The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 71, 24 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s answer for Daily Answer Writing Practice


Despite the stringent provisions in the Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013, the practice of manual scavenging continues to persist. Critically evaluate. (10 marks, 150 words)

Answer
A “manual scavenger” is a person who manually cleans or disposes of human excreta in an insanitary latrine, or an open drain. Despite various executive and legislative measures, manual scavenging remain very much in practice. With a view to completely abolish this practice, the Parliament passed the ‘Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act, 2013’ (MS Act, 2013).
Features of the MS Act 2013:
• Prohibition: The Bill prohibited the employment of manual scavengers, the manual cleaning of sewers and septic tanks without protective equipment, and banned the construction of insanitary latrines.
• Accountability: The District Magistrate and the local authority shall be the implementing authorities.
• Stricter law: Offences under the Bill shall be cognizable and non-bailable, and may be tried summarily. Also, penalties are significantly high.
• Rehabilitation: It seeks to rehabilitate manual scavengers and provide for their alternative employment.
Despite the most stringent penal provisions in the law against manual scavenging, it continues in parts of India, with death of 30 people engaged in the activity in the just Tamil Nadu pointing to the malaise.

Why is the practice still persisting?
1. Insanitary latrines: The major cause for manual scavenging is the existence of insanitary latrines.
2. Poor implementation by States: Most states do not want to acknowledge that they haven’t dealt with the problem and refuse to provide information to even identify manual scavengers to provide them relief and rehabilitation.
3. Poor rehabilitation: Lack of identification and poor implementation meant provisions for one-time cash assistance, skill development training as well as concessional loan for self-employment have not reached target beneficiaries.
4. Community mindset – Many communities still regard the inclusion of a sanitary toilet as a burden.

Way forward:
Manual scavenging is a contravention of human rights and the right to live with dignity enshrined by the Constitution. Swachh Bharat Abhiyan with focus on sanitary latrines will go a long way in eradication of manual scavenging. The states must fast track identification and rehabilitation of those still forced into manual scavenging.

#polity #governance # GS2

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC
For Daily History Optional Answer Writing Practice join: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 72, 25 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s question for Daily Answer Writing Practice

What is the difference and relation between prejudices and discrimination? How can prejudice be stopped? Discuss. (150 Words, 10 marks)

#Ethics #GS4

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

There are two things you can do.
1. Mute the Group so that you won't get notifications.
2. Only join the parent channel and not the group. The parent channel is for broadcasting only. Group is for two way dialogue.

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 72, 25 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s answer for Daily Answer Writing Practice

What is the difference and relation between prejudices and discrimination? How can prejudice be stopped? Discuss. (150 Words, 10 marks)

Answer: When a person holds an unsupported and often negative attitude about the members of a particular social group, it is called prejudice and when prejudicial attitudes cause members of a particular social group to be treated differently than others in situations that call for equal treatment, it is called discrimination. Some of the reasons for prejudices are Social categorization, Social identity and conformity and Social comparison.

Difference between prejudices and discrimination
• Prejudice includes all three components of an attitude (affective, behavioral and cognitive), whereas discrimination just involves behavior.
• Although laws can be made to minimize discriminatory behavior, it is not possible to have laws against holding certain attitudes.
• In other words, discrimination can be controlled and in some cases eliminated, but the prejudicial attitude that is responsible for the discrimination cannot be so easily controlled or eliminated.

Relation between prejudices and discrimination
• They have the relation of cause of and effect where prejudice is the cause for the effect of discrimination.
• Discrimination is the behavioral component of attitude of prejudice.
• Discrimination is the potential outcome of prejudice.

Ways to overcome
• Education: Learning about people who are different from one in many ways.
• Intergroup contact: when people have an opportunity to work together they get to know each other on common ground. Especially direct contact helps in reducing prejudices. Also, equal status group contact, with neither group having power over the other can reduce prejudices. For example, Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat program of government.
• Strengthening cooperation: People can be engaged in the activities involving cooperation.
• Value inculcation: Training people to become more empathetic to members of other groups.
• Self-awareness: Making people aware of the inconsistencies in their own beliefs.

