[Analysis] UPSC Mains-2017 GSM1: Lengthy Paper, Less Variety, 90% Qs from routine prep. sources PLUS Download last 5 years’ Topicwise Questionpapers

1. Instructions
2. Questions (Linear Format)
3. Answer Sources & Lord’s divination
4. UPSC’s Indecisiveness about word length continues
5. Intellectual bankruptcy gets severe like NPA in PSBs
   1. #1: No respect for syllabus
   2. #2: Repeating themes within a given GS paper
   3. #3: Repeating of themes among GS papers
   4. #4: Internal Variety is “less” than earlier years
6. Declined obsession about culture questions
7. From ‘General’ to ‘specific’ subtopics
8. No point in preparing world history?
9. GSM1-Topicwise Questions since Pattern change in 2013
10. [Block-1] History
    1. History: Art & Culture
    2. History: India before Independence
    3. History: India After independence
    4. History: world
11. [Block-2] Social Science
    1. Social Science: Caste, Religion, Region, Globalization
    2. Social Science: Poverty, Population, Globalization
    3. Social Science: Globalization
    4. Social Science: Women
12. [Block-3] Geography
    1. Geography: Physical
    2. Geography: Climate, Disaster related
    3. Geography: Resources Distribution
    4. Geography: factors affecting industrial locations
    5. Geography: Urbanization

Instructions for GSM1-2017 Paper

• Maximum Marks: 250 | Time Allowed : Three Hours
• There are TWENTY questions printed both in HINDI and in ENGLISH.
• All questions are compulsory.
• Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this Question-cum-Answer (QUA) Booklet in the space provided.
• No marks will be given for answers written in a medium other than the authorized one.
• Answers to questions no. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words, whereas answers to questions no. 11 to 20 should be in 250 words.
• Keep the word limit indicated in the questions in mind.
• Any page or portion of the page left be blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet mast clearly struck off.

Questions (Linear Format)

Answer following Question no. 1 to 10 in 150 words and 10 marks each

1. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of Gupta numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times?
2. Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the spectre of a fragmented polity.
3. Why did the ‘Moderates’ fail to carry conviction with the nation about their proclaimed ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century?
4. What problems were germane to the decolonization process of Malay Peninsula.
5. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth?
6. In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development.” Discuss.
7. Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulse because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by the United Nations.
8. How does the cryosphere affect global climate?
9. In the context of diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint.
10. What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence, addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (STs)?

Answer following Question no. 1 to 10 in 250 words and 15 marks each:

11. The spirit 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.
12. Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy.
13. Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian independence since twenties of the last century.
14. Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects.
15. Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications.
16. In what way can flood be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India?
17. What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the won population residing in Monsoon Asia?
18. The women’s 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?
19. Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India.
20. “The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues employment but has also created new problems. Substantiate this statement with examples.

Sources for Answer & Lord’s divination

• Nowadays, UPSC Mains exam suffers from nuisance of UPSC-Apologists. I.e. Armchair experts who appreciate any difficult question as a ‘deep intellectual thing’, and that “as a candidate you were supposed to get the divination from the Lord almighty that since XYZ interlinked news had come in some random journal or newspaper hence the question was ought to come and you must have prepared and easily wrote it in the exam!!”. (“के आपको सपना आ जाना चाहिए था की उस प्रकार का प्रश्न पूछा जाने वाला है”.)
• But instead of rubbing salt on the wounds like that, and trying to find signs of intellectualism and Lord’s divinations in UPSC paper, let’s try a simplistic premise: can a makeshift/ragtag answer (जुगाड़पंती वाला जवाब) be assembled from routine books / sources or not?

