G.S I Mock Test Key

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MAINSTORMING 2019
G.S PAPER I MOCK TEST
1. Describe how the Iranian and Greek invasions helped in the development of
trade, commerce, art and culture in ancient India. (10 Marks)
 In the first half of the 6th century B.C, no powerful kingdom in the Magadha
region invited the foreign invasion.
 They entered through the passes in the Hindukush.
 The Iranian ruler Darius penetrated into North West India in 516 B.C and
Alexander‘s invasion in 326 B.C.
 Alexander‘s invasion resulted in Greek settlements in north west region

which led to Indo-greek rulers in India during Post- Maurya period.
Results of Iranian Contact
 Cultural – The Iranian scribes brought into India a form of writing known
as the Kharoshthi script, which was written from right to left.
 Some Ashokan inscriptions in the north-west India were written in this

script.
 Iranian influence was found in Maurya sculptures.
 The monuments of Ashoka‘s time, especially the bell-shaped capitals, owed

something to the Iranian models.
 Iranian influence was also traced in the preamble of Ashoka‘s edicts. Iranian
term ―dipi‖ was used in Ashokan scribes.
 Trade & Commerce – Indo-Iranian contact lasted for about 200 years.
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 It gave impetus to Indo-Iranian trade and commerce, which was known
through the use of punch marked coins.
 Through the Iranians, the Greeks came to know about the wealth of India
and eventually led to Alexander‘s invasion of India.
Results of Greeks & Indo-Greeks Contact
 Cultural – The art of carpentry was the most flourishing craft during this
4th century in India.
 Few rulers adopted Buddhism. The famous Greek ruler Menander became a
Buddhist.
 They contributed to the development of Indian theatre by introducing the

use of the curtain.
 Indian astronomy and astrology profited from contact with the Greeks.
 Trade & Commerce – Alexander‘s campaign opened up 4 distinct routes

by land and sea.
 It paved the way for Greek merchants, craftsmen and increased the existing
facilities for trade.
 Alexander‘s historians have left valuable geographical accounts, which

helped in the flourishing of trade.
2. Discuss the special feature of Mauryan art and architecture
 Construction of stupas and viharas as part of monastic establishments.
 Stone pillars, rock-cut caves and monumental figure sculptures were carved.
 They introduced stone masonry on a wide scale.
 Stone pillars with inscriptions engraved on them and top portion with
capital figures like the bull, the lion, the elephant etc.
 Inscriptions with capital figures were found at Basarah-Bakhira, Lauriya-
Nandangarh, Rampurva, Sankisa and Sarnath.
 Large statues of Yakshas and Yakhiniswere found at many places.
 They started the practice of hewing out caves from rocks for monks to live in.
E.g. Barabar caves near Gaya, patronised for the Ajivika sect.
 Mauryan artisans possessed high technical skills in polishing the stone

pillars, which are as shining as Northern Black Polished Ware.
 Buddha is depicted symbolically in the stupas.
 The main events associated with the Buddha‘s life related to the Birth,
renunciation, enlightenment, dhammachakrapravartana and
mahaparinibbana were carved in the railings and toranas.
3. Give a brief account of Kalhana's Rajatarangini on history of Kashmir. (10

Marks)
Rajatarangini
 It is a historical chronicle of early India, written in Sanskrit verse by the

Kashmiri Brahman Kalhana in 1148.
 It covers the entire span of history in the Kashmir region from the earliest
times to the date of its composition.
 His access to minute details of contemporary court intrigues was almost

direct: his father and uncle were both in the Kashmir court.
 Rajatarangini, consists of 7,826 verses, and is divided into eight books.
 Book I attempts to weave imaginary tales of Kashmir kings into epic legends.
Gonanda was the first king and a contemporary and enemy of the Hindu
deity Krishna.
 Book II introduces a new line of kings not mentioned in any other authentic
source, starting with Pratapaditya I and ending with Aryaraja.
 Book III starts with an account of the reign of Meghavahana of the restored
line of Gonanda and refers to the brief reign of Matrigupta, a supposed
contemporary of Vikramaditya Harsha of Malwa.
 Book IV takes on the character of a dependable historical narrative. The

Karkota line came to a close with the usurpation of the throne by
Avantivarman, who started the Utpala dynasty in 855.
 In Books V and VI the history of the dynasty continues to 1003, when the
kingdom of Kashmir passed on to a new dynasty, the Lohara.
 Book VII brings the narrative to the death of King Harsha (1101), and Book
VIII deals with the stormy events between the death of Harsha and the
stabilization of authority under Kalhana‘s contemporary Jayasimha.
4. Discuss the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to pre and post

Independent India. (10 Marks)
Pre-Independent India
 Election - In 1917 he was elected Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha, a political

body which was of great assistance to Gandhiji in his campaigns.
 There were also calamities like plague in 1917 and famine in 1918, and on
both occasions Vallabhbhai did important work to relieve distress.
 From 1924 to 1928 he was Chairman of the Municipal Committee. The years
of his association with the Municipal administration were marked by much
meaningful work for the improvement of civic life.
 Kheda Satyagraha - The association with Mahatma Gandhi became closer

during the Kheda Satyagraha in 1918
 It was launched to secure exemption from payment of the land revenue
assessment since the crops had failed.
 Gandhiji said that if it were not for Vallabhbhai's assistance "this campaign
would not have been carried through so successfully".
 Bardoli Satyagraha - It was launched against the Government's decision

to increase the assessment of land revenue from Bardoli taluka by 22% and
in some villages by as much as 50 to 60%.
 Agriculturists of the taluka decided to withhold payment of land revenue

