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खण्ड ‘A’ / SECTION ‘A’

1. In the present digital age, social media has revolutionised our way of communication and interaction. However, it has raised several ethical issues and challenges. Describe the key ethical dilemmas in this regard. (Answer in 150 words)
मौजूदा डिजिटल युग में सोशल मीडिया ने संचार और बातचीत के तरीके में क्रांति ला दी है । हालाँकि इसने कई नैतिक मुद्दे और चुनौतियाँ खड़ी कर दी है। इस संबंध में मूल नैतिक दुविधाओं का वर्णन कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

2. “Constitutional morality is not a natural sentiment but a product of civil education and adherance of the rule of law.” Examine the significance of constitutional morality for public servant highlighting the role in promoting good governance and ensuring accountability in public administration. (Answer in 150 words)
“संवैधानिक नैतिकता कोई स्वाभाविक मनोभाव नहीं है, बल्कि नागरिक शिक्षा और कानून के शासन के पालन का परिणाम है ।” सिविल सेवक के लिए संवैधानिक नैतिकता का परीक्षण करते हुए लोक प्रशासन में सुशासन को बढ़ावा देने और जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने में इसकी भूमिका पर प्रकाश डालिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

3. Carl von Clausewitz once said, “War is a diplomacy by other means.” Critically analyse the above statement in the present context of contemporary geo-political conflict. (Answer in 150 words)
कार्ल वॉन क्लॉजविट्ज ने एक बार कहा था, “युद्ध दूसरे माध्यमों से की जाने वाली एक कूटनीति है ।” समकालीन भू-राजनीतिक संघर्ष के वर्तमान संदर्भ में उपर्युक्त कथन का आलोचनात्मक विश्लेषण कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

4. Keeping the national security in mind, examine the ethical dilemmas related to controversies over environmental clearance of development projects in ecologically sensitive border areas in the country. (Answer in 150 words)
राष्ट्रीय सुरक्षा को ध्यान में रखते हुए देश में पारिस्थितिक रूप से संवेदनशील सीमावर्ती क्षेत्रों में विकास परियोजनाओं की पर्यावरणीय मंजूरी पर विवादों से संबंधित नैतिक दुविधाओं का परीक्षण कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

5. “Those who in trouble untroubled are, Will trouble trouble itself.” – Thiruvalluvar (Answer in 150 words)
“जो लोग मुसीबत में भी शांत रहते हैं, मुसीबत ही स्वयं परेशान होगी ।” – तिरुवल्लुवर (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

6. “The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes.” – William James (Answer in 150 words)
“मेरी पीढ़ी की सबसे बड़ी खोज यह है कि मनुष्य अपना दृष्टिकोण बदलकर अपना जीवन बदल सकता है ।” – विलियम जेम्स (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

7. “The strength of a society is not in its laws, but in the morality of its people.” – Swami Vivekananda (Answer in 150 words)
“किसी समाज की शक्ति उसके कानूनों में नहीं, बल्कि उसके लोगों की नैतिकता में होती है।” – स्वामी विवेकानंद (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

8. “For any kind of social re-engineering by successfully implementing welfare schemes, a civil servant must use reason and critical thinking in an ethical framework.” Justify this statement with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words)
किसी भी प्रकार की सामाजिक पुनर्रचना के लिए कल्याणकारी योजनाओं को सफलतापूर्वक क्रियान्वित करने हेतु एक सिविल सेवक को नैतिक ढाँचे में तर्क और आलोचनात्मक सोच का उपयोग करना चाहिए । उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ इस कथन की पुष्टि कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

9. What are the major teachings of Mahavir? Explain their relevance in the contemporary world. (Answer in 150 words)
महावीर की प्रमुख शिक्षाएँ क्या हैं ? समकालीन विश्व में उनकी प्रासंगिकता स्पष्ट कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

10. “One who is devoted to one’s duty attains highest perfection in life.” Analyse this statement with reference to sense of responsibility and personal fulfilment as a civil servant. (Answer in 150 words)
“जो व्यक्ति अपने कर्त्तव्य के प्रति समर्पित होता है, वह जीवन में सर्वोच्च पूर्णता को प्राप्त करता है।” एक सिविल सेवक के रूप में जिम्मेदारी की भावना और व्यक्तिगत संतुष्टि के संदर्भ में इस कथन का विश्लेषण कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

11. To achieve holistic development goal, a civil servant acts as an enabler and active facilitator of growth rather than a regulator. What specific measures will you suggest to achieve this goal? (Answer in 150 words)
समग्र विकास लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने के लिए, एक सिविल सेवक विकास के नियामक के बजाए एक सक्षमकर्ता और सुविधाप्रदाता के रूप में कार्य करता है। इस लक्ष्य को प्राप्त करने के लिए आप क्या विशिष्ट उपाय सुझायेंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

12. It is said that for an ethical work culture, there must be code of ethics in place in every organisation. To ensure value-based and compliance-based work culture, what suitable measures would you adopt in your work place? (Answer in 150 words)
ऐसा कहा जाता है कि नैतिक कार्य संस्कृति के लिए प्रत्येक संगठन में आचार संहिता होनी चाहिए । मूल्य-आधारित और अनुपालन-आधारित कार्य संस्कृति सुनिश्चित करने के लिए, आप अपने कार्यस्थल में कौन से उपयुक्त उपाय अपनायेंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

13. India is an emerging economic power of the world as it has recently secured the status of fourth largest economy of the world as per IMF projection. However, it has been observed that in some sectors, allocated funds remain either under-utilised or misutilised. What specific measures would you recommend for ensuring accountability in this regard to stop leakages and gaining the status of third largest economy of the world in near future? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत विश्व की उभरती हुई आर्थिक शक्ति है क्योंकि आइ.एम.एफ. के अनुमानानुसार हाल ही में इसने विश्व की चौथी सबसे बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्था का दर्जा हासिल किया है । तथापि यह देखा गया है कि कुछ क्षेत्रों में आबंटित धनराशि का या तो कम उपयोग किया जाता है अथवा उसका गलत उपयोग होता है। इस संबंध में जवाबदेही सुनिश्चित करने, लीकेज रोकने तथा निकट भविष्य में विश्व की तीसरी सबसे बड़ी अर्थव्यवस्था का दर्जा प्राप्त करने के लिए आप क्या विशिष्ट उपाय सुझायेंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

खण्ड ‘B’ / SECTION ‘B’

14. Vijay was Deputy Commissioner of remote district of Hilly Northern State of the country for the last two years. In the month of August heavy rains lashed the complete state followed by cloud burst in the upper reaches of the said district. The damage was very heavy in the complete state especially in the affected district. The complete road network and telecommunication were disrupted and the buildings were damaged extensively. People’s houses have been destroyed and they were forced to stay in open. More than 200 people have been killed and about 5000 were badly injured. The Civil Administration under Vijay got activated and started conducting rescue and relief operations. Temporary shelter camps and hospitals were established to provide shelter and medical facilities to the homeless and injured people. Helicopter services were pressed in, for evacuating sick and old people from remote areas. Vijay got a message from his hometown in Kerala that his mother was seriously sick. After two days Vijay received the unfortunate message that his mother has expired. Vijay has no close relative except one elder sister who was US citizen and staying there for last several years. In the meantime, the situation in the affected district deteriorated further due to resumption of heavy rains after a gap of five days. At the same time, continuous messages were coming on his mobile from his hometown to reach at the earliest for performing last rites of his mother.
(a) What are the options available with Vijay?
(b) What are the ethical dilemma being faced by Vijay?
(c) Critically evaluate and examine each of these options identified by Vijay.
(d) Which of the options, do you think, would be most appropriate for Vijay to adopt and why?
(Answer in 250 words)
विजय पिछले दो वर्षों से देश के पहाड़ी उत्तरी राज्य के सुदूर जिले के डिप्टी कमिशनर थे । अगस्त महीने में पूरे राज्य में भारी बारिश हुई और इसके बाद उक्त जिले के ऊपरी इलाकों में बादल फट गए। पूरे राज्य में विशेष कर प्रभावित जिले में बहुत भारी क्षति हुई । पूरा सडक नेटवर्क और दूरसंचार बाधित हो गया । इमारतें बड़े पैमाने पर क्षतिग्रस्त हो गईं। लोगों के घर नष्ट हो गए और वे खुले में रहने को मजबूर हुए। 200 से अधिक लोग मारे गये और लगभग 5000 लोग बुरी तरह घायल हो गये । विजय के नेतृत्व में नागरिक प्रशासन सक्रिय हो गया और बचाव तथा राहत अभियान शुरू हो गया । बेघर और घायल लोगों को आश्रय एवं चिकित्सा सुविधाएँ प्रदान करने के लिए अस्थायी आश्रय शिविर तथा अस्पताल स्थापित किए गए। दूरदराज के इलाकों से बीमार और बूढ़े लोगों को निकालने के लिए हेलीकॉप्टर सेवाएँ शुरू की गई। विजय को अपने गृहनगर केरल से संदेश मिला कि उनकी माँ गंभीर रूप से बीमार हैं। दो दिन बाद विजय को दुर्भाग्यपूर्ण संदेश मिला कि उनकी माँ की मृत्यु हो गई है। विजय का एक बड़ी बहन के अलावा कोई करीबी रिश्तेदार न था । उनकी बड़ी बहन अमेरिकी नागरिक थीं और पिछले कई वर्षों से वहीं रह रही थीं। इस बीच पाँच दिनों के अंतराल के बाद फिर से शुरू हुई भारी बारिश के कारण प्रभावित जिले में स्थिति और खराब हो गई। वहीं, उनके मोबाइल पर अपने गृहनगर से माँ का अंतिम संस्कार करने के लिए जल्द से जल्द पहुँचने के लगातार संदेश आ रहे थे ।
(a) विजय के पास कौन से विकल्प उपलब्ध हैं ?
(b) विजय को किन नैतिक दुविधाओं का सामना करना पड़ रहा है ?
(c) विजय द्वारा पहचाने गए प्रत्येक विकल्प का आलोचनात्मक मूल्यांकन और परीक्षण कीजिए ।
(d) आपके अनुसार विजय के लिए कौन सा विकल्प अपनाना सबसे उपयुक्त होगा और क्यों ?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

15. In line with the Directive Principles of State Policy enshrined in the Indian Constitution, the government has a constitutional obligation to ensure basic needs – “Roti, Kapda aur Makan (Food, Clothes and Shelter)” – for the under-privileged. Pursuing this mandate, the district administration proposed clearing a portion of forest land to develop housing for the homeless and economically weaker sections of the society. The proposed land, however, is an ecologically sensitive zone densely populated with age-old trees, medicinal plants and vital biodiversity. Besides, these forests help to regulate micro-climate and rainfalls; provide habitat for wildlife, support soil fertility and prevent land/soil erosion and sustain livelihoods of tribal and nomadic communities. Inspite of the ecological and social costs, the administration argues in favour of the said proposal by highlighting that this very initiative addresses fundamental human rights as a critical welfare priority. Besides, it fulfils the government’s duty to uplift and empower the poor through inclusive housing development. Further, these forest areas have become unsafe due to wild-animal threats and recurring human-wild life conflicts. Lastly, clearing forest-zones may help to curb anti-social elements allegedly using these areas as hideouts, thereby enhancing law and order.
(a) Can deforestation be ethically justified in the pursuit of social welfare objectives like, housing for the homeless?
(b) What are the socio-economic, administrative and ethical challenges in balancing environmental conservation with human development?
(c) What substantial alternatives or policy interventions can be proposed to ensure that both environmental integrity and human dignity are protected?
(Answer in 250 words)
भारतीय संविधान में निहित राज्य के नीति निर्देशक सिद्धांतों के अनुरूप रोटी, कपड़ा और मकान की बुनियादी जरूरतों को सुनिश्चित करना सरकार का संवैधानिक दायित्व है। इस आदेश का पालन करते हुए, जिला प्रशासन ने समाज के बेघर और आर्थिक रूप से कमजोर वर्ग के लिए आवास विकसित करने हेतु वनभूमि के एक हिस्से की सफाई का प्रस्ताव रखा । हालाँकि, प्रस्तावित भूमि पारिस्थितिक रूप से एक संवेदनशील क्षेत्र है जो सदियों पुराने पेड़ों, औषधीय पौधों और महत्वपूर्ण जैववैविध्य से परिपूर्ण है । इसके अलावा, ये वन सूक्ष्म जलवायु और वर्षा को विनियमित करने, वन्यजीवों के लिए आश्रय प्रदान करने, मृत्तिका की उर्वरता बढ़ाने, भूमि/मृदा अपरदन रोकने एवं आदिवासी तथा खानाबदोश समुदायों की आजीविका को बनाए रखने में मदद करते हैं । पारिस्थितिक और सामाजिक लागतों के बावजूद, प्रशासन उक्त प्रस्ताव के पक्ष में तर्क देता है कि यह पहल मौलिक मानवाधिकारों को एक महत्वपूर्ण कल्याणपरक प्राथमिकता के रूप में संबोधित करती है। इसके अलावा, इस समावेशी आवास विकास के माध्यम से गरीबों के उत्थान और सशक्तिकरण से सरकार का कर्तव्य पूरा होगा । पुनः जंगली जानवरों के खतरे और बार-बार होनेवाले मानव-वन्यजीव संघर्ष के कारण ये वनक्षेत्र असुरक्षित हो गए हैं। अंत में, वनक्षेत्रों को साफ करने से इन इलाकों को कथित तौर पर छिपने के स्थानों के रूप में उपयोग करने वाले असामाजिक तत्वों पर अंकुश लगाने में मदद मिल सकती है, जिससे कानून और व्यवस्था में सुधार होगा ।
(a) क्या बेघरों के लिए सामाजिक कल्याणपरक उद्देश्यों की पूर्ति हेतु वनों की कटाई को नैतिक रूप से उचित ठहराया जा सकता है ?
(b) मानव विकास के साथ पर्यावरण संरक्षण को संतुलित करने में समाजार्थिक, प्रशासनिक और नैतिक चुनौतियाँ क्या हैं?
(c) पर्यावरणीय अखंडता और मानवीय गरिमा – दोनों की सुरक्षा को सुनिश्चित करने के लिए कौन से ठोस विकल्प या नीतिगत हस्तक्षेप प्रस्तावित किए जा सकते हैं ?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

16. Subash is Secretary, PWD in the State Government. He is a senior officer, known for his competence, integrity and dedication to work. He enjoys the trust and confidence of Minister Incharge of PWD and Programme Implementation. As a part of his job profile, he is responsible for policy formulation, execution of projects relating to infrastructure initiatives in the State. Besides, he oversees the technical and administrative aspects, relating to planning, designing and construction etc. Subash’s Minister is an important Minister in the state and significant growth in urban infrastructure development and road network has been registered during his tenure. He is very keen for launching of ambitious road construction project in the near future. Subash is in regular touch with the Minister and is working various modalities of road construction project. Regular meetings, interactions and presentations are made by him to the Minister before a formal public announcement of the project is made by the Minister. Subash’s only son Vikas is in real estate business. His son from his own sources is aware that a mega road project is on the anvil and announcement in this regard is expected anytime. He is very keen to know from his father the exact location of the upcoming project. He knows that there would be quantum jump in the prices of land in the vicinity. Buying land at this stage at cheaper prices would pay him rich dividends. He is pleading with him (his father) day in and day out to share him location of the proposed project. He assured him that he would handle the matter discretely as it would not attract any adverse notice as he in the normal course, keeps on buying land as a part of his business. He feels pressurised because of constant pleadings by his son. Another significant aspect of the matter pertained to the extra/undue interest in the above project by the Minister PWD. His nephew was also having big infrastructure project company. In fact, the Minister has also introduced his nephew to him and indicated to him to take care of his nephew’s business interest in the forthcoming project. The Minister encouraged him to act fast in the matter as early announcement and execution of mega road project would enhance his status in the party and public life. In the above backdrop, Subash is in a fix as to the future course of action.
(a) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the case.
(b) Critically examine the options available to Subash in the above situation.
(c) Which of the above would be most appropriate and why?
(Answer in 250 words)
सुभाष राज्य सरकार में लोकनिर्माण विभाग के सचिव हैं। वह एक वरिष्ठ अधिकारी हैं, जो अपनी योग्यता, निष्ठा और काम के प्रति समर्पण के लिए जाने जाते हैं। उन्हें लोकनिर्माण विभाग और कार्यक्रम कार्यान्वयन के प्रभारी मंत्री का भरोसा और विश्वास प्राप्त है। अपनी जॉब प्रोफाइल के अलावा वह राज्य में नीति निर्माण के लिए भी जिम्मेदार हैं। इसके अलावा, वह योजना, डिजाइनिंग और निर्माण आदि से संबंधित तकनीकी और प्रशासनिक पहलुओं की देखरेख करते हैं। सुभाष के मंत्री राज्य के एक महत्वपूर्ण मंत्री हैं और उनके कार्यकाल के दौरान शहरी बुनियादी ढाँचे के विकास और सड़क नेटवर्क में महत्वपूर्ण वृद्धि दर्ज की गई है। वह निकट भविष्य में महत्वाकांक्षी सड़क निर्माण परियोजना शुरू करने के लिए उत्सुक हैं। सुभाष मंत्री के साथ नियमित संपर्क में हैं और सड़क निर्माण परियोजना के विभिन्न तौर-तरीकों पर काम कर रहे हैं। मंत्री द्वारा परियोजना की औपचारिक सार्वजनिक घोषणा करने से पहले उनके द्वारा मंत्री के समक्ष नियमित बैठकें, चर्चाएँ और प्रस्तुतियाँ की जाती हैं । सुभाष का इकलौता बेटा विकास रियल एस्टेट बिजनेस में है । उनके बेटे को अपने सूत्रों से पता चलता है कि एक मेगा रोड परियोजना अंतिम चरण पर है और इस संबंध में किसी भी समय घोषणा होने की उम्मीद है। वह अपने पिता से आगामी प्रोजेक्ट का सटीक स्थान जानने के लिए बहुत उत्सुक हैं । उसे पता है कि आसपास की जमीन की कीमतों में भारी उछाल आएगा । इस स्तर पर सस्ती कीमतों पर जमीन खरीदने से उसे भरपूर लाभ मिलेगा । वह प्रस्तावित परियोजना का स्थान दिखाने के लिए दिन-रात अपने पिता से विनती कर रहा है । उसने उन्हें आश्वस्त किया कि वह इस मामले को सीधे संभालेगा क्योंकि इससे कोई प्रतिकूल असर नहीं पड़ेगा। यह इसलिए कि वह स्वाभाविक रूप से अपने व्यवसाय के हिस्से के रूप में जमीन खरीदता रहता है । अपने बेटे की लगातार मिन्नतों के कारण वह दबाव महसूस करते हैं । इस मामले का एक अन्य महत्वपूर्ण पहलू लोक निर्माण विभाग के मंत्री द्वारा उपर्युक्त परियोजना में अतिरिक्त/अनुचित रुचि से संबंधित है। उनके भतीजे की भी बड़ी आधारभूत संरचनावाली परियोजना कंपनी थी । दरअसल, मंत्री ने अपने भतीजे का भी उनसे परिचय कराया है और उन्हें आगामी प्रोजेक्ट में भतीजे के व्यावसायिक हितों का ध्यान रखने का संकेत भी दिया है। मंत्री ने उन्हें इस मामले में तेजी से काम करने के लिए प्रोत्साहित किया क्योंकि मेगा रोड़ परियोजना की शीघ्र घोषणा और कार्यान्वयन से अपनी पार्टी और सार्वजनिक जीवन में उनकी स्थिति मजबूत होगी । उपर्युक्त पृष्ठभूमि में सुभाष भावी कार्रवाई को लेकर असमंजस में हैं ।
(a) उक्त मामले में शामिल नैतिक मुद्दों पर चर्चा कीजिए ।
(b) उपर्युक्त स्थिति में सुभाष के पास उपलब्ध विकल्पों का आलोचनात्मक परीक्षण कीजिए ।
(c) उपर्युक्त में से कौन सा सर्वाधिक उपयुक्त होगा और क्यों ?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

17. Rajesh is a Group A officer with nine years of service. He is posted as Administrative Officer in an Oil Public Sector undertaking. As an Administrative Officer he is responsible for managing and coordinating various administrative tasks to ensure smooth functioning of office. He also manages office supplies, equipment etc. Rajesh is now sufficient senior and is expecting his next promotion in JAG (Junior Administrative Grade) in the next one or two years. He knows that promotion is based on examination of ACRs/Performance Appraisal of last few years (5 years or so) of an officer by a DPC (Departmental Promotion Committee) and an officer lacking requisite grading of ACRs may not be found fit for promotion. Consequences of losing promotion may entail financial and reputational loss and set-back for career progression. Though he also puts his best efforts in official discharge of his duties, yet he is unsure of assessment by his superior officer. He is now putting extra efforts so that he gets thumping report at the end of financial year. As Administrative Officer, Rajesh is regularly interacting with his immediate boss, who is his reporting officer for writing his ACR. One day he calls Rajesh and wants him to buy computer-related stationery on priority from a particular vendor. Rajesh instructs his office to initiate action for procuring these items. During the day, the dealing Assistant brings an estimate of Rupees Thirty Five Lakhs covering all stationery items from the same vendor. It is noticed that as per delegated financial powers, as provided in the GFR (General Financial Rules) as applicable in that Organisation, expenditure for office items exceeding Rupees Thirty Lakhs requires sanction of the next higher authority (boss in the present case). Rajesh knows that immediate superior would expect all these purchases should be done at his level and may not appreciate such lack of initiative on his part. During discussions with office, he learns that common practice of splitting of expenditure (where large order is divided into a series of smaller ones) is followed to avoid obtaining sanction from higher authority. This practice is against the rules and may come to the adverse notice of Audit. Rajesh is perturbed. He is unsure of taking decision in the matter.
(a) What are the options available with Rajesh in the above situation?
(b) What are the ethical issues involved in this case?
(c) Which would be the most appropriate option for Rajesh and why?
(Answer in 250 words)
राजेश अपनी नौ साल की सेवा के साथ ग्रुप ए अधिकारी हैं। वह एक सार्वजनिक क्षेत्र के तेल उपक्रम में प्रशासनिक अधिकारी के रूप में तैनात हैं। एक प्रशासनिक अधिकारी के रूप में, वह कार्यालय के सुचारु संचालन को सुनिश्चित करने के लिए विभिन्न प्रशासनिक कार्यों के प्रबंधन और समन्वय हेतु जिम्मेदार हैं। वह कार्यालय की आपूर्ति, उपकरण आदि का प्रबंधन भी करते हैं । राजेश अब काफी वरिष्ठ हो गए हैं और अगले एक या दो वर्षों में जेएजी (जूनियर एडमिनिस्ट्रेटिव ग्रेड) में उनकी पदोन्नति की उम्मीद है। वह जानते हैं कि पदोन्नति, डीपीसी (विभागीय पदोन्नति समिति) द्वारा अधिकारी की पिछले कुछ वर्षों (लगभग 5 वर्ष) की एसीआर/निष्पादन मूल्यांकन की जांच के आधार पर होती है तथा एसीआर में अपेक्षित ग्रेडिंग के अभाव वाले अधिकारी को पदोन्नति के लिए उपयुक्त नहीं पाया जा सकता है । पदोन्नति खोने के परिणामस्वरूप वित्तीय और प्रतिष्ठा संबंधी हानि हो सकती है तथा कैरियर की प्रगति में बाधा आ सकती है । यद्यपि वह अपने कर्तव्यों के निर्वहन में अपना सर्वश्रेष्ठ प्रयास करते हैं, फिर भी, वह अपने वरिष्ठ अधिकारी द्वारा किये जाने वाले मूल्यांकन के बारे में अनिश्चित हैं । अब वह अतिरिक्त प्रयास कर रहे हैं, ताकि वित्तीय वर्ष के अंत में उन्हें शानदार रिपोर्ट मिले । प्रशासनिक अधिकारी के रूप में राजेश नियमित रूप से अपने तात्कालिक बॉस के साथ बातचीत करते रहते हैं, जो उनकी एसीआर लिखने वाले रिपोर्टिंग अधिकारी हैं। एक दिन उन्होंने राजेश को बुलाया और कहा कि एक विशेष विक्रेता से प्राथमिकता के आधार पर कंप्यूटर से संबंधित स्टेशनरी खरीदें । राजेश अपने कार्यालय को इन वस्तुओं की खरीद के लिए कार्रवाई शुरू करने का निर्देश देते हैं । उसी दिन संबंधित सहायक उसी विक्रेता के सभी स्टेशनरी सामग्री सम्मिलित करते हुए पैंतीस लाख रुपये का अनुमान पत्र लाता है । यह देखा गया कि उस संगठन में लागू जीएफआर (सामान्य वित्तीय नियमों) के अनुसार, कार्यालय मदों के लिए तीस लाख रुपये से अधिक के व्यय के लिए अगले उच्च प्राधिकारी (वर्तमान मामले में बॉस) की मंजूरी की आवश्यकता होती है । राजेश को पता है कि उनके वरिष्ठ अधिकारी यह उम्मीद करेंगे कि ये सारी खरीदारी उनके स्तर पर हो और वे उनकी ओर से इस तरह की पहल की कमी को पसंद नहीं करेंगे । कार्यालय के साथ विचार-विमर्श के दौरान उन्हें पता चला कि उच्च प्राधिकारी से मंजूरी प्राप्त करने से बचने के लिए व्यय को विभाजित करने की सामान्य प्रथा (जहाँ बड़े ऑर्डर को छोटे ऑर्डर की एक श्रृंखला में विभाजित किया जाता है) का प्रचलन है। यह प्रथा नियमों के विरुद्ध है और लेखापरीक्षा के प्रतिकूल संज्ञान में आ सकती है। राजेश परेशान हैं। वह इस मामले में कोई निर्णय लेने में अनिश्चित हैं ।
(a) उपरोक्त स्थिति में राजेश के लिए क्या विकल्प उपलब्ध हैं ?
(b) इस मामले में नैतिक मुद्दे क्या हैं ?
(c) राजेश के लिए कौन सा विकल्प सबसे उपयुक्त होगा और क्यों ?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

18. Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program, MGNREGA was earlier known as National Rural Employment Scheme, NREGA. It is an Indian Social Welfare Program that aimed at fulfilling the ‘Right to Work’ provisions made in the Constitution. MGNREGA was launched in 2006 under Rural Employment Sector by the Ministry of Rural Development. Main objective of the program is to give legal guarantee of wage employment to the adult members of rural households who are willing to do unskilled manual labour work subject to a maximum of 100 days per year for every household. Every rural household has the right to register under the scheme, job card is issued to the registered, Job Card holder can seek employment; State Government shall pay 25% of minimum wage for the first 30 days as compensatory daily unemployment allowance to the families and of wage for remaining period of the year. MGNREGA work was undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You have been appointed as an Administrator Incharge of the District. You have been given the responsibility of monitoring MGNREGA work undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You are also given the authority to give technical sanctions to all MGNREGA works. In one of the Panchayats in your jurisdiction, you notice that your predecessor has mismanaged the Program in terms of :
(i) Money not disbursed to actual job-seekers.
(ii) Muster Rolls of the Labourers not properly maintained.
(iii) Mismatch between the work done and payments made.
(iv) Payments made to fictitious persons.
(v) Job Cards were given without looking into the need of person.
(vi) Mismanagement of funds and to the extent of siphoning of funds.
(vii) Approved works that never existed.
(a) What is your reaction to the above situation and how do you restore the proper functioning of MGNREGA Program in this regard?
(b) What actions would you initiate to solve the various issues listed above?
(c) How would you deal with the above situation?
(Answer in 250 words)
महात्मा गांधी राष्ट्रीय ग्रामीण रोजगार गारंटी कार्यक्रम, एम जी एन आर ई जी ए को पहले राष्ट्रीय ग्रामीण रोजगार योजना, एन आर ई जी ए के रूप में जाना जाता था। यह एक भारतीय समाज कल्याण कार्यक्रम है जिसका उद्देश्य संविधान में दिए गए ‘काम करने के अधिकार’ के प्रावधानों को पूरा करना है। ग्रामीण विकास मंत्रालय द्वारा ग्रामीण रोजगार क्षेत्र के अंतर्गत 2006 में मनरेगा शुरु किया गया । कार्यक्रम का मुख्य उद्देश्य ग्रामीण परिवार के वयस्क सदस्यों को मजदूरी रोजगार की कानूनी गारंटी देना है जो प्रति परिवार अधिकतम प्रतिवर्ष 100 दिनों की सीमा के अधीन अकुशल शारीरिक श्रम कार्य के लिए तैयार हैं; प्रत्येक ग्रामीण परिवार को इस योजना के अंतर्गत पंजीकरण कराने का अधिकार है; जॉब कार्ड पंजीकृत को जारी किया जाता है; जॉब कार्ड धारक रोजगार की तलाश कर सकता है; राज्य सरकार परिवारों को प्रतिपूरक दैनिक बेरोजगारी भत्ते के रूप में पहले 30 दिनों के लिए न्यूनतम मजदूरी का 25% और वर्ष की शेष अवधि के लिए मजदूरी का भुगतान करेगी । विभिन्न ग्राम पंचायतों द्वारा मनरेगा कार्य कराया गया । आपको एक जिले का प्रभारी प्रशासक नियुक्त किया गया है। आपको विभिन्न ग्राम पंचायतों द्वारा किए जा रहे मनरेगा कार्यों की निगरानी की जिम्मेदारी दी गई है। आपको सभी मनरेगा कार्यों की तकनीकी मंजूरी देने का अधिकार भी दिया गया है। आपके अधिकार क्षेत्र में एक पंचायत में आपने देखा कि आपके पूर्ववर्ती ने कार्यक्रम का निम्न प्रकार से कुप्रबंधन किया है :
(i) वास्तविक नौकरी चाहने वालों को धन वितरित नहीं किया गया है।
(ii) मजदूरों की मस्टर रोल का ठीक से रखरखाव नहीं किया गया है।
(iii) किए गए कार्य और किए गए भुगतान के बीच बेमेल है ।
(iv) फर्जी व्यक्तियों को भुगतान किया गया है।
(v) व्यक्ति की आवश्यकता को देखे बिना जॉब कार्ड दिए गए हैं ।
(vi) निधियों का कुप्रबंधन तथा निधियों की कुछ हद तक हेराफेरी हुई है ।
(vii) ऐसे स्वीकृत कार्य जो कभी अस्तित्व में ही नहीं थे ।
(a) उपरोक्त स्थिति पर आपकी क्या प्रतिक्रिया है तथा आप इस क्षेत्र में मनरेगा कार्यक्रम के समुचित संचालन को कैसे बहाल करेंगे ?
(b) ऊपर सूचीबद्ध विभिन्न मुद्दों को हल करने के लिए आप क्या कार्रवाई शुरू करेंगे ?
(c) आप उपरोक्त स्थिति से कैसे निपटेंगे ?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

19. Ashok is Divisional Commissioner of one of the border districts of the North East State. A few years back, Military has taken over the neighbouring country after overthrowing the elected civil government. Civil war situation is prevailing in the country especially in last two years. However, internal situation further deteriorated due to rebel groups taking over control of certain populated areas near own border. Due to intense fight between military and rebel groups, civilian casualties has increased manifold in recent past. In the meantime, in one night Ashok got information from the local police guarding the border check post that there are about 200-250 people mainly women and children trying to cross over to our side of the border. There are also about 10 soldiers with their weapons in military uniform part of this group who wants to cross over. Women and Children are also crying and begging for help. A few of them are injured and bleeding profusely need immediate medical care. Ashok tried to contact Home Secretary of the State but failed to do so due to poor connectivity mainly due to inclement weather.
(a) What are the options available with Ashok to cope with the situation?
(b) What are the ethical and legal dilemmas being faced by Ashok?
(c) Which of the options, do you think would be more appropriate for Ashok to adopt and why?
(d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the Border Guarding Police in dealing with soldiers in uniform?
(Answer in 250 words)
अशोक पूर्वोत्तर राज्य के एक सीमावर्ती जिले के मंडल आयुक्त हैं। कुछ वर्ष पहले, सेना ने निर्वाचित नागरिक सरकार को उखाड़ फेंकने के बाद पड़ोसी देश पर कब्जा कर लिया था । देश में विशेष रूप से पिछले दो वर्षों से गृहयुद्ध की स्थिति बनी हुई है। हालाँकि, विद्रोही समूहों द्वारा अपनी सीमा के पास कुछ आबादी वाले क्षेत्रों पर नियंत्रण करने के कारण आंतरिक स्थिति और बिगड़ गई । सैन्य और विद्रोही समूहों के बीच तीव्र संघर्ष के कारण हाल के दिनों में नागरिक हताहतों की संख्या में कई गुना वृद्धि हुई है। इसी बीच अशोक को एक रात में सीमा चौकी पर तैनात पुलिस से सूचना मिली कि लगभग 200-250 लोग, जिनमें मुख्य रूप से महिलाएँ और बच्चे हैं, सीमा पार करके हमारी सीमा की ओर आने की कोशिश कर रहे थे। इस समूह में सैन्य वर्दीधारी हथियारों के साथ लगभग 10 सैनिक शामिल हैं जो सीमा पार करना चाहते हैं। महिलाएँ और बच्चे रो रहे हैं और मदद की भीख मांग रहे हैं। उनमें कुछ घायल हैं और बहुत ज्यादा खून बह रहा है, उन्हें तुरंत चिकित्सा की जरूरत है। अशोक ने राज्य के गृह सचिव से संपर्क करने का प्रयास किया, लेकिन खराब मौसम के कारण खराब कनेक्टिविटी के कारण ऐसा करने में असफल रहे ।
(a) इस स्थिति से निपटने के लिए अशोक के पास क्या विकल्प उपलब्ध हैं ?
(b) अशोक को किन नैतिक और कानूनी दुविधाओं का सामना करना पड़ रहा है ?
(c) आपके विचार से अशोक के लिए कौन सा विकल्प अपनाना अधिक उपयुक्त होगा और क्यों ?
(d) वर्तमान स्थिति में वर्दीधारी सैनिकों के साथ व्यवहार करते समय सीमा सुरक्षा पुलिस द्वारा क्या अतिरिक्त एहतियाती उपाय किए जाने चाहिए ?
(उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Click on Question to see Model Answer

1. Distinguish between the Human Development Index (HDI) and the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) with special reference to India. Why is the IHDI considered a better indicator of inclusive growth? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत के विशेष सन्दर्भ में मानव विकास सूचकांक (एच डी आई) तथा असमानता-समायोजित मानव विकास सूचकांक (आई एच डी आई) में भेद कीजिए। आई एच डी आई को समावेशी संवृद्धि का एक बेहतर सूचक क्यों समझा जाता है ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

2. What are the challenges before the Indian economy when the world is moving away from free trade and multilateralism to protectionism and bilateralism? How can these challenges be met? (Answer in 150 words)
भारतीय अर्थव्यवस्था के समक्ष वे कौन-सी चुनौतियाँ हैं जब विश्व स्वतंत्र व्यापार तथा बहुपक्षीयता से दूर होकर संरक्षणवाद तथा द्विपक्षीयता की ओर बढ़ रहा है। इन चुनौतियों का सामना किस तरह किया जा सकता है? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

3. Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India. (Answer in 150 words)
भारत में किसानों द्वारा उच्च मूल्य वाली फसलों के चयन के निर्णय को प्रभावित करने वाले कारकों की व्याख्या कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

4. Elaborate the scope and significance of supply chain management of agricultural commodities in India. (Answer in 150 words)
भारत में कृषि वस्तुओं की आपूर्ति श्रृंखला प्रबंधन के क्षेत्र तथा महत्त्व की विस्तार से व्याख्या कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

5. The fusion energy programme in India has steadily evolved over the past few decades. Mention India’s contributions to the international fusion energy project – International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). What will be the implications of the success of this project for the future of global energy? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत में संलयन ऊर्जा कार्यक्रम का पिछले कुछ दशकों में निरंतर क्रमिक-विकास हुआ है। अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संलयन ऊर्जा परियोजना – अंतर्राष्ट्रीय तापनाभिकीय प्रायोगिक रिएक्टर (आई टी ई आर) में भारत के योगदान का उल्लेख कीजिए। वैश्विक ऊर्जा के भविष्य के लिए इस परियोजना की सफलता के क्या निहितार्थ होंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

6. How can India achieve energy independence through clean technology by 2047? How can biotechnology can play a crucial role in this endeavour? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत, वर्ष 2047 तक स्वच्छ प्रौद्योगिकी के माध्यम से ऊर्जा स्वतंत्रता कैसे प्राप्त कर सकता है ? जैव-प्रौद्योगिकी इस प्रयास में किस प्रकार महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभा सकती है ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

7. What is Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS)? What is the potential role of CCUS in tackling climate change? (Answer in 150 words)
कार्बन अवशोषण (कैप्चर), उपयोग तथा भंडारण (सी सी यू एस) से क्या आशय है ? जलवायु परिवर्तन से निपटने में सी सी यू एस की संभावित भूमिका क्या है ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

8. Seawater intrusion in the coastal aquifers is a major concern in India. What are the causes of seawater intrusion and the remedial measures to combat this hazard? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत में तटीय जलभृत में समुद्री जल घुसपैठ एक मुख्य चिंता का विषय है। समुद्री जल घुसपैठ के क्या कारण हैं तथा ऐसी आपदा का सामना करने के उपचारात्मक उपाय क्या हैं ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

9. Terrorism is a global scourge. How has it manifested in India? Elaborate with contemporary examples. What are the counter measures adopted by the State? Explain. (Answer in 150 words)
आतंकवाद एक वैश्विक महाविपत्ति है। यह भारत में किस रूप में प्रकट हुआ है ? समसामयिक उदाहरणों से व्याख्या कीजिए। राज्य द्वारा कौन-से जवाबी उपाय अपनाए गए हैं ? समझाइए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

10. The Government of India recently stated that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) will be eliminated by 2026. What do you understand by LWE and how are the people affected by it? What measures have been taken by the government to eliminate LWE? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत सरकार ने हाल ही में घोषणा की है कि वामपंथी उग्रवाद (एल डब्ल्यू ई) 2026 तक समाप्त कर दिया जाएगा। आप एल डब्ल्यू ई से क्या समझते हैं तथा जनता इससे किस प्रकार प्रभावित है ? एल डब्ल्यू ई को समाप्त करने के लिए सरकार ने क्या उपाय किए हैं ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

11. Explain how the Fiscal Health Index (FHI) can be used as a tool for assessing the fiscal performance of states in India. In what way would it encourage the states to adopt prudent and sustainable fiscal policies? (Answer in 250 words)
समझाइए कि किस प्रकार राजकोषीय स्वास्थ्य सूचकांक (एफ एच आई) भारत में राज्यों के राजकोषीय प्रदर्शन के आकलन के उपकरण के रूप में प्रयोग किया जा सकता है। किस प्रकार यह राज्यों को विवेकपूर्ण तथा संपोषणीय राजकोषीय नीतियों को अपनाने के लिए प्रोत्साहित करेगा ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

12. Discuss the rationale of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. What are its achievements? In what way can the functioning and outcomes of the scheme be improved? (Answer in 250 words)
उत्पादन संबद्ध प्रोत्साहन (पी एल आई) योजना के तर्काधार की विवेचना कीजिए। इसकी क्या उपलब्धियाँ हैं ? किस प्रकार इस योजना की कार्य-पद्धति तथा परिणामों में सुधार किया जा सकता है ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

13. Examine the factors responsible for depleting groundwater in India. What are the steps taken by the government to mitigate such depletion of groundwater? (Answer in 250 words)
भारत में घटते भूजल के लिए उत्तरदायी कारकों का परीक्षण कीजिए। भूजल में ऐसी क्षीणता को कम करने के लिए सरकार ने क्या कदम उठाए हैं ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

14. Examine the scope of the food processing industries in India. Elaborate the measures taken by the government in the food processing industries for generating employment opportunities. (Answer in 250 words)
भारत में खाद्य प्रसंस्करण उद्योगों के विस्तार का परीक्षण कीजिए। खाद्य प्रसंस्करण उद्योगों में रोजगार अवसरों को सृजित करने हेतु, सरकार द्वारा किए गए उपायों का विस्तार से उल्लेख कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

15. How does nanotechnology offer significant advancements in the field of agriculture? How can this technology help to uplift the socio-economic status of farmers? (Answer in 250 words)
नैनो-प्रौद्योगिकी कृषि के क्षेत्र में महत्त्वपूर्ण उन्नति कैसे प्रदान करती है ? यह प्रौद्योगिकी कैसे किसानों की सामाजिक-आर्थिक स्थिति के उत्थान में सहायक हो सकती है ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

16. India aims to become a semiconductor manufacturing hub. What are the challenges faced by the semiconductor industry in India? Mention the salient features of the India Semiconductor Mission. (Answer in 250 words)
भारत ने एक सेमिकंडक्टर विनिर्माण केन्द्र बनने का लक्ष्य रखा है। भारत में सेमिकंडक्टर उद्योग के सामने क्या चुनौतियाँ हैं ? भारत सेमिकंडक्टर मिशन की प्रमुख विशेषताओं का उल्लेख कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

17. Mineral resources are fundamental to the country’s economy and these are exploited by mining. Why is mining considered an environmental hazard? Explain the remedial measures required to reduce the environmental hazard due to mining. (Answer in 250 words)
खनिज संसाधन देश की अर्थव्यवस्था के लिए आधारभूत हैं तथा इनका खनन द्वारा शोषण होता है। खनन को पर्यावरणीय आपदा क्यों समझा जाता है ? खनन द्वारा पैदा होने वाली पर्यावरणीय आपदा को कम करने हेतु आवश्यक उपचारात्मक उपायों की व्याख्या कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

18. Write a review on India’s climate commitments under the Paris Agreement (2015) and mention how these have been further strengthened in COP26 (2021). In this direction, how has the first Nationally Determined Contribution intended by India been updated in 2022? (Answer in 250 words)
पेरिस समझौता (2015) के अंतर्गत, भारत की जलवायु वचनबद्धताओं पर समीक्षा लिखिए तथा बताइए कि उन्हें किस प्रकार कॉप26 (2021) में और अधिक दृढ़ता प्रदान की गई है। इस दिशा में, किस प्रकार पहली बार भारत द्वारा प्रस्तावित राष्ट्रीय स्तर पर निर्धारित योगदान को 2022 में अद्यतन किया गया है ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

19. What are the major challenges to internal security and peace process in the North-Eastern States? Map the various peace accords and agreements initiated by the government in the past decade. (Answer in 250 words)
उत्तर-पूर्वी राज्यों में आन्तरिक सुरक्षा एवं शांति प्रक्रिया में कौन-सी प्रमुख चुनौतियाँ हैं ? विगत एक दशक में सरकार द्वारा किए गए विभिन्न सहमति-पत्रों तथा शांति समझौतों के रूप में ली गई पहलों का खाका खींचिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

20. Why is maritime security vital to protect India’s sea trade? Discuss maritime and coastal security challenges and the way forward. (Answer in 250 words)
भारत के समुद्री व्यापार के संरक्षण के लिए समुद्री सुरक्षा क्यों अत्यावश्यक है ? समुद्री तथा तटीय सुरक्षा की चुनौतियों तथा आगे बढ़ने के मार्ग पर चर्चा कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Click on Question to see Model Answer

1. Discuss the ‘corrupt practices’ for the purpose of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Analyze whether the increase in the assets of the legislators and/or their associates, disproportionate to their known sources of income, would constitute ‘undue influence’ and consequently a corrupt practice. (Answer in 150 words)
जन प्रतिनिधित्व अधिनियम, 1951 के उद्देश्य से ‘भ्रष्ट आचरण’ की विवेचना कीजिए। विश्लेषण कीजिए कि क्या विधायकों एवं/अथवा उनके सहयोगियों की आय के ज्ञात स्रोतों के विपरीत अनुपात में संपत्ति में वृद्धि ‘असम्यक् असर’ सृजित करता है और परिणामतः भ्रष्ट आचरण है। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

2. Comment on the need of administrative tribunals as compared to the court system. Assess the impact of the recent tribunal reforms through rationalization of tribunals made in 2021. (Answer in 150 words)
न्यायालय पद्धति की तुलना में प्रशासनिक अधिकरणों की आवश्यकता पर टिप्पणी कीजिए। 2021 में अधिकरणों के बुद्धिपरक पुनर्गठन द्वारा किए गए नूतन अधिकरण सुधारों के प्रभाव का मूल्यांकन कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

3. Compare and contrast the President’s power to pardon in India and in the USA. Are there any limits to it in both the countries? What are preemptive pardons? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत और संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका में क्षमा करने की राष्ट्रपति की शक्ति की तुलना कीजिए तथा विषमताओं को स्पष्ट कीजिए। क्या दोनों देशों में इसकी कोई सीमाएँ हैं? ‘अग्रिम माफी’ क्या होती है? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

4. Discuss the nature of Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly after the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019. Briefly describe the powers and functions of the Assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. (Answer in 150 words)
जम्मू-कश्मीर पुनर्गठन अधिनियम, 2019 के बाद, जम्मू-कश्मीर विधान-सभा की प्रकृति का विवेचन कीजिए। केन्द्रशासित प्रदेश जम्मू-कश्मीर की विधान-सभा की शक्तियों तथा कार्यों का संक्षेप में वर्णन कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

5. “The Attorney General of India plays a crucial role in guiding the legal framework of the Union Government and ensuring sound governance through legal counsel.” Discuss his responsibilities, rights and limitations in this regard. (Answer in 150 words)
“भारत का महान्यायवादी (एटर्नी जनरल) केन्द्र सरकार के कानूनी ढाँचे का मार्गदर्शन करने और कानूनी परामर्श के माध्यम से ठोस शासन सुनिश्चित करने में महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाता है।” इस संबंध में उसकी जिम्मेदारियों, अधिकारों और सीमाओं का विवेचन कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

6. Women’s social capital complements in advancing empowerment and gender equity. Explain. (Answer in 150 words)
महिलाओं की सामाजिक पूँजी सशक्तिकरण और लैंगिक समानता को आगे बढ़ाने में सहायक है। समझाइए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

