Mains Practice Questions

Essay Topics

A. Knowledge is power but wisdom is liberty.

B. Freedom is to live with dignity.

Q. You are a traffic constable and while on duty you see 3 people riding a motorcycle without a helmet and jumping the red signal. On stopping them, you came to know that one of them met with an accident due to potholes and is severely bleeding and due to non-arrival of ambulance they are taking him to the hospital. On further enquiry, you came to know that the driver does not have a driving license and works as day wager. While on his way to work, he found the man lying injured on the road and in a rush to take him to hospital, he left his helmet on the site of an accident. The driver expresses his financial inability to pay increased fines. Recently, due to the enforcement of new Motor Vehicles Act, you are under severe pressure from your seniors for strict enforcement.    

1. What are the ethical issues involved and the options available to you in such a situation. 

2. Also suggest a course of action you would like to follow. (250 words)

Q. “Businesses cannot be successful when the society around them fails.” Analyse the need for Corporate Social Responsibility in light of the above statement. (250 words)

Q. Examine the following quote:

“ I'd rather have a free press without a government than a government without a free press.” (250 words)

Q. RBI’s monetary policy which is based on inflation targeting needs reform. Comment. (250 words)

Q. ISRO’s role has been impeccable in making India a global space power, however, there are many challenges and opportunities in the new space age that ISRO needs to address. Discuss. (250 words)

Q. India is projected to surpass China as the world’s most populous country by 2027. Discuss the challenges of rising population and suggest a way forward. (250 words)

Q. What do you understand by money bill and how is it different from the financial bill? Examine the criteria a bill needs to fulfill to be termed as a money bill. (250 words)

Q. “Indian democracy will disintegrate under the burden of caste, communalism, regionalism, economic disparities, linguistic jingoism and other economic challenges.” Examine the factors that contributed to Indian democracy’s resilience despite these challenges. (250 words)

Q. Examine the background and the objectives that were laid in the Cripps Mission Plan, 1942 and the reasons for its failure. (250 words)

Essay Topics

A. History is determined by those who write it.

B. Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.

You are posted as an SDM in a division of district which is undergoing ethnic turbulence since sometime. There has been a substantial loss of lives and property due to the disturbance, following which you are given implicit orders by the ruling party of the area to move a certain section of population, belonging to a particular ethnic group, out of the area to control the situation. This order has put you in a difficult position as it goes against your own ethical values of targeting a section of population and moving them out of their homes. However, not following the orders will be taken as dereliction of duty and will put the onus on you for the loss of lives.

A. In this situation, what are the options available to you?

B. In your opinion, what can be the most appropriate course of action and why? (250 words)

Q. Examine the contribution of Bhakti movement to ethics along with its impact on society. (250 words)

Q. What is empathy? Is it an important trait for the present-day civil servants? Explain with examples.

Q. Examine the efficacy of population-centric counterinsurgency (COIN) approach in dealing with insurgency in Kashmir. (250 words)

Q. The MSME sector acts as a factory for entrepreneurship and self-employment opportunities as well as a tool for poverty eradication. In this context highlight the challenges and solutions for MSME sector? (250 words)

Q. PM-KISAN is aimed at boosting rural consumption and helping poor farmers recover from distress. Examine the challenges of PM-KISAN in this context. (250 words)

Q. India must reassess its strategic convergence with the US, as the foreign policy of the USA in the middle east is impacting India’s interest. Comment. (250 words)

Q. Examine how Indus Valley civilisation was distinct from the other civilisations that flourished during that period.

Q. Examine the early challenges that India faced as a newly independent country and world’s largest democracy.

Q. Foreign companies dragging India to international arbitration not only leads to financial loss but also damages the reputation of the country as an investment destination. Discuss. (250 words)

Q. What have been the recent issue related to dispute settlement at WTO? Have the policies at WTO worked against the interest of emerging economies like India?

Q. Why is India opposing global rules on E-commerce in the WTO negotiations? (250 words)

Q. What is meant by 'Peri-Urban Agriculture'? How can it help in adapting to the challenges posed by climate change? (250 words)

Q. The anti-defection law works best as an insurance against violation of the people’s mandate for a party, but it cannot be made a tool to stifle all dissent. Discuss. (250 words)

Q. Labour-intensive sectors such as housing, construction, exports, garments, tourism, education and health should be focus area for maximizing employment generation. Comment. (250 words)

Q. India’s admission into Wassenaar Arrangement is a big step in its quest for a formal acceptance as a responsible nuclear power. Comment. (250 words)

Q. Social audits help in bridging the gap between policy objectives and outcomes. Discuss. (250 words)

Q. Systemic flaws in the appointment process among other reasons have contributed to vacancies in the lower judiciary. Comment.

Q. India's leap of 23 ranks in the Ease of Doing Business ranking is significant on the 2019 World Bank’s ‘ease of doing business’ index. Examine the steps taken by government to improve business environment and challenges remaining. (250 words).