under the leadership of Vallabhbhai Patel.
 Patels and Talatis resigned their jobs.
 Government revenues remained unrealized.
 The Government had to ultimately bow before popular resolve.
 Vallabhbhai was given the title of "Sardar" by the nation.
 National Movement - In 1930, the boycott of the Simon Commission was

followed by the launching of Salt Satyagraha. Vallabhbhai Patel was the first
of the national leaders to be arrested.
 In March 1931 Vallabhbhai presided over the 46th session of the Indian
National Congress which was called upon to ratify the Gandhi-lrwin Pact,
which had just then been concluded.
 When Congress finally put its seal on the Pact, Civil Disobedience was
suspended, political prisoners were released and the Congress agreed to
participate in the Round Table Conference.
 The Round Table Conference failed. Gandhiji and other top leaders were
arrested and a policy of repression followed. Vallabhbhai Patel was lodged
with Gandhiji in Yeravada Jail and they were together there for sixteen
months-from January 1932 to May 1933.
 When the Government of India Act 1935 came, the Congress, though
generally critical of the Act, decided to try out those of its constitutional
provisions.
 In seven of the eleven Provinces, Congress majorities were returned and

Congress Ministries were formed. Vallabhbhai Patel, as Chairman of the
Congress Parliamentary Sub-Committee, guided and controlled the activities
of these Ministries.
 Quit India resolution was passed on August 8, 1942, and Vallabhbhai, along
with the other members of the Working Committee, was arrested on August
9, 1942.
Post Independence India
 When India attained Independence he became the Deputy Prime Minister

and was responsible for the Home, States and the Information and
Broadcasting portfolios.
 In the problem of the States' integration into the Union of India, his powers
of persuasion and his statesmanship came into full play.
 He handled the question, managing, in less than a year's time, to reduce the
Princely States from 562 to 26 administrative units and bringing democracy
to nearly 80 million people of India, comprising almost 27% of the country's
population.
 The integration of the States could certainly be termed as the crowning

achievement of Vallabhbhai Patel's life.
 As Minister of Home Affairs, he presided over efforts to bring back order
and peace to a country ravaged by communal strife unprecedented in its
history.
 He reorganised our Services which had become depleted with the departure
of the British and formed a new Indian Administrative Service.
5. Account for the distribution of Hydrothermal vents and explain their

significance. (10 Marks)
 Hydrothermal vents - Underwater volcanoes at spreading ridges and

convergent plate boundaries produce hot springs known as hydrothermal
vents.
 Scientists first discovered hydrothermal vents in 1977 while exploring an

oceanic spreading ridge near the Galapagos Islands
 Along mid-ocean ridges, magma rises and cools to form new crust and
volcanic mountain chains.
 Seawater circulates deep in the ocean‘s crust and becomes super-heated by

hot magma.
 As pressure builds and the seawater warms, it begins to dissolve minerals

and rise toward the surface of the crust.
 The hot, mineral-rich waters then exit the oceanic crust and mix with the
cool seawater above.
 Distribution - They are distributed along the Earth's plate boundaries.
 They are also be found at intra-plate locations such as hotspot volcanoes
 Significance - It is an entirely unique ecosystem, including hundreds of
new species, exists around the vents.
 Despite the extreme temperatures and pressures, toxic minerals, and lack of
sunlight that characterized the deep-sea vent ecosystem, the species living
there were thriving.
 This is because bacteria were converting the toxic vent minerals into usable
forms of energy through a process called chemosynthesis, providing food for
other vent organisms.
 The study of hydrothermal vent ecosystems continues to redefine our

understanding of the requirements for life.
 The ability of vent organisms to survive and thrive in such extreme pressures
and temperatures and in the presence of toxic mineral plumes is fascinating.
 The conversion of mineral-rich hydrothermal fluid into energy is a key

aspect of these unique ecosystems.
 They act as natural plumbing systems that transport heat and chemicals
from the interior of the Earth and that help regulate global ocean chemistry.
6. Non-geographical factors are dominant in the location of automobile
industries in India. Comment.
 The Indian auto industry became the 4th largest in the world with sales
increasing 9.5% year-on-year to 4.02 million units (excluding two wheelers)
in 2017.
 It was the 7th largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in 2018.
 The Two Wheelers segment dominates the market in terms of volume owing
to a growing middle class and a young population.
 Moreover, the growing interest of the companies in exploring the rural

markets further aided the growth of the sector.
Non-Geographical Factors
 Investments - In order to keep up with the growing demand, several auto

makers have started investing heavily in various segments of the industry
during the last few months.
 The industry has attracted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) worth US$
21.38 billion during the period April 2000 to March 2019, according to data
released by Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade
(DPIIT).
 Government Initiatives - The Government of India encourages foreign

investment in the automobile sector and allows 100% FDI under the
automatic route.
 The government aims to develop India as a global manufacturing centre and

an R&D hub.
 Under NATRiP, the Government of India is planning to set up R&D centres

at a total cost of US$ 388.5 million to enable the industry to be on par with
global standards
 The Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India has shortlisted 11
cities in the country for introduction of electric vehicles (EVs) in their public
transport systems under the FAME scheme. The government will also set up
incubation centre for start-ups working in electric vehicles space.
 In February 2019, the Government of India approved the FAME-II scheme

with a fund requirement of Rs 10,000 crore (US$ 1.39 billion) for FY20-22.
 Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) in Chennai
 SAMARTH Udyog - Industry 4.0 centres: ‗Demo cum experience‘ centres

are being set up in the country for promoting smart and advanced
manufacturing helping SMEs to implement Industry 4.0 (automation and
data exchange in manufacturing technology).
 Market Size - Overall domestic automobiles sales increased at 6.71% CAGR

between FY13-19 with 26.27 million vehicles getting sold in FY19.
 Domestic automobile production increased at 6.96% CAGR between FY13-19

with 30.92 million vehicles manufactured in the country in FY19
 In FY19, year-on-year growth in domestic sales among all the categories was
recorded in commercial vehicles at 17.55% followed by 10.27% year-on-year
growth in the sales of three-wheelers.
 Sales of electric two-wheelers are estimated to have crossed 55,000 vehicles

in 2017-18.
 Labor - Availability of skilled labour
7. Compare and contrast the geomorphic processes which create fluvial and
aeolian landforms. (10 Marks)
 Geomorphic Process - The physical and chemical interactions between the