Q	Source for Answer	Availability
1. gupta coin	Answer is spread across NIOS Culture pdf (page 35 onwards) Old NCERT (page240 onwards) Tamilnadu class11. But difficult to articulate in actual exam because you’ve to recall and give factual comparison of various empires’ coins.	yes
2. mid 18th India	You’ve write about the time just before a little before the entry of European. Answer points available in Any General Studies Manual. For deeper insights you can consult chapter 1 of Plessey to Partition. Difficult nonetheless because you’ve to mention not just the decline of Mughuls but other DESHI kingdoms as well.	yes
3. moderates are epicfail	From Pratik’s Lecture series to Spectrum, Bipan, Plassey to Partition – this is a generic topic available everywhere.	yes
4. Malaikofta	Random question. 2014 they asked about Suez crisis so you had to get Lord’s divination that in 2017 UPSC will ask about Malay…कहेता भी दीवाना और सुनता भी दीवाना. Not possible to answer without bluffing.	No
5. Juno	Same as above. Science technology in both Prelim-GS and in GSM3 are usually centered around Indian space tech. Putting effort in NASA research would have given poor cost:benefit, EVEN IF Lord’s divination was present that it’ll come in GSM1. Not possible to answer without bluffing.	No
6. Coal energy	Eco.survey 2016-17 v2 and therefore, I had given verbatim answer in my [AW] Answer writing series: Carbon Imperialism and Social Cost of Coal.	yes
7. pulse benefits	last year, Pulse inflation made government setup a Committee under CEA. I had covered in my Lecture, including this mention of UN year.	yes
8. Cryosphere	Cryosphere is frozen part of hydrosphere. Then you’ve to assemble points from your existing knowledge about the same from NCERT, NIOS etc.	yes
9. Cultural units	bol-bachchan essayish question. Somehow jugaadu answer can be assembled by following new NCERT sociology, pol.sci; reference books such as Dietmar Rothermund, Bitasha Das, OR following newspaper and columns	yes
10. ST legal protection	India Yearbook 2017 chapter 28: Welfare OR verbtim list available in page 1.11 of M.Laxmikanth’s Governance in India (2nd Ed)	yes
11. Toleranace	Same as question number 9.	yes
12. Colonial Artisans	Bipan, New NCERTs, and even Sumit Sarkar ch.2	yes
13. Independence objectives	bol-bachchan essayish question spread across Pratik Nayak’s lecture series on Freedom Struggle.	yes
14. Ocean Salinity	don’t confuse between salinity and acidification. Ocean Salinity points given in Rajtanil’s Lecture L5  and Class11 New NCERT Physical Geography Page 116 onwards.	yes
15. Petro refinery	Covered in my article series on Geographical Location Factors. Although I’ve not given “many of developing countries’ example” as the question asked, but a ragtag (जुगाडू) answer can be assembled nonetheless.	Yes
16. Flood	one has to do bolbachchan around interlinking of waters. Given in Rajtanil’s lecture on drainage system  but writing 250 words a challenging, though not impossible, if combined with the newspaper editorials.	Yes
17. Monsoon	Rajtanil’s Lecture L7 series and Chapter 16 of GC Leong.	Yes
18. Women reforms	Spectrum, Bipan, Plassey to Partition – this is a generic topic available everywhere.	Yes
19. Communalism	Bipan Chandra: India since Independence chapter 35 and 36	Yes
20. IT hubs’ problems	One has to do bolbachchan. But 250 words is slightly challenging, but not impossible for anyone following newspapers and my lecture on urbanization: problems and remedies.	Yes

Conclusion

• 2 out of 20 question are unavailable in routine sources.
• Otherwise, 18 out of 20 question that is 90% of the paper is from routine preparation sources- atleast ragtag (जुगाडू) answers can be assembled.
  
• Yes, Paper is unnecessarily lengthy to provide sufficient time to articulate your points, even for the relatively easy questions (such as women related social reforms before independence or rural artisans in colonial economy). Therefore, Solvable paper doesn’t mean ‘easy’ paper, because you can’t recall all those topics in actual exam.
• But all in all, expensive coaching and expensive secret material is unnecessary for success. The primary key to success is your ability to recall points and write less mediocre answer than other candidates within the given time limit. So, all hail and praise the UPSC examiner. Now coming to his criticism:

Lengthy Paper

Mains Exam	Essay#	GSM1*
2013	2500	5000
2014	2400	3750
2015	2400	3000
2016	2400	4000
2017	2400	4000

(#) In Essay paper, candidate has to write two essays in not more than 1200 words. Total marks 250, total time: 3 hrs.
(*) Opposite to that, GSM1 paper has same time limit and total marks but length varies:

• 2013: 5 markers = 100 words, 10 marks = 200 words. That means 1 mark is worth 20 words. Total length of paper is 250 marks = 5000 words.
• 2014: all questions worth 10 marks and 150 words each. That means 1 mark is worth 15 words. Total length of the 250 marks paper = 3750
• 2015: all questions worth 12.5 marks and 150 words each. So, 1 mark = 12 words, total length of paper = 3000
• 2016: all questions worth 12.5 marks and 200 words each. So, total length of paper = 3000
• 2017: 10 questions worth 150 words and 10 questions worth 250 words. Total length of 250 marks paper is = 4000
• But, Some candidates presumed that continuing with the trend of 2016, each question was worth 200 words only, so those who did not read the opening instructions, attempted the paper in linear fashion- they ran out of time or could not do proper justice questions towards the end. (Because Q. 11 to 20 were longer).
• While one could glorify and appreciate this Backbreaking™ move as as ‘anti-coaching’, ‘anti-senior’ move, but overall it degrades the description examination into a CAT like ‘race to finish’ rather than ‘race to articulate your knowledge and reasoning’. Hence, the success is not for the best answer, but writing less bad answer than others.

Intellectual bankruptcy gets severe like NPA in PSBs

• In 2013, in all its wisdom and foresight, UPSC changed syllabus of Mains GS Exam. Total 113 topics spread across four papers. However, you can see that it was prepared in haste:
• Geography, climate and disaster: half split and recurring between GSM1 and 3.
• Poverty, population and welfare recurring in the syllabus of GSM1 and GSM2
• Transparency, accountability recurring @GSM2 and GSM4.
• This problem, compounded with the ability to generate unique questions in each topic, had begun to show chink in the UPSC’s armor, evident in following ways:

#1: No respect for syllabus

• GSM1 syllabus doesn’t mention Indian geography or Indian agriculture specifically.
• GSM3 syllabus specifically mentions Indian Major Crops in various parts of country (cropping patterns, types of irrigation, irrigation systems.)

Then, which is the suitable paper to ask this question: Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulse because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by the United Nations. (2017)

GSM3? Nope. It was asked in GSM1-2017.

Let’s try one more:

• GSM1 syllabus has “distribution of key natural resources”.
• GSM3 syllabus also has
  • Environmental conservation; Environmental pollution and degradation; Environmental Impact Assessment.
  • Energy infrastructure. Indian economy: mobilization of resources for development.

So where should this question be asked: “In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development.” Discuss.”

GSM3 seems the appropriate better choice but no, it was asked in GSM1-2017.

Syllabus GSM1: Critical geographical features, flora, fauna (changes and effects thereof).
So, a question about “impact of Climate change on Himalayan and Costal India’ is more suitable for GSM1 than GSM3, but it’s asked in GSM3-2017. (interesting same topic asked in GSM1 in 2014)

#2: Repeating themes within a given GS paper

Tribal welfare	Asked Constitutional provisions @GSM1-2016 Asked legal provisions @GSM1-2017.
Religion	2014: Indian secularism debates are different from West 2017: Religiousness transformed into communalism after independence.
Diversity	2017: 3 questions asked 1) love and tolerance 2) communalism 3) cultural regions of India. Collectively, they’re just one essay on ‘unity in diversity’. And, they are continuation of the common themes of past @2015: cultural elements build national identity. @2014: Indian secularism debate different than west.
Floods	Asked in GSM1 and GSM3 @2016 as a ‘disaster’ Again asked in GSM1 @2017, as a ‘productive thing’ that can be potentially used for navigation.
Urbanization	2013: social problem in cities 2015: air pollution in cities 2016: floods in cities. 2017: problems in “IT” cities. (only difference is that now it’s general cities to specific “IT” cities. Although given the paucity of time in the actual paper, I wonder how many unique points a candidate could come up with.

#3: Repeating of themes among GS papers

Climate change	GSM1-2014: Bring out the relationship between the shrinking Himalayan glaciers and the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent. GSM3-2017: How are Himalaya and coastal states affected by climate change?
Africa	GSM1-2014: How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa? GSM2-2015: Increasing interest of India in Africa has its pros and cons. Critically examine.
Poverty	GSM1-2016: “An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from deprivation.” Substantiate this statement with suitable examples. GSM2-2017: “‘Poverty Alleviation Programmes in India remain mere show pieces until and unless they are backed by political will’. Discuss with reference to the performance of the major poverty alleviation programmes in India.

There are many other samples as well, but I lack the time and patience to showcase it.

#4: Internal Variety is “less” than earlier years

Observe the above pie charts: Subject wise,

• Society: ~25% (blue); History: ~30% (grey); Geography: ~45% (red). This trend has been more or less the same since 2013.
• In GSM1-2017, Overall, sizewise there is not much change i.e. max. questions from geography >> history >> society.
• but internal breakup has changed. Internal “Variety” is less than those of previous years. e.g. within history- too much focus on freedom struggle era events at the neglect of world history and post-independence history.
• Similarly, within “society”: nothing from women issues or impact of globalization or poverty vs population. Section almost entirely focused on communalism.

Thankfully his cultural obsession declined

Earlier	This time
Fascination with Southern Culture 2013: chola, sangam 2016: Vijayanagar	Nothing from this side.
Fascination with Budhism, Jainism 2016: Buddhist stupa 2014: Taxila university	Nothing from this side, either.
Random Lunatic questions worth minimum 25 marks.	Only 10 marks. And that too, relatively “less random” than earlier years. Because Gupta coinage answer could be assembled from reading NIOS culture book and TN Class 11 history textbook.

• Some people would get post-exam intellectual epiphanies that in context of demonetization, the history of ‘money’ is important current affairs topic, hence UPSC asked question about “Gupta coins’ art”, and candidates ‘must have prepared’ it.
• But the nature of question is such that not only you need to recollect points about Gupta coins’ art but also badmouth about the bogus / less variety of art in coins of later empires to justify that Gupta coins were awesome- and that too for 150 word. So, it’s a difficult question nonetheless.

From ‘General’ to ‘specific’ subtopics

• 2014: economic policies of British till independence.
• 2017: how decline of artisan industry led to collapse of rural economy.
• It’s a trap question actually. Many candidates would simply beat around the bush by criticizing British factory goods and tariff policies for ruining Indian artisan, whereas the question is “Specific” about linking artisans’ fall to rural economy’s fall.
• Similarly: earlier years, asked about general problems of cities, this time specifically asked about “IT cities”.

No point in preparing world history?

• World History is facing constant and gradual fall like Congress ruled states. In 2013: 40 marks worth world history, then each year continuous and ‘secular’ decline: 30m, 25m, 12.5m and this time only 10 marks worth world history asked,
• And that too from an obscure topic of ‘decolonization in Malay peninsula”. It might have come in some random journal, magazine or TV debates two three years back. And then some people having post-exam-epiphany that everyone must have “prepared” it! But saala itnaa detail mein kaun prepare krta hai.
• Or maybe it’s a trick. UPSC did not expect candidates to answer it, hence the question paper it not “lengthy” from their examiner’s point of view, because he wanted candidates to skip smartly as in CAT exam.
• 2016 also had a similar ‘random’ question: “role of western educated Africans’ in liberating W.Afria. (who can remember such things!)

Misc observation:

2016	2017
No question from Post independent India or women issues (after independence).	This famine continues. Although asked about social reforms in pre-independent India in GSM1. And asked about agriculture revolutions in post-independent India in GSM3.

GSM1-Topicwise Questions since Pattern change in 2013

In 2013, UPSC changed the syllabus-pattern of Mains examination and the number of general studies papers were increased from two to four. Out of them, GS Paper-I deals with History, Culture, Society and Geography. Overall breakup looks like this

Category	GS Mains Paper-1	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017
History	Culture	20	40	25	25	10
History	Freedom struggle	30	30	25	37.5	65
History	World History	40	30	25	12.5	10
History	Post independence	50	0	0	0	0
Society	Religion, Region, empowerment	10	10	37.5	37.5	50
Society	Poverty, Population, Development	0	10	25	12.5	0
Society	Globalization Impact	10	0	12.5	12.5	0
Society	Women	10	30	12.5	0	0
Geography	Climate	10	20	37.5	12.5	60
Geography	Disaster	10	10	0	12.5	15
Geography	Urbanization	10	0	25	25	15
Geography	Physical	20	20	0	0	10
Geography	Resources	20	20	25	62.5	0
Geography	Industrial Location	10	30	0	0	15
	Total	250	250	250	250	250

[Block-1] History

History: Art & Culture

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Salient aspects of Art, Architecture, literature from Ancient to Modern Times

How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of Gupta numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times?	2017
Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.	2016
Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss.	2016
The ancient civilization in Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without a breakdown to the present day. Comment.	2015
Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also a tine aesthetic sense comparable to modem painting. Critically evaluate this comment.	2015
To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss.	2014
Gandhara sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain.	2014
Taxila university was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the modern sense. Discuss.	2014
Sufis and medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu / Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment.	2014
Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India, the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment.	2013
Discuss the Tandava dance as recorded in the early Indian inscriptions.	2013
Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. Discuss.	2013

