalism. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  6. An athlete participates in Olympics for personal triumph and nation's glory; victors are showered with cash incentives by various agencies, on their return. Discuss the merit of state sponsored talent hunt and its cultivation as against the rationale of a reward mechanism as encouragement.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  7. Do government's schemes for up-lifting vulnerable and backward communities by protecting required social resources for them, lead to their exclusion in establishing businesses in urban economics?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  8. While we flaunt India’s demographic dividend, we ignore the dropping rates of employability. What are we missing while doing so? Where will the jobs that India desperately needs come from? Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  9. How the Global Competitiveness Index decides the competitiveness of a developing country like India? Examine in the light of the current index and paradigms in Indian Economy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  10. Throw light on the functions and importance of food processing while differentiating the primary, secondary and tertiary processing.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  11. Examine the role played by CFTRI and FSSAI in Food Security and Food Safety in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  12. Discuss the Industrial Policy in India immediately before independence. What role was played by ideals of Indian constitution in framing the Industrial Policy of the newly independent nation? Examine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  13. Critically examine various constraints in use of rooftop PVs in India in the light of recently scaled up targets of Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  14. India needs an Integrated Energy Policy to provide clean, safe and convenient form of energy to all sectors in an economically viable manner. Discuss Critically.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  15. Discuss the salient features of the Sagarmala Project.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  16. What do you understand by the Guarantee System in Indian Railways? Discuss its role in the initial years of Indian Railways.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  17. Critically examine the reasons that led to deterioration of the financial health of the Railways, while suggesting a solution framework for the same.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  18. Apart from being a commercial organization; Indian Railways is required to engage in so called Social Service Obligations. What are they and what is their importance to India? Examine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  19. Critically examine the bottlenecks in achieving rapid economic growth in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  20. Discuss the role of capital formation in India's economic development. Would you agree with this view that domestic saving constitute enough potential for development?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  21. “Economists in India have put forward the reasons for and against the question of whether India is over-populated.” Discuss presenting your view.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  22. What do you understand by Primary, Secondary and Chronic Hazards? Examine the link between human activities and hazards.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  23. Bishnupur Temple Town
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  24. While elaborating the legal framework towards preventing improper use, insult, or disrespect to the national insignia, critically evaluate the effectiveness of these laws.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  25. “One of the main reasons for the 2008 US subprime crisis was opaque functioning of the financial system that breeds malpractices.” Do you think that RBI’s actions and decisions should be brought completely under RTI in this context? Argue.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  26. Write a short note on the Rasarnava and Dakarnava tradition of ancient India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  27. How does Mandu showcase the fact that humans adapt to their environment?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  28. What can be the possible implications of putting water in Union List instead of its current position in State List and contrary to demand to put it in Concurrent List? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  29. What Institutional / Administrative changes would you suggest to balance the regional distribution of Medical Education in India? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  30. Paris Agreement is toothless and has no mechanisms to enforce actions, and therefore will have little impact. Discuss critically.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  31. Explain how the uprising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  32. Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  33. The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western -educated Africans. Examine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  34. Why are the tribals in India referred to as 'the Scheduled Tribes'? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  35. Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  36. "The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides."Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  37. The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  38. Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  39. Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  40. Major cities of India are becoming vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  41. Discuss the essentials of the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act and anomalies, if any, that have led to recent reported conflicts between the elected representatives and institution of the Lieutenant Governor in the administration of Delhi. Do you think this will give rise to a new trend in functioning of the Indian federal politics?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  42. Give a brief account of the area distribution of mangroves in India. Discuss the Importance of mangrove conservation and its benefits.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  43. Critically examine if NITI Aayog has been able to bring seminal change in developmental policy making and establishing the bottom-up setup as opposed to the top-down approach that Planning Commission was in famous for.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  44. The Vijayanagar empire is credited for promoting art, culture, architecture, scientific innovations and their legacy has been said to be preserved and revered till date. List the important rulers of the Vijayanagar Kingdom with their achievements. Also briefly explain the contribution of Vijayanagar Era to Indian Society ?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  45. With suitable examples, explain the meaning of "ethics of duty". How it is different from "ethics of responsibility"?