Earth's surface and the natural forces acting upon it to produce landforms.
 Geomorphic processes of Fluvial landforms and Aeolian Landforms
Fluvial Landforms Aeolian Landforms
Fluvial landforms are formed by

running water as geomorphic
agent.
Aeolian landforms are formed by
Corrasion or abrasion - solid
both geomorphic agents – water
river load striking against rocks
and wind
and wearing them down.
Hydration - force of running
Abrasion- Wind loaded with
water wearing down rocks.
sand grains erodes the rock by
Attrition - river load particles
grinding against its walls is called
striking, colliding against each
abrasion or sandblasting.
other and breaking down in the
Attrition - wear and tear of the
process.
sand particles while they are being
Downcutting - Erosion in
transported.
vertical direction (downcutting
Deflation - removing, lifting and
leads to valley deepening)
carrying away dry, unsorted dust
Lateral erosion- Erosion in
particles by winds. It causes
horizontal direction, especially the
depressions known as blow outs.
walls of the stream
Corrosion- Chemical action that
leads to weathering.
Erosional Landforms –
Erosional Landforms – River
Deflation basins, Mushroom
Valleys, Waterfalls, Potholes,
rocks, Inselbergs, Demoiselles,
Terraces, Gullies/Rills, Meanders,
Demoiselles, Zeugen , Wind
Ox-bow lake, Peneplain
bridges and windows.
Depositional Landforms -
Depositional Landforms - Ripple Marks, Sand dunes,
Alluvial Fans and Cones, Natural Longitudinal dunes, Transverse
Levees, Delta dunes, Barchans, Parabolic dunes,
Star dunes and Loess.
8. ‘Religion has long been a driving force in the process of globalization.’

Comment. (10 Marks)
Agents of Globalization
 Judaism - Liberation of the Jewish community in Babylon by Cyrus the

Great probably led to the spread of the community into every Persian
territory.
 Along the Silk Road, Jewish merchants‘ religious ideas would have followed
them.
 Hebrew names spread as far as modern Turkmenistan.
 Buddhism - Buddhism was the first great missionary faith; the Buddhists
initially spread from Northern India to Afghanistan to Bengal and to China.
 Buddhist expansion increased demand for silk.
 Silk was a product used extensively in Buddhist ceremonies, so its increased

demand actually stimulated the very economic activity that facilitated its
spread in the first place.
 Additionally, Buddhism facilitated Indo-Chinese trade in other textiles.
 Buddhist artifacts were often exchanged for Chinese textiles, because relics
were coveted and highly valued as commodities by the Chinese.
 Due to this reality, Buddhist artifacts were often trafficked throughout the
desert trade routes of Central Asia, making the relic trade the foundation of
various kinds of commerce.
 Buddhism also spurred the globalization of Indian art and culture
 The Gandhara tradition, which was a fusion of Greco-Indian artistic styles

made possible by the intermingling of Buddhism with the Hellenistic culture
seeded in the region by Alexander the Great, was one of globalization‘s first
eclectic movements.
 One of the most indelible contributions of the Gandhara artistic tradition

―was the depiction of the Buddha in human form,‖ which had features
influenced by both Hellenistic culture and Indian iconography. Buddha
sculptures, murals, and other depictions made thereafter were all based on
this artistic fusion. Moreover, the Gandhara art movement was carried into
Central Asia, China, and further east, leaving its mark on the various
monasteries, grottoes, and stupas erected along the way ([26], p. 5078).
 Christianity - Christians, like their Buddhist predecessors, were dedicated

to carrying their message throughout the world.
 The crusades clearly illustrate the role of Christianity as a driving force in

globalization.
 Some historians believe that the crusades were ―Europe‘s first colonial wars,
a kind of proto-imperialism visited on the Muslim people‖.
 Cultural exchange, missionary activity, and pilgrimages (like the hajj or First
Crusade) are just a few areas where religious actors have served to promote
the process of globalization.
 Islam - Hajj requires that every adult male who is physically and financially
capable of completing the journey travel to Mecca.
 It gave Muslims the opportunity to experience ―the underlying unity and

equality of a worldwide Muslim community that transcends national, racial,
economic, and sexual differences.‖
9. ‘The methodological issues underlying the Ease of Living index need to be

addressed for it to be taken more seriously.’ Argue by giving suitable
illustrations. (10 Marks)
Ease of Living Index
 The rankings are published by the union ministry of Housing and Urban
Affairs.
 Pune is the best city to live in India, while Delhi is among the worst cities in
terms of economic prospects
 Chennai was 14th, Ahmedabad 23rd, Hyderabad 27th, Bengaluru 58th and
Delhi 65th. Kolkata received no rank since West Bengal refused to have
anything to do with the survey.
 In terms of safety and security, Bengaluru is among the worst.
Issues
 Two key issues cast doubts over the rankings
1. the arbitrariness in constructing the index and
2. the use of questionable or incomparable data.
 The Ease of Living Index rankings are based on 79 indicators, which are
grouped under four ―pillars": institutional, social, economic, and physical.
 Physical services include housing, water supply, sanitation, etc, are allotted
the highest weight (45%) in determining the rankings.
 Economy and employment are together assigned a mere 5% weight.
 Such a lopsided weighting scheme raises questions on the relevance of the

