This is question set #50 of ‘Clear IAS Mains High Value Answer Writing Test Series’. Mains High Value Answer Writing is a UPSC mains oriented program from ClearIAS.com that consists of 5 questions in each post, published (around 8 pm) every day. Each of the 5 questions are selected from 5 papers mentioned in UPSC Mains syllabus namely Essay, GS1, GS2, GS3 and GS4 (ethics). Selected questions of high probability to be asked UPSC mains are included in each of these mini tests. Aspirants can choose any question they wish to answer in the comment space provided (either type the answer or give the link of the scanned answer sheet) at the bottom portion of this page, specifying the question.
Questions for Answer Writing – Selections for today:
- Essay Paper: India – A nation in making. (1500 words)
- GS 1 Paper: [World Geography/Water bodies and Ice caps] – List the important water bodies and ice caps in news due to changes in the geographical features. Trace the reasons for change. (200 words)
- GS 2 Paper: [Polity/Sarkaria Commission] The recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relation are relevant in the question of adequate autonomy for the state of Manipur. Analyse. (200 words)
- GS 3 Paper: [Indian Economy/Interest Payments-Budget] Analyze India’s Primary deficit and interest payment burden in the backdrop of Indian Budget 2014-15. (200 words)
- GS 4 Paper: [Role of family] Explain the role of family in inculcating values in a person. Highlight two examples of noted personalities. (200 words)
Archives of Clear IAS Mains High Value Answer Writing Test Series
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Note from Clear IAS Team
We have been noticing great improvement in the answer quality and comprehension skills in regular participants in Clear IAS Mains High Value Answer Writing Program. Our vision is to cover most of the important conventional and current topics for mains, so that serious and deserving aspirants who participate in this free program are always one step ahead in the competition. We have already seen many excellent answers from serious participants. Regarding evaluation, in the first 30 days, Clear IAS Team had been giving overall guidelines to write a good, high value answer, but since then, we have been awarding marks, so that aspirants will get a realistic idea about the UPSC expectations and quality they need to maintain in the answer.
Please note: Last year the toppers’ marks for General Studies varied from 300-400 out of 1000. (2013 CSE AIR 1, Gaurav Agrawal scored 338/1000 for GS). This means, 4 marks out of 10 for every answer in UPSC exam was excellent performance as far as 2013 mains GS was concerned. So our marking scheme too would be keeping those figures in mind. Please have a look at our marking scheme for coming days:
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- 2.0-2.4/10 – Average.
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PS: Aspirants can select any question they wish to answer in the comment space provided below specifying the question. (Those who wish to write in paper using pen can also do the same. If you prefer pen and paper way, then you need to scan your answers and upload in Google docs and share the link via comments.) Answering 3-4 questions, does not take much of your time. But for those who engage regularly in answer writing, the resultant score improvement in actual UPSC exam would be exponential.
GS 4 Paper: [Role of family] Explain the role of family in inculcating values in a person. Highlight two examples of noted personalities. (200 words)
Ans. Human develops values from family, school, friends,teachers and peers through out his life. In addition to this he/she also develops values from famous personalities, particular incidents like death of somebody or deep-impacting events or daily life happening. As we know the 90% of development of mind happens within first three years of child’s life and all these years child is with family only therefore, the family is crucial to inculcate value in a person. Compassionate, persuasiveness, aggressiveness, considerate, gifting, truthfulness all this one learn’s from one’s family during early years of life. Present days nuclear family, working couple family and joint family have their varied impact on values inculcation in a person. However, the person’s values may be different from family’s because of intensity of impact of other factors like office, colleagues, friends. But family give shapes one’s thought process. The two examples-
1. Ex-President APJ Kalam belonged to a poor family, his father was a priest in mosque in interior of Tamil Nadu. But the devotion towards duty, compassion towards others and zeal for learning all this he imbibed from his family. Mr. Kalam is also religious nature. His love for children is displayed and to nurture children’s talent is also reflective of his family values.
2. Abindranath Tagore- Mr. Abindranath Tagore was nephew of Sir Rabindra Nath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate. He was a painter and a proponent of Modern Paintings and imbibed Indianness in his paintings. He, only, designed national flag. He opposed Company Painting style of Raja Varma on the ground of being western appeasing/imitating in paintings. This aggressive patriotic values are a reflection of values shaped by family.
