Directive word/s: Comment: Express an opinion or reaction. Pick out main points on a subject and give your opinion with relevant evidences.

Demands of the question:

• First part: Substantiate whether modern energy sources such as renewable energy sources are import to achieve sustainable development goals.
• Second part: Need to talk about the progress made by India in adopting new forms of energy sources.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Talk about the progress made by India in terms of adopting renewable sources and advantages of adopting it such as improving energy security, reducing the greenhouse gases and to achieve Paris goals etc
• Need to given present adoption levels and future targets and road blocks in achieving the renewable energy sources in India

Answer: Modern energy sources are nothing but Solar, Wind, Atomic and many other renewable energy sources. These technologies have become increasingly important as the world faces the challenge of mitigating the negative impacts of climate change and reducing the dependence on finite and polluting fossil fuels. The use of renewable energy sources has been recognized as a key factor in promoting sustainable development, which aims to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the future. 

Need for India to adopt renewable Energy Sources include:

• Improving Energy Security: Renewable energy technologies can increase energy security by reducing dependence on imported fuels and improving the reliability of the energy supply. By relying on locally available resources, such as solar and wind power, countries can reduce their dependence on foreign energy sources and become more self-sufficient.
• Reducing greenhouse gas emissions: The use of renewable energy sources can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help mitigate the effects of climate change. By relying on clean, renewable sources of energy, such as solar and wind power, we can reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and decrease the amount of harmful pollutants like carbon dioxide that are emitted into the atmosphere and achieving the Paris agreement goals.
• Supporting Rural development: Renewable energy technologies can support rural development by providing access to energy to rural communities, which can help to improve quality of life, increase agricultural productivity and stimulate economic growth.
• Creating jobs: Renewable energy technologies can create jobs and stimulate economic growth, particularly in the manufacturing and installation of renewable energy systems. For example, the growth of the solar power industry has created a large number of jobs in the production of solar panels and the installation of solar systems.

India has been making huge strides in adopting new and renewable energy sources.

• India has ranked 63^rd in Global Energy Transition Index released by World Economic Forum.
• India along with China and Brazil have shown progress in all three parameters such as Security, equity and sustainability as 83% of countries have registered negative progress in at-least one parameter.
• In India’s energy basket renewable energy and biomass comprising 42% of power generation capacity making it the fourth largest renewable energy market in the world.
• India’s per capita emissions at 1.7 tonnes of CO2 which is 60% lower than global average of 4.4 tonnes.
• Between 2008-23, India placed 3^rd in solar power capacity and 6^th in wind power as per the Global Energy Monitor.

Notwithstanding the above progress made by India there are some bottlenecks with pulling back India’s efforts in adopting renewable energy sources. They are

• Affordability and Economic Viability: Per unit cost of Solar energy has drastically comes down however the investments in nuclear energy will push per unit cost of energy. Hence there is a strong emphasis on ensuring the affordability and economic viability these solutions underscoring India’s commitment to promote sustainable energy practises.
• Decouple growth from energy demand: India’s growth was heavy depend on reliable energy supply, hence there is need to decouple growth from energy demand, which requires significant investments in energy efficiency and manufacturing of key components.
• High dependency on import of raw materials: Government of India has been imposing high taxes on import of raw materials such as solar panels and wind panels and other battery storage items which makes the adoption of these technology very cost effective.

With the adaptation of clean, renewable sources of energy, we can ensure a sustainable future for all, with economic, social and environmental benefits for the present and future generations. Governments, businesses and individuals must work together to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable energy future, which will help to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change and ensure a better future for all.

Directive word/s: Comment: Express your opinion on a subject by picking main points on that subject and substantiate your point with a logic or evidence.

Demands of the question:

• Talk about the important changes introduced in respect of Long Term Capital Gains and its significance or purpose of introduction
• Talk about the important changes introduced in Dividend Distribution and its significance or purpose of introduction

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Define what is Long term capital gains tax and Dividend distribution tax and what is the position of them before 2018
• Talk about 10% tax on both Long term gains and Dividend distribution to raise the revenue to the government and create a level playing field for both corporate investors and retail investors
• What is the current position of LCGT and DDT such as govt has collecting the burden of tax collection from companies to investors to streamline the tax collection process

Answer: Under the 7th Schedule of our Constitution, the Union is empowered to levy taxes on income other than agriculture- such as Corporation Tax, Personal Income Tax, Hotel Receipt Tax, Interest Tax, Fringe Benefit Tax, Capital Gains Tax (CGT), Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT)

Long term Capital Gains Tax (LCGT): Any profit or gain derived from sale of a capital asset such as house. Depend on the length of the asset retention period the tax is further divided into long term and short term capital gains tax. Any investment equity or mutual funds sold after holding it for a period more than 12 months is considered as Long Term Capital Gains Tax (LTGC). Before 2018, there is no taxation on the profits made from long term capital gains.

Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT): DDT was introduced in 1997, was a tax levied on dividends distributed by companies to the investors irrespective of their income tax obligations on those profits. Before 2018, there is no DDT on dividend distributed by companies.

Changes introduced by Budget 2018 into the LCGT and DDT:

• To LCGT: Budget 2018 announced a 10% LCGT on profits exceeding ₹ 1 lakh during the sale of equity or equity mutual funds.
• Significance: Preceding the 2018, tax official were observed that profits made from such long terms gains were amounts to ₹3.60 lack crore and majority of these profits were cornered by large Corporates and high network individuals. So, it this profits were minimally taxed can augment the governments revenues. So a 10% of tax was levied on these profits to balance out the interests of the both the Corporate investors and retail investors.
• To Dividend Distribution Tax: Previously Equity Mutual Fund distributing income to its investors, were not subject to DDT. Now they’re subjected to 10% DDT.
• Significance: This created a level playing field between the growth oriented and dividend distributed funds. However, now this burden wad shifted to individual investors to reduce the burden on companies and harmonize the taxation system in India making it more transparent and aligning it with international norms.

Removing this tax, Indian equities were expected to become more attractive to investors. The move was seen as potentially boosting market sentiment and encouraging companies to reinvest profits back into the economy.

Notwithstanding the above the budget 2024-25 has increased the limit of LGCT to 1.25 lakhs and the tax rate from 10% to 12.5%, whereas the debt-oriented funds attracting 25% as DDT and equity oriented funds are attracting 10% as DDT which giving a substantial amount as a tax revenue which will be shared between the centre and states as per the finance commissions recommendations.

Directive word/s: No directive word. It is a straight forward question

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to talk about Minimum Support Price and its purpose
• Second part: Provide details how the MSP will help the farmers to get remunerative price

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Talk about History behind introducing MSP and its advantages in two or three statements
• Talk about the Assured Prices to farmers, prevent distress sale, promote crop diversification, benchmark price for private players, reduce the role of money lenders etc.
• Conclude by saying government initiatives to support farmers income such as e-NAM, Price Stabilisation schemes etc to increase farmers income

Answer: The MSP system was started in 1966-67 for wheat and was expanded further to include other essential food crops, which was then sold to the poor under subsidised rates under the public distribution system (PDS). And during the same time government of India has undertaken ‘Green Revolution’ to increase the food production in India which requires huge investments, in order to ensure the success of this programme, MSP was given to farmers to adopt or to introduce modern agricultural practise into India.

Minimum Support Price is a safety net given to the farmers and their produce to ensure guaranteed prices and assured markets. The MSP-based procurement system is aimed to save the crops from price fluctuations due to various unwarranted factors such as the monsoon, lack of market integration, information asymmetry and other elements of market imperfection plaguing Indian agriculture.

