16. What are asteroids? How real is the threat of them causing extinction of life? What strategies have been developed to prevent such a catastrophe? (Answer in 250 words)
17. What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). (Answer in 250 words)
18. Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods. (Answer in 250 words)
19. India has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development being undertaken in these areas under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme. Answer in 250 words)
20. Social media and encrypting messaging services pose a serious security challenge. What measures have been adopted at various levels to address the security implications of social media? Also suggest any other remedies to address the problem. (Answer in 250 words)
11. Discuss the merits and demerits of the four ‘Labour Codes’ in the context of labour market reforms in India. What has been the progress so far in this regard? (Answer in 250 words)
12. What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government’s UDAN Scheme and its achievements.
13. What are the major challenges faced by the Indian irrigation system in recent times? State the measures taken by the government for efficient irrigation management. (Answer in 250 words)
14. Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stock? Discuss. (Answer in 250 words)
15. The world is facing an acute shortage of clean and safe freshwater. What are the alternative technologies which can solve this crisis? Briefly discuss any three such technologies citing their key merits and demerits. (Answer in 250 words)
6. What is the technology being employed for electronic toll collection on highways? What are its advantages and limitations? What are the proposed changes that will make this process seamless? Would this transition carry any potential hazards? (Answer in 150 words)
7. Industrial pollution of river water is a significant environmental issue in India. Discuss the various mitigation measures to deal with this problem and also the government’s initiatives in this regard.
8. What role do Environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (DIA)outcomes for major projects in India? Cite Tour examples with all important details.
9. Explain how narco-terrorism has emerged as a serious threat across the country. Suggest suitable measures to counter narco-terrorism. (Answer in 150 words)
10. Describe the context and salient features of the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
1. Examine the (pattern) and trend of public expenditure on social services in the post-reforms period in India. To what extent this has been in consonance with achieving the objective of inclusive growth? (Answer in 150 words) 2. What are the causes of persistent high food inflation in India? Comment on the effectiveness of the monetary policy of the RBI to control this type of inflation. (Answer in 150 words) 3. What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate. (Answer in 150 words) 4. Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India. (Answer in 150 words) 5. What is the present world scenario of intellectual property rights with respect to life materials? Although, India is second in the world to file patents, still only a few have been commercialized. Explain the reasons behind this less commercialization. (Answer in 150 words)
16. The Citizens’ charter has been a landmark initiative in ensuring citizen-centric administration. But it is yet to reach its full potential. Identify the factors hindering the realisation of its promise and suggest measures to overcome them. (Answer in 250 words)
17. In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketisation of the system. Suggest some measures through which the State can enhance the reach of public healthcare at the grassroots level. (Answer in 250 words)
18. e-governance is not just about the routine application of digital technology in service delivery process. It is as much about multifarious interactions for ensuring transparency and accountability. In this context evaluate the role of the ‘Interactive Service Model’ of e-governance. (Answer in 250 words)
19. ‘Terrorism has become a significant threat to global peace and security.’ Evaluate the effectiveness of the United Nations Security Council’s Counter Terrorism Committee (CTC and its associated bodies in addressing and mitigating this threat at the international level. (Answer in 250 words)
20. Discuss the geopolitical and geostrategic importance of Maldives for India with a focus on global trade and/energy flows. Further also discuss how this relationship affects India’s maritime security and regional stability amidst international competition? (Answer in 250 words )
11. What are the aims and objects of recently passed and enforced, The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024? Whether University/State Education Board examinations, too, are covered under the Act ? (Answer in 250 words).
12. Right to privacy is intrinsic to life and personal liberty and is inherently protected under Article 21 of the constitution. Explain. In this reference discuss the law relating to D.N.A. testing of child in the womb to establish its paternity. (Answer in 250 words)
13. What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-Stare relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism. (Answer in 250 words)
14. Explain the reasons for the growth of public interest litigation in India. As a result of it, has the Indian Supreme Court emerged as the world’s most powerful judiciary ? (Answer in 250 words)
15. Discuss India as a secular state and compare with the secular principles of the US constitution. (Answer in 250 words)
6. Public charitable trusts have the potential to make India’s development more inclusive as they relate to certain vital public issues. Comment. (Answer in 150 words)
7. Poverty and malnutrition create a vicious cycle, adversely affecting human capital formation. What steps can be taken to break the cycle? (Answer in 150 words)
8. The Doctrine of Democratic Governance makes it necessary that the public perception of the integrity and commitment of civil servants becomes absolutely positive. Discuss.
9. ‘The West is fostering India as an alternative to reduce dependence on China’s supply chain and as a strategically to counter China’s political and economic dominance.” Explain this statement with examples. (Answer in 150 words)
10. Critically analyse India’s evolving diplomatic, economic and strategic relations with the Central Asian Republics (CARs) highlighting their increasing significance in regional and global geopolitics. (Answer in 150 words)
