Think IAS. Think Drishti.

Mains Capsule Series

GS Paper – I
Indian & World History,
Geography,
Indian Society

Drishti Publications
(A Unit of VDK Publications Pvt. Ltd.)

641, First Floor, Dr. Mukherjee Nagar, Delhi-110009

Telephone: 011-47532596, 8750187501

Website
www.drishtiias.com
 CONTENTS

1. Art and Culture 1-35

2. Modern History (Before Independence) 36-97

3. Modern History (After Independence) 98-127

4. World History 128-161

5. Indian Society and Social Issues 162-234

6. Geography of India and the World 235-324

 Art and Culture

1 ART AND CULTURE

Question: Assess the contribution of Adi Shankara in the development of Hindu philosophy. (150 words) 10
Answer. Adi Shankaracharya was a philosopher and a religious leader in Indian history who is widely revered
as a reformer of the early 8th century.

Contributions to the development of Hindu philosophy:

 Advaita Vedanta: Vedanta marks the ‘end of Vedas’, which were polytheistic. Shankara however, shifted the
centre from the God to the self (Atma). Advaita refers to Non-dualism, which perceives self (Atma) as the
absolute reality (Brahman).
 Logical Reasoning: All his works are analysed through logical angles, and not even once he resorts to dictums
for men to follow.
 Vedic Thought: He re-introduced a finer form of Vedic thought. His traditions and teachings form the basis of
the Smritis and have influenced Sant and Mutt lineages.
 Unification of Deities: He also sought to unify the different groups of Hindus fighting over the gods of Vishnu,
Shiva, Ganesh, Surya and Shakti, through Panchayatana form of worship, the simultaneous worship of five
deities. He also explained that all deities were but different forms of the one Brahman, the invisible Supreme
Being.
 Bhashyas: Shankara has written commentaries on the Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and other prominent Vedic
texts. These commentaries known as bhashyas stand at the pinnacle of Indian philosophical writing.
Other than his philosophical contributions, he is also known for integrating the whole India through his
establishment of Mathas in the four directions namely at Sringeri (South), Puri (East), Badri (North), and Dwaraka
(West). These mathas were centres of wisdom which greatly educated the people and guided them, no matter
which community or caste they belonged to.

Question: Evaluate the nature of Bhakti Literature and its contribution to Indian culture.  (150 words) 10
Answer: Originally began in South India in the 9 century with Shankaracharya, the Bhakti Literature spread
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over all parts of India and by the 16th century and became a great spiritual force to reckon with, especially after
the great wave made by Kabir, Nanak and Shri Chaitanya.

Nature of Bhakti Literature:

 Bhakti and Sufi supported each other. Various recitation of sufi saints found place in Sikhs’ religious canons.
 Spread of Bhakti cult due to adoption of vernacular languages which was easy to be understood by masses.
 It preached for removal of sectarianism and casteism. The Bhakti literature called for inclusion of castes and
out-castes.

Contribution of Bhakti Literature:

 The Bhakti literature promoted the growth of vernacular language in different parts of the country.
z Bengali was used by Chaitanya and by the poet Chandidas, who wrote extensively on the theme of the love
of Radha and Krishna.

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zShankaradeva popularised the use of the Assamese in the Brahmaputra valley in the 15th century. He used
an entirely new medium to spread his ideas.
z Marathi reached its apogee at the hands of saints like Eknath and Tukaram.
z Other prominent saints like Kabir, Nanak, and Tulsidas contributed enormously to regional literature and
language with their captivating verses and spiritual exposition.
 Emergence of a new cultural tradition with the influence of Bhakti and sufism. Also emergence of new sects
like Sikhism, Kabir panth etc.
 Post-Vedanta ideas were explored by Madhvacharya through his Dvaitadvaita, by Ramanujacharya in his
Vishishta Advaita etc.
 As a literary movement, it liberated poetry from singing the praises of kings and introduced spiritual themes.
From a style point of view, it introduced simple and accessible styles like vachanas (in Kannada), saakhis, dohas
and other forms in various languages and ended the hegemony of Sanskrit metrical forms.
The ideas of Bhakti Movement continued to permeate the cultural ethos of the society through the enormous
body of literature left by them. The congruence in their ideas not only saved us from the likely internecine conflicts
but also built the spirit of tolerance.

Question: What do you understand by Sufism? Explain how Sufism is relevant in the present times?
 (250 words) 15
Answer: Sufism is the name given to mysticism in Islam, a school of practice that focuses on the spiritual search
for God and shuns materialism, and those who practice Sufism are called Sufis.

Salient features of Sufism

 God, man and the relation of love between God and man is fundamental to Sufism.
 The idea of soul, divine proximity, divine love and self-annihilation are central to the theory of Sufism.
 According to Sufism, love of God meant love of humanity and thus, they stressed that service to God is nothing
but service of humanity.
 Sufism transcends all religious and communal distinctions and treats all human beings as equal.
 Sufism also lays stress on self-discipline and considers it essential to gain knowledge of God.
 Unlike orthodox Muslim sects, who lay emphasis on external conduct, Sufism lays stress on inner purity.

With growing intolerance and violence in society, Sufism has become all the more important in present times.
 Sufism believes in love and devotion to God. It has no place for violence in its order. It is antithetical to the
violent and radical form of Islam as followed by Taliban.
 Sufism does not believe in any societal classification such as religion, caste, class or gender. With growing
differences between people, Sufism gives the message of essential equality of all human beings.
 It stresses on social welfare which has led to the establishment of works of charitable nature, opening of
orphanages and women service centres.
 At a time when struggle for power is the prevailing madness, Sufism reminds men of their moral obligations.
In this world, which is torn by strife and conflict, it gives the message of peace and harmony.
 Another idea emphasised by Sufism is meditation. With growing stress in our body and mind, meditation gives
a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both our emotional well-being and our overall health.
Sufism has left a prevailing impact on religious, cultural, and social life in the world. Its teachings of service to
humanity and love for God still resonates with people today. In these tough and uncertain times, the teachings of
Sufism can be a guiding light for humanity the world over.