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  46. What do you understand by moral vulnerabilities? Bring out the two moral vulnerabilities recognized by you in yourself. How do you think that you can overcome these moral vulnerabilities?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  47. More and more recruiters are using Social media screening of the candidates during the recruitment process. In your view, is it ethical to watch the social media activity of aspirants while they apply for a job? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  48. What are the various commodities in India for which government maintains buffer stocks? Elucidate while analyzing the pros and cons for a cotton buffer stock in the country.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  49. Breakdown of one-party dominance in 1967 resulted in a profound alteration of the political setting of Indian federalism. Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  50. In your view, what can be implications of making governor devoid of his power to reserve bills for presidential assent? Critically discuss while keeping in focus article 200 of the constitution.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  51. Trace the steps by which Cambodia became a victim of the Cold War in the period 1967 to 1991?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  52. Explain why and how Laos came under communist rule in the period 1954 to 1975. How successful had the government been in rebuilding Laos by the end of the twentieth century?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  53. Explain why Malcolm X left the Nation of Islam.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  54. How far would you agree with the view that Johnson's administration was largely a failure because of US involvement in the Vietnam War?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  55. Explain why there was such a powerful anti-communist movement in the USA in the years following the Second World War. How important was Senator Joseph McCarthy's role in the movement
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  56. The growth of radicalism among African Americans was important in helping them to gain their civil rights during the 1960s. Explain whether you agree or disagree with this view.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  57. Explain why the "March on Washington"took place in 1963.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  58. The use of non-violence was the most important reason for African Americans gaining improved civil rights in the years 1960-8. How far would you agree with this statement?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  59. Critics have sometimes described the presidencies of Jimmy Carter (1977-81) and George Bush (1989- 93) as completely ineffective. Explain whether you think this is a fair criticism.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  60. In what ways can the Clinton administration (1993- 2001) be judged a success? Explain why in spite of his successes, Clinton was impeached towards the end of his presidency.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  61. Explain what was meant by 'Reaganomics', the term used to describe President Reagan's economic policies. How successful were these policies.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  62. The presidency of George W. Bush has been described as one long disaster. How far do you think this verdict is justified?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  63. Assess the reasons why the policies of Deng Xiaoping led to a period of crisis in 1987-89. How successfully did Deng deal with the crisis?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  64. What are the key disruptive trends of the so called Industry 4.0 (Fourth Industrial Revolution)? Discuss while highlighting the importance of innovation, Internet of Things (IoT) and Big Data for Industry 4.0.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  65. With reference to the POCSO Act, what is the recent verdict of the Supreme Court regarding mental age? Critically discuss with your own opinion on the same.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  66. What is compassion? Examine the role of compassion in your life.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  67. The Sahayak system limits the combat capabilities of forces."" Discuss while analyzing why despite various recommendations against this system, it still continued in India.| "
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  68. Corruption in defence deals not only increase the cost of procurement, it also hampers the combat capabilities. Discuss the steps taken by the government to deal with corruption in defence procurement. Also comment how indigenous defence manufacturing can help in this regard.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  69. The very demand for a Universal Civil Code (UCC) for a composite country such as India is deeply misguided. Comment critically.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  70. Critically discuss the performance of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) since its launch in 2013 towards reducing poverty and vulnerability of urban poor households.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  71. To what extent, the economic liberalization has been able to bridge the gender gap in Indian workforce? Critically discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  72. Critically discuss the strategic underpinnings of India-Japan relations.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  73. The huge challenge for India is to maintain a delicate balance between its strategic interests and its democratic ideals when it comes to its neighborhood. Discuss keeping in focus the India-Myanmar Relations.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  74. Difference Between Humanistic and Religious Approaches to Ethics.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  75. Explain Dr. B R Ambedkar's notions of civil liberty. What do you infer about Ambedkar's attitude from these notions? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  76. While keeping in foci the religious and national differences, discuss the challenge of developing a global ethical perspective.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  77. Draw connections between the ethical challenges of biotechnology and ethical issues related to abortion, animal welfare, and personal privacy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  78. While highlighting the key features of "Khelo India initiative", discuss its relevance towards changing the sporting culture and infrastructure in India
