TLP-UPSC Mains Answer Writing
SYNOPSIS: IASbaba’s TLP – 2018: UPSC Mains General Studies Questions [1st December 2017]- Day 10
Q.1) The life of Mahatma Gandhi is a perfect example of restraint, forgiveness and magnanimity. Comment. Why are these attributes important in today’s world? Discuss.
Approach
Write a line or two about Gandhi in Introduction. Then spilt the body into two parts, one part should contain examples of how Gandhiji implemented these three things in his life and other part is how they are important for present world situations.
Background
Mahatma Gandhi is universally accepted as an exemplary model of ethical and moral life, who perfectly blended his personal and public life through a single code of conduct based on truth and non-violence.
Points to be covered
His life provides example of the following virtues:
Restraint: His simple living despite being a successful lawyer, accepting khadi as an attire to identify with the masses despite being able to afford all comforts.
Forgiveness: Voluntary restraint of vengeance through use of non-violence in mass movements and his personal life. Also, not taking undue advantage of enemy’s weakness like his wish to not go for mass movement while British were troubled due to world war.
Magnanimity: Working for the Harijans and putting his own life in danger for the country show the magnanimity of his character.
These attributes are required in today’s world to prevent:
Restraint:
- Financial- Money laundering, Tax avoidance, financial scams
- Desires- Rape, murder and other crimes
- Social- Materialism, objectifying women
Forgiveness:
- Crimes related to vengeance
- Intolerance, communalism, terrorism
- Promote peace throughout world
Magnanimity:
- Inequality in resource distribution
- Reducing economic and health related vulnerabilities of downtrodden
Conclusion
If just these three are adopted in present times, it will also help in achieving sustainable development goals which results in better world to live in. Gandhiji also showed us through this the path of how to lead a simple, harmonious and peaceful life with full of love and compassion.
Connecting the dots:
- Gandhian ethics & Philosophy.
- Virtues like truth, non-violence, integrity etc.
Best answer: SHIVANI
2. A good teacher can inspire hope, ignite the imagination, and instill a love of learning. Elucidate.
Approach
It is an open ended question so there cannot be just single approach or a model synopsis.
Here you have to explain how a teacher can inspire hope – by showing that there is a lot of potential in a student and he/she can achieve great heights. A good teacher has to set high benchmarks for students and help them strive for being better than the best.
A teacher can ignite imagination by not restricting their scope of learning. He should encourage dialogue and discussion. He should teach that no question is a wrong question and should encourage his pupils to think out of the box.
A teacher can instill a love of learning by being a role model for students. A good teacher is one who is always ready to learn new things. As a teacher grows, students grow with him. Once the student will understand the hunger for knowledge in a teacher, they would want to learn something more.
These qualities you need to explain with the help of examples.
For example, teacher of Dr. Kalam instilled hope in him that he can be great. Teacher of Aristotle, Plato ignited the imagination in him and teacher of Dr. Ambedkar instilled a love of learning.
Note: you can have your own example to elucidate the topic. But examples should be apt and explain how good teachers have installed the above virtues.
Connecting the dots:
In the above question, the line of the answer was decided by the articulation of the question. You had to specifically write about the qualities which are mentioned in the statement.
You can also get an open ended answer asking for the qualities of a good teacher. You need to prepare a model answer for that. Try to write some good values and keywords. If you are preparing an answer now, you won’t have to think much in the exam, as to what qualities you have to include.
Best Answer : Uljhan
Best Answer 2: Shobhit
Q.3) Family is the foundation on which values of a child take shape. Comment.
Approach:
It is a pretty straight forward question, it asks you to mention how family will help in instill values into the children. In ethics there is no THE ANSWER, so you can have different approaches, but mostly try to start with a quote from a famous personality and use more examples to substantiate your argument.
Solution:
“Educate your children to self-control, to the habit of holding passion and prejudice and evil tendencies subject to an upright and reasoning will, and you have done much to abolish misery from their future and crimes from society”. – Benjamin Franklin. The value system practiced in the family becomes automatic to the young family members if they are taught moral values systematically. The family, shapes the child’s attitude towards people and society, and helps in mental growth in the child and supports his ambitions and values. Blissful and cheerful atmosphere in the family will develop the love, affection, tolerance, and generosity.
These days almost all the parents want to instill the following kinds of values to shape in their children’s attitude towards people and the society.
- Respect,
- Kindness,
- Honesty,
- Courage,
- Perseverance,
- Self-discipline,
- Compassion,
- Generosity,
Doing so will protect them from potentially negative societal influences and lay the foundation for them to become good citizens. We’re not fulfilling our responsibilities as parents if we don’t try to instill solid morals in our children.
Family’s role in inculcating the values in children:
- A child learns his behaviour by modelling what he sees around him. Family plays a major role in helping a child socialize and has great influence and bearing on the progress of the child.
- Joint family system, the presence of elders in the family plays the effective role in social and moral development of the children.
- It also helps young generation of the family to imbibe human values and eradicate their negative mental tendencies when they are among elders.
- A family is a unit of parents and the children. Social standards and customs defined by a family provide the emotional and physical basis for a child.
- Values developed by a family are the foundation for how children learn, grow and function in the world. These beliefs, transmits the way of life a child lives and changes into an individual in a society.
- These values and morals guides the individual every time in his actions. Children turn out to be a good person because of the value taught and given by his family members
- Ideas passed down from generation to generation make up a family values. It answers the basic question of how one want to live the family life. Family values enhance the character and turns the children to be good human being.