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 Art and Culture

Question: Kabir was a poet, saint, social reformer and proponent of the Bhakti Movement holding a significant
place in Indian history. Discuss. (150 words) 10
Answer. Kabir was born in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. He was a 15 -century mystic poet, saint and
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social reformer and proponent of the Bhakti Movement.

His significant position in Indian history

 Kabir’s works were written in the Hindi language which was easy to comprehend. He used to write in couplets
to enlighten people. He is best known for his two-line couplets, known as ‘Kabir Ke Dohe’.
 He opposed the establishment and all authoritarian monastic orders.
 He promoted the relevance of religion in social life, in the sphere of real human aspirations and social
relationships. Bhakti poets emphasized surrender to god.
 Kabir’s writings had a great influence on the Bhakti movement and his influential writings include titles like
Kabir Granthawali, Anurag Sagar, Bijak, and Sakhi Granth.
z His verses are found in Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism. The major part of his work was
collected by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev.
 He strictly criticized those who divide society on religious and caste grounds. Kabir was the first saint to
reconcile Hinduism with Islam.
 He questioned the structures and systems of the time and always questioned the people who claimed authority
in society. In a society that is turning towards the status quo, this temperament is more necessary than ever.
Saint Kabir continues to inspire people the world over even after 500 years of his death. In the present
communally polarised world, Kabir’s idea of unity seems almost prophetic and his teachings are in perfect harmony
with the social and religious needs of the present times.

Question: Hoysala temples are a blend of Dravida and Nagara style of temple architecture. Explain with examples.
 (250 words) 15
Answer: Hoysala temples are sometimes called hybrid or vesara as their unique style seems neither completely
Dravida nor Nagara, but somewhere in between.

Some of the features of Hoysala temples:

 The temples have a star shaped base with the main structure standing on a raised platform.
 There are three shrines structured around a central pillared hall, each with a tower.
 Pillars with horizontal mouldings, produced by a mechanical process.
 There are intricate grille windows, an abundance of sculptural details.
 The sikharas, unlike the northern style (parabolic) are constructed in well-defined horizontal tiers.
 The temples are almost entirely covered with intricate sculptural carvings. This was mainly possible, for the
temples were constructed out of a very fine-grained soapstone (chloritic schist).
The Hoysala architectural style manifests itself prominently in the Chennakesava Temple at Belur, the
Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, and the Kesava Temple at Somanathapura.
 Chennakesava Temple, Belur
z Vishnuvardhana, who defeated the imperial Cholas in A.D. 1116, in the memory of the establishment of his
dynasty and this victory, built a temple for Kesava, or Chennakesava, at Belur.
z The temple is a classic example of the ornate style of temple art under the Hoysalas.
 Hoysaleshwara Temple, Halebid
z It was built between AD 1121 and AD 1160 in the area of Halebid, known then as Dorsamudra, which was
the capital of the Hoysalas. It was built during the reign of Vishnuvardhana.

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2
MODERN HISTORY
(BEFORE INDEPENDENCE)

Question: Trace the rise and growth of socio-religious reform movements with special reference to Young
Bengal and Brahmo Samaj. (250 words) 15
Answer: When the British came to India, they introduced the English language as well as certain Western
ideas. This led to the development of new Indian middle-class intelligentsia, where people like Raja Ram Mohan
Roy, Ishwar Chand Vidyasagar, Dayanand Saraswati, etc. spread the ideals of liberty, social and economic equality,
democracy and justice.

Brahmo Samaj and Raja Ram Mohan Roy:

 Raja Ram Mohan Roy is known as the father of Modern India’s Renaissance and a tireless social reformer who
inaugurated the age of enlightenment and liberal reformist modernisation in India.
 He founded Brahmo Sabha in 1828, whose main aim was the worship of the eternal God. However, it was
against priesthood, rituals and sacrifices.
 The greatest achievement in the field of social reform was the abolition of Sati in 1829.
 He advocated the abolition of polygamy and wanted women to be educated and given the right to inherit
property.
 This led to the emergence of rationalism and enlightenment in India which indirectly contributed to the
nationalist movement.
 It was the forerunner of all social, religious and political movements of modern India.

Young Bengal and Henry Lui Vivian Derozio:

 Derozio joined the Hindu College of Calcutta as a teacher.
 He promoted radical ideas through his teaching and by organising an association for debate and discussions
on literature, philosophy, history and science.
 He inspired his followers and students to question all authority.
 Derozio and his famous followers, known as Young Bengal, were fiery patriots.
 They cherished the ideals of the French Revolution (1789) and the liberal thinking of Britain.
Apart from attacking social evils like bigotry, superstition, untouchability, purdah system, sati, child marriage,
social inequalities and illiteracy, the social and religious reform movements also helped in dealing with the
racism perpetuated by the colonial rule. This eventually led to the development of nationalism against the British
Government.

Question: To what extent did the role of the moderates prepare a base for the wider freedom movement?
Comment. (250 words) 15
Answer: The first phase of the existence of the Congress is known as the moderate phase (1885-1905). During
this, the Congress worked for limited objectives and concentrated more on building up its organisation. The

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leaders like Dadabhai Nauroji, P.N. Mehta, D.E. Wacha, W.C. Banerji, S.N. Banerji, Gopal Krishna Gokhale were
staunch believers in liberalism and moderate politics and came to be labelled as moderates.
The main objective of the Moderates was to achieve self-government within the British Empire. They believed
in patience and reconciliation rather than in violence and confrontation, thus relying on constitutional and peaceful
methods in order to achieve their aims. They organised annual sessions with delegates participating from all parts
of the country. After the discussions, resolutions were adopted which were forwarded to the Government for its
information and appropriate action.

