0% found this document useful (0 votes)

37 views

Ravi Nallapareddy - Decoding Answers

The document is a guide for civil service exam aspirants, emphasizing the importance of understanding questions comprehensively and developing effective writing skills. It critiques the common 'hunter-gatherer' approach to preparation, advocating for a deeper analysis and internalization of information. The author shares personal experiences and insights to help students improve their answer writing and succeed in the competitive exam.

Uploaded by

Anti

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

0% found this document useful (0 votes)

37 views

Ravi Nallapareddy - Decoding Answers

Uploaded by

Anti

Available Formats

Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

You are on page 1/ 232

Dedicated To

Mahatma Gandhi
..for being constant source of inspiration to me
My Father
..for being my role model
My Brother
..for being my brothe r

FOREWORD
W hen a student gets the idea of cracking Civils to his mind, the first
question that flashes is 'which institute?' as if it is compulsory prerequisite
to clear Civils. This is based on the idea that 'IAS is the most sought after
exam and the toughest exam in India and one need to attend classes offered
by the best faculty to clear the exam'. No, Not at all. Whatever is being
asked in Civils is mostly of intermediate standard. You can find answers for
the static part of Polity, Geography, Economy and History from NCERT
books from 6th to 12 th standard. If you follow any standard News Paper
such as The Hindu or The Indian Express, you can handle the dynamic
component easily.
How can it be so simple? If it is so simple why brilliant and hard working
students fail?. Good question. Before I answer this question, let me give an
analogy of cooking. Wikipedia states that "Cookery is the art, technology,
science and craft of preparing food for consumption. Cooking techniques
and ingredients vary widely across the world, from grilling food over an
open fire to using electric stoves, to baking in various types of ovens,
reflecting unique environmental, economic, and cultural traditions and
trends. Types of cooking also depend on the skill levels and training of
cooks". For a hungry man of stone age some raw food for sufficient to
satisfy his appetite but for a connoisseur of food one has to serve food
which tastes, smells and looks really good - and the evaluator of your
answers in civil services is the connoisseur of space age not the hungry man
of the stone age.
Level 1 of preparation is similar to hunter-gatherer stage where a student
attends classes in reputed institutes at Delhi, Hyderabad or Bengaluru and
gathers all the relevant information. He or she starts procuring Laxmi
Kanth, GC Leong, Ramesh Singh as well as Old and New NCERTs. Most
of the people think piling up all the books and materials and mugging up
the information is the most important component of their preparation and it
alone can sail them through.
In olden days they use to ask about the contribution of Gandhi or Ambedkar
for the upliftment of the downtrodden. But now they ask ‘Mahatma Gandhi
and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and
strategies, had a common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden.
Elucidate’. In olden days they use to ask ‘Explain the characteristics of
Amaravati school of art’ but now-a-days the questions will be like ‘‘Explain
the characteristics of Amaravati school of art which represent the revival of
uniquely different art style. Explain how it is different from Mathura and
Gandhara schools of art’. So, it is not sufficient to learn anything in
isolation. One need to compare and contrast while preparing and be
prepared to handle such questions in the exam. Those who have just
mugged up characteristics of each school of art will start comparing them in
the exam hall and will end up taking huge time to answer this question and
also will end up with less points. Those with hunter-gatherer style of
preparation will lose the battle with those who have done sufficient ground
work at home with Level 2 preparation .

In olden days the questions used to be about Buddha’s teachings or about

town planning of Indus Valley civilization. But the new generation Civils
questions are more focused on current day relevance. The will be like this
‘Buddha’s teachings to a large extent could be helpful in understanding and
resolving the problems of today’s society. Critically Examine.’ Or ‘To what
extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization
provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss. Again, those with
hunter-gatherer style of preparation will get stumbled with such questions
as they are totally unprepared for such questions.
Gone are the days when the questions were very simple like ‘Outline the
concept of Ashoka Dhamma’. Now-a-days the examiner is asking cause-
effect based questions like ‘“Decline of Mauryan Empire was due to
Ashokan policy of Dhamma”. Critically evaluate.’. New age questions are
testing the understanding of students regarding the under-currents of
history. It is not sufficient to know what happened in history but to
understand why it happened the way it happened. It is not sufficient to
know the fact that most of the battles in the medieval period happened at
Panipat, but to know why most of the battled occurred there.
I intentionally chose questions from history as examples here. It is general
opinion that history subject is static in nature and it is sufficient if we
collect all the facts and remember them. But to score better one need to
analyze thoroughly, understand under-currents and cause & effect relations,
compare & contrast, and to understand the present day relevance of those
events and concepts. If history, which is supposed to be static in nature, has
so much of analysis, processing and internalization, imagine how much of
analysis and processing is required by a students for polity, economy and
science & technology?
Those with level 1 preparation, whom I call as hunter-gatherer type, simply
pile up information in the mind where as those of level 2 preparation try to
process the information and internalize all of it. In the cooking analogy,
level 2 means use of fire. Before the invention of fire humans were
consuming raw veggies, fruits and meat, but once the fire is invented they
started using fire in the process of food preparation, which we call as
cooking.
First and foremost requirement to succeed in the exam is the ability to
understand the question accurately and comprehensively. One may get
puzzled when I say ‘understanding the question’ is such an important aspect
of succeeding in this exam. But it is true. R.A.Israel Jebasingh , Who got
selected for IAS with All India Rank of 59 in 2004 says “ Answer the
question completely . Read the question twice to understand ,what all is
asked. Understand what is exactly asked. Do not write whatever you know
in the topic without understanding what is asked”. Here is the example he
picks to explain the same.
Q. While we flaunt India’s demographic dividend, we ignore the dropping
rates of employability. What are we missing while doing so? Where will the
jobs that India desperately needs come from? Explain.(GS Paper 3,2014)
The moment you see "demographic dividend", do not start writing about it .
Read the question again. The question is referring to the unemployability of
the demographic dividend. Thereby referring to skill development of the
demographic dividend. Now connect the two and write your answer. Also,
don’t miss the second part of the question on "where will the jobs come
from".
So, it is of paramount importance to understand accurately and completely.
Some of the students jump to the answer by having 50% of clarity about the
question. Everybody agree that it is wrong. But most of the aspirants think
that having 98% of accuracy in understanding the question is good enough.
The civil services mains has a total of 1750 marks. 2% of it is 35 marks.
Assuming that one gets 50% of marks for the questions they attempt, this
lack of accuracy in understanding will cost 17.5 marks, which can make or
break ones prospects ( I lost place in the final list of those selected for Civil
Services by 12 marks in my first attempt in 1991)
By having only 95% accuracy in understanding of question will cost us
43.75 marks and having only 90% accuracy in understanding of question
will cost us 87.5 marks, which is very huge.
We frequently come across ‘Comment’, ‘ Examine’, ‘Critically Examine’,
‘Analyse’, ‘Critically Evaluate’, ‘Assess’, ‘Outline’, ‘Justify’, ‘Discuss’,
‘Elucidate’, 'Describe', 'Justify', ‘Discuss Critically’ etc in the mains
questions. These directives are not randomly given. They serve a purpose.
In every question, when they are given, they demand specific response from
candidates. Most of the students don’t understand the question accurately
because they don’t make use of these key words to understand what is
expected from them for that question.
In this book we have made an effort to explain how to understand the
questions. Rather than giving hypothetical examples or general principles, I
have included the answers written by my students as part of writing practice
or in the mock tests I conduct for mains. On average, in the initial stages,
my students get 5% less marks because they don’t understand the questions
comprehensively and accurately.
After understanding the question, the task is to frame the answer. As stated
before cookery reflects unique environmental, economic, and cultural
traditions and trends. In the same manner coming up a good answer is art
and science which takes into account social, economic, cultural, historical,
political, geographical, environmental and technological dimensions.
Just having all the required ingredients doesn’t automatically result in
delicious dishes. In the same way, having all the required information, does
not automatically result in a good answer. Manuj Jindal, IAS officer of 2017
batch, puts it up nicely and I am sharing the same here.
"Writing skills are absolutely KEY to cracking UPSC CSE and a top 100
rank. When I got to UPSC preparation, I did not realize the importance of
writing and thought that I would be able to write well as I was comfortable
with the language and did decently well in test series (yes, please don’t
always believe the test series scores!).
However, I was up for a shock. My mains marks in the first attempt were
below average and I got low marks in the essay as well. I thought maybe
this was the luck factor but my conscience didn’t agree. Therefore, I
thought about working on my writing skills over the next complete one year
and it really paid off big time with marks like: 111 in GS 2, 130 in GS 3,
Overall 450+ in GS subjects, 158 in essay (I got 90 in last attempt and I
know how unprepared I was and how poorly I wrote then)"
One need to know what to write in the exam and it is equally important to
know what not write. Every word we write occupies some space and
consumes some time. There is word limit as well as time limit in the exam.
Most of the time, students resort to beating around the bush rather than to
express in a simple and straight forward manner. Brevity and cohesion are
two important aspects of answer writing in any General Studies exam. It is
even more valued in handling General Essay. Here is what UPSC says in
this regard “Candidates may be required to write essays on multiple topics.
They will be expected to keep close to the subject of the essay, to arrange
their ideas in an orderly fashion, and to write concisely . Credit will be
given for effective and exact expression .”
One of the most important aspects of answer writing skills is ‘time
management’. This book deals with it in detail and explains how to
measure mind speed and hand speed and how to handle this issue
effectively.
A master chef not only focuses on the taste but also gives importance to its
presentation. In the same manner the aspirants of civil services should try to
use sub-headings, underline important key words, use maps/charts and
point-wise presentation wherever suitable.
My favorite activity in any given day is to review and give feedback to the
mains answers written by my students for whom I do personal mentoring.
And my favorite feedback is ‘this is an excellent answer…but for a different
question’. They often write excellent answers which are very informative
and are beautifully presented but not directly related to the question. I don’t
tolerate any deviation from the question asked. I ask then what happens if
the pilot of any airplane from Hyderabad to Kolkata deviates 1 degree
towards the east? Will airplane land in the airport or the in the Bay of
Bengal?
I learnt this accuracy while working in General Motors at Detroit. After
working in Government Service for 5 years, I went to the USA for
exploring the new world. As a senior consultant for requirements
management, validation and verification, my main duty was to ensure
traceability. I need to make sure that all the functional requirements are
traced to the system requirements, all the system requirements are traced to
the design components, all the design components are traced to code
components and all the code components are traced to test cases. There
should not be any dangling requirement or design component or code
component or test case. This makes sure that all requirements are
completely developed and tested and at the same time there is no single line
of code which is not required. Same thing I expect in the mains answers.
Every question has some expectation and those expectations can be treated
as requirements. Body of the answer should completely meet the
requirements of the question and every sentence in the answer should be
relevant to the question. Every answer has three components – introduction,
body and conclusion. Introduction should be used to introduce what we are
going to explain in the body and the conclusion should give your conclusive
word. It means that main body of the answer is linked to the question and
the introduction and conclusion are linked to the main body of the answer,
which handles central argument. When everything is connected, we call it
as ‘cohesion’. I am going to explain in this book how to write a cohesive
answer.
If ‘writing skills’ are so important why very few people make any serious
effort to improve? Bhavesh Mishra IAS, who secured All India Rank of 58
in 2014 beautifully sums up the reasons for not resorting to improving their
writing skills as..
“First, given a choice between reading a newspaper versus writing a page
daily, I guess most of us would choose the former option even though it
takes more than an hour to read the newspaper and only 15 minutes to write
300 words.
Do you remember when was the last time you wrote 500 words or more in a
single sitting?.
Today, most of our writing is confined to WhatsApp messages, Facebook,
Twitter or Email. The frequency of proper grammatically correct writing
has gone down drastically.
Therefore, the first problem that we face while preparing for UPSC is our
fear of writing. If you are an Engineering graduate then the magnitude of
problem compounds further.
My writing sucks :(
Yes. Initially we all feel the same. Don't worry. All successful aspirants
have gone through the same stage.
The chances are that after writing one answer and seeing how miserably
you performed you would soon write a book titled: 101 reasons for not
doing writing practice today !
There could be multiple reasons:
1. Today I have lot of reading to do.
2. I will write only on weekends.
3. Let me watch this debate, after this I will write.
4. I will make up for this next week definitely.
Soon you will be caught in a trap where you will keep finding an excuse for
not doing writing practice. The biggest obstacle between you and good
writing skill is actually your mind which tells you to delay it for later”
What to do ?
Just read every sentence and every word in this book. Write wherever I give
space for you to write. At the end you will be a transformed person.
What if it doesn't improve ?
It will. If you have the will, it will improve – for sure. That is my guarantee.
This book is more a work book rather than a novel (No. I am not saying that
it is going to be very boring. I made my best effort to make it very
interesting read). The objective is to equip the hunter-gather type of aspirant
with the necessary answer writing skills and make him lead the nation into
the space age….I mean ‘TO MAKE YOU SUCCESSFUL IN CIVIL
SERVICES’.
Wish You All The Best.
Before I conclude, I would like to thank Tulasi, for designing the cover
page. I thank Kishore, my beloved student, for supporting me to publish this
book. I thank all those students of mine who read the draft copy and gave
their valuable feedback to me. I thank all the toppers whom I quoted in this
book. I thank the authors of general essays, whose essays I reproduced in
this book as it can help the readers to know what I mean by good essays.
Thank You All For Reading This Book.
Ravi Nallapareddy
Director, Precision Academy
Website: www.precisionacademy.in
Contact: 8101010140 / 50/ 6 0

INDEX
Chapter 1: How To Understand Mains Questions?
Chapter 2: How To Handle Introduction?
Chapter 3: How To Handle Conclusion?
Chapter 4: What Are The Boundaries And How To Respect Them?
Chapter 5: How To Handle Comparison Type Of Questions?
Chapter 6: How To Handle Cause-Effect Type Of Questions?
Chapter 7: How To Handle Present Day Relevance Type Of Questions?
Chapter 9: How To Improve The Content Of The Answer?
Chapter 10: How To Handle Case Studies in Ethics Paper?
Chapter 11: What About English Grammar And Presentation?
Chapter 12: How To Manage Time And Answer All The Questions?
Chapter 13: How To Handle General Essay?
Chapter 14: Approach, Direction, Motivation and Mentorshi p
How To Understand Mains Questions?
A lbert Einstein once said “ if I had an hour to solve a problem and my
life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes
determining the proper question to ask… for once I know the proper
question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.”
The above quote by Albert Einstein tells us how important the question is
and therefore understanding the question completely and clearly is of
paramount importance to come up with a decent answer and thereby to
score well in the exam.
Without much ado let me explain you how to understand the question. You
can achieve it by using these two techniques..
1. Break it into small pieces
2. Identify the ‘Directives’ and ‘Key Words’
We frequently come across ‘Comment’, ‘ Examine’, ‘Critically Examine’,
‘Analyse’, ‘Critically Evaluate’, ‘Assess’, ‘Outline’, ‘Justify’, ‘Discuss’,
‘Elucidate’, 'Describe', ‘Discuss Critically’ etc in the mains questions.
These directives are not randomly given. They serve a purpose. In every
question, when they are given, they demand specific response from
candidates. Most of the students don’t understand the question accurately
because they don’t make use of these key words to understand what is
expected from them for that question.
Here is the frequency of different directive words in 2019 Civil Services
Mains exam. Even in the previous five exams, the frequency of usage of
these words is more or less same.
Directive Frequenc Directiv Frequenc Directive Frequenc
y e y y
Highlight 1 Examine 5 Commen 3
t
Elucidate 2 Assess 2 Reflect 1
Elaborate 5 Analyze 2 Justify 5
Explain 11 Clarify 1
Enumerate 1 Criticall 1
y
Examine
Define 1 Discuss 15
Illustrate 1

Highlight:
You are expected to ‘draw special attention to’ specific aspects asked in the
question.
Q: Highlight the Central Asian and Greco Bactrian elements in the
Gandhara art (CSE 2019)
Key Words/Phrases (1+3): Highlight - Central Asian elements - Greco
Bactrian elements -Gandhara art
This question has 1 directive word which is ‘highlight’ and 3 key
words/phrases as mentioned above.
First of all, we need to understand what the question is NOT about. The
above question is NOT expecting you to write all that you know about
‘Gandhara Art’. The question is expecting you to handle the following
aspects ONLY.

i. Central Asian elements in the Gandhara art

ii. Greco Bactrian elements in the Gandhara art
Yes, you can write some introduction about the Gandhara art in general and
then highlight the specific aspects mentioned in the question.
Elucidate:
Elucidate means “to make clear”. In several of the questions, where the
examiners use this directive, they present us with a cause-effect linkage
asking us to “elucidate”. In such cases, we have to basically bring out the
linkage more clearly citing evidence and examples.
Q. The 1857 uprising was the culmination of the recurrent, big and small
local rebellions that had occurred in the preceding hundred years of British
rule. Elucidate.
Key Words/Phrases (1+3) : Elucidate – culmination - big and small local
rebellions - preceding hundred years
What it is NOT about?: It is not about the reasons for the 1857 revolt, it is
not about Jhansi Laxmi or Tantia Tope, it is not about British response to
the revolt and not about the consequences of the revolt. The question is not
expecting us to write what all we know about the 1857 revolt .
Culmination means “the highest or climactic point of something, especially
as attained after a long time.”. In the above question the period that is
mentioned is ‘the preceding hundred years of British rule’ which is 1757
CE – 1857 CE.
Culmination of what? Culmination of ‘big and small local rebellions’. All
these rebellions culminated into 1857 revolt. The above question is
expecting us to explain how the big and small local rebellions culminated in
the 1857 revolt. We need to establish that the revolt of 1857 was no sudden
occurrence and was the culmination of a century-long resistance to British
rule.
We need to write about the big and small rebellions of the hundred years
preceeding the revolt and explain how all that culminated in 1857 revolt.
Here are the revolts that occurred in the time period mentioned in the
question.
Civil rebellions - Sanyasi revolt(1763-1800), Revolt of Raja of
Vizianagaram(1794), Paika rebellion(1817), Ahom revolt(1828), Poligars
revolt(1795-1805)
Peasant movements – Pagal Panthis(1825-1835), Moplah uprisings(1836-
1854)
Tribal revolts - Santhal rebellion(1855-1856), Bhil revolts(1817-1819)
Sepoy Mutinies- Vellore mutiny (1806), Sholapur mutiny(1833)
So, 1857 was not the first civil rebellion, it was not the first tribal rebellion,
it was not the first peasant rebellion, it was not the first sepoy mutiny. It was
the culmination of all these rebellions. We need to establish this fact, and
this is what is expected in the question
Elaborate:
When you are asked to elaborate, you need to give detailed information in
well organized manner concerning what has already been said.
Q: Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation? Elaborate
with examples (CSE 2019)
Key Words / Phrases (1+ 2): Elaborate with examples + cultural pockets of
small India + all over the nation
If within a bigger, overarching culture, another smaller and different culture
is developed and sustained, we call it a 'cultural pocket'. Do we have such
distinct cultures? The answer can be
1. Yes. We have pockets of distinct cultures all over India
2. No. India has uniform culture anywhere in the country
3. We have ‘Unity in Diversity’, which means that we have
different cultural pockets all over the nation, but there exists
unity in this diversity.

Though one can cake any of the three possible stands given above, well
accepted stand is that India has ‘Unity in Diversity’.
Another key word / phrase to be taken into account is ‘all over the nation’.
It is not sufficient if we handle linguistic diversity in the south or tribal
cultures in the north or any diversity in a specific part of the country. We
need to cover about distinctive cultural pockets from Southern, Northern,
Western, Eastern and North-Eastern parts of the nation.
Even without being asked, it is always a good practice to give examples for
substantiating our stand. In this question, it is specifically asked to elaborate
with examples, it is absolutely necessary to give examples for each kind of
‘cultural pocket’ that you mention in the answer.
Explain:
Explaining is to make (an idea or situation) clear by describing it in more
detail or revealing relevant facts and to give reason so as to justify the
stand.
Q. Do you think the Constitution of India does not accept the principle of
strict separation of powers rather it is based on the principle of ‘checks and
balances’? Explain
Key Words / Phrases (1+2): Explain - Constitution of India - Strict
separation of powers - Principle of ‘checks and balances’
Separation of powers between whom? Obviously between the executive,
judiciary and the legislature. Though it is not explicitly mentioned, we need
to know which ‘powers’ they are talking about before this question is
attempted.
The question is expecting the aspirants to take a stand which can be any of
the following
1. Constitution of India accepts the principle of strict separation of
powers
2. Constitution of India is based on the principle of ‘checks and
balances’
3. Constitution of India accepts the principle of separation of
powers but at the same time makes sure that there exists ‘checks
and balances’

Whatever be the stand, one has to mention relevant facts. For example to
explain ‘separation of powers’, one has to mention relevant articles such as
Article 50, Article 121 & 211, Article 122 & 212 as well as Article 361. For
explaining how the Constitution ensures ‘checks and balances’, one can
mention about land mark judgments of Supreme Court such as Kesavanda
Bharati Case and the relevant articles in the Constitution which gives scope
for Judicial Review.
Enumerate :
Enumeration means writing down a list of all the points.
Q: Enumerate the indirect taxes which have been subsumed in the goods
and services tax (GST) in India
The single GST subsumed several taxes and levies, which included central
excise duty, services tax, additional customs duty, surcharges, state-level
value added tax and Octroi. We don’t need to list all the taxes subsumed by
GST. We just need to list the ‘indirect taxes’ subsumed by GST.
Define:
When we are asked to define, we need to state or describe exactly the
nature, scope, or meaning of the term asked in the question. Definition
should mark out the boundary or limits of the concept.
Q: Define the concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem as relevant to an
environment. Explain how understanding this concept is vital while
planning for sustainable development of a region
Key Words / Phrases (2+3): Define - carrying capacity of an ecosystem –
Explain - understanding this concept - planning for sustainable development
There are two parts in the question.
1. Define the concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem as
relevant to an environment
2. Explain how understanding this concept is vital while planning
for sustainable development of a region

First part expects us to give the scope, nature and meaning of the term
‘carrying capacity of an ecosystem’ with respect to environment and set
clear boundaries to it. For example Wikipedia defines this term as ‘The
carrying capacity of a biological species in an environment is the maximum
population size of the species that the environment can sustain indefinitely,
given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the
environment.’
Second part of the problem expects us to establish relationship between
‘understanding the concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem’ and
‘planning for sustainable development of a region’. You need to establish
two things in the answer
i. One can plan for sustainable development of a region better if
he or she understands the concept of carrying capacity of an
ecosystem
ii. If one doesn’t have proper understanding of the concept of
carrying capacity of an ecosystem, he or she will not be able
to come up with a better plan for sustainable development of a
region.

If the above two are established with suitable examples, one can establish
that ‘how understanding this concept is vital while planning for sustainable
development of a region’
Illustrate:
Illustrate refers to explaining or making clear by giving suitable examples.
Q: What are the basic principles of public life? Illustrate any three of these
with suitable examples
Key Words / Phrases (1+2) : Illustrate - any three - basic principles of
public life
This question has two parts
1. Explain the basic principles of public life
2. Illustrate any three basic principles with suitable examples

First part is straight forward. You need to explain the basic principles of
public life. In part two of the question, you need to take any three basic
principles with suitable examples. Stick to the number three – don’t confine
to two or write four principles.
Examine:
It demands you to investigate the topic deeply and bring to light to various
aspects of the given topic. It refers to inspecting something closely and
bringing out the facts.
Q: Cross-border movement of insurgents is only one of the several security
challenges facing the policing of the border in North-East India. Examine
the various challenges currently emanating across the India-Myanmar
border. Also, discuss the steps to counter the challenges
Key Words / Phrases (1+3): Examine - Cross-border movement –
challenges emanating across the India-Myanmar border - steps to counter
the challenges
To understand this question, we need to understand the statements given in
it – ‘Cross-border movement of insurgents is only one of the several
security challenges facing the policing of the border in North-East India’.
Let us split it and try to understand it clearly
- Cross-border movement of insurgents is one of the security
challenges facing the policing of the border in North-East India. It is
not the ONLY challenge.
- There are other challenges also emanating across the border
The above statements only gives the context of the question. It is not the
question for us to handle. The actual question is followed after this
statement .
The question has two parts in it.
1. To examine/list the challenges currently emanating across the
India-Myanmar border
2. To discuss the steps to counter the challenges

Assess:
It demands examination and evaluation of the given topic.
Q: Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with
examples
Key Words / Phrases (1+2) :Assess - impact of global warming - coral life
system
I will give an answer which is NOT the right way to handle this question.
* * *
Bleaching:
Bleaching is a phenomenon where the corals lose their distinctive colour
due to loss of zooxanthellae algae. These algae live in symbiotic
relationship and thus their death also leads to death of corals. Ex: Bleaching
observed in Great Barrier Reef of Australia.
Fluctuations in mineral composition of oceans:
The temperature of oceans regulate mineral contents present in them such
as magnesium and calcium. With imbalance in mineral contents, the corals
are unable to utilise these minerals and survive. Ex: Collapse of coral
colonies in Caribbean islands due to mineral imbalance.
Nutrients:
The phytoplanktons are major source of nutrients for the corals. These
sustain their lives in optimum sub tropical temperatures. Without these
organisms, the corals cannot survive. Ex: Reduction in phytoplankton in sub
tropical waters.
* * *
Under the bleaching sub-heading how bleaching affects coral system. The
question is about impact of ‘global warming on the coral life system – not
about the factors affecting coral life system. We need to connect every
cause to global warming. So, the answer should be as follows
“Global warming has increased substantially over the past couple of
decades that has led to warming of oceans. This warming has affected the
ocean inhabitants including the corals. Bleaching is a phenomenon where
the corals lose their distinctive colour due to loss of zooxanthellae algae.
These algae live in symbiotic relationship and thus their death also leads to
death of corals. Ex: Bleaching observed in the Great Barrier Reef of
Australia”
But, the question is about assessing the impact. We need to state the impact
in terms of percentages – then only we can call it as assessment. As the
question has the key word ‘assess’, we need to quantify the impact. Here is
how we can give an account of the assessment.
“In 2008, a worldwide study estimated that 19% of the existing area of
coral reefs has already been lost, and that a further 17% is likely to be lost
over the subsequent 10–20 years. Only 46% of the world's reefs could be
currently regarded as in good health and about 60% of the world's reefs may
be at risk due to destructive, human-related activities. The threat to the
health of reefs is particularly strong in Southeast Asia, where 80% of reefs
are endangered. By the 2030s, 90% of reefs are expected to be at risk from
both human activities and climate change; by 2050, it is predicted that all
coral reefs will be in danger”
Though the directive word ‘assess’ looks unimportant, in reality, it helps us
to understand the expectations of the question more accurately.
Analyze:
You need to examine something methodically and in detail, typically in
order to explain and interpret it. You are required to take each and every
part of the statement and examine them separately and also in relation with
other parts.
Q: Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest
threats to our environment. Analyze the impact of sand mining along the
Indians coasts, citing specific examples (CSE 2019)
Key Words / Phrases (1+3): Analyze - Coastal Sand Mining - legal or
illegal - threat to our environment
Following points you need to take into account to get clear understanding of
the question
a. Coastal Sand Mining: You should not write just about sand mind
mining in general. We keep reading about sand mining in river
beds and there is a possibility that you keep writing about sand
mining in general rather than specifically about coastal sand
mining.
b. Legal or Illegal: Also we keep reading about illegal sand mining
and therefore assume that ONLY illegal sand mining is harmful
to environment. But in reality, both illegal as well as legal sand
mining cause the same damage, if done in the same place and in
same manner. The question is saying that legal sand mining also
does the same damage and you have to cover both legal and
illegal sand mining
c. Specific Examples: You are expected to give examples spread
geographically both in the eastern as well as western coastal
areas. Also all kinds of environmental damages should be
covered. (Coastal erosion – Karnataka, Olive ridley turtles –
Orissa, Salinisation of land– Kollam and Kottayam in Kerala etc)

Now, if you go back to the question and read it again, you will get better
understanding about the demands of the question.
Clarify:
You need to make (a statement or situation) less confused and more
comprehensible.
Q: The public expenditure management is a challenge to the Government of
India in the context of budget making during the post liberalization period.
Clarify it.
Key Words / Phrases (1+3): Clarify - Public Expenditure Management -
Context of Budget Making - Post Liberalization Period
You should pick this question only if you know what is Public Expenditure
Management and the three channels in which it is made - public
administration, economic growth (infrastructure) , and welfare schemes.
This question is not just about changes that happened after liberalization or
just about changes in budget making or changes in public expenditure
management. It is combination of them. It is not sufficient if you write the
challenges of public administration management in budget making (or)
challenges in public administration management which arose post
liberalization period (or) challenges in budge making which arose post
liberalization period. The question is about challenges in public expenditure
management in budget making during the post liberalization period. So it is
intersection of [Public Expenditure Management ] & [Budget Making ] &
[Post Liberalization Period ].
If you are from mathematics background, try to use set theory to understand
this question. If A = [Public Expenditure Management ], B = [Budget
Making ] and C = [Post Liberalization Period ] then the question is
intersection of A, B and C. If solution is S then S= A ∩ B ∩ C.
Let me put it in economic terminology to make this point clear. There are so
many changes in economy post liberalization such as Banking Sector,
Monetary Policy and Fiscal Policy, Private sector, PSUs, Infrastructure,
Welfare and Public Administration. You are not supposed to write all these
points. You do not need to worry about banking sector or monetary policy
changes though they indirectly influence fiscal policy and budget making.
We need to worry about the expenditure made in the budget for public
administration, economic growth (infrastructure), and welfare schemes post
liberalization.
Is it clear ?
Critically Examine:
When you are asked to examine, you have to dig deeper into the topic, get
into details, and find out the causes or implications if any . When critically
is suffixed, you have to highlight the pros and cons and give a balanced
conclusion.
Q: Critically examine how far the Dam Safety Bill 2018 goes in ensuring
structural and operational safety of dams?
Key Words / Phrases (1+2): Critically examine - Dam Safety Bill 2018 -
structural and operational safety
If you are asked to examine how far the Dam Safety Bill 2018 goes in
ensuring structural and operational safety of dams, then you can list the key
points in the bill regarding structural and operational safety and that would
be sufficient. But, the question is expecting you to critically examine. So, it
is not sufficient if you write the features of the bill and how this bill helps in
ensuring safety of the dams. By doing so you will be handling 2/3 rds of the
problem. To handle the question completely, you need to highlight how the
Bill falls short of ensuring operational safety of the dams.
Discuss:
You have to debate on paper by going through the details of the issues
concerned by examining each one of them. You have to give reasons for
both for and against arguments. And once all the discussion is done, a
suitable apt conclusion may be given at the end of the answer.
You need to write about a topic in detail, taking into account different issues
or ideas.
Q: ‘In the context of the neo-liberal paradigm of developmental planning,
multi-level planning is expected to make operations cost-effective and
remove many implementation blockages’- Discuss
Key Words / Phrases (1+4): Discuss - Neo-liberal paradigm - Multi-level
planning - Cost-effectiveness – Removal of implementation blockages
Neo-liberalism is the 20th-century resurgence of 19th-century ideas
associated with laissez-faire economic liberalism and free market
capitalism, which constituted a paradigm shift away from the post-war
Keynesian consensus that had lasted from 1945 to 1980. But, in this
question which is asked in the context of economic development in India,
neo-liberalism has specific connotation.
Post LPG reforms there was a drastic shift in the planning of the
developmental process. The government which was in the driver seat took a
back seat and took the role of enabler. We need to understand the concept of
neo-liberal paradigm of developmental planning from this context.
What are different levels of planning? The various levels of multi-level
planning in India can be (1) Centre, (2) States, (3) Districts, (4) Blocks, and
(5) Villages.
The question has two parts:
1. How does multi-level planning make operations cost-effective?
2. How does multi-level planning remove many implementation
blockages?

The question is not about:

1. Neo-liberal paradigm of developmental planning (it is just the
context).
Comment:
It is opinion based question. You have to give your opinion and you also
have to justify it. Give evidences, arguments, data to justify you answer.
Q: “The reservation of seats for women in the institution of local self-
government has had a limited impact on the patriarchal character of the
Indian political process”. Comment. (CSE 2019)
Key Words / Phrases (1+3): Comment – Women reservations in local
bodies – Limited impact – patriarchal character of the Indian political
process
Here the question demands that you express your opinion and substantiate
it. There are three types of opinion that are possible on this statement
1. YES. The reservation of seats for women in the institution of
local self-government has had a limited impact on the patriarchal
character of the Indian political process
2. The reservation of seats for women in the institution of local self-
government has had a limited impact on the patriarchal character
of the Indian political process. But, at the same time, we can not
ignore the positive changes it has brought in the political system.
3. NO. The changes that occurred in Indian political process due to
the reservation of seats for women in the institution of local self-
government are SIGNIFICANT.

90% of aspirants may take up the first opinion, 9.9% may express the
second opinion given above and 0.1% may take the third opinion. It is easy
to follow the crowd but puts you in unique position if you take the less
travelled path .
Generally truth lies in between and taking up the second option above will
make your option as a balanced one and you have the advantage of getting
more points to write as you can cover arguments from both the sides.
All the options are possible only because of the directive COMMENT. If
we replace the word COMMENT with JUSTIFY, then there will be no
choice for the respondent. One has to first of the three options given above
and substantiate it.
Reflect:
Think deeply or carefully about something.
Q: What do you understand by the term ‘public servant’? Reflect on the
expected role of public servant (CSE 2019)
Key Words / Phrases (1+1): Reflect - expected role of public servant
This is relatively straight forward question. We need to think deeply and
cover all the roles of public servants.
This question is asked in ethics paper and most of the people get tempted to
write about writing good characteristics of a public servant such as
empathy, selflessness, moral integrity etc. Yes, these characteristics are
required to perform their duties, but these are not the roles they play. We
need to write about administrative, maintenance, protective roles they play
and the services they deliver. One can also mention the change agent role
played by the public servants.
Justify:
You have to prove the validity of the statement. There are two types of
questions possible with this derivative. You may be asked to justify the
statement given or allowed to take a stand and to justify your stand.
Q: “Non-performance of duty by a public servant is a form of corruption.”
Do you agree with this view? Justify your answer.
Here you can 1) Agree with this view, 2) Disagree with it, or 3) Partially
agree and partially disagree.
Whatever stand you take, you need to substantiate, you need to JUSTIFY it
with suitable examples, proper logic or with the help of reports such as 2 nd
ARC.
Now let me frame the same question in a slightly different way.
Q: “Non-performance of duty by a public servant is a form of corruption.”.
Justif y
In this question, you will not have any choice but to support the statement
given and substantiate it with suitable logic, examples or quotes and reports.
Complex and Confusing Questions:
In the exam, 1 out of 10 questions can be complex or confusing or both. Let
us have a look at some such questions.
Q: The need for cooperation among various service sectors has been an
inherent component of development discourse. Partnership bridges the gap
among the sectors. It also sets in motion a culture of ‘collaboration’ and
‘team spirit’. In the light of statements above examine India’s development
process.
Key Words / Phrases (1+6): Examine - Cooperation - Various service
sectors - Development discourse – Partnership to bridge the gap - Culture of
‘collaboration’ and ‘team spirit’ - India’s development process
Generally a statement is given and the respondent is asked to write about
something in light of the given statement. But in the above question,
multiple statements are given. Even the statement given has some element
of confusion. Let us understand the above sentences one by one which gives
us better grip on the question.
Statement 1: “The need for cooperation among various service sectors has
been an inherent component of development discourse”. Various sectors of
economy are primary, secondary and tertiary sectors. Tertiary sector is also
called as service sector. In this question there is a mention of various
service sectors. Perhaps they used the word “service” by mistake. But, we
cannot make such assumption and write an answer for the question which is
not asked. So, we need to assume that the statement is about various sub-
sectors in service sector. Various service sectors that are mentioned here can
be - banking, hospitality, real estate, education, health, social work,
computer services, recreation, media, communications etc.
Discourse means written or spoken communication or debate . Development discourse
refers to the process of communication that occurs when two or more
people talk about how a country or region is progressing. Now read the
statement once again and get a better understanding of it.
This statement is about the discussion that is taking place about
development of India is having a mention of the need for cooperation.
Statement 2: “ Partnership bridges the gap among the sectors”. Again,
which sectors are being referred here? The statement is talking about “the
sectors”. If there is no sentence preceding this sentence, we will be required
to take the standard meaning of the word sectors and interpret it as primary,
secondary and tertiary sectors. But as there is another statement preceding it
and that sentence mentioned about service sectors, “the sectors” in this
statement need to be interpreted as various sub sectors in service sector as
we did in the previous statement.
This statement assumes that there is gap in the sectors and partnership
bridges the gap.
Statement 3: It talks about the need for the culture of ‘collaboration’ and
‘team spirit’
Now let us put together all three statements and understand it. This question
is talking about the need for Cooperation, Partnership, C ollaboration and
Team Spirit in achieving economic development. We need to examine to
what extent we have these four components and what need to be done to
achieve them and thereby put India in higher growth path.
Q: Indian Government has recently strengthened the anti-terrorism laws by
amending the unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967 and the
NIA act. Analyze the changes in the context of prevailing security
environment while discussing the scope and reasons for opposing the
UAPA by human rights organizations.
In this question, the first part is a statement and second sentence is the
question. The first sentence gives us the information that the Government
has recently amended UAPA and NIA acts. This being the information that
is being provided to us, there is nothing for to do regarding this statement.
Second sentence has the real question and it asks us to analyze the changes.
Which changes are to be analyzed by us? To know this, we need to read the
first sentence. The changes that we need to analyze are the changes made in
UAPA and NIA acts. This we need to do in the context of prevailing
security environment. As part of analysis, we need to list down the changes
made in these two acts.
Second part of the question is to discuss the scope and reasons for opposing
the UAPA by human rights organizations. Here we need to discuss both the
scope and reasons for opposing. We just need to write about UAPA here
and there is no need to worry about NIA Act as it is not mentioned.
Now let us try to understand to what extent you understood the techniques
relating to proper understanding of mains questions. For this purpose, I will
give 10 questions. Try to write the following in the space given below each
question.
a. Key Words / Phrases in the question
b. Different parts of the question
c. What is to be written for the question (or list the specific
demands of the question)

Q1. ‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but

due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian
society.’ Elucidate.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
Q3. ‘The emergence of Self Help Groups(SHGs) in contemporary times
points to the slow but steady withdrawal of the state from developmental
activities’. Examine the role of the SHGs in developmental activities and
the measures taken by the Government of India to promote the SHGs. (CSE
2017)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- -
Q4. “Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the
sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.Comment
on the progress made in India in this regard (CSE 2018)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
Q5. Why is nanotechnology one of the key technologies of the 21st
century? Describe the salient features of Indian Government’s Mission on
Nanoscience and Technology and the scope of its application in the
development process of the country..
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- -
Q6. The terms ‘Hot Pursuit’ and ‘Surgical Strikes’ are often used in
connection with armed action against terrorist attacks. Discuss the strategic
impact of such actions (CSE 2016)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
Q7. Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian
Independence since the twenties of the last century. (CSE 2017 ) .
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- -

Q8. Many voices had strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement
during the Gandhian phase. Elaborate.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------
Q9. Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil
producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain
its implications. (CSE 2017)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- -

Q10. “The Right to Information Act is not all about citizens’ empowerment
alone, it essentially redefines the concept of accountability. Discuss. (CSE
2018)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------- -

How to Write the Introduction?

L et us try to understand how to introduce an answer for a General Studies

question. Please note that we are going to study the introduction component
in an answer for a GS question, rather than in General Essay.
In this chapter, let us try to get answers for the following questions
What is the purpose of introduction?
How many ways you can write the introduction?
How many marks you get for it?
How many words can you use for it?
Is there a fixed rule or shall we have different types of
introduction for diff questions?
Is introduction compulsory?

Purpose : Introduction serves the following purpose in an answer

1. It establishes the context
2. It provides some background information
3. It introduces the topic and your main argument
4. It can be the “short form” of the text of the answer
5. It forms as the foundation of the answer
6. It helps as connector and enhances cohesion
7. It foretells and hints about the answer

Types of Introduction : Most of the students think that writing why the
question is being asked is the best way to start and so give the relevant
current affairs in the introduction. In reality, that is not true. We need to
handle introduction for different questions in different ways. Various
possible types of introduction are given below.
• Explain the context
• Give relevant current affairs
• State the importance/relevance
• List Multiple Parts of the answer
• Define the Key Word / Concept
• Give Historic perspective
• No Intro Type
Context Based Questions : Now let us take context based questions and see
how those can be handled. These questions start with a statement which
gives the context. The actual question follows this contextual statement .
Q. “…over the years, the judiciary in India has acquired the supremacy over
the legislature and the executive, despite not having, in Hamilton’s famous
words, the power of the purse or the sword.” Is it a good development?
Critically comment.
Introduction: Judiciary’s supremacy over legislature and executive has
increased in recent times as evident from recent judgments on BCCI,
allowing NGT to take cases under Motor vehicles act, appointment of UP
Lokayukta, ban on liquor shops on highways etc. This has both positive and
negative impact on our democracy
Body & Conclusion: After writing the above introduction, we can write the
body with 5 positive and 5 negative impacts and then conclude the answer
with a balanced opinion
Q. Many committees have discussed about the state funding of election.
Explain the meaning of state funding of election and critically analyse the
significance of state funding of election?
Introduction: State funding of elections has been suggested by many
committees in the past in response to the high cost of elections and as a
measure against corruption in the electoral process. A few government
reports have looked at state funding of elections in the past, including:
Indrajit Gupta Committee on State Funding of Elections (1998)
Law Commission Report on Reform of the Electoral Laws
(1999)
National Commission to Review the Working of
the Constitution (2001)
Second Administrative Reforms Commission (2008)
Body & Conclusion: After giving the above introduction of the context, you
may write what is state funding and then write 5 points in support of state
funding and 5 points regarding the issues with state funding and then
conclude with your balanced opinion.
Reference to Current Affairs : For those questions which are triggered by
current affairs, you may have a mention of it.
Q. Mob violence in India is an indicator of the dysfunctional criminal
justice system. Comment.
Introduction: There is growing evidence of hate crimes which are criminal
acts against people based on their real or perceived membership of a
particular group, such as caste, religion or ethnicity across India. There are
many aspects of criminal justice system which are dysfunctional making it
ineffective to prevent incidents of mob violence.
State the importance/relevance : For the questions which are about pertinent
issues facing the country, you may start with the importance or relevance of
the issue. Here is an example..
Q. Enumerate the major causes of increasing degradation of environment in
hills and hill slopes, and state its down-valley impact .
Introduction: The hilly regions are one of the most vulnerable ecosystems
having wide economical and ecological significance. The major causes for
the degradation of the environment in these areas are
After giving this introduction you will be required to enlist the major causes
of increasing degradation of environment in hills and hill slopes, and state
its down-valley impact
List multiple parts of the answer : Here we are not talking about the type of
questions which have multiple parts. We are talking about the question
which has an answer which has multiple parts. When answer has multiple
parts, those parts can be listed in the introduction and those can be
elaborated in the body.
Q. Explain the different views put forth about the origin of Himalayas and
divide Himalayas into vertical division
Introduction: Intense folding has led to the formation of recumbent folds,
overturned folds and even nappes in Himalayas. It is because of this
complex situation that scholars have given divergent views regarding the
origin of these mountains. These views may be grouped under three
categories: (a) geosynclinals evolution, (b) plate tectonics, or (c) vertical
movements
Define the Key Word / Concept: Some questions are about key words or
concepts of geography, economy, polity or technology. You can start with
definition of the key word or the concept.
Q. What are the geographical determinants of Indian agriculture. In view of
such determinants explain about the cropping pattern in India
Introduction: The geographical determinants of which affect cropping
patterns are terrain, topography, altitude, soil content, weather, climate,
rainfall, temperature, drought, snow and wind. The following geo-
ecological factors determine how the changes occur in the cropping pattern
of Indian agriculture:
Give Historic perspective : Some questions are better answered with
historic perspective as introduction
Q. How are the principles followed by the NITI Aayog different from those
followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission in India?
Inspired by the Soviet Model, Jawaharlal Nehru had established a Planning
Commission in 1950 to design the five year plans for India. In India, NITI
Aayog was established by the NDA government, to replace the Planning
Commission which followed a top-down model
No Introduction Required: Not every question is suitable for an
introduction. Some questions doesn’t require introduction. Generally when
there are 2 or more parts in a question, there will be very limited scope for
introduction or conclusion. We can directly start answering different parts
of the question.
Q. What is office of profit? Critically analyse the constitutional provisions
related to it? What are the recommendations of second ARC on Office of
Profit?
Q. What is Constitution? What are the main sources of the Indian
Constitution?
Q. What do you understand by the term Rule Of Law? How does the
Constitution Of India seek to establish it?
Q. Explain the clemency powers of the president under article 72. Discuss
the clarifications given by Supreme Court regarding the clemency powers
of the president?
For the above questions, you don’t require any introduction.
Now, let me give you an exercise. For each of the question given below, try
to write some introduction (or say that introduction is not required) in the
space given below each question. At the end suggested introduction is given
and you can compare your introduction with the suggestion introductions.
Q1. The controversy with respect to demand for reservation by
communities such as Marathas, Jats etc highlight that there is a need to
reexamine the reservation policy. Comment.