rankings.
 Public services are basic and important, but the absence of any indicator that
speaks of jobs or productivity reduces the value of the index.
 One reason for the low weight assigned to economic prospects could be the
lack of data itself.
 The main source of data for the computation of the Ease of Living index
involved secondary data, which was collated by city governments from
various sources.
 Moreover, for indicators such as access to toilets, the survey says that sample
field surveys may be relied upon in case of unavailability of data with the
urban local bodies.
 The reliance on data from different sources and collated by different bodies
raises doubts over their comparability.
 In several indicators, such as construction of toilets, there is no way to know

the truth except what the government says or the local bodies report
 Such numbers may be biased.
 The methodological issues underlying the Ease of Living index need to be

addressed for it to be taken more seriously.
 More transparency in sharing the rationale for different weights as well as in
sharing disaggregated data will help build a more credible index.
10. ‘The third gender have got a legal identity but not a social identity in India.’
Substantiate your views on the same. (10 Marks)
 As per census 2011, the population of transgender is around 4.9 lakhs. They
have been given few legal rights but still facing stigma and harassment in the
society.
 Legal Identity - In 2014, Supreme court passed a unique judgement

identifying transgender as a third gender.
 It also stated that one‘s sexual orientation as the integral part of

personality, dignity, and freedom.
 In the National Legal Services Authority (NLSA) versus U.O.I case, the apex
court provided the transgender a legal identity.
 The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Bill, 2016 was passed by the
Lok Sabha recently.
 Social-Cultural Exclusion - Third gender is being identified as the

socially excluded communities in India.
 One in 5 trans people has been homeless either due to housing

discrimination or family rejection.
 They face physical and verbal abuse, forced sex,extortion of money and
materials and arrests on falseallegations.
 They have difficulty in access to public and private healthcare benefits and
they had been refused medical care because of bias.
 Healthcare providers do not have adequate knowledge about the health

issues of sexual minorities.
 Exclusion from Economic Participation - They are far more likely to
live in poverty due to lack of employment opportunities.
 No specific social security schemes are in place and only few states have
established welfare boards.
 Human rights violations against them have been widely reported.
 They still face considerable stigma of being characterized as mentally ill,

socially deviant and sexually predatory.
 Exclusion from political participation - The tedious process of

furnishing documents to validate their identity led to low enrolment in the
voters list.
 However, government has included the following provisions in the bill to

protect them,
1. Statutory obligations on public and private sectors to provide them with

employment
2. Establishing a National Council for Transgenders.
3. Providing a grievance redressal mechanism in establishments
4. Preparing transgender sensitive welfare schemes,
5. Recognises the right to live with their families without exclusion
11. Explain the chief characteristics of modern thought which influenced the
social and cultural policy of British rulers in India and discuss the extent of its
influence. (15 Marks)
 Socio-religious reform and revival movements led by prominent reformers

influenced the British policies.
 The movements looked for social unity and strived towards liberty, equality
and fraternity.
 Many legal reforms were oriented towards these ideologies such as,
1. The Practice of Sati was banned in 1829
2. Widow Remarriage law in 1856.
3. Sharda Act preventing child marriage in 1929.
4. A law passed in 1872, sanctioned inter-caste and inter-communal
marriages.
Characteristics of modern thought
 They emphasised on both religious and social reform.
 Social front
1. Against caste system
2. Advocated inter-caste marriages
3. Abolition of Sati
4. Condemned polygamy
5. Right of widows to remarry
6. Women education
 Religious front
1. criticised idolatry by supporting quotations from vedas
2. supported monotheism
3. Re-interpretation of Hindu doctrines
4. Rejected Christianity but accepted the humanism of Europe
 Approach - Stimulated by western ideas and thoughts
1. Path of progress in an acceptance of the best of the East and West

2. Denied the superiority of western culture
3. Drew inspiration form India‘s past heritage and interpreted it in the
modern rationalism
12.Describe the course of civil disobedience movement. In what way did the Civil
Disobedience Movement affect the different provinces of India? (15 Marks)
 Origin - The Lahore Congress of 1929 authorized the WorkingCommittee to

launch a programme civil disobedience includingnon-payment of taxes.
 It had also called upon all members of legislatures to resign their seats.
 The working committee of congress investedGandhiji with full powers to

launch the CDM.
 His 12 points to Lord Irwin had been ignored which led to the launch of
CDM by breaking the salt law.
 Course - Gandhiji along with ashram workers marched from Ahmedabad to

Dandi.On 6 April 1930, by picking up a handful of salt, Gandhijiinaugurated
CDM.
1. InTamil Nadu, C. Rajagopalachari, led a salt march fromTrichinopoly

to Vedaranniyam on the Tanjore coast.
2. In Malabar, K.Kelappan, the hero of the Vaikom Satyagraha, walked

fromCalicut to Payannur to break the salt law.
3. A band of Satyagrahiswalked all the way from Sylhet in Assam to

Noakhali on theBengal Coast to make salt.
4. In Andhra, military style camps were set up in different districts to

serve asthe headquarters of the salt Satyagraha.
 DharasanaSatyagraha–Gandhiji announced the defiance of the salt laws

by leading a raid on the Dharasana salt works.
 Upon Gandhiji‘s arrest, Sarojini Naidu, Imam Saheb & Manilal led the
satyagraha.
 There was a vigorous boycott of foreign cloth and liquor shops led by
women. It brought down government revenues from excise duties.
 Provinces - Khan Abdul Gaffar Khanformed band of non-violent

revolutionaries, the Khudai Khidmatgars, popularly known as theRed Shirts.
 They played an extremely active role in the CDM. The Peshawar

demonstrations are significantbecause the soldiers of the Garhwali
regimentsrefused to fire on the unarmed crowd.
 In Bombay, the textile workers attacked all symbols of government

authority.
 They took over the city and established avirtual parallel government.
 No-taxcampaign — refusal to pay the chowkidartax was started in Bihar

and prominent in Eastern India.
 In Bengal, anti-chowkidar and anti-Union board agitation were held.
 Defiance of forest laws assumed a mass character inMaharashtra,

