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SYNOPSIS- IASbaba’s TLP 2016 [23rd Sep] – UPSC Mains GS Questions [HOT]
1. Given below is a quote by M K Gandhi. How far his thoughts appeal to you in the contemporary Indian social context? Examine.
(you should go through best answer section)
Introduction:
Your introduction should explain the quote in brief.
Body:
Mention the recent events and relevance of this quote in present times.
Recent events where social fabric get disturbed:
- Akhlaq’s lynching in dadri
- Sikh riots1984, Godhara 2002 etc.
- Muzaffarnagar riots
- Cow vigilante etc.
- ISIS, 9/11 attack etc.
Why/How Gandhian idea is important
- Sufi idea
- Multiculturalism
- Peace and tolerance
- secularism
(you can add more points)
Conclusion:
Your conclusion should mention the need of inclusivity and peaceful coexistence in present times. Gandhian ideas work as a guiding light for the modern world.
Best answer1: Valyrian Steel
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Best Answer2: vengeancee
Gandhi’s ideas were much ahead of its times, and continue to hold their relevance today more than ever. The above statement reflects his ideas on secular values & there exists no dichotomy between several castes, cultures, and religious communities.
Past few years have witnessed various incidents disrupting peace & harmony in society occurring in fault lines of communalism, caste divide. Incidents like lynching of Mohd Akhlaq in Dadri (September 2015), and several Cow vigilantes attacking beef eaters especially among marginalized community. These incidents have brought shame to the country whose father of the nation preached secular values throughout his life.
Contemporary social environment is fear striven, and is unlike liberal values India has stood for in decades. Religious teachings should be on the lines of God being one. Every religion teaches peace, prosperity, & welfare of poorest. Worship style might differ, rituals may vary, traditions may contrast, but underlying principle remains same for every religion.
In present times of social tension, such insightful & enlightening values should be adhered to. Recently, Maharashtra Government brought a de-radicalization plan for minority institutions to preach teachings of all religions & giving subsidized books for better cognitive understanding in current socially strained times.
Best Answer3: Mukesh_MAX
2. It is easy to perform a good action, but not easy to acquire a settled habit of performing such actions. Do you agree? Substantiate by taking suitable examples.
Introduction:
You need to remember that the question is not asking about a bad action and a good action. It is about developing a habit of good actions.
It is believed that inherently every person has some element of goodness in him/her. So they are inclined towards a good action. They can differentiate between what is good and what is bad, and it becomes easy to perform a good action.
But there are many factors which restricts this action as a one single individual act and not a sustained habit. They can be – Social pressures, personal greed, lack of commitment etc. (You can explain these with the help of suitable examples. One can be from administration perspective and the other can be from any life experience.)
Write some ways in which this habit can be inculcated. Like- having integrity (thoughts and actions are in compliance), Selfless righteousness, determination and self control etc. (You can add many more here with some examples.)
Best Answer 1: Bhawana
Thoughts become our actions and actions become our habits and habits soon transfer into character if followed regularly. Performing yoga a day after reading an health article is easy and out of the sprut of movement but to do so daily needs true will.
It is easy to be motivated but to keep the motivation burning is something else. Same is true for the inculcation of habit as resolving to study hard by making notes for the rest of the time is boosting but to implement is to develop a habit on daily basis.
A great action a day is temporary and less praised but continuity of the same is indefinite and well admired like compassion and treatment offered by Saint Terresa throughout her life.
For most of us first January comes as a day of resolution and we take one too but half of all resolutions can sustain until the first week turns over as it is quick to determine but to be firm on that demands unfatigued efforts.
For this self regulation and self motivation are more promising than any imposed or artificial precondition. It can come by imaging the desired result in one’s own personality and by meeting the person daily in the mirror to examine the progress.
This comes from the culture we belong to and from the environment we live in. All that needs is the following of instincts and incessant erasing of limiting outward influence, if any.
3. Today success is valued by the height of one’s achievements. It puts a lot of pressure on individuals. Everyone appears to be fiercely competitive to outperform each other to become successful in the eyes of the society. In this context, how relevant is the quote provided below?
“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”
Points to be incorporated in the answer:
- The definition of success holds different meaning to different people. While some focus only on the end i.e., success others focus on the means used to achieve the end.
- There exists a ‘social Darwinism’ for excellence in materialistic desires. It however alienates an individual from”self-realization” by insisting that means are not so desirable in themselves than on the ends.
- World famous footballer Ronaldo does not do smoking, alcohol related endorsements as he believes that him doing so will be a bad influence on young children who look upto him for inspiration and hard work.
