UPSC Mains General Studies-1 Previous Year Questions

UPSC Civil Services Exam Mains Previous Year Questions

General Studies-1

2023

There are TWENTY questions. All questions are compulsory. The number of marks carried by a question/ part is indicated against it. Answers to questions no. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words, whereas answers to questions no. 11 to 20 should be in 250 words. Keep the word limit indicated in the question in mind.

1. Explain the role of geographical factors towards the development of Ancient India. (Answer in 150 words ) 10

2. What was the difference between Mahatma Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore in their approach towards education and nationalism? (Answer in 150 words ) 10

3. Bring out the socio-economic effects of the introduction of railways in different countries of the world. (Answer in 150 words) 10

4. Discuss the consequences of climate change on the food security in tropical countries. (Answer in 150 words ) 10

5. Why is the world today confronted with a crisis of availability of and access to freshwater resources? (Answer in 150 words) 10

6. How are the fjords formed? Why do they constitute some of the most picturesque areas of the world? (Answer in 150 words ) 10

7. Why is the South-West Monsoon called ‘Purvaiya’ (easterly ) in Bhojpur Region? How has this directional seasonal wind system influenced the cultural ethos of the region? (Answer in 150 words ) 10

8. Do you think marriage as a sacrament is loosing its value in Modern India? (Answer in 150 words ) 10

9. Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian society. (Answer in 150 words ) 10

10. Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. (Answer in 150 words ) 10

11. What are the main features of Vedic society and religion? Do you think some of the features are still prevailing in Indian society? (Answer in 250 words ) 15

12. What were the major technological changes introduced during the Sultanate period? How did those technological changes influence the Indian society? (Answer in 250 words) 15

13. How did the colonial rule affect the tribals in India and what was the tribal response to the colonial oppression? (Answer in 250 words ) 15

14. Comment on the resource potentials of the long coastline of India and highlight the status of natural hazard preparedness in these areas. (Answer in 250 words ) 15

15. Identify and discuss the factors responsible for diversity of natural vegetation in India. Assess the significance of wildlife sanctuaries in rain forest regions of India.
(Answer in 250 words) 15

16. Why did human development fail to keep pace with economic development in India? (Answer in 250 words ) 15

17. From being net food importer in 1960s, India has emerged as a net food exporter to the world. Provide reasons. (Answer in 250 words ) 15

18. Does urbanization lead to more segregation and/or marginalization of the poor in Indian metropolises? (Answer in 250 words ) 15

19. Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static? (Answer in 250 words ) 15

20. Discuss the impact of post-liberal economy on ethnic identity and communalism. (Answer in 250 words ) 15

2022

1. How will you explain the medieval Indian temple sculptures represent the social life of those days? (Answer in 150 words) 10

2. Why did the armies of the British East India Company – mostly comprising of Indian soldiers – win consistently against the more numerous and better equipped armies of the Indian rulers? Give reasons. (Answer in 150 words) 10

3. Why was there a sudden spurt in famines in colonial India since the mid-eighteenth century? Give reasons. (Answer in 150 words) 10

4. Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. (Answer in 150 words) 10

5. Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone prone areas given by India Meteorological department. (Answer in 150 words) 10

6. Discuss the natural resource potentials of ‘Deccan trap’. (Answer in 150 words) 10

7. Examine the potential of wind energy in India and explain the reasons for their limited spatial spread. (Answer in 150 words) 10

8. Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work From Home’ on family relationships. (Answer in 150 words) 10

9. How is the growth of Tier 2 cities related to the rise of a new middle class with an emphasis on the culture of consumption? (Answer in 150 words) 10

10. Given the diversities among the tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category? (Answer in 150 words) 10

11. The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century. Discuss with examples. (Answer in 250 words) 15

12. Discuss the main contributions of Gupta period and Chola period to Indian heritage and culture . (Answer in 250 words) 15

13. Discuss the significance of the lion and bull figures in Indian mythology, art and architecture. (Answer in 250 words) 15

14. What are the forces that influence ocean currents? Describe their role in fishing industry of the world. (Answer in 250 words) 15

15. Describing the distribution of rubber producing countries, indicate the major environmental issues faced by them. (Answer in 250 words) 15

16. Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade. (Answer in 250 words) 15

17. Troposphere is a very significant atmospheric layer that determines weather processes. How? (Answer in 250 words) 15

18. Analyze the salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion. (Answer in 250 words) 15

19. Are tolerance, assimilation and pluralism the key elements in the making of an Indian form of secularism? Justify your answer. (Answer in 250 words) 15

20. Elucidate the relationship between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with special reference to India. (Answer in 250 words) 15

2021

There are TWENTY questions. All questions are compulsory. The number of marks carried by a question/ part is indicated against it. Answers to questions no. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words, whereas answers to questions no. 11 to 20 should be in 250 words. Word limit in questions should be adhered to.