Karnataka and the Central Provinces.
 In Assam, a powerful agitation led by students was launchedagainst the

infamous ‘Cunningham circular’ which forcedstudents and their
guardians to furnish assurances of goodbehaviour.
 No-revenue, no-rent campaign was organised in U.P.
 The no-revenue part was a call to thezamindarsto refuse to pay revenue to

the Government, the no-renta call to the tenants not to pay rent to the
zamindars.
 Gandhi-Irwin Pact –The provisional settlement was signed on 5thMarch

1931 by Gandhiji on behalf of the congress and by Lord Irwin on behalf of
the Government.
 It was hardly popular with officialdom as it placed the Congress onan equal
footing with the Government.
 The terms of the agreement included
 The immediate release of all politicalprisoners not convicted for violence,
 The remission of all fines notyet collected,
 The return of confiscated lands not yet sold to thirdparties, and
 Lenient treatment for those government employeeswho had resigned.
 Movement with a Break –Gandhi has agreed to participate in the round

table conference and CDM was withdrawn.
 After the failure of RTC and Ramsay McDonald‘s communal award, Gandhiji
launched the CDM from 1932-1934.
 It was severely suppressed by the British government.
 Significance - The CDM of 1930-31, markeda critically important stage in

the progress of the anti-imperialiststruggle.
 A vast variety of social groups hadbeen politicized on the side of Indian

nationalism
 The participation of Muslims in the Civil DisobedienceMovement was

certainly nowhere near that in 1920-22.
13.Give a brief account of the struggle against ‘Apartheid’ in South Africa and
discuss India‘s contribution to the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
(15 Marks)
 The struggle against the apartheid regime of South Africa was based on the
civil resistance.
 Originally, it was based on Gandhian ideas, which originated in South Africa

in 1906.
 The African National Congress (ANC), founded in 1912, became the major
force opposing the apartheid system‘s oppression.
 ANC used mostly legal tactics of protest during first 4 decades and it became
more militant in the early 1950s.
 Nelson Mandela and others created the Umkhonto We Sizwe (―Spear of the
Nation‖) that paralleled the nonviolent resistance.
 They developed a legal and economic system enforced by a modern military

and police force that deliberately excluded nonwhites from economic and
political power.
 The system became increasingly reliant upon nonwhite labor and isolated
from international diplomacy and trade.
 That, too, failed to tear down the apartheid system.
 In the end, a concerted grassroots nonviolent civil resistance movement in

coalition with international support and sanctions forced the white
government to negotiate.
 On 17 March 1992 two-thirds of South Africa‘s white voters approved a

negotiated end of the minority regime and the apartheid system.
 Nelson Mandela was elected as the President of the new South Africa in the
first free elections by the entire population.
 India’s contribution – Gandhiji helped with his ideologies and methods

like civil resistance,satyagraha.
 It attracted international attention to the issue of racism in South Africa.
 India raised its voice in the UN against the racial discrimination in 1946.
 India also raised this issue in Asia-African Bandung conference in 1955.

Thereby, it brought the support of other Asian and African nations.
 India imposed trade embargo and sacrificed 5 per cent of its trade exports
to South Africa.
 It continued support and advocacy in international forums like UN, Non-

Aligned Movement and Commonwealth of Nations.
14. India is the host of the COP 14 in United Nations Convention to Combat
Desertification. In this context, examine the reasons for land degradation in
India and suggest measures for combating them. (15 Marks)
 UNCCD is the sole legally binding international agreement addressing

desertification.
 In the 14th COP held in India, UNCCD secretariat inaugurated the first
gender caucus, stressing the urgency of mainstreaming gender in
addressing desertification.
Reasons for Land degradation in India
 Excessive Population Pressure on Land - India‘s population is more

than that of the whole world prior to the Industrial Revolution.
 Deforestation - India loses 1.3 million hectares of forests per year.
 Erosion - Loss of vegetative cover has made land more susceptible to

erosion. Agents of erosion like wind and water have left vast tracts of land
barren.
 The loss of top soil represents a permanent depletion of the resource base.
 Over-Irrigation - Successive cropping and over-irrigation leads to water-

logging and consequent salinization and alkalinisation.
 Floods and Droughts–Over-exploitation of natural resources like forests,

degradation for grazing lands, excessive withdrawal of ground water, silting
of tanks, rivers, etc. causes floods and droughts.
 Grazing – India ranks at the top for cattle population but we have only
13mha as pasture land.
 Due to lack of green fodder, animals are pushed to the fringes of reserve
forests and are thus destabilising the forest vegetation.
 Pollution - Roughly 0.8 mha of land in India are despoiled due to open or
surface and underground mining activities.
Remedies of Land Degradation
 Wastelands should be afforested on a massive scale involving local people.
 The demand for timber should be drastically reduced. This would ease
pressure on standing forests.
 Catchment areas or water-sheds must be thickly vegetated. This would hold

rain water and recharge springs, rivers, etc.
 Cultivation on hilly slopes should require terracing and bunding along

contour lines.
 Tanks should be desilted, check dams constructed and small ponds created
to hold run-off water.
 Shifting agriculture should be replaced by settled agriculture.
 Fertilisers and micronutrients should be applied properly, and periodic