How To Handle Conclusion?

T o write a good introduction, you must know what is going to be your
answer. To write a good conclusion, you need to take into account what you
wrote so far in the answer. Also, we need to understand that the conclusion
should be written taking into account the type of question and the directive
word used in it. Most of the aspirants have a misconception that one has to
write way forward in the conclusion irrespective of the type of the question.
It is not true. Different types of questions demand different types of
conclusions.
For example, if a question is opinion based question, then the conclusion
should have your opinion in it. If the question has key words such as
‘Comment’ or ‘Critically Comment’ then you will be required to give your
opinion in the conclusion. You cannot present both sides and leave it there
without taking a stand. For a question which has the key word ‘Comment’,
you can take a stand in support of the statement given or you can oppose it
or take a balanced stand. This choice is generally not available for a
question which has the directive to ‘Critically Comment’. In such questions,
there will be both pros and cons which we need to present in the body.
When we present both sides of the coin in the body, we will be obviously
required to take a balanced stand in the conclusion.
Let us try to consider some questions and come up with suitable examples.
Q. A centralised judicial recruitment process will help in solving the
problems in the lower judiciary. Comment.
There are three different ways in which you can conclude.
1. You can conclude in support of centralised judicial recruitment
process
2. You can conclude by stating that decentralised judicial
recruitment process is suitable for a federal country like India
3. You can conclude by combining both the above points of view
and give a balanced opinion.

Whichever stand you take, you need to substantiate it. For example if we
decide to support this statement then we can substantiate our stand in the
body by stating that “Economic Survey 2018-19 stated that contract
enforcement remains the single biggest constraint to improve India’s Ease
of Doing Business (EODB) ranking, which currently stands at 163 in the
world ranking. According to this report, the main reason for this backlog is
non-filling of the sanctioned posts in judiciary”
In the conclusion we can clearly take a stand. So, the conclusion can be as
follows:
Conclusion: Therefore, based on the advantages listed above, it is very clear
that centralised judicial recruitment process will help in solving the
problems in the lower judiciary .
The above conclusion is like a south Indian dish without any spices. Let me
put the same thing in a different way.
Conclusion: In this regard, it is worth considering the idea put forward by
NITI Aayog for All India Judicial Services (AIJS) through an examination
conducted by UPSC to address the poor state of appointments and
vacancies in lower judiciary leading to delayed justice.
By writing this conclusion, though you are not explicitly writing that you
are in support of centralized appointment system, you are indirectly telling
that you are in support of it. Also you are telling how it should be executed
and as you have quoted NITI Aayog, you have a powerful backing for your
stand.
Here, Conclusion = Your stand on the topic + Way forward + Substantiation
for your suggestion
Now let us look at another question with the key word ‘Comment’ and see
how to handle the conclusion.
Q. Mob violence in India is an indicator of the dysfunctional criminal
justice system. Comment
In the main body of the answer, you can explain how mob violence in India
is an indicator of the dysfunctional criminal justice system and in the
conclusion, you can suggest a ‘Way Forward’ as given below:
Conclusion: In order to improve police intelligence and to recognize and
quell social unrest at its roots, initiatives like community policing and
violence observatories need to be taken. Registered political parties and
other registered entities should be made accountable for the acts of
commission or omission by their members involved in hate crimes and
direct suitable penal action against them. Also, sensitizing subordinate
judiciary and higher judiciary dealing with such hate crimes will go a long
way in fixing dysfunctional criminal system in India.
Here, Conclusion = Way Forward
Now let us see how to handle if the question asks you to ‘Critically
Comment’
Q. “…over the years, the judiciary in India has acquired the supremacy over
the legislature and the executive, despite not having, in Hamilton’s famous
words, the power of the purse or the sword.” Is it a good development?
Critically comment
After presenting both good and bad in this development, you can take a
stand on this topic. Just because there are both positives and negatives in a
particular development, you are not restricted from leaning towards one
side. As long as you have solid substantiation, you can take any stand. Let
us see how we can write conclusion for this questio n
Conclusion: Even SC in 2007 said that in the name of activism, judiciary
should not take up the role of legislature and executive since it is neither a
representative body like legislature nor has the expertise to run the
administration like executive. Alternative mechanisms such as civil society
vigilance, social audit, RTI should be preferred to ensure performance of
constitutional duties by legislature and executive rather than developing a
culture of excessive judicial intervention.
Here, Conclusion = Your stand on the topic Substantiation for your stand +
Way forward
Now let us explore analytical questions and see how to handle conclusion in
such questions. As a thumb rule, please note that better conclusion for such
questions in most of the cases is a ‘balanced view’
Q. The tension between the Executive and the Judiciary isn’t new but it has
assumed a different dimension in recent years. Critically analyze.
Conclusion: Continuous conflict between executive and judiciary is not a
good sign for our democracy. Hence both the organs have to leave their
differences, develop a pragmatic view for an immediate solution.
This type of stand is taken because the question itself is having a tone of
concern over the new dimension in the tension between the Executive and
the Judiciary in recent times. Best solution is to follow restraint by both the
parties and the same is suggested as a way forward
Here, Conclusion = Way Forward
Now let us take up another question.
Q. Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is showing a downward trend, but still
affects many parts of the country. Briefly explain the Government of India’s
approach to counter the challenges posed by LWE.
Conclusion: As a result of the approach of the Government Of India on the
security and development fronts, the number of violent incidents from LWE
insurgency has declined considerably. Many districts are removed by the
government from LWE-Affected-List, and the Home minister has also aptly
pointed out that Maoist insurgency in the country had entered its “last leg”.
Here, Conclusion = Support the statement in the context + substantiate
Finally, let me take one more example and suggest a conclusion to it.
Q. How are the principles followed by the NITI Aayog different from those
followed by the erstwhile Planning Commission in India ?
Conclusion: NITI Aayog’s approach is more modernized, forward-looking,
less bureaucratic and less status-quo oriented than the erstwhile Planning
Commission. With such initiatives, NITI Aayog is playing a pivotal role of
a think-tank for economic growth, human development and good
governance in India.
In the above conclusion there are two sentences. In the first sentence the
gist of the answer is reiterated in condensed form. In the second sentence
how NITI Aayog is better placed to play a pivotal role due to the unique
advantages it has as explained in the body of the answer.
Here, Conclusion = Consolidate the body + Effect of the differences
mentioned
Just like introduction, conclusion is not necessary for some types of
questions. Generally when there are 2 or more parts in a question, there will
be very limited scope for introduction or conclusion. Here are some
examples of questions, where conclusion is not required
Q. What is office of profit? Critically analyse the constitutional provisions
related to it? What are the recommendations of second ARC on Office of
Profit?
Q. What is Constitution? What are the main sources of the Indian
Constitution?
Q. What do you understand by the term Rule Of Law? How does the
Constitution Of India seek to establish it?
Q.How did Northern Plains of India Originate? Describe their prominent
features and their importance to India’s Economy.
Q. What is El Nino and ENSO? What causes El Nino? What concerns India
have regarding El Nino?
Now, let us understand HOW NOT TO WRITE a CONCLUSION. Here are
some examples of bad conclusion.
Q. What is judicial review and what are the criticisms against it?
Bad Conclusion: Judicial Review is an essential and very useful system for
Indian liberal democratic and federal system. It plays a pivotal role in the
protection and development of the Constitution.
The question is about ‘criticism against’ judicial review. If it is to critically
evaluate the role played by judiciary through judicial review, we will have
scope to list pros and cons of judicial review. But, in this case we are asked
to list the criticisms against it. For this question, we must cover ONLY the
points against judicial review. When the entire answer is about the ill effects
of judicial review, the answer cannot have conclusion which takes totally
opposite stand with regard to the body of the answer. Entire answer has to
be one piece of cohesive expression and therefore we cannot write a
conclusion which contradicts the body of the answer.
Q. How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction
of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity
and competency of the tribunals in India.
Bad Conclusion: They are less formal, less expensive, and quickly resolve
the disputes. They also give much needed relief to ordinary courts of law,
already overburdened with numerous suits. Tribunals should be revamped
keeping in mind the 272 nd Law Commission report for restructuring of
tribunals and based on the ruling of SC in Chandra Kumar Case.
This is a bad conclusion as it is not in sync with the expected body of the
answer. To understand what should be part of the main body of the answer,
we need to understand what is asked in the question. Here are different parts
of the question…
a. How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the
jurisdiction of ordinary courts?
b. discuss the constitutional validity of the tribunals
c. discuss the competency of the tribunals

In the conclusion you are expected to state whether you agree with the view
that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts or not. Also you can
write about constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals. But the
conclusion quoted above talks about
Advantages of tribunals
Way forward on what need to be done in general regarding
tribunals

As this conclusion is not in sync with the question, it is a bad conclusion

and we need to avoid such mistakes.
Now I would like you to start the writing practice. For the questions given
below, try to come up with suitable conclusions.
Q1. Do you think that constitution of India does not accept principle of
strict separation of
powers rather it is based on the principle of ‘checks and balance’? Explain.

Conclusion: These methods often revoke some kind of temporary relief like
hike in MSPs, loan waivers especially during election time. Lack of
cohesive organisational structure is resulting in their inability to do a
regular follow up. As a result their demands are often kept in cold storage.
Farmers organizations certainly play crucial role in acting as true
representatives of farmers problems, but unfortunately their effectiveness is
limited which falls short of achieving structural reforms that can go in a
long way in improving farmers’ lives in the long run.
Q3. What can France learn from the Indian Constitution’s approach to
secularism?
After explaining the differences between the approaches to secularism
between France and India in the body of the answer, conclusion can be
written as given below:
Conclusion: if secularism is a social philosophy of thick friendships and
cross-cultural bonds, then it has to be guided by compassion and not merely
a policy of tolerance. if secularism is a political philosophy of respecting all
the religions and safeguarding the minority religions, then it has to be
incorporated in the constitution as done in the case of India rather than mere
separation of state and religion .
What Are The Boundaries And How To Respect Them?
We all know by not covering all the important points in the answer, we will
be getting lesser marks. That is why we spend 10 hours a day in reading lots
of material and writing tons of notes and revising it multiple times and keep
ourselves ready for the D-Day, I mean.. the exam day, and cover as many
points as we can.
I know all of you understood what I meant in the above paragraph. Even
though you understood it clearly, let me explain it by taking an example and
make it clearer. For example if the question is ‘Describe the social
conditions of people during the rule of Pallavas’, you will be required to
explain about the caste system existing in those days, the marriage system,
the family system, slavery (if any), status of women, food, dress and
ornaments. You can also cover education system in those days and religion
and belief system of people in those days. By not covering caste system or
status of women in those days, you will obviously lose marks. Don’t you?
This observation will lead you to my rule number one, which is given
below.
RULE 1: More Points More Marks
This is very simple and obvious observation and also 99% people might be
knowing about it. Then you may ask me why I am writing obvious things
and highlight it as some important ‘rule’? I would like you to ask the same
thing to Newton. In 1st law of motion, he states that “In an inertial frame of
reference, an object either remains at rest or continues to move at a constant
velocity, unless acted upon by a force”. Though the wording makes it look
bit complex, it basically states that an object remains in the same place if
nobody moves it. Is it such a ground breaking law? Yes. It is. You will
understand it once you read other laws also and understand its role as a
foundation for the other laws. Same is the case with the laws of
thermodynamics, where zeroth law of thermodynamics looks so simple and
obvious.
Now based on Rule Number 1, let me build Rule Number 2. What happens
when you write more than what is asked? What happens when you write
something related to the topic which is not asked? What happens when you
write something outside the set boundary? By the way, what is the
boundary of an answer?
Let me take an example to explain it. If the question is
Q.“Battle of Plassey was more a conspiracy than a war”. Comment
For the above question if you confine to the battle of Plassey and the
conspiracy, then you are within the boundary. If you start detailing about the
black hole tragedy, the number of prisoners of war who dies in it and the
size of the dungeon when the prisoners were held, then you are writing
something which is clearly outside the boundary.
Who decides what is within the boundary? On what basis we come to that
conclusion? The basis for this is the question itself. Every question has
something called ‘demands of the question’. Sometimes it is explicit and
sometimes it is implicit, but always it exists. The above question is asking
you to write about the battle of Plassey and more specifically about the
conspiracy part of it. So, whatever you write which helps you to prove that
it was a conspiracy is within the boundary and the rest are outside the
boundary. For the sake of better clarity, let me identify the topic of the
question and list various points which can appear in the answer into three
different categories.
Topic: Conspiracy of the Battle of Plassey
A. Points which are ‘related to the topic’ and ‘relevant to the
question’

Course of the battle

Who participated in the battle on both the sides
Conspirators: Yar Lutuf Khan, The Seths, Rai Durlabh,
Omichund and Mir Jafar
Details of the conspiracy
Role played by the conspiracy
Death of Mir Madan Khan and the battlefield maneuvers

B. Points which are ‘related to the topic’ but ‘not relevant to the
question’
The black hole tragedy
Major events in the rule of Siraj-ud-daulah
What happened to Siraj-ud-daulah after the battle of Plassey?
Consequences of the battle of Plassey
Importance of this battle in the history of India

C. Points which are ‘not related to the topic’ but ‘not at all relevant
to the question’

Carnatic wars
Mughal rule
The Sepoy Mutiny of 1857
Partition of Bengal in 1905
Non-cooperation movement

I have grouped three different types of points in three buckets - A, B and C.

Nobody writes those aspects which are the third bucket (C), unless he or
she has entered the exam hall with a sole motive of failing in the exam.
Those who cleared prelims knows that they should not write about Mughal
rule or non-cooperation movement for a question on conspiracy in the battle
of Plassey.
It is my observation that majority of students write those points covered in
the B bucket in the answer. Perhaps, they are of the opinion that writing
more than what is asked will fetch them more marks. In fact, they will get
less marks. I will explain why they get less marks for writing more. By
writing more points which are not relevant to the question, you are eating
away the time and space which rightfully belongs to the relevant points.
These points in the gray area are like the weeds which compete with the
crops for much needed fertilizers and water. Now I will explain one analogy
which will put things in perspective
Agriculture: Maximize Yield:: Exam: Maximize Marks
• Less relevant points – grass (useful to cattle but not income
generating) – gives good impression but cannot fetch higher marks
• Irrelevant points – weeds (take away water and fertilizer) – will take
away words and consume time
• Contradictory points – pests (totally spoils the crop) – will attract
negative marks in exam
Every answer has word limit as well as the time limit. If you write 60 words
about the black hole tragedy just because it flashed in your mind when you
read about the battle of Plassey, you will end up using minimum of 3
minutes for it (assuming that you write 20 words per minute, which is much
more than the average speed of writing for anybody). You may think that I
am making a mountain out of a molehill. I am not actually trying to bring to
your notice a very important point. There are a total of 20 questions in GS
paper and you are given 3 hours to handle them. For each question if you
write 60 words which are irrelevant or less relevant, you are using 20 x 3
which is 60 minutes time for writing less relevant and irrelevant stuff.
Imagine a situation where you are given arms and ammunition just
sufficient to wage a battle and you fired 1/3rd of it in the air aimlessly. What
do you expect now to happen in the real battle?
You don’t need to be an Einstein to understand the relationship between the
time and space and their relevance in the exam hall. Wasting 60 words per
question amount to 1200 words per paper. If you write all the time and
space in the exam hall, then you can expect 50% of the marks which is 875
marks. By losing 1/3rd of time and words for less relevant and irrelevant
stuff, you will lose 1/3rd of 875 which is 292 marks. So, you will be out of
the contest.
So, it is not about what you know. It is about what you write in the exam.
Examiner doesn’t allocate marks for what you know. He will strictly go by
what you wrote in the exam. You need to use all the time that is allocated to
you and answer all the question to be in the field. As far as exam is
concerned ‘time is gold’, ‘time is platinum’ and ‘time is everything’.
Now let me give my Rule 2.
RULE 2: More Irrelevant Stuff Means Less Marks
It means that the ‘irrelevant stuff’ that you write is ‘inversely proportional’
to ‘marks’ .
Before I move on to the next point, let me explain why anybody write
irrelevant stuff in the exam. Generally more irrelevant stuff appears in the
introduction and conclusion parts. For the battle of Plassey question, they
will write about the black hole tragedy in the introduction and the impact of
this battle on the course of history in the conclusion. One thing which one
needs to know is that introduction and the conclusion should also be having
something relevant to the question and the body of the answer. What should
be part of the introduction and conclusion are already covered in other
chapters in this book.
Now I will take an answer written by my student for a question and explain
which part of it is irrelevant and how it got improved by replacing the
irrelevant part with more relevant points.
Q. Discuss briefly the overall pattern of inter-regional trade in India
A: Trade is the source of prosperity and is one of the unifying factor of
diverse India. As per economic survey. 2017-18, India's Internal trade
accounts for about 54% of GDP, as per 'Big Data' from GSTN, which
excludes non-GST trade (i.e., petroleum etc). If that also includes it can be
up to 60% and is well above internal trade of Canada & EO out lesser than
US (78%) China (74%). As per this survey, top five states Maharashtra,
Gujarat, Haryana, Tamilnadu, Karnataka accounts of 52% of Intra regional
trade. Striking feature observed is that states prosperity i.e., per capita
income is proportional to their internal trade, except Kerala with low
internal trade, high remittances, has high per capita income.
It clearly shows that other coastal states like Andhra Pradesh,
Odisha, WB, failed the capitalize then coastal advantage, similarly Northern
& eastern states unable to all value to their Agricultural resources, central
India not able to produce high value mineral resources they have.
To avoid imports from China, Bangladesh, Vietnam etc, and save
valuable forex, create immense employment Apparel, Leather, Jute
industries to be encouraged in Coastal eastern states, for internal
consumption, need to improve quality of fisheries.
Ex: Bihar Blanket ban of AP fish product due to Formaline Contamination.
For Internal trade, "Logistics" is the backbone which reduces
costs and makes product competitive. For this need to utilize GST, e-way
bill to reduce paperwork, eliminated checkposts and enhanced vehicles
speed 200 km/day to 325 km/day.
Government given infrastructure status to logistics which provides easy
funding for modernization, increase efficiency.
FASTAGS (RFID) introduced to avoid long queues at Toll gates .
But in recent logistics performance Index of world bank, India dropped to
44th rank from 35th in 2016. So, still India need to improve upon this
through holistic approach by taking some initiatives like 'one permit' for
vehicles, covering projects like Sagarmala, Bharatmala, Dedicated Freight
corridors etc. For a big and diverse country like India, Internal trade
between states is highly feasible, safe in view of recent dynamic vulnerable
external trade due to trade wars, sanctions on countries like Iran, Russia,
Venezulaetc, uncertainty in middle east.
Analysis: Try to write here what you think is less relevant part in the above
answer.

1. To avoid imports from China, Bangladesh, Vietnam etc, and

save valuable forex, create immense employment Apparel,
Leather, Jute industries to be encouraged in Coastal eastern
states, for internal consumption, need to improve quality of
fisheries. – {What need to be done is not asked}
2. For Internal trade, "Logistics" is the backbone which
reduces costs and makes product competitive. For this need to
utilize GST, e-way bill to reduce paperwork, eliminated
checkposts and enhanced vehicles speed 200 km/day to 325
km/day. – {What need to be done is not asked}
3. Government given infrastructure status to logistics which
provides easy funding for modernization, increase efficiency.
FASTAGS (RFID) introduced to avoid long queues at Toll gates.
– {What government is doing is not asked}
4. But in recent logistics performance Index of world bank, India
dropped to 44th rank from 35th in 2016. So, still India need to
improve upon this through holistic approach by taking some
initiatives like 'one permit' for vehicles, covering projects like
Sagarmala, Bharatmala, Dedicated Freight corridors etc. –
{What India need to do is not asked}
5. For a big and diverse country like India, Internal trade between
states is highly feasible, safe in view of recent dynamic
vulnerable external trade due to trade wars, sanctions on
countries like Iran, Russia, Venezulaetc, uncertainty in middle
east.- {Why to talk about issues in external trade and need for
internal trade when it is not asked?}

Relevant information which is missing:

- point relating to consuming state and producing state (which determine
movement of goods) need to be mentioned
- connectivity / logistics is important factor which explains trade routes in
internal trade. (northeast less connected and less trade)
- geographic disconnect can explain why some parts are left out in internal
trade(like Ladakh)
- development angle (underdeveloped states have less trade)
- commodity trade, finished products etc. (agriculture surplus, aqua/animal
husbandry, mining, industrial produce) . what do they trade?

Scope: There is scope to get additional 3 marks by adding some more points
and by removing unnecessary stuff which at present, forms more than 50%
of the answer
REVISED ANSWER:
Inter-regional trade is the trade among the different sections of the country
like states, zones or geographical regions Inter-regional trade indicates the
robustness of economy of any country.
As per India Economic survey-2017-18, internal trade accounts for about
60% of GDP which is substantially higher than that of EU and Canada, But
less than that of US (78%) and China (74%). This trade pattern is in such a
way that top 5 states- Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamilnadu and
Karnataka account for 52% of total exports and also Maharashtra,
Tamilnadu, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka & Gujarat are the top 5 importing
sates. Also observed that Gujarat, Haryana, Maharashtra,
Tamilnadu&Odisha are the top most trade surplus states. So from above
trends two conclusions can be derived-

i. Top exporting states are also the top importing states

ii. These states by being most competitive, they trade higher
volumes and also have trade surplus
Following are the goods that are traded at inter-regional level:
1. At commodity levels, Automobiles from Chennai-Bangalore industrial
corridor, Delhi-Mumbai industrial corridor;
2. Marbles from Rajasthan;
3. Ceramics, petrochemicals, dairy products from Gujarat;
4. Agricultural products like Rice, coffee, spices etc from Tropical south
India to Sub tropical North India, Wheat, apples, potatoes etc in reverse
direction; Tea, Bamboo from North east;
5. Mineral resources from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand areas are used
to trade extensively.
6. Logistic issues are making some of the regions like the North East less
participative in inter-regional trade
7. Some of the areas such as Ladak are inaccessible geographically and
therefore not having much trade with other regions.
8. Some areas which are facing political turbulence such as Kashmir valley
are also facing lower inter-regional trade.
It is also observed that higher the internal trade, higher the prosperity i.e.
per capita GSDP. So, overall for India, internal trade is concentrated in
South & West regions leading to blood pressure like situation and in under
developed , hilly areas leading to Anemia like situation. The
underdeveloped areas are well serving as markets for the production power
houses of the developed South & west regions.
For the first 2 rules, I have elaborately discussed about them and then
derive the rule at the end. For the next two rules, I will first state the rule
and then explain and discuss about them
RULE 3: Limiting Words Are The Boundary Walls
Some questions have words, which limit the scope of the question and I call
them as ‘limiting words’. There are three kinds of limiting words, which are

a. Limited by time
b. Limited by space
c. Limited by concept
Let us understand limiting words by time using some examples.
Q. Comment on India’s defence policy since Kargil war
Since Kargil war means, since 1999 AD. You should not write anything
related to defence policy that was before 1999.
Q. How did the British establish their control over Maharashtra in the first
two decades of the 19th century?
First two decades of the 19th century means, between 1801 – 1820. Not
before 1801 and not after 1820.
In the above two examples, your boundary is set for a particular time
period. If you go beyond this time range, you will end up writing something
which is not asked for and thereby end up losing marks.
Now, let me explain space based limiting words.
Q. Some historians consider Gupta era as golden era in the history of India.
Do you agree with them?. Give evidence to support your argument
The Gupta Empire was an ancient Indian empire centered in the kingdom of
Magadh, existing from the mid-to-late 3rd century CE to 590 CE. (Kushans,
Western Satrapas, Vakatakas, Koshala, Kadamba, Pallava, Kalinga,
Kamarupa were contemporaries). For this question, one should not write
about Taxila as it was not part of Gupta empire.
Q. “The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water
harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas ?
Whenever we come across depleting ground water resources, we think of
rural areas. We read about the need for harvesting system to enhance
ground water which is required irrigation purpose. But this question
specifically asks about effectiveness of harvesting system in ‘urban areas’.
You should write only about urban areas in the answer.
Here is an example of concept based limiting words
Q. How did the medieval Sufi and Bhakti movements get represented in the
contemporary north and south Indian vernacular literature? Examine
In the answer you should not write about Manu Charitra of Allasani
Peddana as it falls under Prabhanda style of literature. It doesn’t fall under
Sufi or Bhakti, though it was written in the time period when Sufi and
Bhakti movements existed .
Q. Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab
travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India
Fa Hein, Hiuen Tsang, Al Baruni, Ibn-e- Batuta, Abdur Razak fall within
the boundary for this question. Marco Polo & Nicoloi Conti (from Italy),
Athnasius Niketin (from Russia), Eduardo Barbosa, Domingo’s Paes, Nuniz
(from Portuguese), Ralph Fisch, Captain Hawkins (British) and Athnasius
Niketin (from Russia) are out of scope and should not be covered in the
answer.
Now let us move on to the next rule which can help us to understand the
boundaries.
RULE 4: Intersecting Ideas Limit The Scope Of The Question
Before I explain this rule, I will give some basics about set theory. You
don’t need to have mathematics background to understand these concepts.
Just read it with additional focus and you will easily comprehend it.

The union of 2 sets A and B is denoted by A ∪ B This is the set of all distinct elements
that are in A or B .. We can define the union of a collection of sets, as the set of all distinct
elements that are in any of these sets.

The intersection A and B is denoted by A ∩ B . This is the set of all distinct

of 2 sets
elements that are in both A and B . We define the intersection of a collection of sets, as the set of
all distinct elements that are in all of these sets.

If A = { 1, 3, 7, 9} and B = { 2, 3, 5, 7} Then,

A ∪ B = {1,2,3,5,7,9}
A ∩ B = {3,7}

This is all mathematics. Now, let us apply this to social studies. As usual, I
will pick up some examples to explain this concept.
Q. Explain how the foundations of the modern world were laid by the
American and French Revolutions
The above question is of Union Type. Let me express it using set theory
A = { foundations laid by America Revolution} = {freedom, democracy,
gender equality, secularism)
B = {foundations laid by French Revolution}= {liberty, equality, and
fraternity}
Question is asking you to write about both, which mean that you need to
handle A∩B .
A ∩ B= ( freedom, democracy, gender equality, secularism, liberty, equality,
fraternity}
Q. How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of tourism?
The above question is intersection type. Here
A = {negative impacts on mountain ecosystem}
B = {negative impacts of tourism}
What all can have negative impact on mountain ecosystem? A large number
of factors can cause damage to mountain ecosystem such as illegal mining,
construction of dams & power plants, global warming, landslides, floods,
forest fires and tourist activities. So,
A = {illegal mining, construction of dams & power plants, global warming,
landslides, floods, forest fires and tourist activities}
What are the negative impacts of tourism on mountain areas? It can impact
mountain areas in three dimensions - Environmental impacts, Socio-cultural
Impacts, Economic Impacts. So,
B = { Environmental impacts, Socio-cultural Impacts, Economic Impacts }
The question is intersection type of question where we deal ONLY with
negative impacts of tourism on the mountain ecosystem. Which means that
we shall not cover the Socio-cultural Impacts or Economic Impacts of
tourism in mountain areas.
Also we should avoid writing about illegal mining, construction of dams &
power plants or global warming in the answer. Which means that we should
write what is common to A and B.
A∩B = { Impact of tourism on mountain ecosystem }
Now, let us try to understand why anybody write some thing which is not
asked. There are basically two reasons.
1. Not Clear About Boundaries: Those who read this question, may just
jump in the answer without clearly setting boundaries. They may end up
writing everything about mountain ecosystem of tourism
2. Knowingly violating boundaries (Temptation) : This type of people
know what is expected for this question but get tempted to write about
illegal mining or global warming as they read about it a lot or because they
have a very good point or example regarding it.
3. Knowingly violating boundaries (Page Filling): Also this type of
people would like to fill the page with less relevant and irrelevant
information if they fall short of content for the question .
You might have heard that “Ignorance of law is no excuse”. In the same
manner “non compliance of my rules, knowingly or unknowingly, costs you
time, space and most importantly marks that you are looking for”
Now, let us combine all the rules into one.
RULE ZERO: Cross The Boundary; Pay The Penalty
If you take a brilliant catch outside the boundary line in the cricket ground,
will umpire give it as out or a six? You know the answer, right?
Now, as usual, I will give some questions. This time, I will also give
answers written by some students in mock tests. You need to figure out
which part of the answer has crossed the boundary line.
Q1. Explain the contemporary agricultural scenario in the context of rapid
urbanizations in India
Ans: In recent years india has been experiencing rapid urbanisation
represented by the significant changes in it's demographic composition and
large scale urban landscape. The percent of urban population increased
from 17.61 % in 1961 to 31.16% in 2011 with 388 % growth rate. In
contrast with this the rural population with a slow growth rare of 131 % in
the same years is struggling to keep up the pace. Agriculture in India is
majorly dependent on monsoon which is unpredictable. It has been
characterised by seasonal employment. The decline of employment
opportunities in the agriculture sector is the major reason for decline of
agriculture share in GDP and population migration to urban areas. (Para 1)
Rapid urbanisation along with rapid growth of population depend heavily
on the limited available land resources. This decreases the land available for
agriculturr and convert the cultivable land to concrete jungle. (Para 1)
With rapid urbanisation and industrial growth there is a change in the
climatic conditions. This environmental change will have a huge impact on
rainfall especially monsoon, which directly hinders the water available for
agriculture. (Para 3)
On the other hand rapid urbanisation will have its claws on urban areas
also, the non availability of land, shortage of lands will lead to increase in
slums, rise in crime rates, unhygienic living conditions and easy spread of
diseases. (Para 4)
Thus even though rapid urbanisation may help in growth of country’s GDP
on a long run it will deteriorate the nation's demographic landscape and
food security. (Para 5)
(Identify the content which is outside the boundary in the answer given
above)

1. The question is about ‘agriculture in the context of urbanization’.

We should not write about agriculture in general and poor
monsoons resulting in unemployment (issue in Para 1).
2. Need to understand the question properly and respect the
boundaries. There is a cause-effect relationship between rapid
urbanization which in turn is affecting agriculture. We need to
explain how urbanization is affecting agriculture.
3. Para 4 is totally irrelevant. Who asked you to write about all
kinds of problems faced in urban areas? Question is not about
‘urbanization’. It is about ‘agriculture’
4. The answer concluded with the impact of urbanization on
demographic landscape. There is something called ‘demands of
the question’. Demographic landscape is not in the scope of the
question and is clearly outside the boundary of expected answer.
5. Scope: You can improve 3 marks by replacing irrelevant points
with more relevant points
Revised Answer:
In recent years india has been experiencing rapid urbanisation represented
by the significant changes in it's demographic composition and large scale
urban landscape. The percent of urban population increased from 17.61 %
in 1961 to 31.16% in 2011 with 388 % growth rate. In contrast with this the
rural population with a slow growth rare of 131 % in the same years is
struggling to keep up the pace.
The shift in this trend is resulting in labour shortage in the rural areas which
directly impacts the agriculture which is heavily dependent on manual
labour in India .
Rapid urbanisation along with rapid growth of population, to meet its
requirements depend on limited available land resources. This decreases
the land for cultivation and concert it in to concrete jungle.
With urbanisation and industrial growth there is a drastic change in the
climatic conditions and is impacting monsoons.
This decreases the availability of water resources round the year and failure
of monsoon is hitting the agriculture very badly. Even the less water
available is getting diverted to the urban requirements creating acute
shortage of water for irrigation purposes
The changing consumption patterns in urban areas are forcing the
agricultural sector to change the crops and it's patterns according to their
requirements.
Thus rapid urbanization has very prominent impact on the agricultural
sector which is predominantly having adverse effect on it .

How To Handle Comparison Type Of Questions?

W hen you are asked to compare physical features of two people, how will
you do it? Before you answer, let what you don’t do. If I were you, I will
not just list the physical features of these two individuals separately and
leave it there. Also, I will not compare eyes of one person with hair of the
other. I will not compare height of a person with the weight of the other. So,
obviously, you will try to identify the characteristics on which two entities
can be compared and identify similarities and differences on these
characteristics between these two entities being compared. Am I right?
The same is applicable in Civil Services or Group 1 mains. Let us take an
example and understand this concept.
Q.Compare Gandhara school of art with that of the Mathura school of art
with special emphasis on the depiction of the image of the Buddha.
If, for example, somebody write about the both the schools of art, it looks
like this..
Ans:

OceanofPDF.com
Mathura School:
Mathura was a great centre for making sculptures during the early historic period and many images have been found here. A large number of
images dating back to the Kushana Period is from Mathura. A distinct way of sculpting practised at Mathura makes the images found here
different from those at other centres in the country. The image of the Buddha from the Katra mound belongs to the second century CE. It
represents the Buddha with two Boddhisattva attendants. The Buddha is seated in padmasana (cross-folded legs) and the right hand is in the
abhayamudra, raised a little above the shoulder level whereas the left hand is placed on the left thigh. The ushanisha, i.e., hair knot, is shown
with a vertically raised projection. Mathura sculptures from this period are made with light volume having fleshy body. The shoulders are broad.
The sanghati (garment) covers only one shoulder and has been made prominently visible covering the left hand whereas while covering the
torso, the independent volume of the garment is reduced to the body torso. The Buddha is seated on a lion throne. The attendant figures are
identified as the images of the Padmapani and VajrapaniBoddhisattvas as one holds a lotus and the other a vajra (thunderbolt). They wear
crowns and are on either side of the Buddha. The halo around the head of the Buddha is very large and is decorated with simple geometric
motifs. There are two flying figures placed diagonally above the halo. They bear a lot of movement in the picture space. Flexibility replaces the
earlier rigidity in the images giving them a more earthy look. Curves of the body are as delicately carved. The upright posture of the Buddha
image creates movement in space. The face is round with fleshy cheeks. The bulge of the belly is sculpted with controlled musculature. It may
be noted that there are numerous examples of sculptures from the Kushana Period at Mathura, but this image is representative and is important
for the understanding of the development of the Buddha image in the subsequent periods.
Gandhara School:
The Buddha head from Taxila in the Gandhara region, now in Pakistan, dates back to the second century CE and belongs to the Kushana Period.
The image shows hybridised pictorial conventions that developed during the Gandhara period. It has Greco-Roman elements in the treatment of
sculpture. The Buddha head has typical Hellenistic elements that have grown over a period of time. The curly hair of the Buddha is thick having
a covered layer of sharp and linear strokes over the head. The forehead plane is large having protruding eyeballs, the eyes are half-closed and the
face and cheeks are not round like the images found in other parts of India.
There is a certain amount of heaviness in the figures of the Gandhara region. The ears are elongated especially the earlobes. The treatment of the
form bears linearity and the outlines are sharp. The surface is smooth. The image is very expressive. The interplay of light and dark is given
considerable attention by using the curving and protruding planes of the eye-socket and the planes of the nose. The expression of calmness is the
centre point of attraction. Modelling of the face enhances the naturalism of three-dimensionality. Assimilating various traits of Acamenian,
Parthian and Bactrian traditions into the local tradition is a hallmark of the Gandhara style. The Gandhara images have physiognomic features of
the Greco-Roman tradition but they display a very distinct way of treating physiognomic details that are not completely Greco-Roman.
FEEDBACK:

1. For this question, one need to compare Mathura and Gandhara arts on various parameters. It is not sufficient to write about
Mathura school and Gandhara school separately (as if it is the duty of the examiner to understand about both schools of art
separately and compare on multiple aspects based on the content written in separate paragraphs)
2. You can write in tabular format or write in points. Whatever be the approach, for every point,
both the schools of art should be compared.
Writing this kind of answer is like serving brinjal, oil, salt and spices to a customer when somebody orders
‘brinjal curry’ in a restaurant. It is not the responsibility of the customer to cook the meal in the restaurant.
In the same way, in an exam, when you are asked to compare you will be required to compare rather than
dumping some content on the examiner.
Here is how we can answer the above question.

Areas of Gandhara School of art Mathura School of Art

differences

Reign Kushan Dynasty Mauryan and Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Kushan

Area Examples of Gandhara Art Mathura

The Bamyan Buddha of Afghanistan .Bimaran The local sculptural tradition at Mathura became so strong
Casket has yielded the earliest specimen of the that the tradition spread to other parts of northern India.
Gandhara Art. The best example in this regard is the stupa sculptures
found at Sanghol in the Punjab.
Major Centres
Jalalabad, Hadda, Bamaran, Begram&Taxila were
the main centers where art pieces of Gandhara
School have been found.

Outside influences Greeko-Roman influence

Greek god as protector: In many images of Buddha Purely indigenous
in Gandhara ;Vajrapani found in the right hand of No foreign influence
Initially inspired by Yaksha Images
future Buddha is told as transformed symbol of
Hercules who is seen as protector of Buddha.
The legendary interpretation of Buddha is
sometimes presented through roman motifs like
triton. antarvasa resembles to attire of roman gods.
The GandharaSchool also assimilated
Archimedean, Parthian and Bactriantreditions.

Religious influence Buddhism

Hellenistic realism: The Apollo like face of Hinduism
Buddha; natural realism; wavy hair as seen in Buddhism
images of Buddha in Gandhara resembles to Jainism
Hellenistic tradition. Secularism
Anthropomorphic traditions of Roman religion.
The draping of the robes on Buddha was also very
similar to the drapery on Roman imperial statues

Material Used Grey sandstone Spotted red sandstone

The other materials used were Mud, Lime, Stucco.
However, Marble was NOT used in Gandhara art.
Terracotta was used rarely.

Depiction of Image of Buddha

Thin or Stout? Buddha was sometimes thin Early period images were having fleshy body but in later
period fleshiness reduced. Buddha was muscular and stout.

Attntion to Great detailing. Finer details and realistic images. Not much attention to detailed sculpting.
detailing

Anatomic Curley hair, anatomical accuracy, spatial depth, and less anatomical accuracy and spatial depth when compared
accuracy foreshortening to Gandhara school.

Expressiveness The images are very expressive Images are less expressive

Halo The halo around the head of Buddha was profusely Halo not decorated, generally.
decorated.

Appearance The forehead plane is large having protruding There is boldness in carving the large images, the volume
eyeballs, the eyes are half-closed and the face and of the images is projected out of the picture plane, the faces
cheeks are ‘not’ round like the images found in are round and smiling, heaviness in the sculptural volume is
other parts of India. The ears are elongated reduced to relaxed flesh.
especially the earlobes

Interplay of light The interplay of light and dark is given Not much attention on the interplay of light and darkness
and darkness considerable attention by using the curving and
protruding planes of the eye-socket and the planes
of the nose.

Calmness The expression of calmness is the centre point of NO special effort to display calmness
attraction

Physiognomic The Gandhara images have physiognomic features The Mathura images do not have physiognomic features of
features of the Greco-Roman tradition the Greco-Roman tradition

Sangati Garments in Gandhara images sometimes cover The sanghati (garment) covers only one shoulder and has
both sides of the shoulders been made prominently visible covering the left hand
whereas while covering the torso, the independent volume
of the garment is reduced to the body torso.

Mudras Buddha is seen in mudras. Mudras generally used No emphasis on mudras

are ..
Abhayamudra- Don’t fear
Bhumisparshamudra -Touching the earth
Dhyana mudra- Meditation
Dharmachakramudra- A preaching mudra
I saw lot of students dumping raw information as if it is the duty of the examiner to process it and apply it to
the question. Let me give an example based on the answer written by a student for the following question.
Q. What are the differences between GSLV and PSLV launch vehicles?
Ans: PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle) and GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle) are the satellite Launch vehicles (rockets)
developed by ISRO.
PSLV (Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle):
1. For delivering various satellites to Low Earth Orbits, mainly to deliver the “earth-observation” or “remote-sensing” satellites with lift-off
mass of up to about 1750 Kg to Sun-Synchronous circular polar orbits of 600-900 Km altitude.
2. Being used for launching the satellites of lower lift-off mass of up to about 1400 Kg to the elliptical Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
3. A four-staged launch vehicle with first and third stage using solid rocket motors and second and fourth stages using liquid rocket engines.
GSLV (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle)
1. GSLV's primary payloads are communication satellites of INSAT class (about 2,500 kg mass) that operate from geostationary orbits (about
36,000 km) and hence are placed in Geosynchronous Transfer Orbits by GSLV.
2. Designed to deliver the communication-satellites to the highly elliptical (typically 250 x 36000 Km) Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO).
3. The GSLV is geo-synchronous nature; the satellites in Geosynchronous Transfer orbits appear to remain permanently fixed in the same
position in the sky, thus avoiding the need of a tracking ground antenna and hence are useful for the communication applications .

- It has 6 solid boosters - It has 4 liquid boosters.

- Classified into various versions like PSLV-CA, G, XL - ISRO has developed two versions of GSLV- MK 1,2.

My aim in this book is to make you ready for the space age. You cannot stay in hunter-gatherer stage
forever. Here, I would like to tell you one thing. Even though if you are having all the information about
PSLV and GSLV, if you have not done the comparison at home, you will take more time to do the
comparison in the exam hall and also there is a possibility that you will miss a point or two.
I am giving you multiple comparison questions from history. Try for yourself and see how much time it
takes to compare and present in organized manner. At the end of the chapter, I will given comparison tables.
This type of effort well before the exam day, will put in advantageous position and will help you answer
such questions much faster in comprehensive way. I am giving all questions and notes in one subject only so
that you will have notes ready for atleast that subject. You can then prepare similar tables in other subjects
also in the same manner
I have a suggestion for all of you. Don’t read the suggested answers without making an effort to answer the
questions. Spend at least 10 minutes and identify the differences and similarities and note down in the space
given below for each question.
Q1. Comparison and contrast stone, terracotta and bronze art which existed during Indus Valley Civilization.

