Essay Guidance Program 2020 Test 1 Fodder Point

EGP 2020 TEST 1
CONTENT BUILDER (FODDER POINTS)
This is a supplementary study material for ForumIAS Essay 2020
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SECTION – A
The idea of Universal Basic Income: economic incentive to reduce poverty or a

disincentive to work?
INTRODUCTION
“Basic Income is not a utopia, it’s a practical business plan for the next step of the human journey”
– Jeremy Rifkin
“A certain small income, sufficient for necessities, should be secured for all, whether they work
or not.” – Bertrand Russell
“Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most
people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth
redistribution” — Stephen Hawking
“Basic income would give people the most important freedom: the freedom of deciding for
themselves what they want to do with their lives” — Rutger Bregman
“Adopting a universal basic income for all people can help society think creatively with new ideas,
develop new industries — and free-up people to work on important future projects”— Ray
Kurzweil
“I am now convinced that the simplest approach will prove to be the most effective — the solution
to poverty is to abolish it directly by a now widely discussed measure: the guaranteed income” —
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
“A fraction of all wealth should be justly shared with everyone, because that fraction is created
by everyone — Scott Santens
ANECDOTE
Kunti, a 27 year old widow lives in a makeshift shanty on the banks of the foul-smelling Ganga in
Kanpur. Her husband is a daily wager who squanders whatever he earns in the day in buying
liquor. They have three children who are also sent to beg on the traffic signals. One fine day, at
her work in a sweet shop, Kunti heard of a minimum cash guarantee scheme. After collecting all
the details, she approached the nearest government office and was registered. She now receives
a fixed amount of money periodically in her name; this gives her the agency over the money and
she has finally been able to start her own snack shop and is also able to send her children to
school.
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Similar is the story of Urmila, a 21 year old girl who has been sent by her parents in Unnao to
Delhi for livelihood. Being a young girl in a big city, Urmila dreams of going to malls, wearing
fancy clothes, and living a pompous life. She works in a household as a full-time domestic help
and is treated well by the family. Even when she shirks work, the family treats her with
compassion and also try to educate her. Urmila, however, doesn’t show interest. The idea of UBI
impresses her much and she leaves the work of a help. She gets the money, and wastes it in
buying clothes and also gets into drugs.
The two case studies show how an unconditional cash transfer scheme like UBI can have both
positive and negative consequences.
SIMPLE APPROACH
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, free-market evangelist Milton Friedman, and firebrand economist
Yanis Varoufakis all count among its high profile, and rather disparate, champions. So what is
Universal Basic Income? It is a state-funded basic income; a regular, periodic cash payment
delivered unconditionally and periodically to all citizens on an individual basis, without the
requirement of work or willingness to work.
UBI is universal in nature – it is paid on an individual basis to every person. Second, it is
unconditional in nature, that is, as indicated by the latter part of the definition it is paid to an
individual regardless of her income (means test) and employment requirement (work test). The
idea of UBI also ensures agency to the people by providing support in the form of cash transfers
to respect, not dictate, recipients’ choices. It differs from the traditional notion of income which
is either gained from offering one’s labor in the production of valuable goods and services or from
other ancillary sources, such as, inheritance. The twin core features of universality and
unconditionality are essential to the conceptualization of UBI.
BODY OF THE ESSAY

Why the need to have a UBI?
Several scholars have argued for instituting a right to basic income for all individuals. The
justifications for such a right have come from a variety of corners: historical injustice in transfer
and wealth accumulation, deep and pervasive poverty which robs a large number of people of
their rights, and the much more contemporary view that UBI might become necessary due to
growing automation and resultant job loss.
Right to Basic Income: for a dignified life because human dignity is close at heart to the theory
of human rights. It is understood to mean the intrinsic worth of a person or the inherent value
of a human being which entitles one to respect; and which also confers certain inalienable rights
upon a human being which ought to be respected. Dignity is a western concept which became
the study of many philosophers. According to Kant, each person is capable of reason and the
faculty of reason enables her to act autonomously by giving herself a moral law. Further, it is
immoral to treat humans as mere means to an end and dignity demands that each person is
treated as an end in herself. The modern human rights theory is inspired by the concept of
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inherent human dignity as propounded by Kant and we often find a Kantian insight in human
rights discourse today.
The Preambles of both, the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration of Human
Rights (‘UDHR’) reaffirm the notion of dignity by reposing faith in human dignity and inalienable
rights of all members of the human family. Thus, human dignity became the basis for articulating
human rights essential for a just, fair and progressive world.
It is argued that a basic income is primarily an instrument of social justice. Phillipe van Parijs,
one of the foremost proponents of UBI, says basic income promotes real freedom by ensuring
that all individuals have access to material resources they need for pursuing aims they have
reasons to value. It is a material safety net which ensures that rights are not extinguished due to
material deprivation. Thus, the duty of the State lies in providing highest sustainable basic income
as means of vesting real freedom in the hands of its citizens. It must be also be remembered that
this freedom must not become the domain of the wealthy and must be equitably distributed. Real
freedom is a distributive good in the society and in order to achieve a just society, each individual
must receive a grant from the State in the form of basic income for securing her real freedom.
Without a right to basic income the worth of liberty is drastically watered down. Thus,
unconditional income is not solely about redistribution of income but relates to power and
freedom to choose one’s ends. Hence, basic income captures in its essence the power to say yes
or no. It is a strong facilitator of autonomy. Hence, if modern society that propounds values of
freedom and equality, basic income should be welcomed; because it concerns not only with
income distribution but with a higher value of real freedom.
HOW IS UBI AN INCENTIVE TO REDUCE POVERTY?

Social justice: The popularity of UBI in the recent times has risen in correlation with the
increasing economic inequality and poverty that is now endemic across the world. Poverty
presents a package of rights violations. Time and again the Supreme Court has termed abject
poverty as a violation of constitutional rights of a citizen, a violation of the human right to live a
life of dignity. Income is in fact a precondition for the exercise of other rights and freedoms and
in that sense, income deprivation denies exercise of rights by underprivileged individuals.
Poverty around the world and particularly in India is a social menace and policymakers have for
long battled with understanding poverty, theorising it and suggesting solutions for its alleviation.
In this context, UBI promotes many of the basic values of a society which respects all individuals
as free and equal. It promotes liberty because it is anti-paternalistic; it promotes equality by
reducing poverty.
Offsets technology-induced state of unemployment: As technology advances especially with the

