[23rd July 2020][Ques-11]: "Allowing private players to operate passenger trains in India will negatively hamper the inclusive and welfare approach of the Railways" Critically Analyse [10 marks, 150 words]

Indian Railways have recently invited Request for Qualifications (RFQ) proposals for operation of passenger train services on 109 routes with 151 modern trains.

But, this initiative towards increasing the participation of private sector is facing criticism on the following grounds:
1) Profit Motive of private players will hamper inclusive and welfare approach of Indian Railways
2) Higher Fares may make private trains unsuitable for the poor and vulnerable
3) Private players may only be interested in running trains on busy and congested routes, and may ignore the remote and unserved areas.

But a careful analysis would negate the above concerns:
1) Operation by both public and private sector would promote competition and should hinder unfair fare increase.
2) More investment would mean more trains which would reduce demand supply deficit.
3) Efficient models of operations by private players may actually reduce cost of operations and provide better services.

Therefore, a liberalization of train services (not complete privatization) may actually be more inclusive and welfare oriented.

Government of India should also work towards setting up of an independent regulator and a route dispersal guideline (like that of airways sector). These would make operation of trains by private players more attractive and would make the services more inclusive for passengers

Join For Daily Answer Writing Practice for UPSC Mains: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily

[Question 12, 24th July, 2020]

Dear Students, 
Please find below today's question for the daily answer writing practice:

[Ques-12]: "A wise man's morality is the ethics of society". Do you agree? Also, explain with the help of examples difference between morality and ethics. [10 marks, 150 words]

Please submit your answers before 8 pm @AnswerWritingDailyDiscuss

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today and no evaluation of the answers posted after would be done.

#GS4 #Ethics
Join For Daily Answer Writing Practice for UPSC Mains: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily

Patriachy Question- Another example of how to write 10 Marks Question and Usage of Key words

Privatisation Question- How to approach 10 marks Question and Usage of keywords

[Question 12, 24th July, 2020]
Ethics Model Answer

#GS4 #Ethics

Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 13, 25th July]

Dear Students,
Please find below the question for daily answer writing practice for today

Critically examine the federal characteristics of the constitution of India. Do you think it is marred simultaneously with the challenges of centralisation and decentralisation?
[15 marks, 250 words]

Model Answer will be posted after 8 PM today.

#GS2 #Polity
Join for daily answer writing practice for UPSC Mains @AnswerWritingDaily

This is the discussion for Ethics answer.

[25th July 2020][Ques-13]:
Critically examine the federal characteristics of the constitution of India. Do you think it is marred simultaneously with the challenges of centralisation and decentralisation? [15 marks,250 words]

Indian Constitution is federal in structure because it has clear demarcation of boundaries between central & the state governments similar to that of the US. It makes elaborate provisions covering many aspects of Centre-State and interstate relationship, empowering the units in their respective spheres. Though it is not truly federal, it can’t be called as a unitary state either. The demand of the nation compelled the founding father to organize the best of both the worlds.

Federal characteristics of Indian Constitution:

• Dual Polity : The Constitution establishes a dual polity consisting of the Union at the Centre and the states at the Periphery. Each is endowed with sovereign powers to be exercised in the field assigned to them respectively by the Constitution. However, the emergency provisions make the polity unitary.

• Division of Powers : The Constitution divided the powers between the Centre and the states in terms of various Lists in the Seventh Schedule. However, the central government can make laws on the state subject in some cases like if the Council of States passes a resolution by a two-thirds majority declaring a particular subject or subjects to be of national importance or to honour international obligations. In the case of the concurrent list, the centre has the last say and subjects have been transferred to it from the state list.

• Written Constitution: It specifies the structure, organization, powers and functions of both the Central and state governments and prescribes the limits within which they must operate. However, the same constitution gives the Central government power to amend, and the states have no say in this. It allows for a single constitution for the whole country.

• Independent judiciary: The Constitution establishes an independent judiciary headed by the Supreme Court to protect the supremacy of the Constitution by exercising the power of judicial review; and to settle the disputes between the Centre and the states or between the states.

Further, some other provisions are unitary-like viz., the idea of single citizenship, All-India Services, the appointment of Governor by the Central government and so on.

The Contest between centralization and decentralization:
Since its inception, the Indian Federalism has been called upon to meet many challenges like the degree of centralization and that of decentralization.

