UPSC Mains-2020 – General Studies 1 Trend Analysis

• Explain rock-cut architecture
• examples how it is a source of knowledge of ancient indian art and history
• Eg. Ajanta & Ellora Caves etc

Did you Notice

• Question based on rock-cut architecture has been asked in 2015.

• Direct and question
• Pala being less important in syllabus
• its achievements in terms of art, architecture, literature, and paintings, etc.

Did you Notice

• Question on Buddhism has been asked in 2016.

• Easy and straightforward
• Can be answered from any conventional source.

Did you Notice

• Question on Dalhousie was asked in 2013.

• Direct question based on a concept that can be found in the basic texts for the subject
• Like NCERTs and GC Leong.
• Also known as the Pacific ring of fire.

Did you Notice

• In line with questions asked in 2013 & 2014.

• Difficult and conceptual
• This required conceptual understanding of desertification and also Examples
• Can include Diagrams/Maps
• Hint: Topic was in news due to India holding COP-14 of UNCCD (Sep 14, 2019)

• Direct question.
• It asks about the effects of Himalayan ice melting on the water resources of India.
• Hint: Recent release of The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment Report 2019 (Oct 11, 2019)

Did you Notice

• Question on Himalayas also asked in 2013, 2016 and 2019.

• Direct question
• locational factors for industries part
• Answered from Geography NCERT.
• Hint: Global steel body worldsteel report (Oct 29, 2018)

Did you Notice

• Question regarding Sugar industries asked in 2013 and
• cotton textile industry again in 2013
• Iron and Steel industry Globally in 2014
• and resource-based manufacturing asked in 2019

• Analytical question

Did you Notice

• Similar context as asked in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

• Direct Question on Current affairs based
• Mention the issues faced by many population groups (women, old, orphans, homeless etc.)
• Govt. initiatives, etc.
• Hint: report of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Impact of COVID-19 (Dec 23, 2020)

• Direct question on regionalism
• Direct from syllabus Concepts

Did you Notice

• Questions on regional identity and regionalism has been asked in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2019.

• The question has two key terms to focus upon,
• first is to address ‘Indian philosophy and tradition’, such as
  • Jainism,
  • Buddhism,
  • Ajivikas,
  • Shaivism,
  • aishnavism, etc
• second key term ‘monuments and art’, such as
  • rock-cut caves,
  • temples
  • different art forms of music, paintings,etc.

Did you Notice

• A similar question relating philosophy or tradition or influence has been asked in 2014 and 2019.

• Write about the various Persian literary sources of medieval India and
• how this literature reflects the spirit of the age.
• This will include thought, social structure, culture, political institutions, etc.

• The decade of 1920,
• Ideological strand in the national movement and
• Expanded the social base.

Did you Notice

• Similar question was asked in 2015 and 2019.

• Write how interlinking of rivers can provide solutions to problems of India that is drought, floods and navigation
• Hint: recent announcement of National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA). and various inter-linking projects. (Mar 04, 2020)

Did you Notice

• repeated theme of interlinking of rivers asked in past year also

• direct question
• Hint: Recent flooding in these cities.

Did you Notice

• Similar question on Flood in cities was asked in 2016.

• One, the potential of India’s solar energy;
• Two, regional variations.
• India’s target on solar energy and schemes like the
  • Renewable Purchase obligations,
  • National solar Mission,
  • International Solar Alliance, etc.

• One to bring out the state of forest resources in India.
• Two, demand the impact of current status of Indian forests on Indian climate change.
• Hint: Release of State of Forest Report, 2019 (Dec 31, 2019)

• 3 keywords Viz, diversity, pluralism, globalization.

Did you Notice

• Globalisation has been frequently asked in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.

• some of the latest examples of Indian Science Congress –
• papers presented on invention of flights by Indian,
• thesis on medicinal power of GO-MOOTHRA, Seminar in IIT on Astrology can be quoted.

• Analytical question
• Ex: SMART Board initiative, E-Pathshala, National Digital Library, SWAYAM, SWAYAM Prabha
• Hint: Digital Education In India, was in news due to Covid-19 (March 31, 2020)