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  79. Discuss the constitutional, statutory and policy framework for protection of the rights of tribal and indigenous people in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  80. Tolerance and compassion towards the weaker sections are two essential virtues in civil servants that are needed for India's balanced development. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  81. Exports play a prominent role in India's economic scenario. To what extent, GST can play a role of the export multiplier? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  82. With appropriate examples of each, explain how the fiscal and monetary stimuli help to boost a sluggish economy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  83. "To achieve the objective of electricity for all, India not only need reliable and affordable electricity supply but also need to upgrade the health of discoms." Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  84. Critically examine the deep sea fishing angle in the India-Sri Lanka bilateral relations. How this issue can be resolved? Make logical suggestions.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  85. Discuss the possible challenges of disruptive technologies under Industry 4.0 over jobs in services and manufactruring sectors. What should be government approach to tackle these challenges?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  86. What problems were germane to the decolonization process in the Malay Peninsula?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  87. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of Earth?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  88. In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  89. How does the Cryosphere affect global climate?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  90. In context of the diversity of India, can it be said that regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your view point.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  91. 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.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  92. Highlight the importance of new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian independence since twenties of last century.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  93. Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss it's multi-dimensional effects.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  94. Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many developing countries. Explain its implications.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  95. In what way, can floods be converted into sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  96. What characters can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50% of world population residing in Monsoon Asia?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  97. The women questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What were the major issues and debates concerning women in that period?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  98. Indian Diaspora has an important role to play in South East Asian countries' economy and society. Appraise the role of Indian Diaspora in South-East Asia in this context.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  99. The question of India's Energy Security constitutes the most important part of India's economic progress. Analyze India's energy policy cooperation with West Asian countries
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  100. Initially Civil Services in India were designed to achieve the goals of neutrality and effectiveness, which seems to be lacking in the present context. Do you agree with the view that drastic reforms are required to Civil Services? Comment.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  101. Poverty alleviation programmes in India remain mere showpieces until and unless they are backed up by political will. Discuss with reference to the performance of the major poverty alleviation programmes in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  102. Is the National Commission for Women able to strategize and tackle the problems that women face at both public and private spheres? Give reasons in support of your answer.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  103. To enhance the quality of democracy in India the Election Commission of India has proposed electoral reforms in 2016. What are the suggested reforms and how far are they significant to make democracy successful?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  104. The Indian Constitution has provisions for holding joint session of the two Houses of the Parliament. Enumerate the occasions when this would normally happen and also the occasions when it cannot, with reason thereof.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  105. Examine the scope of Fundamental Rights in the light of the latest judgement of the Supreme Court on Right to Privacy in the case of K.S. Puttaswamy vs Union of India
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  106. "The emergence of the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in contemporary times points to the slow but steady withdrawal of the State from development activities."Examine the role of SHGs in development activities and the measures taken by the Government of India to promote SHGs.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  107. Explain the salient features of the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016. Do you think it is efficacious enough to remove cascading effects of taxes and provide for common national market for goods and services?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  108. China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia". In the light of this statement, discuss the impact on India as her neighbour.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  109. Hunger and Poverty are the biggest challenges for good governance in India still today. Evaluate how far successive government have progressed in dealing with these humongous problems. Suggest measures for improvement.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  110. Does the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 ensure effective mechanism for empowerment and inclusion of the intended beneficiaries in the society? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  111. 'To ensure effective implementation of policies addressing water, sanitation and hygiene needs the identification of the beneficiary segments is to be synchronized with anticipated outcomes." Examine the statement in the context of the WASH scheme.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  112. Discuss the role of in establishing accountability of the government to the people.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  113. Do you agree with this view that informal pressure groups have emerged as more powerful than formal pressure groups in recent years?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  114. Simultaneous election to the Lok Sabha and the State Assemblies will limit the amount of time and money spent in electioneering but it will reduce the government's accountability to the people. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  115. Account for the failure of the manufacturing sector in achieving the goal of labour-intensive exports. Suggest measures for more labour-intensive rather than capital-intensive exports.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  116. Examine the development of Airports in India through joint ventures under Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Model. What are the challenges faced by the authorities in this regard?