History: India before Independence

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Mid-18th century – Present (significant events, personalities, issues); Freedom Struggle (various stages, important contributors from different parts of the country)

Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the spectre of a fragmented polity.	2017
Why did the ‘Moderates’ fail to carry conviction with the nation about their proclaimed ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century?	2017
Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy.	2017
The women’s 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?	2017
Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian independence since twenties of the last century.	2017
Explain how the Uprising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India.	2016
Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase.	2016
Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom.	2016
How different would have been the achievement of Indian independence without Mahatma Gandhi? Discuss.	2015
It would have been difficult for the Constituent Assembly to complete its historic task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India in just three years but for the experience gained with the Government of India Act, 1935. Discuss.	2015
The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761. Why were so many empire-shaking battles fought at Panipat?	2014
Examine critically the various facets of economic policies of the British in India from mid-eighteenth century till independence.	2014
In what ways did the naval mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of British colonial aspirations in India?	2014
Defying the barriers of age, gender and religion, the Indian women became the torch bearer during the struggle for freedom in India. Discuss.	2013
Several foreigners made India their homeland and participated in various movements. Analyze their role in the Indian struggle for freedom.	2013
In many ways, Lord Dalhousie was the founder of modern India. Elaborate.	2013

History: India After independence

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Post-Independence (consolidation and reorganisation within country)

Critically discuss the objectives of Bhoodan and Gramdan movements initiated by Acharya Vinoba Bhave and their success.	2013
Write a critical note on the evolution and significance of the slogan “Jai Jawana Jai Kisan”.	2013
Discuss the contribution of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to pre-and post-independent India.	2013
Analyze the circumstances that led to Tashkent Agreement in 1966. Discuss the highlights of the agreement.	2013
Critically examine the compulsions which prompted India to play a decisive roles in the emergence of Bangladesh.	2013

History: world

GS1 Syllabus Topic: 18th century events (e.g. Industrial revolution, WWs, redrawn boundaries, colonisation, decolonisation); Political philosophies (e.g. communism, capitalism, socialism) and their effect on society

What problems were germane to the decolonization process of Malay Peninsula.	2017
The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine.	2016
Why did the industrial revolution first occur in England? Discuss the quality of life of the people there during the industrialization. How does it compare with that in India at present?	2015
To what extent can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically	2015
What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India?	2014
What were the events that led to the Suez Crisis in 1956? How did it deal a final blow to Britain’s self-image as a world power?	2014
The New Economic Policy – 1921 of Lenin had influenced the policies adopted by India soon after independence. Evaluate.	2014
“Latecomer” Industrial revolution in Japan involved certain factors that were markedly different from what west had experience.	2013
Africa was chopped into states artificially created by accident of European competition. Analyse.	2013
American Revolution was an economic revolt against mercantilism. Substantiate.	2013
What policy instruments were deployed to contain the great economic depression?	2013

[Block-2] Social Science

Social Science: Caste, Religion, Region, Globalization

GS1 Syllabus Topic:

• Communalism, Regionalism, Secularism; Social Empowerment
• Salient features of Indian Society; Diversity of India;

The spirit 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.	2017
Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India.	2017
In the context of diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint.	2017
What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence, addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (STs)?	2017
Has the formation of linguistic States strengthened the cause of Indian Unity?	2016
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.	2016
What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer.	2016
Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and strategies, had a common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden. Elucidate.	2015
Describe any four cultural elements of diversity in India and rate their relative significance in building a national identity.	2015
Debate the issue of whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste.	2015
How do the Indian debates on secularism differ from the debates in the West?	2014
Growing feeling of regionalism is an important factor in the generation of demand for a separate state. Discuss.	2013

Social Science: Poverty, Population, Globalization

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Poverty, Population; Development and associated issues

“An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from deprivation.” Substantiate this statement with suitable examples	2016
Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the main cause of population increase in India.	2015
Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades.	2015
The life cycle of a joint family depends on economic factors rather than social values. Discuss.	2014

Social Science: Globalization

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Globalisation (effects on Indian society)

Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalization on women in India. (2013, Asked about Globalization effect on Elderly)	2015
To what extent globalization has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain.	2016
Critically examine the effects of globalization on the aged population in India.	2013

Social Science: Women

• GS1 Syllabus Topic: Role of women and women’s organisation;
• Although some of the following questions fall under population-globalization categories, but if a person cultivates habit of noting down women related topics under one head, it’ll benefit in both GS1, GS2 and Essay.

