Mains Practice Questions

Q. The Indian Ocean is emerging as the strategic heartland of the 21st century. Discuss the evolving maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and evaluate India’s preparedness to safeguard its strategic interests. (250 words)

Q. While mining drives economic growth and industrial development, it simultaneously threatens ecological balance. Examine how mining activities contribute to environmental degradation and suggest sustainable strategies to minimise their adverse impacts. (150 words)

Q. AI holds the potential to bridge governance gaps or exacerbate digital divides. Examine how the IndiaAI Mission can promote equitable access to AI benefits across different regions and sectors in India. (250 words)

Q. Fiscal health determines the developmental resilience of a state. How can the FHI (Fiscal Health Index) help bridge the gap between fiscal capacity and fiscal performance across Indian states? (150 words)

Q. “The proposed GST 2.0 seeks to address the structural inefficiencies of India’s indirect tax framework. Critically examine its rationale and challenges for transforming India’s indirect tax regime. (250 words)

Q. India’s space programme has evolved from a tool for scientific exploration to an instrument of socio-economic transformation.Discuss.(150 words)

Q. India’s manufacturing sector shows momentum but faces persistent bottlenecks. Critically examine the challenges in this sector and suggest reforms in light of recent initiatives.
(250 words)

Q. Stampedes are often preventable tragedies rooted in inadequate planning, lack of accountability, and weak enforcement. Comment. (150 words)

Q. Analyse the factors contributing to insurgency in India’s North-Eastern states and assess the effectiveness of government interventions and peace accords in the past decade. (250 words)

Q.” India faces significant food wastage due to inefficiencies in the movement of produce from farms to consumers.”Examine the role of a farm-to-fork supply chain in ensuring food security and minimising post-harvest losses in India. (150 words)

Q. Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) is often described as a "bridge technology" in the global transition to net-zero. Examine its potential and challenges in the Indian context. (250 words)

Q.The Human Development Index (HDI) shows potential, while the Inequality-adjusted Human Development Index (IHDI) reveals performance. Discuss with reference to India. (150 words)

Q. “The Himalayan region is simultaneously India’s water tower and disaster epicenter.” Critically examine in light of glacier retreat and hydropower expansion. (250 words)

Q. Analyze how data has emerged as the ‘new factor of production’ in India’s economy. What challenges arise in terms of regulation, ownership, and privacy? (250 words)

Q. Technological sovereignty is emerging as the cornerstone of national power in the 21st century. Examine how India can achieve self-reliance in semiconductors, space technology, and critical minerals while staying embedded in global value chains.(250 words)

Q. Do structural interventions such as embankments and dams provide long-term solutions to floods, or do they create new vulnerabilities? Critically evaluate. (150 words)

Q. How far can carbon farming and regenerative agriculture provide India with both climate resilience and export competitiveness? Discuss. (150 words)

Q. “Borders today are as much digital as they are physical.” Analyze India’s vulnerabilities to cyber intrusions and digital espionage. Suggest an integrated cyber defense and digital sovereignty strategy. (250 words)

Q. “Narco-terrorism is the silent war on youth.”Analyze how narco-terrorism affects India’s demographic dividend. Suggest preventive and rehabilitative measures to shield the young population from this menace. (250 words)

Q. “Care work is the invisible scaffolding of the economy.” How can recognising and integrating care work reshape labour markets and raise the female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR)? (150 words)

Q. Climate justice and carbon markets have gained prominence in international negotiations. Critically evaluate India’s position on these concepts and their relevance for equitable sustainable development. (250 words)

Q. Analyze the structural, financial, and regulatory challenges in formalizing India’s informal sector while preserving its employment generation potential. (250 words)

Q. Critically analyze how climate change is altering the frequency and intensity of cloudbursts in India. Assess the preparedness of India’s disaster management framework to address cloudburst events. (250 words)

Q."A river’s purity is the first casualty of unchecked progress."Discuss the challenges in implementing effective wastewater treatment to curb river pollution in India. (150 words)

Q. India’s participation in the Axiom Mission marks a shift towards global human spaceflight collaboration. Analyze its implications for India’s space sector. (150 words)

Q. Despite being the largest cotton producer globally, India lags in productivity. Critically examine the key challenges in cotton productivity in India and evaluate the role of recently launched “Mission for Cotton Productivity” in addressing them. (250 words)

Q. “India’s renewable energy transition is necessary, but not yet sufficient.” Analyse the environmental and socio-economic trade-offs in large-scale solar and wind energy projects. (250 words)

Q. “In a country where deprivation wears many faces, economic policy must begin at the margins, not the median.” Examine in the context of poverty alleviation strategies in India. (250 words)

Q. "Disasters in India are often a result of development choices rather than natural hazards alone." Examine how unplanned urbanization has contributed to increasing disaster risk. (250 words)

Q. "Indigenous defence technology plays a critical role in enhancing India’s strategic autonomy and national security”. Discuss its significance in the context of India’s evolving security landscape. (250 words)