The MSP is fixed twice a year on the recommendations of the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP). The CACP submits its recommendations to the government in the form of Price Policy Reports every year, separately for five groups of commodities namely kharif crops, rabi crops, sugarcane, raw jute and copra

Minimum Support Price Help Rescue Farmers from Low-Income Trap by the following ways:

• Avoid middlemen, increase farmers income: The APMC-based procurement system is dependent on middlemen, commission agents and APMC officials, which smaller farmers find difficult to get access to. MSP will remove these middlemen and money lender and further legal MSP to another layer of security to farmers.
• Avoid distress sale: This could lead to a disaster in the market when supply is excess. No private player will come forward to buy and the prices will collapse even before the final dealings. The government will also be left with no vehicle to come to the rescue of farmers and it will cause a disaster for both the farmers and the agencies. MSP, thus prevent the farmers to commit a distress sale when the supply is excess.
• Helps in making an informed decision: Government announces MSP before the sowing season for 23 crops including cereals, pulses, oilseeds & certain cash crops. This advance information helps the farmer to make an informed decision about which crop to sow for maximum economic benefit within the limitations of his farm size, climate and irrigation facilities.
• Promote crop diversification: As government announces MSP for 23 crops before the sowing season it will help the farmers to cultivate various crops based on their soil condition and resource availability. Thus it helps in crop diversification.
• Will compel the private players to offer better prices on par with MSP: However MSP will not guarantee market prices higher than MSP, but it will ensure that the prices will never be drastically lower than the MSP.

By recognising the limitations of the state to provide MSP to all crops and to all farmers, hence farmers will have to choose crops as per the market demands and the government has also initiated some measures to ensure remunerative prices to farmers. They are

• Price Stabilisation Schemes: Some states like Madhya Pradesh (MP), Haryana, Kerala have launched schemes like Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojna (price difference payment scheme), floor prices, and Bhavantar Bharpayi Yojna, respectively, under which the state governments pay the difference to the farmers when the sell their crop below MSP in the market
• Crop diversification: Haryana has launched a scheme in 2020 to provide Rs 7,000 per acre to those farmers who will use more than 50% of their paddy area for other crops.  The farmers can grow maize, bajra, pulses, or cotton in such diversified area.
• Electronic National Agriculture Marketing (e-NAM): The major problems in Indian farmers is lack of market access on all India basis, hence creating a single market platform that connects farmers, buyers and exporters at one place can reduce the problem of distress sale by farmers.

Directive word/s: Examine: Inspects an issue thoroughly in order to determine their nature by providing important facts and issues surrounding a topic and substantiate your views with an examples or with evidences.

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to explain the role of supermarkets in the supply chain of agriculture and other commodities
• Need to explain how these supermarkets eliminate the number of intermediaries

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Give some facts about the need to have efficient supply chain such as prevent post harvest losses, to better management of perishable items etc
• Give three or four points about the role of supermarkets such as better transportation, better consumer choices, benefits the consumers and producers and all round availability
• Two or three points how they eliminate intermediaries such as dealing directly with producer, eliminate the dependency on mandis, use of technology and etc

Answer: India’s post-harvest losses amount to approximately ₹1,52,790 crore annually, according to a Ministry of Food Processing Industries 2022 study. As India’s population continues to grow, the challenge of meeting the food and nutrition demand of its people will continue to intensify. While growing more food is part of the solution, the prevention of post-harvest losses is crucial.

The biggest loss is from perishable commodities, which include livestock produce such as eggs, fish and meat (22%), fruits (19%) and vegetables (18%). During the export of perishables, approximately 19% of food is lost, particularly at the import-country (trade partner) stage.

Role of Supermarkets in supply chain management of food items:

• In reducing the post harvest losses: Around 86% of farmers in India are small and marginal farmers and they struggle to attain the economy of scale due to the small production. Supermarket chain helps these farmers by directly procuring the product at the farm gate itself. Thus it reducing the post harvest losses.
• Better handling during transportation: These Supermarkets have their own transportation facilities, processing and packaging networks thus increasing the shelf life of commodities.
• More choices for consumers: These supermarkets brought the different commodities together and provide a single market point for all these products thus providing more choices for consumers to choose between different commodities.
• Better price discovery for both producers and consumers: As they directly procure from manufacturers or producers and selling directly to consumers thereby eliminating large number of middlemen involved in the supply chain management. Thus they help to better price realisation to farmers or producers and less prices for consumers.
• Round the Clock Availability: In some cities these markers are available 24*7, thus making them more accessible to consumers at all times.

These Supermarkets eliminates number of intermediaries in the following ways. They are

• Dealing directly with producers: Farmers are no longer reliant on middlemen to purchase their food and deliver it to end-users. The supermarket system is set up in such a manner that farmers may deliver their goods directly to the chains and even obtain better rates than they would get from the traditional way of selling chains
• Bypassing Agriculture Mandis: Agricultural mandis are sites where there are a lot of intermediaries. Farmers are duped into selling at a cheaper price, while merchants benefit handsomely. Improper weighing, needless deductions, excessive commissions, and delayed payments are all ways in which farmers are being abused. Supermarket chains completely eliminate the dependence on mandis.
• Reduce transportation cost: Transportation is one among many factors that involve middlemen. The supermarket chains can ensure that farmers no longer have to worry about transportation.
• Use of Technology: In the traditional, manual process, manufacturers didn’t know where the demand was coming from, or where it was likely to come from, or at what price products might sell. At the other end, retailers were unaware of the products manufacturers had and what offers they were running. Supermarket resolves these issues.

Direct sourcing, quality control measures, standardization, aggregation, and use of technology are the key factors that help supermarkets eliminate intermediaries and create a more efficient and effective supply chain process. This results in fresher produce and lower prices for the consumer.

Directive word/s: Discuss: Going into the details of an issue (or) make a case in favour or against of an issue supported by evidences. Remember to arrive at a conclusion and write it in the form of a ‘way forward’

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to define the Bose-Einstein Statistics
• Second part: How this theory helps in the revolutionized the field of physics.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Define Bose-Einstein Statistics and brief introduction of its application.
• Applications of Bose-Einstein Statistics in Physics such as bottom quarks, atomic and molecular physics, super fluidity and super conductivity.
• Conclude by saying how the research into Bose-Einstein Statistics led to Nobel wining discoveries.

Answer:  Bose-Einstein statistics is one of the two fundamental statistical models used to describe the behaviour of particles in a collection, the other being the Fermi-Dirac statistics. Bose-Einstein statistics is used to describe the behaviour of particles that have integer spin, Bose-Einstein distribution, such as photons, gluons, and bosons.

Bose-Einstein statistics describe the distribution of particles in a collection that are occupied the same quantum state in a indistinguishable manner. According to this theory these particle do not restricted to occupy the same quantum state i. e they occupy the same quantum state.  This phenomenon occurs when bosons are cooled to a sufficient cool temperatures and majority of them would collapse to the lowest energy quantum state forming Bose-Einstein Condensate.

Applications of Bose-Einstein Statistics in the field of Physics include:

• Bottom quarks: Bottom quarks are one of the fundamental particles in particle physics which combine to form composite particle called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons. These quark interactions are used in medical imaging techniques such as PET scans and MRI. The study of quarks and their movements will help in quantum computing and information technologies.
• Understanding Superconductivity: At cooler temperatures electrons form pairs know as Cooper pairs. The coherent movement of cooper pairs results in elimination electrical resistance as there are no scattering particles that destroy the normal impeding flow of electricity.
• Aid in Super fluidity: The most well-known example of superfluidity is superfluid helium-4. When cooled below approximately 2.17 K, helium-4 undergoes a phase transition to a superfluid state. In this state, helium atoms behave collectively and they occupy the same quantum state due to their bosonic nature.
• Bose-Einstein Condensate (BEC): BECs can be used to create qubits, which are the fundamental units of quantum information. Their coherent properties can enhance quantum computing capabilities.

