Write any one of the following essays in 1000-1200 words (125 marks)
1.“Consistency is the playground of dull minds.”
1.Objective of the Essay
This essay explores the philosophical, political, ethical, and practical dimensions of consistency as a human and institutional trait. While consistency is often celebrated as a hallmark of integrity, commitment, and trustworthiness, the quote provokes a deeper inquiry—can unyielding consistency also lead to stagnation, rigidity, or even injustice? The essay argues that in a dynamic world, progress often requires deliberate inconsistency—an openness to rethinking, reforming, and discarding beliefs or systems that no longer serve a just purpose.
Focus:
The tension between consistency and creative evolution
When consistency signals discipline vs. when it signals dogma
Inconsistency as a force for reform, innovation, and moral courage
Risks of rigidity in governance, leadership, and ideology
The role of reflective change in ethical and democratic growth
2.Understanding the Topic
Key Terms:
Consistency: Adherence to the same thought or behaviour over time, often seen as a virtue of reliability and steadiness
Playground: A metaphor for a safe, comfortable space with no challenge or growth
Dull minds: Not lacking intelligence, but resistant to change, curiosity, or introspection
Guiding Questions:
Is consistency always a virtue, or can it reflect fear of change?
Can individuals and institutions grow without contradicting past positions?
How does moral, scientific, or political progress relate to breaking with tradition?
Where should we draw the line between principled conviction and rigid orthodoxy?
How can one practice adaptive consistency—where core values persist but methods evolve?
3.Introduction Techniques
Quotation-Based Introduction: Emerson once warned, “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.” In a complex world, clinging to the past for its own sake can become a quiet enemy of truth, creativity, and justice.
Historical Hook: When Galileo challenged the Church’s geocentric model, he was condemned for heresy—not because he was wrong, but because he dared to be inconsistent with accepted doctrine. That inconsistency birthed modern science.
Philosophical Introduction: Human progress is marked not by unbroken lines but by ruptures—moments where thinking minds dared to break with habit, with authority, and even with themselves. Consistency may bring comfort, but not always clarity.
Anecdotal Introduction: In the courtroom, Justice H.R. Khanna dissented during the Emergency despite institutional pressure. Though inconsistent with the majority, his stand later emerged as the moral spine of Indian constitutionalism.
4.Structuring the Body (Thematic)
Philosophy and Epistemology of Change
Socratic method: Encourages contradiction and questioning—not dogma—as the pathway to wisdom
Buddhist philosophy: Impermanence (Anicca) is a core reality—clinging to consistency is ignorance
Nietzschean ethics: Truth evolves, and intellectual bravery often requires abandoning past beliefs
Kant vs. Mill: While Kant upheld moral consistency, Mill advocated flexibility based on consequences
Limits of logic: Life’s emotional and moral depth often defies logical consistency; grief or empathy demands flexibility
Social Reform and the Role of Contradiction
Ambedkar’s legacy: His fight against caste was built on rejecting religious and cultural consistencies
Gandhi’s journey: Evolved in views on caste, women, and industrialisation—truth for him was dynamic, not dogmatic
Feminist movements: Challenge patriarchal norms by questioning culturally ‘consistent’ roles assigned to women
LGBTQ+ rights: Legal victories like Navtej Singh Johar show how justice demands breaking with judicial precedent
Caste and religion: Social hierarchies persist in the name of tradition—consistency here is not virtue, but violence
Politics, Governance, and Institutional Reform
Constitutional flexibility: Article 368 allows change; over 100 amendments show the need for adaptive governance
Farm law repeal (2021): The government’s U-turn, though inconsistent, was responsive to democratic sentiment
Foreign policy: India’s shift from non-alignment to strategic autonomy reflects pragmatic inconsistency
Judicial evolution: SC reversed its own verdicts in cases like adultery (Joseph Shine) and privacy (Puttaswamy)
Administrative inertia: Rigid adherence to obsolete policies often blocks innovation (e.g., colonial-era laws like Sedition)
Leadership, Creativity, and Moral Courage
Martin Luther King Jr.: Was labelled inconsistent when he broadened civil rights to economic justice—but grew in moral stature
Lincoln and Emancipation: Shifted from moderate to abolitionist—consistency would’ve meant moral failure
Scientific revolutions: Einstein upended Newton; scientific method thrives not on consistency but challenge and revision
Entrepreneurship: Start-ups thrive by pivoting—Zomato, initially a restaurant listing site, became a delivery giant
When Consistency is Necessary and Noble
Rule of law: Procedural consistency ensures fairness, predictability, and public trust
Democratic values: Fundamental rights must remain consistent across regimes to protect minorities
Personal integrity: Nelson Mandela remained consistent in upholding non-violence despite 27 years in prison
Scientific methodology: Validity in research rests on replicability and consistency in results
Institutional trust: Citizens expect systems (e.g., taxation, service delivery) to follow consistent rules and expectations
5.Building Arguments
Real-Life Examples:
Justice H.R. Khanna: Dissent in ADM Jabalpur case defied consistency, upheld liberty
Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy: Defied gender norms to reform health and women’s rights
E. Sreedharan: Prioritized contextual solutions over rigid project templates
Farmers’ Protests: Revealed how ignoring ground realities for consistent economic doctrine leads to resistance
India’s Climate Policy: From cautious INDCs (2015) to net-zero target (2070)—a justifiable, timely shift
Constitutional Anchors:
Preamble: Justice, liberty, and equality must be pursued through evolving means
Article 14 & 21: Require contextual interpretation, not fixed application
Article 368: Empowers constitutional transformation in line with changing societal needs
Judicial Review: Enables course correction by courts
Directive Principles (Art. 39, 46): Invite innovative approaches to social justice
Philosophical Theories:
John Stuart Mill: Morality is judged by outcomes, not blind rule-following
Tagore: Education must enable freedom, not conformity
Gandhian ethics: Truth evolves with one’s conscience
Karl Popper: All theories must be falsifiable—no idea is beyond challenge
Rawls’ reflective equilibrium: Ethical consistency should allow course-correction through moral reasoning
6.Conclusion Techniques
Vision-Based Conclusion: In a world shaped by complexity, speed, and pluralism, integrity lies not in staying unchanged, but in remaining open to better truths. Adaptive thinking must replace blind adherence.
Return-to-Intro Conclusion: Just as Galileo and Gandhi contradicted their societies to advance them, our institutions and minds too must outgrow the comfort of unchallenged consistency. Greatness often begins with the courage to be inconsistent.
Philosophical Conclusion: Truth, justice, and creativity are not static destinations, but living quests. Let consistency be a compass—not a cage. Let us dare, then, to grow—even if it means growing out of what we once believed.
2. “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.”
1.Objective of the Essay
This essay explores the deep psychological, ethical, and sociopolitical consequences of exclusion and marginalisation. The quote is both literal and metaphorical—it warns that neglect, especially of the young, the poor, or the voiceless, can lead to alienation, resentment, and rebellion. It urges the state and society to examine the roots of social unrest, violence, crime, and extremism—not merely as law-and-order issues, but as failures of inclusion, dignity, and empathy.
Focus:
Exclusion as a root cause of conflict and unrest
The moral and emotional cost of social neglect
Role of institutions in preventing alienation
Need for participatory governance, dignity, and justice
Reconstructing “the village” through inclusive nation-building
Understanding the Topic
Key Terms:
Child: Symbolic of the vulnerable—youth, minorities, Dalits, tribals, poor, migrants, etc.
Village: Represents the collective—society, state, institutions, community
Burn it down: Not literal arson, but acts of rebellion—crime, protest, extremism, self-harm
What happens when individuals or groups feel unheard or invisible in society?
Is violence sometimes an outcome of deep emotional or structural neglect?
How do social institutions and policies perpetuate or resolve this alienation?
Can inclusivity and dignity prevent radicalisation, unrest, or crime?
What does it mean for the village (state/society) to “embrace” its children?
Introduction Techniques
Quotation-Based Introduction: As African wisdom reminds us, “The child who is not embraced by the village will burn it down to feel its warmth.” This is not just a comment on human nature—it is a powerful indictment of societal neglect.
Anecdotal Introduction: In 2012, a young man named Richard in London set fire to a shop during the riots. His reason: “I’ve never felt noticed. At least now someone sees me.” Alienation is not an excuse for violence, but it often explains it.
Historical Hook: The French Revolution, the Naxalbari movement, and even the rise of youth-led unrest in Kashmir and Manipur—all point to a painful truth: when voices are not heard, they rise in fury.