Q2. Enlist similarities and differences Between Vedic Culture, Jainism and Buddhism
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q3. What are the difference between Shruti and Smriti literature?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q4. Compare Gandhara school of art with that of the Mathura school of art with special emphasis on the
depiction of the image of the Buddha.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
Q5. Compare different dance forms of India (This is a composite question consisting of multiple questions
with no word limit)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q6. Compare and contrast Dravida and Nagara styles of architecture
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -
Q7. Examine the evolution of various Charter Acts and GOI Acts along with the reasons for enacting them
and compare those acts ((This is a composite question consisting of multiple questions with no word limit)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q8. Enlist major ideological differences between the BrahmoSamaj and the AryaSamaj
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -

Q9. Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the
struggle for Indian freedom struggle
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q10. Mahatma gandhi and dr.B.R ambedkar despite having divergent approaches and strategies had a
common goal of amelioration of down trodden?Elicidate
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: Here is the notes for answering the above questions. Please note that the content given below are not
suggested answers. It can have much more than what is asked. This is the kind of notes you should prepare
for all subjects. If you do that, you will have better clarity in all the subjects and will be able to write better
answers
Q1. Art and Antiquities of Indus Valley civilization includes terracotta figurines; terracotta and steatite seals adorned with illustrations, copper
and bronze statuettes and stone figures. Here is the comparison between stone, terracotta and bronze art.
Topic Stone Terracotta Bronze
Description The stone statuaries found at The terracotta figurines had a Bronze casting was practiced in
Harappa and Mohenjodaro are universal popularity in the wide scale in almost all major
excellent examples of handling ancient world and Harappan sites of the civilization. The
three dimensional volumes. culture was no exception to technique used for Bronze Casting
this. There are plenty of was Lost Wax Technique.
terracotta seals and figurines
recovered from Harappan sites
.The terracotta figurines of
Indus Valley were modelled
with great details of eyes, hand
and neck.
Example 1 Bearded man: Found in Mother Goddess: Dancing Girl:
Mohenjo-Daro. Made of Mainly found in Mohenjo- Found in Mohenjo-Daro.One of
Steatite. Interpreted as a priest Daro. These figures are usually the best-known artifacts from
and is draped in a shawl coming crude standing figures. Indus valley. Approximately 4-
under the right arm and Adorned with necklaces inch high figure. This exquisite
covering the left shoulder. The hanging over the prominent casting depicts a girl whose long
shawl is decorated with trefoil breast and wearing a loin cloth hair is tied in the bun and bangles
pattern. and a grid. The fan-shaped cover her left arm. Cowry shell
headdress with a cup like necklace is seen around her neck.
projection on each side is a Her right hand is on her hip and
distinct decorative feature of her left hand is clasped in a
the mother goddess. The pellet traditional Indian dance gesture.
eyes and beaked nose of the She has large eyes and flat nose.
figure are very crude
(constructed in a rudimentary
way). Mouth is indicated by a
narrow opening.

Example 2 Male Torso: Other Terracotta figures: Bull from Mohenjo-Daro:

Found in Harappa (only major Toy carts with wheels, Bronze figure of the bull found in
art element found in Harappa). whistles, rattles, birds and Mohenjo-Daro. The massiveness
Made of Red Sandstone. There animals, gamesmen and discs of the bull and the fury of the
are socket holes in the neck and were also rendered in charge are eloquently expressed.
shoulders for the attachment of terracotta. The animal is shown standing
head and arms. Legs are broken. with his head turned to the right.
There is a cord around the neck.

Crudeness / Finesse Fine when compared to Crude (except at some sites Very fine as they used ‘lost wax
terracotta figures such as Kalibangan and few in technique’
Gujarat where they are more
realistic)
Popularity Least abundant Most popular Moderately available
Q2. Vedic Culture Vs Buddhism Vs Jainism:

Parameter Vedic Culture Buddhism Jainism

Spread India All over Asia India
Originator No single person Gautama Buddha 24 Tirtankaras are there (Mahavira is
24th Tirthankara)
Famous followers Guptas Ashoka, HarshaVardhana, Kanishka, Chandra Gupta MouryKharvela,
Pala and Sena Kings Rastrakutas (Dantidurga,
Amoghavarsha I etc), Chalukyas,
Hoyasalas.
Language Sanskrit Pali Prakrit
Sacred Books Vedas, Upanishads, Tripitakas * Agamas/ Purvas (14 books)
Puranas
Soul More complex an abstract Did not believe in it Everything in nature, even stone and
water, has a soul of its own
Ahimsa Not emphasized Allowed eating animal flesh non-injury to all beings emphasized
(emphasized love to all beings – more
affirmative)
Caste System Varnasrama Dharma Against caste system Not emphasized in this aspect
allowed caste hierarchy
Salvation to house It is possible It is possible Not possible for householders
holders
About god Polytheistic, Nature Agnostic Polytheistic/ / Recognised existence
worship ( Varuna, Agni, of Gods but placed them lower than
Vaayuetc) JINA
Religious organization Doesn’t exist Sanghas were well structured Not emphasized (but had the order
of monks)
When to get salvation More complex concept Possible during life time Possible after death

* Tripitakas are:
1.VinayaPitaka (the Discipline Basket) – A rulebook for monks and nuns. There are 227 rules for monks and more for nuns.
2.SuttaPitaka (the Teaching Basket)- The actual experiences of Buddha
3.AbhidhammaPitaka (the Higher Doctrine Basket)- An explanation on the teaching of Buddha. Most of these are called Sutras
Similarities Between Buddhism & Jainism:
1. Both possessed the background of the Aryan culture and were inspired by the Upanishads, particularly that of Sankhya-Yoga.Thus, the source
of the philosophies of both was the same though both of them made certain changes in it.
2. Both stood up as revolts against the prevalent Brahmanical religion .
3. Both were started by the members of the Kshatriya caste and both appealed to the Sudras who were definitely oppressed and the Vaishyas
who were not granted social status corresponding to their growing economic power
4. Both, Mahavira and Buddha, were Kshatriya princes and were able to get support for their cause from the contemporary ruling class, different
Kshatriya rulers.
5. Both religions did not support caste system.
6. Both opposed the ritualism and the sacrifices of Brahmanism and also challenged the supremacy of the Brahmanas.Both denied the
authenticity of the Vedas as an infallible authority
7. Both believed that Nirvana or salvation of an individual meant his or her deliverance from the eternal chain of birth and death.
8. Both laid great stress upon a pure and moral life rather than practice of ritualism or even devotion to and worship of God as a means to attain
salvation.
9. Both emphasized Ahimsa or non-violence where Jainism took extreme stand and Buddhism took middle path.
10. Both preached their religion in the common language of the people and discarded Sanskrit as the language of their early religious texts.
11. Both encouraged the idea of giving up the world and urged to lead the life of an ascetic.
12. Both organized orders for monks and nuns.
13. Both the religions suffered from schism
14. In both religions, there was no idolatry initially. In course of time both developed idolatry
15. Both were part of Shramana tradition (anti – vedic movement) which also gave rise to Ajeevika sect
Similarities between Upanishads and Buddhism
1.Gaudapada was the first person to expound the basic principles of the Advaita philosophy in a commentary on the conflicting statements of the
Upanishads.Gaudapada's main work, MāṇḍukyaKārikā, is infused with philosophical terminology of Buddhism, and uses Buddhist arguments
and analogies.
2.Only the soul is reborn, and by the way of Jatak Tales, Buddhists accepted the soul and its rebirth, till it attains salvation. The concept of soul,
and it being punished or rewarded for the good or bad deeds, is also found mentioned in other Buddhist treatises of Tripitakas, by name of
“Vimaanvatthu” and “Pet Vatthu”, both written in Pali language.
3. Concept of Karma, Rebirth and Liberation found in both philosophies .
4. They discarded Brahminical rituals and focused more on ethical behaviour, Yoga and Meditation.
5. Gave the Idea of Atom-ism.
6. Nishkama Karma is common to Buddhist and Advaitaphylosophy. Veda begins and starts with only filling one’s Desires but Upanishads
discuss about desireless state.
Simply put the Buddha was echoing the Upanishadic sentiment that reality was beyond intellectual comprehension.

Q3. Sruti Vs Smriti:

Aspect Sruti Smriti

“that which has been heard” and is

“that which has been remembered”
canonical, consisting of revelation and
Basic supplementary and may change over
unquestionable truth, and is
time.
considered eternal.

It is authoritative only to the extent that

Authority It is the word of God (divine origin)
it conforms to the bedrock of Shruti

It comprises Vedanga, Shad darsana,

Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, & Puranas, Itihasa, Upveda, Tantras,
Literature
Upanishads Agamas, Upangs, Itihasas, kavya,
Bhasyas, Sutras &Sastras

How they are

considered to have been heard (Oral) Written transmission
transmitted

Influence Less on modern Hinduism More on modern Hinduism

Author No Author Attributed to an author

Revisions No revisions are allowed Revisions are present ( many versions

exist)

Q4. Mathura Vs. Gandhara:

Mathura School of Art
Areas of Gandhara School of art
differences
Mauryan and Indo-Greek, Indo-Scythian and Kushan
Reign Kushan Dynasty

Mathura
Area Examples of Gandhara Art
The local sculptural tradition at Mathura became so strong
The Bamyan Buddha of Afghanistan .Bimaran
that the tradition spread to other parts of northern India.
Casket has yielded the earliest specimen of the
Gandhara Art. The best example in this regard is the stupa sculptures found
at Sanghol in the Punjab.
Major Centres
Jalalabad, Hadda, Bamaran, Begram&Taxila were
the main centers where art pieces of Gandhara
School have been found.

Outside Greeko-Roman influence

influences Purely indigenous
Greek god as protector: In many images of Buddha
No foreign influence
in Gandhara ;Vajrapani found in the right hand of
Initially inspired by Yaksha Images
future Buddha is told as transformed symbol of
Hercules who is seen as protector of Buddha.
The legendary interpretation of Buddha is sometimes
presented through roman motifs like triton. antarvasa
resembles to attire of roman gods.
The GandharaSchool also assimilated Archimedean,
Parthian and Bactriantreditions.

Religious Buddhism
influence Hinduism
Hellenistic realism: The Apollo like face of Buddha;
Buddhism
natural realism; wavy hair as seen in images of
Jainism
Buddha in Gandhara resembles to Hellenistic
Secularism
tradition.
Anthropomorphic traditions of Roman religion. The
draping of the robes on Buddha was also very similar
to the drapery on Roman imperial statues

Spotted red sandstone

Material Used Grey sandstone
The other materials used were Mud, Lime, Stucco.
However, Marble was NOT used in Gandhara art.
Terracotta was used rarely.
1.In Early period images were having fleshy body but in later
Features of 1. Buddha was sometimes thin
period fleshiness reduced. Buddha was muscular and stout .
Buddha 2. Great detailing. Finer details and realistic images.
sculptures 2. Not much attention to detailed sculpting.
3. Curley hair, anatomical accuracy, spatial depth,
and foreshortening 3. less anatomical accuracy and spatial depth when compared
to Gandhara school.
4. The images are very expressive
4. Images are less expressive
5. The halo around the head of Buddha was
profusely decorated. 5. Halo not decorated, generally.

6. The forehead plane is large having protruding 6. There is boldness in carving the large images, the volume

eyeballs, the eyes are half-closed and the face and of the images is projected out of the picture plane, the faces
cheeks are ‘not’ round like the images found in other are round and smiling, heaviness in the sculptural volume is

parts of India. The ears are elongated especially the reduced to relaxed flesh.
7. Not much attention on the interplay of light and darkness
earlobes
8. NO special effort to display calmness
7. The interplay of light and dark is given
considerable attention by using the curving and 9. The Mathura images do not have physiognomic features of
protruding planes of the eye-socket and the planes of the Greco-Roman tradition
the nose. 10. The sanghati (garment) covers only one shoulder and has
been made prominently visible covering the left hand
8. The expression of calmness is the centre point of whereas while covering the torso, the independent volume of
attraction the garment is reduced to the body torso.
9. The Gandhara images have physiognomic features
of the Greco-Roman tradition
10. Garments in Gandhara images sometimes cover
both sides of the shoulders

—
Various Mudras Abhayamudra- Don’t fear
of Buddha in Bhumisparshamudra -Touching the earth
Gandhara Art Dhyana mudra- Meditation
Dharmachakramudra- A preaching mudra

Q5. Difference between Dravida and Nagara style of architecture

Basis Dravida style of Nagara style of Vesara style of

architecture architecture Architecture
Location South India and Sri Lanka North India The Deccan
Patronized The Cholas, the Chera, the Chandela kings of Badami Chalukyas,
By Kakatiyas, the Pandyas, Bundelkhand (10th and Western Chalukya
the Pallavas, the Gangas, 11th century), Solanki architecture, and Hoysalas
the Kadambas, the kings (later Chalukya) of
Rashtrakutas, the Gujarat (11th to 13th
Chalukyas, the Hoysalas, century), Ganga dynasty
and Vijayanagara Empire (12th to 13th century)
Examples Meenakshi Temple in Khajuraho’s temples Chennakesava Temple,
Tamil Nadu, The rock-cut (Chandela school), Somanathapura and
Shore Temple of the Dilwara temple in Mt Abu Kedareshvara Temple,
temples in (Solanki School), Balligavi.The Hoysala
Mahabalipuram, Lingaraj Temple at temples at Belur, Halebidu
Virupaksha Temple in Bhubaneswar and and Somnathpura are
Pattadakal,The rock-cut Jagannadh temple at Puri leading examples of the
Kailash Temple at Ellora, (Odisha School) Vesara style.
The Brihadeeswarar
Temple at Tanjore,
Virupaksha Temple at
Hampi, Sri
Ranganathaswamy
Temple in Srirangam
Central Vimana is the structure It is characterized by a Use both the northern
Tower over the garbhagriha or beehive shaped shikhara and southern
(Vimana / inner sanctum. It has curvilinear tower (called a vimana type of
Sikhara) pyramidical shaped Shikhara, in northern superstructure over the
central tower (called terminology) made up of sanctum in different
Vimana in Dravida style). layer upon layer of temples of similar date, as
In this style, there is only architectural elements and at Pattadakal. It is usually
one single Vimana. a cruciform ground plan. pyramidal in profile, and
In this style, there is a shorter than the northern
multiple Shikharas. shikhara tower
Gopuram A Gopuram or gopura is a the gateway is usually the Vesara equivalent is
monumental entrance modest or even absent. strongly divided into
tower, usually ornate. It is storeys or steps
stylized and big in size.
Boundary In this style, temples have In this style, boundary has Less emphasized
elaborated boundary. less emphasised.
Gate In this style, Dwarpalas In this style, Ganga and
Guardians are there on the entrance Yamuna rivers are
at the to protect the gate. They depicted in personified
Entrance are generally named as form at the entrance of
Jaya – Vijaya. Garbhagriha or sanctum
sanctorum.
Tower In this style, there is In this style, there are
always a single tower. multiple towers. For
example- Khajuraho
temple.
Amalaka Doesn’t exist It is a stone disc like
structure at the top of the
temple and they are
common in North Indian
temples
Kalasha Doesn’t exist It is the topmost point of
the temple and commonly
seen in North Indian
temples
Mandapa Pillared. Some temples Mandap exists in Nagara The mandapa is generally
have multiple mandapas style larger than the sanctum
in different sizes named as
Ardhamandapa, Mandapa,
and Mahamandapa
Pedestal In this style, pedestals are In this style, pedestals are
more or less at ground higher than ground, called
level. Jagati
Purpose Temples in South have not Most of the temples in Mainly religious purpose
only been religious Nagara style had only
centres, but were also religious purpose.
used for administrative
activities, controlling vast
areas of land and were
also centres of education.

Q6. Charter Acts & GOI Acts:

Generally students read each Charter Act and GOI Act separately and try to remember. That is not the right approach. We should rather try to
read all the acts at once and try to arrive at conclusions. Try to use ‘data interpretation’ techniques and identification of patterns that we use in
Quant & Reasoning section. We need to identify patters and trends by comparing the acts. If you critically evaluate all the acts at once, you can
understand history in a better way and also remember them effortlessly. Here are some of the observations that we made which can be a starting
point for you to do further study.

1. Years of Enactment : The acts were enacted on 1773, 1784, 1793, 1813, 1833, 1853, 1858, 1861, 1892, 1909, 1919, 1935,
1947. Here we can understand that from 1773 there were acts after 20 year interval till 1853 (1773 + 20 = 1793; 1793 + 20 =
1813; 1813 + 20 = 1833; 1833 + 20 = 1853). Why did it happen at 20 year interval? It is simply because company got
extension for 20 years each time and before expiry of the tenure another act was necessitated. (Just like our rent agreements.
When it gets expired, we renew once again for same time period again). After 1857 mutiny GOI Act 1858 has come into effect
and it liquidated the EIC. Therefore we see that the subsequent acts were not in 20 year intervals. Here we need to take note
that there is one act on 1784 which came into effect to fix the issues aroused due to 1773 act.
2. Growing Centralization : Initially there were 3 provinces of Bengal, Madras and Bombay which were independently
administered by the Governors. In 1773 Act Governor of Bengal became Governor-General of Bengal and got supervisory role
over other two provinces. In 1793 Act Governor-General was given extensive powers over the subordinate presidencies. In
1833 Act Governor-General was given exclusive legislative powers for the whole of British India redesignated the Governor-
General of Bengal as the Governor-General of India. In 1858 Act centralization of powers has gone one level higher as all the
powers were vested with the crown and to be executed by the Secretary of State.

3. Evolution of the government : When we got Independence there were many organs of the government specialized in various
activities. It is very interesting to study the evolution of government from one man show of Governor to such elaborate
mechanism. In 1773 executive council of 4 members was added to advice were added. This can be stated as primitive form of
present day cabinet ( or executive). Also Supreme Court was established based on 1773 act.

In 1853, Indian (Central) Legislative Council introduced. It functioned as a mini-Parliament. Each province got one representative in
the Central Council (concept of RajyaSabha). Civil Services and bureaucracy took shape in 1853 and 1858 Acts.

4. Role of the Company : Regulations started on the company 1773 (and therefore it is called Regulating Act) by prohibited the
servants of company from engaging in any private trade or accepting presents. In 1813 Company's commercial monopoly was
ended, except for the tea and opium trade and the trade with China. In 1833, company lost monopoly on trade with China and
the Far East. So, by 1833, company ceased as trading company.

In 1784 board of board of control was formed, which looked after administrative and political affairs. From 1833 to 1858, its role
became a purely administrative body. In 1858, it got liquidated and its assets taken over by the crown.

5. The Reason Behind : All these years we studied history to know ‘what happened’. But now the focus is shifting to ‘why is
happened?’. For example in olden days we were getting questions about who fought which war, where and who won etc. But
in recent UPSC exam a question was asked on ‘why so many battles were fought in Panipat?’. On the same lines we need to
understand why these acts were enacted by the British.

From 1773 to 1853 the purpose of the acts was to regulate the company, extend its tenure and define roles and responsibilities of it
such that British Government manage the show in India. With the Sepoy Mutiny of 1857 British understood that the EIC is not
competent to manage such a vast country and liquidated it by enacting GOI Act 1858 and bringing the rule of the Crown. In 1885
INC was formed and started submitting representations. Indian Councils Act 1892 was in response to such requests. In 1907 ‘Surat
Split’ happened between the moderates and extremists and the British wanted to encourage moderates by accepting some of their
demands by enacting The Indian Councils Act 1909. Also British understood that Indians need to be divided if they need to continue
their rule in India for a longer period. So they introduced ‘separate electorate’ for Muslims. This is extension of the same idea which
was behind the ‘Partition of Bengal’
British understood the importance of India as Indian soldiers played very important role in the First World War. Also there was
greater demand for representative government during the ‘Home Rule Movement’. In response to both these came ‘GOI Act 1919’.
After Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movements British had no option but to do something big. GOI Act 1935
was inevitable as the British could not continue their presence in India without giving Indians some role in managing their own
affairs. After Quit India Movement and World War II, it was pretty evident that British could no longer rule India and so GOI Act
1947 came into existence.

Topic Regulating Act Pitt's India Act 1784 Charter Act

1773 1793
Company 1.Company Distinguished between the commercial and political functions of 1. EIC was
Operations dividends the Company empowered to
limited to 6% grant
until it repaid a "privileges" to
GB£1.5M loan trade in India,
2. prohibited which paved the
the servants of way for
company from shipments of
engaging in any opium to China
private trade or 2. Company's
accepting
presents trade monopoly
extended for 20
years
Court of Term restricted
directors to four-years
Governor- Governor of
General Bengal became
the Governor
General of
Bengal *
Provinces Governor of Governor-
Bengal got General was
supervisory given extensive
powers over powers over the
provinces subordinate
presidencies
Executive Established Governor-
Council with 4 General’s power
members as of over-ruling
‘advisors’ his council was
affirmed
Other Details A supreme It created the Board of Control to supervise and direct all operations
court was of the civil and military government
established at
Fort William at
Calcutta *
Names to 1. Introduced British PM: William Pitt Governor-
remember by: Frederick General: John
North Shore
2. First
Governor-
General of
Bengal :
Warren
Hastings
Note 1: Warren Hastings was the first Governor-General.
Note 2:British judges were to be sent to India to administer the British legal system.

Topic 1813 Act Charter Act 1833 * GOI Act 1853

Company Operations 1. Company's commercial 1. EIC ended as a commercial It extended the Company’s rule
monopoly was ended, except body and became a purely but, it did not specify any
for the tea and opium trade and administrative body 2.Royal particular period
the trade with China charter extended by 20 years
2. Companies charter renewed 3. lost monopoly on trade with
China and the Far East
Court of directors
Governor-General Redesignated the Governor-
General of Bengal as the
Governor-General of India *
Provinces Deprived the Governors of Each province ( Madras, Bombay,
Bombay and Madras of their Bengal and Agra) got one
legislative powers representative in the Central
Council
Executive Council Given exclusive legislative powers
for the whole of British India
Legislative Council The power of the courts in 1.Indian (Central) Legislative
India extended to European Council introduced. It functioned
British subjects as a mini-Parliament.
2.Six new legislative members of
the council (four members were
appointed by the provincial
governments)
Other details 1. Allotted Rs 100,000 to Open competition for civil
promote education in India. servants and thrown open to the
2.Christian missionaries to Indians also
propagate English and their
religion
Names to remember Governor-General: The Lord 1st Governor-General Of India:
Minto Lord William Bentinck
Note 1: Charter Act 1833 is known as The Saint Helena Act 1833 or GOI Act 1833
Note 2: Lord William Bentinck became the first Governor-General of India in the Act of 1833

Topic GOI Act 1858 * Indian Councils Act 1861 The Indian Councils Act
1892
Company Operations 1. Liquidated the British East
India Company
2. Its functions transferred to
the British Crown
Court of directors 1. Secretary of State received
the powers and duties of the
Court of Directors
2. A council of fifteen
members to assist the
Secretary of State
Governor-General and The Viceroy was allowed to
Viceroy issue ordinances lasting six
months
Provinces The 1861 Act restored the
legislative powers of
Bombay and Madras
Presidencies taken away by
the Charter Act of 1833
Executive Council Enlarged by addition of fifth
member
Legislative Council Nine ex-officio members *,
six official Additional
Members and ten non-
official members of the
Legislative Councils of
Provinces *
Other details Indian Civil Service was
created
Why enacted? In response to Sepoy Mutiny To strengthen administration In response to nationalist
of 1857 and prevent revolts in India movements beginning to
surface across British India.
India’s point of view did little to improve the Whilst failing to answer calls
influence of Indians in the for direct elections, the
legislative council principle of representation
was introduced *
Names to Remember Introduced By: Edward Viceroy: The Marquessof
Henry Stanley(who would Lansdowne
later become the first
Secretary of State for India)
1 st Viceroy: The Viscount
Canning
Note 1: GOI Act 1858 was originally called as "An Act for the Better Government of India"
Note 2: Ex-officio members are the Governor-General, six members of the Executive Council, the Commander-in-Chief and the head of the
province in which the Council met
Note 3: six official Additional Members and ten non-official members of the Legislative Councils of Bengal, Bombay, Madras and the North
Western province. When Legislative Councils were established in Punjab and Burma, one member each was returned from these also
Note 4: The universities, district board, municipalities, zamindars and chambers of commerce were empowered to recommend members to
provincial councils in The Indian Councils Act 1892. Out of 24 members in the council, only 5 were Indians

Topic The Indian Councils Act 1909 GOI Act 1919 GOI Act 1935
*
Provinces More representation of Indians a provision was made for 1. Greater autonomy to
allowed at Provincial level classification of the central and provinces
provincial subjects 2. A partial reorganization of the
provinces *
Executive Under strong control of Diarchy:'transferred list', were End of diarchy
British given to a Government of
ministers answerable to the
Provincial Council.'reserved list'
remained under the control of
the Viceroy
Legislature Indians allowed to debate Bicameral legislature – the excessive "safeguards" designed
budgetary and complementary model for today’s LokSabha and to enable the British
matters and table resolutions. RajyaSabha * Government to intervene
whenever it saw the need
Elections Provision for separate 1. The communal representation introduction of direct elections
electorates where seats were and increasing the franchise
reserved for Muslims where was extended to Sikhs, from 7 million to 35 million
only Muslims will vote Europeans and Anglo Indians people
2.Voting rights granted to those
who had property, taxable
income & paid land revenue of
Rs. 3000
Why enacted? British wanted to keep the 1.Home rule movement 1. Mass movements – Failure of
moderates away from the demanded for self rule. Simon Commission and Round
radical members of the 2.The Indian contribution to the table conference
Congress by satisfying some British war effort during the 2. It was inevitable to do
of their demands First World War something big
India’s point of view 1.The reforms established 1. Marked a beginning of 1. no preamble and no ‘bill of
Indian dominance in the responsible government rights’
provincial, but not central, 2. Fell much short of 2. Dominion status was not
legislative bodies. expectation granted *
2.Congress strongly opposed 3. Nehru called it "a machine
separate electorate with strong brakes but no
engine"
Other Info Provision for Public Service Federal Court was established
Commission in India
Names to Remember Secretary of State for India - Secretary of State for India - Viceroy: The Earl of Willingdon
John Morley Edwin Montagu
Viceroy - Lord Minto Viceroy - Lord Chemlsford
Note 1: The Indian Councils Act 1909 iscommonly known as the Morley-Minto Reforms
Note 2: The Indian Councils Act 1919: The lower house was the Legislative Assembly of 145 members, of which 104 were elected and 41 were
nominated, with a tenure of three years. The upper house was the RajyaSabha ("Council of States"), consisting of 34 elected and 26 nominated
members, with a tenure of five years.
Note 3: GOI Act 1935: Sindh was separated from Bombay. Bihar and Orissa was split into separate provinces. Burma was completely separated
from India. Aden was also detached from India, and established as a separate Crown colony
Note 4: Dominions existed in 1935 were Australia, Canada, the Irish Free State, New Zealand and the Union of South Africa

Q8. Major ideological differences between the BrahmoSamaj and the AryaSamaj are as follows:

Area of difference BrahmaSamaj AryaSamaj

Scriptures drew its inspiration from the believes in the Vedas only.
Vedas, Upanishads and other holy
scriptures of ancient India. Also
drew inspiration from Bible and
other western philosophies
Reformists Or Revivalists BrahmoSamaj was primarily AryaSamaj was primarily
reformist. revivalist..(suddhi, cow
protection..)

Western Culture believed in the western culture rejected the western culture and
and philosophy. accepted the Indian culture only.

Human Reason human reason is supreme believes in the infallibility of the

Vedas.
Approach to British had full faith in the goodness of no faith in the integrity of British
British government government.

Approach to other religions treated Islam and Christianity at claimed the superiority of
par with Hinduism Hinduism and claimed that it
was best way of life.
Conciliation vs. Conflict adopted a conciliatory and propagated its views in an
peaceful approach aggressive, authoritative and
candid way.
Influence mainly influenced educated and was able to touch the minds of
intellectuals educated and uneducated alike.

Q9. Gandhi Vs Bose

Area of difference Mahatma Gandhi Subhash Chandra Bose

Means for Liberation Non violence Violence

Socialist pattern of society

where fruits of labour were
evenly distributed and Radical leftist ideology and organized
Ideology
favoured trusteeship pattern trade unions
of relation between
Capitalist and labourers.

Gandhi saw facism and

Nazism a greater danger to Wanted to grab the opportunity provided
World war II Indian polity and society by second world war for India’s freedom,
thus co-operated with thus approached Germany, Japan
British

Viewed freedom not only in terms of

Based on self rule and rule political self rule but also freedom from
Idea of Freedom
over self socio-economic inequalities, casteism,
intolerance etc.

Advocated a vision
Vision of large scale industrialisationand
comprising of spinning,
Vision a politics devoid of irrationality and
khadi and local self-
religiosity
sufficiency at village leve

Launched the National Planning

Committee for drawing up a
Industrialisation Opposed
comprehensive plan of industrialisation
and of development

Strategy S-T-S S-V

Similarities -
Gandhi and Bose did not differ on their choices between communism and capitalism. Both
were socialists, as per their stated positions, and disassociated themselves from Communism
(Bose certainly did).
Again, unlike what is commonly believed, Gandhi was not opposed to violence per se as he did
not totally oppose violence during Quit India movement.
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi and Subhash Chandra Bose had the same objective of
liberating the country from the yoke of British imperialism.
Until the political clash at Tripuri they worked more or less together under the common
platform of the Indian National Congress for about two decades.
Gandhi’s struggle i.e., averse mindset in the beginning of the Second World War and his
uncompromising stance during the Quit India Movement, was in a way a victory of Netaji’s
strategy.
Gandhi’s tone and temper clearly smacked of a revolutionary strategy quite akin to the soul
and spirit of Bose. Ideologically they appeared to come nearer.
Q10. Gandhi Vs Ambedkar:
Area of difference Gandhi Ambedkar
Varnashrama Dharma Opposed it Supported it
Target audience Upper castes – Gandhi told upper castes that Lower castes – Ambedkar asked them to
untouchability is sin and they should treat educate themselves and fight for their rights.
the downtrodden with kindness
Separate Electorate Opposed it Supported it
Approach Evolutionary Revolutionary
Gram Swaraj He was in favour of decentralization to He strongly opposed as he was afraid of
empower the villages village headmen assuming more power,
which will further exploit the
underprivileged section
Support of British Gandhi preferred to resolve the differences Ambedkar wanted the British to intervene
between the lower castes and upper castes to through legal action to protect the
be resolved internally downtrodden

How To Handle Cause-Effect Type Of Questions?

Let me start this chapter with questions. Carefully read these questions and understand what is common in
these questions
Q1. Examine the linkages between the nineteenth century’s ‘Indian Renaissance’ and the emergence of
national identity. (CSE 2019)
Q2. Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples.(CSE 2019)
Q3. Can the strategy of regional resource-based manufacturing help in promoting employment in India?
Q4. “Empowering women is the key to control population growth.” Discuss.(CSE 2019)
Q5. How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development in India?
(CSE 2019)
Q6. ‘Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India,
poverty is still existing’. Explain by giving reasons. (CSE 2018)
Q7. Appropriate local community level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’
in India. Explain.(CSE 2018)
What is common? All these questions are of cause-effect type questions. There are two variables –
dependent and independent. We need to examine the relationship and assess the impact of independent
variable on the dependent variable.
In the question “Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples”, the variables
are ‘global warming’ and ‘coral life system’. We need to establish cause-effect relationship between ‘global
warming’(the cause) and ‘coral life system’(the effect). We can represent this relationship as X -> Y form
that is ‘global warming’ -> ‘deterioration of coral life system’
In Q3, the cause is ‘regional resource-based manufacturing’ and the effect is ‘employment promotion’. For
Q4 ‘Empowering women’ is the cause and ‘control population growth’ is the effect. In Q5 ‘efficient and
affordable urban mass transport’ and ‘rapid economic development in India’ are having cause-effect
relationship.
But, in Q1, the question is not clearly stating which is the cause and which is the effect. They gave two
variables nineteenth century’s ‘Indian Renaissance’ and emergence of national identity. Which is the cause
and which is the effect is to be understood by us. Historically we know that India lost the sense of ‘national
identity’ during the British rule and during the period of ‘Indian Renaissance’, she could regain it.
In Q6, we are asked to prove that there is NO Cause-Effect relationship between ‘Government programmes
for eradication of poverty’ and ‘persistence of poverty’. In Q7, we need to prove that local community level
healthcare intervention will improve healthcare of people and ‘Health for All’ can be achieved only through
local community level healthcare intervention.
EXERCISE:
Now, let us identify cause and effect relationship between the variables in the following questions. Please
pick up pen/pensile and write in the space just below the question.
Q1. Define mantle plume and explain its role in plate tectonics.(CSE 2018)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q2. The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of Sri Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu. Discuss.(CSE 2018)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q3. Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India
(CSE)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q4. “Policy contradictions among various competing sectors and stakeholders have resulted in inadequate
‘protection and prevention of degradation to environment.” Comment with relevant illustrations.(CSE 2018)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q5. In what ways would the ongoing US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India?
How should India respond to its situation? (CSE 2018)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q6. Assess the role of British imperial power in complicating the process of transfer of power during the
1940s (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: ________________________________ _
Q7. “The reservation of seats for women in the institutions of local self- government has had a limited
impact on the patriarchal character of the Indian Political Process.” Comment (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q8. Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to
absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of policy process – Discuss.(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q9. “What introduces friction into the ties between India and the United States is that Washington is still
unable to find for India a position in its global strategy, which would satisfy India’s National self- esteem
and ambitions” Explain with suitable examples.(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q10. Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in
good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments.(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q11. How far is Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q12. Elaborate the impact of National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-
stressed areas. (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q13. Coastal sand mining, whether legal or illegal, poses one of the biggest threats to our environment.
Analyze the impact of sand mining along the Indians coasts, citing specific examples. (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q14. What is CyberDome Project? Explain how it can be useful in controlling internet crimes in India.(CSE
2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: ________________________________ _
Q15. It is argued that the strategy of inclusive growth is intended to meet the objectives of inclusiveness and
sustainability together. Comment on this statement.(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q16. How can biotechnology help to improve the living standards of farmers?(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q17. Define the concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem as relevant to an environment. Explain how
understanding this concept is vital while planning for sustainable development of a region.(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q18. Disaster preparedness is the first step in any disaster management process. Explain how hazard
zonation mapping will help disaster mitigation in the case of landslides.(CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q19. “A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.” – M.K. Gandhi (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
Q20. “Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the
character, there is harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world” – A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (CSE 2019)
Cause: ________________________________ Effect: _________________________________
SOLUTIONS:
Before I give solutions for the exercise, I would like to share a sloka from the Bhagvad Gita which came to
my mind when I read the statement of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. This sloka is about anger. I have seen whole
books dedicated to anger management. But, this sloka caugh my imagination with cause of the cause of the
cause of the cause and effect of the effect of the effect of the effect.
dhyāyato viṣhayān puṁsaḥ saṅgas teṣhūpajāyate
saṅgāt sañjāyate kāmaḥ kāmāt krodho ’bhijāyat e
dhyāyataḥ —contemplating; viṣhayān —sense objects; puṁsaḥ —of a person; saṅgaḥ —attachment; teṣhu
—to them (sense objects); upajāyate —arises; saṅgāt —from attachment; sañjāyate —develops; kāmaḥ —
desire; kāmāt —from desire; krodhaḥ —anger; abhijāyate —arises
While contemplating on the objects of the senses, one develops attachment to them. Attachment leads to
desire, and from desire arises anger
Contemplation on the Objects of the Senses -> Attachment to Objects -> Desire for the Objects -> Anger
Now let us read the next sloka which beautifully explains its cascading effects.
krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ sammohāt smṛiti-vibhramaḥ
smṛiti-bhranśhād buddhi-nāśho buddhi-nāśhāt praṇaśhyati
krodhāt —from anger; bhavati —comes; sammohaḥ —clouding of judgement; sammohāt —from clouding
of judgement; smṛiti —memory; vibhramaḥ —bewilderment; smṛiti-bhranśhāt —from bewilderment of
memory; buddhi-nāśhaḥ —destruction of intellect; buddhi-nāśhāt —from destruction of intellect;
praṇaśhyati —one is ruined
Anger leads to clouding of judgment, which results in bewilderment of the memory. When the memory is
bewildered, the intellect gets destroyed; and when the intellect is destroyed, one is ruined.
Anger -> Clouding of Judgment -> Bewilderment of the Memory -> Destroyed Intellect -> Complete Ruin
of the Individual
When I joined University of Hyderabad for doing PhD, I found that most of the problem statements
consisted only two variables and they are trying to establish cause-effect relationships between these two.
Nobody is trying to find out cause of the cause of the cause of the cause or effect of the effect of the effect
of the effect.
Being a chess player, I know the importance of thinking multiple levels down the line. For example if I
move Pawn King Four, then what are the possible steps for the opponent. For each of the move of the
opponent, what are the possible moves from my side and for all the possible moves for all the possible
moves of my opponent, what are the options for me. This kind of exploring effects is important for getting
better understanding. Not doing this leads to ‘shortsightedness’ .
There are many examples of shortsightedness in human history (especially in the recent part). For example,
let us take use of pesticides. While conducting experiments, researchers will only see whether this pesticide
affect the main crop that we are trying to protect and is it affecting the yield?. The research doesn’t include
what happens if the cows eat the grass there and if the humans consume the milk of these cows. Did
anybody thought it can impact ozone layer when they studied the effects of using CFCs in refrigerators?
Only visionaries see the cascading effects of their actions down the line over a period of time, and Dr A.P.J.
Abdul Kalam was a visionary. That is why he could think many levels deep. Mahatma Gandhi said (Q19)
“A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes.” By reverse engineering this
statements, we can say that “by seeing a man, we can know their thoughts”.
Here is the cascading cause-effect relationship Dr Kalam was talking about in Q20. “Where there is
righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. When there is beauty in the character, there is
harmony in the home. When there is harmony in the home, there is order in the nation. When there is order
in the nation, there is peace in the world”
Righteousness in the Heart - > Beauty in the Character -> Harmony in the Home -> Order in the Nation ->
Peace in the World
Here are the solutions for the questions in the exercise.
Q1. Cause: mantle plume
Effect: plate tectonics
Q2. Cause: Advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Effect: Re-orientation in the Bhakti Movement
Q3. Cause: formation of new states
Effect: benefits to the economy of India?
Q4. Cause: Policy contradictions among various competing sectors and stakeholders
Effect: Inadequate ‘protection and prevention of degradation to environment’
Q5. Cause: US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy
Effect: National interest of India (ill effects)
Q6. Cause: British imperial power
Effect: complicated process of transfer of power during the 1940s
Q7. Cause: reservation of seats for women in the institutions of local self- government
Effect: impact on the patriarchal character of the Indian Political Proces s
Q8. Cause: absence of their awareness and active involvement of vulnerable sections
Effect: ineffectiveness of welfare schemes
Q9. Cause: Washington is unable to find for India a position in its global strategy
Effect: friction in the ties between India and the United States
Q10. Cause: steady GDP growth and low inflation
Effect: Indian economy in good shape
Q11. Cause: Integrated Farming System (IFS)
Effect: Sustained agricultural production
Q12. Cause: National Watershed Project
Effect: Increased agricultural production from water-stressed areas
Q13.Cause: Coastal sand mining
Effect: Biggest threats to our environment
Q14. Cause: CyberDome Project
Effect: Control of internet crimes in India
Q15. Cause: strategy of inclusive growth
Effect: inclusiveness and sustainability
Q16. Cause: biotechnology
Effect: improvement in the living standards of farmers
Q17. Cause: understanding this concept of carrying capacity of an ecosystem
Effect: planning for sustainable development of a region
Q18. Cause: hazard zonation mapping
Effect: disaster mitigation
Q19. Cause: Thoughts
Effect: Man
Q20. Righteousness in the Heart - > Beauty in the Character -> Harmony in the Home -> Order in the
Nation -> Peace in the World
Now, let me explain the model using some examples.
Q. Examine the social and economic impact of British rule during the 18th and 19th Centuries

Q. Explain briefly the major land revenue systems in India and examine the major factors shaping the
British land revenue policy in India. How do you think the land revenue policies affected Indian society?

Q. “Decline of Mauryan Empire was due to Ashokan policy of Dhamma”. Critically evaluate.
We need to critically evaluate the cause-effect relationship between Decline of Mauryan Empire and the
Ashokan policy of Dhamma. Here is how you can do that.
YES (Arguments 'For‘)
➢ Brahmanical reaction
• Prohibition of ceremonies adversely affected the interest of Brahmans
• Vyavahara-Samata = all his subjects equal before law. Danda-Samata = ‘equality of punishment’
• Thus PushyamitraSunga of Brahmanical origin killed last Mauryan ruler Brihdrata to restore the
glory of Brahmans.
➢ Military
• Dhamma discouraged wars and therefore neglect of military
• Mauryan army remained idle for long time and decline of military power resulted in disintegration of
Mauryan Empire.
• Ashoka did not wage any war after the Battle of Kalinga. Any kingdom is bound to decline without
having war preparedness.
➢ Economic Impact:
• Dhamma policy led to huge expenditures on promotion of Buddhism, welfare activities and
construction works exhausted Mauryan treasury
• “economic weaknesses were responsible for disintegration of Mauryan Empire” - D.D.Kausambi
• The literary and archaeological evidences reveal economic weaknesses. The coins issued by later
Mauryan rulers contain a high percentage of impurity.
• According to Patanjali later Mauryan rulers encouraged the selling of idols of various gods and
goddesses to fill their treasury.
No (Arguments 'Against‘)
• Not anti-Brahmin: Ashoka was not anti Brahmins. The information provided by Ashokan
inscriptions clearly reveal that Ashoka was concerned about welfare of brahmanas.
• Not responsible for military decline: He was a pragmatic ruler; he did not abandon the army or
reduced its strength.
• Not responsible for economic decline: There was no economic crisis when Ashoka died. The failure
of later Mauryan rulers to create new avenues of state income and the continued rising expenses led
to economic crisis.
Other Factors Responsible
➢ According to RomilaThapar, Mauryan Empire got disintegrated because of lack of feeling of
nationalism among people, weaknesses of Mauryan bureaucracy and top heavy character of
Mauryan political system.
➢ Spread of technology to other areas leading to the loss of unique advantage Mauryans used to have
➢ The empire was vast, it could not be consolidated effectively. The difficulty in communication was
bound to bring challenges for a empire of continental proportion.
➢ Emergence of powerful entities in periphery started the process of disintegration with decrease in
central control over empire. Independent entities such as Satvahanas and Kanvas declared their
independence.
➢ Foreign invasions proved to be immediate factor responsible for disintegration of Mauryan Empire.
Invasion of Indo-Greeks defeated the Mauryan forces and by 187 BC almost whole of north western
region was lost to Indo-Greeks.
In this answer I tried to disprove the argument and establish that “Decline of Mauryan Empire was NOT due
to Ashokan policy of Dhamma”. Whenever we try to counter a statement, we need to first list all the
arguments in favor of it. After that we need to counter whatever argument made in favor of it. Then give the
possible other cause for the consequence – in this example, the Decline of Mauryan Empire.
Q. “Geographical location of Magadha favoured its rise”. Do you agree? Give other factors for Magadhan
rise if any.
Time to think. Think of what you read in physical geography . List those aspects and try to think how those
factors help to strengthen any country. It is a cause-effect mapping exercise.
Drainage – irrigation & transportation
Mountains – protection
Climate & Soils – agriculture & revenue
Vegetation – Animals and wood
Also give alternate factors. (Understand – there are two parts to this question). List non-geographical factors
which you arrived at in the cause-effect mapping exercise.
A: The emergence of Magadhan Empire was the most significant development in 4th century BC. The
process of political evolution that commenced in the later Vedic period culminated in the emergence of an
extensive empire by middle of 4th century BC. The rise of Magadha was associated with the developments
in various fronts but geographical location favoured the most in success of Magadhan Empire.
1. Land & water resources: The geographical location of Magadha ensured that its economy was most
developed. The disposal of immense resources e.g.alluvial flood plains, presence of perennial rivers in their
geographical area of control made Magadhan to have comparative advantage over their contemporaries.
2. Climate: The climate of Magadhan region was conducive for agricultural activities. These favorable
factors such as fertile land and availability of plenty of water resources ensured that agricultural was most
developed in the region. The surplus in agriculture also allowed the state to collect huge amount of revenue
from peasants. The revenue thus conceived was required to support the large standing army and elaborate
administration.
3. Iron (for weapons): Availability of iron and minerals helped in development of industries and craft.
4. Trade Route: Trade and commerce was also developed in Magadha region because most important trade
routes of north india were passing through their territory.E.g.Port of Tamralipti. Thus the revenue earned
from the tolls was also significant. The availability of huge economic resources prepared the ground for
emergence of Magadha as a powerful empire.
5. The Ganges: The rise of Magadhan Kingdom was linked up with the establishment of her supremacy over
the Ganges. The conquest of Champa established her mastery over lower Gangetic Valley up to the
confluence of the river with the Bay of Bengal.Bimbisara and Ajatsatru defeated Kosala and annexed Kasi,
a famous river port and emporium. The conquest of Vaisali and Lichchavi countries gave Magadha a
supreme mastery over the Gangetic valley and she became virtually invincible.
6. Natural Defence: The geographical location also provided for the politico-military strength because the
capitals of Magadhan empires enjoyed natural defense. Rajgriha was surrounded by five hills and Patliputra
was surrounded by rivers. The natural defense allowed them to invest their time into offensive military
campaigns. The availability of iron mines allowed Magadhan to use iron weapons.
7. Forest: Availability of forests made them available the timber required for chariots. The use of elephants
by Magadhan was also because of the favorable geographical location as elephants were available only in
forests of eastern India.
Other Factors: If success of Magadha was solely based on location, it should never have fallen.
1. Cultural: The location of Magadha was also outside the realm of holy Aryavratai.e. the core region of
Brahmanical culture. Because of this the influence of Brahmanical ideas and institutions were less in
Magadhan region. The Magadhanempire could raise large army because the members of any Varna could be
recruited in army. This was possible only with absence of Varnashram Dharma. The pragmatic outlook was
dominant because of lesser influence of Brahmanical society. This pragmatic approach made Magadhan to
invest their time and energy in success in this world.
2. Political Factors: Politically, the fulfillment of Magadhan dream of imperial unification of India under
Magadhan banner was possible due to the political atomization of Northern India in the 6th Century B.C.
The rivalry among big monarchies prevented their alliance against Magadha. None but the republican states
under Vriji made common alliances against Magadha.
3. Efficient Rulers: But the role of Magadhan rulers in its success is also equally important. Magadhan
rulers such as Bimbisara, Ajatshatru, Shishunaga, Mahapadma Nanda and Chandragupta Maurya also
contributed immensely to the success of Magadhan imperialism. Emperor Ashoka completed the process of
military conquest by annexing Kalinga through war.
4. Danger of Foreign Invasions: Externally, the threat of foreign invasions like that of Achaemenians in the
6th century B.C.; that of the Macedonians in the 4th Century B.C. and the subsequent infiltration of foreign
races boldly put forward the question that without a central paramount government on the subcontinent, it
was impossible to defend it from foreign invasions. Such a consciousness certainly worked behind the rise
of Magadhan imperialism and prepared the country to submit to Magadhan hegemony.
History is not about knowing what happened but to know why it happened. I am not saying that what
happened is unimportant. We need it, but the ultimate purpose of history is to learn lessons from it and apply
it to the present day situations. So, what happened is essential to arrive at these under currents and cause-
effect relationships. ‘Purpose of History’ concept triggered in me the student body elections in Besant
Theosophical College at Madanapalli where I did my intermediate. Those who contest for Cultural
Secretary during the student body elections were obviously expected to answer one question “Is art for the
sake of art?”. Those who support “Art for Art’s Sake” were the rightists and those with leftist orientation
used to say that art has a higher purpose of sensitizing the society about the poor and needy and suggest
solutions.
As far as history is concerned, initially it was all about what happened in the political front – kings,
kingdoms, wars and territories. It was DD Kosambi, who looked at it from the materialistic perspective.
was an Indian mathematician , statistician , philologist , historian and polymath who contributed to
genetics by introducing Kosambi map function .[1] He is well known for his work in numismatics and for
compiling critical editions of ancient Sanskrit texts. More than all this, he was "the patriarch of the Marxist
school of Indian historiography". The use of scientific methodology, modern techniques of interpretation,
and selection and analysis of basic problems are part of his classic book ‘An Introduction to the Study of
Indian History’. The book which brought a paradigm shift in me with respect to Indian history is ‘The
Culture and Civilisation of Ancient India in Historical Outline’ by the same author.
Leftist historians started understanding the under currents of history and the cause-effect relationships. Also
they were the ones who started looking at the conditions of the people rather than the grandiose of the
palaces of the kings and their wives. How was the caste system those days and what was the status of
women? What were the economic conditions of the people in those days? These were the questions they
tried to find answers.
Then came the changes in the History text books, especially in NCERT books. In olden days History was
having 80% of political history of the kings. Now less than 20% of history is about the kings and their
territories. Also the shift is taking place from ‘what happened’ to ‘why it happened’. The same shift we can
see in the Civil Services Exams. Question about ‘why many wars were fought in Panipat’ was asked in
UPSC rather than ‘where’ they were fought. This trend is not just in history. It is clear from the questions
that I listed in this chapter which are picked from the civil services exam. Most of the questions are
regarding the ‘why’ part, about the cause-effect relationship.

