Question :

Elucidate the causes behind the dismal situation of road safety in India and also, enumerate the initiatives taken by the government to address the concern of road safety.

[GS Mains Paper II & III]

Hint: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/rajkot/road-safety-meet-concerned-over-overspeeding/articleshow/84485908.cms

Question :

“What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right.” -Albert Einstein[150 Words] [GS Paper II]

Hint: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/how-india-can-tackle-its-formidable-nutrition-challenge-7353391/

Question :

Scientific innovation, traditional knowledge systems, community engagement, digital tools, and data-driven management can help tackle malnutrition issue amplified by the Covid pandemic. Discuss.[GS Paper II]

Hint: https://indianexpress.com/article/opinion/columns/how-india-can-tackle-its-formidable-nutrition-challenge-7353391/

Question :

‘‘Vaccine nationalism would destroy countries’ efforts to eradicate the pandemic and must be avoided at all costs’. Critically comment. [GS Paper II]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/we-must-avoid-vaccine-nationalism-at-all-costs-unga-president-elect-abdulla-shahid/article34767249.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/what-is-vaccine-nationalism-how-does-it-impact-the-fight-against-covid-19-6561236/

Question :

‘Maldives and India have an opportunity to work for changing power structures at the UN’. Critically analyse this statement in the light of the recent election of Maldives to the UN General Assembly (UNGA). [GS Paper II]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/this-time-for-male-the-hindu-editorial-on-maldives-unga-presidency/article34764493.ece

http://www.mea.gov.in/Portal/ForeignRelation/Maldives-January-2012.pdf

Question :

Discuss the various methods rooted in behavioural science that people can employ to fight against pandemics.[GS Paper I,II,III]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/breaking-the-cycle-of-child-labour-is-in-indias-hands/article34702648.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/labours-data-lost/article32856412.ece

Question :

Preserving biodiversity is directly relevant to the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of our people. In the light on Covid-19 Pandemic, do you think the relevance of 'One Health for all living organisms' has increased considerably? [GS Paper III]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/breaking-the-cycle-of-child-labour-is-in-indias-hands/article34702648.ece

href="https://www.dailypioneer.com/2021/state-editions/understanding-the-earth---s-carrying-capacity.html" target="_blank">https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/labours-data-lost/article32856412.ece

Question :

Discuss the significant provisions of the National Security Act of 1980 and shed some light on the despotic elements of this law and also give reasons why it needs a major revamping. [GS Paper II]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/plea-calls-for-national-security-act-against-hoarding-covid-19-essentials/article34683948.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/detention-despite-bail-why-district-magistrates-love-the-nsa-7260430/

Question :

Though the pandemic has amplified its contributing factors, policy and programmatic interventions can save children from the cycle of child labour. Discuss. [GS Paper II]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/breaking-the-cycle-of-child-labour-is-in-indias-hands/article34702648.ece

https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/labours-data-lost/article32856412.ece
 

Question : As we battle COVID-19 today, the question arises, is whether the ‘priority sector’ definition needs any change? Critically examine.[GS Paper III]
 
Hint: https://www.hindustantimes.com/opinion/the-priority-sector-lending-india-needs-101622376883593.html
https://www.thehindu.com/business/Economy/rbi-releases-revised-priority-sector-lending-guidelines/article32521571.ece

Question : Despite a rapidly expanding middle class, economic growth and measurable strides in modernization since India’s independence, dowry deaths continue to rise year on year. Do you think that laws are not stringent enough to curb the victimisation of women?

(GS Paper I & GS Paper II)