It was only in 1995 that scientists Eric Cornell, Carl Wieman, and Wolfgang Ketterle successfully demonstrated a BEC using cooling and trapping techniques with rubidium atoms, winning the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for their groundbreaking work.

Directive word/s: No directive word. It is straight forward question

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to talk about the constraints in disposing huge quantities of solid waste
• Second part: Strategies to remove toxic waste from the being accumulated from environment.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Given two or three statements in terms of statistics regarding the solid waste and the importance of removing toxic waste from it
• Need to provide three or four statements about impediments in disposing such as lack of awareness, financial constraints, infrastructural gaps etc
• Strategic to remove toxic waste such as identification, cleanup and remediation, monitoring and public awareness etc  

Answer: As per the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change 62 million tonnes of waste is generated annually in the country at present, out of which 5.6 million tonnes is plastic waste, 0.17 million tonnes is biomedical waste, hazardous waste generation is 7.90 million tonnes per annum and 15 lakh tonnes is e-waste. He added that only about 75-80 per cent of the municipal waste gets collected and only 22-28 per cent of this waste is processed and treated.

Major constraints in disposing of solid waste in India include:

• Behavioural issues of not segregating solid waste at source: In India there is a lack of awareness about the negative impacts of solid waste particularly in urban areas where the management of solid waste become so critical. So, the Solid Waste Management rules have mandated segregation of waste into 3 parts such as Biodegradable, Dry and Domestic Hazardous waste to be done at the source itself.
• Insufficient manpower: Majority of municipal bodies in India are having less garbage collectors which resulting into the lot of solid waste being dumped into the roads and increasing the work load of already exiting manpower. The country has only 21 million garbage collectors, compared to China’s 700 million, and the cost of hiring someone to do the job can be prohibitive for many municipalities.
• Infrastructural issues: India’s recycling rate currently stands at only 18%, the global average is 35%, this necessitates the gaps in infrastructure in waste management in India thereby posing a great risk to environment and public health.
• Collection and transportation: Waste collection, storage, and transportation are essential parts of any solid waste management system, and the implementation of these tasks can be quite challenging. In India, waste is collected formally and informally due to various factors, such as inadequate finance, lack of efficient technology, shortage of trained workers which making the waste management a complicated task.
• Inadequate municipal finance: Despite the 73^rd and 74^th constitutional amendments, the state governments has not delegate much financial powers to enable these municipal bodies to handle the municipal solid waste because of lack of manpower, technology and finance.

Strategies to remove toxic waste from being accumulated in our environment include:

• Sanitary Landfills: A sanitary landfill is a pit with a protected bottom where trash is buried in layers and compressed to make it more solid. The main purpose of this landfill is to ensure waste is safe by reducing the harm from accumulated waste and allowing safe decomposition. Because methane, a toxic gas is produced from decomposition, it is collected in the landfill being used for electricity generation.
• Financial incentives for waste to energy recovery: Financial incentives has to be provided to uses to segregate the waste at the source itself, so that the toxic waste being part of it can be used for electricity generation by using methods such as pyrolysis, bio-gasification etc.
• Identification of already accumulated waste: Identify the areas or sites contaminated with toxic waste, comprehensive assessment has to be done to determine the nature and extent of contamination including the identification of hazardous substances and then make efforts to clean up those in scientifically proven methods.
• Carbon trading mechanism: The government of India is working towards establishing the Indian Carbon Market (ICM) as part of its efforts to decarbonise the economy, and this initiative aims to price greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by facilitating the trading of Carbon Credit Certificates. This helps the both industry and municipal bodies to generate carbon credits to be used to finance mitigation strategies.
• Public awareness and participation: Public awareness and involvement are crucial in addressing toxic waste issues. Communities should be educated about the risks associated with toxic waste exposure, and their input should be sought in decision-making processes.

To address the impediments in waste disposal, comprehensive strategies should be adopted, including waste reduction, recycling, and advanced treatment technologies. Proper handling and disposal methods must be implemented to ensure the safe removal of toxic waste from our habitable environment.

Directive word/s: Explain: Give details of something to make it more clear.

Demands of the question:

• First part: Define Wetlands
• Second part: Need to provide details about ‘wise use’ concept under Ramsar convention
• Third part: Need to given brief details about two Ramsar sites from India

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Define Wetland and two or three statements about the importance of Wetlands
• Define ‘Wise Use’ principle and provide guidelines introduced under this concept such as adopting national wetland policy, develop programmes etc
• Give one or two statements about Sundaban wetland and Wular lake

Answer: As per the Article 1 of the Convention states that “wetlands are areas of marsh, fen, peatland or water, whether natural or artificial, permanent or temporary, with water that is static or flowing, fresh, brackish or salt, including areas of marine water the depth of which at low tide does not exceed six metres”.

Wetlands cover just 6% of the earth surface but they sequester and store substantial amount of carbon dioxide thereby helping and mitigate climate change. Moreover they are providing habitat for an estimated 40% of worlds plant and animal species.

‘Wise Use’ principle of Ramsar convention:

The Wise Use principle was first established in 1987 and based on the principle that its purpose was “for the benefit of mankind. The wise use of wetlands is their sustainable utilisation for the benefit of mankind in a way compatible with the maintenance of natural properties of the ecosystem”.

The ‘Wise Use Guidelines’ emphasized the importance for Contracting Parties to:

• Adopt national wetland policies, involving a review of their existing legislation and institutional arrangements to deal with wetland matters (either as separate policy instruments or as part of national environmental action plans, national biodiversity strategies, or other national strategic planning)
• Develop programmes of wetland inventory, monitoring, research, training, education and public awareness; and
• Take action at wetland sites, involving the development of integrated management plans covering every aspect of the wetlands and their relationships with their catchments.

The Wise Use Guidelines also emphasized the benefits and values of wetlands for sediment and erosion control, flood control, maintenance of water quality and abatement of pollution, maintenance of surface and underground water supply, support for fisheries, grazing and agriculture, outdoor recreation and education for human society and climatic stability.

Wular lake: It is located in Bandipora dist of Jammu and Kashmir and it is one of the largest freshwater lake in the South Asia formed by tectonic activity and fed by Jhelum river.

Sundarban wetland: It is largest mangrove forest in the world that is formed by the confluence of Ganga, Brahmaputra and Meghna river and it is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Directive word/s: No Directive words. It is a straight forward question.

Demands of the question:

• First part: what define a state as a organic state
• Second part: Economic benefits of becoming an organic state.
• Third part: Ecological benefits of becoming an organic state.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Define organic state and what makes Sikkim to become first organic state in India
• Economic benefits of an organic state such as Reduction in health expenditure, Eco tourism, Rural development and export promotion
• Ecological benefits of having an organic state such as sustainable agriculture production, Soil health improvement, reduced environmental pollution and biodiversity preservation

Answer: Organic state refers to a political and socio-economic system based on organic principle such as sustainability, harmony with nature and respect for the environment. It is also refers to a state or region that commitment for organic food production and organic farming practises.

To become a fully organic, the state’s Sikkim Organic Mission was launched with clear roadmap to convert 50000 hectares of land with several actions such as farmer filed schools, certification of all form lands, consumer education and awareness, creation of local organic outlets and export promotion.