OceanofPDF.com
When it comes to understanding the developments after the independence, better book is India After
Gandhi by Ramachandra Guha. The fact that I finished this 960 page book in one go ( I mean, with out any
interruptions such as leaving it for few days after starting it) explain how interesting and informative it is. If
you read the biographies of great people, you can understand history better as they are the ones who shape
the history. I first read ‘My Experiments With Truth’ when I was in 12th grade. Be it ‘The Insider’ or ‘The
Wings of Fire’. All autobiographies are my favorites. I don’t leave any autobiography that comes to
shelves. I did not leave even the ones written by Sachin Teldulkar or by Parvez Musarraf .
What do you get by reading about the great people? I have two reasons. Firstly the positive change that can
happen in us. Autobiography of Gandhi had a profound impact on me and I became a disciple of Gandhi
and I became a vegetarian from the day finished reading his autobiography. Secondly, I get to see the world
from their eyes. For example in ‘The Insider’, PV Narasimha Rao explained an incident when the hero in
the book (which is obviously him) calls a lady selling vegitables in the streets carrying them in a basket on
her head. He talks to her to understand how the policy he is planning to implement will impact her.
All great people think alike. PV Narasimha Rao, used to implement what Gandhi said in his talisman which
I am sharing here "I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self becomes too
much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you
may have seen, and ask yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him. Will he [she]
gain anything by it? Will it restore him to a control over his [her] own life and destiny? In other words, will
it lead to swaraj for the hungry and spiritually starving millions? Then you will find your doubts and
yourself melt away."
I am not suggesting that you need to read all these books to score better marks in Civil Services. I feel,
these are good reads for you during your break time, if you are a bibliophile. As for as history is concerned,
RS Sharma on Ancient History gives you facts as well as perspectives and you can find some cause and
effect relationships in it .

How To Handle Present Day Relevance Type Of Questions?

I already told my opinion on history, as a discipline. History is not studied just to know what happened. It is studied to learn from it. Can we
apply it to present day situations? Can we apply those lessons and behave in such a way that we don’t repeat the same mistakes? There is
nothing wrong in making mistakes. But, not learning anything from the mistakes and repeating the same mistakes again and again is not wise.
Lord Curzon devised divide and rule policy which was used by the British to extend their rule in India. They understood that dividing people as
Muslims and Hindus, Upper Castes and Lower Castes will it easy for them to control us. Did we learn from it? Our politicians inherited the
‘divide and rule’ technique from the British. Though we are proud of being the world’s largest democracy, we all know that our elections are
mainly fought on the basis of religion or caste. During those days we had Gandhiji who united people. He united Muslims and Hindus by
supporting Khilafat Movement and he went on fasting to oppose separate electorate for the downtrodden. Don’t we need to learn it?
East India Company started draining of wealth from the nation. Due to their drain of wealth, India lost its glory as a richest nation to the poorest
nation. Now MNCs are doing the same. Also large private sector companies are making few people as billionnairs, leaving the rest as poor.
India's top 1% of the population now holds 73% of the wealth while 67 crore citizens, comprising the country's poorest half, saw their wealth
rise by just 1%.The billionaire boom is not a sign of a thriving economy but a symptom of a failing economic system. Those working hard,
growing food for the country, building infrastructure, working in factories are struggling to fund their child's education, buy medicines for
family members and manage two meals a day. ‘Company’ is an organized and structural means of ‘Capitalism’ which leads to widening
differences between the rich and the poor. What is the lesson that we learn from it?
Swami Vivekananda, patriot of patriots, taught us to be ‘Indians’ and told us to get answers from the repository our ancient wisdom. Today we
are lo0king to the west for finding solutions to our problems. West taught us ‘consumerism’. It led to blatant exploitation of nature. We are
cutting down forests and expanding concrete jungles. Land is degraded and ground water is depleted. Rivers are polluted and water bodies are
encroached. Biodiversity is decimated and genetic diversity is disappearing. Land is polluted, water is polluted, air is polluted, skies are
polluted, and by consuming polluted food, polluted water and polluted air our bodies are also polluted. All these pollutions are carcinogenic in
nature and cancers became as common as common cold. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa told Vivekananda to stay away from Money, which in his
opinion is evil and asked him to stay close to mother goddess who is divine. Can we learn anything from Swamiji and Sri Ramakrishna?
Before I go into answer writing skills, especially regarding present day application type of questions, I would like to share with you the writings
on rock edicts by Ashoka, which deeply inspired me.

* * *
Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, has caused this Dhamma edict to be written.Here (in my domain). No living beings are to be slaughtered
or offered in sacrifice. Nor should festivals be held, for Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, sees much to object to in such festivals, although
there are some festivals that Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, does approve of .
Everywhere has Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, made provision for two types of medical treatment: medical treatment for humans and
medical treatment for animals. Wherever medical herbs suitable for humans or animals are not available, I have had them imported and grown.
Wherever medical roots or fruits are not available I have had them imported and grown. Along roads I have had wells dug and trees planted for
the benefit of humans and animals.
Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, speaks thus: Twelve years after my coronation this has been ordered -- Everywhere in my domain the
Yuktas, the Rajjukas and the Pradesikas shall go on inspection tours every five years for the purpose of Dhamma instruction and also to conduct
other business. Respect for mother and father is good, generosity to friends, acquaintances, relatives, Brahmans and ascetics is good, not killing
living beings is good, moderation in spending and moderation in saving is good. The Council shall notify the Yuktas about the observance of
these instructions in these very words.
In the past, for many hundreds of years, killing or harming living beings and improper behavior towards relatives, and improper behavior
towards Brahmans and ascetics has increased. But now due to Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi's Dhamma practice, the sound of the drum
has been replaced by the sound of the Dhamma.
To do good is difficult. One who does good first does something hard to do. I have done many good deeds, and, if my sons, grandsons and their
descendants up to the end of the world act in like manner, they too will do much good. But whoever amongst them neglects this, they will do
evil. Truly, it is easy to do evil.
Dhamma Mahamatras work among soldiers, chiefs, Brahmans, householders, the poor, the aged and those devoted to Dhamma -- for their
welfare and happiness -- so that they may be free from harassment. They (Dhamma Mahamatras) work for the proper treatment of prisoners,
towards their unfettering, and if the Mahamatras think, "This one has a family to support," "That one has been bewitched," "This one is old,"
then they work for the release of such prisoners. They work here, in outlying towns, in the women's quarters belonging to my brothers and
sisters, and among my other relatives. They are occupied everywhere. These Dhamma Mahamatras are occupied in my domain among people
devoted to Dhamma to determine who is devoted to Dhamma, who is established in Dhamma, and who is generous.
In the past, state business was not transacted nor were reports delivered to the king at all hours. But now I have given this order, that at any
time, whether I am eating, in the women's quarters, the bed chamber, the chariot, the palanquin, in the park or wherever, reporters are to be
posted with instructions to report to me the affairs of the people so that I might attend to these affairs wherever I am. And whatever I orally
order in connection with donations or proclamations, or when urgent business presses itself on the Mahamatras, if disagreement or debate arises
in the Council, then it must be reported to me immediately. This is what I have ordered. I am never content with exerting myself or with
despatching business. Truly, I consider the welfare of all to be my duty, and the root of this is exertion and the prompt despatch of business.
There is no better work than promoting the welfare of all the people and whatever efforts I am making is to repay the debt I owe to all beings to
assure their happiness in this life, and attain heaven in the next.
Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, honors both ascetics and the householders of all religions, and he honors them with gifts and honors of
various kinds. But Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, does not value gifts and honors as much as he values this -- that there should be growth
in the essentials of all religions. Growth in essentials can be done in different ways, but all of them have as their root restraint in speech, that is,
not praising one's own religion, or condemning the religion of others without good cause. And if there is cause for criticism, it should be done
in a mild way. But it is better to honor other religions for this reason. By so doing, one's own religion benefits, and so do other religions, while
doing otherwise harms one's own religion and the religions of others. Whoever praises his own religion, due to excessive devotion, and
condemns others with the thought "Let me glorify my own religion," only harms his own religion. Therefore contact (between religions) is
good. One should listen to and respect the doctrines professed by others. Beloved-of-the-Gods, King Piyadasi, desires that all should be well-
learned in the good doctrines of other religions.
This Dhamma edict has been written on stone so that it might endure long and that my descendants might act in conformity with it.
I have had this Dhamma edict written so that my sons and great-grandsons may not consider making new conquests, or that if military
conquests are made, that they be done with forbearance and light punishment, or better still, that they consider making conquest by Dhamma
only, for that bears fruit in this world and the next”

* * *

Do we have anything to learn from it? For that matter, ‘what all we need to learn from history’? If we have this one question in mind while
reading history, we will be better prepared to handle such questions. Here is how I would like you to question the history, and try to get the
answers when you read it.

To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the
present day urbanization? Can we apply it to the concept of smart cities? What are the ethical principles of Buddhism
and Jainism as articulated by Gautam Buddha and Mahavira? To what extent these principles are relevant in
today's society? Is Ashoka's foreign policy applicable in present day international scenario? In ancient times, India led the world in
science, mathematics, astronomy etc but now she is lagging in innovation. Why? Can we apply today the models used in world famous
universities of olden days such as Taxila, Nalanda, Vallabhi, Pushpagiri and Odantapuri?

Minor irrigation methods were followed during Vijayanagara and Kakatiya period. Can we follow the same to handle irrigation and drinking
water needs? To what extent Sufism and blending of faiths by Akbhar are relevant to build bridges between Hinduism and Islam in the current
situation?

Gandhi's environmentalism fitted in with his overall vision for India and the world that sought to extract
from nature what is absolutely necessary for human sustenance. Can we use Gandhi's to handle our environmental
troubles? We recently celebrated 125 years of Chicago speech of Vivekananda. Are teaching of Vivekananda relevant for todays nation
building? . If Patel is alive what he would have done to keep India integrated with special reference to Kashmir? How to have the spirit of
patriatism and sacrifice which existed in freedom movement today ?

In recent years, UPSC and SPSC’s have started asking questions based on the present day relevance. I am giving couple of examples here

Q. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the
present day urbanization? Discuss. (CSE – 2014)
Q. Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times.(CSE - 2018)
Now I will take up a question and share with you the answer written by one of my students. He used
‘General Approach’ to write the answer. I will explain ‘Precision Approach’ developed by me to handle
such questions. You can apply this approach to come up with a better answer for application based
questions and gain 1 to 2 marks per question.
Q. “Mahavira’s teachings to a large extent could be helpful in resolving the problems of today’s society”.
Explain
Original Answer:
Mahavira was 24th tirtankara of jina tradition. He was born in Kundanagara. At the age of 30 he became
ascetic and at the age of 42 he attained Kaivalya and started preaching.
Mahavira’s teachings: He taught about right faith, right knowledge and right conduct. According to him
right conduct means
Ahimsa or Non-violence
Not to possess wealth
Humanism
Not to lead immoral life

Even after 2000 years, his teachings are of great relevance in contemporary society.
Nonviolence: In present day world with nuclear bombs and destructive weapons, nonviolence is the only
solution for human survival. With this principle, our freedom fighters achieved independence to India
Ahimsa: This principle sensitise us and make us more compassionate towards other human being and all
animals. This can prevent killing of animals for pleasure and commercialization of animal products
Not to possess wealth: This principle, if practiced in balance, will curtail inequalities in the world and will
lead to equitable world .
Humanism: Present day world is having lot of rage, violence and sexual abuse. It is devoid of love and
compassion.
India has produced yogis, gurus and philosophers who always strived for betterment of society with their
teachings which can provide solution to problems ranging from pollution to global warming, from mental
unrest to terrorism and for many more problems.
My Feedback: Main issue is the approach used by the respondent to answer the question. As the ‘general
approach’ is used, this answer lacks depth in it. Use of general approach also resulted in some other
shortcomings which are given below.
1. We need to use the same words used by Mahavira rather than writing in simple English. It would have
given authenticity to your answer
2. Ahimsa and Nonviolence are same. Keep them under same heading.
3. The conclusion is about the teachings of yogis, gurus and philosophers of India. Question is about
Mahavira. Conclusion should also be on Mahavira.
Before we go to revised answer let me explain how to handle application based questions like this. Let me
first will explain you ‘General Approach’ and ‘Precision Approach’ regarding present day relevance type
questions.
For this question, in general approach, we identify present day issues and then Look for Mahavira’s
teachings which can help. In the Precision Approach, we list Mahavira’s teachings and then map them with
current issues.
Now list all the issues that come to your mind such as Environment Degradation, Poverty, Net Neutrality,
Surrogacy, Terrorism, NJAC, Kashmir Issue, Tipple Talaq, Aadhar & Privacy, CAA/NPR, Corona Virus
etc. Once the issues list is ready, try to see if any of the teachings of Mahavira can be used to solve it.
Issue Mahavira’s Teaching Issue Mahavira’s Teaching
Environment Degradation
Poverty
Net Neutrality
Surrogacy
Terrorism
NJAC
Kashmir Issue
Tipple Talaq
Aadhar & Privacy
Corona Virus
Now fill the issues column in the right and try to identify the relevant teaching of Mahavira which can be
used to fix the issue.
Here are the problems that we encounter in this approach.
1. Issue of too many in a set of present day issues. It is a time taking approach as hundreds of
issues need to be listed.
2. Some of the issues will not get any relevant fix from the teachings. For example Net
Neutrality, Surrogacy, NJAC, Aadhar & Privacy may not have any solution from the teachings
of Mahavira. If we identify 100 contemporary issues, only 30 of them may find a solution
from the teachings. Time spent for the remaining 70 will be wasted, which is a costly affair in
the exam hall.
3. If there are 7 major concepts you remember about the preachings of Mahavira, only 5 may get
reference from the issues identified. You will not be able to track all the important preachings
in this approach.
4. This approach will lead to general English words to represent the teachings of Mahavira. We
will end up writing nonviolence, truthfulness etc rather than ahimsa, satya and other words
coined in those days for these ideals.

Now, let us list the ideals proposed by Mahavira and try to match them with current day issues. It will be
smooth, simple and fast. Try it yourself.
Ideal Issues That Can Be Addressed
Ahimsa (Nonviolence)
Asteya (non-stealing) , Aparigraha (self-restraint)
Satya (truth)
Samyak Charitra (sensual control)
Anekant (pluralism-non-absolutism)
Dhyana (Meditation)
Here is the list that I came up with

Ideals Issues Addressed

Ahimsa Terrorism, crime, domestic violence, wars
Asteya & Aparigraha Corruption, inequal distribution of wealth
Satya piling up of cases in courts
Samyak Charitra unsustainable development
Anekant religious intolerance
Gender Equality gender inequality
Dhyana stress
Here is the revised answer.

Revised Answer:
Jainism is a magnificent treasure temple of Philosophy, Mathematics, Astronomy, Geography, History and Science it self. Mahavira’s ideas
which are important part of them have solutions for many issues faced in the modern world.
Ahimsa: Mahavira laid very high emphasis on Ahimsa. According to him all creatures- animals, plants, stones, rocks etc., possess life and one
should not do any harm to the other in speech, deed or action. In modern world we are betting on criminal laws and 'fear factor' to control
crime. We still see violence and crime in everyday life. We often see headlines on some terrorist attackin a public place or Maoists getting
killed in an encounter or murder of a businessman by a gangster or about a survey revealing widespread prevalence of domestic violence. All
those who resort to violence think that what they are doing is right and assume that they can figure out on how to escape from law (we all know
many decades it takes to get a judgment). Mahavira gives an inside out solution which transforms the individuals and leads to peace and
tranquility in the society. This is a solution for wars between nations.
Asteya&Aparigraha: Asteya means "non-stealing".The precept of aparigraha is a self-restraint (temperance) from the type of greed and avarice
where one's own material gain or happiness comes by hurting, killing or destroying other human beings, life forms or nature. Corruption has
become rampant and Mahavira'spreachings about asteya and aparigraha can help solve this problem if everybody. Also there is huge issue of
inequal distribution of wealth. By following asteya and aparigraha preached by Mahavira, we can achieve proper distribution of wealth. Also
this can help to solve problems like erosion of environment and natural resources.
Satya: It means truthful in one's thought, speech and action. People are resorting to lies and that is adding to piling up of cases in courts. If
everybody tell only truth, all the pending cases can be solved with in no time.
SamyakCharitra: Mahavira suggested right conduct with the help of dispassionate attitude towards senses. He said that we must treat the
sufferings and happiness on equal planks. This is a good remidy for materialism. Man is overexploiting the resources and destroying the
environment which is leading to unsustainable development. So, Mahavira's teachings are compatible to the concept of sustainable
development.
Anekant (pluralism-non-absolutism): According to its fundamental logic, no absolute affirmation or denial was possible. When all knowledge
is only probable and relative your opponent’s view is as likely to be true as yours. Following the teachings of Mahavira we can solve the
problem of religious intolerance.
Gender Equality: Mahavirafavoured the freedom of women and believed that they also had the right to attain Nirvana. In this respect Mahavira
followed the example of his predecessor, ParsvaNath. Women were allowed in the Jain Sangha and many women became Sarmini and
Sravikas. In present world women are not getting equal opportunities as men. Mahivira's teachings, if followed, can counter gender inequality.
Dhyana: The technique proposed by tirtankaras and Mahavira can help solve the problems relating to stress and help improve mental health
Mahavira always strived for betterment of society with his teachings which can provide solution to
problems ranging from pollution to global warming, from mental unrest to terrorism and for many more
problems .

How To Improve The Content Of The Answer?

A ll said and done, most important component of a good answer is ‘conent’. I will share with you answers
written by some of my students and will explain how to improve the content.
Q. What are the geographical determinants of Indian agriculture. In view of such determinants explain the cropping pattern in India

Answer: Geographical determinants:

The geographical determinants of a particular area is its physical factors like terrain of that area,
topography, altitude, soil content, weather, climate, rainfall etc
Cropping pattern of any particular region of the country is depending on its soil content, weather, climate,
rainfall etc. As for example, in a wet area having chances of heavy rainfall and water-logging, people will
like to cultivate rice whereas in a dry area, farmer can manage to cultivate coarse cereals like bajra, jowar
etc.
Out of the physical factors climate is one of the most important factor that influence the agriculture land use
and cropping pattern, where climate consists of temperature, moisture, drought, snow, wind, soil etc. the
temperature along with precipitation were the determinants in managing cropping pattern in a particular
area and differs such areas as tropical, sub-tropical temperate, polar regions. There is a specific temperature
and different moisture contents required for each
1. The agriculture patterns are strictly dependent on geo ecological conditions and they also require certain
type of terrain topography altitude and climatic conditions
2. For example, paddy cultivation requires a levelled field, warmer conditions like temperatures between 21
to 25 degrees and it is also a water intensive crop, hence grown in wetter parts of India like West Bengal,
Punjab etc
3. For growing wheat requires temperature of 17 to 21 degrees and is not a water intensive crop, hence it is
always considered as sub-tropical crop. Dominant in the areas of Northern India, Western India
4. Pulses mostly confined to eastern India cost, Northern India, M.P, South India
5. Millets are grown especially in dry land agriculture and requires very less rainfall
6. Tea plantation requires a hill topography where the water logging must not be present, hence it is grown
extensively in Darjeeling areas where we have high rainfall of 200cms
7. Coconuts are found in low altitudinal areas which are probably closer to sea, hence mostly found in
coastal areas, where as apples are found in the high altitudinal areas of nearly 1300 mtrs above the sea
level. This shows that the type of topography or difference in altitudes makes type of crop to be grown
8. Nature of surface also effects the agricultural activity like we have gullied lands which are least
conducive for the cropping. Example we have Chambal riverine in M.P, Rajasthan, and U.P, where
thousands of hectares of land put out of agriculture because of gully formation.
9. Drought has devastating consequences on the yield and production of crop. In India drought prone areas
like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, M.P, Jharkhand etc. where we see less than 70cms rainfall.
10.Usually reduces the ground temperatures, when the snow occurs the germination of seed hindered in
turn results in less growth of crop. Melting of snow causes huge losses to crops in the form of floods
11. Winds have both direct and indirect effects on crop. Direct wind is responsible for breaking of plant
structure and shuttering of seeds heads. Because of heavy winds the fruits and nuts gets broken before their
maturity stage. Indirectly wind causes effects like the transformation of moisture and heat we have both
positive and negative outcomes.
In agricultural operations, soil plays important role in determining the cropping pattern, its association and
production. The fertility of soil, its texture and humus content directly influence the crop growth and
productivity. For example, alluvial soil is considered as good for wheat, barley, gram, oilseeds, pulses and
sugarcane. The black soil was useful for growing cotton, jowar, tobacco. The red soil for growing pulses,
laterite soils for growing cashew nuts, tea, coffee, rubber etc , shows that the change in the soil content
changes the cropping pattern.
How To Improve This Answer?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------- -

MY FEEDBACK:
Issues Identified in the English Language:
1. ‘One of the most important factor’ - when you say ‘one of the…’ you should use the plural. 'one of the
most important factors’ is correct.
2. ‘For growing wheat requires temperature of 17 to 21 degrees and is not a water intensive crop, hence it is
always considered as sub-tropical crop. Dominant in the areas of Northern India, Western India’. –
Rephrase the sentence.
3. Example we have Chambal riverine in M.P, Rajasthan, and U.P, where thousands of hectares of land put
out of agriculture because of gully formation. – Rephrase the sentence. Also ‘riverine’ is not a proper word
in this context (it should be ‘ravines’)
4. Nature of surface also effects the agricultural activity (should be ‘affects’ – not ‘effects’)
Presentation of content: We need to present the content in a structured manner.
1. Grouping: The question is about geographical determinants and cropping patterns. So, the answer can be
grouped based on each geographical determinant and explain how the cropping pattern is affected by that
factor. Sub-heading can highlight the point and the examiner will notice the point for sure.
2. Examples: Every point that we give should have an example to substantiate the point. For example
‘coconuts’ related point is not having any example. We can talk about Kerala and Coastal AP to
substantiate the point
3. Cause-Effect: We cannot just give an example and leave it. We need to write about the geographical
factor first and then substantiate with example (these two have cause-effect relationship). (Pulses mostly
confined to eastern India cost, Northern India, M.P, South India. – no geographical determinant is
mentioned here)
4. AP Examples: Wherever possible, include AP examples also. For example in rice cultivation, we can talk
about Krishna and Godavari districts.
Scope: With the same content you can get 1.5 marks more
REVISED ANSWER:
The geographical determinants of a particular area such as terrain, topography, altitude, soil content,
weather, climate, rainfall, temperature, drought, snow, wind etc influence cropping pattern.
The following geo-ecological factors determine how the changes occur in the cropping pattern of Indian
agriculture :
1. Water Availability: For example, paddy cultivation requires a levelled field, warmer conditions like
temperatures between 21 to 25 degrees, Soil: Heavy-clayey to-clayey-loam and continuous rainfall between
100-150cms, since it is a water-intensive crop, hence grown in wetter parts of India like Andhra
Pradesh(particularly in districts of West Godavari, East Godavari), West Bengal, Punjab.
2. Sub-tropical conditions: For cultivation of wheat, conditions required were, temperature between
12°-25°C, Soil: well-drained-light clay to heavy clay and limited rainfall between 25-75cms, since it is not
a water-intensive crop, hence it is always considered as a sub-tropical crop. Dominant in the areas of
Northern India, Western India
3. Low Temperature, Low Rainfall: For growing of pulses conditions required were, temperature 20°
-27°C, rainfall 25-65cms, soil Sandy-loam mostly found in the areas of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Haryana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
4. Drylands: For growing Millets conditions required were, temperature 20°-35°C, rainfall 25-75 cm, Soil
Sandy-loam to clayey loam and these conditions mostly confined in dryland agricultural areas of Uttar
Pradesh, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat.
5. Well-drained slopes: Tea plantation requires Temperature: 15° -35°C, Rainfall: 100-250 cm, Soil: well-
drained, light loamy Soil, hill topography where the water should not be stagnant, hence it is grown
extensively in Darjeeling areas.
6. Coastal Areas: Coconuts were grown in low altitudinal areas which were probably closer to sea, hence
mostly seen in coastal areas of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, whereas apples were found in the high altitudinal
areas of nearly 1300mtrs above the sea level mostly in Himachal Pradesh, J&K. This shows that the type of
topography or difference in altitudes makes change in the cropping pattern
7. Ravines: Nature of surface also affects the agricultural activity like we have gullied lands which are least
conducive for the cropping. For example we have Chambal ravines in M.P, Rajasthan, and U.P
8. Drought-prone areas: Drought has devastating consequences on the yield and production of the crop. In
India drought-prone areas like Rajasthan, Gujarat, Rayalaseema areas of Andhra Pradesh, M.P, Jharkhand
etc. where we see less than 70cms rainfall.
In agricultural operations, soil plays an important role in determining the cropping pattern, its association
and production. The fertility of the soil, its texture and humus content directly influence the crop growth
and productivity. For example, alluvial soil is considered as good for wheat, barley, gram, oilseeds, pulses
and sugarcane. The black soil was useful for growing cotton, jowar, tobacco. The red soil for growing
pulses, laterite soils for growing cashew nuts, tea, coffee, rubber etc , shows that the change in the soil
content changes the croppin g
Q. What are the challenges faced by fisheries sector in India. What strategies are to be adopted for the
development of fisheries?
Fisheries sector occupies a very important place in the socio-economic development of the country. It has
been recognized as a powerful income and employment generator as it stimulates growth of a number of
subsidiary industries, and is a source of cheap and nutritious food besides being a foreign exchange earner.
Most importantly, it is the source of livelihood for a large section of economically backward population of
the country.
Challenges:
Accurate data on assessment of fishery resources and their potential in terms of fish
production
Development of sustainable technologies for fin and shell fish culture
Yield optimization
Harvest and post-harvest operations
Landing and berthing facilities for fishing vessels and welfare of fishermen.
Over-fishing leading to depletion of resources
Practice of indiscriminate and excessive Bottom trawling is causing huge damage to marine
ecosystem
Encroachment of deep sea fishing vessels into coastal waters
Poor storage facilities, unhygienic handling & procession
Indiscriminate killing of juveniles,
Destruction of spawning grounds,
Obstruction of migration routes due to unplanned construction of flood-control dams and
embankments,
Drainage and irrigation projects
Degradation of water-quality due to indiscriminate use of insecticides and pesticides and
industrial wastes,
Strategies need to be adopted:
Follow people-centered not commodity-centered approach
Upgrade skills of the poor fishers
Enhancement of Fish production and productivity for ensuring sustainability limited to
aquaculture sector taking into consideration of major inputs like quality and healthy fish seeds,
feed.etc and promising species.
Adoption of culture based capture fisheries in reservoirs and underutilized larger water
bodies.
Diversification of marine fishing activities to tap the deep sea and underutilized resources,
multiday fishing, species-specific fisheries, utilization of by catch etc.
Networking of all line Departments/organizations dealing with fisheries under a single agency.
Comprehensive policies for treating Aquaculture at par with Agriculture, and enactment of
Marine and Inland Bills.
Revamping of Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDAs) and involvement of
Cooperative Societies and Self Help Groups (SHGs) and ensuring the Socio economic welfare
of fisher folk.
Post harvest, value addition and marketing infrastructure.
Strictly monitor the development programs, make on-course corrections and assess the
impacts of all revitalized programs
Strengthen database and share it for a better planning and policy making in the sector
Invest in technological innovation and transfer - Improvements in breeding technology,
disease control, feeds and nutrition, and low-impact production systems are interlinked areas
where science can complement traditional knowledge to improve efficiency. Ex - Vietnam's
cat fish project
Spatial planning and zoning can ensure that aquaculture operations stay within the
surrounding ecosystem’s carrying capacity and can also lessen conflicts over resource use. Ex
- Norway’s zoning laws.
It is high time to implement these strategies to protect the aquatic ecosystems and ensure its sustainability
which is needed for livelihood of fishing communities and also ensure food and nutritional security.
How To Improve This Answer?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
MY FEEDBACK:
1. All the points are randomly listed. It would be better if all points are properly grouped.
Generating dimensions such as ‘yield related’, ‘water related’, ‘environment related’, ‘policy
related’ etc. will help to recollect more points in the answer and also helps the examiner.
2. Challenges and strategies are related. Actually strategies are the solutions to fix the issues /
challenges. Therefore in strategies address all the groups of challenges and also add more, if
any, under a separate heading.

Revised Answer:
Fisheries sector occupies a very important place in the socio-economic development of the country. It has
been recognized as a powerful income and employment generator as it stimulates growth of a number of
subsidiary industries, and is a source of cheap and nutritious food besides being a foreign exchange earner.
Most importantly, it is the source of livelihood for a large section of economically backward population of
the country.
Challenges:
Yield related:
Lack of accurate data on assessment of fishery resources and their potential in terms of fish
production – This data will provide the distribution of resources which helps fishing
community along with prevention of over exploitation.
Development of sustainable technologies for fin and shell fish culture
Poor yield optimization practices
Harvest and post-harvest operations such as wastage (around 10 to 25%), poor shelf life, loss
after the harvest (physical loss, quality loss, economical or nutritional loss) and value addition
of the products
Landing and berthing facilities for fishing vessels and welfare of fishermen.
Poor storage facilities, unhygienic handling & procession

Environment related:
Over-fishing leading to depletion of resources
Practice of indiscriminate and excessive Bottom trawling is causing huge damage to marine
ecosystem
Encroachment of deep sea fishing vessels into coastal waters
Indiscriminate killing of juveniles
Destruction of spawning grounds

Drainage and Irrigation related:

Obstruction of migration routes due to unplanned construction of flood-control dams and
embankments
Drainage and irrigation projects
Degradation of water-quality due to indiscriminate use of insecticides and pesticides and
industrial wastes
Strategies which need to be adopted:
Institutional / policy related:
Networking of all line Departments/organizations dealing with fisheries under a single agency.
Comprehensive policies for treating Aquaculture at par with Agriculture, and enactment of
Marine and Inland Bills.
Revamping of Fish Farmers Development Agencies (FFDAs) and involvement of Cooperative
Societies and Self Help Groups (SHGs) and ensuring the Socio economic welfare of fisher
folk.
Strictly monitor the development programs, make on-course corrections and assess the
impacts of all revitalized programs

Yield related:
Strengthen database and share it for a better planning and policy making in the sector.
Follow people-centered not commodity-centered approach to ensure sustainability of fishing
resources.
Upgrade skills of the poor fishers
Enhancement of Fish production and productivity for ensuring sustainability limited to
aquaculture sector taking into consideration of major inputs like quality and healthy fish seeds,
feed.etc and promising species.
Adoption of culture based capture fisheries in reservoirs and underutilized larger water
bodies.
Diversification of marine fishing activities to tap the deep sea and underutilized resources,
multiday fishing, species-specific fisheries, utilization of by catch etc.
Post harvest, value addition and marketing infrastructure.
Invest in technological innovation and transfer - Improvements in breeding technology,
disease control, feeds and nutrition, and low-impact production systems are interlinked areas
where science can complement traditional knowledge to improve efficiency. Ex - Vietnam's
cat fish project

Environment related:
Spatial planning and zoning can ensure that aquaculture operations stay within the
surrounding ecosystem’s carrying capacity and can also lessen conflicts over resource use. Ex
- Norway’s zoning laws.
Regulate and prevent Bottom trawling to ensure sustainable availability of resources.

Drainage and Irrigation related:

Reduce the obstructions faced by fish during their migration to and from their customary
spawning grounds through planned construction of flood-control dams and embankments
Ensure that drainage and irrigation projects provide ecological flow in the downstream of a
river to prevent damage to aquatic ecosystem
Prevent disposal of insecticides, pesticides and industrial wastes by treating them in Effluent
treatment plants (ETP’s).
It is high time to implement these strategies to protect the aquatic ecosystems and ensure its sustainability
which is needed for livelihood of fishing communities and also ensure food and nutritional security.
Q1.Give a brief note on the major threats faced by biodiversity around the world. Enlist the reasons for
ineffectiveness of various conventions and treaties in conserving biodiversity.
ORIGINAL ANSWER:
Biodiversity: It refers to the variety and variability of life on earth.
Importance of biodiversity: It boosts the productivity of the ecosystem and aids in the process of
sustainable development.
But Biodiversity is at a major threat due to various human activities. This in turn poses a great threat to the
very existence of humans on earth.
The major threats for bio diversity are:
1. Climate change:
Changes in climate throughout the history of the planet have altered the life on earth. Ecosystems have
come and gone. Species have routinely gone extinct.
But rapid anthropogenic climate changes speed up this process without giving the ecosystems time to adapt.
2. Deforestation and Habitat loss:
It is a direct cause of loss of biodiversity. It destroys the habitat on which many species depend on for
survival. Tropical rainforests such as amazon which have a high number of species, are declining due to
anthropogenic factors.
3. Over exploitation:
Over hunting, over fishing and over harvesting contribute greatly to the loss of biodiversity. Poaching and
hunting increases the chances of extinction of species. The extinction of the apex predator or a predator at
the top of the food chain can result in catastrophic consequences for ecosystems.
4. Invasive species:
The introduction of non-native or foreign species into an ecosystem can threaten the endemic species either
as predators or by competing for resources.
5. Pollution:
From the burning of fossil fuels to the dumping of plastic into the oceans, pollution completely disrupts the
ecosystems. It has a potential to influence the habitats of species. Thereby changing the breeding and
feeding habits of species.
There are several international conventions focusing on Biodiversity issues such as:

The convention of biological diversity, The convention on conservation of migratory species,

CITES, Ramsar Convention, etc.
Even though the objectives of these treaties are framed to conserve biodiversity for sustainable
development, practically the effectiveness of these treaties is far from perfect.
There are various reasons for the ineffectiveness of these conventions, such as:
Technical issues concerning the boundary definitions of Ramsar sites convention which makes
identifying and protecting wetlands complicated.
Non-Participation of governments is an issue as there are many countries which are not parties
to one or more of these conventions.
With-respect to CITES convention, even though trade of certain species is restricted or
prohibited, there is still illegal trading of those species being carried on.
How To Improve This Answer?

1. You may add modern agriculture practices as a major threat

2. The content in international conventions part can be better organized.
3. Also some more reasons such as non-cooperation from USA, unsustainable lifestyles etc., can
be added.
4. Scope: There is scope to get additional 1.5 marks by adding some more points (based on the
knowledge that you already have) and by organizing the answer in more structured manner.
REVISED ANSWER:
Biodiversity: It refers to the variety and variability of life on earth.
Importance of biodiversity: It boosts the productivity of the ecosystem and aids in the process of
sustainable development.
But Biodiversity is at a major threat due to various human activities. This in turn poses a great threat to the
very existence of humans on earth.
The major threats for bio diversity are:
1. Climate change:
Changes in climate throughout the history of the planet have altered the life on earth. Ecosystems have
come and gone. Species have routinely gone extinct.
But rapid anthropogenic climate changes speed up this process without giving the ecosystems time to adapt
.
2. Deforestation and Habitat loss:
It is a direct cause of loss of biodiversity. It destroys the habitat on which many species depend on for
survival. Tropical rainforests such as amazon which have a high number of species, are declining due to
anthropogenic factors.
3. Over exploitation:
Over hunting, over fishing and over harvesting contribute greatly to the loss of biodiversity. Poaching and
hunting increases the chances of extinction of species. The extinction of the apex predator or a predator at
the top of the food chain can result in catastrophic consequences for ecosystems.
4. Invasive species:
The introduction of non-native or foreign species into an ecosystem can threaten the endemic species either
as predators or by competing for resources.
5. Pollution:
From the burning of fossil fuels to the dumping of plastic into the oceans, pollution completely disrupts the
ecosystems. It has a potential to influence the habitats of species. Thereby changing the breeding and
feeding habits of species.
6. Agriculture Practices: The last half-century has witnessed a rapid revolution in the technology of
agricultural production, particularly in the developed world, that has allowed the widespread adoption of
industrial-scale farming techniques. This contributed significantly to the loss of biodiversity.
Reasons for ineffectiveness:
Even though the objectives of these treaties are framed to conserve biodiversity for sustainable
development, practically the effectiveness of these treaties is far from perfect. There are various reasons for
the ineffectiveness of these conventions, such as:
1. Technical issues concerning the boundary definitions of Ramsar sites convention which makes
identifying and protecting wetlands complicated.
2. Non-Participation of governments is an issue as there are many countries which are not parties to
one or more of these conventions.
3. With-respect to CITES convention, even though trade of certain species is restricted or prohibited,
there is still illegal trading of those species being carried on as law enforcement is weak in many
countries.
4. Some of the countries which are a party to these conventions are not enacting t laws due to various
reasons such as financial constraints, developmental objectives of the countries clashing with these
treaties.
5. Issues such as withdrawal of USA from the Paris convention have negative impact on the
effectiveness in the implementation of these conventions.
6. All the conventions are conveniently ignoring the issue of ‘consumerism’ and the need for
‘sustainable lifestyles’. As the conventions are not targeting to tackle the root cause, the solutions
they are coming up with cannot meet their objective of protecting biodiversity .

What About English Grammar And Presentation?

“ I am 26 year old engineering graduate with specialization of computer science. I got job offer from
Infosys as well as Cognizant during campus placements. My dream is to become an IAS officer. I paid huge
amount and joined a coaching center. I work 14 hours a day. I score very well in Mathematics, which is my
optional subject. When it comes to essay type questions, I score very poorly. I missed the service by 10
marks this time. Director of the coaching center told me that I have very good grip on the subject but I lack
much needed presentation skills. He also told me that he can help me in subject but not in language skills. I
am clueless!” – Rajesh Singh

“I am from rural Telangana. All my schooling was in Telugu medium. I am very poor at English. All the
competitive exams at national level are in English medium. That is the reason I could not attempt SSC
CGL, IBPS bank POs, or for the thousands of jobs announced in Defense or Railways or in any public
sector. I have confined myself to exams conducted by Telangana State Public Service Commission. State
level jobs are not announced on yearly basis and even when announced, these are less in number and
competition is very high” – Nageshwar Rao
I am very fluent in English. All my schooling was in international schools. I can speak fluently but when it
comes to written English and grammar rules, I face lot of difficulty. I don’t know the difference between a
gerund and a verb. I can’t differentiate an adjective from an adverb. I don’t know a thing about infinitives. I
don’t know the difference between past perfect tense and past perfect continuous tense (by the way, why do
we have so many tenses? Is it not sufficient to have three tenses, one each for past, present and future?). I
started reading grammar books. Hundreds of rules packed with jargon. Dude, it sucks! – Sajjan Agarwal

Does the story of Rajesh Singh or Nageshwar Rao or Sajjan Agarwl sound familiar to you? If you related
any one of these and if you would like to learn grammar, what are you waiting for? It is time to learn!
Before we start learning grammar let us read some of the sentences written by the students who are
preparing for Civil Services (Mains) in a reputed coaching center.
Wrong sentences
It says “every thing in our life was pre-determine”
India’s first rock-cut architecture was practiced by Ajivakas
Then it was more prevailed and popular than Buddhism and Jainism
It was successful leaderless movement forwarded by volunteers, Nationalists.
Netaji was a great national leader, he was changed the nature of Indian freedom struggle
His foreign experiences and diplomatic nature was highly faithful on following ways:
Quit India movement had also see the larger participation of women
The participation of people was also much more than the previous movements even though there were
no leaders Ex: peasants, Industrial workers, Handicrafts.
Quit India movement created a pressure on British Govt for giving complete Independence
Netaji one of the great leader during freedom struggle
He learned many Thing when went to Russia, German and Singapore
In This System women was supposed to get married to temple
Netaji gave slogan ‘give me blood. I will give freedom’. Germany wanted to support but S.C.Bose said “
this is the war of India people, to get Their independence vth Their blood only not yours you just give
support “
Many committee reported That Netaji was not died in the Plane’s crash. He returns to The India and
became Baba.
In 19 th century There was somany Socio-Religious reforms movements were organised
It was one of the step towards the Independence
At this time 2 nd WW was also going on, to acquire the support of Indians to participate in WW The
British PM Atlee Send Crips.
Masses burns all the Foreign Cloths, The liquor shops, public offices.
There was somany clashes b/w the people & police force in this atleast 1 lakh people were died
After 1 day The movement became headless… all the leaders are arrested by British
After dissatisfaction with the decision of 2 nd round table conference, Gandhiji cam to India launched
“Quit India Movement”
The Slogan gave by Gandhiji is “Do (or) Die”
This was Sudden, Non-Planning, non-violent movement
These movements suffer from pseudo-scientific temper
They promoted women education in particular Eswarchandra Vidyasagar established 35 institutions.
Reform movements such as Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Theosophical Society and so on.
Moreover, when the Quit India Movement launched the National Sentiment was at its highest peak.
Even though it was initiated by Gandhi, any all other important leaders were put under arrest at the very
earliest.
The central theme of Ajivakas is Niyati, which means certainity of things to be happen in human’s life
and human’s actions are useless.
Quit India movement is also shown very different from rest of the movements made in the past
The decision he made was said greatly adventurous
Bose made a strong efforts for the achievement of the freedom
As part of freedom movements in India, we also intercoursed socio-religious reforms movements in 19 th
century.
Rastrakuta ruler built many sculpture and architecture
Rastrakuta ruler ruled over, more than 100 years, only Southern India only this Rastrakuta ruler ruled.
Many famous Hindusthani Musician Was there in our country at that ancient time like Pandit Bhimsen
Joshi, Kabir Das, etc..
In every occasion this musician used to play role, most of the musician got many awards.
In North India still now people respect this Hindusthani Music Person.
This ragas are played in Sanskrit also
Bharata Natyam, Kuchipudi, Mohin etc.. for all these dance this Carnatic music is used
Before we got independence, British ruler ruled us, they bought lots of changes to our country, we are
now in well settle position
From the British, India gained and loss, that means, some of the features we got advantage and
disadvantage
Wellesly was one of the great empire and builder of England
When he (Lord Wellesley) was the partnership with French people, he elaborate his commodity vary
largely
He had fighted for our country he sacrificed his whole life for India Independence
Bramhin people were mostly used the slogan of untouchability. Kshatrias caste is higher caste after
Brahmins caste, this caste mainly we can see in North Indian. Vaisyas are almost same as Brahmins, but
mostly there work is commodity

These sentences sound funny. At the same time, it highlights the core problem faced by the student
community. They need good communication skills to get a job in private sector or in the Government. To
get command in English, one must get good grip in English grammar. The question is ‘how to learn English
grammar in a simple and straight forward manner in a short period of time?’. The answer is right in front of
you.
If your English is poor, you will have very little chance to clear Civil Service Exam. Let us understand in
what ways it can affect your chances.
1. Poor Impression: “Bramhin people were mostly used the slogan of untouchability. Kshatrias
caste is higher caste after Brahmins caste, this caste mainly we can see in North Indian.
Vaisyas are almost same as Brahmins, but mostly there work is commodity”. What kind of
impression evaluator gets when he or she reads this sentence?
2. Meaning Not Conveyed: “When he (Lord Wellesley) was the partnership with French people,
he elaborate his commodity vary largely”. What does it mean? How can the evaluator give
marks if he or she is not clear what the student is trying to convey?