coming of Artificial Intelligence, more and more jobs are being lost to robots and algorithms.
Much of the resurgent interest in UBI has come from Silicon Valley. Tech titans and the
academics around them are concerned that the robots and artificial intelligence they’ve built will
rapidly displace humans in the workforce, or at least push them into dead-end jobs. Some
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researchers say robots will replace the low-paying jobs people don’t want, while others maintain
people will end up getting the worst jobs not worthy of robots. UBI may play an active role in
such a scenario.
Administrative benefits: Because of the weakness of existing welfare schemes which are riddled
with misallocation, leakages and exclusion of the poor, UBI comes as a practical solution. The
poorest areas of the country often obtain a lower share of government resources when compared
to their richer counterparts. Under no scheme the poorest districts which have 40% of poor
receive 40 percent of the total resources. Here, UBI with proper identification system can be a
solution. However, it is important to recognize that universal basic income will not diminish the
need to build state capacity: the state will still have to enhance its capacities to provide a whole
range of public goods. UBI is not a substitute for state capacity: it is a way of ensuring that state
welfare transfers are more efficient so that the state can concentrate on other public goods.
Improvement in Financial Inclusion- The payment transfers will encourage greater use of bank
accounts, leading to higher profits for banking correspondents (BCs) and an endogenous
improvement in financial inclusion. The increased income will release the constraints in access
to credit.
Besides acting as an economic incentive, UBI also comes with certain psychological Benefits. The
World Development Report (2015) argues that individuals living in poverty have a preoccupation
with daily hassles and this results in a depletion of cognitive resources required for important
decisions; their low self-image tends to blunt aspirations; a basic income provided by the state
would reduce the daily stress levels and infact help the marginalized pursue their goals.
People entering the workforce now, unlike previous generations, are expected to adapt to
multiple career changes in their lives, and to brace themselves for any uncertainty regarding
either spells of unemployment or periods of low-income. This could be psychologically damaging
for an individual. In this context, UBI would ease the stressful transition, allowing the jobless to
get back to their feet while retaining their dignity; it can enable people to find suitable new work,
and eventually restart contributing to the economy.
Nudge and initial support for new ventures:
WOMEN AND BASIC INCOME

Owing to historical structures of inequality prevalent in the society, women have been subjected
to marginalisation and stigmatisation to a greater. Poverty manifests itself in a more crude form
in women as compared to men. In this context, the proponents of UBI argue that the idea
provides freedom, autonomy and bargaining power to women and tries to re-balance the
historically male-centric notion of work and its consequences upon unpaid domestic labor and
social security mechanisms. Because, unlike other benefits, basic income is paid to the individual
woman directly and not to the household, hence it will provide “greater material freedom” to
women. This translates into larger economic freedom which increases their bargaining power
because the ‘agency’ is now with the women. Larger economic participation and independence
means they are capable of taking decisions which suit their situation better. Such an
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unconditional income will help women protect themselves and their families against
vulnerabilities of poverty and extreme forms of inequality to which they have been subjected.
Besides, UBI acts as a ‘fall-back option’, that is, it allows women to avoid exploitative relationships
(domestic violence, marital rape). Because they are more financially independent, it gives them
power to bargain for fairer terms. Greater bargaining power would mean that women enjoy
favorable living conditions within households as well as have a greater say in resource allocation.
There is evidence that shows how cash grants for not only increase women’s intra-household
decision making but also improve their access to labor market and their engagement in income
generating activities. This could further translate into the formulation of policies that are more
women-friendly or promotes welfare of the women.
Does It make people lazy?

"My ahimsa would not tolerate the idea of giving a free meal to a healthy person who has not
worked for it in some honest way, and if I had the power I would stop every Sadavarta where free
meals are given. It has degraded the nation and it has encouraged laziness, idleness, hypocrisy
and even crime. Such misplaced charity adds nothing to the wealth of the country, whether
material or spiritual, and gives a false sense of meritorious to the donor. How nice and wise it
would be if the donor were to open institutions where they would give meals under healthy, clean
surroundings to men and women who would work for them… only the rule should be: no labour,
no meal." – Mahatma Gandhi
Critics of UBI say that UBI will make people lazy which suggests that it violates the ‘principle of
reciprocity’ by providing money to people without their need to work and in the process making
them lazy. This would ultimately lead people to squander the ‘free cash’ on temptation goods like
alcohol and narcotics.
NOT A DISINCENTIVE TO WORK

The amount of a UBI is only meant to be a monetary support sufficient to help people pull out of
poverty or subsist in extreme situations. It is not a high-value amount loaded in a person’s bank
account. Therefore, withdrawal from workforce with a sole subsistence source of basic income
would not be possible for most people. The idea of UBI is supplementary in nature, that is, it
allows one to fulfil his/her subsistence while also making it possible to pursue other goals.
Further, it is a fallacy that money alone is an incentive for work and in fact such a supposition is
demeaning to human dignity.
Besides, the leisure time available due to increased incomes should not necessarily be considered
as idleness but “time away from toil”. It could be considered as a break from work which gives
people the opportunity to look for better work elsewhere or independently. This would greatly
benefit women in terms of better career planning as well as access to paid work.
WILL UBI RESULT IN EXPENDITURE ON TEMPTATION GOODS?

In the various experiments on UBI (Namibia and Madhya Pradesh), it has been observed that there
was no increase in consumption of alcohol or tobacco. Instead, the tribal village of Bhil recorded
a drop in the consumption of alcohol since UBI gave them liquidity leading to its use for
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agricultural inputs. This resulted in increased productivity. Studies have also shown that when
the poor are given a small amount of cash, they are willing to take more entrepreneurial risks and
often tend to start small businesses and pull themselves out of poverty trap. Hence, basic income
works as an effective tool for better conditions of life, social equality and welfare. By investing in
the freedom of individuals, it enables social participation and inclusion leading to empowerment
of all.
EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Brazil: It was in 2001, that Brazil introduced a Bill titled ‘Citizen’s Basic Income’ which was signed
into law by the President in 2004. Article 1 of the Act entitles citizens to a right to basic income,
that is, a guaranteed annual payment regardless of their socio-economic position. It was Brazil’s
‘Bolsa Familia’ program launched in November, 2003, that was hailed as the largest social security
scheme in the world, which became a precursor to the UBI scheme.
Bolsa Familia is a conditional cash transfer scheme which focused on eradicating poverty. It
involves self-reporting of family per capita income and the number of children in the family.
There are certain conditions which need to be met: monthly family income below USD 120,
vaccination of children below six years, minimum eighty-five percent school attendance for
children between the ages of six and sixteen. The impact of the scheme has been hailed for its
redistributive effect; it resulted in poverty reduction (extreme poverty rate dropped from 9.7%
to 4.3% within a period of ten years after its introduction). The scheme has also increased the
autonomy of the poor, especially of women who comprise 90% of the beneficiaries). The other
positives have been on education; it has led to a rise in school attendance and grade progression.
Another pertinent observation was that the labour market participation rate for the beneficiary
adults was higher than that of the non-beneficiaries. This is evidence that cash transfers have
made people more active instead of lazy and irresponsible.
Namibia: A pilot project titled Namibian Basic Income Pilot Experiment, was implemented in the
Namibian villages of Otjievero and Omitara which were plagued by hunger, malnutrition,
unemployment, poverty and high rates of crime. The project was financed out of private,
domestic and worldwide funding support and donations. A payment of Namibian $100 was paid
unconditionally each month to each and every resident of the locality via mobile banking and
later the Namibian Post Office.
After the launch, the poverty rate which was at seventy-six percent in November, 2007, fell to
thirty-seven percent after a year. There was a staggering reduction in the rate of unemployment.
The project was found to have significantly reduced child malnutrition and increased school
attendance. It was also found to have increased the community's income significantly above the
actual amount from the grants as it allowed citizens to partake in more productive economic
activities.
KENYA: Implemented by the NGO GiveDirectly, an unconditional cash transfer was launched in
Western Kenya between 2011 and 2012. The transfers were made through mobile money system
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called m-Pesa and the only eligibility criterion for receiving the transfer was a house with a
thatched roof. The beneficiaries could spend the transfer amount in any way that they wished.
The impact was profound: the transfers increased the likelihood of households having an iron
roof by twenty-three percent as compared to the control group (at sixteen percent). There was
increased investment on food, medicine, education, durables and social events. There was
increase investment in and revenue from income generating activities, which primarily included
non-agricultural businesses and livestock-rearing. A reduction was also seen in domestic
violence which translated to increased psychological well-being. Moreover, no evidence was
found of increased consumption of tobacco or alcohol.
Finland: Finland recently concluded a two-year experiment on effects of UBI on unemployed

citizens, which commenced in January 2017. It is intended as a social security measure which
reduces the labour involved in seeking financial assistance, frees up time and resources for
engaging in work or seeking better opportunities.
Netherland and Spain: Some cities in the Netherlands have launched municipal-level trials for
UBI. Barcelona in Spain has also tested several potential changes to its anti-poverty programmes,
including unconditional cash payments.
In high-income countries (HICs), the main rationale for UBI is related to automation, artificial
intelligence, stagnant real wages, etc.
UBI IN INDIAN CONTEXT

In the Indian administrative setup, existing social security programmes of the government suffer
from poor targeting. Targeting is a cumbersome exercise which comes at a huge economic and
administrative cost. It involves the process of identifying the beneficiaries of a particular welfare
scheme, continuously updating the list and ensuring that no one is left out.
The Economic Survey 2016-17 highlighted the problem of misallocation of funds in light of the
nearly 950 schemes run by the central government presently as a result of which the take-up
rate and the targeting of these programmes are adversely affected. This also leads to the problem
of leakages and becomes a breeding ground for corruption and an unholy nexus which ultimately
destroys the idea of distribution of wealth equally.
Owing to the reasons above, the Survey suggested the adoption of the idea of UBI as the solution
to the problem of poverty, inequality and waste in the government transfers. It proposed the Jan
Dhan– Aadhar – Mobile (‘JAM’) platform for implementing UBI in India. Though there are multiple
challenges in implementation, the UBI is an idea that needs to be taken forward especially in the
times of unemployment, lack of subsistence, and deep-rooted inequalities.
The recent pandemic Corona Virus that saw millions of destitute and migrant workers finding
difficult to get a day’s meal calls for a slow and steady implementation of a minimum guaranteed
cash transfer scheme. The success of the Rythu Bandh scheme of Telangana, a farmer support
scheme (The Telangana government was able to launch the scheme in record time because of
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the hard work done by previous governments of undivided Andhra Pradesh in digitizing land
records. This allowed the administration to identify beneficiaries without delay) is a role model
for the adoption of UBI across the country.
CONCLUSION
A right to basic income is integral to achieving real freedom and actualization of rights of an
individual. Within the conception of substantive dignity wherein the State is obligated to ensure
a dignified life for all its citizens, a right to basic income becomes vital. Right to basic income has
immense potential to improving the standard of living of people; to achieving autonomy and
agency rights of women and acting as a means for compensating the unpaid care labor within
households.
Under the human rights approach to poverty which views poverty as deprivation of individual
rights and freedoms, a right to basic income could prove game-changing in improving the lives
of the poverty-stricken. It can also help overcome some of the deleterious impact income
deprivation has on the psyche of individuals and can contribute towards better mental health
and decision making.
Overall, a right to basic income supported by UBI envisages a social safety net that seeks to assure
a dignified life for everyone.
Conclusion in terms of India

India should prioritize public spending on universal basic services, rather than simply distributing
cash to individuals. The question is not whether it should be adopted, but why and when. While
allowing that UBI is a good idea in principle, it needs to be implemented gradually by giving choice
to persuade and to establish the principle of replacement, not additionality.
Another approach is to phase in a UBI for certain vulnerable groups – widows, pregnant mothers,
the old and the infirm – first, and then extend it universally.
NOTE: These are fodder points which cover the social, political, economic dimensions. The
candidate is expected to not write the essay verbatim from the solution; it is a guideline to
explore and see what points in terms of content can be added. You can take any approach in the
examination and organize your content accordingly.
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India cannot eliminate poverty unless it tackles inequality first.
Quotes:
“Extreme poverty anywhere is a threat to human security everywhere.” — Kofi Annan, Seventh
Secretary-General of the United Nations
“Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” — Aristotle, Greek philosopher
“Poverty is the worst form of violence.” — Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader
“Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit.” — Eli Khamarov, writer
“In a country well governed, poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed,
wealth is something to be ashamed of.” — Confucius, Chinese teacher and philosopher
“An imbalance between rich and poor is the oldest and most fatal ailment of all republics.” —
Plutarch, Greek historian
“The opposite of poverty is not wealth; the opposite of poverty is enough.” — Dr. Wess Stafford,
President Emeritus of Compassion International
Poverty is not just lack of money; it is not having the capability to realize ones full potential of a
human being. : Amartya Sen
“Poverty does not belong in civilized human society. Its proper place is in a museum.” —
Muhammad Yunus, entrepreneur
Building capacity dissolves differences. It irons out inequalities : APJ Abdul Kalam.
If socio economic inequality continues to grow in this proportion, then the benefits of the youth
population, which considered a boon for India, can turn into curse. : Arvind K
Inequality is the root of social evil : Pope Francis.
The worst form of inequality is to try make unequal things equal. : Aristotle.
A nation will not survive morally or economically, when so few have so much, while so many have
so little. : Bernie Sanders.
As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality persists in our world, none of us can truly rest.
: Nelson Mandela.
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Inequality hardens society into class system. Inequality divides us from one another. Inequality
undermines democracy. : George Packer.
Case Study:
Kari:
Kari is a 45-year-old woman who lives in her birthplace village in Bihar, India. She was married
to her husband when she was 13, and they have a son and three daughters. The family is Hindu
and belongs to the Musahar caste. During certain seasons, Kari finds agricultural employment
related to the crop cycle, often walking 15 kilometers to work. Over time, her left hand has
become partially paralyzed. Nonetheless, she strives to work as much as she can. She sows seeds
and is occasionally employed by farmers in weeding, for which she is paid INR 25 a day – much
less than the prevailing wage due to her disability. During harvesting, she gathers the paddy and
wheat crops. Being seasonal, harvesting work barely lasts for more than four weeks per year. She
is paid in kind and can keep one-ninth of the produce that she helps to harvest. Overall, Kari
works for less than two months annually, with no guarantee of daily employment. Her husband
works half the year in Punjab, and their children have left home. Although proud of their children,
Kari and her husband regret being unable to educate any of them due to needing “all hands on
board”.
Introduction:
Addressing the Loksabha on the 75th anniversary of the Quit India Movement (2017), by 2022,
when India will celebrate its 75th Independence Day, the PM called for Poverty Free India.
Additionally, resolving COVID 19 crisis, the government said, 800 million poor Indians would be
given free ration. Poverty is one of the many social problems that are detrimental to Indian
Society. That is Injustice.
Poverty denotes a state in which life lacks necessities. Life survival is necessity, and bad is the
man who does not have the means to save it. NITI Aayog performs an assessment of deprivation
in India based on consumption expenditure.
Poverty has been described as a "pronounced poverty in well-being" condition and being poor as
being hungry, lacking shelter and clothes, being sick and not being cared for, being illiterate and
not being taught. Poor people are more vulnerable to out of control adverse events. They are also
handled poorly by state and social institutions and in those institutions are excluded from the
voice and influence. Many of these poor people live in the countryside and have odd jobs to keep
afloat. The lack of jobs in rural areas that provides a living wage pushes many Indians into fast-
growing metropolitan areas like Mumbai , Delhi, Bangalore or Calcutta. Millions of households in
India are passing deprivation to the next generation, rendering eradication of poverty almost
impossible. Some parts of society have traditionally remained small , making us wonder poverty
has become inherited.
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Inequalities are deeper in human development. They are difficult, rather than hardship. A lot of
people have no chance of a better future in India. They watch from the sidelines of society,
without desire, meaning or integrity, as they see others move forward to ever greater prosperity.
Some have fled extreme poverty, but others still do not have the ability or opportunities to
manage their lives. Sex, ethnicity or the wealth of parents all too much still dictates the position
a individual holds in society. Inequalities around employment, wellness, and resources can be
seen. In India, inequalities in wealth, labor participation, and leadership positions can also be
witnessed. This also bears witness to socioeconomic injustice. In the digital revolution, too,
inequality can be observed.Such human development issues are a roadblock to achieving the
Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.
Perhaps particularly, the precise data on bad and widespread inequality should be collected.
Governments must evaluate their schemes objectively, and deduce a strategy to combat it. India
not only faces poverty, but also faces a beast of Inequality. We need multi-pronged approach to
resolve both of the problems.
Incidence of Poverty:
Each time we open the newspaper, or turn to a news channel, apart from the growing crime rate,
there's one more thing that's popular to all, deprivation. No matter where one looks, the
politically depraved cannot be turned a blind eye. Poverty is what unites us, with culture, class ,
caste, color and so many other things dividing us. Late Shri Arun Jaitley, then Indian Finance
Minister, said in an interview with The Economic Times on 11 January 2019, "Poverty is a secular
criterion, and it cuts through cultures and religions."
Hegel once said: Poverty is a social phenomenon. Indigenous poverty has two facets: one social
and the other socio-economic. Many that are economically poor are typically financially and
educationally disadvantaged. In India deprivation is counted in absolute terms. Many economists,
including Prof. Amartya Sen, and Jean Dreze, Suresh Tendulkar, N.C. Saxena, have highlighted
the incidence of poverty. Tendulkar poverty line continues to be India's reference point. It set
Rs. 27.2 daily spending in rural areas, and Rs. 33.3 in urban areas.
There may be various causes of poverty, such as: pandemic (COVID 19), population growth , low
agricultural productivity, inefficient use of energy , low rate of economic development, price
increase, unemployment, lack of capital and interpreunership, social factors, colonial
exploitation and climate factors, to mention but a few.
India is home to over 270 million people living in poverty. Poverty rate is higher in rural areas
than in urban areas. In rural areas poverty rate in 25% where as in urban areas poverty rate is
14%. Small villages account for 27% poor population, 19% poor in Big villages (5000 plus
population), 17% poor in small town (less than 1 million) and mere 6% poor in big cities. Incidence
of poverty is also high in marginalized sections of the society. Scheduled tribes account for 43%
of poor population, whereas Scheduled Castes account for 29% poor population. 21% poor
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belongs to OBCs while mere 12% belong to others. Only 28% of Indias population is SC and STs,
where as they account for over 43% of Indias poor population.
Poverty has significant impacts on health, employment and standards of living. These regions are
affected largely because of the prevalence of deprivation. Inequality issue demands greater
attention as pure elevation from poverty won't provide them with a decent standard of living. We
must look at status of inequality present in India in depth to understand the challenges associated
with it.
Inequality in India:
India is a rapidly changing economy. Since 2005 its average national per capita income has more
than doubled. Multidimensional poverty has been developing dramatically due to a combination
of strong economic growth and social policies. Between 2005 and 2015 India's number of
multidimensionally poor people dropped by over 271 million. On average improvement among
the poorest states and the poorest groups has been more rapid. Despite progress on indices of
human growth, horizontal inequalities exist, and their dynamics follow the same trend as in the
sense of human development's vertical inequalities: major differences, fundamental convergence,
and enhanced capacity divergence.
Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes and Women underperform the rest
of society across human development indicators, including education attainment and access to
digital technologies. These groups have suffered from stigma and exclusion for centuries.
Modern India has sought to address the inequalities legally by affirmative action, social
discrimination and policies of reservation for such classes. There has been a reduction in
inequality in key human development areas since 2005/06. For example, there is a convergence
in educational attainment, with traditionally disadvantaged groups in the proportion of people
with five or more years of schooling catching up with the rest of the population. Likewise there
is convergence in cell phone connectivity and adoption.
The top 1% share of national income rose from 5% in the 1980s to 22% in 2018 (based on the
World Inequality Database). In India, the average rate of income growth was 122 per cent between
2000 and 2018. The bottom 40% growth rate was 58%, while the highest 1% growth rate was
213%. Latest OXFAM study estimated that the top 1 per cent own more than four times the wealth
owned by 953 million (70 percent of the population).
The net inequality in gender is greater in countries with higher prejudices. The disparity can be
calculated by the rate of maternal mortality(174), the proportion of seats in parliament (12%), the
population with at least some secondary education (39% female versus 63.5% male), the rate of
participation in the labor force (27% female and 73% male). India ranked 112 out of 149 countries
according to WEF's newly published gender wage gap index.
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Impact of prevalent inequality:

In places with high income inequality, the relation between the income of parents and their
children is higher, i.e., lower mobility of the intergenerational income. This relation is called the
Great Gatsby Curve. The greater human development inequality, the greater the generational
elasticity of the wage, i.e., the lower the mobility. Inequality limits versatility, it increases the
income implications of intrinsic disparities between individuals; it also changes resources,
rewards, and structures that form, grow, and distribute features and skills valued on the labor
market; and it shifts the balance of power such that some groups are able to organize policies or
otherwise promote the achievement of their children independently of talent.
Compared to the Great Gatsby Curve, areas with greater disparity in human growth have greater
intergenerational continuity in education (a formula that measures the effect on the years of
schooling of respondents of one additional year of parenting).
Initiatives taken by government plus few suggestions:

The Government has taken many measures to relieve the poverty traps of the poor population.
Which include the Integrated Rural Development Programme, PM Swarojgar Yojana, Rural Awaas
Yojana, Work Food Programme, National Old Age Pension Scheme, Annapurna Scheme,
MGNREGA, NRLM, NULM, PMKVY, PMJDY(Jan Dhan Yojana), etc.
These initiatives have borne fruit too. India has uplifted 270 million people from poverty between
2005 and 2015. We want to eliminate prevalent poverty in the country but are truly unaware of
the magnitude of poverty. Some reports suggest Indian rural poverty has shot up, while some
reports suggest COVID 19 may double the poverty in India. Also the lack of official data from
government increases the chasm between reality and hypothetical finding of numbers of poor.
Indian government has proposed a national survey with new matrices to estimate poverty.
Conclusion:
Poverty and injustice are twin evils that, since time immemorial, have plagued Indian society.
These are impacting the marginalized parts of society and fighting them is crucial for
governments.
Inequalities are seen in all ways, from the accessibility of different items, it is prevalent across
gender too. Inequality requires greater focus as uplifting people from poverty is comparatively
easy, but eradicating inequality is difficult.
Economic disparities are to a large degree a decision made by those with the option. Remedying
them is a option, too. Technology may help to teach at the right level, for instance in allowing
personally tailored content. One example of how technology can help in middle school grades is
a technology led instructional programme called Mindspark used in India. It benchmarks each
student 's initial learning level, and dynamically customizes content to suit the level and rate of
progress of the person. Those with exposure to the system scored higher in maths and in Hindi
in just 4.5 months. For example, carbon pricing will minimize inequality if the revenue from a
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carbon tax is returned to taxpayers according to a budget-neutral principle called revenue

redistribution. A research in India found that phasing out energy subsidies and restoring
government savings to citizens in the form of a universal basic income would be transformative,
benefiting dramatically the poor, who usually spend much less on energy than the richest.
What India requires is a systematic exercise guided by data to determine what factors cause the
degree of exclusion and the reasons behind it. We can only devise tailored approaches to combat
it when we truly grasp the beast of deprivation and injustice. We must see a dream for a more
equitable India wherein no one plagued with poverty and inequality is seen.
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SECTION – B
The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.
The aforementioned statement is one of the most powerful truths of nature. And it is the very
basis of evolution-the power of persistence. More specifically, the power to get up day after day
and fight all over again. That’s what brings the greatest glory.
Sometimes you will fall. That is just part of being alive. The important thing is that you get back
up. Every single time. No matter how poorly the harvest turned out, if you wish to have another
crop, you must first sow your field.
Back in the day, if you didn’t plant your crops, you didn’t eat. While failure was always an option,
quitting was a death sentence for you and all who depended on you for their food. This is at the
core of the old saying “if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Don't give up too easily;
persistence pays off in the end.” Trying and making an effort and understanding the reasons of
past failures, thus making suitable adjustments, one should try again. You have to plant, even if
the crop from last season was pitiful. The central idea being that success is not final, failure is not
fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts. It is this attitude that makes a big difference. We
shall draw from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival. Every champion
was once a contender who refused to give up. Hence, success is usually the culmination of
controlling failure. In the following section, we shall examine various manifestations of this belief
in real life across various walks of life.
Points for Introduction

Anecdotal evidence: Michael Jordan, considered by many to be the greatest basketball player of
all time, was devastated when he was cut from his high school varsity basketball team sophomore
year. The good thing is failure only inspired him to work harder. He said “I have missed more
than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been
entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again
in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Gender discrimination evidence: Elizabeth Blackwell was rejected from 29 medical schools. So,
she went to visit the schools in person. She was told she should pretend to be a man, because
women weren’t fit to receive medical schooling. She refused. Blackwell was accepted by mistake
by Hobart College (then Geneva Medical College), and she matriculated. Many MD’s refused to
work with her, but she persevered and graduated. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman to
receive a medical degree in the U.S. (1849). She then built a medical practice, created a place
where women could have medical internships (since many healthcare facilities didn’t welcome
women), served impoverished families, and established the first medical college for women.
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• Spiritual and cultural: In the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 2, verse 38, Lord Krishna advises
Arjuna about what his attitude should be to events in his life. Krishna says: sukha dukhE
samE krtvA lAbhAlAbhau jayAjayAu — treat success and failure, profit and loss, happy
occurrences and unhappy ones just the same.
• Nishkam Karma or self-less or desireless action, is an action performed without any