Success/contributions of moderates:
 They represented the most progressive forces of the time.
 They were able to create a wide national awakening of all Indians having common interests and the need to
rally around a common programme against a common enemy, and above all, the feeling of belonging to one
nation.
 They trained people in political work and popularised modern ideas.
 They exposed the basically exploitative character of colonial rule, thus undermining its moral foundations.
 Their political work was based on hard realities, and not on shallow sentiments, religion, etc.
 They were able to establish the basic political truth that India should be ruled in the interest of Indians.
 They created a solid base for a more vigorous, militant, mass-based national movement in the years that
followed.
The early nationalists did a great deal to awaken the national sentiment, even though they could not draw the
masses to them and failed to widen their democratic base and the scope of their demands. Moderates wanted
to educate people in modern politics, to arouse national and political consciousness and to create a united public
opinion on political questions. Their critics often accuse them for using methods of beggary through prayers and
petitions.
However, had they adopted revolutionary or violent methods, they would have been crushed right in the
infancy of the Congress. They created a solid base for a more vigorous, militant, mass-based national movement
in the following years. The Moderates thus were prudent in using the constitutional and peaceful methods to
handle British rule.

Question: The Chauri Chaura incident changed the direction of Indian Independence Movement. Discuss.
 (150 words) 10
Answer: The Chauri Chaura incident is one of the landmark incidents in the Indian independence movement.
The incident took place on 4 February 1922 at Chauri Chaura in the Gorakhpur district of the United Provinces
(modern-day Uttar Pradesh) in British India, when a large group of protesters participating in the Non-Cooperation
Movement, were fired upon by the police. In retaliation the demonstrators attacked and set fire to a police station
leading to the death of three civilians and 22 policemen. Gandhiji called off the Movement on 12th February 1922
as it had taken a violent turn.

The incident changed the direction of Indian struggle for independence in the following ways:
 Though the Non-Cooperation Movement had ended in apparent failure, nationalist sentiments and the
national movement had reached the remotest corners of the land.
 Indian people lost their sense of fear - the brute strength of British power in India no longer frightened them.
 Sudden withdrawal of the Movement created a rift between Congress and Muslim leaders and disillusionment
among younger Indian nationalists.

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 It led to revival of revolutionary movement, which was beginning to take a socialist turn. For instance, Hindustan
Republic Association (1924) and Hindustan Socialist Republic Association (1928) were formed.
 It led to formation of Congress-Khilafat Swarajya Party (1922), functioning within the Congress, which
participated in the Council elections.
 It sped up of constructive programme of spinning, temperance, Hindu-Muslim unity, removal of untouchability
and grassroot work in the villages and among the poor.
India’s road to independence was by no means smooth. Gandhi’s own advocacy of non-violence was severely
tested on many occasions because of the harshly repressive measures that the colonial rulers frequently resorted
to. The Chauri Chaura incident, thus, in many senses was a landmark incident.

Question: Bring out the constructive programmes of Mahatma Gandhi during Non-Cooperation Movement
and Civil Disobedience Movement. (250 words) 15
Answer: Gandhi’s comprehensive plan of national regeneration, which he named the constructive programme,
aimed at establishing social order, based on truth and non-violence. Gandhi believed that foreign domination in
India lived and prospered because of our negligence towards fundamental duties as a nation. Collective fulfilment
of these duties can be referred to as the constructive programme.

Constructive programme during Non-Cooperation Movement and Civil Disobedience Movement:

 Communal Unity: According to Gandhi, communal unity does not merely mean political unity but should be
an unbreakable unity of hearts. This was achieved during the Lucknow Pact 1916, whereby both the Indian
National Congress and Muslim League joined hands against British rule.
 Removal of Untouchability: Gandhi held that untouchability was a blot and curse upon Indian society. Gandhi
endeavoured to abolish this evil. He founded ‘Harijan Sevak Sangh’ for the abolition of untouchability in 1932
after his Poona Pact.
 Khadi Making: Gandhi presented Khadi as a symbol of nationalism, economic freedom, equality and self-
reliance. Khadi takes the central place in the upliftment of the village economy, which eventually lead to the
attainment of Gram Swaraj.
 New or Basic Education: Gandhi’s concept of new education implies that nature, society and crafts are huge
mediums of education. According to him, true education is that which draws out and stimulates the spiritual,
intellectual and physical faculties of the children. This education ought to be for them, a kind of insurance
against unemployment.
 Upliftment of Women: In his mission of Swaraj, Gandhi needed the cooperation of women, kisans, labourers
and students. It was only due to Gandhi’s efforts that women came out of their houses for the first time in
history and participated in the Indian political struggle.
Integration of Indian society was perhaps more difficult than the achievement of freedom because, in this
process, there existed a possibility of conflict between groups and classes of our own people. In this scenario, the
Gandhian constructive role played a key role in nation building.

Question: The ‘Quit India’ movement, more than anything, united the Indian people against British rule. Discuss.
 (250 words) 15
Answer. On 8th August 1942, Mahatma Gandhi gave a clarion call to end the British rule and launched the Quit
India Movement. Gandhiji gave the call “Do or Die” in his speech delivered at the Gowalia Tank Maidan.

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3
MODERN HISTORY
(AFTER INDEPENDENCE)

Question: Assess the main administrative issues and socio-cultural problems in the integration process of Indian
Princely States. (250 words) 15
Answer: The monarchical states subordinated to British India were termed as Princely States. The word
‘princely’ was deliberately retained during the British regime, to ascribe subordination of the rulers to the British
Crown.

