[15th July 2020]: Model Answer: What were the causes of the origin of the heterodox sects in the sixth century BC? [10 marks, 150 words]

The 6th century BCE was an important stage in Indian history as far as development of new religions are concerned. The period saw the beginning of many heterodox sects including Buddhism, Jainism and Ajivikas.

Key factors behind the rise of these sects:
1) Religious Factors:
a. Growing rigidities of Vedic religion; complex and elaborate Vedic rituals; and use of Sanskrit language had created a disconnect with common masses.
b. Upnishadic thoughts, though devoid of rituals, turned out to be too abstract for common masses.
2) Socio-Economic Causes
a. Agricultural economy, increase in trade and commerce, urbanization had led to emergence of rich Gahapatis, Setthis and other Vaishya groups who wanted better social status than the Varna system.
b. Agriculture depended on animals and hence animal sacrifice was incompatible with new economy.
3) Political Factors:
a. Kshatriya as well as non-Kshatriya rulers who strengthened their political position also wanted social status higher or equivalent to Brahmans.

All these led to growing opposition of Brahmanical tradition and greater acceptance of heterodox religions which were more egalitarian with simple moral principles and manageable rituals. Use of common language and Royal patronage also contributed to their smooth expansion.

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Daily Answer Writing Practice (Question 19): 16th July

Dear Students,

Please find below the question for daily answer writing practice for today [16th July]

[16th July 2020][Ques-19]: “Gautama Buddha was a social reformer, a revolutionary who stood against social discrimination and favoured equality for all” Critically Analyse [15 marks, 250 words]

Source to Study: Culture Booklet - 5

Model Answer would be posted after 9 pm today.

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[16th July 2020]: “Gautama Buddha was a social reformer, a revolutionary who stood against social discrimination and favoured equality for all” Critically Analyse [15 marks, 250 words]

In the background of increased complexities of Vedic rituals, social discrimination on grounds of Varna and Jati, Urbanization and emergence of new social groups like Sethis and Gahpatis, the sixth century BCE saw the emergence of many heterodox sects like Buddhism, Jainism, Ajivikas etc.
Among these, the key ideas of Buddhism, and the teachings of its founder- Gautama Buddha were seen as promoting social equality.

1) The Buddhist Sangha allowed people from lower social orders to become monks, participate in studies and achieve salvation. Varna or Jati were irrelevant.

2) The Buddhist monks accepted food from everyone, regardless of class or caste

3) The Pali Canon also reversed the Brahmanical order of rank and gave Kshatriyas higher status than that of Brahmans

4) The position of women under Buddhism was also better. They could become nuns, participate in studies and work towards achievement of salvation.

Thus, Buddha was seen as a revolutionary and a great social reformer. But at the same time, deeper analysis of Buddhist text presents existence of several forms of social discrimination in Buddhism.

1) Slaves, debtors, serving soldiers etc were not allowed to join Sanghas.

2) Large number of Monks in Sanghas were from ‘Uchcha Kula’ i.e. Brahmins or Kshatriyas

3) Followers of Buddha also had a notion of high and low status. Vinaya Pitaka mentions that occupations like accounting, writing etc were considered high occupations whereas leather works, tailor, reed making etc were considered low occupation.
4) Women were not given complete equality. Initial unwillingness of Buddha to allow women to join Sanghas, extra condition and restriction imposed on nuns, requirement of taking birth in next life as male to achieve salvation etc. indicated clear discrimination against women.

All these indicate that Buddhism was not completely egalitarian and some discrimination on the basis of background, occupation or gender existed.
But, a tradition’s progressiveness should be judged by the standards of its own time. By the standard of 5th-6th century BCE, Buddha was for sure a great social reformer and revolutionary who provided path of salvation to all the sections of society.

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Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 5, 17th July]

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

Q5. What do you understand by a transformational constitution? Explain how the recent judgments by the Indian Judiciary establish the Indian Constitution as a transformational document. [15 marks, 250 words]

Model Answer will be posted after 8 PM today.

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This is the link to the Discussion group where you all can post your answers for review and ask doubts.

Model Answer for Q5 Polity
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Hi all,
I request everyone of you to read the model answer even if you have not written the answer.
I will share something which will help you to write better answers.

[Q5, 17 July 2020]
Q5. What do you understand by a transformational Constitution? Explain how the recent judgements by Indian Judiciary establish the Indian Constitution as a transformational document.