expectation of fruits or results, and the central tenet of Karma Yoga path to liberation. Its
modern advocates press upon achieving success following the principles of Yoga, and
stepping beyond personal goals and agendas while pursuing any action over greater good,
which has become well known since it is the central message of the Bhagavad Gita.
• Beginning with a story: Once a man was passing through a forest when he notices a
butterfly’s cocoon on a tree branch. He decided to sit down and watch the butterfly’s
transformation. He watched the butterfly for hours as it tried to force itself out of a small
hole. After a few hours, the butterfly suddenly stopped moving as it got stuck.
The man felt bad for the butterfly and decided to help it out. He took a knife and cut the cocoon
carefully so as not to hurt the butterfly. Though the butterfly emerged, it looked weak. Its body
looked swollen and its wings shrivelled.
He sat there waiting for the butterfly to grow wings and start flying. No matter what the butterfly
did, the wings wouldn’t grow and he was stuck there unable to fly with his swollen body and weak
wings. The man was confused because he thought he was helping the butterfly by getting rid of
its struggles but what he didn’t know was that his very action made the butterfly weak and
disabled. The butterfly needed to struggle through the cocoon because that was the only way the
fluid from its body would reach its wings which would help it fly. Since its struggle was cut short,
the butterfly could never fully develop and gain strength and now had to lead its life crawling
around.
Hence the key moral of the story was that you have to endure struggles to succeed.
Another example could be the now revolutionary Apple Inc. which started off with two men in a
garage. Years later, it is now an over $200 billion company with over 140, 000 employees. Yet,
almost unbelievably, Steve Jobs (one of the founders) was fired from the very company he began.
The dismissal made him realize that his passion for his work exceeded the disappointment of
failure. Further ventures such as NeXT and Pixar eventually led Jobs back to the CEO position at
Apple. Jobs said in 2005, “I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was
the best thing that could have ever happened to me.”
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Body
The given statement can be looked at from various dimensions. It can be applied across different
subject matters, walks of life, periods of history etc. Apart from its application, one can also
explore the implications of the logic and also the ways to respond to such logic. For instance, one
can respond to this logic by developing inner strength, confidence, fortitude, resilience etc.
Students can devote one paragraph to each dimension so as to ensure clarity and effectiveness
in their communication. Below are some ideas for illustrative purposes which students may frame
in their own words as per their discretion.
Historical dimension
When we fail, it makes us question everything, right down to the very heart of whom we are and
why we’ve been put here on this earth. But failure, as much as it hurts, is also a necessary part of
life. It’s the pathway to our goals.
Gautam Buddha said that failure defeats losers but it inspires winners. Failures are a part of life.
If you don’t fail, you don’t learn. If you don’t learn you don’t succeed. The only real failure in life
is not to be true to the best one knows. And lastly, you will never be brave if you don’t get hurt.
You will never learn, if you don’t make mistakes. You will never be successful, if you don’t
encounter failure.
Albert Einstein, one of the greatest thinkers of our time, didn’t speak until he was four-years old.
He also failed his entrance exam to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic school located in Zurich at
sixteen-years old. And, even his father, up until the time of his death, considered his son to be a
major failure. After eventually graduating from college, Einstein actually worked as an insurance
salesman, but quit after some time because he failed at that as well.
Thomas Edison is by far one of the most famous inventors in history. He holds 1,093 patents to
his name. Before he invented the light bulb, Thomas Edison had his share of struggles. One of his
biggest struggles was finding a filament for the light bulb. He tried thousands of different
materials in search of a filament. His assistant got frustrated when none of them worked. “We
have failed.” he lamented “We have worked so hard and we have learnt nothing.” Edison laughed
and replied, “How can you say we haven’t learned anything? We now know that there are two
thousand materials that we cannot use to make a light bulb.” Soon after, he invented the light
bulb. Hence, having the right mindset can help you achieve success. With the right mindset, every
failure becomes a stepping stone for success instead of a deterrent.
When Seneca wrote that “nothing happens to the wise man contrary to his expectation,” this is
partly what he meant. The reason that so many failures are devastating to us is that we never
consider that things could happen any other way but the way we wanted to them. The wise man
is aware of all possibilities and prepared for all of them. In this way, there is no such thing as
failure—simply outcomes. The ancient stoics constantly reminded themselves and their followers
that we are all mortal and only have a short time to make an impact on the world. Confronting
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the fear of death head-on and accepting, rather than denying, it allowed the Stoics to be more
productive and courageous in their daily lives.
Marcus Aurelius wrote “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way
becomes the way.” He meant that everything—good and bad—was an opportunity to practice
virtue. The nightmarish failure is at the very least a chance to get familiar with misfortune. That
business issue is a chance to manage your temper or teach something to someone. Traffic is a
chance to learn patience and accept that things are out of your control. A rude person or a bad
friend is a chance to do the right thing even when you don’t want to.
Note: Students may link this part of the body with the introduction with lines such as… ‘The same
belief can be traced back to our most ancient roots’… ‘The lives of the earliest philosophers are a
testimony to this belief [following up with Stoicism and Buddha]
Explorers like Vasco Da Gama, Marco Polo shaped the present world by exploring its different
parts. They had the courage to take a different path and explore the edges of the then world
which not only involved physical dangers but social scepticism as well. They preserved in spite
of decades of sailors and travellers trying to reach the Indies, with thousands of lives and dozens
of vessels lost in Sea However, their courage led to the discovery of new lands and routes that
went on to shape the course of history. One secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for
his opportunity when it comes. The secret of success is constancy to purpose. Desperation is
sometimes as powerful an inspirer as genius. Even Mughal King Humayun lost his kingdom many
times before finally establishing unchallenged sovereignty of the Mughal empire.
Note: Students may begin with… ‘The courage of continuously trying in spite of failures has
shaped the course of history and the world’s future through explorations and discoveries’…
[following up with explorers]
Social reformers like Mahatma Gandhi, B. R. Ambedkar, Bavasanna, M.G. Ranade etc. had the
courage to stand apart from the society and show a mirror to it. They advocated gender equality,
abolition of caste system, eradication of religious superstition, equality among men etc. This
needed great courage as faced a lot of backlash from the society in the form of boycott, name
calling etc. Gandhiji led India not only to the path of Independence but also to social and religious
upliftment and brotherhood, in spite of innumerable setbacks.
The Dharsana Satyagraha during the Civil Disobedience Movement is the perfect example of
human self-control and steadfastness in spite of all setbacks and tortures. That has what made
him a true “Mahatama” Dr. Ambedakar contributed immensely for the upliftment of Dalits by
continuously striving for the same till the very end of his life. It is this conviction in one’s actions
that enable true leaders of mankind to take us to the righteous path.
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Note: Students may begin with… ‘The courage of continuously trying in spite of failures has
shaped the course of history and it is evidenced in the Freedom Struggle of India and the
simultaneous social reforms’…[following up with Gandhiji or Dr. B.R. Ambedkar or Social reforms
in Medieval India etc.]
Economic dimension
Bill Gates was a Harvard dropout. He co-owned a business called Traf-O-Data, which was a true
failure. However, skill and a passion for computer programming turned this failure into the
pioneer of famous software company Microsoft, and the then 31-year-old into the world’s
youngest self-made billionaire. In his own words: “It’s fine to celebrate success but it is more
important to heed the lessons of failure.”
Japan: The traditional industrial model of economy was based on resource exploitation,
manufacturing or trade. However, after World War II, Japan’s industry was destroyed and it was
a small country devoid of natural resources. Japan gathered the courage of devising a new
economic model for itself based on human resource and innovation. It did not stand with the
crowd by following either agriculture or manufacturing only but built a service sector-based
economy. The courage and confidence of Japan and its people to rebuild after destruction bore
fruits eventually and Japan is today the world’s 4th largest economy despite its small size and
population.
Social dimension
For Women rights, Labour Rights, Social Security entitlements, Right to Education to Right to
Information, LGBTQ rights etc people have struggled long for their rights even in the 21st
century. Only after unending struggle and faith in the righteousness of their path have we come
to this level of civilisation. While at the same time many people have followed the easy path of
alienation, discrimination, ostracization and so on. The activism pursued by this miniscule
minority of extraordinaire humans is an example of great courage as they have the audacity to
come out into the open and say with pride and dignity the truth. Mary Wollstonecraft, Aruna Roy,
Shabnam Bano, Kailash Satyarthi and others stand apart from the crowd.
Political dimension
Democracy, Rights of liberty, freedom, equality, Right to vote, Fundamental rights or limitations
against the state etc. that we take for guaranteed today, are in reality a consequence of
innumerable trials and errors. They are a result of trying theories in the real life, learning from
the results and improving them for the next generation. Countless humanity has sacrificed itself
for us to eventually result into today. It is a fitting gesture to admit that we stand to enjoy Modern
life on the graveyards of yesteryears of pain and neglect and eventual death.
Another example could be of Abraham Lincoln, his failing in business in 1831, suffering a nervous
breakdown in 1836, defeated in his run for president in 1856, Abraham Lincoln was no stranger
to rejection and failure. Rather than taking these signs as a motivation for surrender, he refused
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to stop trying his best. In this great man’s words “My great concern is not whether you have
failed, but whether you are content with your failure.” Lincoln was elected in 1861 as the 16th
President of the United States of America. The amount of rejection you receive isnot a defining
factor. Success is still within your reach.
Governance dimension
Civil Service Activism: Indian administration suffers from the ills of corruption, red tapism, elitism
and so on. The system is believed to reward the slow and corrupt and punish the efficient and
honest. It requires great courage to uphold one’s values and continue serving the people. Ashok
Khemka is well known for his crusade against corruption and is very vocal on such issues.
Young IAS office Armstrong Pame has shown the courage to be creative and take quick decisions
when he built an entire stretch of national highway with crowdfunding in Manipur. Such civil
servants are courageous pioneers who will usher in a ‘New India’ with their character and
competence. Chankya’s Arthshastra is built upon his innumerable experiences in guiding
Chandragupta Maurya to the throne of Magadha but more importantly, bringing out a treatise
for the eternal benefit of Statecraft
Rural development: Rural distress and urban migration are the common trends in present times.
Villages lack the basic infrastructure and hence, are being abandoned by the people who move
into cities. Such villages are losing their identity, history and culture as they are overwhelmed by
the processes of land acquisition, real estate development, industrialization and so on. Gandhi ji
said that India’s villages should develop on their own lines. While villages are becoming a symbol
of poverty and backwardness, some villages have redefined themselves through their unique
models of development.
Village of Piplantri in Rajasthan has focused on watershed development, sanitation, digital