- The above statement takes deontological or Kantian view on the state of things as done by humans, getting rich, famous and respectable are desired by both businessman and a gangster alike, but to these ends one follows path of hard work and the other uses violence, one gets respected for his efforts the other misunderstands fear as respect.
- Kantian ethics focus on the means in themselves as right or wrong rather than judging them by the ends they are trying to achieve.
- One’s success does not determine ones character but character is developed by the dedication towards one’s duties and how he discharges the.
- ( try to add some more examples that you can come up with, and using those examples try to explain the importance of values in building the character)
Best answer: Spectre
In this 21st century where google can give a bazillion results in 0.5 seconds, success is also measured on a person’s performance, achievements, possessions etc.
But the question is, how can success be defined? Is it just the possessions or achievements of a person or more than that.Competition starts from childhood itself, top rank in every class, performance at college , attaining a high paid job. This type of competition infringes pressure on an individual trying to prove him/herself at every step and the original personality of a person often gets lost in this race, without understanding the perils of such journey.Success is good, but a person should not loose values in the process of attaining success.
Afterall what is success if there are no values attached to it.If success is about richness and power then even Vijay mallya and Subrata roy can be called successful , but it is more about maintaining integrity, righteousness, self respect and sincerity. As Ratan Tata rightly said “apart from values and ethics i have tried to live by, the legacy i would like to leave is a simple one- that i have always stood up for what i considered to be the right thing and i have tried to be as fair and equitable that i could be “
Thus success is just not a measure of a person’s trophies but a measure of the values that he maintained throughout.Success embraces a person who works hard sooner or later, but in the quest for it one should not loose values
4. What are ‘Liposomes’? How liposomes are different from the antibiotics?
(Most of the points are already been covered under the best answer section.)
(links of few videos have been given below for better understanding. These are short videos ~ 5-7 mins. Please go through them. Visual learning helps in better understanding especially in S&T related questions.)
How Does Liposomal Technology Work?
Could This Antibiotic Alternative Save the World?
Best Answer1: Mainak
A Liposome is a tiny bubble (vesicle) which is made of the same material as a cell membrane. Liposomes can be filled with drugs, and used to deliver drugs for cancer and other diseases.
Liposome derived its name from ‘Lipos’ (fat) and ‘Soma’ (body). A liposome can be of uni-lamellar vesicle or multi-lamellar vesicle. It can be composed of naturally-derived phospholipids with mixed lipid chains, these phospholipids are its natural buiding blocks.
Liposomes are used as models for artificial cells. Liposomes can also be designed for administration of nutrients and pharmaceutical drugs.
Antibiotics are anti-microbial drugs used in the treatment and prevention of bacterial infections. Liposomes as the vehicle of nutrients and drugs, are used as a carrier of antibiotics for preventing bacterial infections. Liposome is found as a useful agent to improve pharmacokinetics, to reduce toxicity and to enhance antibacterial activity.
In an era of an avalanche of increasing bacterial resistance, SUPERBUGs and severe problems in treating bacterial infections, the application of liposome as antibiotic carriers holds immense potential, but the high cost of liposome preparation and treatment should also be considered.
Best Answer2: –Raghuram
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5. What do you understand by the term ‘Maritime Silk Road’? Critically examine its implications vis-a-vis India’s interests?
Introduction:
Provide comprehensive definition of the term ‘Maritime Silk Road’
Part 2: Should be very comprehensive (Focus on how MSR affects India’s interests)
Some of the below points could be – How MSR affects:
1) India’s interest with respect to fundamental shift of power towards Asia (i.e, India wants power sharing not a single country’s hegemony
2) India’s interest to become global leadership cannot happen without being a regional power – China’s MSR will impact India’s interest to become regional power
3) Wrt Indian ocean or any ocean and trade routes – India’s interest is free and peaceful trade route and connectivity
4) India’s attempts to push for greater economic integration have repeatedly been frustrated, so how MSR plays a positive role, how it affects India’s multilateral relations
5) India wants equitable and inclusive development of all states
6) You can add some contemporary policies too like Neighbour First, Link East, BCIM etc..
7) Also security and strategic interests
Or simply put in short – achieving its strategic vision/interest of acting as a stabilizer in its neighborhood, a balancer in Asia, a reformer of global trade and monetary policies, and a responsible power in global peace and security
Note: Bring up the analysis, dont just revolve around India versus Pakistan or China’s string of pearls
Best answer: Mani
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