Economic benefits of being an organic state:

• Rural development: Majority of household depend on agriculture live in villages which are backbone of India’s economy. With the introduction of High Yielding Variety of seeds, the input cost to farmers has increased drastically, but with focus on organic farming this input cost drastically brought down thereby ensure the farming affordable and raising the economic standards of farmers.
• Reduced Out of Pocket health expenditure: According to the Economic Survey around 50% of house hold income in India is spend on health care. Major reasons for this was chemically cultivate, repining of vegetables and fruits and other food items. With the adopting of organic farming many agriculture products become chemical free, thereby reduces the out of pocket health expenditure in the near future.
• Promotes Ecotourism: Sikkim’s organic state status attracts eco-conscious tourists and nature enthusiasts. The promotion of organic agriculture and the pristine environment of the state contribute to the growth of sustainable tourism, providing additional income and employment opportunities.
• Promotes both internal and external trade: Post COVID-19, the health consciousness around the world has increased which rose the demand of organic and other naturally cultivated agriculture products. So Sikkim has a good potential to promotes its exports to other states and countries.

Ecological benefits of being a Organic State:

• Conservation of Soil health and Water: As chemical farming has led to the degradation of natural fertility of soil and excessive use of water, but with the adoption of organic farming practises rejuvenate the soil health and reduced the water consumption level for farming purpose.
• Sustainable Agriculture Production: Organic farming is based on the principles of soil nature and crop selection based on local condition will reduce the water consumption levels thereby reduces the greenhouse gas emissions thereby promoting the sustainability of ecosystems and food production.
• Biodiversity Preservation: Organic farming practices promote the preservation of biodiversity by avoiding the use of synthetic pesticides and genetically modified organisms. This helps maintain the ecological balance and supports the health of various plant and animal species.
• Reduces the formation of dead zones in water bodies: As main reason behind the formation of dead zones is the chemical run off from the farming fields. Hence with the adoption of organic farming this run off can be eliminated and prevent the events of dead zones in major water bodies and ensure the protection and preservation of marine environment.

The organic status of Sikkim has not only led to a healthier environment with reduced chemical usage but has also boosted the state’s economy through increased agricultural productivity, tourism, and market demand for organic products.

Directive word/s: Enumerate: Give details of an issue one by one with suitable examples or supporting arguments.

Demands of the question:

• Brief description about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and its advantages to both China and Pakistan
• Need to talk about reasons why India has distanced or not joined the project.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, places it connects, its objective to China, connect to Arabian sea to bypass the Malacca strait, to increase connectivity to its north west Shincheyag province etc
• Concerns for India include sovereignty issue, state sponsored terrorism, dual front warfare, violation of UN mandate etc
• Conclude by saying how India is countering it by developing border infrastructure, BBIN corridor, Investments in Afghan, QUAD alliance etc.

Answer: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is a bilateral project that aims to improve trade between China and Pakistan. It’s a key part of China’s One Belt, One Road initiative and its 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. It connects the Kashgar in China to Gwadar port in Pakistan to enable china to bypass the Malacca strait to ensure its energy security and economic development. Pakistan seen China as a reliable investor and support its economy through CPEC.

Why CPEC is so important for China?

• To bypass Malacca dilemma: China seen Malacca strait as strategic choke point for its energy supplies as Indian tri services can block this route. So, it is wants to bypass it by connecting China’s North West area with Gwadar port.
• Bringing the ancient Silk route into operations: The major objective for China behind one belt one road initiative is to review old silk route thereby promotes its exports to rest of the world.
• Strategic advantage: China perceives India as a rivalry by promoting infrastructure along the borders of China and Pakistan it can easy deploy troops in case of any war between India-China and India-Pakistan.

Concerns for India over China-Pakistan Economic Corridor:

• Sovereignty: India is also concerned about the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) that passes through Gilgit-Baltistan administered by Pakistan which violates the sovereignty of India.
• Security threat over Northern Border: Infrastructure development in the Karakoram range will be a security threat to India as movement of troops and weapons will become easies for both China and Pakistan.
• Increased threat of Terrorism/Extremism: As Pakistan is known for diverting its economic gain from development to sponsoring terrorism against India. Hence development of infrastructure in border areas will enhance extremism and infiltration of terrorists into India.
• UN Cease fire agreement: China is not be a party to border dispute between India and Pakistan which was negotiated by United Nations. However, by building a infrastructure in the Pakistan Occupied Kashmir is against this principle.

India’s reservations about CPEC are rooted in its sovereignty claims, strategic stability, and transparency concerns. It underscores the need for India to foster its strategic and economic ties to counterbalance these regional developments.

Directive word/s: Explain: Make it clear to understand by giving simple examples or substantiating supporting statements.

Demand of the question:

• First part: Need to provide some statistics about the declining trend of LWE in India
• Second part: Need to provide government of India’s efforts/programmes to counter this challenge

Structure of your answer:

• Talk about the origin of Left Wing Extremism and give some reasons for the emergence such as developmental delays, governance issues, poverty, unemployment etc
• Give three or four suggestions about government initiatives to address this issue such as PDS, National Health Mission, E-governance initiatives, political measures etc
• Conclude by providing some suggestions such as strengthening local governance, promoting inclusive growth measures and security initiatives etc.

Answer: Once farmer Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh said that “The single biggest internal security challenge to India was Naxalism”. It was originated in Naxalbari village in West Bengal from the sense of alienation among certain sections tribal community.

• LWE has been reduced to 41 districts in India in 2023 compared with 96 districts in 2010 and naxal related deaths has reduced from 1005 in 2010 to 98 in 2023.
• In 2022, only 176 police stations across 45 districts have reported naxal related violence.
• The number of violent incidents in Jharkhand reduced by 82% from a high of 742 in 2009 to 132 in 2022.
• There has been a 77% drop in incidents of Maoist violence in India between 2009 and 2021. The number of left-wing extremism incidents decreased from 2,258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021.
• In 2022, there was a 36% decrease in Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) related violence incidents compared to 2018 figures.

Some Reasons for the Growth of Naxalism in India include:

• Development Deficiencies: As many sections of these tribal societies are not able to get access to basic necessacity of life such as education, healthcare and nutritional requirements. This was used by naxual groups to spread the extremist ideology among them.
• Social exclusion: Lack of basic infrastructure to connect these areas with mainstream areas has led to the sense of alienation thereby attracting them to the Left Wing Extremism ideology.
• Apart from the above, lack of basic health facilities, health care, nutrition, poverty, connectivity and Bureaucratic apathy are the reasons for the growth of naxal movement in India.

Government Measures to weaken the movement include:

• Expansive welfare measures and infrastructure developments: Poverty and Hunger are the major reasons for people to attract to naxalism. Government through various measures such as Public Distribution System, Antyodaya Anna Yojana scheme and National Health mission has been providing food and health services to these vulnerable people. And through various infrastructure initiatives making an attempts to mainstream these people.
• Security Related Expenditure (SRE) Scheme: Under this scheme, Central government reimburses expenses incurred by state governments in terms of training, operational needs, and compensation for victims of LWE violence.
• Adopting E-governance: Despite government has been implementing so many welfare scheme in LWE areas, but red tappism, corruption and a callous officials attitude come in the way of development. To over come this, government has been pushing for e-Governance,  Jan Dhan Aadhar Yojana schemes etc to address the governance issues.
• Security operations: Central government with the cooperation of various state government has deployed paramilitary forces along with COBRA forces has yielded better results in taking down the naxal movements. For example in 2024 alone around 159 Maoits has been killed in various anti-naxal operations.
• Political Empowerment: By empowering Panchayati Raj institutions and ensuring their proper functioning, the government intends to increase local participation in governance, thus addressing political grievances often fuelled by LWE.

The progress achieved in curbing LWE underscores the efficacy of India’s multifaceted strategy. Moving forward, there should be a persistent focus on strengthening local governance structures and ensuring inclusive growth, alongside security enhancements. Leveraging technology for development and security initiatives can further aid in achieving enduring peace in the affected regions.