literacy etc. which led to better agricultural production and local governance. This has reduced
migration and increased rural incomes which finally led to Piplantri being awarded as Adarsh
Gram by the Government of India. This has become a ray of hope for village folk who can now
have a stable family life along with livelihood. Such villages and their leadership must be
appreciated for their courage and innovation.
International dimension
This should be rephrased as how despite our struggles with colonial rule, India went for modern
political values
India: When the whole world was being divided among capitalist and socialist and coming under
authoritarian rule, India uniquely went for democracy, universal adult franchise, mixed economy
and non-alignment in foreign policy. There was immense pressure upon India to join either the
capitalist or communist bloc like rest of the third world countries but India’s visionary leadership
took the different path of peace, stability and progress. The world expected us to fail and to fail
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spectacularly. The First world continuously wrote about our impending implosion, that
democracy is a farce and we would break up as a State sooner than later. That the Indian
Exceptionalism is hogwash. However, history is living proof that the benefit of such courage is
evident in India’s success as a democracy as well as economy unlike many other peers.
Technological dimension
Galileo and Copernicus: In medieval times, science and innovation was discouraged by the Roman
Church as it undermined its authority and orthodox rule. It was easy for thinkers and scientists
to toe the Church’s line and enjoy a life of patronage. However, scientists like Galileo and
Copernicus showed great courage to oppose the Church in some tough times and made
fundamental discoveries like the heliocentrism i.e. earth revolving round the sun (not vice versa).
The modern science and knowledge owe its existence to their courage of standing alone
Innovators: Pioneers like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg had the courage to not follow
the usual course of life and instead, drop out from renowned colleges to pursue their innovative
ideas. Their courage not only created big businesses but also changed the way of life for the
whole world through innovations like social media (Facebook), Microsoft, iPhones and so on. It
must be noted that they are praised not only for their success but for their courage to try.
Personal dimension
Spirituality: In the modern times of materialism, consumerism, capitalism and so on, spirituality
and salvation has taken a back seat. (too many complex and broad ideas in one sentence) Most of
the people in the world are running in one or the other rat race as it is the easy and obvious way
forward. In such a scenario, few people show the courage to move away from the usual worldly
life and focus on matters of spirituality. It takes a lot of courage to abandon the worldly affairs
and lead an unconventional life amid various social pressures. People like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar,
Dalai Lama etc. have shown this courage and have went on to benefit the human civilization at
large with their contributions. Dimension is relevant but you need to better connect this to the
topic
Note: Students are expected to connect the aforementioned ideas among each other into a
continuous flow so as to ‘arrange their ideas in an orderly fashion’, as demanded by UPSC. The
transition from one para to another should not be abrupt but logical. For instance, the transition
from political to governance dimension can be made by making activism and Anna Hazare as the
last point in political section. Then a smooth transition can be made to discuss the point of civil
service activism in Indian governance.
Here is an illustration,
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……..….…The courageous agitation of activists like Anna Hazare has went on to reshape Indian
politics and governance by mobilizing people against corruption and pushing enactment of
institutions like the Lokpal. [para ends] [next para begins] The courage of activism has not
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remained limited to politics but has even been imbibed by the modern civil servants so as to
spearhead the country towards good governance and development [Continue talking about
Ashok Khemka, Armstrong Pameetc.]
Benefits of and the way forward

In war as in life, it is often necessary when some cherished scheme has failed, to take up the best
alternative open, and if so, it is folly not to work for it with all your might. Learning from the
experience-Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier. One needs to firmly believe that unless one
has tasted the bitter pill of failure, one cannot aspire enough for success. Any man can make
mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error. No one can give you better advice than yourself.
Confidence is that feeling by which the mind embarks in great and honorable courses with a sure
hope and trust in itself. The greater the difficulty, the greater the glory.
One should never worry about action, but only inaction. In other words, don't expect to always
be great. Disappointments, failures and setbacks are a normal part of the lifecycle of a unit or a
company and what the leader has to do is constantly be up and say 'we have a problem, let's go
and get it'. It is easy to do what everyone is doing but it takes a lot of courage to believe in
ourselves and take a leap of faith. With its huge diverse population, India can become a great
nation of great people if it channelizes its demographic dividend in suitable ways instead of a
straight-jacketed approach for all. People who take up unusual fields must be encouraged as
every walk of life offers promising opportunities provided one is ready to put in effort. At the
same time never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your
ego goes with it.
God helps only people who work hard. That principle is very clear. Man is not the creature of
circumstances, circumstances are the creatures of men. We are free agents, and man is more
powerful than matter. Change is inevitable. Change is constant. However difficult life may seem,
there is always something you can do and succeed at. Freedom is the power to live as one wishes.
Freedom is a possession of inestimable value. A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it
takes sweat, determination and hard work. Never give in - never, never, never, never, in nothing
great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense.
As explained above in many cases, showing such courage is beneficial in many ways. It
psychologically empowers and uplifts an individual. It enhances our place in society. Moreover,
it also benefits the society at large as free thinking and expression is often a precursor to social
and political reform. New ideas also translate into innovations which bring prosperity and better
lives to people. We need to Nurture your minds with great thoughts. To believe in the heroic
makes heroes. There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass
through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of
our desires. After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb.
Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could do only a little.
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Avoids ills: A State without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation.
Societies tend to stagnate and deteriorate with time if there is no change or reform. Courage
among people to stand out and express their ideas to the society is essential to end various social,
political, economic and psychological ills and make the world a better place to live in. Due to the
very same reason, preamble of the Constitution of India guarantees freedom of faith, belief and
expression to every individual so that unity, integrity and fraternity of the nation is balanced with
dignity of individual.
Main emphasis is to provide ideas for conclusion, this entire section prior to this is just a
connector and hence need not be so extensively written.
Ideas for Conclusion

Students can use the following approaches to conclude their essay. The basic idea is to sound
positive and constructive towards the end of the essay. The essay is about the courage needed
to stand alone apart from the crowd. Students should explore the possible ideas that immediately
flow from the topic and pick one of them to conclude the essay.
To succeed in your mission, you must have single-minded devotion to your goal. As, success
depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure. We
are motivated by a keen desire for praise, and the better a man is the more he is inspired by glory.
The very philosophers themselves, even in those books which they write in contempt of glory,
inscribe their names. When we tackle obstacles, we find hidden reserves of courage and
resilience we did not know we had. And it is only when we are faced with failure do we realise
that these resources were always there within us. We only need to find them and move on with
our lives. Man needs his difficulties because they are necessary to enjoy success. To become
'unique,' the challenge is where always there within us. We only need to find them and move on
with our lives.
Quote Based Conclusion