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  117. Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  118. Stem cell therapy is gaining popularity in India to treat wide variety of medical conditions including Leukaemia, Thalassemia, damaged cornea and severe burns. Describe briefly what stem cell therapy is and what advantages it has over other treatments.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  119. India has achieved remarkable success in unmanned space missions including Chandrayan and Mars Orbiter Mission, but has not ventured into manned space missions. What are the main obstacles to launch a manned space mission, both in terms of technology and logistics? Examine critically.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  120. Nor many years ago, river linking was a concept but it is becoming a reality in the country. Discuss the advantages of river linking and its possible impacts on environment.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  121. Discuss the potential threats of Cyber attack and the security framework to prevent it.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  122. What are the reasons for poor acceptance of cost-effective small processing unit? How the food processing unit will be helpful to upliftment of socio-economic status of poor farmers?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  123. The North-East region of India has been infested with insurgency for a very long time. Analyze the major reasons for survival of armed insurgency in this region.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  124. How the nation is going towards achieving the ambition of "transform, energize and clean India" through budgetary measures. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  125. Industrial growth rate has lagged-behind in the overall growth of Gross-Domestic-Product (GDP) in the port-reform period. Give reasons. How far the recent changes in Industrial Policy are capable of increasing industrial growth rate?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  126. What are the salient features of "inclusive growth"? Has India been experiencing such a growth process? Analyze and suggest measures for inclusive growth.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  127. What are major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system? How crop diversification is helpful to stabilize the yield of crops in the system?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  128. How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  129. Give an account of growth and development of nuclear science and technology in India. What is advantage of fast breeder reactor programme in India?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  130. Climate change is a global problem. How India will be affected by Climate Change? How Himalayan and coastal states in India will be affected by Climate Change?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  131. The factors that led to reorganization of Bombay and Madras were at stark contrast with the factors that led to reorganization of Punjab and Assam. Do you agree? Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  132. Discuss the socio-economic and environmental consequences of wheat-paddy cycle becoming the dominant cropping pattern on states in northern India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  133. How the Point of Sale (PoS) based Aadhaar authentication system in the Public Distribution System works? Critically examine the problems faced due to requirement of multiple technologies working in tandem in such transition.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  134. Critically discuss India's current approach towards global governance institutions and multilateralism. Is there any significant difference from the past approach? Discuss with suitable examples.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  135. Explain how party symbols are allotted to political parties in India. Discuss in the light of recent examples, how election commission decides on party symbol disputes?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  136. How India's rating upgrade by international agencies/organizations help the country foster through globalization? Critically examine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  137. Critically examine the provisions of draft of National Policy of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Voluntary Certification Scheme.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  138. A good character is one of the important prerequisites for civil servants of the 21st century. In your view, what are the important components of good character? Why?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  139. Examine the relevance of the following in the context of civil service:
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  140. Associate with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for it is better to be alone than in bad company - George Washington . Examine the relevance of this quote for your life while assuming yourself a public servant.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  141. If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't have integrity, nothing else matters.-Alan Simpson". Analyze.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  142. If ethics is defined as a system of right and wrong, and as a means to live accordingly, how does etiquette differ from ethics? Discuss
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  143. Define virtue theory and evaluate its strengths and weaknesses.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  144. It is said the biggest problem is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge. Examine this claim in the context of the assumptions of rational ethical decision making.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  145. Can following the rules alone make our actions ethical? With suitable examples, discuss how following rules can be unethical and breaking rule can be ethical.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  146. Both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha have permanent standing committees on ethics. While their job is to oversee moral ethical conduct of the members, these committees have fallen short of global standards both in scope & work. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  147. “Social justice for economically weaker sections, irrespective of caste and religion, is the need of the hour.” In this context, critically examine the steps taken by government over last few years to achieve social justice. (250 words, 15 Marks)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  148. Differentiate between aptitude and intelligence. Examine their role in the life of a civil servant.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  149. Importance of Implicit attitude in Civil Services
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  150. Importance of Intellectual Integrity in Civil Services
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  151. What is Committed Bureaucracy? 