Administrative issues:
 Lapse of British Paramountcy: The Indian Independence Act of 1947 (based on the Mountbatten Plan)
provided for the lapse of paramountcy of the British Crown over the Indian states. Many of the rulers saw the
departure of the British as the ideal moment to declare autonomy and announce their independent statehood
on the world map.
 Signing of Instruments of Accession: The instruments of accession executed by the rulers, provided for the
accession of states to the Dominion of India (or Pakistan) on three subjects, namely, defence, external affairs
and communications.
 Power and Prestige: The princely states were not comfortable with the idea of giving away their power and
prestige. Some of these states that posed problems were Jodhpur, Bhopal and Travancore before independence
and Junagarh, Hyderabad and Kashmir post-independence.
 Availability of Natural Resources: Some of the Princely States had good reserves of natural resources, it was
believed it could survive on its own and hence wanted to remain independent.
 People Resentment: The Maharaja of Manipur, signed the Instrument of Accession with the Indian government.
Under the pressure of public opinion, the Maharaja held elections in Manipur in June 1948 and the state
became a constitutional monarchy. The Government of India succeeded in pressurising the Maharaja into
signing a Merger Agreement in September 1949, without consulting the popularly elected Legislative Assembly
of Manipur.
 Connectivity and Agrarian Support: The Rajput princely state, despite having a Hindu king and a large Hindu
population, strangely had a tilt towards Pakistan. Jinnah offered free access to the Karachi port, to arms
manufacturing and importing along with military and agrarian support.

Socio-cultural challenges:
 Kashmir: It was a princely state with a Hindu king ruling over a predominant Muslim population which had
remained reluctant to join either of the two dominions.
 Hyderabad: It was the largest and richest of all princely states, covering a large portion of the Deccan plateau.
Nizam Mir Usman Ali was presiding over a largely Hindu population in the princely state.
 Peasant Protest: The Telangana Rebellion of 1946–51 was a communist-led insurrection of peasants against
the princely state of Hyderabad in the region of Telangana that escalated out of agitations. It brought the

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struggles of the peasantry to the forefront and served as a reminder of the sacrifices made by the people of
this region in fighting against the autocratic rule of the Nizam of Hyderabad.
The rulers of most of the states signed a document called the ‘Instrument of Accession’ which meant that their
state agreed to become a part of the Union of India. Accession of the Princely States of Junagadh, Hyderabad,
Kashmir and Manipur proved more difficult than the rest.

Question: The linguistic reorganization of states resulted in rationalizing the political map of India without
seriously weakening its unity. Examine. (250 words) 15
Answer: At the time of independence in 1947, India consisted of more than 500 disjointed princely states that
were merged together to form different states. The grouping of states at the time was done on the basis of political
and historical considerations rather than on linguistic or cultural divisions, but this was a temporary arrangement.
On the basis of the State Reorganisation Commission’s (SRC) recommendations, the linguistic reorganisation
of 14 States and six Centrally-administered territories was partially completed in 1956, with several other States
to be reorganised later on. This was a massive state rationalisation exercise, not simply to establish newer modes
of power and authority but to rearrange social, cultural, regional and linguistic diversities into more manageable
enclaves of state power.
The formation of states on linguistic basis has rationalised the political map of India in more than one way:
 The formation of these states changed the nature of democratic politics and leadership. The path to politics
and power was now open to people speaking regional languages rather than the small English speaking elite.
 Language coupled with the regional and tribal identity provided the most powerful instrument for the formation
of ethno national identity in India.
 It led to the local people participating in the administration in larger numbers because of being able to
communicate in a common language.
Events since 1956 have clearly shown that loyalty to a language is quite complementary to the unity of the
nation such as:
 By reorganizing the states on linguistic lines, the national leadership removed a major grievance which could
have led to fissiparous tendencies.
 Linguistic reorganization of the states has not in any manner adversely affected the federal structure of the
Union or weakened or paralysed the Centre as many had feared.
 The central government wields as much authority as it did before. The states have also been cooperating with
the Centre in planning and economic development.
However, reorganising states on the basis of language has put forth certain challenges in front of the nation
such as:
 It has led to several unintended consequences such as regionalism, linguistic chauvinism and foundation of the
“Sons of the soil” doctrine.
 It has been used for divisive purposes and transformed into disruptive tendencies, such as communalism,
casteism and linguistic or regional exclusiveness.
 The issues of jobs, educational opportunities, access to political power and share in the larger economic cake
has fueled rivalries and conflicts based on religion, region, caste and language.
 Several issues that are a threat to India’s integrity have also emerged such as demand for new states on the
basis of backwardness such as Marathwada and Saurashtra, ethnicity in the North East etc.

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The political leadership of newly independent India had the foresight to visualize the consequences of not
acquiescing to popular aspirations. States’ reorganization did not, of course, resolve all the problems relating to
linguistic conflicts. Disputes over boundaries between different states, linguistic minorities and economic issues
such as sharing of waters, and power and surplus food still persist. However, their decision to linguistically reorganize
the states has removed one important factor that would’ve jeopardized India’s integrity and thus strengthened
the cause of Indian unity.

Question: Had the private sector been allowed a free play right from the beginning, India could have developed
much better. Critically analyse. (250 words) 15
Answer: After gaining independence in 1947 from the British rule, the leaders of independent India had to decide
on the type of economic system most suitable for our nascent nation. It had to be a system which would promote
the welfare of all and not just of the elites. The choice was between capitalism as followed by Western countries
and socialism as established in the former Soviet Union.

Why India opted for the Mixed Economy model

 The capitalism model works on the principle of demand and supply and opting for it would have meant that
the great majority of Indians would be left behind without the chance to improve their quality of life.
 In socialism, the government decides what goods are to be produced in accordance with the needs of society
and the desires of individual consumers are not given much importance which did not go well with the democratic
system opted by India.
 The answer for India was found in an economic system which combined the best features of socialism but
without its drawbacks. This ‘mixed-economy’ system had a strong public sector but also the concept of private
property and democracy.
 The government would ‘plan’ for the economy with the private sector being encouraged to be part of the plan
effort. But the private sector was ordained to play second fiddle to the public sector which was entrusted with
major responsibilities for development.

