UPSC_CS MAINS 2020 Paper I

Points to Remember: Increased poverty and widening income gap during the pandemic. Differential impact across social groups. Government responses and their effectiveness. Long-term consequences and policy recommendations. Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic, a global health crisis, had a disproportionately severe impact on India, exacerbating existing socio-economic inequalities and pushing millions further into poverty. While the pandemic … Read more

Points to Remember: Globalization’s impact on Indian diversity and pluralism. Positive and negative effects of globalization on cultural preservation. Role of government policies and social movements. Economic disparities and their influence on diversity. The future of diversity and pluralism in a globalized India. Introduction: India, a land of vibrant diversity encompassing numerous religions, languages, castes, … Read more

Points to Remember: The persistence of caste-based discrimination in India. The evolving nature of caste and its intersection with other social identities. The role of law, policy, and social movements in addressing caste issues. The complexities of measuring caste’s relevance in a diverse society. Introduction: The question of caste’s relevance in understanding contemporary Indian society … Read more

Points to Remember: Curzon’s administrative reforms Curzon’s policies towards princely states Curzon’s economic policies Impact of Curzon’s policies on Indian nationalism Long-term implications on the national movement Introduction: Lord Curzon (Viceroy of India, 1899-1905) implemented a series of administrative and economic policies aimed at strengthening British control and modernizing India. His tenure, however, is marked … Read more

Points to Remember: Expansion of the Indian National Movement’s social base in the 1920s. Diverse ideological strands within the movement. Impact of these strands on the movement’s reach and effectiveness. Key figures and events contributing to this expansion. Introduction: The Indian National Movement, in its struggle for independence from British rule, underwent a significant transformation … Read more

Points to Remember: Key features of Buddhism during the Pala period. Pala rulers’ patronage of Buddhism. Flourishing of Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism. Monastic centers and universities. Artistic and literary achievements. Decline of the Pala empire and its impact on Buddhism. Introduction: The Pala period (8th-12th centuries CE) in Bengal is widely considered the most significant … Read more

Points to Remember: Influence of various schools of Indian philosophy (Hindu, Buddhist, Jain) on monument architecture. Reflection of religious beliefs, social structures, and cosmological ideas in monument art. Examples of specific monuments and their philosophical underpinnings. Evolution of architectural styles across different periods. The role of patronage and artisans in shaping the monuments. Introduction: Indian … Read more

Points to Remember: Persian literary sources in medieval India: Types of literature (poetry, prose, chronicles), prominent authors, themes. Reflection of the “spirit of the age”: Socio-political context, cultural interactions, religious beliefs, economic conditions, artistic trends. Critical analysis: Strengths and limitations of using Persian sources to understand medieval India. Consider biases and perspectives. Introduction: Medieval India … Read more

Points to Remember: Rock-cut architecture’s significance as a primary source for understanding early Indian art and history. Diverse forms of rock-cut architecture (chaityas, viharas, temples, etc.) and their regional variations. The insights provided by rock-cut architecture into religious beliefs, social structures, and technological advancements of the period. Challenges in interpreting rock-cut architecture and the need … Read more