sampling of soils should be done.
 The drainage problems of fields should be attended to.
 Soil fertility should be restored by using cultural practices like,
i. Mulching,
ii. Green manuring,
iii. Introduction of leguminous crops,
iv. More use of organic manure.
 Traditional methods of multiple cropping and intercropping to maintain soil

fertility have to be given more emphasis.
 Cereal crops can be mixed with nitrogen – fixers and grown together e.g.
maize and beans.
 Grazing of cattle in forests must be checked. Rotational grazing and hand

cutting of grass will save pasture lands.
 Creation of more pasture lands and reclamation of wastelands for pasture

development through propagation of new grasses.
 Industries, like thermal power stations and dams, should not displace prime
agricultural land.
 The unplanned or haphazard growth of urban development must be

checked.
15. ‘The Amazon forest is facing historic destruction due to fires’. In the light of
the above statement, discuss the impact of livestock industry on climate
change. (15 Marks)
 There are more than 93,000 fires alight in the Brazilian Amazon, up more
than 60 percent from the same time last year, and the highest number since
2010.
 Reason for fires - Deforestation has escalated in 2019 resulting thousands

of fires blazing across the southern Amazon basin.
 By some estimates, about 80% of the deforestation in the Amazon has been
to make way for cattle ranches.
Livestock and Climate Change
 Cattle ranching is an industry of thousands of small-scale ranchers cutting

forest, burning it and turning it to pasture.
 It causes fires in the forest every year as a result of this practice.
 It accounts for 80% of current deforestation in the amazon region.
 They are predominantly man-made fires; different from many of the large
fires that ravage Siberia and Alaska which are often natural.
 These man-made fires change the climate in the region in to a dry.
 It releases the carbon back into the atmosphere. It is responsible for the
release of 340 million tons of carbon to the atmosphere every year.
 It is equivalent to 3.4% of current global emissions.
 Cattle ranching replaces trees with animals that results in the production of
damaging levels of greenhouse gases.
 Extensive low productivity, systems with less thanone animal unit per
hectare of pasture are the dominant form of cattle ranching.
 Thus, this kind of cattle ranching pushes towards new pioneer areas.
 It is also a significant degrader of riparian and aquatic ecosystems, causing

soil erosion, river siltation and contamination with organic matter.
16.Hurricanes are increasing in intensity and are becoming erroneous in recent

times. Explain. (15 Marks)
Hurricane
 A hurricane is a large rotating storm that forms over tropical or subtropical

water.
 They‘re only given such a name if formed in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific
oceans.
 Similar storms in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific are known as cyclones,
and those formed in the western Pacific are called typhoons.
 Hurricanes fall into one of five tiers based on wind speed – known as
categories – measured by the Saffir-Simpson scale.
 Hurricanes classed as category 3 or greater are called major hurricanes,

while those that are category 1 and 2 are known as non-major hurricanes.
Are they getting worse?
 Two common measures used to judge whether hurricanes are becoming

worse are
1. the number of storms per year &
2. the strength of each storm.
 Based on the total number of named storms, there has been an increase
since the start of the 20th century.
 The Atlantic Ocean is in the midst of its worst stretch on record.
 The increase in named storms can be attributed to human-induced climate

change.
 As a result, the world‘s oceans continue to warm at a fast rate, which means
hurricanes are more likely.
 Hurricanes draw their energy from deep below the ocean‘s surface – up to
depths of 2,000m.
 The temperature at these depths is measured by Ocean Heat Content, a

metric that has soared since 1970, driven largely by four of the world‘s major
oceans.
 Last year was the hottest on record.
 Warmer waters have made the speed at which hurricanes intensify in

strength faster in recent years.
 Meteorologists use the term ―rapid intensification‖ to describe a storm that

increases its maximum sustained winds by at least 35mph within a 24-hour
period.
 In 2017, there were 40 separate cases of RI, the most in at least 35 years.
 Often a category 1 hurricane transforms to a Category 5 monster in less than

24 hours. e.g Hurricane Maria, left people on the island of Dominica with
insufficient time to prepare.
 *Rapid intensification was part of the reason why Maria cost an estimated
$90bn (£70bn).
17. Ground water depletion in Indo Gangetic plain is causing enormous impact
on surface waters. Analyse. (15 Marks)
Present Scenario
 With 230 billion metre cube of groundwater drawn out each year for
irrigating agriculture lands in India, many parts of the country are
experiencing rapid depletion of groundwater.
 The total estimated groundwater depletion in India is in the range of 122–
199 billion metre cube.
 The Indo-Gangetic Plain, northwestern, central and western parts of India
account for most intensive groundwater-based irrigation.
 And among these regions, western India and the Indo-Gangetic Plain have
more than 90% of the area irrigated using groundwater.
 While districts with significant decrease in groundwater are located in the
Indo-Gangetic Plain, northwest, and central (Maharashtra) regions, a few
districts in Punjab show
substantial decline in
groundwater table.
Reasons
 Natural recharge during

monsoon may not help
much if groundwater
depletion becomes
acute, as rainfall of past
several years controls
the current groundwater storage levels.
 Low-intensity rainfall during the monsoon is responsible for groundwater
recharge in northwest and north-central India.
 The study published in June this year found that groundwater recharge has
declined between 1996 and 2016 in northwest and northcentral India due a
reduction in low-intensity rainfall.
 Upper and Middle Gangetic Plain - Main reason is rampant industrialization
 Lower Gangetic Plain – Main reason being Irrigation for Agriculture.
Impact on Surface Water
 Groundwater and surface water are connected.

 When groundwater is overused, the lakes, streams, and rivers connected to
groundwater can also have their supply diminished.
 It is also affected in following ways
1. Lower lake levels or—in extreme cases—intermittent or
totally dry perennial streams. These effects can harm aquatic and
riparian plants and animals that depend on regular surface flows.
2. Land subsidence and sinkhole formation in areas of heavy

withdrawal. This can permanently reduce aquifer recharge capacity
by compacting the aquifer medium (soil or rock).
3. Salt water intrusion. Changes in ground water flow can lead to

saline ground water migrating into aquifers previously occupied by
fresh ground water.
4. Stressors that affect the extent of ground water—such as withdrawal or

injection—can change ground water velocity and flow. These physical
changes can affect patterns of discharge to surface waters and the
movement of water and contaminants within the ground.
 The study also found that carbon dioxide emission from pumping
groundwater and release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere from the soil
when groundwater is depleted is less than 2-7% of the total carbon dioxide
emissions in India.
18. ‘The pace of population ageing is much faster than in the past.’ In the light
of the statement, examine the problems faced by the old-aged in India. (15
Marks)
Rate of ageing
 The report, by the United Nations Population Fund, found that 2/3rd of
India's 100 million people over 60 suffered a chronic ailment in 2011.
 That number is expected to increase to more than 200 million by 2050.
 The government's reforms are aimed at increasing foreign investment and
rapidly developing its transport, health and education provision, including
new towns, to meet the requirements of what it regards as a young
population explosion.
 The report warned that India's current hospital and welfare services are
insufficient for the strain they will face as the pace of population ageing
increases.
Problems
Medical Problems
 Senior citizens are more prone to suffer from ill health than younger age
groups.
 Besides physical illness, the senior citizens are more likely to be the victims
of poor mental health.
 The Indian, senior citizens in general and in rural particular are assumed to
have some problems like cough, poor eye sight, anaemia and dental
problems.
 In addition, poor accessibility of health services, lack of information, high

costs of disease management make reasonable elder care beyond the reach
of senior citizen, especially those who are poor and disadvantage.
Economic Problems
 One of the major problems is financial insecurity.
 Old age dependency ratio is increasing and it is projected to increase

continuously
 NSSO in its 2006 report revealed that a higher percentage of males in rural
areas (32%) are found to be financially fully dependent as compared to that
in the urban areas (30.1%).
 Widow, poor and disabled elderly constitute more disadvantaged among

elderly population.
 Pension and social security is restricted to those who have worked in the
public sector or the organized sector of industry.
 Still the pensions that the elderly receive are usually inadequate to meet the
cost of living which is always on the rise.
 So it turns out to be a period of disappointment, dejection, disease,

repentance and loneliness.
Social Problems
 Once they retire, elderly people find that their children are not taking advice
from them.
 The position and status of senior citizen have been seriously undermined by
factors such as changing values, growing individualism and rising
aspirations for consumer goods as a result of the impact of education,
urbanization, westernization and Industrialization.
 The lesser number of children due to acceptance of small family norm
created greater vulnerability in the matter of dependence.
 With the breaking down of the joint family system and the emergence of the
nuclear family, individuals have become more concerned about their wives
and children. As a result, the care of the aged parents has become a matter of
burden for them.
Psychological Problems
 The number of people in old age homes is constantly increasing and also
most of the parents are now deciding to live in old age homes rather than
living with their children.
 They are facing the problems like lack of care, emotional support and
economic support from the family etc.
 It is not only terrible thing but also it leads to detrimental quality of life.
19. ‘Indian society is a classic example of how tradition debates with modernity.’
Discuss. (15 Marks)
Definition
 A tradition is a ritual belief that in the form of values passes down from
generation to generation within a society.
 The tradition that is maintained in the present has its origins in the past. It
also includes the ideas which are mostly considered as useful and socially
meaningful. Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years.
 Tradition has a very strong hold over Indian society from the time
immemorial and new traditions continue to appear with changing times.
 Traditions are often presumed to be ancient, unalterable and deeply
important and are required for a practice by future generations.
 Modernity can be defined as those sets of ideas or beliefs which are ever
flowing and evolving like a stream.
 It relies on an 'expressive' model of communication in which each person is
a unique self and this interior uniqueness finds its expression, to a certain
extent through the act of communication with other unique selves.
 Modernity aims towards a progressive force promising to liberate
humankind from ignorance and irrationality.
Debate in India
 The encounter between tradition and modernity, therefore, ends up in two

consequences:
1. Conflict - resulting in prevelance of one of the values, either traditional

or modern
2. Synthesis - resulting in generation of a new solution which composes

of both the values
 Some of the examples are

Area of debate Opposing Ideals Result
Synthesis -
Predominantly nuclear
family with regular
meeting with family
Family Nuclear vs Joint
elders and continous
engagement to maintain
the routes and
community living values
Synthesis - Acceptance of
marriages of people of
different sexual
orientations, recognition
of living together etc
Traditional Marriages vs
Marriage
Modern Families At the same time being
largely opposed to
divorces and recognizing
the importance of
marriage as an
institution
Conflict - Understanding
the evilness behind
casteism, criminalizing
Caste Casteism vs Equality
untouchability and
adopting affirmative
action policies
The opposition to the
common civil code is the
sign of such a conflict of
values in a transitional
society
Age old customs vs New
Religion At the same time getting
aspirations
rid of provisions like
Triple Talak or Ban on
Women Entry in certain
temples shows the
advent of modern
thought
20. Patriarchal structures have ensured that women’s access to resources,
health, education, and political representation among other things, have
remained heavily unequal. Elucidate. (15 Marks)
 Patriarchy decides who has access to what, because it defines the