Indian federal system since its inception was centralised with a system of centralised planning with many unitary features, but it witnessed several waves of decentralisation which started in the 1970s. The process of decentralisation started to deal with the incapacity of the Centre to deliver goods and services and transfer real political power to common citizens. The examples of decentralisation are 73rd, and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts, providing more fiscal autonomy to the States and to the local-self governments, delegation of powers to autonomous bodies and so on.
However, States could not improve their administrative capacity; Panchayati Raj system could not deliver political and socio-economic justice at the grass-root level, and developmental planning and the Finance Commission created a centralised revenue sharing model. At the same time, the Central government is frequently using the unitary features like emergency provisions, more fiscal powers to the Centre, and so on.
These various forces and compulsions have shaped and moulded the Indian Federalism. Therefore, the federal characteristics of Indian Constitution are sui-generis in nature and are constantly changing with time.

The need of the hour is a mixture of Cooperative, collaborative and competitive federalism as has been stated many times by the supreme court of India.

#GS2 #Polity
Join for daily answer writing practice for UPSC Mains @AnswerWritingDaily

Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 14, 26th July]

Dear Students,
Please find below the question for daily answer writing practice for today

Analyse the nature and characteristics of major popular uprisings that took place in various parts of India during the 19th century. [15 marks, 250 words]

Model Answer will be posted after 8 PM today.

#GS1 #History
Join for daily answer writing practice for UPSC Mains @AnswerWritingDaily

[Question 14, 26th July]
Analyse the nature and characteristics of major popular uprisings that took place in various parts of India during the 19th century. [15 marks, 250 words]

Locals, peasants and tribals, who were exploited by the British colonial economic structure, raised the constant banner of resistance in multiple ways – directly or indirectly, individually or collectively. All these popular rebellions, over a hundred between 1783-1900 had certain dominant characteristics as follows:

1. In the initial years of British rule displaced rulers and military personnels reacted against colonial demands. These were localised protests and rooted in specific causes.
o Between 1799-1800 Poligars, who were deprived of their military power, adopted Gorilla warfare to thwart the authority of British rulers, with the support of local people.

2. In all popular protests, economic exploitation as perpetuated by the British rule caused tension. The land revenue policies and Forests laws led to resentment. Alongside exploitation of dominant Indian Zamindars and Moneylenders was also opposed.
o The revolt of Sanyasis and Fakirs, which resulted from the famine of 1769-70, was directed against British rulers and local Zamindars in Bengal. The revolt of Kols (1831-32) was also rooted in colonial exploitation.

3. Many uprisings were restorative in nature. The rebels aimed to restore back pre-existing political structure and social and economic rights. There was protest against the penetration of alien authorities and outsiders.
o In the revolt of 1857, leadership of traditional rulers was accepted. Alongside small peasants belonging to Jat and Rajputs also rose against alien rule. There were peaceful efforts to restore back what the protestors regarded their rights.
o In the Pabna uprising of 1873-1883 tenant farmers hoped that the British rule was in favour of restoring back their landed rights.

4. However, in numerous uprisings there was protest against growing indebtedness. Thus the Deccan revolt of 1875 was against Marwaris moneylenders.

5. Violence was an integral part of popular protests. It was directed against oppressors.

6. Over the period of time, protest movements/uprisings became more organised. The role of charismatic leaders and religion in providing support and strength to rebels also became clear.
o Thus Titu Mir in rising against the exploitation of zamindars, who were Hindus, effectively used Islam in forging solidarity among his people.

7. The millenarians trends were also evident in the revolt of Santhals and Mundas. E.g Birsa claimed to be a bhagwan himself.

8. In terms of seeking support it was found that inter-tribal and inter regional linkages were also formed. The revolts were only directed against exploiters. Thus, the Kinship ties, caste and tribal identities were permeated by class consciousness.

9. The role of women was also apparent in the revolts of Santhals, Mundas and Mopilahs. They were an integral part of families and communities. They helped their male folks in productive activities and during the time of tension, they also joined them in acts of violence.


Gradually, Gandhian leadership converted national movement into mass movement by developing a nexus with these local popular movements.

#GS1 #History
Join for daily answer writing practice for UPSC Mains @AnswerWritingDaily

Additional Information:

Peasant and tribal movements have been interpreted differently by different schools of historians.

• The historians with sympathies towards the British and the established order often regarded these uprisings as a problem of law and order. The range of problems faced by these tribals and peasants from the pre-colonial to the colonial times were often overlooked as possible causes for these uprisings. The rebels were often portrayed as primitive savages resisting "civilization".

• The Nationalists tended to appropriate the peasant the tribal history to the purposes of the anti-colonial struggle ignoring certain other facets of the oppressed people's struggle.