1. Evaluate the nature of the Bhakti literature and its contribution to Indian culture. (Answer in 150 words) 10

2. Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young Bengal and Brahmo Samaj. (Answer in 150 words) 10

3. Assess the main administrative issues and socio-cultural problems in the integration process of Indian Princely States. (Answer in 150 words) 10

4. Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. (Answer in 150 words) 10

5. Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic Product(GDP) in percentage. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10

6. What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of water bodies into urban land use ? Explain with examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10

7. Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment. (Answer in 150 words) 10

8. Why is India considered as a sub-continent? Elaborate your answer. (Answer in 150 words) 10

9. Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems. (Answer in 150 words) 10

10. Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. (Answer in 150 words) 10

11. To what extent did the role of the Moderates prepare a base for the wider freedom movement? Comment. (Answer in 250 words) 15

12. Bring out the constructive programmes of Mahatma Gandhi during Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement. (Answer in 250 words) 15

13. “There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.” Evaluate the statement. (Answer in 250 words) 15

14. Briefly mention the alignment of major mountain ranges of the world and explain their impact on local weather conditions, with examples. (Answer in 250 words) 15

15. How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain. (Answer in 250 words) 15

16. Discuss the multi-dimensional implications of uneven distribution of mineral oil in the world. (Answer in 250 words) 15

17. What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? (Answer in 250 words) 15

18. Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (Answer in 250 words) 15

19. What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also?(Answer in 250 words) 15

20. How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it. (Answer in 250 words) 15

2020

1. The rock-cut architecture represents one of the most important sources of our knowledge of early Indian art and history. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10

2. Pala period is the most significant phase in the history of Buddhism in India. Enumerate. (Answer in 150 words) 10

3. Evaluate the policies of Lord Curzon and their long term implications on the national movements. (Answer in 150 words) 10

4. Discuss the geophysical characteristics of Circum- Pacific Zone. (Answer in 150 words) 10

5. The process of desertification does not have climate boundaries. Justify with examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10

6. How will the melting of Himalayan glaciers have a far- reaching impact on the water resources of India? (Answer in 150 words) 10

7. Account for the present location of iron and steel industries away from the source of raw material, by giving examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10

8. Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi- cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations. (Answer in 150 words) 10

9. COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment. (Answer in 150 words) 10

10. Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue. (Answer in 150 words) 10

11. Indian Philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and their art in India. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words) 15

12. Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment. (Answer in 250 words) 15

13. Since the decade of the 1920s, the national movement acquired various ideological strands and thereby expanded its social base. Discuss. (Answer in 250 words) 15

14. The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods and interrupted navigation. Critically examine. (Answer in 250 words) 15

15. Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures. (Answer in 250 words) 15

16. India has immense potential of solar energy though there are regional variations in its developments. Elaborate. (Answer in 250 words) 15

17. Examine the status of forest resources of India and its resultant impact on climate change. (Answer in 250 words) 15

18. Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation? Justify your answer. (Answer in 250 words) 15

19. Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree? (Answer in 250 words) 15

20. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate your answer. (Answer in 250 words) 15

2019

1. Highlight the Central Asian and Greco-Bactrian elements in the Gandhara art. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

2. The 1857 Uprising was the culmination of the recurrent big and small local rebellions that had occurred in the preceding hundred years of British rule. Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

3. Examine the linkages between the nineteenth century’s ‘Indian Renaissance’ and the emergence of national identity. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

4. Assess the impact of global warming on the coral life system with examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

5. Discuss the causes of depletion of mangroves and explain their importance in maintaining coastal ecology. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

