Handout-1 Social Issues

Syllabus-GS paper 1 and 2

 Paper 1
o Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
o Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues,
poverty anddevelopmental issues,
o Urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
o Effects of globalization on Indian society
o Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
 Paper 2
o Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and
States and the performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions
and Bodies constituted for the protection and betterment of these vulnerable
sections.
o Women issues, elderly, children, tribals, disabled, manual scavengers, SC/ST
community

LAST YEAR UPSC QUESTIONS ON SOCIAL ISSUES

2020
1. Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi- cultural Indian Society?
Elaborate your answer with illustrations. (Answer in 150 words) 10
2. COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India.
Comment. (Answer in 150 words) 10
3. Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural
assertiveness? Argue. (Answer in 150 words) 10
4. Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like
Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures. (Answer in 250 words) 15
5. Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation? Justify your
answer. (Answer in 250 words) 15
6. Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you
agree? (Answer in 250 words) 15

GS-2
7. Which steps are required for constitutionalization of a commission? Do you think
imparting constitutionality to the National Commission for Women would ensure
greater gender justice and empowerment in India? Give reasons. (Answer in 250
words)
8. “The incidence and intensity of poverty are more important in determining poverty
based on income alone”. In this context analyze the latest United Nations
Multidimensional Poverty Index Report. (Answer in 250 words)
9. “Micro-Finance as an anti-poverty vaccine, is aimed at asset creation and income
security of the rural poor in India”. Evaluate the role of Self-Help Groups in achieving
the twin objectives along with empowering women in rural India. (Answer in 250
words)

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2019
1. What makes Indian society unique in sustaining its culture? Discuss
2. To what extent globalization has impacted the core of cultural diversity in India?
Explain
3. Empowering women is the key to control the population growth. Discuss
4. What are challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism?’
5. Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation. Elaborate with
examples (250 words)
6. What are continued challenges to women in India against time and space?(250 words)
7. Are we losing our local identity for global identity? (250 words)
8. How is affordable and efficient urban transport key to rapid economic development of
India?(250 words)

2018

1. “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste
system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. (10)
2. ‘Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the
government in India, poverty is still existing’. Explain by giving reasons. (10)
3. How the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of
secularism? Discuss. (10)
4. Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the
economy of India. (15)
5. Why indentured labour was taken by the British from India to their colonies? have
they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? (15)
6. ‘Women’s movement in India has not addressed the issues of women of lower social
strata.’ Substantiate your view. (15)
7. ‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this
cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.’ Elucidate.
8. ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by
giving suitable illustrations. (15)

EVOLUTION OF INDIAN SOCIETY

Indus Valley civilization

 Urban settlement(trade)
 No Varna, no caste
 Equal status to women in society (women worship)
 Extreme form of urban planning

Rigvedic period (EVP)

 Rural settlement- pastoral economy
 Aryan invasion
 Society divided into 2 groups (Racial division starts)
o Aryans (Priest, Warriors, Vis)--DOL
o Non-Aryans(dasas, dasyus, pannis)

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  Aryans- patriarchial system
 Equal status to women- attended sabha and samitis
 Mention of Varna in the last chapter of Rigveda, not developed but
 Religion- little sacrifices and naturism
 No caste system

Later Vedic period

 Atharveda, Samveda, Yajurveda
 Rural settlement- Agriculture, surplus
 Rise of Kings and dominance of warriors- Kashtriyas
 Varna system will mature itself
 Women status starts t decline
 Brahmins(one of the priestly class) will begin to rise- perform rituals and sacrifices
 Worship- more ritualistic and sacrifice;
 Rest of the community- Vis(traders and agriculturalist)
 Vis will serve – Kshatriyas and brahmins
 Gotra system develops

Pre Mauryan period

 Vis community starts to consolidate-especially traders
 Rise of Jainism and Buddhism
 Women status declines further
 Caste system begins to emerge

Mauryan period
 Urban settlements start
 Trade becomes major economic activity
o Vaishyas will consolidate as traders- GUILDs
o Brahmins put restrictions on Vaishyas
o Foreign contacts increase with Iran
 Architecture development
o Caves, stupas, pillars, edicts, languages
 Start of caste system

