Mains Practice Questions

Q. Critically examine the aims and objectives of SCO. What importance does it hold for India? (250 Words)

Q. To what extent, in your view, the Parliament is able to ensure accountability of the executive in India? (150 words)

Q. German National Socialism was much more than nationalization and redistribution of wealth. Comment. (150 words)

Q. Could Russia have avoided revolution in 1917? How far was the revolution successful in fulfilling its promises? (150 words)

Essay Topics

1. “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.”

2. Violence may at times have quickly cleared away an obstruction, but it has never proved itself to be creative.

Q. The birth of the League of Nations on the ruins of the First World War was welcomed. However, it could do little to prevent the Second World War. Examine. (250 words)

Q. Prejudice can exist without discrimination. Comment. (150 Words)

Q. What are the ethical issues involved in using artificial intelligence in military security? (150 Words)

Q. How is capability approach different from utilitarianism? Discuss. (150 Words)

Q. What are the research and developmental achievements in applied biotechnology? How will these achievements help to uplift the poorer sections of the society? (250 Words)

Q. Discuss how emerging technologies and globalization contribute to money laundering. Elaborate measures to tackle the problem of money laundering both at national and international levels.

Q. How have the recommendations of the 14^th Finance Commission of India enabled the States to improve their fiscal position? (150 Words)

Q. Can Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organisations present an alternative model of public service delivery to benefit the common citizen? Discuss the challenges of this alternative model. (250 Words)

Q. The First World War left a deep impact on European society and polity. Examine. (250 words)

Q. Discuss the various socio-economic impact of globalisation on youth in India. (150 words)

Essay Topics   

1. Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of humanity. 

2. In art, the individual displays himself, not the artwork! 

Case Study

The municipal corporation of a city approved felling of trees to develop public transport infrastructure. Amidst the concrete jungle of the district, area X is a treasured green patch. With increasing environmental awareness, people have come on the streets to spread the message of conservation and stand against the indiscriminate felling of trees. The Municipal Corporation is of the view that developing viable public transport infrastructure will dissuade people from using private vehicles and ultimately reducing the carbon footprint. Meanwhile, activists say it is the sole surviving natural floodplain of the area, whose reclamation through construction and felling of trees would lead to greater inundation during the monsoon. The state government alarmed by widespread public protest against the felling of trees has constituted a committee to look into the matter and suggest alternatives for this project. You are appointed as the chairperson of this committee, What course of action will you recommend to the government for assuaging public concern and limiting environmental impact? (250 Words)

Case Study

You are posted as a District Magistrate. You come to know about a situation in the village under your jurisdiction where the population is suffering from Anaemia. An initiative was taken to provide fortified rice to villagers in order to provide nutrition to them but villagers deny to eat them as they have the misconception of the rice being the plastic rice. On the other hand, the village is also influenced by the Leftist movement and you get to know that Naxalites are using this public perception for their own benefit, making it more difficult for the government to reach the people.

An alternate initiative was taken by providing iron tablets to people but it created another misconception among villagers that these tablets lead to more weight of babies in pregnant mothers leading to delivery complications. Thus, it also ended in failure.

(a) What are the various issues involved in the above case study?

(b) How will you change the perception of the people in the backdrop of the spread of misinformation by the Naxalites? (250 Words)

Q. What are values? Highlight the importance of values in governance. (150 Words)

Q. What is lifeboat ethics? Explain with examples. (150 Words)

Q. Describe the key points of the revised Global Air Quality Guidelines (AQGs) recently released by the World Health Organisation (WHO). How are these different from its last update in 2005? What changes in India’s National Clean Air Programme are required to achieve revised standards?

Q. The Nobel Prize in Physics of 2014 was jointly awarded to Akasaki, Amano and Nakamura for the invention of Blue LEDs in 1990s. How has this invention impacted the everyday life of human beings?

Q. Discuss the impact of the following on Indian society: (250 words)
(a) Sanskritisation
(b) Westernisation
(c) Modernisation

Q. The Cuban Missile Crisis was a high point of what came to be known as the Cold War. State the major reasons behind it along with its consequences. (250 words)

Essay Topics

1. A winner is a dreamer who never gives up.

2. I never lose, I either win or learn.

Q. What do you understand by attitude and attitude change? Highlight the factors that influence attitude change. (150 Words)

Q. Define the terms cooperation and competition. What are the determinants of cooperation and competition? (150 Words)

Q. What does the following quotation mean to you?

“Life doesn’t make any sense without interdependence. We need each other, and the sooner we learn that, it is better for us all.”- Erik Erikson

Q. Explain the purpose of the Green Grid Initiative launched at World Leaders Summit of the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow in November, 2021. When was this idea first floated in the International Solar Alliance (ISA)? (150 Words)

Q. Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced V-shaped recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer. (250 Words)