6. Can the strategy of regional resource-based manufacturing help in promoting employment in India ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

7. Discuss the factors for localisation of agro-based food processing industries of North-West India. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

8. What makes the Indian society unique in sustaining its culture ? Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

9. “Empowering women is the key to control population growth.” Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

10. What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

11. Many voices had strengthened and enriched the nationalist movement during the Gandhian phase. Elaborate. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

12. Assess the role of British imperial power in complicating the process of transfer of power during the 1940s. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

13. Explain how the foundations of the modern world were, laid by the American and French Revolutions. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

14. What is water stress ? How and why does it differ regionally in India ? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

15. How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism ? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

16. How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development of India ? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

17. How do ocean currents and water masses differ in their impacts on marine life and coastal environment ? Give suitable examples. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

18. Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation ? Elaborate with examples. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

19. What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space ? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

20. Are we losing our local identity for the global identity ? Discuss. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

2018

1. Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

2. Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

3. Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

4. Why is Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) needed ? How does it help in navigation ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

5. Why is India taking keen interest in resources of Arctic Region ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

6. Define mantle plume and explain its role in plate tectonics. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

7. What are the consequences of spreading of ‘Dead Zones’ on marine ecosystem ? (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

8. “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India?” Comment (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

9. Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing? Explain by giving reasons. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

10. How the Indian concept of secularism is different from the western model of secularism ? Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

11. The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent Of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Discuss. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

12. Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

13. Why indentured labour was taken by the British from India to Other colonies ? Have they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

14. “The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas ? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

15. Defining blue revolution, explain the problems and strategies for pisciculture development in India. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

16. What is the significance of Industrial Corridors in India? Identifying industrial corridors, explain their main characteristics. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

17. Mention core strategies for the transformation of aspirational districts in India and explain the nature of convergence, collaboration and competition for its success. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

18. ‘Women’s movement in India has not addressed the issues of women of lower social strata.’ Substantiate your view. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

19. ‘Globalization is generally said to promote cultural homogenization but due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian Society’ Elucidate. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

20. ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

2017

1. How do you justify the view that the level of excellence of the Gupta numismatic art is not at all noticeable in later times ? (150 words) 10 marks

2. Clarify how mid-eighteenth century India was beset with the spectre of a fragmented polity. (150 words) 10 marks

3. Why did the ‘Moderates’ fail to carry conviction with the nation about their proclaimed ideology and political goals by the end of the nineteenth century ? (150 words) 10 marks

4. What problems were germane to the decolonization process in the Malay Peninsula ? (150 words) 10 marks

5. How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth ? (150 words) 10 marks

6. “In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development.” Discuss. (150 words) 10 marks

7. Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulses because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by the United Nations. (150 words) 10 marks

8. How does the cryosphere affect global climate ? (150 words) 10 marks

9. In the context of the diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States ? Give reasons with examples for your viewpoint. (150 words) 10 marks

10. What are the two major legal initiatives by the State since Independence, addressing discrimination against Scheduled Tribes (STs) ? (150 words) 10 marks

11. The spirit of tolerance and love is not only an interesting feature of Indian society from very early times, but it is also playing an important part at the present. Elaborate. (250 words) 15 marks

12. Examine how the decline of traditional artisanal industry in colonial India crippled the rural economy. (250 words) 15 marks

13. Highlight the importance of the new objectives that got added to the vision of Indian independence since the twenties of the last century. (250 words) 15 marks

14. Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects. (250 words) 15 marks

15. Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications. (250 words) 15 marks

16. In what way can floods be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India ? (250 words) 15 marks

17. What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the world population residing in Monsoon Asia ? (250 words) 15 marks

18. The women’s questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What were the major issues and debates concerning women in that period ? (250 words) 15 marks

19. Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words) 15 marks

20. “The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues of employment, but has also created new problems.” Substantiate this statement with examples. (250 words) 15 marks

2016

There are TWENTY questions. All questions are compulsory. Answer all the following questions. Each question is to be answered in not more than 200 words. All questions carry equal marks (12 ½ x 20 = 250 marks). Each question carries 12 ½ marks.

1. Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate.

2. Krishnadeva Raya, the King of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss.

3. Explain how the Uprising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India.

4. Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase.

5. Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom.