With such English, what is the use of spending 10 to 14 hours a day in accumulating more and more
content? Student will lose at least 1 mark for each question in GS and 20 to 30 marks in General Essay if
his or her English is very poor.
One of my students got AIR around 700 in Civil Service exam, though his English is not that good. It is not
that poor but there is scope for improvement. It means that one can get selected for civil services, even
though his or her English is not that good. But we need to understand that poor English affected his chances
to be in top 100 or 200, which he really deserves.
Difference between Marks of 1st Rank and 100th Rank is 102 Mark s
Difference between Marks of 101 Rank and 201 Rank is just 18 Marks
If you are poor in Fundamental Rights topic, you will score less marks in that particular topic, if a question
is asked in it. It you are poor in Indian Geography, you will get less marks only in that particular subject.
But, if you are poor in English, you will get at least ½ mark less is all GS questions in all papers and will
pay a big penalty in General Essay. There will be around 80 questions in all 4 GS papers. If one gets ½
mark less in each question, it will cost 40 marks. In General Essay, more importance is given to language
skills. Those who have poor English will lose a minimum of 30 marks in General Essay. So, poor English
can cost 70 marks in total.
If English is so important why do people neglect it?
A. Don’t Know It’s Importance: Many aspirants don’t know the importance of having command
in English language. They assume that evaluators look for good content and they don’t care
about grammar in GS. It is not true. Poor English will lead to poor impression and also can
result is losing ½ mark per question in GS.
B. Hunter-Gatherer Approach: Many aspirants are still in hunter-gatherer stage and they assume
that ‘content is the king’ and ‘content is everything’. They assume that by having better
content, one can compensate the loss of impression due to poor English. It is not true.
C. Importance of Cutting Edge Marks: Most of the aspirants fail to differentiate between regular
marks and cutting edge marks. Marks that you get up to 800 marks are regular marks and each
mark you score over and above it is cutting edge mark. These cutting edge marks will separate
you from the crowd and puts you in the toppers list.
D. Don’t Know That Their English is Poor: Most of the aspirants are not aware of the fact that
their English is not up to the mark. They really don’t. As they are good enough in spoken
English and they managed well with tele-callers and they studied in English medium schools,
they assume that their English is good enough. Most important reason for not improving
English is because they are not aware of their weakness.
E. No Time: Most of the times my students tell me that they have of lot of syllabus to complete
and they don’t have time ‘now’ to improve English. If you don’t have time ‘now’, you will not
have time ‘in future’ as there is no end to the content in subjects.
F. Don’t Know How To Improve: Most of the aspirants don’t really know how to improve. They
are clueless
G. Coaching Centers Don’t Teach: Once I talked to a director of a coaching center where 300
students sit in a class room and 4 such classes are conducted in a particular center for civil
service aspirants. I brought to his notice that the students are good in subject but are poor in
English. He told me that ‘Improving English Is Lookout of Individual Students’. Coaching
centers charge around 2 lakhs per students but don’t take responsibility to improve language
skills. Also, we need to understand that even if they wish to improve, they don’t know how to
do it.

If your English is poor, you don’t need to worry about it. “Every problem has a solution; it may sometimes
just need another perspective” - Katherine Russell. It is because every problem contains within itself seeds
of its own solution. Buddha said “there are three solutions to every problem: accept it, change it, or leave it.
If you can’t accept it, change it. If you can’t change it, leave it”. Poor English is not a problem which can be
accepted as it will deplete our chances to see our name in the final list. Can we change it? Yes. My father,
who was a school head master told me “where there is a will there is a way”. He never believed mere will is
sufficient. In all his letters to me, the concluding line was the same: “no pains no gains”. I was always
arguing with him stating that ‘smart work’ is more important than ‘hard work’ and human civilization and
evolution is based on smart work only. But, I change my opinion when I started preparation for Civil
Services. Now I believe that ‘smart work’ and ‘hard work’ are like two eyes of a person. Both are
important.
In this chapter I will present two ways of fixing the grammar problem. I can tell you how to overcome this
issue within a week of focused effort. Yes, within a week you can be much better. We will make of 80:20
rule and fix 80% of the problems with 20% of effort. Two methods that I suggest are – adult learning
method and learning from the basics.
Adult Learning Method : In this method you will be required to write answers for GS Mock Exams and
General Essays. Those answer sheets shall be reviewed by those who are good at English. All the issues
with respect to English grammar should be identified. After identifying the errors, one need to figure out
the right way of expressing the same thought. We then need to group the errors and then compile all the
errors using the frequency tabulation method and enter in MS Excel. Then we need to sort the errors in
descending order (which can be done by MS Excel by one click). All this is phase 1 of the solution. Before
you conclude phase 1 calculate word level and sentence level error density (word level error density =
number of words which are wrongly used and wrongly spelled per 100 words; sentence level error density
= number of sentences which are wrongly framed out of 100 sentences framed)
In the phase 2 of the effort, you need to write once again GS and General Essay papers consciously and
avoid the high frequency errors. After writing the tests, you need to look at each sentence written and
identify the errors committed by you. Then show the answer sheets to those who knows English better. This
phase will fix most frequently committed errors which generally constitute 80% of errors.
In phase 2 your error density will be much less compared to phase 1. Repeat this process till you achieve
less than 2% error density.
Now, I will share the answer written by one of my students with whom I am working to fix the problem.
Q. Discuss various economic, socio cultural forces that are driving increasing faminization of agriculture in
India .
Ans) Faminization of agriculture has increased many fold in recent decade due to high rate of male urban
migration. More & more women are engaged in, Agriculture and allied activities.
Social, economic reasons: -

1. Agriculture became less remunerative, male taking up non-agri jobs.

2. Increased transport facilities: Some male in nearby urban areas commute to daily basis for
economic activities leaving agriculture to women.
3. High literacy men, education, good jobs, enterpenuers,women low literacy continue
agriculture.
4. Due to mechanisation, need for labour reduced. many women able to maintain mechanised
tools, less masculine energy needed in farming.
5. Electricity, motors: Switching, on, off due to micro irrigation methods.
6. Agriculture labourers : - The rate of land less women is high, they without skills still continue
in agri.
Gov Policies: -
This is an opportunity to go for more mechanisation.
➢ To go for cooperatives, farmer producer organisation, to pool money, resource, technology so
that use by uberisation, use of old tractors, drones to spray pesticides.
➢ Encouraging self help group women through credit go for agri allied activities like dairy,
poultry, which less labour intensive.
Social: -
Increasing faminazation of old age: -
Due to greater life expectancy, women out live men and hence widows end up heading family taking to
agriculture
Cultural acceptance: -
Aceptance:Upward mobility of women for Employment: Gender stereotype.
IDENTIFY MISTAKES & SUGGEST CORRECT SENTENCES:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------- - My Feedback & Suggested Sentences:
Sentence written Correct sentence
1. More & more women are engaged in, Agriculture and Due to which more and more women are
allied activities. engaged in agriculture and allied activities.
ISSUES:

i. Use of ‘&’ – should use ‘and’

ii. Comma after engaged in is not required
iii. Should not use ‘A’ for agriculture
iv. There is relation between male urban
migration and feminization of agriculture.
To show the cause-effect relationship we
need to say ‘due to which’
2.Agriculture became less remunerative, male taking up Agriculture has become less lucrative which
non-agri jobs. forced men to look for non-agriculture jobs
i. non-agri jobs – short forms are not
acceptable. Should be replaced with ‘non-
agriculture jobs’
ii. Comma is used in inappropriate way. It
cannot be used as conjunction in this case.
iii. There are two parts in this sentence –
‘Agriculture became less remunerative’ and
‘male taking up non-agri jobs’. We need
proper conjunction to connect them

2.Increased transport facilities: Some male in nearby Increased transport facilities led to men in
urban areas commute to daily basis for economic rural areas commute on daily basis to urban
activities leaving agriculture to women. areas for economic activities leaving
agriculture to women.
i. Use of “ : ” is inconsistent with other points
in the passage, if it is used in one point it
should be used in other points too.
ii. Male is a gender it should not be used with a
proposition.
iii. ‘Commute to’ – should be ‘commute on’

3.High literacy men, education, good jobs, Relatively higher education among men has
entrepreneurs, women low literacy continue agriculture. led them to high paying jobs leaving
agriculture to women.
i. Unnecessary use of commas
ii. High literacy is an adjective which should be
used in comparison.
iii. Literacy means education, so it should not be
repeated.
iv. Enterpenuers – should be ‘Entrepreneurs’

4.Due to mechanisation, need for labour reduced. many Due to mechanisation the need for muscle
women able to maintain mechanised tools, less power in the farm reduced, which made it
masculine energy needed in farming. possible for women to work in the farms.

i. Masculine energy should be written as

muscle power.
ii. Unnecessary use of commas
iii. Sentence formation

5. Electricity, motors: Switching, on, off due to micro Micro irrigation methods made it easy for
irrigation methods. cultivating the fields.
i. Use of “ : ” is inconsistent with other points
in the passage, if it is used in one point it
should be used in other points too.
ii. Unnecessary use of commas
iii. Sentence formation
iv. Switching, on, off – very confusing
v. It is not a socio-economic reason.

6.Agriculture labourers : - The rate of land less women Percentage of women without land or skills
is high, they without skills still continue in agri. is high due to which they continue to earn a
living through agriculture.
i. Percentage of women without land should be
used instead of rate of land less women
ii. Unnecessary use of commas
iii. Sentence formation
iv. Use of “ :- ” is inconsistent with other points
in the passage, if it is used in one point it
should be used in other points too.
v. agri – short forms are not acceptable. Should
be replaced with ‘agriculture’

Gov Policies: - Government policies:

This is an opportunity to go for more mechanisation. There is an opportunity to go for more
mechanisation.
i. Gov – Short forms are not acceptable.
Should be replaced with government
ii. This – should use ‘There’

To go for cooperatives, farmer producer organisation, to ➢ Should go for cooperatives and

pool money, resource, technology so that use by farmer producer organisations
uberisation, use of old tractors, drones to spray ➢ Should pool money, resources and
pesticides. technology
➢ Should encourage uberisation, use
i. Unnecessary use of commas of old tractors and drones
ii. Sentence formation
iii. Sentence is too long , it should be broken into
shorter sentences.
iv. Parallelism is not maintained

encouragingself help group women through credit go for Encouraging self-help groups for women to
agri allied activities like dairy, poultry, which less labour undertake agriculture and allied activities
intensive. like poultry and dairy which are less labour
intensive by providing cheaper credit
i. Unnecessary use of commas, they should be facilities.
replaced with suitable conjunctions.
ii. Sentence formation
iii. agri – short forms are not acceptable. Should
be replaced with ‘agriculture’
iv. encouraging – use capital “Encouraging”

Social: - Social reasons: -

Increasing faminazation of old age: - Due to greater life expectancy, women
Due to greater life expectancy, women out live men and outlive men and hence widows end up
hence widows end up heading family taking to heading the family. With them having no
agriculture. other option they look at agriculture to feed
the household.
i. Correct spelling of faminazation is
feminization/ feminisation
ii. Proper sentence formation and cause effect
relationship between widows and agriculture
is to be established.
iii. Use of “ :- ” is inconsistent with other points
in the passage, if it is used in one point it
should be used in other points too.

Cultural acceptance: - Cultural reasons: -

Aceptance: Upward mobility of women for Gender stereotyping is still prevalent in rural
Employment: Gender stereotype. areas which makes upward mobility of
women for employment
i. Unnecessary use of ‘:’
ii. Proper use of conjunctions to connect all the
words.

Now let me share the introductions given to the essays by some of the students. You may identify the
mistakes committed by them.
Essay Topic: “Technology used responsibly is a powerful force for inclusion”
Introduction: once upon a time, during Akbar times, the king Akbar, asked the ministers, officials, about
how the government support or funds reaching to people, whether it is benifiting real benificiaries. The
court was silent, neither the ministers, not the official did not have courage to tell him the truth. The Birbal
conveyed the truth with the ice cube techniques. He asked the king to take big ice ball and pass it on to last
person by moving from all hands, all people. By the time it reached to last person, there was no ice or little
ice left. Birbal said that in a same way government money is getting consumed in the middle, reaching very
little to the last person.
Now the present government across the world, India, and at state level are using technology, to reach to
people.
IDENTIFY MISTAKES & SUGGEST CORRECT SENTENCES:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ -

Essay Topic: “The true source of rights is duties, if we all perform our duties, rights will not be far to seek”
Introduction: Our societies across the globe witnessing new transformative trend. The rights consciousness
was there from past two centuries. UN human rights declaration 1990 was provided codification to it. But
the last decade witnessed an increasing tendency towards rights. Whether we take Jasmine revolution 2011,
or we take the democratic protests in Hungary, in 2019, or in case of India, protests against Citizenship
Amendment Act, all these demonstrate the same.
IDENTIFY MISTAKES & SUGGEST CORRECT SENTENCES:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Face is the index of the mind and introduction is the face of the essay. If there are grammatical mistakes in the introduction itself, evaluators
will lose respect on you. It will be difficult to regain the lost respect in the following paragraphs. Multiple iterations of ‘writing – evaluating –
learning’ will definitely improve the writing skills from the language perspective.
Working From The Basics: The other option is to learn the basics of English grammar. On the face of it, it may appear as difficult as well as
boring. But, it is not true. In my opinion English grammar is similar to mathematics. If you don’t understand problem solving approach and if
you don’t know the basics, mathematics is boring. If you approach it in the right perspective, the same subject becomes extremely interesting.
Being an engineer I tried to identify patterns and arrive at rules for grammar. These rules are like formulae in mathematics. Once I identify the
rules, I try to apply them to different sentences that I come across.

Follow our five step approach to get mastery in English grammar. Here are the steps that I suggest.
1. Learn the parts of speech
2. Understand the relationships between various parts of speech
3. Experience the verbs, tenses and the magic surrounding
4. Explore the phrases, clauses and the structure of sentences
5. Understand the ‘rules’ – spot the errors – improve the sentences –and master the grammar!
I have come up with 100 page study material and test series to improve English. You may visit
www.precisionacademy.in for more details about the course. Soon, I will release a comprehensive and
precise book on English Grammar, which you can read and master. I am not including all that content here
as only few of you may need it.
One part of speech which is very complex is verbs. Most of the people struggle when it comes to tenses. I
have done some original work in this area and I am sharing it here.
The 12 Tenses:
TENSE Past Present Future
Simple I ate burger yesterday I eat burger everyday I will eat burger tomorrow
( S + V2 + O) (S + V1 + O) (S + will/shall + V + O)
1. To indicate a past 1. To express habits or 1. To indicate an action,
habit or action already general truth circumstance or condition
completed. 2. To express future which has not yet taken
2. Can be used with or events as part of a place
without adverb of time plan
3. With mental action
verbs: love, want,
believe, like, need etc.
Continuous I was eating burger when I am eating burger I will be eating burger
you arrived right now when you arrive
(S + was/were + V + ‘- (S + am/is/are + V + (S + will be + V + ‘-ing’ +
ing’ + O) ‘-ing’ + O) O)
1. To indicate 1. To indicate action 1. To indicate what will be
uncompleted action of going on at the time of going on at the same time
the past speaking 2. To indicate planned
2. To indicate persistent future events
habits of past
Perfect I had eaten all of the I have eaten all of the I will have eaten all of the
burger when you arrived burger burger by the time you
(S + had + V3 + O) arrive
1. To indicate completed (S + have/has + V3 + (S + will have + V3 + O)
action before another O) 1. To indicate an action
event took place 1. To indicate past that will be complete
action without defined before another event takes
time of occurrence place
2. To indicate an
action started in the
past and has continued
up till now
Perfect I had been eating burger I have been eating I will have been eating
Continuous for quite some time when burger for quite some burger for quite some time
you arrived time when you arrive
(S + had been + V + ‘- (S + have/has been + (S + will have been + V +
ing’ + O) V + ‘-ing’ + O) ‘-ing’ + O)
1. To indicate an action 1. To indicate an 1. To indicate an action
in the past that began action that started at that will have happened
before a certain point in some point in the past for some time and will not
the past and continued up and may or may not be complete yet at a
until that time be complete certain point in future
S = Subject V= Verb; V1=Present; V2= Past; V3 Past Participle O=Object

Present – it means present moment. It also means the time period which includes present moment (such as
today, this week, this month, this year etc)
Past – before the present moment
Future – after the present moment
Perfect – in tenses we come across the word ‘perfect’. It is used to describe any event which is completed
with reference to another event / a point in time
Continuous – It is used to describe any event which is happening with reference to some other event / a
point in time
Perfect Continuous – it is used to describe any event for a particular duration with reference to another
event / a point in time. The first event will have a beginning, continuation and completion.
All 12 tenses are explained using visualization in the diagrams given below. Please read the following
explanations before seeing the diagrams
Yellow line: The vertical thick line which is under ‘Now’ in yellow colour represents ‘present moment’.
Left of this line is ‘past tense’ and right side to this line is ‘future tense’
Boxes – each box represents an event.
Thin line – there is another line which is thin with a star symbol above it. It represents a point in time or
the occurrence of another. If the event 1 is before the thin line, it means that it is happening before event 2.
Star symbol is just an indication that the event is a specific point in time.
I was eating burger when you arrived I am eating burger right now

I will be eating burger when you arrive I had eaten all the burger before you arrived

I have eaten all the burger I will have eaten the burger before you arrive
I ate burger yesterday I eat burger everyday

I will eat burger tomorrow I had eaten the burger for quite some time when
you arrived

I have been eating burger for quite some time I will have eaten the burger for an hour when you
arrive

Identifying tenses:
1. They are writing the exam
2. He has come just now
3. She was writing the exam when you called her
4. When he reached the station the train had already left
5. He will be staying there for a week
6. Before I reach the house tomorrow, she will have already finished the work
7. I wrote the exam yesterday
8. He will come tomorrow
9. Earth revolves around the sun
10. He has been working here since 2008
11. They had been studying in the school for 5 years when Raju joined there
12. He will have been staying there for 5 years when he goes to America
Now let us analyse each sentence above and figure out how to arrive at the tense. We will now study each
sentence from the perspective of ‘timing’, ‘continuity’ and ‘completed (or) not completed’ status
Timing – based on the timing of the event we decide whether it is ‘present (or) past (or) future tense’
Continuity – If the event is continuing then we call it ‘continuous tense’
Completed/not completed – if an event is completed before another event or a point in time, then we
consider it to be in ‘perfect tense’
First Event Second Time Continuing? Completed?/ Tense
Event / (Perfect)
Reference
Point
They are Now Present Yes No Present
writing the Continuous
exam
He has come just now Present No Yes Present perfect
She was when you Past Yes No Past continuous
writing the called her
exam
the train had when he Past No Yes Past perfect
already left reached the
station
He will be Future Yes No Future
staying there continuous
for a week
she will have before I Future No Yes Future perfect
already reach the
finished the house
work tomorrow
I wrote the -no reference Past No yes Simple past
exam point-
yesterday
He will come -no reference Future No Yes Simple future
home point-
tomorrow
Earth -no reference Present No No Simple present
revolves point-
around the
sun
He has been ‘Present Present Yes Yes Present perfect
working here moment’ continuous
since 2008
They had when Raju Past Yes Yes Past perfect
been studying joined there continuous
in the school
for 5 years
He will have when he goes Future Yes Yes Future perfect
been staying to America continuous
there for 5
years

1.They are writing the exam – present continuous tense

2. He has come just now – present perfect tense
3. She was writing the exam when you called her – past continuous tense
4. When he reached the station the train had already left – past perfect tense
5. He will be staying there for a week – future continuous tense
6. Before I reach the house tomorrow, she will have already finished the work – future perfect tense
7. I wrote the exam yesterday – simple past tense
8. He will come tomorrow – simple future tense
9. Earth revolves around the sun – simple present tense
10. He has been working here since 2008 – present perfect continuous tense
11. They had been studying in the school for 5 years when Raju joined there – past perfect tense
12. He will have been staying there for 5 years when he goes to America – future perfect continuous
In the movie ‘English Vinglish’, Sridevi asks a brilliant question ‘Why is the word "the" used before United
States and not before India?’. You can find answer rto this question, if you learn all the rules relating to the
articles. Here are the rules that I have compiled for the articles. Before we go into the rules, let me explain
little bit about the articles.

OceanofPDF.com
Articles : The articles are a , an , and the . Articles are words that define
whether something is specific or unspecific.
Definite Article : The is called the definite article because it is used to
indicate something specific.
Indefinite Articles : A and An are called the indefinite articles because they
are used to indicate something unspecific.
Use of ‘a’ or ‘an’ depends on the noun it modifies. If the noun starts with
vowel sound, ‘an’ is used and if it starts with consonant sound ‘a’ is used.
Vowels and Consonants : { a, e, I, o, u} are vowels. Rest of the alphabets are
consonants
Rules For Indefinite Articles ‘a’ and ‘an’:
Rule 1: ‘a’ is used before words which begin with consonants and ‘an’ is
used if the words begin with vowels.
INCORRECT: How to be an girl is an Girl starts with ‘g’ which is a
audio podcast about the challenges a consonant and therefore ‘a’ is used
mother faces as she raises her before the word girl.
transgender daughter.
CORRECT: How to be a girl is an audio
podcast about the challenges a mother
faces as she raises her transgender
daughter.
INCORRECT: A well-known South Elephant starts with ‘e’ which is a
African hunter has died after he was vowel and therefore ‘an’ is used
crushed to death by a elephant which before the word elephant.
was shot by another member of his
group.
CORRECT: A well-known South
African hunter has died after he was
crushed to death by an elephant which
was shot by another member of his
group.
Rule 2 : ‘a’ is used before the vowels that have the sound of consonants
INCORRECT: An university is an A is used before the vowels that
institution of higher (or tertiary) have the sound of ‘yu‘. Some
education and research which grants examples are a unit, a university,
academic degrees in various academic a European, a Uniform, a Useful
disciplines thing, a union
CORRECT: A university is an
institution of higher (or tertiary)
education and research which grants
academic degrees in various academic
disciplines
INCORRECT : I have an one rupee ‘a’ is used when ‘o’ is sounded as
note signed by Montek S Ahluwalia. ‘wa’
CORRECT : I have a one rupee note
signed by Montek S Ahluwalia.
Rule 3 : ‘an’ is used before the consonants that have the sound of vowels
INCORRECT : A hour of running may An hour, an honest man, an
add seven hours to your life. honourable man are sounded as
CORRECT : An hour of running may our, onest and onourable and
add seven hours to your life. therefore an is used

Rule 4. used when mentioning someone or something for the first time in a
text or conversation
INCORRECT : She’s got boyfriend First time a person is mentioned
CORRECT : She’s got a boyfriend and therefore ‘a’ is used
INCORRECT : Man came out of the First time a person is mentioned
room and therefore ‘a’ is used
CORRECT : A man came out of the
room
Rule 5. used before some nouns of action when referring to one example of
the action
INCORRECT: There was knocking at There was a specific action and
the door therefore ‘a’ is used
CORRECT : There was a knocking at
the door
Rule 6. ‘a’ is used when referring to any individual to represent a class.
INCORRECT: Peacock dances Peacock is a class. To refer any
beautifully. specific peacock to represent the
CORRECT : A peacock dances class ‘a’ is used.
beautifully.
Rule 7. used before the first but not the second of two nouns that are referred
to as one unit
INCORRECT: She gave coffee in a cup Cup and saucer is one unit and
and a saucer therefore a is used one time only.
CORRECT : She gave coffee in a cup
and saucer
Rule 8. a/an are used as determiners with a meaning of ONE.
INCORRECT: There were three men There was ONE woman and
and woman therefore ‘a’ is used
CORRECT : There were three men and
a woman
INCORRECT: It required three Three quarters of ONE hour is
quarters of hour to complete the task required. So, ‘an’ is used in place
CORRECT : It required three quarters of ONE.
of an hour to complete the task
INCORRECT : She earns Rs 10,00,000 In ONE year she earns Rs
one year. 10,00,000 and therefore ‘a’ is used
CORRECT : She earns Rs 10,00,000 a before’ year’
year.
Rule 9. When the word ‘such’ is applied to countable things, the indefinite
article is used after ‘such’
INCORRECT: Mr. Ram is an honest After ‘such’, a or an need to be
man. You can not find such man in our used.
village
CORRECT: Mr. Ram is an honest man.
You can not find such a man in our
village
Rules For Definite Article ‘THE’:
Rule 10. Definite article ‘the’ is used when we want to particularize a
person/thing/place/ animal etc.
INCORRECT : House that I bought We are talking about the specific
recently is a very spacious one. house
CORRECT : The house that I bought
recently is a very spacious one.
INCORRECT : I went to girl in blue Specific girl is being referred here.
and asked for driving directions
CORRECT : I went to the girl in blue
and asked for driving directions
Rule 11. Before the names of certain well-known books ‘the’ is used. If the
authors name is used before the book, there is no need to use any article .

INCORRECT : Ramayana is an ancient We need to keep the before

Indian epic poem which narrates the Ramayana
struggle of the divine prince Rama to
rescue his wife Sita from the demon
king Ravana
CORRECT : The Ramayana is an
ancient Indian epic poem which
narrates the struggle of the divine prince
Rama to rescue his wife Sita from the
demon king Ravana
INCORRECT : The Valmiki's When authors name comes before
Ramayana is an epic poem of some the famous book, no need to use
24,000 verses ‘the’.
CORRECT : Valmiki's Ramayana is an
epic poem of some 24,000 verses
Rule 12. Before the names of newspapers, magazines etc .
INCORRECT: Hindustan Times is very The is required before news
popular in northern parts of India papers such as The times of
CORRECT : The Hindustan Times is India,The Hindu,The Hindustan
very popular in northern parts of India Times,The competition success
review etc.

Rule 13. Here are the rules for geographical bodies. Definite article ‘the’ is used …
a) Before the names of rivers, oceans ,gulfs and bays (but not before lakes)
b) Before the ranges of mountains and groups of islands (but not before any specific mountain/ island)
c) Before the names of areas which represent group of states
d) Before plural names of countries such as The Netherlands
e) Before the names of universal objects
INCORRECT : Ganges river starts The is used before rivers (The
from a glacier called Gangotri Glacier. Thames, The Nile, The Ganges,
CORRECT : The Ganges river starts The Indus etc.)
from a glacier called Gangotri Glacier.
INCORRECT : Alps are the youngest Use the before mountain ranges
and highest mountain system in Europe (The Alps, The Himalayas etc.)
CORRECT : The Alps are the youngest
and highest mountain system in Europe
INCORRECT : Sherpa Tenzing, and Sir The individual mountains do not
Edmund Hillary became the first two have ‘the’ placed before them
people to reach the summit of the such as
Mount Everest, the world's tallest Mount Everest,Mount Abu,Mount
mountain. Blame etc.
CORRECT : Sherpa Tenzing, and Sir
Edmund Hillary became the first two
people to reach the summit of Mount
Everest, the world's tallest mountain.
INCORRECT : Deccan Plateau is a Before the names of areas which
large plateau in southern India. represent group of states (The
CORRECT : The Deccan Plateau is a Deccan,The Carnatic etc.)
large plateau in southern India.
INCORRECT : Nitish Kumar has been The is not used before names of
Chief Minister of the Bihar since individual states
February 2015
CORRECT : Nitish Kumar has been
Chief Minister of Bihar since February
2015
INCORRECT : The European part of Countries with plural name
Netherlands borders Germany to the required ‘the’. (The Netherlands,
east, Belgium to the south, and the The United States of America, The
North Sea to the northwest Philippines, The Maldives, The
CORRECT : The European part of the UK, The West Indies)
Netherlands borders Germany to the
east, Belgium to the south, and the
North Sea to the northwest
INCORRECT : I visited the Belgium ‘The’ is not used before names of
last year the countries which are not plural
CORRECT : I visited Belgium last year
INCORRECT : Sun raises in the east The is used before names of
CORRECT : The sun raises in the east universal bodies (The Sun The
Moon, The Stars, The World, The
Earth, The Galaxy etc.)
Rule14. Before the names of public buildings like institutions or associations
INCORRECT : Taj Mahal is an ivory- The is used before public
white marble mausoleum on the south buildings (The Taj Mahal, The
bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian National Museum)
city of Agra
CORRECT : The Taj Mahal is an ivory-
white marble mausoleum on the south
bank of the Yamuna river in the Indian
city of Agra
Rule 15. Before the names of peoples(nations), families, and adjectives
formed from proper nouns
INCORRECT : French community in The is used before names of
India consists mainly of Indian citizens people. (The Turkish tobacco,The
of French ancestry who are descended French,The Chinese,The
from former French settlers, and Nehrus,The Smiths, The
colonists who settled in India since the Hindus,The Buddhists etc)
17th century.
CORRECT : The French community in
India consists mainly of Indian citizens
of French ancestry who are descended
from former French settlers, and
colonists who settled in India since the
17th century.
Rule 16. Before superlatives
INCORRECT: Akbar was Greatest ruler
among the Mughals
CORRECT : Akbar was the Greatest
ruler among the Mughals
Rule 17. The is used before the names of unique designations or positions
INCORRECT : Narendra Modi is Prime Prime Minister position is unique
Minister of India and so the use of ‘the’. (The PM,
CORRECT : Narendra Modi is the The CM, The CEO, The General
Prime Minister of India Manager, The President of India)
Rule 18. The is used before the names of directions
INCORRECT : Why does the Sun rise The is used before directions
in east and set in west?
CORRECT: Why does the Sun rise in
the east and set in the west?
Rule 19. The definite article is used as an adverb with a comparative
INCORRECT : Sooner something gets Sooner and better are
done, better things will be. comparatives
CORRECT: The sooner something gets
done, the better things will be
Rule 20. The is used before the names of ordinal numbers
INCORRECT : Australia's involvement The is used before ordinal
in First World War began when Britain numbers (the third round, the
and Germany went to war on 4 August second world war, the fifteenth of
1914 August etc.)
CORRECT : Australia's involvement in
the First World War began when Britain
and Germany went to war on 4 August
1914
Rules for ‘NO ARTICLES’
Rule 21: Uncountable nouns like milk, wine, information, food, air,
equipment, sand, wood, etc. Can’t be counted. Hence, a or an (indef. Art. )
will not be used with them
INCORRECT: A milk can provide Milk is uncountable nouns and
protein for a nutritionally balanced diet hence can’t be counted. Therefore
CORRECT : Milk can provide protein a should not be used before milk
for a nutritionally balanced diet

Applied Grammar :
We have not learnt the above rules for the sake of learning rules. The purpose
was to apply these rules and identify if there are mistakes in using the articles
in any given sentence. We should also be able to correct the sentence by
applying the above rules. Now let us try to apply these rules and find answers
for the questions asked in competitive exams such as IBPS Pos, SSC CGL,
Civil Services, Groups etc.
Directions: In these questions, read each sentence to find out whether there is
any error in it. The error, if any, will be in one part of the sentence. The
number of that part is the answer. If there is no error, the answer is (D) .
Q1:
A) Tea
B) which I am drinking
C) is hot
D) No error
Rule 10. Definite article ‘the’ is used when we want to particularize a
person/thing/place/ animal etc.
In this question, ‘tea which I am drinking’ is different from the tea which
others are drinking. Here the tea is particularized and therefore definite article
‘the’ need to be used before ‘tea’. So, the correct sentence is
Incorrect: Tea which I am drinking is hot
Correct: The tea which I am drinking is hot
Q2:
A) In world of ours
B) one has to compete
C) for almost everything.
D) No error
Rule 13(e): Definite article ‘the’ is used before the names of universal objects
In this question ‘world’ is universal object and it should be preceded by
definite article ‘the’.
Incorrect: In world of ours one has to compete for almost everything
Correct: In the world of ours one has to compete for almost everything
Q3:
A) My aunt
B) was first
C) to get a degree.
D) No error
Rule 20: The is used before the names of ordinal numbers
The is used before ordinal numbers such as the third round, the second world
war, the fifteenth of August. In the above sentence ‘the first’ replaces ‘first’
Incorrect: My aunt was first to get a degree
Correct: My aunt was the first to get a degree
Q4 :
A) Teachers were instructed
B) to follow an uniform method
C) of evaluation
D) no error
Rule 2: ‘a’ is used before the vowels that have the sound of consonants
Here ‘uniform’ is sounded like ‘yuniform’. Therefore ‘a’ need to be used
rather than ‘an’
Incorrect: Teachers were instructed to follow an uniform method of evaluation
Correct: Teachers were instructed to follow a uniform method of evaluation
Q5:
A) Many overseas students
B) attend colleges
C) in the great Britain
D) No error
Rule 13(d): Definite article ‘the’ is used before plural names of countries (such
as The Netherlands, The United States of America, The Philippines, The
Maldives, The UK)
In the given sentence ‘the’ is used before Great Britain. ‘The’ is used if we say
‘The UK’ as UK is plural name. ‘United Kingdom’, ‘United States’ etc. denote
union of territories. But ‘Great Britain’ is singular.
Incorrect: Many overseas students attend colleges in the Great Britain
Incorrect: Many overseas students attend colleges in Great Britain
Q6:
A) In 1906 a earthquake
B) destroyed much
C) of San Francisco
D) No error
Rule 1: ‘a’ is used before words which begin with consonants and ‘an’ is used
if the words begin with vowels.
‘earthquake’ starts with ‘e’, which is an oval. Therefore ‘an’ is used rather than
‘a’
Incorrect: In 1906 a earthquake destroyed much of San Francisco
Correct: In 1906 an earthquake destroyed much of San Francisco
Q7:
A) The wise father told hi m
B) that the mangoes had gone bad as they were
C) in contact with the one rotten mango.
D) No error
Rule 8. a/an are used as determiners with a meaning of ONE.
‘in contact with a rotten mango’ is correct. Use of ‘one’ in place of ‘a’ looks
very odd.
Incorrect: The wise father told him that the mangoes had gone bad as they
were in contact with the one rotten mango
Correct: The wise father told him that the mangoes had gone bad as they were
in contact with a rotten mango
Q8:
A) Although the police officer sympathised with poor
B) he refused to
C) take action against the rich man
D) No error
Rule 15. Before the names of peoples(nations), families, and adjectives
formed from proper nouns
‘The’ is used before ‘poor’ in this situation based on the rule given above.
Incorrect: Although the police officer sympathised with poor he refused to take
action against the rich man
Incorrect: Although the police officer sympathised with the poor he refused
to take action against the rich man
Q9:
A) The way to increase the production of the food
B) is to bring more land
C) under cultivation.
D) No error
Rule 21: Uncountable nouns like milk, wine, information, food, air,
equipment, sand, wood, etc. Can’t be counted. Hence, a or an (indef. Art. ) will
not be used with them
In the above sentence ‘the’ is used before uncountable noun ‘food’, which is
wrong.
Incorrect: The way to increase the production of the food is to bring more land
under cultivation.
Correct: The way to increase the production of food is to bring more land
under cultivation .
Now I leave the choice to you. You may choose between ‘adult learning
technique’ versus ‘learning from the basics’. If you have issues in English
language and if you have chosen English as medium of expression, you don’t
have Buddha’s third choice of ‘leaving it’. Take the bull bt the horns – success
will be yours!

How To Manage Time And Answer All The Questions ?

W e should write what all we know in the exam. If we manage to write only
80% of what we know, then our chances will be curtailed to clear the exam as
there will be somebody else who is as knowledgeable as us and also manage
his time in the exam hall properly and write all what he knows.
For example let us take APPSC or TSPSC Group 1 Mains. There will be 15
questions with each question for 10 marks. If you know answers for all 15
questions and manage to write only 12 out of 15 then you are attempting for
120 marks. Let us assume that, on average you cover 80% of the content
required for those questions. Here we need to understand that we get only 80%
marks for descriptive questions even if we write really well. So, we will end
up getting 120 x 0.8 x 0.8 = 77 marks. But if we manage to write all 15
answers in the stipulated time we will get 96 marks. If we get 77 marks on
average in each paper we will end up with 385. Most of the people end up in
this range and we may not clear mains. If we manage 96 in each paper, we will
get 480 and it will fetch a slot in top 10 in the list.
In APPSC Group 1, they gave 3 hours to answer 15 questions. It means
Total Time = 3 x 60 = 180 minutes
Words To Be Written (Aprox) / Question = 225
Total Words = 225 x 15 = 3375
Word/Minute = 3375/180 = 18.75 words / minute
For Civil Services Q1 to 10 need to be written in 150 words and each question
will fetch 10 marks. For Q.11 to 20 we need to write in 250 words and we get
15 marks each. Total words to be written is 1500 plus 2500 which is 4000
words. So, we need to write 22.2 words per minute. We get 180 minutes of
total time to handle these questions. When we take into account total time
required to cover 250 marks paper, we need to cover 1 mark in 180/250
minutes which is approximately 43.2 seconds for each mark.
Marks based allocation of time:
Initial 10 questions in GS1, GS2 and GS3 have a word limit of 150 and they
fetch 10 marks each.
Total Time for 10 marks questions = 10 x 43.2 = 432 Secs = 7.2 Mins
Speed to be maintained = 150/7.2 = 20.8 words/minutes
Next 10 questions in GS1, GS2 and GS3 have a word limit of 250 and they
fetch 15 marks each.
Total Time for 10 marks questions = 15 x 43.2 = 648 Secs = 10.8 Mins
Speed to be maintained = 250/10.8 = 23.1 words/minute s
Words based allocation of time:
Initial 10 questions in GS1, GS2 and GS3 have a word limit of 150 and they
fetch 10 marks each.
Words for each question = 150
Average speed to be maintained = 22.2 words/minute
Time for each question = 150/22.2 = 6.75
Next 10 questions in GS1, GS2 and GS3 have a word limit of 250 and they
fetch 15 marks each.
Words for each question = 250
Average speed to be maintained = 22.2 words/minute
Time for each question = 250/22.2 = 11.26
How much time that we need to allocate? I think we better allocate time based
on marks, which is 7.2 minutes for 10 marks question and 10.8 minutes for 15
marks question. It is because the time required to framing of answer and
recollection of points is almost same irrespective of marks allocated to the
question.
To explain why we need to allocate 7.2 minutes rather than 6.75 minutes, I
would like to tell about similar concepts. In Mechanical Engineering, there are
problems regarding production rate. In those problems we need to subtract
‘setup time’ to arrive at production rate. Similarly CAs know that we need to
take into account ‘ordering cost’ to arrive at Economic Ordering Quantity
(EOQ). If you are neither a mechanical engineer or a chartered accountant, you
don’t worry. I will give a simple example. I promised in the beginning that I
will make you a master chef as for as producing civil services answers are
concerned. So, I will explain using cooking example.
For example in a hotel the prices of 3 different dishes are as follows
Dal Fry (Small) Rs 200
Dal Fry (Large) Rs 300
Malai Kufta Curry(Small) Rs 200
Malai Kufta Curry (Large) Rs 300
Paneer Butter Masala(Small) Rs 200
Paneer Butter Masala(Large) Rs 300
We get two different orders from the customers. First one is 1 small each of
Dal Fry, Malai Kufta Curry and Paneer Butter Masala. Second order is for 1
large each of Malai Kufta Curry and Paneer Butter Masala. Both the order
values are the same which is Rs 600. But, being a chef you know, if one person
is handling the order, it will take less total time in second order when
compared to the first order. Same is the case with civil services answer writing
for GS 1 to 3. It will take less time to take two 15 marks questions than to
write three 10 marks questions .

