UPSC CSE Mains Model Questions: GS Paper 1 [50-Day HVAW Compilation]

This is a compilation of the GS Paper 1 model questions we provided as part of our 50-day Mains High Value Answer Writing (HVAW) Test Series in 2014. We will also be releasing the compilation of the GS Paper 1 model questions in the ClearIAS 30-day Mains Answer Writing Program(AWP) 2016 soon.

IAS Mains Model Questions: General Studies Paper 1

Aspirants who write mains are advised to go through these questions, answers written by other candidates, and the respective feedback from ClearIAS Team.

1. Discuss the significance of Individual Satyagraha in Indian freedom movement. Why did Congress working committee decide to suspend Individual Satyagraha?
2. Trace the evolution of India and Pakistan post-partition. What are the reasons for the apparent disparities?
3. Should India promote Hindi as a link language at the age of globalization? Analyze. Link language is not an absolute necessity for Indian nationalism. Critically evaluate
4. Compare the accession of the three princely states – Kashmir, Junagarh and Hyderabad- to India.
5. Distinguish between El Nino and La Nina? Explain the influence of ENSO in Indian monsoons.
6. Jawaharlal Nehru is widely acknowledged as the architect of modern India. Are the Nehruvian ideologies and plans still relevant? What are the deviations in contemporary polity and policies from Nehruvian philosophy?
7. Trace the evolution and growth of communism in the world. Analyze the relevance of communism as a philosophy in the present globalized world.
8. Taken right steps at right times, partition of India could have been avoided. Critically analyze
9. What are the geographical and non-geographical factors affecting the location of industries? Analyse the geographical factors favoring India as a service hub.
10. Analyze the new trends in migration of Indian population? Trace the reasons.
11. What are the differences between Pahari School of Painting and Mughal school of Painting? .
12. The modern power balances as we see today is the result of second world war. Critically analyze this statement.
13. It was once widely believed that coalition politics is a reality and modern India has to accept this fact. But last national election disproves this belief. Critically analyze.
14. The Indian monsoon is the result of a combination of factors. Explain the different phenomena behind Indian Monsoon.
15. What are cyclones? Distinguish between tropical and temperate cyclones.
16. What is imperialism? Analyze how imperialism triggered the first world war?
17. India is known for its diversity – religion, languages, culture, races – there seems nothing in common. What unities India then? Trace the growth of Indian nationalism.
18. Without Sardar Patel, there would have been no unified India. Critically analyze.
19. Analyse the problems faced by the Dalit population in Indian Society. Examine if the steps taken by the government is adequate enough for their upliftment.
20. “The soul of India lives in its villages”, declared M. K. Gandhi at the beginning of 20th century. Analyse how true is this statement in the present context by evaluating the urbanization trend in India.
21. National emergency is one situation when India shifts from her federal characteristics and assumes unitary shape. Analyze the situations of national emergencies in India and examine why the emergency declared in 1975 is a black spot on Indian democracy.
22. Jayaprakash Narayan left an indelible impression in the country’s post-Independence history by occupying a central place in its political affairs. Comment.
23. What was the mandate of Mandal Commission? Critically analyze the impact of implementing the recommendations of Mandal commission in post-independent India.
24. Manmohan Singh in 1991 presented a Budget that changed the face of the Indian economy, not so much because of the fiscal policy directions, but for the new industrial policy. Trace the historical circumstances that led to the new shift in economic policies.
25. What is the significance of Nataraja pose in Indian culture? How is Abhayamudra connected to Nataraja?
26. The most common theme of the Miniature painting of India comprises of the Ragas. Elaborate.
27. After the industrial revolution, industrial production increased tremendously, bringing wealth and power to imperial nations. Explore the effects of industrialization and analyze how industrial revolution changed the face of nations.
28. The Cuban missile crisis had all potentials to explode into a full scale nuclear war. Trace the historical circumstances which led to Cuban Crisis. How did the crisis end?
29. The Russian revolution had its roots in First World War, the revolution had actually affected the result of First World War. Analyze how Russian revolution influenced world history.
30. Though repressed with force by the British the Royal Indian Navy mutiny deserves its special place in Indian freedom struggle due to multiple reasons. Trace the reasons.
31. The importance of tribal revolts as anti-colonial movements are often sidelined by nationalist historians, but in reality the resistance offered by tribals was very crucial in Indian freedom struggle. List out the important tribal movements along with the salient features of the same.
32. Trace the reasons for the major peasant movements in India. What were the outcomes?
33. The nation remembers Subhash Chandra Bose as a brave soldier who devoted his entire life to his country, so that his fellow brothers and sisters breathe the air of freedom, liberty and dignity. Comment.
34. Rani Gaidinliu’s life is an allegory of the larger problems confounding India’s Northeast.
35. In economic terms, the Congress split in 1969 was represented as one between the left and the right. Critically analyze this statement. What does that split signify for the Congress tradition and for India today?
36. Though the mains stream nationalist movement was widely non-violent, there was a parallel stream of revolutionary movement of Indian Independence. Trace the notable activities of revolutionaries, and analyse the importance of the role played by revolutionaries in Indian freedom.
37. Contrary to common perception, a large percentage of women in India work.  Examine statistics on Indian women’s contribution as workers, and find out areas where the women’s participation is essential for their empowerment.
38. What is Mcdonalization? Find out examples of Mcdonaldization from contemporary Indian society.
39. India has experienced a similar phenomenon of Wal-Martization to the United States, with significant negative ramifications for its economy. Critically analyze.
40. Child education, especially girl child education is often a neglected area as far as modern India is concerned. Critically analyze
41. According to James Calvin, an analyst from the U.S. Navy, India gained many benefits from the 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. Critically analyze.
42. Distinguish between the policy of ring fence and subsidiary alliance. What were the principles of subsidiary alliance?
43. “Let every Indian consider himself to be a free man”, Gandhi declared in his fiery “Do or Die” speech the day the Quit India Movement was declared. But Quit India Movement didn’t get same response from all quarters of India. Trace the attitude of different sections of people and political parties towards Quit India Movement.
44. The numbers of British in India were small, yet they were able to rule two-thirds of the subcontinent directly and exercise considerable leverage over the princely states that accounted for the remaining one-third of the area. Comment.
45. What are the differences between imperialism and colonialism? Trace the reasons for the spread of colonialism.
46. The breakup of the Soviet Union transformed the entire world political situation, leading to a complete reformulation of political, economic and military alliances all over the globe. What were the reasons for disintegration of USSR?
47. The primary cause of the Great Depression was the war of 1914–1918. World War I along with the Depression it spawned, was the driver that eventually produced the even greater catastrophe of World War II. Analyze the connection between the three events.
48. What is meant by ocean acidification? What are the reasons and impacts of the same?
49. Approximately ten percent of the world’s active volcanoes are found in Japan. Trace the reasons.
50. List the important water bodies and ice caps in news due to changes in the geographical features. Trace the reasons for change.

Practice Full Length UPSC Mains Mock Tests – GS1

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