UPSC_CS MAINS 2015 Paper II

Discuss the impediments India is facing in its pursuit of a permanent seat in UNSC.

Points to Remember: Geopolitical realities: India’s bid is hampered by existing power dynamics and veto-wielding permanent members’ reluctance to reform. Regional rivalries: Tensions with Pakistan and China significantly impact India’s international standing. Lack of consensus: Broader UN membership lacks a unified stance on UNSC expansion and India’s inclusion. Internal reforms: India needs to address internal … Read more

Project ‘Mausam’ is considered a unique foreign policy initiative of Indian government to improve relationship with its neighbours. Does the project have a strategic dimension? Discuss.

Points to Remember: Project Mausam: India’s initiative to foster maritime cooperation with neighboring countries. Strategic Dimension: The extent to which Mausam contributes to India’s geopolitical goals and national interests. Neighboring Countries: Focus on the regional impact and implications for India’s relations with its neighbors. Positive and Negative Aspects: A balanced assessment of the project’s successes … Read more

Terrorist activities and mutual distrust have clouded India–Pakistan relations. To what extent the use of soft power like sports and cultural exchange could help generate goodwill between the two countries. Discuss with suitable examples.

Points to Remember: India-Pakistan relations are severely strained due to terrorism and mutual distrust. Soft power, encompassing sports and cultural exchanges, can foster goodwill. Success depends on genuine commitment from both sides and addressing underlying security concerns. Limitations exist; soft power alone cannot resolve deep-seated political issues. Introduction: India and Pakistan, sharing a complex history … Read more

For achieving the desired objectives, it is necessary to ensure that the regulatory institution remain independent and autonomous. Discuss in the light of experiences in recent past.

Points to Remember: Independence and autonomy of regulatory institutions are crucial for achieving their objectives. Recent experiences highlight challenges to this independence and autonomy. Maintaining independence requires robust legal frameworks, transparent processes, and strong ethical standards. Compromising independence can lead to regulatory capture, ineffective regulation, and harm to public interest. Introduction: The effectiveness of regulatory … Read more

What are the major changes brought in the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1966 through the recent ordinance promulgated by the President? How far will it improve India’s dispute resolution mechanism? Discuss.

Points to Remember: Key changes introduced by the Arbitration and Conciliation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023. Impact on India’s dispute resolution mechanism – both positive and negative aspects. Assessment of the effectiveness of the changes in improving efficiency and fairness. Suggestions for further improvements. Introduction: The Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, governs arbitration proceedings in India. Recognizing … Read more

Khap panchayat shave been in the news for functioning as extra–constitutional authorities, often delivering pronouncements amounting to human right violations. Discuss critically the actions taken by the legislative, executive and judiciary to set the things right in this regard.

Points to Remember: Khap Panchayats: Extra-constitutional bodies wielding significant influence in rural areas. Human Rights Violations: Khap Panchayats’ pronouncements often violate fundamental rights. Role of State: Legislative, executive, and judicial actions to curb Khap Panchayat excesses. Effectiveness of Interventions: Assessing the success and limitations of state interventions. Way Forward: Policy recommendations for effective regulation and … Read more

If amendment bill to the Whistle-blowers Protection Act 2011 tabled in the Parliament is passed,there may be no on left to protect. Critically Evaluate.

Points to Remember: The Whistleblower Protection Act, 2011 and its proposed amendments. Potential impact of amendments on whistleblower protection. Concerns regarding chilling effect on whistleblowing. Importance of a robust whistleblower protection mechanism. Balancing protection with potential misuse. Introduction: The Whistleblower Protection Act, 2011 (WPA), aims to safeguard individuals who report wrongdoing within organizations. A proposed … Read more

Resorting to ordinances has always raised concern on violation of the spirit of separation of power doctrine. While noting the rationales justifying the power to promulgate, analyse whether the decision of the Supreme Court on the issue have further facilitated to resorting to this power. Should the power to promulgate the ordinances be repealed?

Keywords: Ordinances, separation of powers, Supreme Court, promulgation, repeal. Required Approach: Primarily analytical, with elements of factual presentation and a concluding opinion. Points to Remember: Rationale for ordinance-making power. Supreme Court’s jurisprudence on ordinances. Impact of Supreme Court decisions on ordinance promulgation. Arguments for and against repealing the ordinance-making power. Introduction: The power to promulgate … Read more

In the absence of well–educated and organised local level government system, Panchayats and Samitis have remained mainly political institutions and not effective instrument of governance. Critically Discuss.

Points to Remember: The role of Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) in India. The importance of education and organization for effective governance. The political nature of PRIs in the absence of well-educated and organized systems. The consequences of ineffective governance at the local level. Suggestions for improvement. Introduction: The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992 … Read more

The concept of cooperative federalism has been increasingly emphasized in recent years. Highlight the drawbacks in the existing structure and extent to which cooperative federalism would answer the shortcomings.

Points to Remember: Definition and evolution of cooperative federalism. Drawbacks of the existing federal structure in India (e.g., vertical and horizontal imbalances). How cooperative federalism addresses these drawbacks. Limitations of cooperative federalism. Suggestions for strengthening cooperative federalism. Introduction: Cooperative federalism, a system emphasizing collaboration and shared responsibility between the central and state governments, has gained … Read more