Therefore, using above measures at different levels of socialization like family, society, schools, community, organization, and state, prejudices can be reduced leading to reduction in discrimination.

#Ethics #GS4

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 73, 26 September, 2020][#History #GS1]

Dear Students,
Please find below today’s question for Daily Answer Writing Practice

How does Hinayana Buddhism differ from Mahayana Buddhism? (10 marks, 150 words)

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 72, 25 September, 2020] [#History #GS1]

How does Hinayana Buddhism differ from Mahayana Buddhism? (10 marks, 150 words)

Answer:

Differences among the monks on the interpretation of Buddhism got more crystalized in the successive councils after the mahaparinirvana of Buddha and the two major schools of Buddhist philosophy that emerged were Hinayana and the Mahayana.

Important points of differences between the Hinayana and the Mahayana traditions

In Hinayana Buddhism the immediate goal is achieving Nirvana, individual salvation, where each person has to work out his/her own destiny. Whereas for the Mahayana Buddhists immediate goal is achieving bodhisattva. A bodhisattva is an individual who has gained spiritual enlightenment but puts off his own final state of Nirvana in order to assist all sentinent beings (human, animals and insects) to attain salvation.
• Hinayana sees suffering as real while Mahayana tradition considers it as an illusion.
• In the Hinayana tradition main thrust is on the Buddha's teachings, whereas deification of the Buddha and worship of deities are considered integral part of the Mahayana tradition.
• Although both the schools believe in the basic philosophy of Buddhism but the differences that they have mainly are in terms of interpretation of the Buddhist philosophy and in its practices.
• Hinayana Buddhism became popular in Sri Lanka, Burma and the countries of South-East Asia, where as Mahayana Buddhism became the dominant sect in India, Central Asia, Tibet, China and Japan.
The fact is that both Hinayanism and Mahayanism derived their views from the identical sayings of the Buddha, but they differ in interpreting these sayings.

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

Additional Information

About a hundred years after the Buddha's death the second council was held in Vaishali. By this time there were divisions among the Buddhist monks on various issues, especially over the true interpretation of the Buddha's teachings. The two prominent groups that emerged out of this schism in the Buddhist order were the Sthaviravadins (Theravadins) and the Mahasanghikas. The third Buddhist council was held during the reign of Asoka at Pataliputra. At this council differences of opinions were not confined to the Vinaya, but also concerned the Dhamma. The President of the Council, Moggaliputta Tissa, compiled a book called the Kathavatthu which refuted the heretical, false views and theories held by some sects. The Abhidhamma Pitaka was included at this council. The fourth council was held in Kashmir under the leadership of Vasumitra and Asvaghosa during the reign of Kanishka, differences among the monks on the interpretation of Buddhism got more crystalized in the successive council meetings and the two major schools of Buddhist philosophy that emerged are known as the Hinayana and the Mahayana. The fact is that both Hinayanism and Mahayanism derived their views from the identical sayings of the Buddha, but they differ in interpreting these sayings.

The Hinayanists (Theravadins) believe that there is no permanent self or soul and that an individual is only a combination of what they call the five aggregates - matter, sensation, perception, predisposition and consciousness. It is through eradication of ignorance, lustful cravings and selfish thoughts that one can eliminate Karma and repeated rebirths and achieve nirvana. Hinayana stresses on individual efforts towards gradual enlightenment. This doctrine is meant for the individual salvation where each person has to work out his own destiny. Meditation and introspections are encouraged for attaining enlightenment.

The Mahayana tradition (developed between 1st century B.C. and 2nd century A.D.) is based on the Buddha's original teachings but it does not believe in traditional interpretations. It tried to expand the scope of Buddhism by introducing new theories and practices so as to make it more familiar and meaningful for the lay Buddhists. It also elevated the status of the Buddha to that of God so that all questions and doubts regarding the existence of the Buddha after his nirvana would be cleared. The Mahayana philosophy teach that every sentinent being can become a Buddha, the only thing preventing enlightenment is the failure to improve one's own actions and state of mind. It promotes the ideal of the bodhisattva who shuns entering nirvana until all sentinent beings can do so as well, willingly remaining in the painful cycle of birth and death to perform works of compassion. Followers of this tradition conceive of the Buddha as an eternal being to whom prayers can be made and add a polytheistic dimension to the religion. It is also known as 'Great Vehicle' because of its all-inclusive approach to liberation as embodied in the bodhisattva ideal and the desire to liberate all beings. Compassion along with wisdom is considered as the path of enlightenment. In addition to meditative practices devotion to a bodhisattva is considered important to reach Buddhahood.

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 74, 27 September, 2020][#History #GS1]

Dear Students,
Please find below today’s question for Daily Answer Writing Practice

What is economic nationalism? Discuss the views of its earliest proponents. (15 marks, 250 words)

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC
For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 74, 27 September, 2020][#History #GS1]

What is economic nationalism? Discuss the views of its earliest proponents.

Answer:

Economic Nationalism developed in India in the colonial context and was associated with capitalist expansion on a world scale in the wake of industrialisation. The main stream of nationalist economic thoughts was formulated in the period between 1870s and 1905. However, there were sentiments in the earlier period, particularly in the 1840s in Maharashtra.

In 1830s, Raja Rammohan Roy was aware of the negative economic consequences of British colonial rule and complained against the ‘tribute’ paid to Britain as well as showed his concern for the plight of the peasants. But it was in the 1840s, certain Maharashtrian intellectuals criticised the British rule for economically exploiting India, particularly by draining its resources. They were convinced that the British colonial rule was detrimental to India.

• Bhaskar Tarkhadkar argued that the destruction of the indigenous industry in Maharashtra, as in India as a whole, resulted in poverty and misery of the artisans. Moreover, the siphoning of India’s wealth between the battle of Plassey in 1757 and 1815 amounted to ‘about 1,000 million pounds’. He also criticised the no-tariff policy which limited the growth of indigenous modern industry and destroyed handicrafts industry.
• Bhau Mahajan criticised the imperialist policies of waging wars and charging them on Indian treasury
• Ramkrishna Viswanath attributed India’s poverty mainly to drain of wealth and the adverse balance of trade. He further advocated Indians to work hard and invest in national modern industry.

Thus, since the 1840s, the Indian intelligentsia was agitated on the issue of the unfair and exploitative treatment of the Indians by the colonial rulers. Their criticism, though sketchy, covered several aspects of this economic discrimination which was later taken up much more comprehensively by Dadabhai Naoroji, MG Ranade, RC Dutt, GK Gokhale, G. Subramaniya Iyer, GV Joshi, Lokmanya Tilak and Surendranath Banerjee after 1880s-1890s.

The early nationalists argued that India needed its independent national economic policies which would herald it on the path of modern industrial development. Through all means available at their disposal – newspapers, journals, speeches, books, lectures and political agitations – they constantly campaigned on this issue for almost five decades. Such concerted criticism of the colonial regime gave rise to an almost unified body of opinions on economic issues among the nationalist intelligentsia. The result was an unprecedented realisation among Indian people, particularly the middle classes, that India was a territorial unity and that its interests were common. As this realisation grew over the years, the foundations of Indian nationalism were firmly laid.

For Daily Answer Writing Practice: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC
For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 75, 28 September, 2020][#History #GS1]

Dear Students,
Please find below today’s question for Daily Answer Writing Practice

Differentiate between the new and old social movements. State, why, in India, it is difficult to make a clear distinction between the old and new social movements. (15 marks, 250 words)

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC
For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

We presently have channels related to Prelims MCQs, Mains Answer Writing and three optional channels (history, anthropology and sociology).

We are planning to gradually grow and have channels for Essay, Geography, Economics, Public Administration and Political Science. We will notify you all when that is done.

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 75, 28 September, 2020] [#History #GS1]

Differentiate between the new and old social movements. State, why, in India, it is difficult to make a clear distinction between the old and new social movements.

Answer:

According to the Marxist framework, the old movements are based on class characters with ultimate objectives to overthrow the state. They primarily focus on the state power and on class consciousness. (eg peasant or working-class movement) They function within the frame of political parties (eg Indian National Congress led the Indian National Movement).

Today, old class-based political action is on the decline as in the affluent West with its welfare state, issues of class-based exploitation is not the central concern. New social movements (NSMs) were not about changing the distribution of power in society and class-relationship but issues of identity, autonomy and quality of life. (e.g. peace movement, ecological movement, women’s movement and movements around the issue of identity – dalit, adivasi, women, human rights etc)

Characteristics of NSMs:
The NSMs are not directing their collective action to state power. They are concerned with individual and collective morality. Participation and motivation contain a strong moral component and defensive concern with justice in the social and world order.

The new social movements are not class–based. They are multi-class. In fact, they do not subscribe to the theory that society is divided on class line and the classes are antagonistic. The new social movements are either ethnic or nationalist and plural. (eg Women’s movement or farmers’ movement)
The new social movements are confined to and concern with civil society. Under the combined impact of the forces of the state and the market, society grows helpless. Consequently, the NSMs raise the issue of the ‘self-defense’ of the community.

NSMs are not around economic issues of land, wages or property. They are primarily concerned with self- identity and autonomy of an individual and community against the state, market and social institutions. (dalit movement for dignity and adivasis movement for autonomy)

NSMs are not concerned for the benefit of one class or group. They are concerned for the good of every one irrespective of class. (e.g. Environmental movement)
For some NSMs are grassroots or micro movements and do not have to capture state power on their agenda. They are democratic in their organisational structure. They are concerned with democratisation in day to day life.

Distinction in Indian context:
Concerns about social inequality and the unequal distribution of resources continue to be important elements in movements involving women, peasants, dalits, adivasis, and others in post Independence India. (e.g. Peasant movements for better prices and subsidies. Dalit labourers against exploitation by upper-caste landowners and money-lenders, women’s movement against gender discrimination at workplace and within family).

However, these new social movements are not just about ‘old’ issues of economic inequality and organised along class lines alone. Identity politics, cultural anxieties and aspirations are essential elements in creating social movements and occur in ways that are difficult to trace to class-based inequality. Often, these social movements unite participants across class boundaries. For instance, the women’s movement includes urban, middle-class feminists as well as poor peasant women. The regional movements for separate statehood bring together different groups of people who do not share homogeneous class identities.

This, in Indian context, questions of social inequality occur alongside other, equally important, issues.

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 76, 29 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s question for Daily Answer Writing Practice


How do SHGs help in bringing about a gender perspective in development in India? (10 marks, 150 words)

#polity #governance #GS2

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 76, 29 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s answer for Daily Answer Writing Practice


How do SHGs help in bringing about a gender perspective in development in India? (10 marks, 150 words)

Indicators of human development show that women have an unequal share in the processes of development which highlights the need to add a gender perspective into the development discourse. Self Help Groups (SHGs) have emerged as a key tool to promotes women’s integration in development efforts, especially in rural area. There are more than 85 lakh SHGs operating in India, with most of them being women SHGs.
SHGs - empowering women to be part of developmental processes:
• Confidence: The focus of the SHG is to develop capacity of the disadvantaged, particularly women, so as to increase their self-reliance and self-confidence. It enables members to gradually assume sense of individual, social and civic responsibility.
• Control over finances: SHG-Bank linkage programme enabled women to access credit and take up income generation activities, which will give women increased control over income and spending. Between 2014 and 2017, Rs. 94934 crore has been disbursed as loans to Women SHGs.
• Entrepreneurship: SHGs promotes pooling, savings and entrepreneurship. Many SHGs have become successful business enterprises leading to economic empowerment.
• Creating leaders: The self-help groups are the biggest generators of social capital in rural India, with many women leaders in panchayati raj institutions coming from self-help groups.
• Holistic development: It helps them in gaining skills, education, health and achieve social, economic and political empowerment. No other programme brings such holistic development for the most vulnerable women in society.
Gender perspective must be an integral part of any development process, and SHGs have empowered millions of women to become integral in the processes of development. SHGs still face several challenges like difficulty in marketing, finance, sustainability etc. and they need to be addressed.


#polity #governance #GS2

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 77, 30 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s question for Daily Answer Writing Practice


"Leaders in the organization are not only effective managers but also good communicators. At the core of both management and communication lies emotional intelligence." Do you agree? (150 Words, 10 marks)

#Ethics # GS4

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC
For Daily History Optional Answer Writing Practice join: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 77, 30 September, 2020]


Dear Students,
Please find below today’s answer for Daily Answer Writing Practice


"Leaders in the organization are not only effective managers but also good communicators. At the core of both management and communication lies emotional intelligence." Do you agree? (150 Words, 10 marks)

Leaders help themselves and others to do the right things. They set direction, build an inspiring vision, and create something new. Leadership is about mapping out where you need to go to "win" as a team or an organization; and it is dynamic, exciting, and inspiring. Thus leaders manage both the human factor and the job factor at work and help align the individual goals to the organizational goals.
MANAGEMENT: It is the organization and coordination of the activities of an organization in order to achieve defined objectives. It involves taking care of man, machine and methods. Thus it invariably has a emotional component as well.
COMMUNICATION: It is a core leadership function. Effective communication and effective leadership are closely intertwined. Leaders need to be skilled communicators in countless relationships at the organizational level, in communities and groups, and sometimes on a global scale.
EI, Management and Communication:
EI is the capability of individuals to recognize their own emotions and those of others discern between different feelings and attribute them appropriately, use that emotional information to guide thinking and behavior, and manage and/or adjust emotions to adapt to environment to achieve one's goal. Thus it is the application of both head and heart to arrive at a decision.
Thus both management and communication have two components of facts and values. The first one is associated with the tools and techniques aspect while the other involves dealing with men, which involves emotion. Leaders in order to take the organisation forwards with its Men, applies both the hard and the soft skill. Managing through planning, coordinating, directing, regulating etc, they align the targets. Similarly by free flow information they take into account the aspiration and demands of the employees into account. Therefore, they understand the “other” aspect by free flow of communication channel. At the same time, they understand themselves. This helps in managing self and others. It helps the leaders to decide the future course of action, behaviours and choices. Thus communication and management is the prime tool for a Leader to integrate the aspiration of its Men to the targets of the organisation.


#Ethics # GS4

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC
For Daily History Optional Answer Writing Practice join: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 78, 1 October, 2020][#GS1 #History]

Dear Students,
Please find below today’s answer for Daily Answer Writing Practice

The Gupta period has often been referred to as “Golden Age” due to its cultural heritage. Elaborate. (15 marks, 250 words)
Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 78, 1 October, 2020][#GS1 #History]

The Gupta period has often been referred to as “Golden Age” due to its cultural heritage. Elaborate. (15 markes, 250 words)

Answer

The Gupta period is called as “Golden Age” due to its great accomplishments in the field of art and architecture, language and literature. It stands out as a significant departure from previous historical periods, particularly in the cultural history of India due to impressive standards achieved by artistic and literary expressions of this time. The Gupta sovereigns supported cultural pursuits on a large scale and its result is evident in the form of both literary and archaeological masterpieces.

Architecture
Gupta period reflects creative enthusiasm and deep sense and awareness of beauty in architecture. (eg Dashaavataara temple at Deogarh, Bhitargaon temple near Kanpur, Vishnu temple at Tigawa, Shiva temple at Bhumara, Parvati temple at Nachna-Kuthara) Some of them are adorned with beautiful sculptural panels.
The Gupta temple-building activity represents evolution from the earlier tradition of rock-cut shrines. However, the high and elaborately carved shikharas on top of the temples were yet to appear. Therefore, Gupta period marks the formative phase of temple construction in India, but it was a significant phase that continued to influence temple-building right up to the medieval period.

Language
Classical Sanskrit developed during the Guptas. Sanskrit was widely patronised by the Gupta rulers, making it the official language of their court. All their inscriptions are written in Sanskrit. Ignored earlier under the influence of the Buddhist and Jaina traditions that encouraged vernacular dialects like Pali, Prakrit and Ardhamaagadhi, Sanskrit saw its revival under the Guptas. Even Buddhist scholars, particularly those of Mahayana Buddhism, began composing their scriptures in Sanskrit.

Literature
The epics Ramayana and Mahabharata are believed to have been compiled and given their final form around 4th-5th century CE. The great Kalidasa – one of the Navaratnas – wrote dramas like Abhijnana-Shakuntalam, Malavikagnimitram, Vikramorvashiyam and poetic works such as Raghuvamsham, Kumarasambhavam and Meghadutam which show the excellent literary standards.

Science and Technology
Varahamihira wrote Brihat Samhitaa that deals with scientific subjects like astronomy and botany. Aryabhatta wrote Aryabhattiyam: a famous work on geometry, algebra, arithmetic and trigonometry. The notable creations on medicine include Charaka Samhitaa and Sushruta Samhitaa.

Thus, an all-round cultural progress was manifest during this time.

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 79, 2 October, 2020][#GS1 #History]

Dear Students,
Please find below today’s answer for Daily Answer Writing Practice

Discuss the role of intellectuals in the emergence of Indian nationalism. (15 marks, 250 words)

Model Answer would be posted after 8 pm today

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting

The Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 79, 2 October, 2020][#GS1 #History]

Discuss the role of intellectuals in the emergence of Indian nationalism. (15 markes, 250 words)

Answer

In the presidencies of Bengal, Bombay and Madras, where the British first established its foothold, the new intelligentsia who were the beneficiaries of western education became critical of the exploitative character of the colonial rule. Education, the press, and European racism and economic oppression were arousing a new political consciousness. Initiatives to form provincial political associations first came from this elite section of society.

1. Spread of English educated umemployment
In 1817 with the establishment of the Hindu college at Calcutta Indian elite got opportunity to learn English language and western science. English was made the official language in place of Persian language in 1835 and the rising elite saw in learning English the key to employment and power under British regime.
But the new graduates with ambition very soon found them left out in the race for coveted administrative posts in government. There were competitions within Indian elites for shares of power and resources. It is argued that a sense of frustration due to limited employment opportunity gave birth to anti-British sentiments.

2. Changing attitude of the intelligentsia
In the initial years of British rule educated Indians were generally appreciative of the beneficial aspects of colonial rule and looked towards the west for new ideas and scientific education. The trend began to change from the second half of nineteenth century after realising the exploitative nature of colonial rule and the growing misery of Indian masses.

Racist arrogance and denial of equal rights to Indians further alienated educated Indians and contributed towards the development of consciousness as Indian nation. Liberal, democratic and egalitarian ideas of the west opened the eyes of educated Indians to become critics of British domination and influenced them to look back to Indian civilisation for its unique power of assimilation.

3. Print, press and modern public sphere
The period since 1860s witnessed significant increase in the literary production in vernacular languages. Vernacular press was also developing with great importance and had great influence in shaping Indian opinion against British rule. (eg during Indigo Revolt)

4. Economic Nationalism
The intelligentsia did not initially question the legitimacy of the continuation of British rule, but by 1870s their faith in British governance was shaken because of several famines caused by British rule. Dadabhai Naoroji and Ramesh Chunder Dutt strongly criticised economic exploitation of India by British rule.

5. Formation of Association
The formation of political associations to put forward demands of Indians to British government marked the beginning of new political consciousness of Indians. The new intelligentsia played significant role in these associations like Indian Association, Bombay Presidency Association, Poona Sarvajanik Sabha, Madras Mahajan Sabha etc which took up issues of political-administrative reform, civil rights, economic policy and even foreign relations.

All these provincial associations, in spite of having its limited social base and limited objectives gave momentum to political activity by providing confidence to Indians to organise political opposition. Transcending the ties of family, caste, religion and locality, these associations were the first overt sign of a social and political revolution in India.

For Daily Answer Writing Practice for Mains 2020 join: https://t.me/AnswerWritingDaily
For Daily MCQ Practice for Prelims 2020 join: https://t.me/DailyMCQsForUPSC

For History Optional: https://t.me/HistoryDailyAnswerWriting
For Sociology Optional: https://t.me/SociologyOptionalAnswerWriting
For Anthropology Optional: https://t.me/AnthroDailyAnswerWriting