Post Mauryan period

 Urban(trade)
 Foreign invasion starts
 Greeks settle as indo greeks, Chinese as Kushans
 Indo greeks- cultural contribution
o Gandhara art, inscription on coins, gold coins, canals and dams
 Chinese
o Horsemanship, gold coins largest numbers, dress- coats and shoes
o Mathura art form
 Rise of Manu- Manusmriti- restrictions on caste system, women, purity and pollution
 Caste sytem consolidates
 Women status continues to decline, restrictions of women
 South India comes in picture for first time
o Satvahana- in AP, Telangana area
 System of land grants- rise of feudalism

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  Equal status of women
 Amravati school
o Chola, chera, pandyas
 Sangam literature
 Port development, navy

Gupta period
 Rural settlement- decline of trade
 Growth of agriculture sector
 Land becomes important,
 Land grants by guptas, maturity of feudalism(economy revolving around land)
 Growth of peasants community- Shudras
 Women status lowest – Evidence of Sati
 Untouchability- Chandals, manual scavengers
 Rise of literature and science
o Kalidas-
o Sudraka
 Aryabhatta, astronomy, surgery
 Purans are written
 Rise of Kayastha- land record keepers
 Structural temples in NI
o Nagara style of temple architecture

ISLAMIZATION OF INDIAN SOCIETY

 Attack by Turks- Mahmud of Gaznavi, Gazni and Gori

 New Value system (Islam-V2) comes to Indian Society(V1)-
 New culture system introduced with new scholars
o Al-Bruni- Kitab-ul –hind mentions
 Caste system
 Untouchability
 Child marriage
 Gotra
 Sati and Devdasi system
 Islam Advent
o Development of new religious ideology
o Free and fair religion
o Clashed with Hindu value system
o Indo-Islamic architecture
 Delhi Sultanate-> Lodi dynasty->Mughals
 Domes, arched, no idol, no human paintings, calligraphy,Arabesque
 Mosque introduction, Tomb, Minars, char-bagh style
 HINDAVI-script by Amir Khusro
 Book- nuhsifir, New musical system-Qawali
 Tabla and Sitar
o Made Indian culture rich and diversified
o Mughals- contribution
 Miniature paintings-“fore-sighting techniques”, Architecture, portraits,
o Lot of lower caste Hindus converted to Islam to avoid atrocities

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 o Development of Persian language and Urdu
Impact of Hinduism on Islam
 Caste system influenced Islam also
o Upper caste- Ashraf- Sheikh, sayed
o Middle caste Ajlaf- clean occupation caste- artisians
o Lowe caste- Arzal- polluting work
 Accommodation of V1+V2
o Sufiism-
 Iran influence, silsila, Khanaqah, chistidargah
o Bhakti Movement-
 Nirgun(god has no forms)-kabir, saguna(god has forms-tulsidas),
Philosophical
o Sikhism
 Borrowed from both v1 and v2
 New architecture
 Gurumukhi and langar
 Emergence of Rajput culture
o Rajasthani and Pahari school of paintings

MODERNIZATION OF INDIAN SOCIETY

 Traders-
 New Value system -V3- modernity(Enlightment period in Europe)
 Introduction of new language-English
 Modernity introduced in India- Process and actions are driven by reason and
rationality
 Vs traditional values- process and action driven by religion
 Rise of reformers in Indian society
o Rajarammohanroy
o Bengal renaissance
o Improve status of women in Indian society
 Removing untouchability and caste system
 Abolition of Sati act-1829
 Widow remarriage act- 1856
o Reform movt within muslims led by Sir Syed Ahmed khan
 Modernization of madrassas
 Law, everyone under IPC- Rule of law concept
 Introduction of press- Spreading of modern Ideas through press both vernacular and
English
 Modern Economic system- rise of DadabhaiNaroji- “Drain of wealth” theory
 Launch of National movement and structured politics- Launch of congress party
 Technology inventions introduced- Dalhousie
o Railways, Telegraph
 New system of modern education
o “Woods dispatch”
 Great impact of Christian missionaries
o Introduction of Christianity
o Impact on tribals
o Lower caste converted into Chritianity
All this led to Modernization of Indian tradition, Leading to extreme form of diversity in
Indian society.

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