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  152. How social influence changes one's behaviour in personal and professional life? Support your answer with real life examples.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  153. Relevance of Cognitive Intelligence in civil services
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  154. What do you understand by Social Skills? Discuss the importance of Social Skills in Civil Services.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  155. What are different aspects of conscience? Differentiate between the intuitive and empirical conceptions of conscience.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  156. Differentiate between Moral Absolutism, Moral Relativism and Moral Nihilism.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  157. What do you understand by being "inherently good"and "inherently bad"? Do you believe that all human beings are either inherently good or bad? Give arguments to support your view.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  158. What are the ethical concerns regarding Capital Punishment? Should India do away with the capital punishment? Argue.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  159. There is a heavy ethical responsibility on the public servants because they occupy positions of power, handle huge amounts of public funds, and their decisions have wide-ranging impact on society and environment. What steps have you taken to improve your ethical competence to handle such responsibility?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  160. Throw light on the causes of corruption in public sector institutions. Discuss some of the measures adopted by the current NDA government to combat corruption.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  161. "The earth, the air, the land and the water are not an inheritance from our forefathers but on loan from our children. So we have to hand over to them at least as it was handed over to us."Explain the implicit environment ethics in above Gandhian quote.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  162. Critically discuss the constitutional, legislative and policy provisions for safeguard of rights of Senior Citizens of India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  163. In most of the five year plan, India missed the growth targets in agriculture. Analyze the key reasons for the low agricultural growth in the country.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  164. Explain the various cropping patterns with reference to rice cultivation in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  165. "The Rice- Fishing Farming System can not only bring higher crop and water productivity, but has potential to answer the food security question in some areas of the country. Discuss"
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  166. "Cropping pattern is a dynamic concept". Discuss
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  167. Control of certain raw material assumed an enhanced significance during the Second World War. Elucidate with example of Natural Rubber.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  168. Enumerate the salient features of National Dairy Plan Phase-I.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  169. Do you agree with the view that the technological changes in the agriculture have aggravated regional inequalities? Substantiate your answer.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  170. How Green Revolution did benefits the farmers? Discuss its drawbacks.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  171. Barring few pockets, the green revolution virtually bypassed the eastern region of the country despite the fact that it has fertile soil and plenty of water. Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  172. Discuss various phases of Green revolution and their impacts on social economy of India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  173. "The Cost Risk structure in Indian agriculture must be paid attention while framing policies." Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  174. Present a roadmap for improving farm productivity and profitability in perpetuity without ecological harm in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  175. What is BGREI Programme? Evaluate its role in Indian agriculture in recent times.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  176. Discuss the current institutional framework around food grain management and public distribution system.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  177. The text of National Food Security Act mentions it as an act provide for food and nutrition security in "Human Life Cycle approach". Expand the meaning of human life cycle approach in this context.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  178. "There have been different concerns of various sections of the society with reference to the Food Security Act."Examine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  179. The implementation of National Food Security Act must base on principle of self-exclusion and culture of honesty. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  180. What do you understand by Command Area? Objectively differentiate between Gross Command Area and Cultural Command Area.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  181. What is drip irrigation? Why is it considered the most efficient method of irrigation?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  182. What do you understand by Micro-irrigation? Discuss its importance to a country like India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  183. What do you understand by Command Area Development? Why successive governments have failed in Command Area Development?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  184. Examine the different methods of irrigation practiced in India and bring out their relative importance.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  185. "In the resource constrained and dry areas, the farming is a survival mechanism rather than a growth oriented activity."With this reference bring out various problems faced by farmers in Rainfed Areas