How Private Sector could have led to better development outcomes

 Resource mobilization for infrastructure development: The private sector is more oriented towards resource
maximization as well as resource optimization as it is driven by profit-motive. This would have led to better
utilization of resources at the time of independence.
 More competition leading to enhanced efficiency: Many sectors of the Indian economy kept reserved for the
public sector in early years hardly witnessed any growth as there was no competition. Had these sectors been
open to the private sector there would have been competition and attendant growth.
 Judicious allocation of capital: The private sector ensures that the capital is deployed for value maximization.
While the public sector led economic model did not prioritize allocation of capital on market principles leading
to inefficiencies and slower pace of development.
 Faster adoption of new technology: The private sector is faster to use new technologies and adopt new ways
of operating to ensure current and future needs are met. While the public sector is caught up with long delays
in decision-making leading to poor outcomes.
 Examples of Western countries like the US, Britain, Germany etc. and some East Asian countries are enough to
show that when the private sector is given enough space to work independently, it brings in better outcomes
for the economy.

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4 WORLD HISTORY

Question: “There arose a serious challenge to the Democratic State System between the two World Wars.”
Evaluate the statement. (250 words) 15
Answer: The period between two world wars was relatively short, yet featured many significant social, political,
and economic changes throughout the world. Politically, the era coincided with the rise of communism, starting
in Russia with the October Revolution and Russian Civil War, at the end of World War I.

Challenges to democratic system:

„ The conditions of economic hardship caused by the Great Depression brought about significant social unrest
around the world, leading to a major surge of fascism and in many cases, the collapse of democratic
governments.
„ In the 1930s the breakdown of the League of Nations, the rise of aggressive dictatorships posed a serious
threat to democracy throughout the world.
„ After the Nazis took power and implemented their anti-semitic ideology and policies, the Jewish community
was increasingly persecuted. In 1936, Jews were banned from all professional jobs, effectively preventing them
from participating in education, politics, higher education and industry.
„ The Spanish Civil War, (1936–39) was a military revolt against the Republican government of Spain, supported
by conservative elements within the country. When an initial military coup failed to win control of the entire
country, a bloody civil war ensued.
„ The name most commonly given to a far-right movement and political party in Romania in the period from
1927 into the early part of World War II. It was ultra-nationalist, anti-semitic, anti-communist, anti-capitalist,
and promoted the Orthodox Christian faith. Its members were called “Greenshirts’’ because of the
predominantly green uniforms they wore.
„ Fascism also expanded its influence outside Europe, especially in East Asia, the Middle East, and South America.
In China, Wang Jingwei’s Kai-tsu p’ai (Reorganization) faction of the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party of China)
supported Nazism in the late 1930s.
The efforts of the League of Nations failed to maintain peace after the first world war. Eventually, Hitler’s
invasion of Poland in September 1939 drove Great Britain and France to declare war on Germany, marking the
beginning of World War II.

Question: ‘France and the United States are rightly considered the birthplace of modern democracy.’ Discuss
the statement in the light of the French and American Revolution. (250 words) 15
Answer. The American Revolution and the French Revolution are considered as a cardinal epoch in world
history. It gave a death blow to the old orthodox system of governance and installed modern ideals for governing
nations.

Contribution of American Revolution to Modern World

„ Liberty and Democracy: The declaration of independence proclaimed that “all men are equal”. It provided an
impetus to the people of the world to demand liberty and freedom.

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„ Promotion of Human Rights: The American war of independence laid stress on the rights of the human being.
The “Declaration of Rights” of Thomas Jefferson awakened the people about their rights.
„ Constitutionalism: The revolution led to the first written constitution in the world which served as an inspiration
for many nations who borrowed many ideas from the American constitution.
„ Form of Government: The American war of independence gave birth to a novel system of government, viz,
Federalism. The federal form of government provided a nice template for power sharing in diverse countries
that needed complex polities.

Contribution of French Revolution to Modern World

„ Democratisation of Society: The French Revolution was a pan-European revolution. It hacked the roots of the
ancient system in Europe and ended the centuries-old feudal system. Before the revolution, the society was
based on inequality, disparity, privileges and concessions.
„ Ideals of Modernity: Liberty, equality and fraternity brought political awakening in Europe. The Revolution
ended the sovereignty, despotism and corruption of the Church. The importance of the worship of intellect
and reason became more prominent.
„ Nationalism: The Revolution aroused the spirit of nationalism. It paved the way for the unification of Italy and
Germany. It also popularised the concept of democracy.
The French and American revolution not only laid the edifice for a newly emerging egalitarian society and a
new way of polity in their respective countries but they also acted as the philosophical basis and aspiration of the
people of other nations. Tipu Sultan and Rammohan Roy are two examples of individuals who responded to the
ideas coming from revolutionary France.

Question: The First World War left a deep impact on European society and polity. Examine. (250 words) 15
Answer: The impact of World War I was extraordinarily wide-ranging, which was not surprising given that it
was the first ‘total war’ in history. This means that it involved not just armies and navies but entire populations,
and it was the first big conflict between modern, industrialized nations. In its wake, the war left a deep impact on
European society and polity, along with concomitant destruction and pestilence.

Effects of World War I on European society and polity:

„ A sizeable proportion of an entire generation of young men had perished - the ‘lost generation’; France, for
example, lost around 20% of men of military age.
„ In Germany, hardship and defeat caused a revolution: the Kaiser Wilhelm II was compelled to abdicate and a
republic was declared. Over the next few years the Weimar Republic (as it became known) experienced severe
economic, political and social problems.
„ The Habsburg Empire collapsed completely and the various nationalities declared themselves independent;
Austria and Hungary split into two separate states.
„ In Russia, the pressures of war caused two revolutions in 1917. The first (February-March) overthrew Tsar
Nicholas II, and the second (October-November) brought Lenin and the Bolsheviks (Communists) to power.
„ Although Italy was on the winning side, the War had been a drain on its resources and it was heavily in debt.
Mussolini took advantage of the government’s unpopularity to take over control.
„ After the War, there were immediate challenges of demobilisation. Millions of men who were enlisted into
mass armies had to be demobilised and reintegrated into civilian life. In the course of the War, hundreds of
thousands of former urban dwellers in effect became refugees in their own country.
„ The post-War population of countries that had suffered substantial military losses were composed
disproportionately of women, adolescents and the elderly.