Answer:
A Constitution is a legal document that describes the basic principles of the state, the structures and processes of government and the fundamental rights of citizens in a higher law that cannot be unilaterally changed by an ordinary legislative act. Indian courts have viewed the Constitution as not merely an amalgam of parchment guarantees against state excesses, but as a document embodying a vision of a fairer, more inclusive and more progressive society.

A Transformational Constitution is one which guides the nation towards a resplendent future. It aims at transformation of the society for the better by understanding the spirit behind the constitutionalism and not merely the letters. It organically evolves with the society as an organic documents where citizens are not treated as subject but as agents.

Over the last few years, India has witnessed significant changes in its substantive law, ushered in by Indian Judiciary led by the Supreme Court rulings involving re-interpretations of the Constitution. Prominent examples in this regard include the Harsh Mander case that decriminalised begging, the NALSA judgment, which recognised the rights of the third gender; the Navtej Singh Johar case, which saw an end to decades of criminalisation of homosexuality; the decriminalisation of adultery; and even the Sabarimala judgment of 2018. The Supreme Court’s role as the custodian and interpreter of the Constitution has enabled it to bring about these changes, combined with the growing recognition of the Indian Constitution as a transformative, rather than rigid, document.

• In the Harsh Mander vs Union of India, the Delhi High Court decriminalized begging, by declaring unconstitutional several provisions of the Anti-Beggary Act – a colonial relic, on the ground of their inconsistency with Article 14 (the equality clause); Article 19(1)(a) (the free speech clause) and Article 21 (life and personal liberty clause) of the Indian Constitution.

• In the Navtej Singh Johar vs Union of India, the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code which criminalized voluntary sexual intercourse amongst same-sex individuals. In so doing, the Court viewed the Constitution as a “great social document, almost revolutionary in its aim of transforming a medieval, hierarchical society into a modern, egalitarian democracy.”

• In the Sabrimala case, the Supreme Court struck down a prohibition on the entry of women of menstruating age in the Sabarimala temple in Kerala. One judge in the majority, Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, offered a vision of the Constitution as being transformative in character, in setting up independent institutions of governance and granting the promise of full citizenship to those hitherto deprived and marginalized.

All these above transformational and progressive interpretation of the constitution establishes the notion that the Indian Constitution is a not conservative document (aimed only at facilitating transference of power), but tries to fundamentally transform the social and legal structures. Secondly, the Constitution should be viewed as embodying the hopes and aspirations of the society in which it was framed.

This vision of the constitution being a transformative document finds concrete expression in two ways. First, by the fact that it transformed the relationship between the individual and state from one between colonial rulers and their subjects to citizens of a republic with full panoply of civil and political rights. And second, by the fact that the Constitution enabled the reconstruction of State and society itself transforming the governance in the country.

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Hello students,

Here is something that I want all of you to read and rather understand.
The question given for today was a perfect example of the UPSC standard that we generally discuss. Now to answer such a question which needs conceptual clarity along with current affairs updates is sine quo non.

To answer it you need to understand-
1. That constitution can be transactional or transformational
2. Indian judiciary means , both the HC & SC
3. Civil rights propagated through the judiciary , especially through its power as ultimate interpretor of the constitution
4. Social equality, egalitarian society, dreams and aspirations of founding fathers etc.

Now there a few questions that pop up naturally in mind - How does one know all these things from the very first day she attempts to write an answer? Is this the correct time to attempt answer writing? Do I need to change my resources and rather read bulky difficult books.

The answer for all these above questions is - you have to write answers regularly. Mains is all about the art of writing good answers. If you can't put what is there inside your mind, the evaluators would never understand your extent of knowledge and understanding.

Now comes the next part - when should we start writing the answers.
The simple answer is the the day when you decided to get into the civil service preparation. If you can go back and start writing answer you can really change a lot for yourself. But since we are logical practical being, the answer is today.
Now comes, the most difficult part, do we need to know so many concepts before attempting a question.

The answer is, read the below questions-
1. What do you mean by constitutionalism?
2. Write the salient features of Indian constitution
3. Is the indian a rigid or flexible constitution/ is it organic in nature. If yes, how?
4. How is the role of judiciary important as final interpretor of the constitution
5. What were the aspirations of the founding fathers/ How the French revolution has shaped the Indian constitution etc etc.

