GENERAL STUDIES

Paper
Time Allowed: Two hour Maximum Marks: 125

Question Paper Specific Instructions

Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions:

There are TEN questions printed in ENGLISH.

All questions are compulsory.

The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it.

UPSC/MPSC MAINS GS I, II, and III are covered in this Paper from the WEEK II syllabus of the
course.

Keep the word limit indicated in the questions in mind.

Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly struck
off.

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Q1. Restrictions to foreign funding to non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in India resulted from both
real and perceived threats to India’s security and national interest. Critically examine the statement given
above. (250 words, 15 marks)

Q2. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) lays bare the fact that economic well-being was a crucial
determinant for better health outcomes in all social groups and not just the sole emphasis on behavioural
change. Justify. (150 words, 10 marks)
(One can use the internet to look for data and facts about NFHS to write this answer. We are looking for
answer structure and delivery when facts and concepts are known)

Q3. “If Panchayats are institutions of representation, women’s self-help groups are institutions of
participation.” Comment on how women SHGs have become a vehicle of inclusion in rural India. (150
words, 10 marks)

Q4. Indian students seeking higher education in foreign countries increases every year despite good
institutions in India. Discuss the phenomenon in light of the Indian education ecosystem and suggest
measures to stop the human resource drain of India. (250 words, 15 marks)

Q5. Discrimination in health access perpetuate inequalities in all sphere of life. Discuss the statement given
and explore the feasibility to make ‘right to health’ a fundamental right in India. (250 words, 15 marks)

Q6. Discuss the opportunities and challenges of India in joining the US led Indo-Pacific Economic
Framework (IPEF). (150 words, 10 marks)

Q7. Why do we need a policy for logistics? Give an account of the recently launched National Logistics
Policy and elaborate the role of technology in the logistics ecosystem. (150 words, 10 marks)

Q8. Private investment has played a central role in accelerating growth in India since the mid-1980s when
India began liberalizing its economy. But private investment in recent years have slumped leading to a
slowdown in economic growth and its revival is vital for accelerating India’s growth rate on a sustained
basis. What are the determinants of private investments in India? Assess the role of public investment in
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attracting private investments in India. (250 words, 15 marks)

Q9. Many communities see quotas as avenues for easing their access to higher education, employment and
official schemes, which is true in a limited sense. But it is the reforms that have pulled millions out of
poverty, creating jobs and giving access to education. In the light of the given statement, contrast the
Quotas-based success versus the success of reforms in uplifting the vulnerable sections of the society.
(250 words, 15 marks)

Q10. An urban jobs guarantee scheme can be a critical, even if temporary, intervention in the jobs crisis at
the lower end of the labour market. Discuss. (150 words, 10 marks)

ALL THE BEST