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„ The War necessitated the participation of women in factories and other fields which were exclusively reserved
for men. This led to a change of perception in society and later legislations were passed to give rights to women.

Conclusion
Post-War Europe necessarily reveals a social landscape scarred by war – a landscape characterised by
economic, political and social dislocation, disease and disability, loss and mourning. In such a changed socio-
political scenario, the rest of the world could not afford to remain untouched by these transformations and was
deeply impacted by it.
Question: In the context of colonialism, bring out the reasons behind easy domination of Asian and African
countries by the Western powers. (150 words) 10
Answer: Colonialism can be defined as “control by one power over a dependent area or people.” It occurs when
one nation subjugates another, conquering its population and exploiting it, often while forcing its own language
and cultural values upon its people. By 1914, a large majority of the world’s nations had been colonized by Europeans
at some point.
There are several reasons that explain the easy domination of Asian and African countries by Western powers
such as:
„ The most important condition favouring the imperialist conquest of Asia and Africa was that the Industrial
Revolution had not come to this part of the world. In comparison with the production of Western countries in
the 19th century, Asian and African methods were backward.
„ Also, because of the lack of knowledge that the Industrial Revolution had brought to the West, the two continents
were militarily unable to stand up to the armed might and power of Europe.
„ The governments of the countries of Asia and Africa were very weak in the 19th century, though in ancient and
medieval times powerful empires had existed there. In the 19th century, the old ways of governing were still
followed, even though they had outlived their usefulness.
„ Strong nation-states in the modern sense had not developed. The people’s loyalties were still to local princes
as in feudal times, or to tribal chieftains. These rulers cared little for the welfare of the people.
„ In Africa, there were conflicts between states and within states and the rulers and chiefs often sought the
support of the Europeans against their rivals.
„ There were other reasons too which helped Europeans in dominating Asia and Africa such as their economic
pre-eminence in manufacturing, trade, and international finance as well as their undisputed mastery of the
seas during most of the 19th century.

Question: Western policy of appeasement of the fascist powers caused the Second World War. Examine.
 (250 words) 15
Answer: The policy of appeasement was the policy followed by the British and the French, of avoiding war with
aggressive powers such as Japan, Italy and Germany by giving way to their demands in order to maintain peace
and harmony.
Learning from the First World War made Britain and France apprehensive of another global escalation and they
wanted to avoid a war-like situation by any means as:
„ British and French governments were not prepared for war because there was a strong anti-war attitude
prevailing among the people in these countries.
„ The devastation left by the First World War forced the European leadership to work for peace and harmony in
every possible way.

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5
INDIAN SOCIETY
AND SOCIAL ISSUES

Question: How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes
taking place in it. (250 words) 15
Answer: The essence of Indian society lies in harbouring diverse and distinct identities, ethnicities, languages,
religions, and culinary preferences. History stands witness to the fact that the societies that have struggled to hold
differences were shattered in such an attempt.

The supreme social-cultural traditional values of Indian life have been the values of:
 A Cosmic Vision: The framework of Indian culture places human beings in the centre of the universe, as a
divine creation-which celebrates individuality and differences of opinion in society.
 Tolerance: In India, tolerance and liberalism are found for all religions, castes, communities, etc. Indian society
accepted and respected various religions and ensured that there is a peaceful co-existence of religions.
 Sense of Harmony: Indian philosophy and culture try to achieve innate harmony and order in society.
 Continuity and Stability: The light of ancient Indian culture life is yet glowing. Many invasions occurred, many
rulers changed, many laws were passed but even today, the traditional institutions, religion, epics, literature,
philosophy, traditions, etc. are alive.
 Adaptability: It is the process of changing according to time, place, and period. Indian society has shown
fluidity and has adjusted itself with changing times.
 Caste System and Hierarchy: Indian Society has evolved systems of social stratification, which in the past
helped in accommodating outsiders, but concomitantly it has also been the reason for discrimination and
prejudice.
 Unity in Diversity: Despite inherent differences, Indian society celebrates unity in diversity which reflects in
modern India’s founding principles and constitutional ideals.

In recent times, Indian society has seen a surge in multiple divisive issues like:
 Casteism: Caste-based discrimination leads society to divide into artificial groups which sometimes even led
to violence.
 Communalism: The aggressive attitude of one community towards the other creates tension and clashes
between the two. It poses a great challenge to democracy and the unity of our country.
 Nuclear Families: The new trend of nuclear families with one or a maximum of two children has emerged in
India. Due to this children are not able to get the presence of the elderly who plays a major role in instilling
values among the younger ones.
 Gender Discrimination: There is a need for India to closely examine the norms that allow violence and a
broader pattern of gender discrimination to continue. A society that does not value women as much as men
fail to reach its full potential.
Despite all these reasons, India remains a diverse country, a bewildering mosaic of communities of all kinds.
Our peculiar societal genius is to fashion a form of coexistence where diversity can flourish and find its place. The
principle of “Sarva Dharma Sambhava” (equal respect for all religions) is rooted in India’s tradition and culture.

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Question: Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge systems when compared with mainstream knowledge
and cultural systems. (250 words) 15
Answer: Indigenous people around the world have preserved distinctive understandings of their cultural
experience that helps them in their survival. These understandings are called the tribal knowledge or aboriginal
knowledge.
Tribal knowledge systems represent inter-generational wisdom passed on to the present times through centuries
of experience and learnings. While similar characteristics can be seen in evolution of mainstream knowledge and
culture, tribal knowledge systems are unique as:
 Proximity to Nature: Tribal societies have contemporary knowledge of nature due to continued closeness to
forests, flora and fauna. Mainstream societies have moved on to agricultural basis of society.
 Source of Knowledge: Mainstream knowledge systems are based on questioning of ideas, science, rationality
and evolution process. On the other hand, tribal methods are based on conservation of knowledge.
 Transfer of Knowledge: Tribal knowledge is transmitted between generations through stories, songs, dances,
carvings, paintings and performances, while mainstream knowledge is preserved in books and recordings.
 Type of Learning: Tribal knowledge systems promote integrated learning for the community. Therefore, they
believe in producing generalists. But in the mainstream society, knowledge and learning has been disintegrated
into specialised subjects and these societies mainly focus on producing specialists.
 Equality: Tribal knowledge systems are non-exclusionary and marked by equity. Mainstreams knowledge
systems are full of barriers like cost of education, patent protections, social exclusion etc.
Nevertheless, tribal and mainstream societies are not mutually exclusive systems. Constant interaction and
mutual dependence have enriched both.

Question: Drivers for social change like education, legal provisions, and initiatives for creating awareness still
have a lot to cover with respect to eliminating girl child marriage. Comment. (250 words) 15
Answer: Child marriage is a global issue fuelled by gender inequality, poverty, social norms, and insecurity, and
has devastating consequences all over the world.

Prevalence of girl-child marriage

 United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates suggest that each year, at least 1.5 million girls under 18
get married in India, which makes it home to the largest number of child brides in the world.
 According to NFHS (2015-2016), pre-COVID-19, one in four girls in India, was being married before 18. Around
8% of women aged 15-19 years were mothers or pregnant at the time of the survey.

Necessary steps
 Karnataka amended the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act in 2017, declaring every child marriage void ab initio
(not effective), making it a cognisable offence, and introducing a minimum period of rigorous imprisonment
for all who enable a child marriage.
 Field bureaucrats across multiple departments, including teachers, Anganwadi supervisors, panchayat, and
revenue staff, all of whom interact with rural communities, should be notified as child marriage prohibition
officers.
z Decentralising birth and marriage registration to gram panchayats will protect women and girls with
essential age and marriage documents.
 Community engagement through programmes like Mahila Samakhya, Children’s village assemblies in the gram
panchayats across India can provide a platform for children to voice their concerns.
 Ensuring later marriage for girls requires India to evolve not only culturally but also economically. Combined
with educational and cultural awareness against a sex preference, it would make for a lasting solution.

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Child marriage is a violation of human rights and every child has the right to be protected from this harmful
practice, which has devastating consequences for individuals and for society. It has been included in Sustainable
Development Goal (SDG) target 5.3, which aims to eliminate the practice by 2030.

Question: Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India.
 (150 words) 10
Answer: A gig economy is a free market system in which temporary positions are common and organisations
contract with independent workers for short-term engagements. According to a report by Boston Consulting
Group, India’s gig workforce comprises 15 million workers employed across industries such as software, shared
services and professional services.
Gig economy will expand and boost women’s employment because it is based on flexible, temporary, or
freelance jobs. This has the potential of absorbing more women and increase their participation in the workforce.
This will encourage those women who could not opt for full-time work to join the workforce.

However, the challenges remain.

 The gig economy thrives largely unregulated; therefore, workers have little job security and few benefits.
 A worker needs to be skilled enough. Unless a person is extremely talented, his bargaining power will necessarily
be limited. While companies routinely invest in training employees, a gig-economy woman worker will have to
upgrade his skills on his own at his own cost.
 There are already many more potential online independent workers than jobs, and this demand-supply
mismatch will only get worse over time, depressing wages especially for women.
To safeguard the interest of both employers and employees, some labour laws and regulations are required in
the changing world of work. Also, documenting best practises across the globe on how different industries are
using new technologies and at the same time creating job opportunities for women would help create supportive
policies.

Question: What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in
major cities of India? (250 words) 15
Answer: Information technology is an example of a general-purpose technology that has the potential to play
an important role in economic growth, as well as other dimensions of economic and social development. The IT
industry accounted for around 8% of India’s GDP in 2020.
However, IT industries in India are concentrated in a few major cities like Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, Bengaluru,
etc. This, though boosted the economy around the cities, has imprinted wider socio-economic implications.

Socio-economic implications of development of IT industry:

 Uneven development and Economic Disparity: The major cities with large IT hubs are developing faster than
the semi urban and Tier I, II cities. There is also a huge wage gap between IT workers and other workers.
 Accentuating Digital Divide: Given the importance of industries, the hosting cities attract most of the
developmental activities. To illustrate, lack of infrastructure in rural areas impede the access to essential
services, impacting their socio-economic development.
 Increased Migration and Cultural Change: The youth migrate from rural areas and small cities to the major IT
cities leaving their parents alone and needy for social and emotional support. This is leading to breakdown of
joint family culture and more nuclear family culture is emerging in India.
India’s technology services industry can achieve USD 300-350 billion in annual revenue by 2025 if it can exploit
the fast-emerging business potential in cloud, artificial intelligence (AI), cybersecurity and other emerging

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6
GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA
AND THE WORLD

Question: Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats. (150 words) 10
Answer: A landslide is defined as the movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope. They are
a type of mass wasting, which denotes any downward movement of soil and rock under the direct influence of
gravity. Landslides are caused due to three major factors: geology, morphology, and human activity.

Causes of landslides in Himalayan region:

 Geology: Himalayas are young, fragile mountains still growing, hence susceptible to natural landslides, tectonic
activity, with the plate moving up which causes instability.
 Morphological: Steep and sharp slope in the Himalayas.
 Anthropogenic: These include, jhum cultivation, deforestation etc., leading to landslides.

Causes of landslides in Western Ghats:

 Geology: These factors play a very little role here as the Western Ghats are one of the most stable landmasses.
 Anthropogenic: Heavy mining activities, deforestation for settlements and cutting for road construction,
windmill projects have led to huge fractures on the mountains, loosening structures.

Following measures for the mitigation of landslides can be taken:

 Restriction on the construction and other developmental activities such as roads and dams in the areas prone
to landslides.
 Limiting agriculture to valleys and areas with moderate slopes.
 Promoting large-scale afforestation programmes and construction of bunds to reduce the flow of water.
 Terrace farming should be encouraged in the north-eastern hill states where Jhumming (Slash and Burn/
Shifting Cultivation) is still prevalent.