These questions are very basic questions which a student can attempt to write even after a good understanding of a basic book, like Lakshmikanth.

Had you attempted such easy and direct questions in the first instance, you would have gained the conceptual clarity and framework to attempt today's question.

The idea is not to demoralise you, rather it is awaken you. Answer writing needs a lot of discipline and dedication. It is an art which can only be specialised by continuous practise.

Here, we intend to make it a discipline for all of you. So that your success in the prelims must not stop with mains. Rather, every opportunity of mains should be converted into an interview call and finally a rank.

Always remember - every change in the beginning is harder, messy in the middle and gorgeous at the end.

All the very best!

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Daily Answer Writing Practice
[Question 6, 18th July]

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

Q6. What do you understand by de-industrialisation? Discuss it's impact on Indian economy during colonial era. [15 marks, 250 words]

Model Answer will be posted after 8 PM today.

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Model Answer for Q6 History

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Q6. What do you understand by de-industrialisation? Discuss its impact on Indian economy during colonial era. [15 marks, 250 words]

The increasing political and economic subjugation of India to Britain since the middle of the eighteenth century had pronounced impact on the Indian economy. The process of a continued and marked industrial decline, esp. traditional craft industries, is referred to as the 'de-industrialization' of the Indian economy.

The large scale de-industrialisation brought adverse and far reaching impacts on trade, industry, employment and agriculture as follows:

• Huge inflow of cheap machine-made Lancashire textiles after 1810s-1820s led to fall in the output of the domestically produced cotton. Following de-industrialisation, India's share of the global economy had dropped to approximately 4% in the 1950s from around 20-25% before the arrival of the British. India was transformed into an importer of manufactured products and an exporter of agricultural commodities.

• Flood of British goods into India, which led to the decline of traditional artisanal production and the decline in the earnings and employment of spinners, weavers, and leather workers, specially the former.

• Ruined handicrafts led to the declining cities and migration of people back to the villages. The process of ruralisation took place. Some migrated to other cities in search of work, and yet others went out of the country to work in plantations in Africa and South America.

• There was also a change in the overall occupational structure. Skilled labourers now became dependent on agriculture as employment opportunities reduced. It led to growing pressure and land, decreasing its productivity due to land holding fragmentation, excessive cultivation and low-grade and infertile land. Relentless extraction policy of the colonial government pushed these peasants into indebtedness.

Conclusion 1 – De-industrialisation played an important role in the underdevelopment and increasing poverty of the country. The miserable conditions of the weavers, the greater dependence on agriculture and decline in living standards of the general population, and the greater incidence of famines in India in the 19th century were consequences of the process of de-industrialisation.

Conclusion 2 – It is presumed that the handicraft must go down before the growth of machine as part of the price of modernization. In England, however, the suffering caused by the decline of handicrafts was counterbalanced fairly soon by the much greater employment effect of factory industries. In the Indian colonial case, the artisans were made to shoulder the burden of progress being achieved in a country six thousand miles away, since the growth of Indian factories was non-existent before the 1850s and 1860s and painfully slow even afterwards.

Conclusion 3 – The sufferings of artisans was a significant factor in many movements. It stimulated patriotic sentiments among intellectuals alike in the Moderate, Extremist and Gandhian eras. Indian Nationalists used the destruction of Indian craft industries under early British rule to substantiate their point that India was being exploited under British rule, and formulate the critique of the British colonial rule. More directly it led to occasional urban and rural explosions of various types.

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Causes and Process of de-industrialisation:

• With the loss of independence, the urban luxury manufactures like the high quality silks and cottons of Dacca or Murshidabad were hit first, by the almost simultaneous collapse of indigenous court demand and the external market on which these had largely depended.

• Other urban industries died with refusal of export industry by the British parliament, exploitation by merchant capital as well as extractive and monopolistic practices of the Company in India.

• There was increased inflow of British manufactured goods into the country especially after 1813 when the charter of the East India Company was amended. With the development of the railways in India in the second half of the 19th century the process of the destruction of artisanal production was speeded up because of the availability of cheap transportation for bulk goods.

• The British colonial rulers followed a policy of free trade, which enabled the products of the Lancashire cotton industry to enter the Indian market without the payment of customs duties. It destroyed traditional industry and restricted the opportunities for the growth of modern large-scale industry in India.

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