7. e-governance projects have a built-in bias towards technology and back-end integration than user-centric designs. Examine. (Answer in 150 words)
ई-गवर्नेस परियोजनाओं में उपयोगकर्ता केन्द्रित डिजाइनों की तुलना में प्रौद्योगिकी और बैक एंड एकीकरण के प्रति अंतर्निहित पूर्वाग्रह है। परीक्षण कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

8. Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors than non-State actors. Do you agree? Justify. (Answer in 150 words)
नागरिक समाज संगठनों को गैर-राज्य अभिनेता की तुलना में प्रायः राज्य-विरोधी अभिनेता माना जाता है। क्या आप सहमत हैं? औचित्य सिद्ध कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

9. India-Africa digital partnership is achieving mutual respect, co-development and long-term institutional partnerships. Elaborate. (Answer in 150 words)
भारत-अफ्रीका डिजिटल साझेदारी आपसी सम्मान, सह-विकास और दीर्घकालिक संस्थागत साझेदारी प्राप्त कर रही है। विस्तार से बताइए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

10. “With the waning of globalization, post-Cold War world is becoming a site of sovereign nationalism.” Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words)
“वैश्वीकरण के क्षीण होने के साथ, शीत युद्ध के बाद की दुनिया संप्रभु राष्ट्रवाद का स्थल बनती जा रही है।” स्पष्ट कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

11. “Constitutional morality is the fulcrum which acts as an essential check upon the high functionaries and citizens alike….” In view of the above observation of the Supreme Court, explain the concept of constitutional morality and its application to ensure balance between judicial independence and judicial accountability in India. (Answer in 250 words)
“संवैधानिक नैतिकता एक आलम्ब है जो कि उच्च पदाधिकारियों और नागरिकों पर समान रूप से आवश्यक नियंत्रण का कार्य करता है…।” सर्वोच्च न्यायालय के उपर्युक्त प्रेक्षण के संदर्भ में, संवैधानिक नैतिकता की अवधारणा तथा भारत में न्यायपालिका की स्वतंत्रता एवं न्यायिक उत्तरदायित्व के मध्य संतुलन सुनिश्चित करने में इसकी प्रयोज्यता की व्याख्या कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

12. Indian Constitution has conferred the amending power on the ordinary legislative institutions with a few procedural hurdles. In view of this statement, examine the procedural and substantive limitations on the amending power of the Parliament to change the Constitution. (Answer in 250 words)
भारतीय संविधान ने कुछ प्रक्रियात्मक अवरोधों के साथ सामान्य विधायी संस्थाओं को संविधान संशोधन की शक्ति प्रदान की है। इस कथन को दृष्टिगत कर संसद के संविधान संशोधन की शक्ति पर प्रक्रियात्मक एवं सारभूत परिसीमाओं का परीक्षण कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

13. Discuss the evolution of collegium system in India. Critically examine the advantages and disadvantages of the system of appointment of the Judges of the Supreme Court of India and that of the USA. (Answer in 250 words)
भारत में कॉलेजियम प्रणाली के विकास की विवेचना कीजिए। भारत और संयुक्त राज्य अमेरिका के उच्चतम न्यायालय के न्यायाधीशों की नियुक्ति की प्रणाली के फायदे और नुकसान का आलोचनात्मक परीक्षण कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

14. Examine the evolving pattern of Centre-State financial relations in the context of planned development in India. How far have the recent reforms impacted the fiscal federalism in India? (Answer in 250 words)
भारत में नियोजित विकास के संदर्भ में केन्द्र-राज्य वित्तीय संबंधों के विकसित हो रहे स्वरूप (पैटर्न) का परीक्षण कीजिए। हाल के सुधारों ने भारत में राजकोषीय संघवाद को कितना प्रभावित किया है? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

15. What are environmental pressure groups? Discuss their role in raising awareness, influencing policies and advocating for environmental protection in India. (Answer in 250 words)
पर्यावरण दबाव समूह क्या हैं? भारत में जागरूकता बढ़ाने, नीतियों को प्रभावित करने और पर्यावरण संरक्षण की वकालत करने में उनकी भूमिका का विवेचन कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

16. Inequality in the ownership pattern of resources is one of the major causes of poverty. Discuss in the context of ‘paradox of poverty’. (Answer in 250 words)
संसाधनों के स्वामित्व पैटर्न में असमानता गरीबी का एक प्रमुख कारण है। ‘गरीबी के विरोधाभास’ के संदर्भ में चर्चा कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

17. “In contemporary development models, decision-making and problem-solving responsibilities are not located close to the source of information and execution defeating the objectives of development.” Critically evaluate. (Answer in 250 words)
“समकालीन विकास मॉडल में, निर्णय लेने और समस्या समाधान की जिम्मेदारियाँ सूचना के स्रोत और क्रियान्वयन के निकट नहीं होतीं और (ये) विकास के उद्देश्यों को विफल कर देती हैं।” समीक्षात्मक मूल्यांकन कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

18. The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has to address the challenges faced by children in the digital era. Examine the existing policies and suggest measures the Commission can initiate to tackle the issue. (Answer in 250 words)
राष्ट्रीय बाल अधिकार संरक्षण आयोग को डिजिटल युग में बच्चों के सामने आने वाली चुनौतियों का समाधान करना होगा। मौजूदा नीतियों की जाँच कीजिए और इस मुद्दे से निपटने के लिए आयोग द्वारा शुरू किए जा सकने वाले उपायों के सुझाव दीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

19. “Energy security constitutes the dominant kingpin of India’s foreign policy, and is linked with India’s overarching influence in Middle Eastern countries.” How would you integrate energy security with India’s foreign policy trajectories in the coming years? (Answer in 250 words)
“ऊर्जा सुरक्षा भारत की विदेश नीति का मुख्य स्तंभ है, और यह मध्य पूर्वी देशों में भारत के व्यापक प्रभाव से जुड़ा हुआ है।” आप आने वाले वर्षों में भारत की विदेश नीति की दिशा के साथ ऊर्जा सुरक्षा को कैसे एकीकृत करेंगे? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

20. “The reform process in the United Nations remains unresolved, because of the delicate imbalance of East and West and entanglement of the USA vs. Russo-Chinese alliance.” Examine and critically evaluate the East-West policy confrontations in this regard. (Answer in 250 words)
“पूर्व और पश्चिम के बीच नाजुक असंतुलन और यू० एस० ए० बनाम रूस-चीनी गठबंधन के बीच उलझन के कारण संयुक्त राष्ट्र में सुधार प्रक्रिया अभी भी अनसुलझी है।” इस संबंध में पूर्व-पश्चिम नीति टकरावों की जाँच और आलोचनात्मक मूल्यांकन कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Click on Question to see Model Answer

1. Discuss the salient features of the Harappan architecture. (Answer in 150 words)
   हडप्पा कालीन वास्तुकला के विशेष पहलुओं को चर्चा कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

2. Examine the main aspects of Akbar’s religious syncretism. (Answer in 150 words)
अकबर के धार्मिक समन्वयता के प्रमुख पहलुओं का परीक्षण कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

3. ‘The sculptors filled the Chandella artform with resilient vigor and breadth of life.’ Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words)
‘मूर्तिकारों ने चंदेल कला रूपों को जीवन की व्यापकता और लचकदार ओज से भर दिया ।’ स्पष्ट कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

4. How are climate change and the sea level rise affecting the very existence of many island nations? Discuss with examples. (Answer in 150 words)
जलवायु परिवर्तन और समुद्र स्तर में वृद्धि कई द्वीप देशों के अस्तित्व को कैसे प्रभावित कर रही है ? उदाहरणों के साथ चर्चा कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

5. What are non-farm primary activities? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India? Discuss with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words)
गैर-कृषि प्राथमिक गतिविधियाँ क्या हैं ? ये गतिविधियाँ भारत में भौगोलिक विशेषताओं से किस प्रकार संबंधित है ? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ चर्चा कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

6. Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words)
उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ, भारत में सौर ऊर्जा उत्पादन के पारिस्थितिक और आर्थिक लाभों की संक्षेप में व्याख्या कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

7. What are Tsunamis? How and where are they formed? What are their consequences? Explain with examples. (Answer in 150 words)
सुनामी क्या हैं ? वे कैसे और कहाँ बनती हैं ? उनके परिणाम क्या हैं ? उदाहरणों सहित समझाइए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

8. How does smart city in India, address the issues of urban poverty and distributive justice? (Answer in 150 words)
भारत में स्मार्ट शहर, शहरी गरीबी और वितरणात्मक न्याय के मुद्दों को कैसे संबोधित करता है ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

9. The ethos of civil service in India stand for the combination of professionalism with nationalistic consciousness – Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words)
भारत में सिविल सेवा का लोकाचार व्यावसायिकता और राष्ट्रवादी चेतना के संयोजन का प्रतीक है – स्पष्ट कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

10. Do you think that globalization results in only an aggressive consumer culture? Justify your answer. (Answer in 150 words)
क्या आपको लगता है कि वैश्वीकरण का परिणाम केवल आक्रामक उपभोक्ता संस्कृति ही है ? अपने उत्तर की पुष्टि कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

11. Mahatma Jotirao Phule’s writings and efforts of social reforms touched issues of almost all subaltern classes. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words)
महात्मा जोतीराव फुले के समाज सुधार प्रयासों और लेखन ने समाज के लगभग सभी उपेक्षित तबकों की समस्याओं को छुआ है। चर्चा कीजिए । (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

12. Trace India’s consolidation process during early phase of independence in terms of polity, economy, education and international relations. (Answer in 250 words)
राज्यतन्त्र, अर्थ व्यवस्था, शिक्षा और अन्तर्राष्ट्रीय सम्बन्धों के विषय में आजादी के प्रारम्भिक काल में भारत के सुदृढ़ीकरण की प्रक्रिया को रेखांकित कीजिए । (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

13. The French Revolution has enduring relevance to the contemporary world. Explain. (Answer in 250 words)
समकालीन विश्व के लिए फ्रांसीसी क्रान्ति की निरंतर प्रासंगिकता है। स्पष्ट कीजिए । (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

14. Give a geographical explanation of the distribution of off-shore oil reserves of the world. How are they different from the on-shore occurrences of oil reserves? (Answer in 250 words)
विश्व के अपतटीय तेल भंडारों के वितरण का भौगोलिक स्पष्टीकरण दीजिए। वे तटवर्ती तेल भंडारों से किस प्रकार भिन्न हैं ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

15. How can Artificial Intelligence (AI) and drones be effectively used along with GIS and RS techniques in locational and areal planning? (Answer in 250 words)
स्थानीय और क्षेत्रीय योजना बनाने में जी.आई.एस. और आर.एस. तकनीकों के साथ कृत्रिम बुद्धिमत्ता (ए.आई.) और ड्रोन का प्रभावी ढंग से उपयोग कैसे किया जा सकता है ? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

16. Discuss how the changes in shape and sizes of continents and ocean basins of the planet take place due to tectonic movements of the crustal masses. (Answer in 250 words)
चर्चा कीजिए कि ग्रह के महाद्वीपों और महासागरीय बेसिनों के आकार और माप (साइज) में, क्रस्टल द्रव्यमानों की टेक्टोनिक गतिविधियों के कारण, परिवर्तन कैसे होते हैं। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

17. Discuss the distribution and density of population in the Ganga River Basin with special reference to land, soil and water resources. (Answer in 250 words)
भूमि, मिट्टी और जल संसाधनों के विशेष संदर्भ के साथ गंगा नदी बेसिन में जनसंख्या वितरण और घनत्व पर चर्चा कीजिए । (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

18. How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience. (Answer in 250 words)
आधुनिक समाज में स्वास्थ्य संबंधी चिंताएं बढ़ने के बावजूद, फास्ट फूड उद्योग बढ़ रहे हैं – आप इसको कैसे देखते हैं ? भारतीय अनुभव से अपने उत्तर को उदाहरण देकर स्पष्ट कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

19. Achieving sustainable growth with emphasis on environmental protection could come into conflict with poor people’s needs in a country like India – Comment. (Answer in 250 words)
पर्यावरण संरक्षण पर जोर देते हुए सतत विकास हासिल करना, भारत जैसे देश में गरीब लोगों की जरूरतों के साथ टकराव में आ सकता है- टिप्पणी कीजिए । (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

20. Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion. (Answer in 250 words)
क्या भारत में जनजातीय विकास दो धुरियो, विस्थापन और पुनर्वास के इर्द-गिर्द केंद्रित है ? अपने विचार व्यक्त कीजिए । (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Click on Question to see Model Answer

Q. A natural number N is such that it can be expressed as N = p + q + r, where p, q and r are distinct factors of N. How many numbers below 50 have this property?