Question: What do you mean by flash floods? Discuss the reasons associated with it and the steps that can be
taken to minimize the loss. (150 words) 10
Answer. Flash floods are floods caused by heavy or excessive rainfall in a short period of time and are usually
characterized by huge immediate and huge water flow that rips through river beds, urban streets, or mountain
canyons causing immense damage to lives and property.

Reasons for flash flood

 Most flash flooding is caused by thunderstorms repeatedly moving over the same area or heavy rains from
tropical storms and incessant rains.
 Sudden cloudbursts can also lead to a huge amount of water being released within a few minutes causing flash
floods.
 Water held back by the debris or moraine dam, when released suddenly, can lead to flash flooding downstream.

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 Hard surfaces and concretization in urban areas do not let the water drain away into the ground aquifer
system. This leads to surface overflow disturbing the local drainage systems, leading to flash floods.

Steps to minimize the loss due to flash flood

 Better flood warning systems can give people more time to prepare and take action during such events.
 Vulnerable areas need to allow construction of houses and buildings only at some level above the ground to
prevent flood damage.
 Restoring rivers and clean drainages that will control the water and damages may be prevented by preventing
floods.
 Usage of geotextiles and other technical textiles can help raise efficient flood damage control structures.
Flash floods are on a rise in highly urbanised areas causing immense loss of lives and property. Steps are
needed to be taken at a decentralised level so that effective flood prevention systems can be developed whether
it is infrastructural or technological.

Question: Despite India being one of the countries of Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much
less to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in percentage. Discuss. (150 words) 10
Answer: Despite being a part of Gondwana land, rich in providing minerals such as coal, iron, mica, aluminium,
etc., the contribution of the mining sector to India’s GDP has been on a steady decline. Contribution by the mining
sector to India’s GDP is only 1.75%. Whereas other countries like South Africa and Australia contribute 7.5% and
6.99%.

Reasons:
 Mining is harmful from an environmental point of view. There has hardly been a mining project that did not
face opposition on this front.
 Several tribal communities and Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) fall into the mining zones. Their
residence is also threatened by an increase in mining. Their rehabilitation and compensation is another major
issue.
 The auction of a mine is a process where the power rests in the hands of State governments. There might
exist ambiguity in the case where there are two different political parties in power at the Center and the State.
 There are also issues like technological advancements and availability of cheap funds. Lack of these is the
major determinant in poor growth of the mining industry.
 India has majorly been an exporter of raw materials and an importer of finished products made out of those
raw materials. As the raw materials are sold at dirt cheap rates, it reflects poorly in the GDP calculations.

Question: What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of the water bodies into urban land
use? Explain with examples. (150 words) 10
Answer: Land reclamation means creating land either by removing water from muddy areas or raising the
level of the land. With an increasing demand for land, it can be a good solution for creating areas for building,
agriculture and other uses.
However, it is one of the most consequential fields of human induced environmental transformation and has
many environmental consequences such as:
 Damaged Ecology: Urban land transformation leads to creation of residential, commercial buildings around
water bodies, causing degradation of water ecology and influx of nutrients. Dal Lake and other water bodies

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in Srinagar are a great example of it. Land reclamation can also change the shape of the seabed and wave
patterns leading to changes in the ecosystem.
 Frequent Floods: Water bodies act as sponges for rainfall, reclamation of water bodies, has led to higher
incidences of floods. Depletion of vegetation, transformation of soil cover to concretised landscape has
reduced permeability, increased run-off. The biggest example of it is Mumbai.
 Extinction of Species: Land reclamation of wetlands has increased the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD)
which is detrimental not only for aquatic species but also for aerial fauna.
 Pollution: Water bodies have been turned into landfills in several cases. Because of heavy pollution of
Hussainsagar Lake, many pollutants get carried into underground water bodies. Though percolation filters
many pollutants, open wells or bore wells receive certain pollutants causing groundwater pollution.
Water bodies not only support high concentrations of biodiversity, but also offer a wide range of important
resources and ecosystem services like food, water, fiber, groundwater recharge, water purification, flood
moderation, storm protection, erosion control, carbon storage and climate regulation. Hence their conservation
is an imperative.

Question: Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment.
 (150 words) 10
Answer: A volcano is an opening or rupture in the earth’s surface that allows magma (hot liquid and semi-liquid
rock), volcanic ash and gases to escape. The volcanic eruption could have implications for the local and regional
environment like earthquake, landslides, lahars (mudflows), ash and thunderstorms. 2021 witnessed several
volcanic eruptions viz. Mount Sinabung (Indonesia); Klyuchevskoy (Kamchatka, Russia); Fournaise (Réunion);
Mount Etna (Italy); and Erebus (Antarctica).

Impact of volcanic eruption on the environment:

 Volcanic eruptions are responsible for forming new rock on the Earth’s surface.
 The gases and dust particles thrown into the atmosphere during volcanic eruptions have influences on climate.
 Volcanoes have also caused global warming over millions of years during times in Earth’s history when extreme
amounts of volcanism occurred, releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
 Even though volcanoes are in specific places on Earth, their effects can be more widely distributed as gases,
dust, and ash get into the atmosphere
 Volcanic eruptions are generally preceded by increased seismic activity.
Most of the active volcanoes on earth occur on the Circum-Pacific Belt, also referred to as the Ring of Fire.
Volcanoes are a natural exogenic phenomenon that cannot be avoided, but developing disaster risk resilience will
surely be a step in the right direction.

Question: Why is India considered as a subcontinent? Elaborate your answer. (150 words) 10
Answer: The Indian subcontinent, or simply the subcontinent, is a physiographic region in South Asia. It is
situated on the Indian Plate, projecting southwards into the Indian Ocean from the Himalayas.
Geologically, the Indian subcontinent is related to the landmass that drifted from the supercontinent Gondwana
during the Cretaceous and merged with the Eurasian landmass nearly 55 million years ago. Geographically, it is
the peninsular region in South-Central Asia, delineated by the Himalayas in the north, the Hindu Kush in the west,
and the Arakanese in the east.

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