National Crime Record Bureau of India, as recently as 2017, recorded nearly 7000 dowry linked deaths a year. Dowry deaths rose from about 19 per day in 2001 to 21 per day in 2016 and these are just the reported dowry deaths. There are many that go unreported. Taking or giving dowry has been criminalized by law as early as 1961. But, it is still a significant part of Indian marriage and is openly defying laws and failing women empowerment.
Dowry prohibition Act 1961 has criminalized the practice of taking or giving dowry in India but this law has become outdated and not been able to produce the required deterrence. Problem is that after so many years of the modernization process that Indian society has witness demand for dowry has seen no reduction. Dowry demand is not restricted to some communities in India rather it has been observed in various field studies that dowry is in practice within the well-off communities and families too.
Outdated Law and Provisions
Dowry prohibition Act 1961 defines the term ‘Dowry’ very loosely and prescribes minimal punishment for violations. Apart from that poor public support for this law has made it redundant and inoperative in many ways. Section 6 of this act in some way provide a legal loophole for dowry to exist. Similarly, state governments have failed to appoint some powerful officials for the prohibition of dowry practice as required under section 8 of this act.
Apart from the outdated nature of the Dowry prohibition act, certain judicial guidelines that the Supreme Court has given made it hard for women to seek police action against culprit family members. In Arnesh Kumar v. State of Bihar (2014), the Court had held that arrest should not be made in a random way and for an offence under Section 498A IPC arrest is to be made only in exceptional circumstances, that too after recording special reasons in writing in accordance with Section 41(1) (b) of the Cr PC.
In order to deal with the practice of Dowry and associated deaths, multi-pronged steps are required, where all the social stakeholders can collaborate over the mechanism of how to prevent such incidents. Social evils like dowry cannot be eliminated just by enacting more stringent laws rather there is a need for social behavioural change in society. At the same time, various laws in India are gender biased and give male privilege over what a woman gets. Therefore, these laws need to be changed so that there exist total equality.
In recent years we have often come across the news where the bride has steadfastly stood against this practice of dowry and refused to walk-off from the marriage ceremony. Such kind of exemplary courage needs to be displayed from more and more prospective brides. The prevalent dogmas also need to be done away with. An attitudinal change in the mindset of the people which try to commodify women, dissemination of more and more modern perspective by the govt., and recent initiatives like doing away with words like ‘Kanyadaan’ and substituting with ‘Kanyamaan’, appeal of the chief Justice of India to women to ask for 50% of reservation  in judiciary will certainly go a long way to eradicate this evil practice. 
It's true to some extent that laws made under the dowry prohibition act have not been stringent enough to create deterrence in society and curb the victimisation of women. But only the stringent nature of law won't suffice, this dowry law needs support from the public, CSO and other social institutions for effective execution.

Question : In order to combat the ill effects of microplastics, several countries have banned the use of it; however India hasn't completely phased out the use of microplastics yet. Bearing that in mind, discuss the ill-effects of microplastics and also suggest measures to make people aware about the harmful impact of microplastics.

Hint: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/article/plastic-planet-health-pollution-waste-microplastics#:~:text=Experiments%20show%20that%20microplastics%20damage,some%20species%20starve%20and%20die.
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/environment/microplastics-microbeads-what-you-did-not-know-about-self-care-products-71619
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/open-page/the-menace-of-microplastics/article32051485.ece
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/health/microplastics-all-around-a-silent-epidemic-75651#:~:text=Other%20actions%20that%20can%20be,an%20alternative%20and%20adopting%20legislation

Question : Arguably the collective consciousness is the need of the hour today as we are grappling with the menace of Covid-19. Discuss the significance of the ‘Collective Consciousness’ in the light of COVID pandemic.[GS Paper-IV]

Hint: https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-speaking-tree/to-change-gears/

Question : 'The universalization of social security remains an unfulfilled aspiration in the new code on social security.' In the light of this statement, critically examine the 'code on social security.' [GS Paper-I &GS Paper-III]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/a-collage-of-laws-that-leaves-the-worker-out-in-the-cold/article34600276.ece
https://prsindia.org/billtrack/the-code-on-social-security-2020
https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/code-debate-the-hindu-editorial-on-new-labour-codes/article32699211.ece

Question : Explain the concept of Contempt of Court and also discuss in detail its different forms and the rationale behind this provision in the Constitution. [GS Paper-II]

Hint: https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-contempt-of-court-attorney-general-7049560/
https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/explained-what-is-contempt-of-court-5703273/
https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/the-hindu-explains-what-is-contempt-of-court/article32249810.ece

Question : The casual resort by the police to the sedition clause continues to cause concern. Do you think the sedition law has lost its relevance and needs to be repealed at the earliest to maintain the spirit of democracy? [GS Paper-II]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/unwarranted-arrest-on-sedition-charges-against-raghu-ramakrishna-raju/article34581995.ece

https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/simply-put-sedition-law-what-courts-said-6254972/

Question : 'In the pandemic, women have borne a disproportionate burden of the severe disruptions to life and the economy.' Analyse critically.[GS Paper-1]

Hint: https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/it-is-getting-from-bad-to-worse-for-women-workers/article34574322.ece

Question : In the light of the on-going Israel-Palestine conflict, critically examine India’s stance on Israel-Palestine issue. [GS Paper-2]

Hint: https://www.bbc.com/news/newsbeat-44124396
https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/world-news-indias-scale-tilts-towards-israel-as-sufferings-of-palestinians-deepen/382720