Q. Three prime numbers p, q and r, each less than 20, are such that p – q = q – r. How many distinct possible values can we get for (p + q + r)?

Q. How many possible values of (p + q + r) are there satisfying 1/p + 1/q + 1/r = 1, where p, q and r are natural numbers (not necessarily distinct)?

Q. What comes at X and Y respectively in the following sequence? January, January, December, October, X, March, October, Y, September

Q. Team X scored a total of N runs in 20 overs. Team Y tied the score in 10% less overs. Had team Y’s average run rate (runs per over) been 50% higher, the scores would have been tied in 12 overs. How many runs were scored by team X?

Q. The price (p) of a commodity is first increased by k%; then decreased by k%; again increased by k%; and again decreased by k%. If the new price is q, then what is the relation between p and q?

Q. A solid cube is painted yellow on all its faces. The cube is then cut into 60 smaller but equal pieces by making the minimum number of cuts. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

Q. If 7 * 24 = 25 and 12 * 16 = 20, then what is 16 * 63 equal to?

Q. The petrol price shot up by 10% as a result of the hike in crude oil prices. The price of petrol before the hike was ₹90 per litre. A person travels 2200 km every month and his car gives a mileage of 16 km per litre. By how many km should he reduce his travel if he wants to maintain his expenditure at the previous level?

Q. A 4-digit number N is such that when divided by 3, 5, 6, 9 leaves a remainder 1, 3, 4, 7 respectively. What is the smallest value of N?

Q. Consider the following statements: I. If A < B > C < D > E > F ≥ G = H; then B is always greater than E.

Q. What is the unit digit in the multiplication of 1 × 3 × 5 × 7 × 9 × … × 999?

Q. Consider the first 100 natural numbers. How many of them are not divisible by any one of 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9?

Q. If 4 ≤ x ≤ 8 and 2 ≤ y ≤ 7, then what is the ratio of maximum value of (x + y) to minimum value of (x – y)?

Q. Let both p and k be prime numbers such that (p² + k) is also a prime number less than 30. What is the number of possible values of k?

Q. There are n sets of numbers each having only three positive integers with LCM equal to 1001 and HCF equal to 1. What is the value of n?

Q. Consider the sequence AB_CC_A_BCCC_BBC_C that follows a certain pattern. Which one of the following completes the sequence?

Q. What is the maximum value of n such that 7 × 343 × 385 × 1000 × 2401 × 77777 is divisible by 35ⁿ?

Q. What is X in the sequence 24, X, 12, 18, 36, 90?

Q. P and Q walk along a circular track. They start at 5:00 a.m. from the same point in opposite directions. P walks at an average speed of 5 rounds per hour and Q walks at an average speed of 3 rounds per hour. How many times will they cross each other between 5:20 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.?

Q. If P = +, Q = -, R = ×, S = ÷, then insert the proper notations between the successive numbers in the equation 60_15_3_20_4 = 20:

Q. A tram overtakes 2 persons X and Y walking at an average speed of 3 km/hr and 4 km/hr in the same direction and completely passes them in 8 seconds and 9 seconds respectively. What is the length of the tram?

Q. If N² = 12345678987654321, then how many digits does the number N have?

Q. A set (X) of 20 pipes can fill 70% of a tank in 14 minutes. Another set (Y) of 10 pipes fills 3/8th of the tank in 6 minutes. A third set (Z) of 16 pipes can empty half of the tank in 20 minutes. If half of the pipes of set X are closed and only half of the pipes of set Y are open, and all pipes of the set (Z) are open, then how long will it take to fill 50% of the tank?

Q. If n is a natural number, then what is the number of distinct remainders of (1ⁿ + 2ⁿ) when divided by 4?

Q. Let P = QQQ be a 3-digit number. What is the HCF of P and 481?

Q. What is the 489th digit in the number 123456789101112…?

Q. A mobile phone has been stolen. There are 3 suspects P, Q and R. They were questioned knowing that only one of them is guilty. Their responses are as follows:

Q. Three teams P, Q, R participated in a tournament in which the teams play with one another exactly once. A win fetches a team 2 points and a draw 1 point. A team gets no point for a loss. Each team scored exactly one goal in the tournament. The team P got 3 points, Q got 2 points and R got 1 point. Which of the following statements is/are correct?

Q. P is the brother of Q and R. S is R’s mother. T is P’s father. How many of the following statements are definitely true?

Q. If NO is coded as 210, NOT is coded as 4200 and NOTE is coded as 21000, then how is NOTES coded?

Q. If FRANCE is coded as 654321 and GERMANY is coded as 9158437, then how is YEMEN coded?

Q. The 5-digit number PQRST (all distinct digits) is such that T ≠ 0. P is thrice T. S is greater than Q by 4, while Q is greater than R by 3. How many such 5-digit numbers are possible?

Q. X can complete one-third of a certain work in 6 days, Y can complete one-third of the same work in 8 days and Z can complete three-fourth of the same work in 12 days. All of them work together for n days and then X and Z quit and Y alone finishes the remaining work in 8 2/3 days. What is n equal to?

Q. What is X in the sequence 1, 3, 6, 11, 18, X, 42?

Q. There are 7 places A, B, C, D, E, F and G in a city connected by various roads AB, AC, CD, DE, BF, EG and FG. A is 6 km south of B. A is 10 km west of C. D is 5 km east of E. C is 6 km north of D. F is 9 km west of B. F is 12 km north of G. A person travels from D to F through these roads. What is the distance covered by the person?

Q. In a certain code if 64 is written as 343 and 216 is written as 729, then how is 512 written in that code?

Q. What is the remainder when 9³ + 9⁴ + 9⁵ + 9⁶ + … + 9¹⁰⁰ is divided by 6?

Q. Question: What is the smallest 1-digit number having exactly 4 distinct factors?

Q. Question: Let P, Q, R, S be distinct non-zero digits. If PP × PQ = RRSS, where P ≤ 3 and Q ≤ 4, then what is Q equal to?

Q. Question: How is Q related to P? Statement I: P has two sisters, R and S.

Q. Question: In a football match, team P playing against Q was behind by 3 goals with 10 minutes remaining. Does team P win the match?

Q. Question: Is (p + q)² – 4pq, where p, q are natural numbers, positive?

Q. In a T20 cricket match, three players X, Y and Z scored a total of 37 runs. The ratio of number of runs scored by X to the number of runs scored by Y is equal to ratio of number of runs scored by Y to number of runs scored by Z.

Q. Let p + q = 10, where p, q are integers. Value-I = Maximum value of p × q when p, q are positive integers.

Q. Consider a set of 11 numbers: Value-I = Minimum value of the average of the numbers of the set when they are consecutive integers ≥ -5.

Q. The average of three numbers p, q and r is k. p is as much more than the average as q is less than the average. What is the value of r?

Q. Let x be a real number between 0 and 1. Which of the following statements is/are correct? I. x² > x³. II. x > √x.

Q. The difference between any two natural numbers is 10. What can be said about the natural numbers which are divisible by 5 and lie between these two numbers?

Q. There exists a natural number which when increased by 50% can have its number of factors unchanged.

Paragraph: Maintaining an ecosystem just to conserve biodiversity will affect its commercial potential as well as the livelihoods dependent on the ecosystem.

Paragraph: The history of renewable energy suggests there is a steep learning curve, meaning that, as more is produced, costs fall rapidly because of economies of scale and learning by doing.

Paragraph: Each State in India faces a distinctive set of challenges regarding the impact of warming, but also offers its own set of opportunities for reducing emissions depending on its natural resources.

Paragraph: If the social inequality is the most acutely felt social problem in India, insecurity, more than poverty, is the most acutely felt economic problem.

Paragraph: One of the dismal realities of the agricultural sector in independent India has been that it never experienced a high-growth phase, unlike the non-agricultural economy.

Paragraph: In our country, handlooms are equated with a culture that ensures a continuity of tradition.

Paragraph: In our country, regrettably, teaching and learning for the examination have been our forte but the new demands of society and the future of work require critical and independent thinking,

Paragraph: If there is inequality in the pattern of population growth, there is greater inequality in food production and utilization.

Paragraph: Over the next 30 years, many countries are promising to move to net-zero carbon, implying that household emissions will have to be cut to close to nothing.

Paragraph: In only 50 years, the world’s consumption of raw materials has nearly quadrupled, to more than 100 billion tons.

Paragraph: It is hard to predict how changes in the climate and the atmosphere’s chemistry will affect the prevalence and virulence of agricultural diseases.

Paragraph: A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters.

Paragraph: There has been no democracy that has grown economically without corporate capitalism.

Paragraph: A network of voluntary associations stands as a ‘buffer’ between the relatively powerless individual and the potentially powerful State.

Paragraph: A single number for inflation is an aggregate across different commodities and services

Paragraph: Trust stands commonly defined as being vulnerable to others.

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Q. How many of the above are considered as alternative powertrain vehicles?

Q. With reference to Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), consider the following statements :

Q. In the context of electric vehicle batteries, consider the following elements:

Q. Consider the following : I. Cigarette butts II. Eyeglass lenses III. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic?

Q. Coal gasification technology can be used in the production of how many of them?

Q. What is the common characteristic of the chemical substances generally known as CL-20, HMX and LLM-105, which are sometimes talked about in media?

Q. Consider the following statements : I. It is expected that Majorana 1 chip will enable quantum computing.

Q. With reference to monoclonal antibodies, often mentioned in news, consider the following statements :

Q. Consider the following statements : I. No virus can survive in ocean waters.

Q. Activated carbon is a good and an attractive tool to remove pollutants from effluent streams and to remediate contaminants from various industries.

Q. Statement I: Studies indicate that carbon dioxide emissions from cement industry account for more than 5% of global carbon emissions.

Q. Statement I: At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signing the ‘Declaration on Climate and Health’.

Q. Statement I: Scientific studies suggest that a shift is taking place in the Earth’s rotation and axis.

Q. Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on climate change is frequently discussed in global discussions on sustainable development and climate change.

Q. Which one of the following launched the ‘Nature Solutions Finance Hub for Asia and the Pacific’?

Q. With reference to ‘Direct Air Capture’, an emerging technology, which of the following statements is/are correct?

Q. Regarding Peacock tarantula (Gooty tarantula), consider the following statements :

Q. Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in India are less than 0.5 t CO2/capita.

Q. Consider the following pairs : Plant Description I. Cassava : Woody shrub

Q. With reference to the planet Earth, consider the following statements :

Q. Consider the following statements about Raja Ram Mohan Roy :

Q. Consider the following subjects with regard to Non-Cooperation Programme :

Q. The irrigation device called ‘Araghatta’ was

Q. Who among the following rulers in ancient India had assumed the titles ‘Mattavilasa’, ‘Vichitrachitta’ and ‘Gunabhara’?