I asked my students preparing for APPSC Group 1 mains to analyze their

speed and report to me on various parameters.
1. Speed: Count words written for answering each question and time taken for
it. Calculate your writing speed in words/minute (while writing the exam). If
there is any change in handwriting for any question, please mention it. (For
example, if your handwriting very good for the initial question mention it.
Also if your handwriting is not that good in the last two answers, please
mention the same. See if there is any correlation between handwriting and
writing speed).
2. Hand Speed: Write the same answer again by keeping the answer written by
you in front of you (copywriting) and see how much time you take. Calculate
words/minute while rewriting/ copywriting.
3. Thinking Speed (or) Mind Speed : Time taken in the exam - Time taken to
rewrite = Time you took for thinking and framing the answer.
4. Variability in Speed: Explain variability in terms of the number of words per
minute in each question. Why you took more words (or fewer words) for a
particular question.
5. Variability in time: Explain variability in terms of time taken for each
question. Why you took more time (or less time) for a particular question.
6.. What is your game plan/strategy? How will you address this issue?
I am sharing their reports here as I think that we can make some valid
conclusions from this analysis and we can arrive at strategies to improve
speed. All these students are preparing for APPSC Group 1.
STUDENT 1: (15 Qs 3 Hrs)
1. Written 13 question with around 5 mins left but couldn't attempt other 2
questions due to lack of specific information and lack of time.
2. Took more time for initial 5 to 6 questions (15 mins each) - Because i had
written them with good handwriting. Also I used more words in these answers
3. From 6th question, i came across questions which i didn't see previously, so
i had to think about the structure of answer as well as content. For these
questions, wrote less points and handwriting is not as good as the one used in
the initial answers.
4. Questionwise analysis: Q1: I have fair idea about the question.
Remembering court judgements (2 to 3 mins) took major share of thinking
time. Q3: Took some time (1 to 2 mins) to think of the issues faced by the
nation which can be incorporated as duties.Q4: I don’t exactly remember
reforms proposed in 2016, so took time to think (2 to 3 mins). I got less marks
as some general points were also written. Q5: Have good idea on what needs
to be written, but wrote some content which is not required. Q6: I have excess
content and I took more time to priorities and to condense Q7. Wrote more
introduction and conclusion than required Q10: Took some time to recollect
ToR (around 1 to 2 mins). Q11: Wrote introduction, though it is not required
for this question. Q12: Know the content well but took time to generate points
from different perspectives (2 to 3 mins). Q14 & 15: Know the content well
but due to time constraint handwriting has changed
STUDENT 2: (5 Qs 1 Hr)
As part of the experiment to understand my writing speed I wrote answers for
5 questions. Each question is for 10 marks and I am given 1 hour for writing
the answers with word limitation of 250 per question. I wrote start time and
end time for all the questions and counted the words and time taken for each
question. Here are the observations.
Speed Range: Here is the writing speed range. For a 128 word answer I took
15 minutes which means that I could write 8 words/ minute. For another
question I could write 195 words in the same 15 minutes. So, for this question
my speed was 13 words/minute. My speed range is 8 to 13 words / minute.
Hand Speed: After the exam I wrote an answer by seeing the answer which I
already wrote. It is a copy writing exercise by seeing the content which is
already written. I could write 128 words in 4 minutes. Which means, I could
write 32 words/minute in this way.
Mind Speed : For writing 128 words by thinking, recollecting and framing the
answer I took 15 minutes. For the same content, I took 4 minutes for simply
writing by seeing the already written answer. Which means that I took 11
minutes for thinking. So, my mind required 11 minutes to frame an answer
which has 128 words. Therefore my mind speed was 11 words/minute for this
answer.
The bottle neck : Targeted writing speed is 21 words/ minute. My hand speed
is 32 words/minute and my mind speed is just 11 words/minute.
Why I took so much time for thinking?: One reason is that I don’t know much
about this topic. I had to think and think to create ‘some’ content. One more
reason is that I don’t have the practice of writing descriptive answers.
Mentor’s Observation:
Thinking Speed (Mind Speed): Present = 11 words / min ( Suggested= 75
WPM)
Writing Speed (Hand Speed): Present = 34 words / min ( Suggested = 25
WPM or more )
Issue: Problem is with ‘thinking speed’. Improve it.
Way Forward: I am asked by Ravi Sir to keep writing 250 words in 10 minutes
on whatever topic I am comfortable with by keeping stop watch. This will
force fast thinking and then fast writing will become a habit. Also by studying
more and revising the topics that I already read I will improve my thinking
speed.
STUDENT 3: (15 Qs 3 Hrs)
I could finish only 9 questions in 3 hours. Remaining 6 questions I wrote after
time out.
Q6. Time -9 mins, Words - 203, Thinking Time- 2.2 mins; well known
question.
Q7. Time -12 mins, Words - 210, Thinking Time – 5 mins
Q8. Time -19 mins, Words -264, Thinking Time - 10.2 mins; Confusion
regarding discretionary and non-discretionary powers of the governor.
Processing was required.
Q9. Time -21 mins, Words -309, Thinking Time - 10.7mins. Got too many
points and it took time to limit the words and points. Lot of time was spent for
condensing. Even then I exceeded word limit.
Q10. Time -20 mins, Words -262, Thinking Time -11. Not read this topic
recently. I answered it based on long term memory and it took long time to
recollect.
Q11. Time -20mins, Words - 249, Thinking Time - 11.7. Confused between
Gram Sabha and Panchayat functions. Limitations were not clear.
Q12. Time -20mins, Words -248, Thinking Time -11.7, Not read this topic
recently. I answered it based on long term memory and it took long time to
recollect.
Q14. Time - 20mins, Words - 245, Thinking Time - 11.8. Not read this topic
recently
Q15. Time -18mins, Words - 287, Thinking Time - 8.4mins , Took time to
generate points for supporting judicial review.
After the Exam I wrote the following…
Q1. Time - 25mins, Words -180.Thinking Time- 19mins. I don't know much
about that question.
Q2. Time -21mins, Words-192 Thinking Time -14.8, Not read recently. Wrote
it based on long term memory .
Q3. Time-25mins, Words-200 Thinking Time- 18.3mins, Thought provoking.
Need original thinking (“suggest new fundamental duties that can be added”)
Q4. Time -21mins, Words -240, Thinking Time -13mins, Analytical question.
Required time.
Q5. Time -20mins, Words -254, Thinking Time - 11.5min, Not read recently.
Wrote it based on long term memory.
Q13. Time -25mins, Words -209 Thinking Time – 18 mins, Not read recently.
Wrote it based on long term memory.
Here are my observations:
1. When the answer is known, it takes less time
2. When the topic is read recently, it takes less time. It takes more time to
recollect from long term memory
3. If the question is fact based, it takes less time. If it is analytical, more time is
required
4. It takes more time if there is need to order/group the points
5. If there is any confusion in the topic, it takes more time to resolve the
confusion
6. If too much is known on a topic, then it takes time to prioritize
Based on the time and work study that I have done with my students, I am
sharing my observations here.
Pick Up Time: Ferrari 812 can sprint from 0 to 100 kmph in 2.9 seconds. Fiat
Abarth Punto can move from 0 to 100 kmph within 8.8 seconds. Hundai R
2.0L CRDi takes 9.3 seconds. As there are different pickup speeds for different
cars, different students take different times to pick up speed. Some students try
to produce ideal answers in the beginning. Once they understand that they are
running late, they will try to complete the rest of the questions in a haste.
Better approach is to have time sense from the beginning.
Acquaintance Vs Time: If you know the answer well, you can write the answer
in shorter time when compared to the questions for which you don’t know the
answer well.
Long Term Vs Short Term Memory: It takes more time to write the same
number of words in the answer if the topic based on long term memory when
compared to short term memory. For example if it takes 8 minutes to write 200
words from short term memory, it takes more than 8 minutes if it is from the
long term memory. So, we need to have revision before the exam to improve
writing spee d
Time Spent On Less Relevant Stuff: If you write anything which is not asked,
you will lose words as well as time. Based on the experience of my students, I
can tell that it is extremely difficult to cover 20 questions in 3 hours, even if
we confines to the expected boundaries. If anyone writes less relevant and
irrelevant stuff, he or she will not be able to answer all the 20 questions.
Word Limit & Time: One must stick to the word limit. Otherwise, all questions
cannot be handled in the given time.
Time For Condensing: Generally we think that knowing more is always a good
thing. But, it takes more time to condense. For example, if you have 600 words
of content for a question and you are asked to write in 150 words, it takes time
to condense. I am not saying that one should know less. I am one should have
capacity to condense or expand quickly.
Regular Practice & Writing Speed: Based on the observations made based on
writing speed of multiple students, it is found that regular practice and writing
speed are directly proportional. So, more practice – more speed.
Analytical Vs Fact Based: Analytical questions and thought provoking
questions take more time when compared to factual or descriptive questions
Confusion -> More Time: If there is confusion about any particular concept or
topic, then it takes more time to answer questions in that topic. So, clarity of
thought can save time in the exam hall.
Way Forward:
1. Keep track of time while answering. Write start and end time for each
question that you answer in the mock tests.
2. Daily write 3 answers keeping time limit
3. Have revision notes for all subjects and revise them regularly. Right way to
revise is not to read the revision notes. Right way to revise to write the
revision notes without seeing it.
4. Don’t write irrelevant and less relevant points, even if you have nothing else
to write. If you don’t have more relevant points for a question, save time here
and use it for other questions.
5. Be ready with comparisons, cause-effect relations, analysis upfront so that it
will take less time in the exam hall. At home, you mother takes at least 2 hours
to prepare your lunch, but in a restaurant it takes less than 20 minutes. The
reason is that the chef in the restaurant is ready with semi-processes stuff. In
the same manner, you need to be well prepared for all sorts of questions to be
able to handle all of them in the exam hall .
How To Handle General Essay?
“ I was one of those who made these errors in the past, and it is not a
coincidence that I scored only 100 in CSE 2015. But in 2017, I devoted
adequate time to this paper. I collected useful quotes, prepared notes and even
made rough essay drafts for frequently asked topics. All this effort in essay
paper helped me score 155” - Anudeep Durishetty (AIR 1 – CSE 2017)
100 to 155 out of 250! – it can make all the difference, right?
“I thought I had written a very good essay last year. Yet, when the marks came,
I found out I had got only 80 / 200. Essay, together with GS, had pulled my
rank down. So I sat down with my father, spoke to a couple of friends, took
everybody’s feedback and concluded that there were 3-4 things I needed to
work upon. I tried to improve upon them this year, and thankfully it worked
and I got 135 / 250 this time” - Gaurav Agarwal (AIR 1 – CSE 2013)
Now that we heard from the toppers on the importance of scoring well in
General Essay, let us try to understand what essay writing is and decode essay
writing skills.
Essay writing has important skills development and educational functions. It allows you to practise and
develop transferable skills that are valuable to you not only while you’re a student but also when you
graduate and have to write in a professional role.
These transferable skills include
reading and note-making,
critical thinking and analysis,
organising ideas,
arguing a case,
and communicating effectively with a reader.
It encourages you to develop a formal, disciplined approach to writing that communicates clearly and
with authority.
It gives you a focus for exploring and consolidating what you’re learning.
It allows you to develop and organise your thinking about key concepts and issues in the course you’re
studying.
Many students find essay writing difficult and frustrating. They know what they want to say, but when it
comes to expressing themselves through the essay medium, they encounter problems. Not only do they
have to address the complexities of their topic, but they also have to follow the conventions of the formal
essay. The task seems daunting. Broken down into its basic components, however, essay writing is not so
difficult. Curtin University (Sydney) states that there are three key elements of a good essay

1. FOCUS: Focus is the most important element of a successful essay. An essay should not
try to say everything about the topic but, rather, should focus on one or a group of related
aspects of the topic. It gives accurate sense of essays scope and direction.
2. ORGANIZATION: Closely related to focus, sound organization is essential. Each point in
support of the central theme needs to be expressed in a well-structured paragraph, and
these paragraphs need to be ordered logically to convince the reader that the essay’s central
theme is valid. Paragraphs need to be linked by transition markers that guide the reader
from one point to the next, thus integrating the essay.
3. CLARITY: A well-focused and well-organized essay must also communicate with the
reader in a clear ‘reader-friendly’ way. Diction, sentence structure, grammar, punctuation,
and syntax all play a part in clear writing, and all these are aspects of writing that can be
accomplished with practice.

Of course, the content must also be sound, but that is not enough to gain good scores in essay, Let us now
see what UPSC expects from us in essay writing:

“They are expected to keep their thoughts closely to the subject and arrange their ideas in orderly
fashion and be concise . Credit will be given to effective and coherent expression.”
In General Studies, content is the king. But in General Essay language and expression plays equally
important role. Let me put it in equation form.
General Essay = Content + {Focus + Structure + Conciseness + Coherent + Effective}
It goes without saying that there should not be any grammatical mistakes. One thing I would like to
highlight here, ‘if general essay also looks for content, then why having a separate paper for it?’. When
all subjects are sufficiently covered in GS papers, there would be no reason for having General Essay if
only content is expected in it. Here are the things that will be looked for by UPSC.

• To keep closely to the subject of the essay (respect the boundary)

• to arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion (logical sequencing)
• to write concisely (less words)
• effective and exact expression .(effective)
Now let us see what APPSC say on essay writing
This paper is designed to test candidate's

• knowledge / awareness of a variety of Subjects and

• their ability to compose a sustained piece of writing in the form of an essay.
• Ability to compose a well-argued piece of writing
• Ability to express coherently and sequentially
• Awareness of the subject chosen Evaluation / Marking:
Credit will be given for the following:

• Observing established rules and format for essay writing

• Grammatical correctness of expression
• Originality of thought and expression .
So, some Public Service Commissions such as APPSC gives equal importance to content. Even APPSC
recognizes the importance of language and expression.
Here are some basic concepts that you need to keep in mind regarding essay writing.
Use Clear & Simple Language: Clarity of thought and clarity of expression are important. Explain if you
use any jargon. Avoid bad sentence sprawl.
Exercise 1: Rewrite the following sentence using clear and simple language.
“At the end of World War 2, on the one hand, while capitalism was successfully championed by the
nations in North America and Europe, on the other hand, it was USSR that put Communism at the
forefront due to which there was an ideological clash between the two superpowers which had led to
proxy wars in various parts of the globe, a nuclear arms race and a rapid deterioration of the security of
the world”
Rewrite here.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------
Solution 1:
After World War 2, while the North American and European nations championed capitalism, USSR put
communism at the forefront. This ideological clash between the superpowers led to several proxy wars, a
nuclear arms race and a rapid deterioration of world security.
Don’t Target Subject Experts: Make your essay understandable to everybody. Please read what Gaurav
Agarwal said about it.
“Last year I wrote on the PPP topic which was from my subject area (Economics). So while writing the
essay, I put in many higher economics concepts like lemon’s problem, information asymmetry, agent –
principle problem. I thought this would give my essay a killer punch. But this didn’t …” – Gaurav
Agarwal
Wide Range: Don’t cover only a narrow range of points. Try to cover social, political, economic, historic,
cultural , linguistic, national, international, humanistic dimensions of the problem. It is not sufficient to
cover only single dimension in general essay.
Vocabulary: Occasional use of a powerful word, or a good phrase definitely gives your write-up an edge
Sub Headings: Be innovative in using subheadings. See the following examples to understand what I
mean by having better sub-headings

• ‘ Benefits of Nuclear Energy’ -- -- > “ Nuclear Energy: Promise or Peril?’

• ‘ Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Media ’, -- -- > “Social Media: A Double Edged
Sword”
Cohesion: Transition between paragraphs can help in achieving cohesion in the essay. It can be achived
in the following ways

• Through a link sentence at the end of a paragraph

• Through a question
• Signaling the shift at the start of next paragraph
• Repeated Reinforcement
• Declare upfront what to expect

Link Sentence: For example, let’s say you have just written a paragraph about the threat posed by
Artificial Intelligence (AI) to jobs. At the end of that paragraph you can write a link sentence—
“Further, we must be mindful of the fact that Artificial Intelligence poses a major challenge not just
economically, but also ethically.” And in the next paragraph, you can write about the ethical issues
concerning AI.

Through a question: “Thus we have examined the threat posed by AI to our economy, but what about the
challenges brought by AI to our ethics and morals?” And in the next paragraph, you can write about the
ethical issues concerning AI.

Signaling the shift at the start: For example in an essay on Globalisation , let’s say you have just written
a para about its historical evolution and impact. You can start the next para with something like—
“Politically too, globalisation has had a tremendous impact……” This way examiner immediately knows
what to expect.
Repeated Reinforcement: You can reinforce the theme from the introduction to conclusion throughout
the essay.
Declare upfront: Another way of achieving continuity is to divide the essay into various sections with
headings for each section and then in the introduction part itself mention that the essay is divided into
following sections and these are the sections to come
Introduction: An examiner will probably read hundreds of essays on the same topic, and is likely to get
bored after some time. As such, our beginning must be interesting so as to capture his/her imagination at
the very outset. Introduction can be in any of the following formats

• a fictitious incident or story (where you introduce a character);

• a real life anecdote;
• a quote;
• a historic perspective
• a simple definition of the words in the question (not recommended in Essay – but useful in GS)
Try to write introduction for the following quotation
Exercise 2: “Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classroom”

an example or
a statistic or
Law Commission’s opinion as to how the subjects of death penalty are overwhelming for
poor communities.

Building an argument: Here is how you can build an argument

1. First present the counter argument in detail

2. Make sure that you high light the points which you can counter
3. Counter all the counter arguments one by one and substantiate your points
4. Give your opinion in the end (as you understood counter arguments and handled them
well, your opinion will look solid)

Freshness: You can achieve freshness by giving less known facts, fresh perspectives and less used
phrases or quotes. Reader should get ‘something new’. Value for time proposition should work for those
who read it. It should ‘stand out’ and look different. It should also give an impression that the author of
the essay is well read and is having intellectual bent of mind.
Conclusion: Conclusion needs to be on a futuristic, optimistic note. You need to summarise the complete
essay in 3-4 sentences, after which you can write your vision for future. Rhetoric, lofty expressions,
constitutional ideals, Sanskrit slokas and quotes are a good way to conclude. If you had written about a
fictitious character, then it’s always advisable to end your write-up with a reference to that character
What To Avoid?:

• Do not focus excessively only on one point, or one dimension

• Don’t get carried away. Always stick to the subject of the topic
• If you are not comfortable writing about abstract philosophical topics or any other topic avoid
such questions
• if there’s a technical term in the question, be doubly sure that you understand it correctly (in
2014, there was a question on ‘standard tests’, which is a technical term. I misunderstood it and
wrote a generic essay. I got only 112 – Anudeep)
• When you take a final stand on an issue, it’s best to avoid extreme or highly unpopular opinions
(when you take a stance, it’s best to be an abolitionist)
• Do not dedicate disproportionate amount of time for the first essay
• Don’t write very long paragraphs
• Don’t divert from the topic frequently
• Don’t write anything without putting in sufficient examples
• Don’t express extreme opinions
• Don’t jump abruptly from one dimension of the essay to another

Prepare A Skeleton: Devising a structure for your essay is the most difficult as well as important part of
essay writing. It will make sure your ideas come across in a clear and logical order. It acts like a blueprint
to your essay. Here are the steps involved in developing a skeleton.
STEP 1: Understand the Question
STEP 2: Brain Storm
STEP 3: Organize thoughts in a sequence
STEP 4: Prepare a skeleton
STEP 5: Work Out Minor Details and incorporate in the skeleton
Now, I would like you to write an essay. Before you start writing essay, develop a skeleton.
Exercise 3: “SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY IS THE PANACEA FOR THE GROWTH AND
SECURITY OF THE NATION”
SKELETON:

Version 1: (Essay from a Website)

There is absolutely no doubt that we all are living in the age of science and
technology and based on these two wings of the human civilization for
achieving the feats we enjoy today. While the word science stands for a
systematic body of knowledge gained through observation of the natural
phenomenon and establishing the causal connections, technology means the
practical application of the knowledge for making lives more convenient. We
can never deny the effect of two earlier discoveries in the history of mankind
and how they worked for the growth of human civilization – fire and wheels.
A critical input
Science and Technology are two critical inputs for alleviation of poverty and
ensuring economic growth & development . In past the scientific methods
were more inclined on synthesis than on practical application and prediction of
behaviors. Now the advanced scientific and technical knowledge are applied
for bringing in substantial changes in the quality of life of the people all over
the world and this will increasingly be the most powerful determinant.
EFFECT ON NATIONAL GROWTH
All over the world, the growth of the nations is measured by GDP. This is in
fact the value of all goods and service produced by the Nation. Science and
Technology make immense contribution for increasing GDP of a Nation in
each and every sector such as agriculture, industrial & manufacturing, services
sectors etc.
Agriculture: When we consider agriculture, we find that advances in Science
and Technology has laid the foundation for Green Revolution by improved
seeds and method of cultivation for making many nations self sufficient in
foods.
Industrial & Manufacture: Scientific advancement made industrial
revolution possible and still now this is ushering with new methods of
producing goods at a lower cost; thus helping national growth.
Services sector: Advancement in the information technology has made
significant contributions in the growth of communication, banking,
insurance, transport, tourism or any other you name making a tremendous
impact on national growth
Health Care: Over the decades the advancement in Science & Technology
has made significant contribution in improving the average human health all
over the world. But there is no room for complacency and still much more has
to be done.
Energy & Environment: Only due to advancement in Science & Technology
it became possible to shift more towards clean energy without compromising
with the environment.
EFFECTS ON NATIONAL SECURITY
National security plays a very vital role in achieving economic growth and
sustaining the same. Nations with internal security problem tend to have the
economic system disrupted and thus, security has to be ensured. The modern
scientific developments had made many devices for tracking these disruptive
forces and weapons to counteract them. And when talking about the external
threats, we must keep in mind that only the powerful nations draw respect
from the others. Having A tom Bombs, ballistic missiles and other
intercontinental weapons are considered as an indicator of military power and
a nation can only achieve such feat with research and development in science
and technology.
The Bottom Line
Application of Science & Technology for national growth is dependent on the
wills of the people engaged in governance of the nation.
Version 2: ( GauravAgarwal – 2013 Civils Topper)
Disclaimer: “The below points have been reproduced from memory only and
may not be exactly what I wrote in the exam”.
Introduction
India was one of the richest nations in the world in the medieval ages i.e. 16th
and 17th centuries. Then Akbar rejected the Guttenberg press. Jahangir
rejected the water lift. Indian mariners took little interest in adopting the
compass and other marine discoveries of the world from the Europeans. The
result – within less than a century and a half – India became a slave to those
very Europeans!
India’s recent Mars mission – Mangalyaan – was criticised by some. Questions
were raised – can a country as poor as India afford to indulge in such scientific
‘extravaganza’? Wouldn’t this money be better spent on reducing poverty,
providing drinking water, sanitation etc.? But if history is any lesson,
Mangalyaan was every inch worth it at this cost (Rs. 450 crores), if for nothing
else then simply for keeping India on top of the technologies of the age and
developing scientific temper.
Science is essential for the development of a nation. Its most important
contribution is that it helps in creating the larger social ecosystem required for
growth. It promotes new ideas, removes all feudal institutions, conservatism,
superstitions. It makes society open to change – change which is essential for
the development of society. But it also creates many unintended challenges
and also may be inadequate by itself. So it is not a panacea and needs to be
managed well and supported by appropriate policy framework.
In the remaining paragraphs of the essay, we will explore each sector, see how
science is essential for the development of the sector and our security, yet it is
not the panacea and needs to be managed.
AGRICULTURE GROWTH AND FOOD SECURITY AND SCIENCE
– Talked about need of science for ensuring food security – our population is
growing, but acreage under cultivation is more or less stagnant. So need to
increase productivity which can come only by science .
– Talked about irrigation – india is a water scarce nation. so need to encourage
micro irrigation techniques.
– Talked about need of science in disaster warning, crop survey, marketing.
– Talked about use of biometrics in PDS to reduce leakages.
– All this way, science can help us reduce poverty as well, because
development of agriculture has highest impact on poverty.
– Talked about challenges created by science. Bt crops and farmer suicides. Bt
makes agriculture riskier, hence higher number of suicides. Suggested we need
to include socio economic considerations as well apart from scientific safety
while giving approvals.
– Talked about science alone not enough. we need to better supply chain,
invest more etc. On PDS, biometrics not the only solution, we need social
audits, universalisation etc. In water, need water audits, water user associations
etc.
– So science is essential but not the panacea. It needs to be managed.
INDUSTRY, SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT
ISSUES AND SCIENCE
– Talked about Industrial revolution, how it is ongoing and still needed.
– Talked about how technology has transformed our lives. mobiles, IT etc.
How we need it to improve governance.
– Talked about how science can help us discover substitutes for imports,
develop our own resource base.
– Gave the limitations of science here, need to focus on inclusive growth else
it won’t be sustainable. Talked about tribal displacement here.
– Moral of the story, science is absolutely essential, but not the panacea. We
need good policies as well.
ENERGY SECURITY ISSUES AND SCIENCE
– Talked about how we import most of our energy. But this is not a sustainable
system for a would be global power.
– So we need shale gas, coal bed methane, nuclear energy etc. on the supply
side and need more efficient vehicles, green buildings, ultra super power plants
on the demand side .
– But we also have lot of coal, gas and oil which we need to explore. To do
that we need right policies, land acquisition, environmental clearances, other
approvals etc.
– Also need to address the safety concerns of nuclear energy post Fukishama.
– Thus needs appropriate framework with science.
CLIMATE CHANGE SECURITY ISSUES AND SCIENCE
– Gave some findings of recent IPCC report, global warming. Gave the impact
of climate change on wheat production, Indian monsoons, cyclones.
– To mitigate i.e. reduce our emissions, we will need to develop own science
and tech. can’t import new technologies from west as they not giving aid any
more.
– To adapt, again need science. Need drought resistant crop varieties etc.
– In research also, we need advanced satellites, supercomputers. So science
needed.
– But climate change affects poor most. So need to ensure that these scientific
changes help the poor.
– So science is not the panacea, but is essential. Need appropriate policy
framework along with science.
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS SECURITY ISSUES AND SCIENCE
– Talked about cyclone Phailin and Uttarakhand floods. Phailin was so severe,
yet life loss was so less… why? because of science, we could accurately track
phailin and give meaningful actionable warnings to administration. But in
Uttarakhand, IMD’s forecasts are not accurate, vague and not actionable.
– But there are so many other aspects of disaster preparation. Administrative
will, planning, vulnerability studies etc. So science again is not the panacea,
though is imp. Need other things also.
BIOMEDICAL SECURITY ISSUES AND SCIENCE
– Talked about recent Novartis, Tykreb and Bayer compulsory license issues.
But said this cannot go on forever, specially if we want more FTAs.
– MNCs want profit, but we want public health. This conflict needs to be
resolved. We are a net patent importer. We need to change this by becoming
net patent generator. This can only happen with science .
– But then we ll have to ensure our own companies don’t become like these
MNCs. Issues such as clinical trials ethics is also there.
– So again, boss, science is essential, but not panacea. Needs proper policies.
INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL SECURITY ISSUES AND SCIENCE
– Wrote how china is developing its weapons ($100 bio defence budget),
talked how naxals, terrorists getting most modern. So we absolutely need
modern weapons, drones etc.
– Talked of NSA Prism. Need to safeguard our data.
– But science can only give us the weapon. It still needs to be fired. That will
happen only with a political order. So we need political will. We need
intelligence coordination.
– So again, without science we can’t do anything, but science is not the
panacea. Need political will, policies etc.
CONCLUSION
– Repeated, science is essential, but not maaibaap.
(Approach: Almost everybody advises us to have continuity between various
parts of the essay and make them coherent. Now this is an art and many people
are able to accomplish this. But I am not as gifted with arts, so I tried to create
at least an ‘appearance’ of continuity this time. I chose a central theme of my
essay (that S&T are very important, without them nothing will happen,
but they are not the panacea and we need proper policies and
administrative framework to reap maximum benefits ) and reinforced this
theme from the introduction to throughout the essay. For any point I took, be it
agriculture or energy or medicine or industry, I kept on reinforcing this point
again and again. This gives an impression and also actually lends some
continuity to the essay. Second thing I did was to divide my essay into various
sections with headings (in bold) for each section and then in the introduction
part itself, I mentioned that the essay is divided into following sections and
these are the sections to come. All this lends a basic structure to the essay and
this basic structure, together with the central theme, provides that needed
‘continuity’ to the essay – at least in the minds of the examiners.)
Version 3 (SwagataTarafdar):
Disclaimer : [I wrote this essay in this year’s (2013) UPSC Civil Services
Main Examination. The one written here is a reproduction of that essay from
my memory, hence there may be some minor changes from the original essay,
but the content is more or less same. I had to write this essay within the given
time-frame of 3 hours, hence this is not too lengthy. You can add some
additional points to enrich the essay. Later after the examination was over, I
google-searched on the topic. Here I am giving a list of relevant websites and
books from where you can pick up some additional points for this essay]
The modern age is known as the age of science and technology. While
“Science” is the theoretical knowledge gained through observation of natural
phenomenon to come up with new hypotheses about cause-effect relationship,
“Technology” is the practical application of this knowledge in our day-to-day
life to make life more convenient for us. Both science and technology have
immense contribution towards growth and security of any nation. Recognizing
the contributions of science and technology in nation-building, the Indian
constitution mandates to its citizens under Article 51-A in the chapter of
Fundamental Duties to develop scientific temper, humanism and spirit of
enquiry.
We know that growth of a nation is measured in terms of its GDP, i.e., Gross
Domestic Product. GDP refers to the money value of all goods and services
produced within the boundaries of a nation during a specified period, usually a
year. Every sector of the economy contributes towards GDP, viz., agricultural
sector, industrial and manufacturing sector, services sector etc. Science and
technology can contribute towards increased growth of each of these sectors,
which in turn increases the GDP of the nation. An increased GDP reflects
increased economic growth and better quality of life of its citizens.
Let us take agricultural sector first. During the years after independence, India
was dependent on food aid from foreign countries to meet domestic demand.
These foreign countries often attached political strings to their food aid and
this did hurt national pride. Therefore, to attain self-sufficiency in foodgrains
production, India decided to go in for Green Revolution. This was dependent
on improved seed-water-fertiliser which a result of technological
breakthrough. Green Revolution increased foodgrains production manifold and
India became self-sufficient to meet domestic demand. Science and technology
have also helped to increase agricultural production by way of improved seeds,
chemical fertilizers, pesticides, improved agricultural implements, tractors,
harvesters etc. Many large scale multipurpose river valley projects after
independence have made double cropping, and even multiple cropping
possible in many regions. Community centers and e-enabled panchayats have
helped farmers by making available to them relevant information, eg, climatic
conditions, weather forecast, good practices, government initiatives and
schemes etc. also post harvest interventions are helpful in helping farmers get
remunerative prices of products. Such technological interventions have
revolutionized agriculture and increased production.
Next comes industrial and manufacturing sector. Scientific breakthroughs
ushered in industrial revolution in nineteenth century England. It replaced
animal power with powers like steam, electric etc. and replaced manual labour
with machines. This inproved both the quality and quantity of products and
made them available within the reach of common man.this industrial
revolution later spread to other countries as well. Now-a-days, we can see the
application of science and technology in every sphere of industrial and
manufacturing processes and practices. Modern technological equipments
have made mass production possible.
Next take the case of services sector. The most prominent example that
surfaces in mind is the information technology (IT) revolution in India. This
sector has significant contributions in India’s growth story. We can see the
application of science and technology In all other services sectors as well like
banking, insurance, transportation, tourism etc. As for example, in banking
sector, core banking solutions (CBS), automated teller machines (ATM) etc
have banking convenient and faster.
For the growth of all the three sectors discussed above, primary, secondary and
tertiary, energy is essential for its development. Hence energy security is a
natural paramount concern for any country, given its overarching influence on
economic development. Economic development also ensures poverty
reduction because of its trickle-down effect. Here also we can see the
application of science and technology. Advancements in science and
technology has made possible better imaging, drilling possible to find sources
of non-renewable energy. Other contributions of science and technology to
secure energy security include hydrocarbons, non-renewable energy sources,
nuclear fusion etc.
To secure and sustain high growth rate of the economy of any nation, security
of the nation is of significant importance. India is facing many internal security
problems like naxalism, terrorism, fundamentalism, secessionism etc.
Involvement of many external state and non-state actors have made the
security scenario more complicated. All these can have a destabilizing effect
on the economy. Here comes the question: How can science and technology be
a panacea for the security of a nation? The most prominent and most
controversial example that comes in mind is that of nuclear energy. It has the
potential to destroy the entire human race. Other important applications of
science and technology to ensure security of a nation include improved
surveillance, ballistic missiles, cruise missiles etc.
But the story isn’t all positive. Science and technology, which was supposed to
be the panacea for the growth and development of any nation have led to many
undesirable consequences. Ever increasing application of chemical fertilisers
and pesticides have degraded the quality of soil and its water holding capacity.
Large scale multipurpose river valley projects have displaced millions of
people and deprived them of their livelihood resources. They were never
satisfactorily compensated. Large scale industries have polluted air, water and
the entire ecosystem. Vehicular pollution have rendered the air unfit for
breathing. Global warming is changing the global climate, melting polar ice
caps and raising sea levels. Increasing nuclear weaponization of nations is
threatening the very existence of human race. Actually its not science and
technology responsible for these evil effects. Responsibility of application of
science and technology lies with we humans. Application of these in the
wrong direction can spell doom for the humankind and instead of being the
panacea for the growth and development of a nation, canhamper the growth of
that very nation. At the end, it would be pertinent here to mention excerpt from
a letter written in 1994 by BavaMahalia of Jalsindhi , one of the Narmada
Dam-affected villages, to the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, which
beautifully depicts the ill-effects of application of science and technology:
“You tell us to take land in Gujarat. You tell us to take compensation. For
losing our lands, our fields, for the trees along our fields.
But how are you going to compensate us for our forest?
How will you compensate us for our river− for her fish, her water,
for the vegetables that grow along her banks,
for the joy of living beside her?
What is the price for this?
Our gods, and the support of our kin− what price do you put on that? Our
adivasi life− what price do you put on that?”
You Unknown GauravAgarw SwagataTarafda
r al r
Ess
ay
INTRO Definition of Moghal denial S&T is very
S&T. of new useful (indirect
Took stand (it technologies – way of saying
is vital) it’s impact panacea), Art
51A
Para 1 New role of Why Definition of
S&T – poverty Chandrayan is growth (GDP)
alleviation, important and dimentions
growth & of it
development
Para 2 It has impact Impact on – Agriculture –
on all sectors economy, green
society, revolutionn
governance,
overall impact
Para 3 S&T and Not a panacea Industry and
Agriculture by itself S&T
Para 4 S&T and Agriculture and Service sector
Industry Food Security and S&T
(productivity,
water use
technologies,
EWS)
Para 5 S&T and Industry (IT, Energy sector
Service Sector Mobiles,
identifying
resources,
Tribal
displacements)
Para 6 Energy (need Security of the
of tech – nation
Fukusima)
Para 7 S&T and Services Story is not all
Healthcare positive ( Good
Move by
Swagata)
Para 8 S&T and Infrastructure
Energy &Env
Para 9 Effects on Climate
National Change
Security (draught
resistant
varieties,
judicious use)
CONCLUSIO Application of science is Beautiful and
N Science essential, but Poetic End.
& Technology not maaibaap
for national
growth is
dependent on
the wills of the
people engaged
in governance
of the nation
REMARKS 1. No depth in 1. Refreshing 1. Introduction
the content start and conclusion
2. No suspense. 2. It has depth. are not matching
Conclusion is 3. Lot of 2. Not having
given in the examples and sufficient depth
introduction substantiation 3. not having
3. Nothing new 4. Balanced sufficient
4. Not stand examples and
interesting 5. No suspense. substantiations
5. Very pale 6. Well 4. Covered both
conclusion connected and sides of the coin
6. No examples coherent very well
and (deliberate
substantiation effort to link
each paragraph
establish the
same point
again and
again)
Evaluation Of The Essay (Total: 125 Marks)
Introduction- 12.5 Marks
Excellent: Very interesting introduction using a real life example, anecdote, suitable quote etc
Good: Different and ‘to the point’ (but no example, anecdote, quote)
Ordinary: Regular and routine introduction
Bad: No introduction, directly going to the point, unrelated to the question, not connected to the body
For excellent introduction allocate 10 marks, for good one give 7.5, ordinary intro gets 5 and bad or no
intro gets a zero.
Content- 50

a. Covering multiple dimensions (historic, political, economic, social, cultural etc) – 1 0

b. Substantiation with suitable examples – 0.5 marks for each suitable substantiation (max of 10)
c. Demonstration of thorough knowledge about the subject, building proper argument - 10
d. Covering all the aspects of the question – 10
e. Freshness: Giving less known facts, fresh perspectives, less used phrases or quotes. Reader
should get ‘something new’ & value for time proposition should work. It should ‘stand out’ and look
different. It should also give an impression that the author of the essay is well read and is an
intellectual-10
Structure – presentation- 12.5

a. Introduction – Body (Problem Definition, Problem Elaboration, Solutions) – Conclusion

b. Proper division into paragraphs
c. Subheadings

Alignment /continuity- 12.5

a. Link sentences, leading questions, signaling the shift etc – 0.5 marks each (max of 7.5)
b. Continuity of thought, smooth flow (5)
Language- 25

a. Use of powerful words and phrases (0.25 each max 7.5)

b. Concise expression (5)
c. Effectiveness (5)
d. Originality of thought and expression (5)
e. Quotes and references to good books (2.5)

Conclusion- 12.5
Excellent: Futuristic, optimistic, good phrases (of great people), impactful, connect the fictitious
character introduced in the beginning etc
Good: A decent enough conclusion
Ordinary: Routine and boring conclusion; pessimistic;
Bad: No conclusion, bad conclusion, different stand when compared to the body of the essay
Negative Marks:

a. Grammar Mistakes – Minus 0.5 marks for each mistake (max 20 marks)
b. Spelling mistakes / Chat spellings - Minus 0.25 marks for each mistake (max 15 marks)
c. Handwriting – illegible (minus 10 marks); ugly ( minus 7.5 marks); beautiful (plus 7.5 marks)
d. Punctuation (Capital/Small, comma/full stop, question marks etc) – minus 0.25 marks (max 10)
e. Extreme and baseless opinions, very pessimistic conclusion, totally illogical, abrupt changes in
the flow, immature opinions etc (minus 12.5 marks)
f. Lack of focus and writing things which are out of the boundary (minus 12.5 marks)

Now, evaluate your essay and other three essays given above based on the
evaluation criteria given above
Evaluation Max Your Version 1 Version 2 Version 3
Criteria Marks Essay
Introduction 12.5
Content 50
Structure 12.5
Alignment 12.5
Language 25
Conclusion 12.5
Negative Marks
TOTAL

I would like to conclude this chapter with an exercise. Please write an essay on
the following topic.
Exercise 4: “Consumption, Consumerism & Environment”
SKELETON:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------- -

Now write complete essay and then see the following essay written by Somesh
Upadyay. This is one essay which I liked a lot. It is like a poetry in prose. It is
an outstanding essay. He scored 164 marks for this beautiful essay.
Consumption, Consumerism & Environment:
Little girl Sunita watches her richer counterpart shop bright new clothes for the
upcoming festive season. She cravingly stares at them while breathing in the
smokes off cars running by her shabby tent on the footpath. Sunita is a victim
of consumerism.
Our modern economic systems hinge on mass-consumption. The measure of a
country’s ‘growth’ is defined by the amount of consumption. The industry,
capitalists and governments push for higher growth by driving consumption.
In such situation, we ignore the limit of our needs, breeding the culture of
consumerism. And as Gandhiji pointed out much before Rio ’92 conference,
there is not enough for everyone’s greed.
In our blind chase for consumerism-driven economic growth, we have failed to
factor in the environmental cost. It is a capital that is not accounted for. The
result is that we are exceeding earth’s carrying capacity even as millions go
hungry. The externalities are affecting the world’s poor disproportionately by
vitiating the environment.
Vandan Shiva in ‘Stolen Harvest’ has exposed the precarious environmental
situation created by fast food chains like KFC. Water guzzling animal breeding
farms are run on cleared Amazon forest land to feed the consumerism. At the
same time the world is staring at water wars and global warming.
This unsustainable lifestyle promoted by consumerism has created glaring
inequalities. For example, the Times Square, NY consumes as much electricity
in one night as the entire Zimbabwe in one year. Such massive inequality
further forces the poor to adopt unsustainable methods like log burning to meet
their energy needs. Thus, the cycle of environmental degradation continues.
Closer home, we have seen the negative effects of unsustainable methods of
agriculture in Punjab. In our focus on meeting consumption demands, the
environmental costs were ignored. The result is salinated soil, depleted ground
water and higher incidence of cancer.
Consumerism has promoted ‘Climate Injustice’. The colonial countries and
developed nations consume disproportionately larger amount of resources.
However, their demands are met by vitiating the environment in poorer
nations. The 5th IPCC Report points out how the developed nations have
exported their production factories and thus externalities to the developing
nations.
Thus, while the cocoa farmer in Cameroon does not know what chocolate is,
his farm could be hit most by the global warming. And while Sunita’s parents
cannot afford a house or a car, they will take in the dirty air from others’
vehicles.
Consumption driven economy is also behind the food shortage and its fallout
has been on the environment. About 70% of the cereals grown in the USA are
fed to the animals in the meat industry. The extensive monoculture,
mechanization, use of chemical fertilizers, extension of agriculture in forest
areas and overuse of water have affected the environment. It has caused habitat
destruction, loss of biodiversity, global warming due to methane and food
scarcity.
The biggest beneficiaries of consumerism, at least in the short run, are the
corporates. A section of the big corporates have also promoted climate change
denialism to keep accumulating wealth uninterrupted. Oil companies like Shell
have allegedly funded a section of scientists and politicians to deny the effects
of climate change so that there is no moderation in consumption levels. Such
activities have further harmed the cause of environmentalism.
The global community, however, has built a consensus around the idea of
sustainable living and development. Right from the Club of Rome to the
UNFCCC summit in Paris, the efforts have been to contain climate change by
promoting sustainability. Remarkable success of the Montreal Protocol and
modest achievements of the Kyoto Protocol are testimonies to that effort.
Unfortunately, the global community has skirted the question of consumerism
even at this point.
The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) of different nations talk
about reducing emissions, increasing emission efficiency, peaking emission
targets. However, moderation in consumerism, an essential component of
sustainability, has been ignored. Similarly, the sustainable development goals
(SDGs) have multiple targets to achieve equality, reduce poverty, etc. There
has been a consensus on the minimum standards of living but no talk of the
ceiling on the standards.
In India, the culture of consumerism entered with the opening of economy in
1991. While still at its infancy, the effect of unsustainable living are already
showing. The Uttarakhand floods were largely driven by ‘developmental’
activities in the flood plains and fragile Himalayan ecosystem. Even the
Chennai flood of 2015 was apparently caused by the greed of builders and
promoters, driven by consumerism.
For a developing nation like India, the challenge is even greater. On the one
hand she has to sustain the culture of frugal living amidst the onslaught of
consumerism. On the other hand she has to ensure that there is social and
economic justice through economic progress. This, however, is definitely
achievable.
To contain the gluttony of consumerism without compromising the need for
development, the world has to firstly define the upper limits of standard of
living. While we have tools like Multidimensional Poverty Index, Poverty
Line, Depth of Poverty, etc. there is no definition of a sustainable lifestyle. All
the nations have to promote the acceptance of such a lifestyle to achieve
environmental sustainability.
Additionally, a cultural shift is needed in the global community. The fashion of
wealth display has to make way for the fashion of ecological consciousness. A
society where green living is promoted will naturally avoid the clutches of
consumerism.
The industry and big corporates have a big role to play. They are the ones who
promote blatant consumerism through advertisements, rapid churning of new
models and glorifying the culture of flaunting. In the longer run, they have to
realize that the ever-expanding consumption is not sustainable. A responsible
corporate community must tone down the promotion of consumerism.
A living example of how Capitalism can be blended with Socialism and create
sustainable living with high standards comes from the Nordic countries. The
Nordic Socialism, as it is called, has had higher taxes, cradle-to-grave welfare
programs, environmentally sustainable energy programs etc. Denmark is a
wind energy surplus country while Sweden imports garbage to run its waste-
to-energy programs. Another example is Bhutan which ranks high on Gross
National Happiness Index and is a carbon negative country. The global
community can follow these models and protect itself from the dangers of
rampant consumerism. This will ensure that the cocoa farmers of Cameroon
tastes the fruit of his own labour and Sunita’s parents can afford a home and
her education in a safe and healthy environmen t

REFERENCE MATERIAL FOR GENERAL ESSAY:

Your hunter-gatherer skills come handy in getting yourself ready for general
essay. I suggest you to prepare yourself by doing the following
1. Collect quotations and anecdotes and remember them word to word
2. Categorize quotations and anecdotes for important areas such as
‘education’, ‘environment’ etc.
3. Write 20 essays for important topics in all categories

Quotes: It is very difficult to remember all the quotes and their source. If all
quotes are from the same person, it will make your life easy. But, who has that
kind of depth and range? It is our Bapu. He not only helped us by getting
freedom to us, but also gave us opinions on every aspect relevant to India in
most powerful way. His quotes are extremely lucid, and at the same time,
extremely profound. I have categorized those quotes for you.
Prayer, Purity, Faith, God etc.:
1. Prayer is like a spiritual bath.
2. Only he who is prepared to suffer can pray to God
3. Prayer needs a heart, not a voice. Without the heart, words have no
meaning.
4. Prayer is the most potent instrument of action.
5. Confession of error works like a broom. The broom sweeps away filth.
Confession does no less.
6. Purity asks for no external protection.
7. The real ornament of woman is her character, her purity.
8. Man can move mountains by faith.
9. Faith is tested when the situation is most difficult.
10. Faith transcends reason but is not opposed to it.
11. In faith there is no room for despair
12. We seek the company of the good, for that is food for our soul
13. When the ego dies, the soul awakes .
14. He who remembers God can afford to forget everything else.
15. He who remembers everything else, but forgets God, really remembers
nothing.
16. The only certificate I need is a Certificate from the inner voice.
17. Character is any day more eloquent than speech.
18. Religion is good conduct; the essence of religion is morality.
19. Good travels at a snail’s pace, but evil has wings.
20. The only way love punishes is by suffering.
21. Real beauty is in doing good against evil.
22. If we take care of today, God will take care of tomorrow
23. Suffering, opens the eye of understanding.
24. Evil by itself has no legs to stand upon.
Truth:
1. One perfect man can dispel untruth even though the untruthful be legion.
2. To be guilty of a lapse small or big is certainly bad, but to hide it is even
worse.
3. He who treads only the path of truth never stumbles.
4. Beauty lies not in Complexion, but in Truth alone.