Directive word/s: No directive word/s

Demands of the question:

• It is asking about the different principles followed by NITI Aayog and how they are different from erstwhile planning commission.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Give two or three statements about NITI Aayog formation and why it has been replaced the planning commission
• Principles followed by NITI Aayog such as bottom up approach, inclusive decision making, competitive federalism, decentralisation, data driven policy making etc
• Conclude by giving two or three areas where NITI Aayog has to change or can perform better such as lack of independence in decision making, lack of financial powers etc.

Answer: The National Institution for Transforming India, or NITI Aayog, is the apex public policy think-tank of the government. It is tasked with “catalysing economic development, and fostering cooperative federalism” by involving State governments in the economic policy-making process.

Major Principles followed by NITI Aayog that differ from Planning commission include:

• Data driven decision making: NITI Aayog has moved away from tradition approach of after the fact evolution to data driven evolution. It collecting the numbers, budgets and controls and evaluating the projects and course correct in the middle of the programme implementation. Thus it promoting the data driven governance in India.
• Promotes cooperative federalism: NITI Aayog has devised a new plans such as cooperative learning and cooperative implementation of projects taking into accounts all stakeholders such as Central, state and local government along with Corporates and civil society without any technical body, political institution or budgetary authority to oversee their functioning.
• Bottom-up approach: Unlike the erstwhile planning commission which took decision at the top level and implemented at ground level, NITI Aayog by focusing on formulate policies at ground level and aggregate them progressively at higher level of government. Thus it promoting the bottom up approach method in both taking and implementing the decisions on any major policies.
• Knowledge creation and Innovation hub: NITI Aayog was different from the planning commission as it has the dedicated wing for innovation promotion and creating a knowledge bank acquired during the course of implementation of any programme by promoting speed, research and development and strategic policy vision to the government.
• Inclusive development: One of the major objective behind the formation of NITI Aayog to ensure a special attention to the sections of the society that are not benefiting from the government programmes are focused on high priority for economic progress of the nation.
• Autonomous in functioning: NITI Aayog is a think tank and while generating new ideas, it maintains a respectable intellectual distance from the government of the day. The Planning Commission on the other hand was deeply related to the government.

Notwithstanding the above stated principle objectives of NITI Aayog, its functioning over the years has been came into question about its integrity and functioning as an institution to guide government. However it become a mouthpiece of government and implementing the government projects. Moreover its effectiveness was severally compromised as it doesn’t have any financial powers and sufficient man power to ensure the wide range of objectives it has to fulfil.

Directive word/s: No directive word. It is a straight forward question

Demand of the question:

• Need to talk about the impact of protectionist policies adopted by countries around the world impacts India’s macro-economy.
• Need to talk about the impact of currency devaluation done by China and Sri Lanka in recent times impacts Indian economy

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Define what is meant by trade protectionism and what are tools such as tariff, non tariff, restrictions on investments, people etc
• Impact of it on exports, balance of payments, employment, poverty reduction and impact on imports
• Impact of currency manipulation on forex reserves and impact on imports and exports and impact on balance of trade

Answer: Protectionism, by definition, means the limiting of trade between countries by implementing tariffs on imported goods, restrictions, quotas and other regulations imposed by the governments. Primarily, such policies are incorporated in a country to safeguard the interests of the local producers, businesses, and workforce pertaining to the import-competing sector from foreign players. This would decrease the trade deficit and enable employment of locals in certain sectors. However in recent times it has majorly described as anti-globalisation.

Impact of trade protectionism on India’s macro-economic stability:

• Imports and exports: Restrictions such as high import duty and non-tariff barriers such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures and quotas can limit the number of imports comes into the country. Since, India being developing countries any restriction on the above terms can drastically impact on its exports and imports. For example, European Union Countries imposing high restrictions on Indian food exports citing sanity and phytosanitary standards.
• Employment: USA, being the largest export destination of India’s exports any trade protection measures by USA could have major impacts on Indian manufacturers thereby leading to unemployment problems. And moreover USA is known for imposing restrictions on H1B visas, which has significant impact on India’s remittance.
• Slowdown in economic growth: If countries imposes restriction on imports in the name of protecting the domestic manufacturers, it will results into increase import cost thereby leading to inflation, which can be seen in slower economic growth.
• Impact on Current Account Deficit: If many trading partners adopts a protectionist measures then exports from India will be slowed and since India’s energy security is depend on imports, this combination will hikes the current account deficit of India.
• Poverty Indicators: The achievements that India has made in reducing the poverty in India can be reverts, if all aforesaid factors impacts the India economy parallel. As any drop in employment, inflation, increase cost of living can pull back many into the dept trap further to below the poverty line.

Impact of currency manipulation on Indian Economy:

• Impact on forex reserves: As China and Sri Lanka in recent times has devalued their currencies to make their exports more competitive in global market and imports costlier. India having trade deficit with China particularly India imports more than exports, it would have deplete India’s forex reserves.
• Impact on exports: Theoretically, weakening of Indian rupee is supposed to help the Indian exports by boosting demand of (cheaper) Indian products abroad. But this positive effect is offset due to ongoing protectionism and much weaker currencies in competing markets.
• Impact on balance of trade: As India had singed number of trade agreements with many countries and aspiring to be global manufacturer any devaluation of currency either by China or any other developing country could have impact India’s external trade.

Protectionism has a mixed impact on Indian macroeconomic stability because while it helped boost Indian exports in some sectors (seafood & soybean), it has harmed the other sectors whereas currency manipulation has had a negative impact on the Indian economy. The impact is proof of how global integration of the economy has its own costs. The Indian economy must learn to deal with these shocks by building some level of self-reliance which can be used productively to counter such instances in the future.

Directive word/s: Assess: Evaluate or estimate the something by providing relevant research data by pointing out flaws in the given topic. Conclude be stating how far are you in agreement with the given proposition.

Demand of the question:

• First part: Need to explain the National Horticulture Mission, its objective and its results in terms of increasing the production, productivity and income of farmers
• Second part: Need to provide relevant data points either to it has increased the farmers income or not and also provide ways in which its positively impacted farmers.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Give two or three statements about National Horticulture Mission and its objectives such as increasing productivity, employment and income and nutritional security.
• Role in promoting production, productivity etc such as Financial support, Insurance, quality inputs, market integration and capacity building programmes
• Role in increasing farmers income by crop diversification, increased area under cultivation, infrastructure development and market linkages

Answer: The National Horticulture Mission (NHM) was launched by the Government of India in 2005-06 to promote holistic growth and development of the horticulture sector. This mission focuses on enhancing horticultural production, improving nutritional security, and generating employment opportunities in rural areas. It works towards increasing the productivity, quality, profitability of horticulture farmers.

National Horticulture Mission has increased the production, productivity and income of farmers in the following ways:

• Financial Support: Under this mission, farmers will receive upto 50% as a subsidy under wide range of activities such as expansion of cultivation, agriculture mechanisation, processing units, value-added units, cold storages and etc.
• Supplying high yield variety seeds and ensured water supply through drip irrigation: Government has been providing various benefits such as giving hybrid, high-yielding variety seeds to farmers, creating awareness on various government measures, encouraging farmers to go for drip irrigation and giving inputs and subsidies.
• Crop insurance: By converging various government initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yojana with NHM, government has been providing crop insurance to these crops, thereby providing a safety net to farmers to adopt to horticulture production.
• Greater Market Access: By leveraging on technology, government has developed e-NAM, Agmarnet portals for providing alternative market channel for famers. As majority of Horticulture products are perishable products, it is promoting Horticulture Promotion Services to link wholesalers and retailers with farmers.
• Training & Capacity building of farmers:  Routine training programs and workshops have made farmers equipped with new knowledge and techniques related to horticulture to help in the adoption of best practices for improved productivity.