Conclusion:
Parents and families have the most direct and lasting impact on children’s learning and development of social competence. When parents are involved, students achieve more, exhibit more positive attitudes and behavior, and feel more comfortable in new settings. Early childhood providers need to reach out to families in order to build the kind of relationships that engage them as active partners early in their children’s education and their value development.
Best answer: invincible
4. Demonetisation is only the starting point of the drive to push black money out of the economy. What are other measures taken by the Government to curb black money? Examine. What else needs to be done? Suggest.
Approach:
- Introduction- What black money is and how demonetization helped in curbing it
- Measures taken by the government to curb black money.
- What more needs to be done?
- Conclusion
Background:
Black money is a term used in common parlance to refer to money that is not fully legitimate in the hands of the owner. On November 8, 2016, the historic step of demonetisation was taken. It was the biggest blow to black money hoarders across the country.
Measures taken by the government to curb black money:
- Constitution of SIT (Special Investigation Team) on Black Money. Many of the recommendations made by it have been accepted by government.
- Income Disclosure Scheme.
- Linking bank accounts with Aadhaar and PAN. It also made easy for Income Tax department to track big and suspicious transactions through bank accounts as well as check fake accounts.
- Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act, 2016- Government was able to trace numerous Benami properties. People used to hedge black money in Benami property while taking advantage of shortcomings in this Act.
- Double Tax Avoidance Agreement (DTAA)- Tax evaders, used weak laws to stash black money in foreign accounts. Tax havens like Switzerland, Singapore, Mauritius and Panama, have agreed to share suspicious banking transactions of Indians on real time basis under the DTAA.
- Signing of Automatic Exchange of Information and tax information exchange agreements agreements with countries like Switzerland. It was signed under the G20 framework and India is a signatory.
- Action against Shell Companies- Government cancelled registration of over two lakh companies. The shell companies were suspected of money laundering activities.
- Promotion of cashless transaction- Card based transactions or digital transactions automatically uploads transaction details under the PAN Card. Such a system will reduce the scope of black money. National Payment Corporation’s Rupay Card, UPI, BHIM, Adhaar Enabled Payment System etc. are government initiatives for cashless transaction economy.
Suggested measures:
- The agencies like enforcement directorates, IT, FIU,CBI should collaborate, sharing their database among themselves as well as any special state agencies to nab these offenders.
- Decreasing the tax and increasing the tax base.
- Increasing awareness.
- Promoting digital literacy.
- Further steps are required for financial inclusion like- Increasing the footprint of ATMs in rural areas. Financial exclusion results into creation of parallel economy(moneylenders) which contributes to black money generation.
Conclusion:
With constant efforts Government, has not only put in place a system to block corruption and black money, but has also created an environment that makes it almost impossible. However the initiatives taken till now needs to be implemented effectively and also the above suggested measures needs to be implemented.
Connecting the dots:
- Demonetisation- Objectives, Success, Failures.
- Black money- Steps taken by all stakeholders- RBI, SEBI etc.
- International cooperation on black money
- Digitization and black money.
Best answer: Sk
5. What is a GI tag? Discuss. Why was it in news recently?
Background: The Geographical Indication (GI) Registry and Intellectual Property India presented the Geographical Indication Tag status to Banglar Rasogolla of West Bengal and Mamallapuram stone sculptures of Tamil Nadu. West Bengal was involved in a lengthy battle with Odisha, which too had claimed Rasogolla as its invention.
Introduction: According to the World Intellectual Property Rights,”Geographical Indication is the sign used on the products that have specific geographical origin and posses’ reputation and some qualities that are due to the origin.” In India Geographical Indication tag is governed by the Geographical Indication of Goods (Registry and Protection) Act of 1999.
Body: Darjeeling tea became the first product to get this tag in 2005. Till now, nearly 295 products have been accorded this tag. The Pashmina from Kashmir, Nagpur mangoes, Madhubani paintings of Bihar, are some of the examples.
- It is a collective right unlike other IPRs (intellectual property rights) like Patent which is individual right.
- It helps in the upliftment of local artisan, businessmen, tribal communities etc by providing business opportunity and branding.
- Registration of the product under the GI facilitates better legal protection and the authorised user can exercise his right to use the tag effectively.
Why was it in news recently?
- There was a bittersweet battle between the West Bengal Rasgolla and Odisha rasgolla for the Geographical Indication tag. Both of them claimed the origin of rasgolla in their own respective states. But finally, West Bengals Banglar rasgulla was successful in getting the GI tag.
- Many of the products like sculpture from Mamallapuram, Etikoppaka toys of Andhra Pradesh, Banganapallae mangoes of Andhra Pradesh have been accorded the GI tag recently.
- Many north east states are not able to provide historical evidence of the origin of the product and so they are devoid of getting GI tag.
- The GI Act does not emphasis on the quality of products, there is lack of inspection, monitoring of the products. That is the reason why we don’t hear success stories of the GI tag.
Conclusion: As the GI tag can be good way to support domestic agricultural or handicrafts goods of India in the global market the domestic law requirement for proof of origin should be relaxed so that oral history and other records can be considered for registering GI. The protection and quality assurance of GI products should also be regulated so as to maintain its brand image and value.
Connecting the dots:
Intellectual property, Geographical Indication, Compulsory licensing and new IPR policy all should be well read and understood; Question can be broader or specific to particular issue.
Best Answer: Maximus