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  186. Bring out the various problems of Agricultural Marketing System in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  187. Centre had circulated the Model Agricultural Produce Marketing Committee (APMC) Act in 2003 and asked them to amend their APMC laws accordingly. However ,many states are reluctant to do so. Examine the issue.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  188. In India, the seed development in case of staple crops is confined to public sector. Discuss the reasons why the private companies avoided staple crops such as wheat despite they are high volume crops.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  189. Discuss the key thrust areas of National Seed Policy and seed bill in India
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  190. "The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act 2001 not only gives intellectual property protection to the plant breeders, but also upholds the legal space for farmers to save, use, exchange and sell the farm saved seeds."Discuss citing salient features of the act.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  191. "The skewed utilization of fertilizers is mainly due to pricing of subsidized fertilizers."Examine the issue throwing light on current policy framework.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  192. What do you understand by precision Farming? Discuss the key challenges to Precision Farming in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  193. "ICT has many potential applications in delivering agricultural extension and can bring new information services to rural areas."Discuss
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  194. Compare the social and political impacts of fifth and sixth schedule of Constitution under which tribal areas of India are governed. Why there have been demands to move some fifth schedule areas to sixth schedule? Discuss Critically.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  195. What can be the implications of the India-ASEAN FTA in services and investment for the Indian economy? Discuss while keeping Chinese response to growing Indian presence in the ASEAN.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  196. Till late 1990s, India was seen as a regional power in South Asia without any global weight. To what extent this perception has changed in the international community? What are the factors that led to this change in perception?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  197. In recent years, the problem of call drops in the country has deteriorated. Consumers complain that even after paying for a service, why they should be denied of reasonable call quality? Discuss the reasons and suggest policy solution in this direction.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  198. What is alter-globalisation? Do you think it's a viable alternative to globalisation? Justify your answer.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  199. "Maoist insurgency in Nepal brought a paradigm change in the fundamental parameters of politics."Critically examine the rise of Maoists and factors behind their success in Nepal.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  200. The CCTNS system has its own advantages for all stakeholders in law & order. However, its implementation has been deferred several times by now. What are the major issues? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  201. What do you understand by Climate Exiles? Discuss the types and current trends.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  202. "India's expatriate community has been long demanding the facility to cast their vote from abroad."Examine the issue and current policy stance of the Government. Why such rights have not been given to domestic migrants? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  203. Jagmohan Dalmiya is truly known as "India's Kerry Packer."Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  204. Critically discuss the various arguments on the basis of which the Aadhaar project has been challenged for violating the right to privacy. To what extent do you agree with these views? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  205. Examine the concerns about privacy issues with Digital India programme.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  206. What do you understand by Right to Privacy? Examine various issues around Right to Privacy in recent times in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  207. "Total elimination of poverty require more than charity."Discuss in the light of fiscal requirements around recently adopted Sustainable Development Goals.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  208. "Although Right to Privacy has not been mentioned explicitly in Part-III of the constitution, yet it has established itself as a fundamental right enforceable against state."Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  209. What do you understand by Voluntary Provident Fund (VPF) and Unrecognized Employee Provident Funds (EPF)? Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  210. Critically examine the role of Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet in Post-Jasmine Revolution phase.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  211. "Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia was trigger for Arab Spring. However the post revolution path of Tunisia was very different compared to other nations affected by Arab Spring."Explain.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  212. "Success of democracy is based on civil society organisations and the legitimacy of political organisations."Discuss giving reference to democratic transition in Tunisia. What lessons in this context India can learn? Opine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  213. Monsoon forest and midlatitude deciduous forest are both deciduous but for different reasons. Compare the characteristics of these two formation classes and their climates