National Horticulture Mission to some extent helped in increasing the income of farmers in the following ways.

• Increase in area under cultivation: After the launch of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in 2005-06, significant progress has been made in area expansion under horticulture crops resulting in higher production. Over the last decade, the area under horticulture grew at an average rate of 2.7% per annum and annual production increase at an average rate of 7.0% per annum. Total horticulture production has increased from 166 Million tonnes in 2004-05 to over 400 million tonnes in 2023-24.
• Crop diversification: As government has a ambitious target to doubling farmers income by 2022, in pursuit of it, government has been promoting crop diversification and major crops are extremely depend on monsoons and climate change has been reducing the yield of these crops. At this junction, Horticulture providing an alternative source of Income to farmers.
• Infrastructure development and market linkages: As major problems in Indian agriculture is post harvest losses and market access. Under NHM, govt is providing incentives to build processing, storage units and special trains to transport perishable items to the market.

With these measures and many more other, government has been increasing farmers income. By combining horticulture cultivation with traditional farming, agriculture in our nation has changed. Challenges like inadequate cold storage infrastructure, limited availability of market, limited support from the government and high price fluctuation are needed to be catered to achieve the aim of doubling farmers’ income by 2022. In an effort to stabilize farmers’ income, the Indian government is also attempting to include some horticultural products under MSP.

Directive word/s: To give more details or more information about a topic or issue

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to provides emphasis on certain crops such as oil seeds, millets, horticulture and how they brought change in cropping pattern in India
• Second part: Need to provide more details about emphasis of government of India on millet production on consumption.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Talk about India’s diverse features and their role in agriculture diversity such as climatic zones, natural resources (water and Soil types), food habits and geography
• Reasons for the cropping pattern changes such as Government initiative, focusing on balanced diet, climate change and dependence on oil seeds etc
• Reasons for the increase in production of Millets include health benefits, dependence on Monsoons, sustainability, and high productivity

Answer: In India, cropping patterns have traditionally been shaped by the monsoons, which determine the agricultural calendar of the country. Considering India’s diversity in terms of natural resource distribution, geographical factors, food habits and soil types, it has a rich diversity in crops patters as well. Apart from these natural factors various others as explained below can also influencing the cropping patter in India.

The reasons for the change in cropping patterns in view of more emphasis on certain crops include:

• Government interventions: Government initiatives significantly influences the cropping patterns. The recent increase in MSP of certain crops such as oil seeds and cash crops such as maize has resulted into the changes in increase in land under cultivation of various crops. For example, National Horticulture Mission has led to increase in land under cultivation of Horticulture crops from 22.4 million hectares in 2011-12 to 26.5 million hectares in 2021-22.
• Reduction in domination of food crops due to climate change: Uncertainty of monsoonal rainfall in the changing climatic conditions leading to decline the cereal production area by 11.62% and subsequent increase in other crops such as vegetables, fruits and oil seeds.
• Focusing on balanced diet with the inclusion of millets: As 2023 has been recognised as “International Year for Millets” by United Nations with the push from India, this has led the government to provide more incentives for both production and consumption of millets in India, led to the increasing in crop area for millets.
• Nation Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP): As India is the 3^rd largest consumer and largest importer of oil seeds which significantly contributing to outflow of forex reserves. In order to achieve self sufficiency in both production and consumption NMOOP was launched. This resulted into increase in production area from 25 million hectares in 2018-19 to 34 million hectares in 2023-24.s

As climate change has adversely impacting the Indian agriculture and prevalence of malnutrition in India has forced the government to change the consumption patter in favour of millets. This has resulted into increase in production and consumption of millets in India. The need for increase in millets production and consumption can be understood because of following reasons. They are

• Health benefits offered by Millets include:

• Contains high amount of Iron and helps in production of haemoglobin.
• Helps in strengthening and development of bones and helps in fighting against Anemia
• Helps in improving the heart health and ideal food for diabetics as it prevents the abnormal spike in blood sugar levels.
• Antioxidants reduces the risk of cancers etc

• Sustainable crops: As growing millets doesn’t require huge quantities of water and pesticides thus making the production of these crops are environmentally sustainable.
• Short duration crops: Their short growing season i.e 65 days makes them commercially viable as multiple crops can be grown round the year.
• Adaptable: Millets can be grown in a variety of soils and climates, making them a versatile crop option for farmers.

As more farmers turn to high-value crops, the balance between cash crops and essential food grains is getting disturbed, potentially jeopardising food security. The key challenge now is to ensure that while embracing diversification, we do not undermine the availability of staple food grains crucial for the nation’s well-being, all while considering the sustainable use of natural resources. 

Directive word/s: No directive words. It is a straight forward question

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to explain the socio-economic potential/benefits of biotechnology in India.
• Second part: How the development in biotechnology helps in the development of biopharma

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Give two or three statements about the potential of biotechnology for socio economic development of India and its growth projects in the near future.
• Need to explain the potential benefits or advantages of biotechnology in Agriculture, Healthcare, Food Security, Energy Security and Employment generation etc
• Role of biotechnology in biopharma in developing advanced therapeutics, personalised medicines and development of Biosimilars to reduce the cost of healthcare expenditure in India

Answer: The growth of the Indian biotechnology sector is fuelled by rising demand at both a domestic and international levels. The rise in domestic demand is fuelled by initiatives such as Aatmanirbhar Bharat and Make In India, while overseas demand for Indian vaccines and biopharmaceuticals is due to the globally competitive efficacy of Indian products. Biotechnology industry is now valued at $137 billions and is expected to increase to $300 billions by 2030. And India’s share in international bio-technology industry is just 3%. Hence there is renewed focus from the government to become a champion in Bio-technology industry.

The applications of Biotechnology in various fields including healthcare, Employment, Agriculture, Bioinformatics has pushed the government to promote this sector.

• Find solutions to generic disorders: CRISPR CaS9, the next generation sequencing tool, which received Nobel prize has the ability for gene-editing can offer a solutions to cancers and diabetics and other gene related diseases.
• To ensure food security: As India became a world’s most populous country and high prevalence of anemia among its citizens, there is should a reliable supply of food and nutrition to ensure the food security which is a legal right of Indian. To meet this growing demand genetically modified crops with desired nutritional values is need of hours. Ex: GM-Mustard, GM-Brinjal
• Creating job opportunities: COVID-19, has shown the potential of biotechnology in save people from deadly viruses as a result focus now shifted to other deadly, chronic and genetic disorders thereby investments into research and development. So, India being a pharmacy hub can attract large chuck of these investments thereby creating jobs.
• For Conservation of Environment: As our Earth is already witnessing the ugly impacts of climate change by developing bio-products such as bioplastis, biosimilars, bio-fertilizers which can be used for sustainable development and to promote environment conservation.
• For Energy Security: 86% of India’s energy requirements are met by imports. As a result substantial amount of foreign exchange has been spending on importing these petro-chemicals. To reduce this dependency, government of India has been adopted Bio-diesel policy with the target of 20% blending of Ethanol in petrol by 2025-26 and 5% blending of bio-diesel in diesel by 2030.

The advancements in biotechnology has significantly advanced the biopharma industry. Particularly in areas such as

• Advanced Therapeutics: With the advancements in gene editing technologies such as CRISPR, which make task of advanced gene editing and modification simple, thus providing ways to control most genetic disorders like cancers, Tuberculosis etc.
• Affordable Biosimilars: Biotechnology facilitates the creation of biosimilars, similar and cheaper versions of expensive biologic medicines. For example Adalimumab which can be used for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis etc.
• Personalised medicines: Biotechnology offers a treatment based on customised medicines based on patient conditions, genetic profile thereby improving treatment outcomes.

