General Studies Paper II (GS II)

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. Q1In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India?10 marks · 150 words
2. Q2Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine.10 marks · 150 words
3. Q3Under what circumstances can the Financial Emergency be proclaimed by the President of India? What consequences follow when such a declaration remains in force?10 marks · 150 words
4. Q4Why do you think the committees are considered to be useful for parliamentary work? Discuss, in this context, the role of the Estimates Committee.10 marks · 150 words
5. Q5“The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has a very vital role to play.” Explain how this is reflected in the method and terms of his appointment as well as the range of powers he can exercise.10 marks · 150 words
6. Q6“Policy contradictions among various competing sectors and stakeholders have resulted in inadequate ‘protection and prevention of degradation’ to environment.” Comment with relevant illustrations.10 marks · 150 words
7. Q7Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain.10 marks · 150 words
8. Q8E-governance is not only about utilization of the power of new technology, but also much about critical importance of the ‘use value’ of information. Explain.10 marks · 150 words
9. Q9“India’s relations with Israel have, of late, acquired a depth and diversity, which cannot be rolled back.” Discuss.10 marks · 150 words
10. Q10A number of outside powers have entrenched themselves in Central Asia, which is a zone of interest to India. Discuss the implications, in this context, of India’s joining the Ashgabat Agreement, 2018.10 marks · 150 words
11. Q11Whether the Supreme Court Judgement (July 2018) can settle the political tussle between the Lt. Governor and elected government of Delhi? Examine.15 marks · 250 words
12. Q12How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above, discuss the constitutional validity and competency of the tribunals in India.15 marks · 250 words
13. Q13India and USA are two large democracies. Examine the basic tenets on which the two political systems are based.15 marks · 250 words
14. Q14How is the Finance Commission of India constituted? What do you know about the terms of reference of the recently constituted Finance Commission? Discuss.15 marks · 250 words
15. Q15Assess the importance of the Panchayat system in India as a part of local government. Apart from government grants, what sources the Panchayats can look out for financing developmental projects?15 marks · 250 words
16. Q16Multiplicity of various commissions for the vulnerable sections of the society leads to problems of overlapping jurisdiction and duplication of functions. Is it better to merge all commissions into an umbrella Human Rights Commission? Argue your case.15 marks · 250 words
17. Q17How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India?15 marks · 250 words
18. Q18The Citizens’ Charter is an ideal instrument of organizational transparency and accountability, but it has its own limitations. Identify the limitations and suggest measures for greater effectiveness of the Citizens’ Charter.15 marks · 250 words
19. Q19What are the key areas of reform if the WTO has to survive in the present context of ‘Trade War’, especially keeping in mind the interest of India?15 marks · 250 words
20. Q20In what ways would the ongoing US-Iran Nuclear Pact Controversy affect the national interest of India? How should India respond to this situation?15 marks · 250 words

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Main) Examination 2018, General Studies Paper II. The paper on upsc.gov.in.