List the important water bodies and ice caps in news due to changes in the geographical features. Trace the reasons for change. (200 words)
Ans
Some of the important water and ice bodies in news dueto changes are-
1) Himalayan glaciers; Have been receding continuously for last few decades and areas earlier covered in ice are now ice free for most of the year.
2) Polar ice caps; Have been shrinking each year, threatening wildlife on one side and opening potentials for resource exploration on the other.
3) Ice free oceans in north Canada; opening a potential sea route around the poles.
4) Aral sea; Due to river diversion had dried up, turning surrounding areas to desert. Has seen limited revival.
5) Dead sea; Has been shrinking due to diversion of River Jordan for irrigation. It already has no life due to high salinity.
6) Tropical oceans are seeing mass bleaching of corals, while corals have expanded beyond their erstwhile habitat due to warming oceans in temperate regions.
7) Rivers worldwide are being polluted, threatening marine life and usability by humans. Ex. Yamuna and Ganga in India and Yangtse in China(missing Baji dolphins).
The reasons for these have been abuse of resources by humans.
1) Global warming due to greenhouse gases.
2) Industrial, agricultural, city waste being released into water bodies without treatment.
3) Diversion of water, construction of dams and encroachment on basin areas.
Good one.
List the important water bodies and ice caps in news due to changes in the geographical features. Trace the reasons for change. (200 words)
ANS-
Some major ice gaps and water bodies in news are -:
Greenland Ice Cap- Billions of tons of snow are either melting or sublimating every year in large measure because of a humble substance – dust. Dry snow at the surface makes sunlight reflected back to space which darkens the surface thereby absorbing more solar energy leading to melting of snow
Mt Kilimanjaro and Mt Kenya- The loss of ice on these mountain is a result of rising global temperature due to human activities like deforestation on the mountain foothills, declining precipitation and less cloudiness leading to higher solar radiation. Warmer conditions near the surface as well as higher temperatures in lower latitudes play an important role in shrinking of ice.
Himalayan glaciers- Himalayan -Watersheds are affected due to the rapid population growth, dependences of forests and timber and growth of cities and urbanization in these areas. Existing deforestation and other pressures have resulted in floods, erratic rainfall patterns, siltation etc.
Ganga-Brahmaputra- High temperatures could bring severe flooding of the delta and monsoonal storms will increase severity and frequency.
Quelccaya ice cap- Peru’s ice cap continues to melt as a result of burning of fossil fuels and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have influenced the warming trend.
According to IPCC, when the temperature rise and ice melts, more water flows to the seas and ocean water warms and expands in volume. This combination of effects has played the major role in raising average global sea level in the past hundred years
Marks 3.0
The recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relation are relevant in the question of adequate autonomy for the state of Manipur. Analyse. (200 words)
Ans
The highlights of the recommendations of Kelkar commission are-
1) Check on misuse of article 356.
2) Devolution of power from centre to state for federalism.
3) Apart from taxation, state should have more control over concurrent list subjects than center.
4) For laws under article 252, they should be repealed automatically after 3 years instead legislative’s will.
5) Awards of SC in water tribunals should be automatically applied instead of government notification.
The problem of autonomy in Manipur is due to the demand of hill Naga people to have Autonomous district councils under 6th schedule and not under 1971 Manipur district council act, which limits the autonomy.
The issue is a sub-state matter and not a state-centre matter.
The people believe that the government is working in favour of more numerous Meitei people, disregarding demands of Naga hill tribesmen.
The recommendations of Kelkar commission thus will only strengthen the state further without furthering the cause of Hill tribesmen.
However the model could stand as an example for further devolution of power from center to states, and further to the autonomous districts.
Why Kelkar here?
god! big mistake! i mixed something else I was reading with this answer! total absent mindedness. Really sorry.
The recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State relation are relevant in the question of adequate autonomy for the state of Manipur. Analyse. (200 words)
Ans
The highlights of the recommendations of Sarkaria commission are-
1) Check on misuse of article 356.