relationship between men and women.
 The differential levels of access that men and women have to material and
social resources are the result of these patriarchal social norms.
 Generally, in India, policies have failed to adopt a gendered consideration
that takes into account the differential needs of men and women.
 Most policies take the household as a basic unit of measurement, because of
which, these policies tend to subsume women.
 In this reading list, we enumerate the multiple dimensions in which women
are not given access.
 Resources - India‘s energy policy has focused on household electrification
rather than the provision of clean cooking fuel
 In the absence of clean cooking fuel, women are forced to cook with
firewood, charcoal, etc, because of which their health is often affected.
 Though the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana has tried to provide women with
LPG cylinders, ―the low refill rates reported across the states are a cause of
worry for the long-term sustainability of the programme.‖
 Women prioritise electricity for drudgery reduction in household chores,
while men prioritise it for running television and charging mobile phones.
 Water - The primary problem with this is that it invisibilises the amount of
time that women spend in the procurement of water.
 Women often have to travel long distances to access a reliable source of
water in rural areas and they have to stand in long queues in urban areas.
 All surface water belong to the government, but groundwater can be owned
by individuals.
 But the number of women who own land or property is far lesser than men,
which means that fewer women are able to own groundwater.
 Health - Women are rarely able to access the kind of nutrition they need,
because they are conditioned to focus on the well-being of children and men.
 Families are often reluctant to spend very much on women‘s healthcare.
 It is in cases of ―extreme and incapacitating ill health‖ that women in the
poorest households get hospitalised.
 Yet, services accessed for females ―are usually the ones that are convenient
and cheap‖.
 The average expenditure per hospitalisation is lower for females in both
urban and rural India, and in public and private hospitals (NSSO 2016: 45).
 Education - Women‘s access to education is already limited because of the
gendered nature of work.
 Even when women are sent to school, woman‘s academic acumen rarely
decides what disciplinary choices or educational options she can access.
 Consequently, disciplines get gendered owing to social attitudes as more and
more women are pushed away from studying science.
 Large majority of women may be deprived of exercising free options at the
school level (eg, being discouraged by family to take up science subjects) or
not being sent to expensive private ―good quality‖ schools.
 After schooling they may not be provided the financial investment in
coaching/tuition for entrance
 Even though higher education for young women is taken for granted
nowadays among the upper and middle strata, it is still not viewed as an
immediate investment in their careers.

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 They entered through the passes in the Hindukush.

 Alexander‘s invasion resulted in Greek settlements in north west region

Results of Iranian Contact

 Some Ashokan inscriptions in the north-west India were written in this

 Iranian influence was found in Maurya sculptures.

 The monuments of Ashoka‘s time, especially the bell-shaped capitals, owed

Results of Greeks & Indo-Greeks Contact

 They contributed to the development of Indian theatre by introducing the

 Trade & Commerce – Alexander‘s campaign opened up 4 distinct routes

 Alexander‘s historians have left valuable geographical accounts, which

2. Discuss the special feature of Mauryan art and architecture

 Construction of stupas and viharas as part of monastic establishments.

 They introduced stone masonry on a wide scale.

 Large statues of Yakshas and Yakhiniswere found at many places.

 Mauryan artisans possessed high technical skills in polishing the stone

 Buddha is depicted symbolically in the stupas.

3. Give a brief account of Kalhana's Rajatarangini on history of Kashmir. (10

 It is a historical chronicle of early India, written in Sanskrit verse by the

 His access to minute details of contemporary court intrigues was almost

 Rajatarangini, consists of 7,826 verses, and is divided into eight books.

 Book IV takes on the character of a dependable historical narrative. The

4. Discuss the contribution of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to pre and post

 Election - In 1917 he was elected Secretary of the Gujarat Sabha, a political

 Kheda Satyagraha - The association with Mahatma Gandhi became closer

 Bardoli Satyagraha - It was launched against the Government's decision

 Agriculturists of the taluka decided to withhold payment of land revenue

 Patels and Talatis resigned their jobs.

 Government revenues remained unrealized.

 The Government had to ultimately bow before popular resolve.

 Vallabhbhai was given the title of "Sardar" by the nation.

 National Movement - In 1930, the boycott of the Simon Commission was

 In seven of the eleven Provinces, Congress majorities were returned and

Post Independence India

 When India attained Independence he became the Deputy Prime Minister

 The integration of the States could certainly be termed as the crowning

5. Account for the distribution of Hydrothermal vents and explain their

 Hydrothermal vents - Underwater volcanoes at spreading ridges and

 Scientists first discovered hydrothermal vents in 1977 while exploring an

 Seawater circulates deep in the ocean‘s crust and becomes super-heated by

 As pressure builds and the seawater warms, it begins to dissolve minerals

 Distribution - They are distributed along the Earth's plate boundaries.

 They are also be found at intra-plate locations such as hotspot volcanoes

 The study of hydrothermal vent ecosystems continues to redefine our

 The conversion of mineral-rich hydrothermal fluid into energy is a key

 It was the 7th largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles in 2018.

 Moreover, the growing interest of the companies in exploring the rural

 Investments - In order to keep up with the growing demand, several auto

 Government Initiatives - The Government of India encourages foreign

 The government aims to develop India as a global manufacturing centre and

 Under NATRiP, the Government of India is planning to set up R&D centres

 In February 2019, the Government of India approved the FAME-II scheme

 Global Automotive Research Centre (GARC) in Chennai

 SAMARTH Udyog - Industry 4.0 centres: ‗Demo cum experience‘ centres

 Market Size - Overall domestic automobiles sales increased at 6.71% CAGR

 Domestic automobile production increased at 6.96% CAGR between FY13-19

 Sales of electric two-wheelers are estimated to have crossed 55,000 vehicles

 Labor - Availability of skilled labour

 Geomorphic Process - The physical and chemical interactions between the

Fluvial Landforms Aeolian Landforms

Fluvial landforms are formed by

8. ‘Religion has long been a driving force in the process of globalization.’

 Judaism - Liberation of the Jewish community in Babylon by Cyrus the