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  214. Consequentialist and Non-consequentialist Approaches to Ethics.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  215. Elucidate the role of moral reasoning as the foundation of rationally determining the ethical course of action.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  216. Socrates says in Euthyphro that the holy or pious is holy or pious because it is loved by the gods.a. What do you understand by this statement of Socrates?b. Do you agree with his argument? Why?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  217. Religion creates community, community creates altruism and altruism turns us away from self and towards the common good. Altruism is a traditional virtue in many cultures and a core aspect of various religious traditions.a) Is any altruistic action always at the expense of the self and is synonymous to self-negation?b) Some philosophers and scientists argue that there is no such thing as true altruism. Give your opinion on the same.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  218. Our conscience reflects the interaction between our inner sense of responsibility, internalisation of parental or family norms and internal assessment of our personal integrity. Critically analyze this statement.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  219. The lines of distinction between meta ethics, normative ethics and applied ethics are often blurry
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  220. There are times in our professional life when we come under temptation and coercion, which might risk us to compromise our ethical commitments.(a)The public servants are vulnerable to what kind of temptations and coercion? (b)As a future civil servant, how do you prepare yourself against such temptation and coercion?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  221. "Professionals who fail to acknowledge their moral vulnerabilities, their propensity to ethical misconduct, are ticking time bombs — professional tragedies waiting to happen."(a)What do you understand by moral vulnerabilities? (b)Bring out the two moral vulnerabilities recognized by you in yourself. How do you think that you can overcome these moral vulnerabilities?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  222. The manner in which the Supreme Court has dealt with the issue {of fire-crackers on Diwali} raises the concern of tyranny of the un-elected. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  223. Assess the significance of coastal regions in the economic development of India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  224. Why air links have shrunk in recent times from the north-eastern regions of India?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  225. How far does the idea of ethical intuitionism relevant in today's society?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  226. Critically examine the impact of COVID-19 towards the decline in global carbon dioxide emissions. Does it offer any strategies to control emissions in post COVID-19 era? Opine.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  227. Discuss the significance of the recently launched metal index (METLDEX) and bullion index (BULLDEX) in strengthening commodity derivatives trading and price discovery in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  228. Discuss the challenges faced in curbing custodial violence. Also highlight the legal concerns associated with it and ways to address this issue.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  229. There have been calls for self-regulating mechanism for Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms similar to print media, instead for government regulation. Discuss.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  230. Philanthropy even after being a part of the Indian culture and various religions has been very minuscule in India. In this context, highlight its significance and state the factors that are holding back philanthropy in India.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  231. North East India continues to face several security threats despite its strategic importance. Discuss. What steps have been taken by the government to ensure peace and stability in the region?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  232. The chronic under-investment in Indian Railways has not only impacted its operation but also created hurdles in speedy creation of infrastructure. Examine the challenges and steps taken by the government in this regard.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  233. The Surrogacy Act and the Assisted Reproduction Technology (ART) Act came into force this year. What are the key provisions of these legislations? What are their shortcomings?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  234. What do you understand by ethics? Explain the primary purpose of Ethics as a branch of philosophy.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  235. With suitable examples, examine the nature of Ethics as a science or art or a combination of both.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  236. Why is ethics called a normative science? Explain with suitable examples.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  237. With suitable examples, discuss how Ethics and Morality are related but distinct concepts.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  238. Explain how can the philosophical study of ethics help a public servant to make moral decisions?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  239. Explain the four branches of ethics with suitable examples.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  240. With suitable examples, explain that “Ethics is a science of values”.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  241. What is Meta-ethics? How understanding of Meta-ethics is helpful for a public servant?
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    242. Disclaimer: These questions have been written and answered by GKToday team over the period of time; and have included some previous years questions also. While every effort was made to ensure that these questions as well as their answers remain relevent and correct, it is possible, that some facts or context in some questions might have changed over time. GKToday does not assume and hereby disclaims any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by such change of facts or context in the questions and answers of this E-book.

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