2) Devolution of power from centre to state for federalism.
3) Apart from taxation, state should have more control over concurrent list subjects than center.
4) For laws under article 252, they should be repealed automatically after 3 years instead legislative’s will.
5) Awards of SC in water tribunals should be automatically applied instead of government notification.
The problem of autonomy in Manipur is due to the demand of hill Naga people to have Autonomous district councils under 6th schedule and not under 1971 Manipur district council act, which limits the autonomy.
The issue is a sub-state matter and not a state-centre matter.
The people believe that the government is working in favour of more numerous Meitei people, disregarding demands of Naga hill tribesmen.
The recommendations of Sarkaria commission thus will only strengthen the state further without furthering the cause of Hill tribesmen.
However the model could stand as an example for further devolution of power from center to states, and further to the autonomous districts.
Marks 3.0
Analyze India’s Primary deficit and interest payment burden in the backdrop of Indian Budget 2014-15.
Ans
Primary deficit is the difference between fiscal deficit (gross expenditure+ borrowing- gross earning) and the interest payments.
According to the budget of this year the process of fiscal consolidation will continue; fiscal deficit falling from 4.6% last year to 4.1% this year while the primary deficit is expected to be 0.8% compared to 1.2% last year (ratio to GDP). So the interest payments will be 3.3% this year compared to 4.2% last year (ratio to GDP).
The interest payment is due to deficit financing over previous years which has led to prolonged burden of interest payment. Any present primary deficit goes on to show that interest will have to be paid on this in the future. This payment must come from taxpayers money or by privatisation of public assets.
Hence a reduction in primary deficit is a good thing, however it being one third of interest payments shows that previous deficit financing from the government has not provided proper productivity in the nation.
It has been recommended that the fiscal deficit should be under 3.6% of GDP for a healthy growth but the economic recession in parts of Europe and potential of ending of easy money policy of Federal reserves combined to sub 5% growth rate, doing so will require a number of reforms in India.
Marks 2.5.
GS 4 Paper: [Role of family] Explain the role of family in inculcating values in a person. Highlight two examples of noted personalities. (200 words)
Ans.Family is a social institution with a bond of common,belief,culture,religion,customs and way of life.The values of family are passed from one generation to next generation.
The child rearing practices adopted by the parents lays this basic for the inculcation of values in a child.A parent’s reaction to everyday events demonstrates what is good and bad,acceptable or unacceptable for them as well as the child.For e.g:If a sees his parents discriminating against other people on the lines of race,caste,religion then he is less likely to adhere to the value of equality.Children acquire self knowledge,self confidence and capacity to self sacrifice from their mothers.Children learn values like unity,tolerance,compassion by living in joint families.
Example of two notable personalities are as follows:
(a)Jawaharlal Nehru: The values like love towards children,freedom,respect towards all religions inculcated in him by Motilal Nehru made him the hero of Indian National Movement.
(b)Ratan Tata: Inherited values like corporate governance,sincerity,dedication,compassion towards employees help him to emerge as the global leader in business community.
Marks 3.0.
Dear sirs,
Please upload the next test series!
I really hope the exam series have not ended.
Best regards,
Avi
Indian constitution is based on the premise of a strong center. Recommendations of Sarkaria Commission tries to correct this imbalance by ensuring better positioning of states in relation to central government.
If we see it in context of Manipur which is hotbed of northeast conflicts because of its diverse population of Meiti, Kuki and Naga and their territory claims, we realize that balance is more tilted towards the central government. Imposition of AFSPA is a clear indication of that.
Along with that Central Government is in talks with leadership of Naga rebels without keeping the state government involved.
There has been multiple instances where Manipur assembly has passed a resolution of not altering the state boundary but it has no real value in the negotiations happening with the Naga rebel leaders Isac and Muivah
Even while deciding on the name of interlocutors for talks the state’s opinion had not been seeked.
In past when there was seize fire brokered between Naga rebels and India, Manipur categorically rejected it as they had not been taken on board while doing so.
While it seems the state government is being ignored here by central government but considering this issue is related to sovereignty and integrity of the nation, the center state relations become of secondary importance and so a severe criticism based on Sarkaria committee recommendation won’t be fare in this case