The next generation Industrial revolution is led by AI and Biotechnology there should be renowned investments in research and development. As India’s biotechnology industry has seen a ten-fold increase since 2014, there is need to focus on inclusive innovation ecosystem that balances the intellectual property, data protection and clinical trails. 

Directive word/s: Discuss: Going into the details of an issues bring out the evidences in favour and against the topic (or) point out advantages and disadvantages of a given topic. Arrive at a conclusion and given it in the form of way forward.

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to explain the reasons for India to adopt or expanding its nuclear energy capacity to meet its energy demand.
• Second part: Need to talk about the drawbacks or fears associate with adoption of nuclear energy.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Give two or three statements about the importance of nuclear energy for India and some statistics about the its present role and future prospects
• Need for India to adopt Nuclear energy include, to meet growing energy demands to ensure economic development, intermittent nature of solar and wind energy, efficiency & reliability, Energy security and environmental sustainability et
• Concerns over adoption of nuclear energy such as nuclear accidents, waste management, higher dependence on Uranium and public outrage

Answer: For India to be a developed country by 2047 and net zero by 2070, it must prioritise investments in nuclear energy as per the study conducted by Indian Institute of Management, Ahmadabad. At present nuclear energy makes up 3% of total energy mix and to achieve the above target it has to increase to 4% by 2030 and 30% by 2050.

Need for India to expand its nuclear energy basket includes:

• Clean and Sustainable energy: Generation of electricity by burning fossil fuels was not environmentally sensible as one litre of fossil fuel used for generating electricity produces two kilograms of carbon dioxide. However nuclear energy doesn’t produce any greenhouse gasses. Hence it is clean and sustainable form of energy.
• Intermittent nature of Solar and Wind energy: The growing energy demand can’t be meet by solar and wind energy sources as they are less reliable as they are intermittent or variable as their production depends on natural phenomenon such as wind speed and day length etc.
• To ensure energy security: India is heavy depend on import of fossil fuels to generate electricity such as coal and natural gas, which are not environmentally sustainable and depleting the forex reserves and highly volatile to international geopolitical scenarios. Hence to ensure energy security for India’s future, the one of the way out was nuclear energy.
• Efficiency and Long operating life: Nuclear fuels have higher energy density means that will less nuclear fuel more energy can be generated. This can lead to lower fuel cost and the reactors have a long operating life.
• Employment creation: Construction, operations and maintenance of nuclear power plant can generate large number of direct and indirect jobs.
• To tackle climate change or reduce emission intensity of Indian Economy: India’s nuclear power sector is saving 41 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emission annually, compared to emissions that have been generated by equivalent electricity generation from coal based power plants. Hence increasing nuclear power is also a viable solution from both economic development and environmental sustainability.

Challenges in adopting Nuclear Energy in India include:

• Availability of Nuclear fuel: All nuclear reactors in India are Uranium based and availability or supply of Uranium to India has been restricted by many developed countries in the past owing to India not being a signatory to Non-Proliferation Treaty and Nuclear Suppliers Group.
• Nuclear Accidents: The major concern associated with nuclear energy is nuclear accidents which are devastating considering the Fukushima accident. However the economic prospects of nuclear fuel out weight these accidents as 546 nuclear reactors are generating electricity around the world.
• Nuclear waste: The management of long lived radioactive waste poses a significant challenge as comprehensive technological innovations have not been devised.
• Public Acceptance: Gaining public acceptance for nuclear power projects can be challenging due to widespread apprehensions about nuclear safety and waste disposal.

The road to harnessing nuclear energy to satiate India’s energy needs and meet climate objectives is a challenging one, fraught with both opportunities and threats. Ensuring the safe and sustainable development of nuclear energy is a tightrope that requires strategic planning, advanced technology, and rigorous regulation. The key to unlocking its potential lies in balancing the harnessing of its remarkable power with meticulous risk management.

Directive words: No directive words. It is straight forward question

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to provide details about the biological variation in different parts of the country
• Second part: Need to talk about the Biological Diversity Act: 2002 helps in conservation of flora and fauna of India

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Talk about India’s diversity in terms of culture, languages, and food habits and then flora and fauna. And about the India being a part of Global Biological diversity areas
• Talk about Coastal plains, Western and Eastern Ghats, deserts, Himalayas and central plains with unique species present there as examples
• Given some provisions of such as Section 36,37,38 and 39 of Biological Diversity Act and establishment of biodiversity management committees, declaring Biodiversity Heritage sites and environmental impact assessment of projects

Answer: India is a diverse country in terms of languages, religions, food habits and even in flora and fauna, which added to the richness of India. The diversity of India is varied between tropical evergreen forests to deserts and from grass lands to taiga forests. As a result India is recognised as one of the mega biodiversity country out of 12 in the world.

Variation of biodiversity in India includes:

• Coastal plains: India has a 7516 Km of vast coastal area which is a home to many species of coral reefs, fishes and many more unknown species. It also home to large area of mangrove forests and wetland ecosystem, which acting as a major carbon sinks.
• Western Ghats: It is one of the mega biodiversity hotspots which known for its scenic beauty and major influence on Indian monsoons. It is also home to many endemic species such as Lion tailed macaque and Nilagiri Thar.
• Eastern Ghats: This low hill ranges are home to many indigenous tribes and unique flora and fauna such as “Red Sanders” and Indian Pangolin.
• Thar desert: Formed as a result of Aravali ranges also home to some unique and rare species which are adopted to that weather such as Great Indian Bustard. This is known for its large solar power generation potential.
• Himalayas: These are life to many major parts of Indians as they are source to many perinial rivers such as Ganga, Yamuna and Brahmaputra. Here we find the tropical ever green forest to tundra forests in a single national park. This is a house to many endangered and vulnerable species like snow leopard and Red panda and many more

Significance of Biological diversity act in conserving the Indian flora and fauna:

• Section 36 of the  act empowers the central government to develop national strategic, plans and programmes for effective protection , promotion and sustainable use of biological resources and in-situ and ex-situ conservation measures. This also empowers the government to take environmental impact assessments of any projects which have adverse impact on biodiversity
• Section 37 of the act authorises the state government to declare any area rich in biodiversity as Biological Heritage Site and make rules for effective conservation of that area
• Section 38 provides for notifying list of species which requires effective conservation as part of the species survival programme adopted by the government.
• Preserving Ecosystem services: Access to genetic resources, benefit-sharing, and intellectual property rights, the Act helps safeguard ecosystem services and supports the sustainable utilization of biological resources for the well-being of present and future generations.

The Biological Diversity Act, 2002 plays a crucial role in the conservation of India’s flora and fauna. It establishes the National Biodiversity Authority and State Biodiversity Boards, ensuring the sustainable use and equitable sharing of benefits from biological resources.

Directive word/s: Describe: Provide detailed explanation as to how/what and why something has happened.

Demand of the question:

• First part: Provide list of measures taken in India in disaster management before and after signing the ‘Sendai Framework’
• Second part: Provided detailed differences between the Hyogo framework and Sendai framework in disaster management.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Define what is disaster and what are its consequences on socio-economic developments of the country i.e on life, property, infrastructure etc
• Institutional arrangements before Sendai framework such as High Powered Committee and Cabinet Committees on Natural calamities, National disaster management act etc
• Institutional and policy measure after Sendai framework such as National Disaster Management Plan, One Nation One Plan for Disaster Management and National Action Plan on Climate Change and difference between the Hyoko and Sendai frameworks

Answer: A disaster is defined as a disruption on a massive scale, either natural or man-made, occurring in short or long periods. Disasters can lead to human, material, economic or environmental hardships, which can be beyond the bearable capacity of the affected society. As per statistics, India as a whole is vulnerable to 30 different types of disasters that will affect the economic, social, and human development potential to such an extent that it will have long-term effects on productivity and macro-economic performance.