Non-violence:
1. He Who has not in him the quality of infinite patience cannot observe
nonviolence.
2. If God resides in every heart, then who dares hate whom?
3. Violence is the weapon of the weak, non-violence is that of the strong.
4. Violence is preferable to impotence .
Ideals & Character:
1.A man without an ideal is like a ship without a rudder
2. When a man works for an ideal he becomes irresistible
3. It is character that counts in the end.
4. The end of all knowledge must be the building up of character
Mind:
1. Physical weakness is not the real weakness. Weakness of the mind alone is
the real weakness.
2. Man is where his mind is, and not where his body is
3. A good thought is like fragrance
4. A man is but a product of his thoughts. What he thinks he becomes
5. Do not crave to know the views of others, nor base your intent thereon; to
think independently for oneself is a sign of fearlessness.
6. Man is the embodiment of his thought.
7. Evil thoughts are also a sign of illness; let us there-fore avoid evil thought.
8. Where the mind wanders. the body must follow sooner or later.
9. A man is but the product of his thoughts.
10. The highest wisdom is never to worry about the future.
Self Control:
1. A leader must have complete mastery over him/herself.
Focus, Work, Duty:
1. One ounce of practice is worth tons of learning.
2. He Who concentrates on any one thing With Single-mindedness of purpose,
will ultimately acquire the capacity to do everything .
3. He who. does not labour and yet eats, eats stolen food.
4 No joy can compare with the joy of doing one's duty quietly
5. Deeds, like seeds, take their own time to fructify.
6. Let us not think of big things, but of good ones.
7. Just as I have the right to eat and drink, so also have I the right to do my
Work in my own way.
8. The right that accrues from the performance of duty endures.
9. True rights come as a result of duty done.
10. In honest labour lay our salvation.
11. Action-is bound to bear fruit in the end.
12. Where means and end are pure, there God is present.
13. Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment.
Cleanliness / Swatch Bharat:
14. How wrong it is to ask others to be clean when we ourselves remain
unclean.
15. The first service is latrine cleaning.
16. Dirt is misplaced matter.
Service:
17. Life spent in service is the Only fruitful life.
18. He, who is the dust of every body’s feet is near to God.
19. When ’seva’ (service) wags its tongue it loses all its value.
20. The greatness of a person lies in his heart not in his head, that is intellect.
21 How shall we please God, how praise Him? By serving His creature: man.
22. There is not a single moment in life when man cannot serv e
23. Let service be your sole Joy and you will need no other enjoyments.
24. He who serves the poor is great in the eyes of God.
25. Power comes from sincere service.
26. Happiness depends on what you can give, not on what you can get.
27. Service of humanity is an essential element in the chracter of a Wise man
There can be no exception to this rule.
Law:
1. If we obey the law of God, we need no man-made laws.
2. He who knows no rules and follows none, just , cannot be a servant of the
people.
3. God alone can take life, because He alone gives it. (can be used against
‘capital punishment)

Opposition:
1. No body progresses without opposition.
2. Opposition makes the man.
Consumerism, Desires:
1. When a man indulges in pleasure, the indulgence consumes the man.

OceanofPDF.com
2. Our greatest enemy is not the foreigner, nor any one else. Our enemies
are we ourselves, that is our desires.
3. True happiness does not come from obtainingwhat one likes. It comes
from Cultivating a liking for what one dislikes.
4. Mind is like a restless bird; the more it gets the more it wants, and is still
never satisfied.
5. The secret of life lies in renunciation.
6. Seif-indulgence leads to destruction, renunciation leads to immortality .

Environment:
1. God is omnipresent, hence it is that He Speaks to us through hills, stones,
trees, insects, birds, beasts, the sea, the sky, and so on.
2. Nature Cure implies an ideal mode of life-
3. The earth produces enough for everybody’s needs, but never enough for
anybody’s greed
Inclusive Growth:
1. Give all, gain all.
2. To a starving person, God Will appear in the form of bread alone
3. I do not fight shy of capital. I fight capitalism. (The West teaches us to
avoid concentration of capital, to avoid a racial war in another and deadlier
form. Capital and labour need not be antagonistic to each other. I cannot
picture to myself a time when no man shall be richer than another. But I do
picture to myself a time when the rich will spurn to enrich themselves at the
expense of the poor and the poor will cease to envy the rich. Even in a most
perfect world, we shall fail to avoid inequalities, but we can and must avoid
strife and bitterness)
Women / Gender Equality:
1. Woman IS the incarnation of Ahimsa.
2. Woman is sacrifice personified.
Economy:
1. If capital is , power so is work.
Trusteeship:
2 A trustee has no heir but the public.
Education:
1.By education, I mean an all-round drawing of the best in child and man in
body, mind and spirit
2. Basic education links the children, whether of the cities or the villages, to
all that is best and lasting in Indi a
3.Education should be so revolutionized as to answer the wants of the
poorest villager, instead of answering those of an imperial exploiter.
4.Persistent questioning and healthy inquisitiveness are the first requisite
for acquiring learning of any kind.
5.What is really needed to make democracy function is not knowledge of
facts, but right education.
6. Literary education is of no value, if it is not able to build up a sound
character.
7. Real education has to draw out the best from the boys and girls to be
educated. This can never be done by packing ill-assorted and unwanted
information into the heads of the pupils. It becomes a dead weight crushing
all originality in them and turning them into mere automata.
8. Purity of personal life is the one indispensable condition for building up a
sound education
9. When it is remembered that the primary aim of all education is, or should
be, the moulding of the character of pupils, a teacher who has a character to
keep need not lost heart.
10. Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain
and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life-building,
man making, character-making assimilation of ideas.
Political Thought:
1. People, who do not fight for their rights, are like slaves.
2. Even differences prove helpful, where there is tolerance.
3. I Want freedom for the full expression of my personality.
4. The highest form of freedom carries with it the greatest measure of
discipline
5. Life is greater than all art.
6. Freedom is not for the faint-hearted.
Gandhi's Talisman:
"I will give you a talisman. Whenever you are in doubt, or when the self
becomes too much with you, apply the following test. Recall the face of the
poorest and the weakest man [woman] whom you may have seen, and ask
yourself, if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him [her].
Will he [she] gain anything by it? Will it restore him [her] to a control over
his [ her] own life and destiny? In other words, will it lead to swaraj
[freedom] for the hungry and spiritually starving millions?
Then you will find your doubts and your self melt away."
Anecdotes: Here are some anecdotes from the life of Gandhiji.
How to see God?:
Pyarelal’s mother asked how we may see God. Bapu replied: .
”We cannot see God with these eyes. God is spirit without body and is
therefore Visible only to the eye of faith. If there are no evil thoughts
troubling our mind and no fears but constant cheerfulness in our heart, that
is an indication of God’s presence in ourselves. Indeed He is there at all
times, but we fail to notice His presence as we have no faith, and thus
undergo much suffering. When once we have cultivated real faith calamities
cease to upset us.’
Man and the Machine:
The Bishop of Birmingham, who met Gandhjji during the latter’s visit to
Birmingham in 1931, was loud in his praise for science and machinery,
which he said, were made to free man from manual toil so that he might
have all his time or the bulk of it for intellectual work
Gandhiji reminded the Bishop that he could not trust ' the average man to
use all his spare time profitably on the strength of the old adage. ”Satan
always finds some work for idle hands to do!l But the Bishop demurred.
”Look here,” said he, ”I do net do manual work for more than an hour a
day. The rest of my time I give to intellectual pursuits.”
”I know,” ‘ said Gandl'dji laughing, ”but if all became Bishops, the Bishop
would find their occupation gone.”
Honor The Promise Made:
This incident occurred when Gandhiji was practising law in the city of Johannesburg in South Africa.
His office was three miles from his house.
One day a colleague of his, Mr. Polak, asked Gandhi's thirteen-year old son, Manilal to fetch a book
from the office. But Manilal completely forgot till Mr. Polak reminded him that evening. Gandhiji
heard about it and sent for Manilal. He said, "Son, I know the night is dark and the way is long and
lonely. You will have to walk nearly six miles but you gave your word to Mr. Polak. You promised to
fetch his book. Go and fetch it now."

Ba and the family were upset when they heard of Gandhi's decision. The punishment seemed far too
severe. Manilal was only a child, the night was dark and the way lonely. He had only forgotten a
book after all. It could be brought the next day. This was what they all felt, but no one had the
courage to say anything. They knew that once Gandhiji's mind was made up, nobody could change it.

At last Kalyan Bhai plucked up courage. "I'll fetch the book," he offered. Gandhiji was gentle but
firm, "But the promise was made by Manilal.""Very well, Manilal will go but let me go with him,"
Kalyan Bhai pleaded. Gandhiji agreed to this and Manilal set off with Kalyan Bhai to fetch the book.

The kind and gentle Gandhiji could be firm as a rock at times. He saw that Manilal kept his word and
did as he had promised.

Forty Crore Brothers and Sisters:

Children loved visiting Gandhi. A little boy who was there one day, was greatly distressed to see the
way Gandhiji was dressed. Such a great man yet he doesn't even wear a shirt, he wondered.

"Why don't you wear a kurta, Gandhi?" the little boy couldn't help asking finally.
"Where's the money, son?" Gandhi asked gently. "I am very poor. I can't afford a kurta."
The boy's heart was filled with pity.
"My mother sews well", he said. "She makes all my clothes. I'll ask her to sew a Kurta for you."
"How many Kurtas can your mother make?" Gandhiji asked.
"How many do you need?" asked the boy. "One, two, three.... she'll make as many as you want."

Gandhi thought for a moment. Then he said, "But I am not alone, son. It wouldn't be right for me to
be the only one to wear a kurta."
"How many Kurtas do you need?" the boy persisted. "I'll ask my mother to make as many as you
want. Just tell me how many you need."
"I have a very large family, son. I have forty crore brothers and sisters," Gandhiji explained.
"Till every one of them has a kurta, how can I wear one? Tell me, can your mother make kurtas for
all of them?

At this question the boy became very thoughtful. Forty crore brothers and sisters! Gandhiji was
right.Till every one of them had a kurta to wear how could he wear one himself? After all the whole
nation was Gandhi's family, and he was the head of that family. He was their friend, their companion.
What use would one kurta be to him?

Invaluable copper coin:

Gandhi went from city to city, village to village collecting funds for the Charkha Sangh. During one
of his tours he addressed a meeting in Orissa.

After his speech a poor old woman got up. She was bent with age, her hair was grey and her clothes
were in tatters. The volunteers tried to stop her, but she fought her way to the place where Gandhi
was sitting.

"I must see him," she insisted and going up to Gandhi touched his feet.

Then from the folds of her sari she brought out a copper coin and placed it at his feet.
Gandhi picked up the copper coin and put it away carefully.

The Charkha Sangh funds were under the charge of Jamnalal Bajaj. He asked Gandhi for the coin but
Gandhi refused.
"I keep cheque worth thousands of rupees for the Charkha Sangh," Jamnalal Bajaj said laughingly
"yet you won't trust me with a copper coin."

"This copper coin is worth much more than those thousands," Gandhi said.

"If a man has several lakhs and he gives away a thousand or two, it doesn't mean much. But this coin
was perhaps all that the poor woman possessed. She gave me all she had. That was very generous of
her. What a great sacrifice she made. That is why I value this copper coin more than a crore of
rupees."

Gandhi and Punctuality:

It was altogether a bad day at Chidambaram. Gandhi was driving to the Annamalai University, where
he was to address the University Union. Seated by his side in the car was Dr. T.S.S. Rajan. Half a
mile or so from the University a dense crowd had collected in one of the town's narrow streets,
awaiting Gandhi's car. There were two other cars following close behind with other members of the
party. The crowd held up Gandhi's car. Gandhi asked what the matter was. The spokesman for the
crowd came up to explain. He and his friends had planned a feast at which high-caste Brahmins
would sit with the Harijans. The feast, arranged in honor of Gandhi's visit to Chidambaram, was even
then in progress in a big pandal built specially for the purpose, just a stone's throw away. They
pleaded with Gandhi to alight for a moment just to look-in at the dinner. Gandhi turned to Dr. Rajan
and asked when they were due at the University. Dr. Rajan answered that they had only another ten
minutes left. Gandhi inquired whether this dinner was included in his programme for the day, and
learnt that it was not. Gandhi requested Dr. Rajan to explain to the crowd that he had an engagement
to keep in the next ten minutes and that this interruption was an unauthorized item.

But the crowd would accept no excuses, and insisted on Gandhi's alighting, if only for a minute. Dr.
Rajan got into a lively argument with the crowd. Gandhi, meanwhile, quietly slipped out of the car by
the other door and made a dash for the university building. For moment the crowd did not realize
what was happening. They were having it out with Dr. Rajan, who, they thought, was the real culprit.
That was Gandhi's chance. He soon managed to get clear of the crowd. One of the cars behind shot
forward, picked him up and sped him towards the University. The crowd then saw their bird escaping
and surged forward, shouting the accustomed slogan, 'Mahatma Gandhi-ki-jai.' But the car that had
picked up Gandhi had got clear. Gandhi looked back and waved his hands like a merry schoolboy
who had escaped from some tight corner. But the last he saw of Dr. Rajan was not a very edifying
spectacle from the point of view of non-violence. The crowd was venting its wrath on Dr. Rajan, who
had to make vigorous use of his fists to extricate himself from an infuriated mob! Gandhi had no time
to adjudicate between the claims of violence and no-violence. He drove away in a cloud of dust. He
was not more than a minute late at the meeting of the University Union. The first words he uttered
were of apology for the delay.

Gandhi and his watch are inseparable companions. Punctuality with him ranks high among the
virtues.
Gandhiji and The School Master:
Gandhi was a good school-master. He would have found little time though for that kind of job .
There was a school attached to Sabarmati Ashram, where in deference to Ashram traditions, no
caning was ever permitted. The teachers were not even allowed to sport a cane in the classrooms. It
was the pride of the school that it was run on the principle of non-violence. But underneath this
placidity and self-satisfaction things sometimes went wrong. The teachers not infrequently, found
themselves sorely tempted to give some incorrigible boy or girl a good thrashing. After all, boys will
be boys and girls will be girls! There was, not unnaturally, fun and mischief and juvenile
impertinence. The teacher has yet to be found who can swallow downright impertinence from a
defiant scholar. All the usual nonviolent methods that the poor teachers knew, were tried, in order to
put a stop to this. But it just wouldn't be quelled that way. The teachers were unwilling, however to
confess that nonviolence had failed. Some of the children, smelt out the joke and enjoyed it
immensely. At last one or two of the teachers made up their mind to place all the facts before Gandhi,
even simple matters that could be settled by the exercise of ordinary commonsense. But this was
indeed an extraordinary problem. So there was a meeting of the teachers in Gandhi's room.
Well, the whole matter was thrashed out. But the outcome of the deliberations was a surprise for
everybody. Gandhi advised the teachers that there were only two things they could do. If, in any
specific instance, a teacher had done his utmost to effect correction through nonviolent methods, but
without avail, then, if he honestly believed that violence would succeed, he must employ the cane
without being sentimental about it. Otherwise, if the teachers agreed that caning might be only a
temporary solution and that ultimately it would do more harm than good, then his duty was to do all
he could by nonviolent means and, if he failed, resign his post. One teacher stuck to his guns. He said
he had exercised endless patience and tried every non-violent artifice possible in the case of one
particular boy, but it had been to no purpose. He thought sound thrashing would do him good, Gandhi
knew the teacher well. He promptly replied he would permit the teacher to go ahead with the
experiment. Some of the idealists were shocked. Gandhi had compromised with nonviolence! It was
unbelievable. But the teacher did go ahead. He gave a good canning. This was wholly revolutionary
in the Satyagraha Ashram! But the particular boy, in the teacher's opinion, improved. Gandhi said
nothing. He kept his thoughts to himself. Some weeks later, the teacher confessed to Gandhi that he
had tried canning more than once, but that the temporary improvement had proved illusory, and that
he now faced a more hardened boy. But the experiment was not over. The teacher went back to the
methods of nonviolence with increased conviction. He put more heart in to it than before. He
bestowed special attention on the boy, without once resorting to the cane. The boy reacted splendidly
to this renewed kindness and showed rapid improvement. There were some cynics however who
remarked archly that the canings had in truth done more towards reforming the youngster than all the
subsequent kindness!
But Gandhi, for whom there was no greater apostle of nonviolence, knew better.

* * *
Now, I will try to share with you some useful inputs for essays relating to
‘education’. It will be very helpful if such ground work is done in other
topics also.
Education:
Here are some of the essays asked in previous civil services exams:

Modern technological education and human values. -2002

Value-based science and education. -1999
Privatization of higher education in India. -2002
Credit – based higher education system – status ,
opportunities and challenges -2011
Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms. -2017
Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to
make a man more clever devil-2015
Independent thinking should be encouraged right form the
childhood. -2007
Are the standardized tests good measure of academic ability
or progress? -2014
Irrelevance of the classroom. -2001
Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
-2014
Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding
growth in education. -1996
Is an egalitarian society possible by educating the masses ?
-2008
What is real education? -2005

Essays asked in APPSC Group 1 on education:

“Most of India’s college graduates are unemployable,” said
ex-President Pranab Mukherjee, during his tenure. The crisis
in higher education needs to be addressed through policy
measures. Comment - 2017
"Primary education is the foundation for empowerment of
children" .Discuss the impact on the democratic rights of the
children and discrimination between rich and poor children,
in light of heavy commercialization of primary education ? -
2016
Useful Quotes:
“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest”. – Benjamin Franklin
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who
prepare for it today”. – Malcolm X
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the
world". – Nelson Mandela
"Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and
attended to with diligence".- Abigail Adams
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
― Mahatma Gandhi
“He who opens a school door, closes a prison.”- Victor Hugo
“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” - ZigZiglar
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” - Andy McIntyr e
“The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn
…and change.” - Carl Rogers
“Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance.” - Will Durant
“The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson
and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson.” -
Tom Bodett
“You can teach a student a lesson for a day; but if you can teach him to
learn by creating curiosity, he will continue the learning process as long as
he lives.” - Clay P. Bedford
“Why should society feel responsible only for the education of children,
and not for the education of all adults of every age?” - Erich Fromm
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” - Sydney
J. Harris
“I have never let my schooling interfere with my education.” - Mark Twain
“The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education.” - Albert
Einstein
“Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a
fortune.“ - Jim Rohn
“A child educated only at school is an uneducated child.” - George
Santayana
"That's the standard technique of privatization: defund, make sure things
don't work, people get angry, you hand it over to private capital".-Noam
Chomsky
"Privatization is a neoliberal and imperialist plan. Health can't be privatized
because it is a fundamental human right, nor can education, water,
electricity and other public services. They can't be surrendered to private
capital that denies the people from their rights" - Hugo Chavez
“Sometimes, the most brilliant and intelligent minds do not shine in
standardized tests because they do not have standardized minds.” ― Diane
Ravitch
“Accountability makes no sense when it undermines the larger goals of
education.” ― Diane Ravitch
“...I would much rather my kids leave my class with the strength of
character and courage to fight racism when they find it, than have
memorized some facts about the Civil Rights Act of 1964. I’m not saying
you can’t have both, I’m just pointing out that only one of those things will
be measured on the test — and it isn’t the most important one.” ― Dave
Burgess ,
Substantiation:
All freedom fighters were highly educated. Were they not educated, they would not have understood
why independence is required and they would not have been accepted as leaders by the people.
Gandhi: University College London, Inner Temple
Nehru: Informal Education: Until the age of 16, Nehru was educated at home by a series of English
governesses and tutors. he went to Harrow, a leading English school, where he stayed for two years.
From Harrow he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he spent three years earning an honours
degree in natural science. On leaving Cambridge he qualified as a barrister after two years at the
Inner Temple, London
Ambedkar: Ambedkar was a prolific student earning doctorates in economics from both Columbia
University at New York and the London School of Economics
SC Bose: He joined the Scottish Church College at the University of Calcutta and passed his B.A. in
1918 in philosophy. He went to study in Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge and matriculated on 19
November 1919. He came fourth in the ICS examination and was selected, but he did not want to
work under an alien government which would mean serving the British
Dadabhai Nouroji: Graduated from University of Mumbai. In 1855, he was appointed Professor of
Mathematics and Natural Philosophy at the Elphinstone College in Bombay. In 1859, he established
his own cotton trading company, Dadabhai Naoroji & Co. Later, he became professor of Gujarati at
University College London.
Present Day Examples:
Use these stories to explain how education transformed them and using which they are at the pinnacle
of success.

APJ Abdul Kalam – from a humble family to BharataRatna due to education

IITians: Narayana Murthy,NandanNilekani, RaghuramRajan (can also use these examples for
importance of educational institutions of excellence)

SundarPichai - Pichai grew up in a two-room apartment in Ashok Nagar, Chennai (humble

beginning). He earned his degree from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in metallurgical
engineering and is a distinguished alumnus from that institution.He holds an M.S. from Stanford
University in material sciences and engineering, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the
University of Pennsylvania.
Nadella attended the Hyderabad Public School, Begumpet before receiving a bachelor's in electrical
engineering from the Manipal Institute of Technology (then part of Mangalore University) in
Karnataka in 1988. Nadella subsequently traveled to the U.S. to study for an M.S. in computer
science at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, receiving his degree in 1990. Later, he received
an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Busines s
IndiaraNooyi: She received a bachelor's degrees in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics from
Madras Christian College of the University of Madras in 1974 and a Post Graduate Programme
Diploma from Indian Institute of Management Calcutta in 1976. In 1978, Nooyi was admitted to Yale
School of Management where she earned a master's degree in Public and Private Management in
1980
Kerala Example: The HDI is the highest for Kerala (0.625). inequality-adjustment factor - the lowest
for Kerala (17 percent). Kerala (0.854) ranks first in health dimension. Life expectence is the highest
at 74 years
The Afghan Story:
“The Taliban is near our house. If we go to school, they will kill us. If the government can provide
security, we will be very interested to go to school.” – Paimanah, 12, who studied at a community-
based education center hidden in a family home near her house, Kandahar, July 2016
“The most important thing is to convince fathers to let their daughters go to school.” – Manija, 17,
class-three student at a community-based education program, Kandahar, July 2016
“It happened on the road right in front of the school.... Some students lost their eyes – their faces
were burned…All the family decided no girls in our family will go to school…But for years I fought
them and continued.” – Maliha, 17, was in class five at a government school when her classmates
were the target of an acid attack. Fifteen students were injured, four seriously.
“In many areas there are no female teachers.” – Provincial director of education, July 2016
“I don’t have money for a pencil for my son, let alone my daughter.” – A community-based
education program staff member recounting a common response of fathers for why their daughters do
not go to school

Female education in Pakistan/Gender equality issue :

MalalaStory: Learn how Malala began her fight for girls — from an education activist in Pakistan to
the youngest Nobel Peace Prize laureate — and how she continues her campaign through Malala Fun
d

How To Handle Case Studies in Ethics Paper?

E thics and General Essay are two most important papers which have
profound impact on your chances. Writing skills make a big difference in
these two papers. Handling case studies is a totally different ball game
when compared to writing answers for GS1, GS2 and GS3.
In addition to being crucial for success in Civil Service Mains exam, proper
understanding of this subject will help handle different situations once you
get selected. As a Group 1 officer, I faced so many ethical dilemmas and I
learnt many things in a hard way. I will try to share some of my experiences
which are relevant to the cases that I am going to discuss here. In this
chapter, I will take up some typical case studies which cover most of the
dilemmas while working as an officer and provide answers.
Case Study – 1: (Leave denied to a friend)
One of your friends, a mid-level bureaucrat, is highly upset because of his
job related stress and family problems and often expresses his
disenchantment with life. He gave an application for 3 week leave, which
was sanctioned by his boss. However, a senior officer (placed higher than
his boss), called him during his leave period to office for handling a sudden
exigency and this was not the first time when such a thing had happened to
him. It happens very often because the officer is very efficient and reliable.
The officer has a feeling that those who work honestly are overused while
those who work less but keep a personal liaison with seniors work less and
get various rewards and privileges.
He is disillusioned. He is unable to give reasonable time to his ageing sick
mother, his wife who is under depression and children who are going to
face their 10th and 12th board examinations. The officer is very upset and
broken because of his inability to reconcile his official duties and family
responsibilities. He seems to be very disturbed and broken. Despite being
an honest and efficient officer he has not been given adequate rewards and
recognition and space for looking after his personal needs; he displays
signals of suicidal tendencies. What would be your suggestions to him?
Now I would like you to identify the facts given in the case, problem
definition, options available and the suitable solution
A. Facts Of The Case:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------- -
B. Problem Definition:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

C. Options Available, Their Merits & Demerits:

D. Your Suggestion:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

Before I give answer for this case study, I would like to share with you my
personal experience related to this case .
My Experience: I was used for multiple tasks at a phase in my service (PD
– Child Labor Project, AD – Welfare of handicapped, Election Duty, Exam
Duty, An Enquiry and many other tasks). I was working for almost 18 hours
a day. I had to get permission to leave the district even on Sundays from our
collector. One day our Joint Collector called me and asked me to ‘work
hard’. I was totally upset with this, but I recovered very quickly and was
back on track. I had no personal exigencies (as in the case given above) and
I was passionate to make an impact and therefore no issue for me.
Option 1: Tolerance
• There is no perfect world and there are many things misplaced in the
surrounding in which we live. Adjustment with the realities as long as
we cannot change things is needed
• You should be happy and satisfied that you have fulfilled your duty
and served selflessly.
• At the level of spiritualism and meditation, we should take things as
they happen nonchalantly and uncomplainingly rather than reacting
we should respond with wisdom and detachment
• Further I will make an appeal to him that life is the most precious gift
of god and we should believe in our self worth.
Merits:
• It may help him to tolerate the situation
Demits:
• Hardships + Choice = Pride, Happiness (eg: freedom fighters)
• Hardships + Universal = Tolerance (eg: weakness in old age)
• Hardships + Injustice = Frustration, depression, self pity, anger,
suicidal thoughts (eg: bureaucrat in this case study)
> This option doesn’t address root cause of the problem
Option 2: Find Solution
A. Get Leave:
• Talk to your boss and explain your situation. Explain the gravity of
the problem.
• Go to the boss of the boss personally and explain your situation (don’t
try to tell it in phone)
• Submit the medical reports of your mother to your superior.
As you are already in leave, you don’t need to join during the period for
which leave is approved.
B. Out Of The Box Solutions
• For every kind of situation there is alternative arrangement, which
should be explored
• Make use of modern communications and technology to help children
in education (such as e-learning, WhatsApp, progress tracking using
emails/MS Excel etc.)
• Co-ordinate with hospitals and other places using telephone and
internet.
C. Reconcile with the system:
• Those who work will get more work. Load bearing pillar will get
more load.
• Even you will do the same if you are boss
• Take it as a recognition for your commitment
• Somebody has to work. We are living happily in this society because
of 10% of those honest and hard working officers.
• Soldiers come home once in 6 months. Like them you should be
happy and satisfied that you have fulfilled your duty and served
selflessly
D. Mindset & Courage:
• Committing suicide is the stupidest thing to do
• What will happen to family if you commit suicide?
• Compare yourself with the most disadvantaged people all around you
• Live and fight.
• Have courage. Life is precious.
It helps the friend to have work-life balance. He can spend time for his
personal obligations. He can enjoy work as he will not have discontent.
With this mindset, he can face any problem in lif e
Case Study – 2: (differing with corrupt minister)
As a senior officer in the Ministry, you have access to important policy
decisions and upcoming big announcements such as road constructions
projects before they are notified in the public domain. The Ministry is about
to announce a mega road project for which the drawings are already in
place. Sufficient care was taken by the planners to make use of the
government land with the minimum land acquisition from private parties.
Compensation rate for private parties was also finalized as per government
rules. Care was also taken to minimize deforestation. Once the project is
announced, it is expected that there will be a huge spurt in real estate prices
in and around that area.
Meanwhile, the Minister concerned insists that you realign the road in such
a way that it comes closer to his 20 acres farmhouse. He also suggests that
he would facilitate the purchase of a big plot of land in your wife name at
the prevailing rate which is very nominal, in and around the proposed mega
road project. He also tries to convince you by saying that there is no harm
in it as he is buying the land legally. He even promises to supplement your
savings in case you do not have sufficient funds to buy the land. However,
by the act of realignment, a lot of agricultural lands have to be acquired,
thereby causing a considerable financial burden on the government, and
also the displacement of the farmers. As if this is not enough, it will involve
cutting down of a large number of trees denuding the area of its green
cover.
Faced with this situation, what will you do? Critically examine various
conflicts of interest and explain what your responsibilities are as a public
servant.
A. Facts Of The Case:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------
B. The Problem:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------- -

C. Conflicts of Interests
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

D. Your Responsibilities as a Public Servent:

E. Your Course of Action:

My Experience: I was Project Director of National Child Labour Project in

a district. In other districts PDs were giving schools to NGOs by taking
bribes and based on recommendations. I did not yield to any pressure. Even
the local minister did not exert any pressure on me as he knew that I hell
bent on implementing this project properly and help the children who are in
hazardous operations.
One day, a local MLA came with four people who are tall and stout. He
asked me about the implementation of the project in the district. I asked him
to confine to his constituency as the district has 14 such constituencies. He
showed a person and asked me to allocate a school to him. I told the MLA
that that person is not trustworthy. He doesn’t even have a proper board to
his organization, he did not implement any project so far and has no
experience in social service. And I told the MLA that the rules doesn’t
permit me to allocate school to him. I further told the MLA that she should
better suggest service oriented people. It will make sure that 50 children
will get childhood, they will get proper education, they will get some jobs,
their families will get benefited from various government schemes.
He did not like my suggestion. He left my office with anger and the next
day I saw in paper wild allegations from this MLA on me and TV news
covering his allegations on me and our project. The next day, reporters
came to me and asked me ‘Sir, did you not yield to his pressure? Was it the
reason for his allegations?’. Everybody know what his character is and I am
standing for. Then I asked the reporters why they did not ask me these
questions before publishing his allegations?
Bottom line is ‘if you are honest and stick to rules, you are bound to have
differences with political bosses’.
Facts of the Case:
• The Ministry is about to announce a mega road project. Once the
project is announced, there will be a huge spurt in real estate prices
• Minister insists that you realign the road in so that it comes closer to
his 20 acres farmhouse
• Realignment -> agricultural lands to be acquired, financial burden on
the government, and displacement of the farmers.
• Minister tried to tempt the officer with benefits
The Problem:
• There is conflict between personal interest of the minister and
professional ethics of the officer
• Minister is trying to create conflict of internal conflict with in the
officers mind
• This is a case of political corruption and test of my integrity and
uprightness of a senior bureaucrat.
• Dilemma: Ethical Code vs. Personal Interest
Conflict of interest:
For the minister
• Professional interest = efficient execution of the road project.
• Personal interest = alteration of the project and increase in price of
his farmhouse.
For the bureaucrat
• personal interest = to have good relations with the minister and gain
financial benefits from his offer.
• Professional interest = to give primacy to public interest i.e. optimum
utilization of government resources and minimum loss to
environment.
Your Responsibilities As An Officer:
• Safeguarding my integrity and professional values: probity of my
office, work culture of organization and reputation of my ministry.
• To guide my minister properly
• To complete the project in most cost effective manner.
• To ensure minimum land acquisition, farmer’s suffering and
deforestation and loss to environment.
• To protect myself from any internal hedonistic tendency and
temptation
Your Course of Action:
• To work in the interest of weak and vulnerable, farmers, environment
and efficiently use public money to complete the project.
• I will show intellectual courage and will decline any offer of being a
party to any form of corruption.
• I will also advice the minister to stay away from any such activity
that goes against public interest.
As Gandhiji has rightly said: “I will not let anyone walk through my mind
with their dirty feet. ”
Case Study – 3: (boss’s bad treatment of his wife)
You are a young, aspiring and sincere employee in a Government office
working as an assistant to the director of your department. Since you have
joined recently, you need to learn and progress. Luckily your superior is
very kind and ready to train yon for your job. He is a very intelligent and
well informed person having knowledge of various departments. In short,
you respect your boss and are looking forward to learn a lot from him.
Since you have a good tuning with the boss, he started depending on you.
One day due to ill health he invited you at his place for finishing some
urgent work.
You reached his house and before you could ring the bell you heard
shouting noises. You waited for a while. After entering the house the boss
greeted you and explained the work. But you were constantly disturbed by
the crying of a woman. At last, you inquired with the boss but his answer
did not satisfy you.
Next day, you were compelled to inquire further in the office and found out
that his behaviour is very bad at home with his wife. He also beats up his
wife. His wife is not well educated and is a simple woman in comparison to
her husband. You see that though your boss is a nice person in the office, he
is engaged in domestic violence at home.
In such a situation, you are left with the following options. Analyze each
option with its consequences
• a) Just ignore thinking about it because it is their personal matter.
• b) Report the case to the appropriate authority.
• c) Your own innovative approach towards the situation.
Facts of the Case:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

Option 1 – Ignore (Merits & Demerits)

Option 2 – Report (Merits & Demerits)

Option 3 – Innovative Approach (Merits & Demerits)

My Experience: A beggar touched my feet one day. She was just 6 years of
age. I enquired about her mother. Convinced her mother and kept 2 girls in
school. Paid fee and gave money for books, school bag etc. Her husband is
a drunkard. He doesn’t give money for maintaining the house. He suspects
her character. After he understood that his children are going to an English
Medium school, he has beaten her asking the source of money and alleging
her of cheating him. I advised her to stay away and fight legally. She did not
have courage. In India, it is difficult for woman to stay single. Before giving
any advice relating to such advice, we need to consider so many factors.
Facts of the Case:
• Your superior is very kind and ready to train yon for your job. He is a
very intelligent and well informed person having knowledge of
various departments
• Heard shouting noises at boss's house
• Enquired in the office and found out that his behavior is very bad at
home with his wife. He also beats up his wife. His wife is not well
educated and is a simple woman in comparison to her husband
Option 1 – Ignore
• Merits: Ignoring the matter will avoid putting my boss in an
embarrassing situation in front of me and others. It will also not affect
my relation with him and not create any hurdle for me at work place.
• Demerits: I will be held guilty in my own court of conscience. I lose
my integrity as I will not act as per my values of empathy and
compassion. Can lead to crisis of conscience. Also justice to my
boss’s wife will not be done.
Option 2 – Report
• Merits: This may act as deterrent and may change my Boss behaviour
at home. This will preserve my value of courage, empathy and
compassion. I may also be able to safeguard the rights of my boss’s
wife.
• Demerits: But there is no surety that this will bring change in my
boss. Complaint against him will publicize the matter leading to great
embarrassment and also the degradation of relations between me and
my boss.
Option 3 – Innovative Approach
• I will invite him at my own home with his wife and show how well I
treat my wife. This may move his conscience as he is a good person at
work place.
• I will ask my wife to make friendship with my boss’s wife and get to
know more about her and after gathering more information, ask my
wife to help my boss’s wife in this matter.
Case Study – 4: (officer & a destitute woman )
Suppose you are an officer in-charge of implementing a social service
scheme to provide support to old and destitute women. An old and illiterate
woman comes to you to avail the benefits of the scheme. However, she has
no documents to show that she fulfils the eligibility criteria. But after
meeting her and listening to her you feel that she certainly needs support.
Your enquiries also show that she is really destitute and living in a pitiable
condition. You are in a dilemma as to what to do. Putting her under the
scheme without necessary documents would clearly be violation of rules.
But denying her the support would be cruel and inhuman.
a) Can you think of a rational way to resolve this dilemma?
b) Give your reasons for it.
Ethical Questions to be Resolved:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

The Dilemma
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

What are the options available?

Suggest a solution & Substantiate your stand:

My Experience: I was given a posting as a divisional cooperative officer

just two months before the cooperative elections in the district. I have spent
5,000 rupees to repair the jeep. I did not take approval from the road
transport officer. I did not know the rule position and also I did not have
time for it (as secretaries of PACs were being kidnapped and electoral rolls
were getting tampered, I have to make field visits and ensure that elections
are conducted in free and fair manner). Later I got a show cause notice as
audit team made observations that procedures were not followed. Show
cause notice was served on me asking me why action not be initiated on me
for causing a pecuniary loss of 5000 rupees to the government of AP for
repairing a vehicle which is not road worthy. A corrupt officer came for
inquiry on this lapse. I told him that there is driver for the car and
government is paying 6000 rupees as salary and it resulted in 72,000 rupees
in an year, and who caused the loss of 72,000 to the government by paying
salary to a driver in an officer which doesn’t have a vehicle, which is road
worthy?
The officer did not get satisfied with my reply. He said there was a
procedural lapse and I have to pay the price. Then I explained it to my
collector who wrote a letter to the commissioner for excusing me for my
procedural lapse as I was posted in an extraordinary circumstances. This
letter was routed through our Joint Collector, who gave me a golden advice
‘Ravi, never go by oral instructions. Only procedures and documentation
will save you in the end. On paper, you should never be wrong
Option 1 : Rule Of Law
• As per the rule old lady is not eligible for the scheme. Rules are made
with proper reasoning and for greater good of society. It provides
legitimacy and credibility of government bodies.
• Objectivity is considered as cardinal value of civil servant. This helps
in equal and impartial treatment of all. This helps in not allowing any
sense of relative deprivation to creep in. This is why following the
rule can help in resolving ethical dilemma. It is the objectivity which
makes bureaucracy legal and rational.
• Making exceptions can set wrong precedent for employees and
opportunity for the corrupt.
Option 2 – Follow your heart
• Laws are made for men; men are not made for laws. They are the
means to achieve the ends of equality.
• Giving her all the benefits of the scheme
Why they are not the right options?
• Here are the points to be kept in mind while answering questions in
ethics
➢ This is ethics exam. Your can not bluntly say that you will
compromise on personal values such as compassion and empathy
➢ You are a bureaucrat. You should never say that you will violate
‘rule of law’. Following procedures is the bounded duty of a
bureaucrat
Option 3A: Follow the Rules & also have Empathy
• ‘However, she has no documents to show that she fulfils the
eligibility criteria. But after meeting her and listening to her you feel
that she certainly needs support. Your enquiries also show that she is
really destitute and living in a pitiable condition’
• It has two ways:
• Option 3A: Help the old lady with some money for temporary respite
• Issue: How many people can you help with you salary? How about
your family?
• Option 3B: Help her to get proper documentation
• Helping her to have documentation will help her in this scheme and
in many other
• It may take time but it is a permanent solution to her
• Bring this issue to the notice of higher authorities and suggest
improvements in the system to handle such cases
Case Study 5 – (Conscience Vs Organizational Interest )
You are the manager of a spare parts company A and you have to negotiate
a deal with the manager of a large manufacturing company B. The deal is
highly competitive and sealing the deal is critical for your company. The
deal is being worked out over a dinner. After dinner the manager of
manufacturing company B offered to drop you to the hotel in his car. On the
way to hotel he happens to hit motorcycle injuring the motorcyclist badly.
You know the manager was driving fast and thus lost control. The law
enforcement officer comes to investigate the issue and you are the sole
eyewitness to it. Knowing the strict laws pertaining to road accidents you
are aware that your honest account of the incident would lead to the
prosecution of the manager and as a consequence the deal is likely to be
jeopardised, which is of immense importance to your company. What are
the dilemmas you face? What will be your response to the situation?
Facts of the case:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------

Dilemmas You face:

What will be your response?

Now, I will give you golden rules to resolve the dilemmas that encounter
you in case studies. Understand these rules properly, as they will have solve
all the cases in ethics.
Organizational Interest vs. Personal Interest (ex: Leave denied to a friend)
• Follow ‘duty first’ principle. Organizational interest is always above
the personal interest
• To the extent possible, protect personal interest. If not possible, be
ready for ‘sacrifice’ personal interest (see the hierarchy in the diagram
above)
Ethical code of conduct vs. Personal Interest (ex: differing with corrupt
minister)
• Follow the ethical code ‘always’.
• To the extent possible, protect personal interest. If not possible, be
ready for ‘sacrifice’ personal interest (see the hierarchy in the diagram
above)
Ethical code of conduct vs. Organizational Interest (ex: Conscience Vs
Organizational interest)
• Follow the ethical code ‘always’
• To the extent possible, protect organizational interest. If not possible,
be ready for ‘sacrifice’ organizational interest (see the hierarchy in the
diagram above)
Rules vs. Ethical code of conduct (ex: officer & a destitute woman)
• Follow both (it is not the middle ground)
• Never say that you will violate rules
• Never say that you will compromise on ethical duties
• Be creative to figure out solutions
• Compromise on personal interests and be ready for sacrifices to
adhere to rules as well as ethical obligations
Note: This is the toughest of all the cases .