6. Has the formation of linguistic States strengthened the cause of Indian Unity?

7. The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine.

8. To what extent globalization has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain.

9. “An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from the process of deprivation.” Substantiate this statement with suitable examples.

10. Why are the tribals in India referred to as ‘the Scheduled Tribes’? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment.

11. With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and of the ‘Smart City Programme’.

12. What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer.

13. Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes.

14. “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.” Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation.

15. The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain.

16. South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment.

17. Major cities of India are becoming more vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss.

18. Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations.

19. Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India.

20. In what way micro-watershed development projects help in water conservation in drought-prone and semi-arid regions of India?

2015

There are TWENTY questions. All the questions are compulsory. Answer the following questions in not more than 200 words each. Contents of the answers are more important than their length. All questions carry equal marks (12 ½ x 20 = 250 marks). Each question carries 12 ½ marks.

1. The ancient civilization in Indian sub-continent differed from those of Egypt, Mesopotamia and Greece in that its culture and traditions have been preserved without a breakdown to the present day. Comment.

2. Mesolithic rock cut architecture of India not only reflects the cultural life of the times but also a fine aesthetic sense comparable to modern painting. Critically evaluate this comment.

3. How different would have been the achievement of Indian independence without Mahatma Gandhi? Discuss.

4. Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, despite having divergent approaches and strategies, had a common goal of amelioration of the downtrodden. Elucidate.

5. It would have been difficult for the Constituent Assembly to complete its historic task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India in just three years but for the experience gained with the Government of India Act, 1935. Discuss.

6. Why did the industrial revolution first occur in England? Discuss the quality of life of the people there during the industrialization. How does it compare with that in India at present?

7. To what extent can Germany be held responsible for causing the two World Wars? Discuss critically.

8. Describe any four cultural elements of diversity in India and rate their relative significance in building a national identity.

9. Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the main cause of population increase in India.

10. How do you explain the statistics that show that the sex ratio in Tribes in India is more favourable to women than the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes?

11. Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades.

12. Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalization on women in India.

13. Debate the issue of whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste.

14. Explain the factors responsible for the origin of ocean currents. How do they influence regional climates, fishing and navigation?

15. Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?

16. India is well endowed with fresh water resources. Critically examine why it still suffers from water scarcity.

17. The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand are reaching the limits of their ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate.

18. How far do you agree that the behaviour of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscapes? Discuss.

19. Smart cities in India cannot sustain without smart villages. Discuss this statement in the backdrop of rural urban integration.

20. What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences?

2014

There are TWENTY-FIVE questions. All questions are compulsory. Answer all the questions in NOT MORE THAN’ 150 words each. All questions carry equal marks. Each question carries 10 marks. Content of the answer is more important than its length.

1. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization ? Discuss.

2. Gandhara sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Explain.

3. Taxila university was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated a number of renowned learned personalities of different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the modern sense. Discuss.

4. The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761. Why were so many empire-shaking battles fought at Panipat?

5. Sufis and medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu / Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment.

6. Examine critically the various facets of economic policies of the British in India from mid-eighteenth century till independence.

7. In what ways did the naval mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of British colonial aspirations in India? Explain.

8. What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India ?

9. What were the évents that led to the Suez Crisis in 1956 ? How did it deal a final blow to Britain’s self-image as a world power ?

10. The New Economic Policy — 1921 of Lenin had influenced the policies adopted by India soon after independence. Evaluate.

11. How does patriarchy impact the position of a middle class working woman in India ?

12. Why do some of the most prosperous regions of India have an adverse sex ratio for women ? Give your arguments.

13. The life cycle of a joint family depends on economic factors rather than social values. Discuss.

14. Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving increasing feminization of agriculture in India.

15. How do the Indian debates on secularism differ from the debates in the West?

16. Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the EI-Nino effect. Do you agree ?

17. Why are the world’s fold mountain systems located along the margins of continents ? Bring out the association global distribution of fold mountains and the earthquakes and volcanoes.

18. Explain the formation of thousands of islands in Indonesian and Philippines archipelagos.

19. Tropical cyclones are largely confined to South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why?

20. Bring out the relationship between the. shrinking Himalayan glaciers and the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent.