Winston Churchill said “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of
enthusiasm”.
Sometimes, you need bad things to happen to inspire you to change and grow.
It always seems impossible until it's done.
Never despair, but if you do, work on in despair.
Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It is a
very mean and nasty place and it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if
you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t how hard you hit; it’s about
how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. How much you can take, and keep moving
forward. That’s how winning is done. Now, if you know what you’re worth, then go out and get
what you’re worth. But you gotta be willing to take the hit, and not pointing fingers saying you
ain’t where you are because of him, or her, or anybody. Cowards do that and that ain’t you. You’re
better than that. – Rocky Balboa
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There is no education like adversity
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, scholar, lawyer judge and Justice of the Supreme Court of United States of
America was laid to rest last month at the age of 87. She argued for and helped constitutionalize
the most hard fought and least appreciated revolution in modern American history; the
emancipation of women. President Nixon refused her a seat on the bench and while another
Supreme court judge cited that female sex is evidently unfit for any occupation in civic life citing
their timidity and delicacy, Ginsburg condemned it as a cage pretending to be a pedestal.
She faced discrimination on the basis of sex at every stage in her career.
Her dissents as a supreme court judge, in later years, carried a power not only rhetorically but
also politically. Ginsburg was laid in the state at the US capitol- the first woman to receive this
honour.
A warm hearted, razor sharp and dauntless Ginsburg was a sum total of her relentless pursuit for
education and most essentially her circumstances. Her adversities came from her peers and from
the most upper echelons of her field; law and politics. And that didn't stop her. That honed her;
educated her and taught her to dodge the triviality of men and she found herself at the helm of
affairs that mattered the most.
When Benjamin Disraeli, Prime Minister of England, said that there is no education like adversity,
he well intended to deliver that no amount of formal education or even socialization can make
up for what circumstances can teach a man.
This essay will explore the different connotations that bring to light how education is not just
degrees and doesn’t come from books alone. Also how a man is quintessentially a product of his
situations will be dealt with.
Even after 140 years, Disraeli’s words remain relevant as the world fights its hardest battle in a
century against an invisible enemy.
Talk about corona pandemic and what lessons it brought to us-
- Environmental crisis is real.
- The world needs to be united and blur the lines of animosity to deal with threats and dangers
of the contemporary times
- How self-reliance is not an option anymore
- Globalization not just carries goods people and services but also distress, panic and disease.
It is said that comfort and prosperity have never enriched men like adversity has. This
enrichment is that of experience and in turn of our learning. Abraham Lincoln failed eight
elections and suffered two nervous breakdowns before going on to become the 16th president of
the USA.
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Anyone who ever did something worthwhile has overcome an adversity. There is a certain skill
set that one needs to crack any threshold in life. Also one needs a bit of theory. The skill won’t
come easy; one has to rub against harsh situations to get the hang of it. Our story as a nation that
shifted from socialist economy to an open market one bears the experiences of our bankruptcy,
our crises of food and fuel and our near surrendering of sovereignty.
Horace- Adversity has elicited talent which prosperity has laid dormant. If it wasn’t for all the
banishment that Ambedkar faced in his early years, the father of the most inclusive constitution
in the world would have not found his true mettle.
Aristotle- Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity. A corollary to the

idea that a bad situation teaches a man better than anything else is - that education becomes a
man’s only dependable weapon in adversity. Raghuram Rajan is the economist whose name would
be written in gold for evading the effects of 2008 World economic slowdown upon India. He
predicted it and kept it at bay. His education and mastery over his work sailed us through the
Strom.
Education means an overall evolution of how a man acts and reacts. One cannot buy that sense
only from books or formal literacy. The most prudent personalities may have had an illustrious
academic career but there is more to know about their lives and how they traversed through it.
Abdul Kalam, the scientist and former president of India, is a standalone example of a man who
is a product of his situation.
Experiences are more capable of shaping a man’s overall disposition. They reflect his choices
which are wiser and mote correct than they were in the past. To be able to choose correctly from
a set of options available to you is a mark of a learned man. Case in point here is Syed Ahmad
Khan. He was very pertinent and vocal about his choices when it came to motivating Muslim
youth to study and not indulge in politics of the day. He was aware of the perils that poor
education would unleash upon Muslim youth.
Social adversities-
All down trodden sections- lgbtq, SC ST, tribals, women and handicap have found laws and
society align with their needs, now, after a very hard struggle for countless years. Examples are
many.
• give one for each.
• And tell how their situation today is a culmination of their learning from their despair.
Economic adversities
Dadabhai Naoroji talking about drain of wealth from India and how moisture collected over
Ganges rains upon Thames is one of our early realisations of the economic havoc about to fall
upon us. We couldn’t fight the British might in sword but we became aware of the unbritish rule
and that did lay a foundation for the struggle to gather momentum.
Page 26 of 26
Today our agriculture is in shambles with policies falling apart and manufacturing barely taking
off. This has shook us to abandon the old and harmful ways of cultivation and take to more
technologically upgrade methods and also environment friendly ideas. Artificial intelligence and
zero budget natural farming are examples.
Ethical adversities
Values form the most important component of our Education- they decide how we use our
education for ourselves and the people around us. The value of neutrality was not understood
until alliances caused world wars and scarred nations. NAM was an ideology that was not learnt
the easy way. Adversity of the situation formed its crux.
Value of honesty and transparency did not occur to us important unless our own system got so
corrupt that it robbed us of our own wealth. Then came in movements like India Against
Corruption and anti-corruption laws got amended.
Political Adversities
The potential dictatorial threat that looked around emergency got us crucial lessons in values of
democracy and self-determination.
It was this lesson that amended our constitution for better. Nothing could have taught us this
better than being in an adverse fury like that.
Conclusion
Mahatma Gandhi said- adversity is the mother of all progress and while he said it, he proved it.
His life and body of work are a testimony to how a man can overcome the real enemy by learning
righteously (lessons on non-violence for instance) from his situation, no matter how gullible
(couldn’t beat British in the might of weapons).
The most appropriate wrapping of this idea could be done in these words- For gold is tried in the
fire and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.

Essay Guidance Program 2020 Test 1 Fodder Point

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Essay Guidance Program 2020 Test 1 Fodder Point

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EGP 2020 TEST 1

CONTENT BUILDER (FODDER POINTS)

This is a supplementary study material for ForumIAS Essay 2020

ForumIAS Offline Guidance Centre

The idea of Universal Basic Income: economic incentive to reduce poverty or a

BODY OF THE ESSAY

HOW IS UBI AN INCENTIVE TO REDUCE POVERTY?

Offsets technology-induced state of unemployment: As technology advances especially with the

Nudge and initial support for new ventures:

WOMEN AND BASIC INCOME

Does It make people lazy?

NOT A DISINCENTIVE TO WORK

WILL UBI RESULT IN EXPENDITURE ON TEMPTATION GOODS?

EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Finland: Finland recently concluded a two-year experiment on effects of UBI on unemployed

UBI IN INDIAN CONTEXT

Conclusion in terms of India

India cannot eliminate poverty unless it tackles inequality first.

“Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime.” — Aristotle, Greek philosopher

Inequality is the root of social evil : Pope Francis.

Impact of prevalent inequality:

Initiatives taken by government plus few suggestions:

carbon tax is returned to taxpayers according to a budget-neutral principle called revenue

Points for Introduction

• Nishkam Karma or self-less or desireless action, is an action performed without any

Village of Piplantri in Rajasthan has focused on watershed development, sanitation, digital

Benefits of and the way forward

Ideas for Conclusion

Quote Based Conclusion

There is no education like adversity

Aristotle- Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity. A corollary to the

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