Approach, Direction, Motivation and Mentorship

N arayana or Narayani Sena? Let me share you an interesting episode from
Maha Bharata. It happened before the war broke out. Before the
Mahabharata war, both "Arjuna" & "Duryodhana" (the two opponents in the
war) went to "Lord Krishna" for His help in the war. At that time "Lord
Krishna" was having a nap. "Duryodhana" came a little earlier than
"Arjuna" & stood toward the head (pillow side) of "Lord Krishna".
"Arjuna" came a little late and due to his devotion to "Lord Krishna" stood
near His feet.
When Lord Krishna woke up He saw Arjuna first & then saw Duryodhana.
He asked both, why they have come to Him at this moment. Both told Lord
Krishna that as the battle is near they wanted Lord Krishna's help in this
war. At this Lord Krishna agreed to give help to both and asked Arjuna
first, how He can help him. At this Duryodhana said to Lord Krishna , "I
have come before Arjuna to You so you should fulfil my desire first." At
this Lord Krishna said to Duryodhana, "Though you have come before
Arjuna, but I saw him first, so he should be given the first choice to ask." At
this Duryodhana was perturbed that Arjuna will ask for Krishna’s powerful
army –The Narayani Sena from Him and he shall be left with nothing.
Lord Krishna told Arjuna that he has a choice, either he can take His whole
army or he can choose Him alone. But when Arjuna asked Lord Krishna
that he only wanted Him and nothing else, Duryodhana was perplexed and
thought Arjuna to be a foolish person since he asked for Lord Krishna alone
rather than His big army. At this point Lord Krishna told Arjuna that though
he can choose Him alone but in the war He will not fight & He shall only be
his charioteer. But Arjuna wanted Lord Krishna alone and not His army and
accepted Lord Krishna as his charioteer.
Krishna was the first and foremost example of mentorship. He made all the
difference in the war though he did not use any weapon. How was it
possible?
Shikhandi was Amba reborn. Bhishma knew this and lowered his weapons
when he saw Shikhandi coming. Krishna had instructed Arjuna to hide
behind Shikhandi all the while, and when Bhishma finally lowered his
guard, Arjuna killed him. A very clever tactic by the master strategist,
Krishna.
Karna had decided to kill Arjuna during the war and even reserved Indrastra
for this job. Now, we should remember here that this is the Dwapara Yuga –
that means warriors did not get unlimited usage of celestial powerful
weapons like in the age of Rama. Karna, poised to kill Arjuna, prepared
himself, but Krishna had a brilliant idea – he let Ghatotkach loose on the
Kauravas. Ghatotkach went on a rampage and the Kauravas begged Karna
to stop him. Karna used the Indrastra on Ghatotkach, killing him.
Ghatotkach was Bhima’s own son. Krishna saved Arjun again and
potentially made Karna useless without the Indra Astra .
These are just two incidents of how Krishna helped Arjuna during the war.
Most importent help Krishna did to Arjuna was to clear his doubts before
starting of the war. Let me explain how it made all the difference.
Arjuna is a great warrior. He is the general of the army of the Pandavas.
Arjuna is the most skilled, the most virtuous, the wisest, and the bravest.
When he was about to lead the battle, he suddenly gets cold feet. He freezes
and is unable to fight. He reaches out to Krishna for help. Krishna is his
chariot driver. Krishna is Arjuna's Mentor, his Sadguru, his spiritual master.
What Krishna told Arjuna at that crucial juncture, is Bhagvad Gita.
Civil Services is the toughest of all the exams in India, as the brightest
doctors, CAs, IITians, management grads from IIMs are in the competition
leaving huge pay packages offered to them. They are putting 10 to 14 hours
a day with single minded focus to crack this exam. Just like in Maha
Bharata, the battle is tough. Mentor, who can provide right approach, right
motivation and put you in right direction can make all the difference.
In Maha Bharat days, one man Krishna was sufficient to guide Arjuna. But
in the present day, mentors need a team to do all the ground work and
analysis and keep updating the mentor to be able to do his job effectively. If
we study the way Prashanth Kishore is helping political parties to come to
power with IPAC, we can understand the need for metrics based, scientific
approach in the mentor.
Right Approach : Now let consider a person who just started preparation
for Civil Services Prelims. He or she will naturally start with the syllabus
given by UPSC. Here is the syllabus for Prelims.
1. Current events of national and international importance.
2. History of India and Indian National Movement.
3. Indian and World Geography - Physical, Social, Economic Geography of
India and the World.
4. Indian Polity and Governance - Constitution, Political System,
Panchayati Raj, Public Policy, Rights Issues, etc.
5. Economic and Social Development - Sustainable Development, Poverty,
Inclusion, Demographics, Social Sector initiatives, etc.
6. General issues on Environmental Ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate
Change.
7. General Science.
There are 7 major areas in the syllabus. Let us assume the student starts
with ‘General Science’. What would anybody do to master this topic? He
will try to understand the scope of topic and start identifying books that
need to be read. As we all know science means Physics, Chemistry and
Biology. We also know that NCERT book are the best source for
preparation of UPSC exams. So, the person with ‘General Approach’ will
start reading Physics, Chemistry and Biology books from VI to XII
standard thoroughly. But the person with ‘Precision Approach’ will try to
get more information before starting the preparation. They try to pin point
the areas within the sub-topics and understand the trends before starting the
preparation .
Let me now expalin about 'Precision Approach', which I use as part of
mentorship program.There are 4 components in ‘The Precision Approach’.
1. Concept of ‘going forward’ vs. ‘working backwards’
2. Thorough understanding of past 6 civil services question papers based on
i) Sub-topic analysis ii) Analysis of dynamic versus static nature of
questions, iii) Analysis of sub-type of questions (trivia/concept
based/analytical)
3. Concept of traceability
4. Arriving at ‘Precision Rout Map’ which gives customized route map for
success.
Concept of working backwards:We found that preparation for civil services
preparation is like similar to solving a mathematical problem and ‘working
backwards’ is a critical component of this approach. Concept of ‘Working
Backwards’ is described by Math Forum as this. "Working backwards is a
particularly useful problem-solving strategy when you can clearly define
the goal or end state of the problem, and you know a sequence of operations
that were used in the problem. Reversing the operations and working
backwards from the goal helps problem-solvers to describe the initial
conditions or the most efficient path to the goal state".
Problem-solvers who work backwards might use the writing process to:
1. Organize and keep track of complicated sequences.
2. Describe the problem context in terms of the quantities and relationships
that can be “unwound” or worked backwards.
3. Facilitate the transition from verbal descriptions to mathematical
representations.
4. Make one’s thinking available for comparison and testing.
Now let us put to use the concept of working backwards to mastering topic
of ‘General Science’, which is part of syllabus for civil services prelims.

Going Forward Approach Working Backwords Approach

Analysis of old question papers: Now let us analyze each and every
question given in the previous civil services prelims question papers
starting from the year 2011 to 2016. We would like to get answers to
following questions for each question.
* It is dynamic or static in nature?
* Is it matter of fact question or concept based question or analytical
question?
* What is the difficulty level of questions
* Which sub-topic this question belongs to?
Dynamic / Static Nature of questions: We call a question as ‘dynamic’ if it
is based on developments in recent past. These are based on news in the
past one year. Sometimes questions may get framed based on older news
also. All current affairs based news in the field of ‘General Science’ will get
listed here. Answers to these kinds of questions can be found only from
news papers and not from text books.
Those questions based on the content in the text books are called ‘static’
questions. We get answers to these questions from NCERT books or any
other standard text books/guides.
Sub-type of questions (factual/concept based/analytical): Straight questions
based on basic information are matter of fact questions. For example ‘A
recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the biography
of whom?’ is a matter of fact question. It is not based on any concept and it
doesn’t require any analysis to answer this question. Whereas ‘Viruses can
infect which of the following ? a. Bacteria, b. Fungi, c. Plants is a concept
based question.
Difficulty Level: Are the questions are of easy or of medium difficulty or of
high level difficulty?
Sub-topics Analysis: We have steps involved in arriving at the sub-topics.
* To come up with a list based on our present understanding of what
‘General Science’ means.
* To allocate each and every question asked in previous papers to one of the
topics listed in the previous step. If the question belong to a sub-topic which
is not in the list prepared, we need to add those sub-topics to the list.
* Identify the sub-topics in which questions are coming in the exam.
Step 1: We all know general science contains Physics, Chemistry and
Biology. The sub-topics in these areas are given below as a starting point.
(Don’t start preparing these topics. Later in this chapter, you will
understand how wrong it is to proceed in this direction)
Step 2: let us analyze each and every question given in the previous civil
services prelims question papers starting from the year 2011 to 2019. We
would like to get answers to following questions for each question.
* It is dynamic or static in nature?
* Is it matter of fact question or concept based question or analytical
question?
* What is the difficulty level of questions
* Which sub-topic this question belongs to?
Dynamic / Static Nature of questions: We call a question as ‘dynamic’ if it
is based on developments in recent past. These are based on news in the
past one year. Sometimes questions may get framed based on older news
also. All current affairs based news in the field of ‘General Science’ will get
listed here. Answers to these kinds of questions can be found only from
news papers and not from text books.
Those questions based on the content in the text books are called ‘static’
questions. We get answers to these questions from NCERT books or any
other standard text books/guides.
Sub-type of questions (factual/concept based/analytical): Straight questions
based on basic information are matter of fact questions. For example ‘A
recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the biography
of whom?’ is a matter of fact question. It is not based on any concept and it
doesn’t require any analysis to answer this question. Whereas ‘Viruses can
infect which of the following ? a. Bacteria, b. Fungi, c. Plants is a concept
based question.
Difficulty Level: Are the questions are of easy or of medium difficulty or of
high level difficulty?
Sub-topics Analysis: We have steps involved in arriving at the sub-topics.
* To come up with a list based on our present understanding of what
‘General Science’ means .
* To allocate each and every question asked in previous papers to one of the
topics listed in the previous step. If the question belong to a sub-topic which
is not in the list prepared, we need to add those sub-topics to the list.
* Identify the sub-topics in which questions are coming in the exam.
Step 1: We all know general science contains Physics, Chemistry and
Biology. The sub-topics in these areas are given below as a starting point.
Step 2: Now let us take the question paper of 2016 and see how many
questions are asked in the above topics.
Q1. With reference to ‘LiFi’, recently in the news, which of the following
statements is/are correct?
1. It uses light as the medium for high-speed data transmission.
2. It is a wireless technology and is several time faster than ‘WiFi.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic : ICT (LiFi); Type : Dynamic; Sub-type: Concept
based; Difficulty: Moderate<
Reference: February 24, 2016: The Hindu “Internet by light promises to
leave Wi-Fi in the shade”
Q2. ‘Project Loon’, sometimes seen in the news, is related to
(a) Waste management technology
(b) Wireless communication technology
(c) Solar power production technology
(d) Water conservation technology
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: ICT(Project Loon); Type: Dynamic; Sub-type:
Factual; Difficulty: Medium<
Reference: December 17, 2015: The Hindu “Pichai pitches Project Loon for
connectivity”
Q3. With reference to ‘Bitcoins’ sometimes seen in the news, which of the
following statements is/are correct?
1. Bitcoins are tracked by the Central Banks of the countries.
2. Anyone with a Bitcoin address can send and receive Bitcoins from
anyone else with a Bitcoin address.
3. Online payments can be sent without either side knowing the identity of
the other.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic:ICT(Bitcoins); Type: Dynamic; Sub-type: Concept
based; Difficulty: Medium
Reference: February 24, 2016: The Hindu “Internet by light promises to
leave Wi-Fi in the shade”
Q4. Which of the following statements is/are correct?(2016)Viruses can
infect
1. Bacteria
2. Fungi
3. Plants
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Viruses; Type: Static; Sub-type: Concept based;
Difficulty: Medium
Reference: NCERT Class XI: Biology => Section 2.6 Viruses, Viroids and
Lichens
Q5. In the context of the developments in bioinformatics, the term
‘transcriptome’, sometimes seen in the news, refer to(2016)
(a) a range of enzymes used in genome editing
(b) the full range of mRNA molecules expressed by an organism
(c) the description of the mechanism of gene expression
(d) A mechanism of genetic mutation taking place in cells
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Biotechnology (transcriptome); Type: Dynamic;
Sub-type: Concept based; Difficulty: High
Reference: December 19, 2015: The Hindu “Genome of the Asian elephant
sequenced for the first time in India”
Q6. Which one of the following is the best description of ‘INS
Astradharini’, that was in the news recently? (2016)
(a) Amphibious warfare ship
(b) Nuclear-powered submarine
(c) Torpedo launch and recovery vessel
(d) Nuclear-powered aircraft carrie r
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic : Defense (Launch Vessel); Type : Dynamic; Sub-
type: Factual; Difficulty: Medium;
Reference: October 6, 2015: The Hindu “INS Astradharani commissioned
at Vizag”
Q7. What is ‘Greased Lightning-10 (GL-10)’, recently in the news? (2016)
(a) Electric plane tested by NASA
(b) Solar-powered two-seater aircraft designed by Japan
(c) Space observatory launched by China
(d) Reusable rocket designed by ISRO
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Defense; Type: Dynamic; Sub-type: Factual;
Difficulty: Medium
Reference: May 4, 2015: The Hindu “NASA’s 10-engine electric plane
completes flight test”
Q8. With reference to ‘Astrosat’, the astronomical observatory launched by
India, which of the following statements is/are correct? (2016)
1.Other than USA and Russia, India is the only country to have launched a
similar observatory into space.
2.Astrosat is a 2000 kg satellite placed in an orbit at 1650 km above the
surface of the Earth.Select the correct answer using the code given below
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Space Tech (Astrosat); Type: Dynamic; Sub-type:
Factual; Difficulty: Medium
Reference: September 28, 2015 : The Hindu “ISRO launches ASTROSAT,
first space observatory”
Q9. Consider the following statements: (2016) The Mangalyaan launched
by ISRO
1. is also called the Mars Orbiter Mission
2.Made India the second country to have a spacecraft orbit the Mars after
USA
3. Made India the only country to be successful in making its spacecraft
orbits the Mars in its very first attempt.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Space Tech (Mangalyaan); Type: Dynamic; Sub-
type: Factual; Difficulty: Medium
Reference: September 24, 2015: The Hindu “On Mangalyaan’s first
anniversary, understanding the gains from India’s foray to Mars and the
Moon”
Q10. India is an important member of the ‘International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor’. If this experiment succeeds, what is the immediate
advantage for India?
(a) It can use thorium in place of uranium for power generation
(b) It can attain a global role in satellite navigation
(c) It can drastically improve the efficiency of its fission reactors in power
generation
(d) It can build fusion reactors for power generation
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Non Conventional Energy; Type: Dynamic; Sub-
type: Factual; Difficulty: Medium
Reference: Dec 07, 2005 : The Hindu “ITER project: India becomes full
partner”
Q11. A recent movie titled The Man Who Knew Infinity is based on the
biography of(2016)
(a) S. Ramanujan
(b) S. Chandrasekhar
(c) IS. N. Bosen
(d) C. V. Raman
ANALYSIS: Sub-topic: Indian Scientists (Movie); Type: Dynamic; Sub-
type: Factual; Difficulty: Low
Reference: April 29, 2016: The Hindu “The Man Who Knew Infinity: A
misunderstood mind”

This is what we understand by analyzing each and every question asked in

S&T in 2016 based on various parameters.
1. Questions are not being asked in conventional topics such as physics,
chemistry or biology
2. New and emerging topics such as nanotechnology, IT, robotics,
biotechnology need to be focused to clear the exam
3. Most of the questions are dynamic in nature, i.e. they are based on recent
developments in these emerging technologies
4. Questions are mainly factual in nature. Some of the questions are concept
based. No questions asked which require analytical skills
5. Around 10% of the questions are of low difficulty level, 10% of
difficulty and 80% are of moderate difficulty
6. For current developments in these technology topics it is sufficient if we
read standard news papers such as The Hindu. No need to go for specialized
magazines such as Digit, Data Quest, Computer World, PC Quest, Biology
Today, Discover, Nano Werk, Nature or any other magazine
7. For conventional and static part it is sufficient if 11th and 12th Standard
NCERT books are read.
Trend Analysis : Based on one year we cannot say anything. This year
more questions have come from emerging technologies and next year it
could be conventional topics. This year more questions are from recent
developments and the questions are mostly of moderate difficulty level.
More questions are factual in nature and there were none which demand
analytical abilities. Will it be the same in next year? Is it a one year thing?
Does any clear cut trend exist? To understand this we studied previous 9
years of question papers.
Sub-topic Trend: Given below is the diagram which graphically represents
the number of questions asked in each sub-topic over the period of past 6
years.
It clearly shows that the conventional topics such as Physics, Chemistry,
Biology, Statistics are not important anymore. Emphasis is given to new
topics such as Information & Communications Technology,
Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Space, Defense, New developments in
Healthcare and Non Conventional Energy. Emphasis is on applied science
rather than pure science.
Dynamic (In News) Vs Static (In Books) : There exists a very clear trend
in the type of questions asked. We cannot answer majority of questions if
we read books alone. Most of the questions are dynamic in nature. These
questions can be answered only by reading standard news papers everyday.

Difficulty Level : More or less the questions are of moderate difficulty.

They are neither easy nor difficult. We can find answers in standard text
books such as NCERT if the question is static and from standard news
papers such as The Hindu if it is dynamic in nature. Around 80% questions
from the year 2011 to 2019 are of medium difficulty and 10% each with
low and high level difficulty .
Factual vs Conceptual : As the trend is towards nonconventional topics
and latest developments in science and technology, we naturally expect that
the emphasis will be in conceptual and analytical questions rather than
factual questions. But in reality it is other way round in S&T. Here are the
percentages of factual and conceptual questions in static and dynamic
questions from 2011 to 2019

So, we need to have an eye on facts. It is not sufficient to understand the

concepts when we prepare for prelims. This is the major difference between
Civil Services Prelims and Mains. In mains the questions are basically
analytical and conceptual in nature where as in prelims it is predominantly
factual in nature.
PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS : It is the latest technique which
encompasses a variety of statistical techniques from predictive modeling,
machine learning, and data mining that analyze current and historical facts
to make predictions about future or otherwise unknown events. Here is the
process of predictive analytics.
How to predict the subtopics and nature of questions in the next Prelims
exam? One easy method is to take average of past 6 years question papers
in each subtopic and expect that averages will work out. This can be
misleading as the emphasis and nature of questions have changed in the last
two years. So, we can improvise averaging model with weighted average
model where we give more weightage to recent years. This method is
simple but not precise enough. Time series analysis using regression is a
better way to forecast.
In recent years time series models have become more sophisticated and
attempt to model conditional heteroskedasticity with models such as ARCH
(autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity) and GARCH (generalized
autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity) models are frequently used.
In addition to quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis also need to be
undertaken to come up with estimated numbers. It is not easy for any
student to undertake all this due to his or her constraints for time and
understanding of research methodology.
Step 3: Work backwords and arrive at the topics to be prepared. If you see
the list identified in the going forwards approach and compare them with
the questions asked in 2016 prelims exams and subsequent exams, you will
understand that you will understand that the questions are mostly out of the
list. So, syllabus should always be interpreted by studying the old question
papers.
The 80:20 Rule : This rule is also called the “Pareto Principle.” It was
named after it’s founder, the Italian economist Vilfredo Pareto, back in
1895. He noticed that people in society seemed to divide naturally into what
he called the “vital few,” or the top 20 percent in terms of money and
influence, and the “trivial many,” or the bottom 80 percent. Later, he
discovered that virtually all economic activity was subject to this principle,
in that 80 percent of the wealth of Italy during that time was controlled by
20 percent of the population.
This principle is applicable to civil services exam also. Aspirants who don't
understand this rule give equal importance to “vital few” as well as “trivial
many”. For civil services prelims the syllabus looks limitless, but if you
carefully observe the previous question papers and apply trend analysis, you
can observe that the following 10 topics cover almost 30% of the questions.
ECONOMY: 1. Key Words / Concepts 2. Economic Institutions, Funds,
Committees, Indices 3. Central Govt Schemes
ENVIRONMENT: 1. Organizations, Conferences & Protocols 2. Buzz
Words (BOD, Sixth Mass Extinction etc) 3. Parks & Santuaries & News
GEOGRAPHY: 1. Map Points/ Places
POLITY: 1. International Bodies, Indices
S&T: 1. ICT Buzz Words 2. Biotech Buzz Words
How to prepare?: All this analysis is done to come up with a strategy to
prepare for the exam with an aim to score at least 70% (ie., 140 marks out
of 200) in prelims. We understood that there is clear trend wherein more
and more questions are being asked from latest news in the field of science
and technology. By reading standard news paper thoroughly we can ensure
that most of the dynamic questions can be answered. A note book should be
kept exclusively for S&T where key words found in the news paper should
be noted down in each subtopic. Here is an example of how to identify key
words. Here are the buzz words in news papers in ICT and Biotechnology.
You need to keep such list and prepare from it to hit the bulls eye .
ICT Buzz Words
Net Neutrality Big Data Data Mining Artificial
Intelligence
(AI)
Machine Personalization Voice Chatbots
Learning Recognition
Augmented Virtual Reality Immersive Robotics
Reality (AR) (VR) Experience
Smart Factory / Internet of Things Quantum BlockChain
Industry 4.0 (IoT) Computing

3D Alteration Microservice Mobile First Zettabyte Era

Architecture
Robotic Process Growth Hacking Cloud DIGITAL
Automation computing DETOX
(RPA)
Disruptive Data Viz Design Digital Citizen
Technology Thinking Engagement

ICT4D IVR Bleeding edge Bring your

own device
(BYOD)
Bricks and clicks Datafication Digital Folksonomy
signage
Fuzzy logic Netiquette UCC Agile working
DigiLocker LIGO-India Belle II Molecular
Experiment Robots
Nanoceramics Nanocrystal Long Term IPv6
Evolution
Bluejacking Akash Tablet

Biotech Buzzwords
Messenger Biologics p-hack Gene Therapy
RNA
(mRNA)
Small Immunotheraphy Cell Therapy CRISPR-Cas9
molecules
CAR-T RNA Therapies Agrobacterium Allele
Therapy tumefaciens
Necrosis Bacillus Bioaugmentation bioinformatics
and thuringiensis (Bt)
Apoptosis
Biopulping Bioremediation biostimulation cDNA
GenBank Genome Genetically Modified Gene Mapping
Organism
Human Artificial Blood Biomimicry Bionic Eyes
Genome
Project
(HGP)
Biosimilar Biosparging Blue Brain Project Artificial
neural
networks
(ANN)
BRAIN Brain Mapping Junk DNA Probiotics
Initiative
DNA Transcriptome Somatic Cell genome
Barcoding Nuclear Transfer sequencing
(SCNT)
Carbon Cas9 protein pyrolysis and multi-drug
Fertilization plasma resistance in
gasification microbes
Microbeads RNA interference (RNAi)

Direction: Generally people try to mimic successful people with a hope

that they can also be successful by following the same plan. Coaching
institute they attended. News papers they read. Number of hours they
prepared per day. But they miss out out one crucial thing. Different people
are at different points and they will have different directions to to reach the
same destination. For example one is staying at Hyderabad and one is
staying at Kolkota. Both of them decide to go to Delhi to to attend Civil
Services interview. Will both of them take same direction? One will go
north and one will go west to reach the same place, New Delhi. Am I right?
Every one of us must know two coordinates and figure out answers to the
questions – ‘where I am(x1,y1)?’ & ‘where I want to be(x2,y2)?’. Most of
us think we know where we are. But in most of the cases it is not true. To
understand where the aspirant is, I have come up with a solution. I and my
team members assigned 6 different attributes to the questions of the
previous questions asked in the exam. Those attributes are ‘topic’, ‘sub-
topic’, ‘type (factual/conceptual)’, ‘sub-type (static/dynamic)’, ‘difficulty
level’, ‘question type (direct/statement based)’. Also for each question
source is also tracked. Using an algorithm, this data is analysed and
simulated question paper is developed. Once the aspirant writes that test, it
acts like a CT scan and provide a spot report with complete details of the
aspirant one where they are in each topic and sub-topic on the 6 different
aspects.
Once you know where you are and where you want to be, route map can be
easily arrived. Let us assume that you are at Hyderabad and you have to go
to Delhi. Then the route map is
Hyderabad->Nizamadad->Nanded->Hingoli->Washim->Akola(by pass)-
>Burhanpur->Khandwa->Indore->Ujjain->Kota->Tonk->Jaipur->Delhi
We developed chapter tests and subject tests and those are like the mile
stones. If you are driving car from Hyderabad to Delhi, you need to check
whether you reached Nizamadad, Nanded, Hingoli etc. to know that you are
in the right direction and to know whether you can reach Delhi in right
time. Periodic tests will do the same in Civils preparation.
Motivation : When I gave my first attempt I was working in BHPV. It was
a trial attempt. To my amazement I cleared Prelims. It was a big surprise for
me. Back in those days, general opinion was that ‘one has to go to Delhi
and take coaching in Rau’s IAS and one has to be born and brought up in
metros and get convent education from elementary school to get into
Civils’. I am from rural background and all my schooling was in Telugu
medium. I was pleasantly surprised.
I don’t know what options to choose; I was not prepared. I never imagined
that a rural candidate from Telugu medium background can clear one stage
in IAS exam. I chose Statistics and Management. I took management
because I am university topper in my MBA. I had no good reason to choose
Statistics, but I took it because somebody told me that subjects like
Mathematics and Physics are very much scoring. Anyways, I had no other
choice and in those days one has to pick two optionals.
Lot of syllabus was there to be covered in General Studies. I had to prepare
for two optional on my own. I applied for leave which was promptly
rejected. They told me that I can get leave for exam days only and not for
preparation. There was no internet then and I did not get right material for
the optional. I went to Hyderabad few days before the mains examination
and wrote what all I know.
To my utter surprise, I cleared mains. It was unbelievable. Again my
manager did not give enough leave for interview preparation. I went to
Delhi just few days before the interview and stayed with a friend of my
brother-in-law who was staying in ICAR hostel. Perhaps due to change of
water and atmosphere I got fever. I took some OTC medicines. It got some
abnormal reaction and I was on bed till one day before the interview.
The interview went well. I am from a remote town called Madana Palli in
Chittor District of Andhra Pradesh. One interviewer asked me ‘there is one
famous philosopher from your town. Do you know who he is?’. Whenever
somebody was asked me where I am from I used to tell that I am from a
town near Tirupati as many people don’t know about Madana Palli. It was a
big surprise to know that somebody in the interview board know about it.
Fortunately I read lot of books by Jiddu Krishna Murthy in my college days
and I could answer all the questions with regard to JK and his philosophy in
the interview.
Finally, the results day has come. I was at Hyderabad on that day. My uncle
insisted that I should go to Deccan Chronicle office at Lower Tank Bund to
know the result when the News Paper comes out in the mid night. He
accompanied me and I went there and eagerly waited for the first news
paper to come out of the printing press. When I got no hope of clearing
Prelims, I cleared it. When I got no hope of clearing mains, I cleared it.
After doing the interview well, I gained hope of finding my name in the
final list, I failed. I looked at the news papers once again from my number.
My uncle took the paper and looked at it, with the same result – ‘I could not
make it to the final list’. After coming so close, missing it was really
painful. After I got marks sheet I understood that I failed the exam in a very
small margin. I got a total of 990 when the cutoff was 1002. Just short of 12
marks which is 1% of total marks that I got. Those with reservations got
selected with less than 50 marks that of mine. This gave me confidence.
I resigned from my job as I decided to give my 100%. My mother resisted
strongly as getting a public sector job again will not be easy. I told her
‘without proper preparation I could go upto interview and if I prepare, I can
easily get it’. My father left the decision to me and told me that he will
support me in my efforts.
In those days, I used to believe that the score you get is directly
proportionate to your intelligence and hard work. I was not aware of the
‘invisible hand’ that steers you to wherever it wants to. I relocated to Ashok
Nagar in Hyderabad and joined in RC Reddy Study Circle for General
Studies. For management optional I found a person with the same optional
who is from IIM. For statistics, I could not find any study partners. For both
these optionals, no coaching center was providing classes. I had lot of
struggle to get my doubts clarified in statistics. I used to go to Osmania
University and randomly search for Ph D students or professors who can
help me in the subject. Some people used to give me some time but they
were not able to solve most of the problems. I have put up lot of hard work.
Spent almost 12 hours a day in books. And the end result – failed in the
mains itself. Don’t know why? Even now I don’t know the reason. Same
thing repeated even in the third attempt. My management optional partner
who got less than what I got in management, got selected for IRS.
I started understanding that there is something more to it than just
intelligence and hard work. I know, nobody will believe me if I say that
there is something more than intelligence and hard work. They will think
that I am searching for excuses for my failure. My friends and relatives
started doubting my capabilities. My mother was feeling bad for my ‘hasty
decision’ to quit to public sector job. I lost all the steam in me and I am left
with one final attempt. I had nobody to guide me, nobody to give me
confidence and nobody to motivate. When I wrote the paper really well,
when I got all the answers right for operations research and statistics
problems, why I am getting less marks? How else shall I try? What if I fail
in my last attempt? I forgot everything about mechanical engineering in
which I graduated. If I go for interviews for engineering job, they will ask
me about the gap. How to cover it up? My batteries are totally down after
two years of ‘books and only books’.
All along I used to believe that there is always light after darkness. I used to
believe for every night there will be a dawn. But once I reached lowest
point in the rollercoaster ride, I started thinking that ‘after darkness comes
pitch darkness’. Parents started worrying about my marriage. All my
classmates got settled well and started calling me for their marriages. My
cousin Charan Reddy got IPS. My senior and close friend Sai Manohar also
got selected for IPS. I am left out with consecutive failures.
Without preparation, I go up to interview and with solid preparation, I fail.
What to conclude from this? Hours of preparation appeared to be adversely
proportional to score that I get. Somebody told me that optionals which are
opted by less than 20 or 30 students, will be totally unpredictable. You may
get lot more than you expect or get very less. I know I had to do something
different. If I following the same path once again, I may end up in the same
place which reached the last time and the one before it. So, I changed my
optional. When we dig wells for agriculture purposes we dig till we get
water or encounter a big stone. Statistics was the stone that I encountered. It
was impenetrable despite my best effort. So, I shifted to Telugu Literature. I
took it because of love for it. In this phase of life I was going in a direction,
not because I knew it is right, but because I have to go in some direction.
The same year APPSC gave notification for Group 1 which I applied. I
wrote Both Civils and Group 1 in the same year. I did not prepare much for
Group 1 but focused on Civils as it is the last attempt. I got amazing marks
in Telugu Literature (350 out of 600 which is really good). But in
management optional where I got 300 plus in all my previous attempts, I
got less. Once again the same result. With fraction of this effort, I would
have tasted success in any other field. But, in Civils the result is a Boolean
– either you are a ‘hero’ or you are a ‘zero’. For those who got 1 mark less
than the last person selected, there will be no offer of even a Class 4 job.
Fortunately I got selected for Group 1. Coming from agrarian family, I
selected cooperative sector.
I told my story just to show that the preparation for civils is a rollercoaster
ride and it is better if you have somebody who brainstorm with you and
help you to analyse your gaps and suggest you right direction. After
working for few years in government, I left to America. After coming back
to India, my friend who is a Group 1 officer of my batch suggested me to
start a coaching center and he expressed his intent to partner with me in this
effort. He said ‘ Ravi, I went to Civils interview twice but did not get any
service. Both times I cleared mains with border score and I had no body to
find out where I have gaps and tell me how I can fill those gaps. With my
own effort I could go certain distance but not any further. I was falling short
of 20 to 30 marks which was unassailable. I reached a ‘learning plateau’
and there was nobody to pick me up at that point and take me further’. I
agreed with him. But, I told him that I don’t believe in conventional
coaching centers. Our common ground took shape of Precision Academy,
which is a learning platform. It is a ‘guided self study model’. We
accurately measure where the student is and he or she should be and give
the route map. As a mentor, I try to be with the students and travel with
them in their journey.
Now let me fast forward the story by 25 years and share the story of a
student of mine. One day I got a call froma Group 1 student Manoj, who
was bit panicky in his voice. He told me that he is preparing for 15 hours a
day but not able to comprehend even 1 page of it. I could not understand
what he meant. How is it possible? I asked him to come and meet me in
person at Melkote Park (this is my adda which I prefer for any discussion
with my students as four walls in the office make me constrained). After
talking to him for 30 minutes, I casually asked him how much time he
sleeps. He said ‘two hours’. “What?” I could not understand how anybody
can live with such less sleep. I understood the root cause and now it is very
simple to fix it.
As a programmer, I did lot of bug-fixing. Whenever I come across a bug in
the software, I used to spent whole lot of time pin pointing where exactly
the issue it. Once I pin point the line of code where the issue is, fix comes
running in just few minutes. I asked Manoj to be transparent with me and
tell what is going on in his mind. He told me that he is missing all the
exams with very small margin and he lost hope. He said ‘my age is 26 and I
need to have some job in hand. I am a Civil Engineer and I would like to
pursue job in my core area’. Group 1 Prelims is 2 months away. I asked him
‘ would you like to drop Group 1 preparation and leave Hyderabad and
work somewhere?’. He said ‘No Sir. I will go after writing Prelims’. I said ‘
In that case why don’t we postpone the thought of the alternatives and focus
on the exam?. The same day after you write Prelims, we can decide’. He
agreed with me and promised me that he will not think about it the next two
months and meet me in the park at 7:15 am every day and do Pranayama
with me.
After a week he told me ‘Sir, I am now going to bed at 10:30 PM and
getting sleep with in 10 minutes. I am sleeping for 7 hours a day’. He also
told me that he was able to sit continuously for 3 to 4 hours in each session
and more than 8 hours a day he is preparing. He was also able to have very
productive study hours and it made all the difference. He wrote Group 1
well and got 120 marks when the cut-off was only 92. He got 7 jobs at a
time in Grama/Nagara Sachivalayam notification.
The same Manoj who was struck with decision paralysis, could steer
through his preparation to success with a small tip regarding mind
management. With simple practice of Pranayama for 30 minutes, he could
gain the energy required for the entire day. Mentor cannot wage the battle
on behalf of you. You have to fight your own battle, but he can give you the
right direction. When you are down and when everybody including you lost
faith in you, your mentor can stand by you and remind you your strengths.
With his motivational words, he can fill energy in you are exhausted of all
your energy levels in this long and tough journey of Civils preparation. He
can provide you with some weapons and teach you some techniques,
ultimately the war need to be waged by you only.
In this book I wrote all what I tell my students with respect to answer
writing skills. This in my opinion is KEY to Success. I conclude this book
by saying what I tell before accepting anybody in the mentorship program
If You Are Arjuna, I Will Be Your Krishna.

“Writing skills are absolutely KEY to cracking UPSC CSE and to secure a top 100 rank” - Manuj
Jindal, AIR 53, CSE 2016
“I did not do writing practice for GS 2 and I ended up getting 70 marks. I wrote lot of Essays and I
got 151 :)” - Bhavesh Mishra IAS, CSE 2014, AIR 58
“Answer writing is of course the foundation of CSE MAINS. Once you develop a good answer
writing skill, you can be confident of clearing MAINS 10/10 times” - Mudit Jain AIR 173, CSE 2017
“I would say that coaching is not extremely useful for success in this exam. I had not taken any
coaching for GS or my optional preparation. What I took help for was for answer writing” - Anu
Kumari, AIR 2 CSE 2017
Despite attempting all questions with lots of information, many get low marks in Mains. They
wonder why??? This book solves all such puzzles. If you agree with Kautilya who said and I quote
"Learn from other's mistakes. You can't live long enough to make them all yourself," read this book
written by our beloved Ravi Sir - Naresh Krishna, 2016 Batch Group 1 Officer
“Every Civils aspirant usually embroils by numerous doubts, especially regarding mains answer
writing. Most of the aspirants end up without a proper approach. To address this problem holistically
my mentor Ravi Sekhar sir came up with this book. I highly recommend this book as it will make
your well cherished dream come true” – Phanindra Kuppili, Group 1 officer APPSC 2016
“It is very simple, easily understandable, and very interesting. This book is a result of vast experience
of Ravi Sir and therefore very much relevant.. By reading this book, the aspirant will get at least ½
mark more in each question without improving the content part”. – Naveen Raj, Aspirant of Civils &
Group 1
“Different types of introductions and conclusions given in work book approach in this book help us
to develop our own style of writing on par with standards of UPSC or State PSCs. Our mentor Ravi
Sir has deeply analysed minute aspects of answer writing in all types of questions involving
comparisons, cause-effect relationships, present day applications, and ethics case studies”. – Sailaja
Thiruvedhula, Group 1 Officer – APPSC 2016
“If there is anything tough or unclear in these coveted exams, it is about the art of answer writing.
Simple, Clear and Powerful portrayal with clear illustrations in this book will make you masters in
this art” . - Ravi Shankar Betha, Civils Ranker - 2016

“This book covers all points that are needed to write quality answer” - Suresh Koppula, Civils
Ranker – 2016

“The best part of this book lies in comparing the raw answers of the students and the refined answers
with suggestions for improvement. This book is a panacea for all those who want to sincerely
improve their answer writing skills” - Gadikota Madhuri, Group 1 officer – APPSC 2002

OceanofPDF.com

Enrichment Cards - IR
No ratings yet
Enrichment Cards - IR
38 pages
NCP
57% (7)
NCP
4 pages
Roadmap-Civil Services
No ratings yet
Roadmap-Civil Services
5 pages
Rankers Guide - 100+ MAINS EXPLAINERS FOR IAS MAINS 2017 - Civils Daily
No ratings yet
Rankers Guide - 100+ MAINS EXPLAINERS FOR IAS MAINS 2017 - Civils Daily
310 pages
71 To 51
75% (4)
71 To 51
140 pages
AtomicNotes May CD
No ratings yet
AtomicNotes May CD
27 pages
Securities Market Basic Module
No ratings yet
Securities Market Basic Module
218 pages
Steps to become successful
No ratings yet
Steps to become successful
10 pages
GK Capsule 2022
No ratings yet
GK Capsule 2022
288 pages
Final_Quotes
No ratings yet
Final_Quotes
15 pages
General Awareness and Banking Awareness IBPS PO 2015 Study Plan
No ratings yet
General Awareness and Banking Awareness IBPS PO 2015 Study Plan
18 pages
CAPF AC 2024 BOOKLIST & STRATEGY@AchieveCAPF
No ratings yet
CAPF AC 2024 BOOKLIST & STRATEGY@AchieveCAPF
29 pages
03 - Modern History - Final
No ratings yet
03 - Modern History - Final
109 pages
The Lessons We Can Learn From Baniyas
No ratings yet
The Lessons We Can Learn From Baniyas
3 pages
Wbcs Syllabus
100% (1)
Wbcs Syllabus
8 pages
Document 13
No ratings yet
Document 13
216 pages
Modern History Part 2 PDF
No ratings yet
Modern History Part 2 PDF
585 pages
Diagrams 4 Mains Ans. Writing - Part - 1
No ratings yet
Diagrams 4 Mains Ans. Writing - Part - 1
17 pages
Upsc Book List
No ratings yet
Upsc Book List
4 pages
Magna Carta Mains 2024 Crash Course
No ratings yet
Magna Carta Mains 2024 Crash Course
520 pages
SSC Imd
No ratings yet
SSC Imd
18 pages
Currency Basics: 1.1 - Module Orientation
No ratings yet
Currency Basics: 1.1 - Module Orientation
38 pages
Guide - Study Like A Topper
No ratings yet
Guide - Study Like A Topper
3 pages
7TH Ncert History Points To Remember
No ratings yet
7TH Ncert History Points To Remember
14 pages
UPSC Civil Services Exam Syllabus
No ratings yet
UPSC Civil Services Exam Syllabus
231 pages
UPSC Essentials - December 2024
No ratings yet
UPSC Essentials - December 2024
88 pages
Psir Important Material Links
No ratings yet
Psir Important Material Links
2 pages
A Beginners Guide To The Stock Market - Matthew R Kratter
No ratings yet
A Beginners Guide To The Stock Market - Matthew R Kratter
72 pages
General Studies: Salient Features
No ratings yet
General Studies: Salient Features
288 pages
Comprehensive Booklist Upsc 2024
No ratings yet
Comprehensive Booklist Upsc 2024
3 pages
Learn The Secret of Scoring 125 Plus Marks in Prelims
No ratings yet
Learn The Secret of Scoring 125 Plus Marks in Prelims
91 pages
Day trading for starter Everything You want to Know Before Start Day Trading
No ratings yet
Day trading for starter Everything You want to Know Before Start Day Trading
380 pages
State Wise Data: Table No
No ratings yet
State Wise Data: Table No
17 pages
Security Analysis & Portfolio Management
No ratings yet
Security Analysis & Portfolio Management
118 pages
Economy - Indian Economics
No ratings yet
Economy - Indian Economics
382 pages
Syllabus: IBPS PO Preliminary Exam Pattern
No ratings yet
Syllabus: IBPS PO Preliminary Exam Pattern
9 pages
Basic Economics and Indian Economy For Ias Pre Exam
100% (1)
Basic Economics and Indian Economy For Ias Pre Exam
381 pages
The Little Book of Valuation Book Summary
No ratings yet
The Little Book of Valuation Book Summary
12 pages
Enrichment Cards - GS1
No ratings yet
Enrichment Cards - GS1
36 pages
ILP - Geography - VAN
No ratings yet
ILP - Geography - VAN
340 pages
Competitive Strategy Southwest Airlines: Prashant Kale
No ratings yet
Competitive Strategy Southwest Airlines: Prashant Kale
8 pages
Financial Psychology - Complete
No ratings yet
Financial Psychology - Complete
102 pages
APPSC Group-II 80 Days ReWise Plan 2024
No ratings yet
APPSC Group-II 80 Days ReWise Plan 2024
8 pages
Modern History
No ratings yet
Modern History
337 pages
JPSC Mains Exam Copy Format - 86a27ee5 Ad84 4902 b65f 8b30448f5c58
No ratings yet
JPSC Mains Exam Copy Format - 86a27ee5 Ad84 4902 b65f 8b30448f5c58
33 pages
MPPSC Notes MPPSC Mains Paper 2 Part A Book
No ratings yet
MPPSC Notes MPPSC Mains Paper 2 Part A Book
16 pages
Economy Byju's IAS PDF
No ratings yet
Economy Byju's IAS PDF
85 pages
Current Affairs Holds The Key
No ratings yet
Current Affairs Holds The Key
2 pages
CSAT 2011 Syllabus
No ratings yet
CSAT 2011 Syllabus
13 pages
TIPS On Civil Services Preparation
No ratings yet
TIPS On Civil Services Preparation
4 pages
How To Prepare For Civils
No ratings yet
How To Prepare For Civils
5 pages
Booklist Divyanshu Nigam
No ratings yet
Booklist Divyanshu Nigam
7 pages
04cda-Analysis Apprach Source Strategy General Studies Pre Paper I 2023 e
No ratings yet
04cda-Analysis Apprach Source Strategy General Studies Pre Paper I 2023 e
115 pages
Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT-2011) : Union Public Service Commission
No ratings yet
Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT-2011) : Union Public Service Commission
4 pages
Career Opportunities
No ratings yet
Career Opportunities
50 pages
Vision: Analysis / Approach / Source / Strategy
No ratings yet
Vision: Analysis / Approach / Source / Strategy
67 pages
Important Terms of Upsc
No ratings yet
Important Terms of Upsc
8 pages
Updated Strategy For General Studies For New Syllabus
No ratings yet
Updated Strategy For General Studies For New Syllabus
5 pages
2 T.R. Raghunandan - Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Bureaucracy But Were Afraid To Ask
No ratings yet
2 T.R. Raghunandan - Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Bureaucracy But Were Afraid To Ask
172 pages
Subject Combinations Not Allowed by UPSC For IAS Exam: Updated General Studies Mains Syllabus For 2008
No ratings yet
Subject Combinations Not Allowed by UPSC For IAS Exam: Updated General Studies Mains Syllabus For 2008
3 pages
Secrets of Success
From Everand
Secrets of Success
Yandamoori Veerendranath
3/5 (2)
Palladium - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
No ratings yet
Palladium - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
12 pages
Penggunaan whom, whose, that, which
No ratings yet
Penggunaan whom, whose, that, which
5 pages
REPORT
100% (1)
REPORT
11 pages
2008 Catalog - Soundstream PDF
No ratings yet
2008 Catalog - Soundstream PDF
52 pages
Samsung UN32EH5000FXZA Fast Track Troubleshooting
No ratings yet
Samsung UN32EH5000FXZA Fast Track Troubleshooting
8 pages
LAB Manual
No ratings yet
LAB Manual
100 pages
Catalog Transformatoare Cofi2011
No ratings yet
Catalog Transformatoare Cofi2011
7 pages
ICAEW Audit and Assurance Study Guide 2016
100% (1)
ICAEW Audit and Assurance Study Guide 2016
24 pages
FAQ Amrita 2022
No ratings yet
FAQ Amrita 2022
3 pages
All Worksheets MYSQL with answer
No ratings yet
All Worksheets MYSQL with answer
35 pages
VBS Vibration Sensors
No ratings yet
VBS Vibration Sensors
10 pages
ASG202408062028165178_1_41_
No ratings yet
ASG202408062028165178_1_41_
2 pages
What Is Proper College Classroom Etiquette
No ratings yet
What Is Proper College Classroom Etiquette
2 pages
ECON010 DSC 9 - Vishruti Gupta
No ratings yet
ECON010 DSC 9 - Vishruti Gupta
4 pages
Emperor Eyasu The Great
No ratings yet
Emperor Eyasu The Great
8 pages
Understanding Arguments An Introduction to Informal Logic 9th Edition Walter Sinnott-Armstrong 2024 Scribd Download
100% (6)
Understanding Arguments An Introduction to Informal Logic 9th Edition Walter Sinnott-Armstrong 2024 Scribd Download
60 pages
Cryotemp: Ultra Low Temperature Data Logger
No ratings yet
Cryotemp: Ultra Low Temperature Data Logger
2 pages
VFT
No ratings yet
VFT
5 pages
1358942-Biolis 30i
No ratings yet
1358942-Biolis 30i
282 pages
STORY3
No ratings yet
STORY3
3 pages
Enfield 2013 Semiosis
No ratings yet
Enfield 2013 Semiosis
11 pages
This Is My Desire
100% (1)
This Is My Desire
9 pages
A Case Study Questions
No ratings yet
A Case Study Questions
2 pages
Mass Media
No ratings yet
Mass Media
19 pages
G Suite vs. Office 365
No ratings yet
G Suite vs. Office 365
7 pages
2 Dy
No ratings yet
2 Dy
32 pages
Amahi: Packaging Applications For One-Click Installation
100% (2)
Amahi: Packaging Applications For One-Click Installation
10 pages
Corvus Documentation
No ratings yet
Corvus Documentation
10 pages
Matematičko Fizički List 1987-88. 1-152
No ratings yet
Matematičko Fizički List 1987-88. 1-152
48 pages