21. Whereas the British planters had developed tea gardens all along. the Shivaliks and Lesser Himalayas from Assam to Himachal Pradesh, in effect they did not succeed beyond the Darjeeling area. Explain.

22. Why did the Green Revolution in India Virtually by-pass the eastern region despite fertile soil and good availability of wager ?

23. Account for the change in the. spatial pattern of the Iron and Steel industry in the world.

24. Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world.

25. How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?

2013

There are TWENTY-FIVE questions. All questions are compulsory. Answer questions in NOT MORE than the word limit specified for each in the parenthesis. Content of the answer is more important than its length.

1. Though not very useful from the point of view of a connected political history of South India, the Sangam literature portrays the social and economic conditions of its time with remarkable vividness. Comment. (200 words) 10 marks

2. (a) Discuss the ‘Tandava’ dance as recorded in early Indian inscriptions. (100 words) 5 marks

2. (b) Chola architecture represents a high watermark in the evolution of temple architecture. Discuss. (100 words) 5 marks

3. Defying the barriers of age, gender and religion, the Indian women became the torch bearer during the struggle for freedom in India. Discuss. (200 words) 10 marks

4. Several foreigners made India their homeland and participated in various movements. Analyze their role in the Indian struggle for freedom. (200 words) 10 marks

5. In many ways, Lord Dalhousie was the founder of modern India. Elaborate. (200 words) 10 marks

6. Critically discuss the objectives of Bhoodan and Gramdan movements initiated by Acharya Vinoba Bhave and their success. (200 words) 10 marks

7. Write a critical note on the evolution and significance of the slogan “Jai Jawana Jai Kisan”. (200 words) 10 marks

8. Discuss the contribution of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad to pre-and post independent India. (200 words) 10 marks

9. Analyse the circumstances t hat led to Tashkent Agreement in 1966. Discuss the highlights of the agreement. (200 words) 10 marks

10. Critically examine the compulsions which prompted India to play a decisive roles in the emergence of Bangladesh. (200 words) 10 marks

11. “Latecomer” Industrial revolution in Japan involved certain factors that were markedly different from what west had experience. Analyze. (200 words) 10 marks

12. Africa was chopped into states artificially created by accident of European competition. Analyze. (200 words) 10 marks

13. American Revolution was an economic revolt against mercantilism. Substantiate. (200 words) 10 marks

14. What policy instruments were deployed to contain the great economic depression? (200 words) 10 marks

15. Discussion the various social problems which originated out of the speedy process of urbanization in India. (200 words) 10 marks

16. Male membership needs to be encouraged in order to make women’s organization free from gender bias. Comment. (200 words) 10 marks

17. Critically examine the effects of globalization on the aged population in India. (200 words) 10 marks

18. Growing feeling of regionalism is an important factor in the generation of demand for a separate state. Discuss. (200 words) 10 marks

19(a). What do you understand by the theory of continental drift? Discuss the prominent evidences in its support. (100 words) 5 marks

19(b). The recent cyclone on the east coast of India was called “Phailin”. How are the tropical cyclones named across the world? Elaborate. (100 words) 5 marks

20(a) Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world. (100 words) 5 marks

20(b) What do you understand by the phenomenon of temperature inversion in meteorology? How does it affect the weather and the habitants of the place? (100 words) 5 marks

21. Major hot deserts in northern hemisphere are located between 20-30 degree north and on the western side of the continents. Why?

22(a) Bring out the causes for more frequent landslides in the Himalayas than in the Western Ghats. (100 words) 5 marks

22(b) There is no formation of deltas by rivers of the Western Ghats. Why? (100 words) 5 marks

23(a) Do you agree that there is a growing trend of opening new sugar mills in the Southern states of India ? Discuss with justification. (100 words) 5 marks

23(b) Analyse the factors for highly decentralized cotton textile industry in India. (100 words) 5 marks

24. With growing scarcity of fossil fuels, the atomic energy is gaining more and more significance in India. Discuss the availability of raw material required for the generation of atomic energy in India and in the world. (200 words) 10 marks

25. It is said the India has substantial reserves of shale oil and gas, which can feed the needs of country for quarter century. However, tapping of the resources doesn’t appear to be high on the agenda. Discuss critically the availability and issues involved. (200 words) 10 marks

UPSC Mains General Studies-1 Previous Year Questions

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