Str4.ucturing the Body (Thematic)
Psychology and Ethics of Exclusion
Maslow’s hierarchy: Humans need love and belonging after basic survival—social neglect creates emotional desperation
Gandhian thought: Denial of dignity is a form of violence—true peace needs justice, not silence
Frantz Fanon: Colonial oppression created rage among the marginalised—violence became their only language
Youth alienation: When schools, homes, or streets don’t nurture identity, the void is filled by crime or extremism
Ethical loss: The failure to recognise humanity in others is the first step toward collective breakdown
Social Inequalities and Structural Violence
Caste exclusion: Manual scavengers, Dalit students, and marginalised castes face social invisibility despite legal safeguards
Tribal alienation: Forest displacement, lack of consultation, and cultural erasure have fuelled Naxalism in central India
Gender marginalisation: Girls denied education or agency often rebel—either inwardly (dropouts, child marriage) or outwardly (activism, defiance)
Urban poverty: Slum-dwellers and street children suffer daily indignities—crime becomes both livelihood and protest
Religious and ethnic isolation: Riots and polarisation often stem from decades of social ‘othering’
Governance, Policy, and Institutional Failure
Education gaps: NEP 2020 seeks to include, but systemic exclusion persists due to dropouts, digital divide, and poor access
Criminal justice: Over 70% of undertrials in Indian jails are Dalits, tribals, or Muslims—indicative of systemic bias
Health inequity: Rural, tribal, and marginalised women face highest maternal mortality—indifference can be lethal
Unemployment and youth unrest: Joblessness fuels identity-based mobilisation, as seen in agitations like Patidar, Maratha, and Jat protests
Digital and urban governance: Smart Cities exclude informal workers; Aadhaar-linked welfare often fails the most vulnerable
Rebellion, Crime, and Violence: When the Fire Spreads
Left-Wing Extremism: Emerged in areas where “India’s growth” never reached—lack of schools, roads, dignity
Terrorism recruitment: Radicalisation thrives where identity is insulted, and voices are unheard (e.g., ISIS, separatist movements)
Gang violence in cities: Often driven by lack of belonging and access to opportunity
Farmer protests and street movements: Even peaceful mass protests reflect a felt lack of listening by the “village”
Embracing the Child: Building an Inclusive Village
Participatory democracy: Gram Sabhas, Urban Local Bodies, and social audits help communities speak for themselves
Education for dignity: Not just skills, but teaching constitutional values, empathy, and dialogue
Restorative justice: Focus on reconciliation and reform—not just punishment—especially for juvenile offenders
Welfare beyond paperwork: Direct engagement, not just DBT, needed to restore dignity
Listening state: Platforms like MyGov, public consultations, and citizens’ charters must be strengthened and deepened
5.Building Arguments
Real-Life Examples:
Rohith Vemula: His suicide note shook India—he died of being made to feel “a number,” not a human
B.R. Ambedkar: Rose from systemic exclusion to architect the Constitution—he warned that “those who suffer inequality will one day blow up the structure”
Kailash Satyarthi’s work: Highlights how child labour often begins where love and support end
Nirbhaya case protests: Emerged from a deep collective pain of women feeling unsafe and unheard
Shaheen Bagh and CAA protests: Women and students spoke not only against a law, but for their right to belong
Constitutional Anchors:
Preamble: Justice, liberty, and fraternity are promises made to every child of the Republic
Article 39(f): State shall ensure childhood is protected against exploitation
Article 21A: Right to education implies emotional and social inclusion, not just literacy
Article 243G: Empowerment of local communities—bringing the “village” closer to its children
Philosophical Theories:
Gandhian Sarvodaya: A society must lift the last person to be truly moral
Rawls’ justice theory: A just society is one where the most disadvantaged feel secure
Tagore’s humanism: Education and community must nurture dignity and curiosity—not alienation
Ubuntu (African philosophy): “I am because we are”—without mutual care, society fractures
Amartya Sen’s capability approach: Freedom to live with dignity is the core of development
6.Conclusion Techniques
Vision-Based Conclusion: A nation that embraces all its children—across caste, class, gender, religion, and region—builds not just peace, but strength. Inclusion is not charity. It is the foundation of a just, resilient society.
Return-to-Intro Conclusion: If the child burns down the village, it is not to destroy, but to be seen. Let our society not wait for that fire. Let it offer warmth before the coldness of exclusion turns into rage.
Philosophical Conclusion: Rebellion is often the language of the unheard. If we truly seek a peaceful, just world, then let us begin by embracing every forgotten child—so no one ever needs to burn anything to feel human.