How do you explain the statistics that show that the sex ratio in Tribes in India is more favourable to women than the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes?	2015
How does patriarchy impact the position of a middle class working woman in India?	2014
Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving increasing feminization of agriculture in India.	2014
Why do some of the most prosperous regions of India have an adverse sex ratio for women? Give your arguments.	2014
Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women’s organization free from gender bias. Comment.	2013

[Block-3] Geography

Geography: Physical

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Salient Features of World Physical Geography; Important Geophysical phenomena (earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, cyclones); Geographical features and location;

How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth?	2017
“The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.	2016
Explain the formation of thousands of islands in Indonesian and Philippines archipelagos.	2014
Why are the world’s fold mountain systems located along the margins of continents? Bring out the association between the global distribution of Fold Mountains and the earthquakes and volcanoes.	2014
What do you understand by the theory of continental drift? Discuss the prominent evidences in its support.	2013
There is no formation of deltas by rivers of the Western Ghat. Why?	2013
Major hot deserts in northern hemisphere are located between 20-30 degree north and on the western side of the continents. Why?	2013
Bring out the causes for more frequent landslides in the Himalayas than in Western Ghats	2013

Geography: Climate, Disaster related

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Critical geographical features, flora, fauna (changes and effects thereof)

In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development.” Discuss.	2017
Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulse because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by the United Nations.	2017
How does the cryosphere affect global climate?	2017
Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects.	2017
In what way can flood be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India?	2017
What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the won population residing in Monsoon Asia?	2017
Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes.	2016
Explain the factors responsible for the origin of ocean currents. How do they influence regional climates, fishing and navigation?	2015
How far do you agree that the behavior of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscapes? Discuss.	2015
Tropical cyclones are largely confined to South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why?	2014
Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree?	2014
Bring out the relationship between the shrinking Himalayan glaciers and the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent.	2014
The recent cyclone on the east coast of India was called “Phailin”. How are the tropical cyclones named across the world?	2013
Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world.	2013
What do you understand by the phenomenon of temperature inversion in meteorology? How does it affect the weather and the habitants of the place?	2013

Geography: Resources Distribution

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Distribution of key Natural Resources (world, S. Asia, Indian subcontinent)

The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain	2016
South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment.	2016
Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations.	2016
Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India.	2016
In what way micro-watershed Development projects help in water conservation in drought prone and semi-arid regions of India.	2016
What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences?	2015
India is well endowed with fresh water resources. Critically examine why it still suffers from water scarcity.	2015
The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand reaching the limits of their ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate.	2015
Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world.	2014
How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?	2014
With growing scarcity of fossil fuels, the atomic energy is gaining more and more significance in India. Discuss the availability of raw material required for the generation of atomic energy in India and in the world.	2013
It is said the India has substantial reserves of shale oil and gas, which can feed the needs of country for quarter century. However, tapping of the resources doesn’t appear to be high on the agenda. Discuss critically the availability and issues involved.	2013

Geography: factors affecting industrial locations

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Factors responsible for location of Industries (primary, secondary, tertiary; India, world)

Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications.	2017
Whereas the British planters had developed tea gardens all along the Shivaliks and Lesser Himalayas from Assam to Himachal Pradesh, in effect they did not succeed beyond the Darjeeling area. Explain.	2014
Account for the change in the spatial pattern of the Iron and Steel industry in the world.	2014
Why did the Green Revolution in India virtually by-pass the eastern region despite fertile soil and good availability of water?	2014
Do you agree that there is a growing trend of opening new sugar mills in the Southern states of India? Discuss with justification	2013
Analyze the factors for highly decentralized cotton textile industry in India	2013

Geography: Urbanization

GS1 Syllabus Topic: Urbanization: problems and remedies

The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues employment but has also created new problems. Substantiate this statement with examples. Urbanization	2017
With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme’.	2016
Major cities of India are becoming more vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss.	2016
Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?	2015
Smart cities in India cannot sustain without smart villages. Discuss this statement in the backdrop of rural urban integration.	2015
Discussion the various social problems which originated out of the speedy process of urbanization in India.	2013