• Those more sympathetic to the cause of the tribals and peasants however tended to negate very often the logic of peasant and tribal protest in terms of the people's own experience. It is also necessary to understand the domain of peasant and tribal action in its own terms which is generally done by subaltern historians.

#GS1 #History
Join for daily answer writing practice for UPSC Mains @AnswerWritingDaily

Q 13 (Polity ): Discussion on Federalism Question

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 15, 27th July, 2020]

Dear Students, 
Please find below the question for daily answer writing practice for today

Discuss the key factors behind increasing vulnerability of Indian cities to Urban Floods. What steps should be taken to reduce the risk of this disaster? [15 marks, 250 words]

Submit your answers before 8 pm on https://t.me/AnswerWritingDailyDiscuss

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today. 
#GS3 #DisasterManagement

Join For Daily Answer Writing Practice for UPSC Mains: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily

27th July 2020 - Model Answer

Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 16, 28th July 2020]
Dear Students,
Please find below the answer for daily answer writing practice for today

Question 16: Sea floor spreading, and Plate tectonic theory gave a new twist in Wegener’s Continental drift theory. Explain. (10 marks, 150 words).

Submit your answers before 8 pm on https://t.me/AnswerWritingDailyDiscuss
Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today.
#GS1 #Geography
Join for Daily Answer Writing Practice for UPSC Mains: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily

Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 16, 28th July 2020]
Dear Students,
Please find below the answer for daily answer writing practice for today

Question 16: Sea floor spreading, and Plate tectonic theory gave a new twist in Wegener’s Continental drift theory. Explain. (10 marks, 150 words).

The origin of continents and oceans has been a subject of debate and several theories have been postulated to explain the present distribution of continents and oceans. The continental Drift theory proposed by Wegener postulates that initially all the continents formed a single continent mass named Pangea, which was surrounded by a mega ocean Panthalassa. Around 200 million years ago, Pangea broke into two large land masses- Laurasia and Gondwanaland and subsequently, they broke into small continents that exists today.

The Wegener’s theory assumed that
1. The movement responsible for the drifting of the continents was caused by buoyancy and tidal forces.
2. The theory assumed that Continents moved over oceans.

However, plate tectonic theory refuted Wegener’s Continental drift theory and given evidence that it is the lithospheric plates and not the continents that moves. This theory stated that continents are part of these plates.

Tectonic plates can move are explained by Harry Hess Sea floor Spreading theory which stated that constant eruptions at the crest of oceanic ridges cause the rupture of the oceanic crust and new lava wedge into it pushing the oceanic crust on either side. The ocean floor which gets pushed due to volcanic eruption at the crest, sinks down at the oceanic trenches and gets consumed.
Heat generated from the radioactive decay of elements deep in the interior of the earth creates magma in the aesthenosphere. Large Convective currents in the aesthenosphere transfer heat to the surface, where plumes of less dense magma break apart the plates at the spreading center, creating divergent plate boundaries.



For 10 Marks Question:
The continental Drift theory proposed by Wegener postulates that initially all the continents formed a single continent mass named Pangea, which was surrounded by a mega ocean Panthalassa. Around 200 million years ago, Pangea broke into two large land masses- Laurasia and Gondwanaland and subsequently, they broke into small continents that exists today.
The Wegener’s theory assumed that
1. The movement responsible for the drifting of the continents was caused by buoyancy and tidal forces.
2. The theory assumed that Continents moved over oceans.

However, plate tectonic theory refuted Wegener’s Continental drift theory and given evidence that it is the lithospheric plates and not the continents that moves rather, continents are part of these plates.

Tectonic plates movement were explained by Harry Hess Sea floor Spreading theory which stated that large convective currents generated in the aesthenosphere transfer heat to the surface, where plumes of less dense magma break apart the plates at the spreading center, creating divergent plate boundaries.

Submit your answers before 8 pm on https://t.me/AnswerWritingDailyDiscuss
Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today.
#GS1 #Geography
Join for Daily Answer Writing Practice for UPSC Mains: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily

Geography answer 28th July

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 17, 29th July, 2020]

Dear Students, 
Please find below the question for daily answer writing practice for today

"Territorial dispute between India and Nepal is merely a symptom of the structural changes unfolding in the external and internal context of the bilateral relationship" Discuss [15 marks, 250 words]

Submit your answers before 8 pm on https://t.me/AnswerWritingDailyDiscuss

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today. 
#GS2 #IR

CSE Mains: Join For Daily Answer Writing Practice: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily