General Studies Paper III (GS III)

20 questions, 250 marks, 3 hours. Open a question for its Hindi text, a topper’s answer to it, and to write it and get it marked.

1. Q1The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as jobless growth. Do you agree with this view ? Give arguments in favour of your answer.12.5 marks · 200 words
2. Q2Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable measures to promote this sector in India.12.5 marks · 200 words
3. Q3In view of the declining average size of land holdings in India which has made agriculture non-viable for a majority of farmers, should contract farming and land leasing be promoted in agriculture ? Critically evaluate the pros and cons.12.5 marks · 200 words
4. Q4How can the ‘Digital India’ programme help farmers to improve farm productivity and income ? What steps has the Government taken in this regard ?12.5 marks · 200 words
5. Q5In what way could replacement of price subsidy with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India ? Discuss.12.5 marks · 200 words
6. Q6What are the impediments in marketing and supply chain management in developing the food processing industry in India ? Can e-commerce help in overcoming these bottlenecks ?12.5 marks · 200 words
7. Q7Craze for gold in Indians has led to a surge in import of gold in recent years and put pressure on balance of payments and external value of rupee. In view of this, examine the merits of the Gold Monetization Scheme.12.5 marks · 200 words
8. Q8“Success of ‘Make in India’ programme depends on the success of ‘Skill India’ programme and radical labour reforms.” Discuss with logical arguments.12.5 marks · 200 words
9. Q9To what factors can the recent dramatic fall in equipment costs and tariff of solar energy be attributed ? What implications does the trend have for the thermal power producers and the related industry ?12.5 marks · 200 words
10. Q10There is a clear acknowledgement that Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are a tool of industrial development, manufacturing and exports. Recognizing this potential, the whole instrumentality of SEZs requires augmentation. Discuss the issues plaguing the success of SEZs with respect to taxation, governing laws and administration.12.5 marks · 200 words
11. Q11What do you understand by ‘Standard Positioning Systems’ and ‘Precision Positioning Systems’ in the GPS era ? Discuss the advantages India perceives from its ambitious IRNSS programme employing just seven satellites.12.5 marks · 200 words
12. Q12What are the areas of prohibitive labour that can be sustainably managed by robots ? Discuss the initiatives that can propel research in premier research institutes for substantive and gainful innovation.12.5 marks · 200 words
13. Q13Discuss the advantages and security implications of cloud hosting of servers vis-a-vis in-house machine-based hosting for government businesses.12.5 marks · 200 words
14. Q14India’s Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), which has a database containing formatted information on more than 2 million medicinal formulations is proving a powerful weapon in the country’s fight against erroneous patents. Discuss the pros and cons of making this database publicly available under open-source licensing.12.5 marks · 200 words
15. Q15Discuss the *Namami Gange* and National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) programmes and causes of mixed results from the previous schemes. What quantum leaps can help preserve the river Ganga better than incremental inputs ?12.5 marks · 200 words
16. Q16The frequency of earthquakes appears to have increased in the Indian subcontinent. However, India’s preparedness for mitigating their impact has significant gaps. Discuss various aspects.12.5 marks · 200 words
17. Q17Human rights activists constantly highlight the view that the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958 (AFSPA) is a draconian act leading to cases of human rights abuses by the security forces. What sections of AFSPA are opposed by the activists ? Critically evaluate the requirement with reference to the view held by the Apex Court.12.5 marks · 200 words
18. Q18Religious indoctrination via digital media has resulted in Indian youth joining the ISIS. What is ISIS and its mission ? How can ISIS be dangerous for the internal security of our country ?12.5 marks · 200 words
19. Q19The persisting drives of the Government for development of large industries in backward areas have resulted in isolating the tribal population and the farmers who face multiple displacements. With Malkangiri and Naxalbari foci, discuss the corrective strategies needed to win the Left Wing Extremism (LWE) doctrine affected citizens back into the mainstream of social and economic growth.12.5 marks · 200 words
20. Q20Considering the threats cyberspace poses for the country, India needs a “Digital Armed Force” to prevent crimes. Critically evaluate the National Cyber Security Policy, 2013 outlining the challenges perceived in its effective implementation.12.5 marks · 200 words

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2015, General Studies Paper III. The paper on upsc.gov.in.