Measures taken in disaster management before signing of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction:

• High powered committee post Gujarat Earthquake: 1999: This committee was formed for making recommendations on the preparation of Disaster Management plans and suggesting effective mitigation mechanisms.
• Cabinet Committee on Management of Natural Calamities (CCMNC) had been constituted to oversee all aspects relating to the management of natural calamities including assessment of the situation and identification of measures and programmes considered necessary to reduce its impact, monitor and suggest long-term measures for prevention of such calamities
• National Disaster Management Act: 2005: This is a holistic policy that provided a institutional mechanism for disaster management in India by creating National Disaster Management Board and State Disaster Management Board. Under this act Prime Minister of India will be acted as a chairman and provide a policy guidance for effective management of disasters.
• National Institute of Disaster Management (NIDM) constituted by Central Government develops training modules, undertake research and documentation in disaster management and organise training programmes.

Measures taken in disaster management after signing the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction:

• National Disaster Management Plan (NDMP) 2016: A comprehensive plan aimed at providing a framework for disaster management at all levels, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
• National Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (NPDRR), 2017: A platform aimed at enhancing coordination and collaboration among various stakeholders involved in disaster risk reduction and management.
• One Nation One Scheme for Disaster Management, 2018: A scheme aimed at providing financial support to states for disaster management activities, including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery.
• Climate Change Action Plan, 2018-2023: A plan aimed at addressing the impact of climate change on disaster risk and reducing the vulnerability of communities and ecosystems to climate-related hazards.

Differences between the Hyogo framework and Sendai framework:

India’s efforts towards disaster risk reduction have evolved over time, with a stronger emphasis on involving all stakeholders and implementing comprehensive strategies that address the interconnectedness of disaster risk with other global challenges. The country has made significant progress in disaster risk reduction, but there is still a need for continued efforts to build resilience and reduce the impact of disasters on vulnerable communities.

Directive word/s: No directive word. It is a straight forward question

Demands of the question:

• First part: What are the recommendations of Sri Krishna Committee related to data security
• Second part: Strengths and weaknesses of the report with respect to personal data

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Give the objective of Justice B.N Sri Krishna committee objective and the need for such a law in two or three statements
• Recommendations towards securing personal data include, fiduciary relationship between the data principle and user, obligations of service provider, rights of users and fines and penalties etc
• Strengths and weaknesses include clearly defining user rights, establishment of data protection authority, wide exception to government agencies and data location has to be provided

Answer: Justice Sri B.N. Sri Krishana committee was constituted to examine the issues related to data protection and recommend methods to address them and draft a data protection bill.

Recommendations of the committee to ensure data security include:

• Fiduciary Relationship between the Service Provider and Users: The committee recommended Fiduciary relationship between the service provider and users due to the dependence of the individual on the service provider to obtain a service.  Therefore, the service provider processing the data is under an obligation to deal fairly with the individual’s personal data, and use it for the authorised purposes only.
• Consent based data processing: The committee recommended that consent must be obtained before processing the personal data and if the data belongs to vulnerable groups such as children another layer of consent has to be sought.
• Obligation on data fiduciary: Data fiduciary must implement policies with regards to processing of data, maintaining transparency in processing of data, maintaining encryption standards and instituting grievance redressal mechanism etc.
• Penalties and fines: Fiduciary is required to notify the authority any breach of personal data which could cause harm the individual. Failure to comply with this requirement will attract a fine up to ₹5 crore or 2% of the worldwide turnover.

Strengths and weaknesses in the committee recommendations with respect to personal data:

Strengths:

• Defined Users Rights: Committee recommended three types of rights of Individuals. Such as

• Right to access, confirmation and correction of data
• Right to object to data processing, automated decision making and marketing of personal data
• Right to be forgotten.

• Institutionalised the data protection regime: It established a Data Protection Authority that will take steps to protect the interests of individual, prevent the misuse of personal data and transparency in processing of personal data.

Weaknesses:

• Widespread exceptions to government agencies: The report’s broad exceptions granted to the government might inadvertently jeopardize individual privacy rights and could be seen as contradicting the spirit of data protection.
• Concerns over data localisation: While data localization augments security, it may pose operational challenges and economic burden for global technology companies and could impact the growth trajectory of India’s burgeoning digital economy.

The Justice B.N. Srikrishna Committee Report has laid the foundation for a robust data protection framework in India. While its comprehensive nature and focus on accountability are commendable, the potential issues of governmental exception, operational feasibility, and implementation clarity warrant attention. As India continues to navigate its digital future, refining and strengthening this framework is pivotal to ensure optimal data security.

Directive word/s: Explain: Provide more details to make something more clear to the reader

Demands of the question:

• First part: Need to provide details about the linkages between the drug trafficking and other illicit activities such arms trafficking, money laundering and human trafficking
• Second part: Need to provide some measures either at the state, national and international level to prevent this menace.

Structure of your answer:

• Introduction: Talk about in two or three statements about the Golden Triangle and Golden Crescent and porous nature of our borders and some statistics about the illicit market of drug trafficking.
• Linkages between Drug trafficking and other activities and ways such as infrastructure sharing, placement, layering and integration methods used by them to make it legal money and to sponsor other criminal activities
• Ways to control it such as improving capabilities of law enforcement agencies, international cooperation in intelligence sharing and better legal framework

 Answer: India’s Wetern and Northeastern Region (NER) has been grappling with the challenge of drug trafficking since the 1970s, primarily due to the region’s proximity to the Golden Crescent and  Golden Triangle. The unfenced, porous Indo-Pakistan and Indo-Myanmar border facilitates a substantial flow of narcotics into India, impacting the socio-economic fabric of this region. Globally drug trafficking valued at $650 billion, which accounts for 30% of total illicit economy.

Linkages between drug trafficking and other illicit activities:

• Infrastructure sharing: The channels used to shipment of drugs over the borders can be used by the other illicit activists for trafficking of arms, wildlife items, humans and counterfeit currency.
• Drug trafficking and money laundering: Incomes generated through drug trafficking are round tripped to make it as more legitimate money through the process of placement, layering and integration. As main terrorist organisation working around the world are using the Drug trafficking to sponsor their activities either traditional methods or through dark net thus fuelling cyber terrorism in the country.
• Drug trafficking and Arms trade: Many extremist groups in North East India have been using the drug trade and wildlife trade to generate income to support their activities. The money generated through this can be used to secure sophisticated weapons. For example: According to a United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, firearms used by criminal groups in the Punjab are suspected to be financed by drug trafficking.
• Drug trafficking and human trafficking: These two illicit activities are interrelated as some human traffic networks are used to transport drugs and vice versa. Moreover drug addiction can be used to human trafficking. Ex: The U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report 2020 highlighted instances where victims were forced into drug addiction, making them easier to control.

Counter measures to address this ever growing problem:

• Law enforcement & Enhanced Surveillance: The porous nature of our borders has to be protected with more surveillance systems are by levering the technological advancements in AI and other technologies. The distributed nature of our law enforcement agencies shall be brought under one umbrella organisations to ensure more focused actions.
• International cooperation: Despite we have many international organisation to counter the all crimes associated with Drug trafficking such as FATF and United Nations Office on Drug and Crime, lack of cooperation in terms of  intelligence, and data sharing and legal gap making it difficult to put an end to this problem.
• Legal Framework: The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988, need continuous reviews and updates to address evolving threats effectively.

Given India’s proximity to prime illicit opium-production regions, comprehensive and dynamic countermeasures are requisite. India can tackle the convoluted nexus of drug trafficking and related illegal activities effectively through a blend of strengthened law enforcement, international cooperation, and enhanced legal frameworks.