UPSC Mains-2018 – General Studies 3 Trend Analysis

Sr.no Questions Why UPSC Asked this question?
1. “Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is a sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs).” Comment on the progress made in India in this regard. (150 words) 10
  1. Reason 1. World’s hungry population on the rise again, says United Nations’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2018 report,(June 2018)
  2. Static Portion
2. Comment on the important changes introduced in respect of the Long-term Capital Gain Tax – (LCGT) and Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) in the Union Budget for 2018-2019. (150 words) 10
  1. Long term capital gains comes back in Budget 2018-19(February 2018)
  2. Static Portion
3. What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low-income traps? (150 words) 10
  1. Budget 2018: Govt ensures payment of full MSP even if farmers sell below cost

(February 2018)

  1. Static Portion
4. Examine the role of supermarkets in supply chain management of fruits, vegetables and food items. How do they eliminate the number of intermediaries? (150 words)10
  1. Static Portion
5. Discuss the work of ‘Bose-Einstein Statistics’ done by prof. Satyendra Nath Bose and show how it revolutionized the field of physics. (150 words)10
  1. 125th Birth Anniversary of Satyendra Nath Bose
6. What are the impediments in disposing huge quantities of discarded solid wastes which are continuously being generated? How do we remove safely the toxic wastes that have been accumulating in our habitable environment?
  1. Static Portion
7. What is wetland? Example the Ramsar concept of ‘wise use’ in the context of wetland conservation. Cite two examples of Ramsar sites from India. (150 words)10
  1. Environment ministry notifies new wetland rules Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules(September 2017)
  2. Static Portion
8. Sikkim is the first ‘Organic State ‘in India. What are the ecological and economical benefits of Organic State? (150 words)10
  1. Issue on the Sustainability Model of Organic Farming
9. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is viewed as a cardinal subset of China’s larger “One Belt One Road” initiative .Give a brief description of CPEC and enumerate the reasons why India has distanced itself from the same. (150 words)10
  1. India refuses to endorse China’s Belt and Road Initiative(June 2018)
  2. Static Portion
10. Left Wing Extremism (LWE) is showing a downward trend, but still effects many parts of the country. Briefly explain the government of India’s approach to counter the challengers post by LWE. (150 words) 10
  1. State sees decline in Naxal violence in last three years(August 2018)
  2. Static Portion
11 How are the principles followed by the NITI Aayog different from those followed by the erstwhile planning commission in India? (250 words)15
  1. In News(jan-2015 to September 2018)
  2. Static Portion
12 How would the recent phenomena of protectionism and currency manipulations in world trade effect macroeconomic stability of India? (250 words) 15
  1. Trade War between China and the USA(April-2018 to September 2018)
13 Assess the role of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in boosting the production, productivity and income of horticulture farms. How far has it succeeded in increasing the income of farmers? (250 words) 15
  1. Static Portion
14 How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millets production and consumption. (250 words) 15
  1. Centre to declare 2018 as ‘national year of millets

(January 2018)

  1. Static Portion
15 Why is there so much activity in the field of biotechnology in our country? How has this activity benefitted the field of biopharma? (250 words) 15
  1. Static Portion
16 With growing energy needs should India keep on extending its nuclear energy programme? Discuss the facts and fears associated with nuclear energy. (250 words)15
  1. Issues regarding the installation of new nuclear power plants(June 2017)
  2. Static Portion
17 How does biodiversity vary in India? How is the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 helpful in conservation flora and fauna? (250 words) 15
  1. Rules for heritage tag to biodiversity sites

(May 2018)

  1. Static Portion
18 Describe various measures taken in India for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) before and after signing ‘Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030)’. How is this framework different from ‘Hyogo Framework for Action, 2005’? (250 words)15
  1. Static Portion
19 Data security has assumed significant importance in the digitized world due to rising cybercrimes. The justice B.N Sri krishna Committee Report addresses issues related to data security. What, in your view, are the strengths and weaknesses of the Report relating the protection of personal data in cyberspace? (250 words)15
  1. Srikrishna panel proposals are a big push to privacy protection
  2. B N SriKrishna Committee Report

(July 2018)

  1. Static Portion
20. India’s proximity to two of the world’s biggest illicit opium-growing states has enhanced her internal security concerns. Explain the linkages between drug trafficking and other illicit activities such as gunrunning, money laundering and human trafficking. What countermeasures should be taken to prevent the same? (250 words)15
  1. Static Portion

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