Q. Fa-hien (Faxian), the Chinese pilgrim, travelled to India during the reign of

Q. Who among the following led a successful military campaign against the kingdom of Srivijaya, the powerful maritime State, which ruled the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Java and the neighbouring islands?

Q. With reference to ancient India (600-322 BC), consider the following pairs: Territorial region River flowing in the region

Q. The first Gandharva Mahavidyalaya, a music training school, was set up in 1901 by Vishnu Digambar Paluskar in

Q. Ashokan inscriptions suggest that the ‘Pradeshika’, ‘Rajuka’ and ‘Yukta’ were important officers at the

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the Non-Cooperation Movement:

Q. With reference to investments, consider the following :

Q. Which of the following are the sources of income for the Reserve Bank of India?

Q. With reference to the Government of India, consider the following information : Organization : Some of its functions It works under

Q. The Reserve Bank of India mandates all the listed companies in India to submit a Business Responsibility and Sustainability Report (BRSR).

Q. Statement I: In India, income from allied agricultural activities like poultry farming and wool rearing in rural areas is exempted from any tax.

Q. India has joined the Minerals Security Partnership as a member.

Q. Statement I: As regards returns from an investment in a company, generally, bondholders are considered to be relatively at lower risk than stockholders.

Q. India accounts for a very large portion of all equity option contracts traded globally thus exhibiting a great boom.

Q. Statement I: Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases.

Q. Capital receipts create a liability or cause a reduction in the assets of the Government.

Q. How many of the above are members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization?

Q. Andes mountains pass through how many of the above countries?

Q. Consider the following water bodies : I. Lake Tanganyika

Q. Consider the following statements about turmeric during the year 2022-23:

Q. Which of the following are the evidences of the phenomenon of continental drift?

Q. Statement I: The amount of dust particles in the atmosphere is more in subtropical and temperate areas than in equatorial and polar regions.

Q. Statement I: In January, in the Northern Hemisphere, the isotherms bend equatorward while crossing the landmasses, and poleward while crossing the oceans.

Q. Statement I: In the context of effect of water on rocks, chalk is known as a very permeable rock whereas clay is known as quite an impermeable or least permeable rock.

Q. I. Without the atmosphere, temperature would be well below freezing point everywhere on the Earth’s surface.

Q. Consider the following statements about the Rashtriya Gokul Mission :

Q. Panchayats at the intermediate level exist in all States.

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of BIMSTEC :

Q. Who amongst the following are members of the Jury to select the recipient of ‘Gandhi Peace Prize’?

Q. GPS-Aided Geo Augmented Navigation (GAGAN) uses a system of ground stations to provide necessary augmentation. Which of the following statements is/are correct in respect of GAGAN?

Q. Consider the following statements regarding AI Action Summit held in Grand Palais, Paris in February 2025 :

Q. Consider the following pairs : I. International Year of the Woman Farmer : 2026

Q. Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS :

Q. Consider the following statements about Lokpal:

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the first Kho Kho World Cup:

Q. Consider the following statements : I. In the finals of the 45th Chess Olympiad held in 2024, Gukesh Dommaraju

Q. Consider the following statements: Statement I: Some rare earth elements are used in the manufacture of flat television screens and computer monitors.

Q. Consider the following statements : I. Indian Railways have prepared a National Rail Plan (NRP) to create a ‘future ready’ railway system by 2028.

Q. How many of the space missions given above encourage and support micro-gravity research?

Q. With reference to India’s defence, consider the following pairs :

Q. Artificial way of causing rainfall to reduce air pollution makes use of

Q. Consider the following statements with regard to pardoning power of the President of India :

Q. Consider the following statements : I. On the dissolution of the House of the People,

Q. Consider the following statements : I. If any question arises as to whether a Member of the House of the People

Q. Consider the following statements : Statement I: In India, State Governments have no power for making rules for

Q. Which organization has enacted the Nature Restoration Law (NRL) to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss?

Q. Suppose the revenue expenditure is ₹80,000 crores and the revenue receipts of the Government are ₹60,000 crores.

Q. India is one of the founding members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal transportation corridor, which will connect

Q. Consider the following statements : Statement I: Of the two major ethanol producers in the world,

Q. The World Bank warned that India could become one of the first places where wet-bulb temperatures routinely exceed 35 °C.

Q. A country’s fiscal deficit stands at ₹50,000 crores. It is receiving ₹10,000 crores through non-debt creating capital receipts. The country’s interest liabilities are ₹1,500 crores. What is the gross primary deficit?

Q. Which of the following statements with regard to recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission of India are correct?

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) :

Q. Consider the following statements in respect of RTGS and NEFT :

Q. How many countries amongst the above are there other than India where international merchant payments are accepted under UPI?

Q. Consider the following statements about ‘PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana’ :

Q. With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements :

Q. Consider the following pairs : State Description I. Arunachal Pradesh : The capital is named after a fort, and the State has two National Parks

Q. How many of the above were established as per the provisions of the Constitution of India?

Q. Consider the following statements : I. The Constitution of India explicitly mentions that in certain spheres the Governor of a State acts in his/her own discretion.

Q. Consider the following pairs : Provision in the Constitution of India Stated under I. Separation of Judiciary from the Executive in th

Q. With reference to the Constitution of India, if an area in a State is declared as Scheduled Area under the Fifth Schedule

Q. With reference to India, consider the following pairs : Organization : Union Ministry

Q. For a constitutional amendment with respect to which of the above, ratification by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States is required before presenting the bill to the President of India for assent?

Q. With reference to the Indian polity, consider the following statements : I. The Governor of a State is not answerable to any court

Q. Consider the following activities : I. Production of crude oil II. Refining, storage and distribution of petroleum III. Marketing and sale of petroleum products IV. Production of natural gas

Q. “Sedition has become my religion” was the famous statement given by Gandhiji at the time of

Q. The famous female figurine known as ‘Dancing Girl’, found at Mohenjo-daro, is made of

Q. Who provided legal defence to the people arrested in the aftermath of Chauri Chaura incident?

Q. Subsequent to which one of the following events, Gandhiji, who consistently opposed untouchability and appealed for its eradication from all spheres, decided to include the upliftment of ‘Harijans’ in his political and social programme?

Q. How many of the above were introduced in India by the Portuguese in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries?

Q. Consider the following countries : I. United Kingdom II. Denmark. III. New Zealand IV. Australia V. Brazil

Q. Consider the following statements: I. Anadyr in Siberia and Nome in Alaska are a few kilometers

Q. Who among the following was the founder of the ‘Self-Respect Movement’?

Q. Consider the following pairs : Country : Resource-rich in I. Botswana : Diamond II. Chile : Lithium III. Indonesia : Nickel

Q. Consider the following pairs : Region : Country I. Mallorca : Italy II. Normandy : Spain III. Sardinia : France

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SECTION – A

Q.1) a) The application of Artificial Intelligence as a dependable source of input for administrative rational decision-making is a debatable issue. Critically examine the statement from the ethical point of view. 

b) “Ethics encompasses several key dimensions that are crucial in guiding individuals and organizations towards morally responsible behaviour.” Explain the key dimensions of ethics that influence human actions. Discuss how these dimensions shape ethical decision-making in the professional context.

Q.2) a) “It is not enough to talk about peace, one must believe in it; and it is not enough to believe in it, one must act upon it.” In the present context, the major weapon industries of the developed nations are adversely influencing continuation of number of wars for their own self-interest, all around the world. What are the ethical considerations of the powerful nations in today’s international arena to stop continuation of ongoing conflicts?

b) Global warming and climate change are the outcomes of human greed in the name of development, indicating the direction in which extinction of organisms including human beings is heading towards loss of life on Earth. How do you put an end to this to protect life and bring equilibrium between the society and the environment?

Q.3) Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context?

a) “Learn everything that is good from others, but bring it in, and in your own way absorb it, do not become others.” – Swami Vivekananda

b) “Faith is of no avail in the absence of strength. Faith and strength, both are essential to accomplish any great work.” – Sardar Patel

c) “In law, a man is guilty when he violates the rights of others. In ethics, he is guilty if he only thinks of doing so.” – Immanuel Kant

Q.4) a) “The concept of Just and Unjust is contextual. What was just a year back, may turn out to be unjust in today’s context. Changing context should be constantly under scrutiny to prevent miscarriage of justice.” Examine the above statement with suitable examples.

b) “Mindless addiction to Form, ignoring the Substance of the matter, results in rendering of injustice. A perceptive civil servant is one who ignores such literalness and carries out true intent.” Examine the above statement with suitable illustrations.

Q.5) a) “The ‘Code of Conduct’ and ‘Code of Ethics’ are the sources of guidance in public administration. There is code of conduct already in operation, whereas code of ethics is not yet put in place. Suggest a suitable model for code of ethics to maintain integrity, probity and transparency in governance.

b) The soul of the new law, Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) is Justice, Equality and Impartiality based on Indian culture and ethos. Discuss this in the light of major shift from a doctrine of punishment to justice in the present judicial system.

Q.6) a) “In Indian culture and value system, an equal opportunity has been provided irrespective of gender identity. The number of women in public service has been steadily increasing over the years.” Examine the gender-specific challenges faced by female public servants and suggest suitable measures to increase their efficiency in discharging their duties and maintaining high standards of probity.

b) Mission Karmayogi is aiming for maintaining a very high standard of conduct and behaviour to ensure efficiency for serving citizens and in turn developing oneself. How will this scheme empower the civil servants in enhancing productive efficiency and delivering the services at the grassroots level?

Section – B

Q.7) There is a technological company named ABC Incorporated which is the second largest worldwide, situated in the Third World. You are the Chief Executive Officer and the majority shareholder of this company. The fast technological improvements have raised worries among environmental activists, regulatory authorities, and the general public over the sustainability of this scenario. You confront substantial issues about the business’s environmental footprint. In 2023, your organization had a significant increase of 48% in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the levels recorded in 2019. The significant rise in energy consumption is mainly due to the surging energy requirements of your data centers, fuelled by the exponential expansion of Artificial Intelligence (AI). AI-powered services need much more computational resources and electrical energy compared to conventional online activities, notwithstanding their notable gains. The technology’s proliferation has led to a growing concern over the environmental repercussions, resulting in an increase in warnings.

Al models, especially those used in extensive machine learning and data processing, exhibit much greater energy consumption than conventional computer tasks, with an exponential increase. Although there is already a commitment and goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2030, the challenge of lowering emissions seems overwhelming as the integration of AI continues to increase. To achieve this goal, substantial investments in renewable energy use would be necessary. The difficulty is exacerbated by the competitive environment of the technology sector, where rapid innovation is essential for preserving market standing and shareholders’ worth. To achieve a balance between innovation, profitability and sustainability, a strategic move is necessary that is in line with both, business objectives and ethical obligations.

a) What is your immediate response to the challenges posed in the above case?
b) Discuss the ethical issues involved in the above case.
c) Your company has been identified to be penalized by technological giants. What logical and ethical arguments will you put forth to convince about its necessity?
d) Being a conscience being, what measures would you adopt to maintain balance between Al innovation and environmental footprint?

Q.8) Raman is a senior IPS officer and has recently been posted as D.G. of a state. Among the various issues and problems/challenges which needed his immediate attention, the issue relating to recruitment of unemployed youth by an unknown terrorist group, was a matter of grave concern. It was noted that unemployment was relatively high in the state. The problem of unemployment amongst graduates and those with higher education was much more grave. Thus they were vulnerable and soft targets.

In the review meeting taken by him with senior officers of DIG Range and above, it came to light that a new terrorist group has emerged at the global level. It has launched a massive drive to recruit young unemployed people. Special focus was to pick young people from a particular community. The said organisation seemed to have the clear objective of utilising/using them for carrying out militant activities. It was also gathered that the said (new) group is desperately trying to spread its tentacles in his state.

A definite/reliable intelligence tip was received by the State CID and Cyber Cell that a large number of such unemployed youth have already been contacted by the terrorist outfit/group through social media and local communal organisations and other contacts. The need of the hour was to act swiftly and to check these elements/designs before they assume serious proportions.

Discrete inquiries made by the police, through the Cyber Cell, revealed that good numbers of unemployed youth are very active on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. On an average, many of them were spending 6-8 hours each day, using electronic devices/internet, etc. It also came to light that such unemployed youth were showing sympathy and endorsing the messages received from certain persons, allegedly the contact persons of that global terrorist group. Their social media accounts revealed their strong affinity to such groups inasmuch as many of them started forwarding antinational tweets on their WhatsApp and Facebook, etc. It seemed that they succumbed to their ploy and started propagating secessionist ideology. Their posts were hyper-critical of the government’s nitiatives, policies and subscribing to extreme beliefs and promoting extremism.

a) What are the options available to Raman to tackle the above situation?
b) What measures would you suggest for strengthening the existing set-up to ensure that such groups do not succeed in penetrating and vitiating the atmosphere in the state?
c) In the above scenario, what action plan would you advise for enhancing the intelligence gathering mechanism of the police force?

Q.9) With multipronged strategy of the Central and State Gove specially in the last few years, the naxalite problem has been resolved to a large extent in the affected states of the country. However, there are a few pockets in certain states where naxalite problem still persists, mainly due to involvement of foreign countries. Rohit is posted as SP (Special Operations) for the last one year, in one of the districts which is still affected by the naxalite problem. The district administration has taken a lot of developmental works in the recent past in the naxalite affected areas to win the hearts and minds of the people. Over a period of time, Rohit has established an excellent intelligence network to get the real time information regarding the movement of naxalite cadre. To instill confidence in the public and have moral ascendancy over the naxalites, a number of cordons and search operations are being conducted by the police. Rohit, who himself was leading one of the contingents got a message though his intelligence source that about ten hard core naxalites were hiding in a particular village with sophisticated weapons. Without wasting any time, Rohit reached the target village with his team and laid out a foolproof cordon and started carrying out a systematic search. During the search, his team managed to overpower all the naxalites along with their automatic weapons. However, in the meantime, more than five hundred tribal women surrounded the village and started marching towards the target house. They were shouting and demanding the immediate release of insurgents since they are their protectors and saviours. The situation on the ground was becoming very critical as the tribal women were extremely agitated and aggressive. Rohit tried to contact his superior officer, IG (Special Operations) of the state on the radio set and on mobile phone, but failed to do so due to poor connectivity Rohit was in great dilemma since out of the naxalites apprehended, two were not only hard core top insurgents with prize money of ten lakhs on their heads, but were also involved in a recent ambush on the security forces. However, if he did not release the naxalites, the situation could get out of control since the tribal women were aggressively charging towards them. In that case, to control the situation Rohit might have to resort to firing which may lead to valuable loss of lives of civilians and would further complicate the situation.

a) What are the options available with Rohit to cope with the situation?
b) What are the ethical dilemmas being faced by Rohit ?
c) Which of the options, do you think, would be more appropriate for Rohit to adopt and why?
d) In the present situation, what are the extra precautionary measures to be taken by the police in dealing with women protesters ?

Q.10) Sneha is a Senior Manager working for a big reputed hospital chain in a mid-sized city. She has been made in-charge of the new super speciality center that the hospitalis building with state-of-the art equipment and world class medical facilities. The building has been reconstructed and she is starting the process of procurement for various equipment and machines. As the head of the committee responsible for procurement, she has invited bids from all the interested reputed vendors dealing in medical equipment. She notices that her brother, who is a well-known supplier in this domain, has also sent his expression of interest. Since the hospital is privately owned, it is not mandatory for her to select only the lower bidder. Also, she is aware that her brother’s company has been facing some financial difficulties and a big supply order will help him recover. At the same time, allocating the contract to her brother might bring charges of favouritism against her and tarnish her image The hospital management trusts her fully and would support any decision of hers.

a) What should be Sneha’s course of action?
b) How would she justify what she chooses to do?
c) In this case, how is medical ethics compromised with vested personal interest?

Q.11) With the summer heat being exceptionally severe this year, the district has been facing severe water shortage. The District Collector has been mobilizing his subordinate officials to conserve the remaining water reserves for preventing the district from plunging into acute drinking water crisis. Along with an awareness campaign for conserving water, strict measures have been taken for stopping the over-exploitation of ground-water. Vigilance teams have been deployed to tour the villages and find the farmers who are drawing water from deep borewells or from the river reservoir for irrigation. The farmers are agitated by such action. A delegation of farmers meets the District Collector with their issues and complains that while they are not being allowed to irrigate their crops, big industries located near the river are drawing huge amounts of water through deep borewells for their industrial processes. The farmers allege that their administration is anti-farmer and corrupt,
being bribed by the industry. The district needs to placate the farmers as they are threatening to go on a prolonged protest. At the same time, the District Collector has to deal with the water crisis. The industry cannot be closed as this would result in a large number of workers being unemployed.

a) Discuss all options available to the District Collector as a District Magistrate.
b) What suitable actions can be taken in view of mutually compatible interests of the stakeholders?
c) What are the potential administrative and ethical dilemmas for the District Collector?

Q.12) Dr. Srinivasan is a senior scientist working for a reputed biotechnology company known for its cutting-edge research in pharmaceuticals. Dr. Srinivasan is heading a research team working on a new drug aimed at treating a rapidly spreading variant of a new viral infectious disease. The disease has been rapidly spreading across the world and the cases reported in the country are increasing.
There is huge pressure on Dr. Srinivasan’s team to expedite the trials for the drug as there is significant market for it, and the company wants to get the first-mover advantage in the market.
During a team meeting, some senior team members suggest some shortcut for expediting the clinical trials for the drug and for getting the requisite approvals. These include manipulating data to exclude some negative outcomes and selectively reporting positive results, foregoing the process of informed onsent and using compounds already patented by a rival company, rather than developing one’s own component. Dr. Srinivasan is not comfortable taking such shortcuts, at the same time he realises meeting the targets is impossible without using these means.

a) What would you do in such a situation?
b) Examine your options and consequences in the light of the ethical questions involved.
c) How can data ethics and drug ethics save humanity at large in such a scenario?

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1. Examine the pattern and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reforms period in India. To what extent this has been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth?

2. What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation.

3. What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.

4. Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.

5. What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization.

6. What is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards?

7. Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiatives in this regard.

8. What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details.

9. Explain how narco-terrorism has emerged as a serious threat across the country. Suggest suitable measures to counter narco-terrorism.

10. Describe the context and salient features of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.

11. Discuss the merits and demerits of the four ‘Labour Codes’ in the context of labour market reforms in India. What has been the progress so far in this regard?

12. What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government’s UDAN Scheme and its achievements.

13. What are the major challenges faced by Indian irrigation system in recent times? State the measures taken by the government for efficient irrigation management.

14. Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stock? Discuss.

15. The world is facing an acute shortage of clean and safe freshwater. What are the alternative technologies which can solve this crisis? Briefly discuss any three such technologies citing their key merits and demerits.

16. What are asteroids? How real is the threat of them causing extinction of life? What strategies have been developed to prevent such a catastrophe?

17. What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030).

18. Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods.

19. India has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development being undertaken in these areas under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme.

20. Social media and encrypting messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What measures have been adopted at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other remedies to address the problem.

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1. Examine the need for electoral reforms as suggested by various committees with particular reference to “one nation – one election” principle. 

2. Explain and distinguish between Lok Adalats and Arbitration Tribunals. Whether they entertain civil as well as criminal cases?

3. “The growth of cabinet system has practically resulted in the marginalisation of the parliamentary supremacy.” Elucidate.

4. “The duty of the Comptroller and Auditor General is not merely to ensure the legality of expenditure but also its propriety.” Comment.

5. Analyse the role of local bodies in providing good governance at local level and bring out the pros and cons merging the rural local bodies with the urban local bodies.

6. Public charitable trusts have the potential to make India’s development more inclusive as they relate to certain vital public issues. Comment.

7. Poverty and malnutrition create a vicious cycle, adversely affecting human capital formation. What steps can be taken to break the cycle?

8. The Doctrine of Democratic Governance makes it necessary that the public perception of the integrity and commitment of civil servants becomes absolutely positive. Discuss.

9. “The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China’s supply chain and as a strategic ally to counter China’s political and economic dominance.” Explain this statement with examples.

10. Critically analyse India’s evolving diplomatic, economic and strategic relations with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) highlighting their increasing significance in regional and global geopolitics.

11. What are the aims and objects of recently passed and enforced, The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024? Whether University/State Education Board examinations, too, are covered under the Act?

12. Right to privacy is intrinsic to life and personal liberty and is inherently protected under Article 21 of the constitution. Explain. In this reference discuss the law relating to D.N.A. testing of child in the womb to establish its paternity.

13. What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism.

14. Explain the reasons for the growth of public interest litigation in India. As a result of it, has the Indian Supreme Court emerged as the world’s most powerful judiciary?

15. Discuss India as a secular state and compare with the secular principles of the US constitution.

16. The Citizens’ charter has been a landmark initiative in ensuring citizen-centric administration. But it is yet to reach its full potential. Identify the factors hindering the realisation of its promise and suggest measures to overcome them.

17. In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketisation of the system. Suggest some measures through which the State can enhance the reach of public healthcare at the grassroots level.

18. e-governance is not just about the routine application of digital technology in service delivery process. It is as much about multifarious interactions for ensuring transparency and accountability. In this context evaluate the role of the ‘Interactive Service Model’ of e-governance.

19. “Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security.” Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC) and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level.

20. Discuss the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of Maldives for India with a focus on global trade and energy flows. Further also discuss how this relationship affects India’s maritime security and regional stability amidst international competition?

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1. Underline the changes in the field of society and economy from the Rig Vedic to the later Vedic period.

2. Estimate the contribution of Pallavas of Kanchi for the development of art and literature of South India.

3. What were the events that led to the Quit India Movement? Point out its results.

4. What is sea surface temperature rise? How does it affect the formation of tropical cyclones?

5. Why do large cities tend to attract more migrants than smaller towns? Discuss in the light of conditions in developing countries.

6. What is the phenomenon of ‘cloudbursts’? Explain.

7. What is the concept of a ‘demographic winter’? Is the world moving towards such a situation? Elaborate.

8. Distinguish between gender equality, gender equity and women’s empowerment. Why is it important to take gender concerns into account in programme design and implementation?

9. Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of interreligious marriages. Discuss.

10. In dealing with socio-economic issues of development, what kind of collaboration between government, NGOs and private sector would be most productive?

11. “Though the great Cholas are no more yet their name is still remembered with great pride because of their highest achievements in the domain of art and architecture.” Comment.

12. How far is it correct to say that the First World War was fought essentially for the preservation of balance of power?

13. How far was the Industrial Revolution in England responsible for the decline of handicrafts and cottage industries in India?

14. The groundwater potential of the gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India?

15. What are aurora australis and aurora borealis? How are these triggered?

16. What is a twister? Why are the majority of twisters observed in areas around the Gulf of Mexico?

17. What is regional disparity? How does it differ from diversity? How serious is the issue of regional disparity in India?

18. Despite comprehensive policies for equity and social justice, underprivileged sections are not yet getting the full benefits of affirmative action envisaged by the Constitution. Comment.

19. Globalization has increased urban migration by skilled, young, unmarried women from various classes. How has this trend impacted upon their personal freedom and relationship with family?

20. Critically analyse the proposition that there is a high correlation between India’s cultural diversities and socio-economic marginalities.