Air quality in
India is measured with the index called Air Quality Index. What is Air Quality
Index in India? Who developed it? What the six categories and eight
pollutants? What are the criticism of this Air Quality Index recently developed
in India? (250 Words)
Air Quality Index is a scale for measuring the quality and levels of air-pollutants
that have an adverse impact on a large percentage of the population's health and
environment.
The index has been developed by Central Pollution Control Board in consultation
AQI has been categorized into six sections, namely 'Good', 'Satisfactory',
'Moderately Polluted', 'Poor', 'Very Poor' and 'Severe'.
It was launched under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. It is outlined as One Number-
One Colour-One Description for the common man to judge the air quality within his
vicinity.
While the earlier measuring index was limited to three indicators, the current
measurement index had been made quite comprehensive by the addition of five
The proposed AQI will consider eight pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO,
O3, NH3, and Pb) for which short-term (up to 24-hourly averaging period) National
Ambient Air Quality Standards are prescribed. Based on the measured ambient
calculated for each of these pollutants. The worst sub-index reflects overall AQI.
Associated likely health impacts for different AQI categories and pollutants have
been also been suggested, with primary inputs from the medical expert members of
the group. The AQI values and corresponding ambient concentrations (health
breakpoints) as well as associated likely health impacts for the identified eight
pollutants.
pollutant at that moment in time, and its average over a period of time for CO
and O3, the average is taken over eight hours, while for the other three, it is a 24hour average. The unit of measurement is microgram (or milligram in the case of
CO) per cubic meter.
1. Since 90s, industrial units have to install instruments to measure air-quality and
send data to state pollution control boards. If too much pollution then unit will be shut
down.
machine meets quality standards. Government not doing checks on such products, by
itself. This will lead to lacking in standards of measurements.
4. Theyve prepared one index to be used uniformly for Entire India. We need
separate indexes for residential vs industrial areas; cities vs towns vs villages.
5. For example: in village air, methane high due to open compost pits and animal
husbandry. Yet under this index, village air-quality will be good, because methane not
monitored.
8. For example, In China- if air quality index reaches red level, they shut down
primary schools. Delhi is in purple category i.e. one step more dangerous than Red.
So Delhi will have to permanently shut down schools and coaching business expands.
More cost to parents and guardians.
10. Needs at least one continuous monitoring unit (CMU) in each state capital and
million-plus population city.
12. Inorganic linkages b/n SPCB and CPCB, former accused of being political
appointees and prone to data fudging
To conclude, the AQI is a credible first step towards hazard mapping, providing
information to vulnerable citizens such as the elderly and asthmatics, for assessing
efficacy of policy interventions, and for scientific and academic research. However, to
be efficient we need to ensure integrity of the data collected as well as its extension
to all major urban areas
2. What are flash floods and how it is caused? How it is different from Urban
floods?
Model Answer:
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas washes, rivers, dry
lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a severe
thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, or melt water from ice or snow flowing over ice
sheets or snowfields. Flash floods may occur after the collapse of a natural ice or
debris dam, or a human structure such as a man-made dam.
Flash floods are distinguished from a regular flood by a timescale of less than six
hours.
The Indian Himalayan belt is prone to various types of natural disaster due to its
inherent nature and climatic conditions. Earthquakes ranging in severity, floods or flash
flood, and glacial lake outbursts are common among other hazards. Monsoon is the
time (almost every year) when few water-induced disasters take place in some form or
another in various places across this mountain. Cloudbursts, that is sudden and
violent rainfall, followed by flash floods are generally reported in the monsoon
period. Such events are related to extreme hydrometeorolgical conditions leading to
debris flow, landslide and eventually the blockade of river channels, which
consequently wreak havoc downstream..
Causes of flash floods: Most of the rivers in Himalayan terrain flow through narrow
gorges abutting moderate to steep slopes with sharp bands and meet tributaries on
steeper slopes. As the rivers flow downstream, the valley becomes comparatively wider
and less steep. The occurrence of flash floods, particularly in narrow river valleys, is
one of the most-feared consequences of major cloudbursts, landslides or glacial lake
outburst. Rolling of debris by cloudburst or landslide along the constricted course of
the rivers lead to a short-term damming of the river flow, resulting in the creation of
temporary lakes, which can last anywhere from a few days to a few decades. When
the backwater pressure of the lake exceeds the retention capacity of the barrier, the
accumulated water gushes downstream with powerful force inundating otherwise safe
settlements.
A combination of factors appears to contribute to flash flood and cloudburst. The
fragile geology and torrential rains play a significant role in destabilizing the Himalayan
terrain. The entire Himalayan belt is, both tectonically and seismically, a very sensitive
domain with strong tectonised rocks and fragile mountain slopes vulnerable to the
onslaughts of rains. The cumulative effects of past earthquakes in such a zone
aggravate these phenomena.
Two key elements are rainfall intensity and duration. Intensity is the rate of rainfall,
and duration is how long the rain lasts. Topography, soil conditions, and ground cover
also play important roles. Most flash flooding is caused by slow-moving thunderstorms,
thunderstorms repeatedly moving over the same area, or heavy rains from hurricanes
and tropical storms. Floods, on the other hand, can be slow- or fast-rising, but
generally develop over a period of hours or days.
Urban flooding is significantly different from rural and flash flooding as urbanization
leads to developed catchments, which increases the flood peaks from 1.8 to 8 times
and flood volumes by up to 6 times. Consequently, flooding occurs very quickly due to
faster flow times (in a matter of minutes). Urban areas are densely populated and
people living in vulnerable areas suffer due to flooding, sometimes resulting in loss of
life. It is not only the event of flooding but the secondary effect of exposure to
infection also has its toll in terms of human suffering, loss of livelihood and, in
extreme cases, loss of life.
Urban areas are also centres of economic activities with vital infrastructure which
needs to be protected 24x7. In most of the cities, damage to vital infrastructure has a
bearing not only for the state and the country but it could even have global
implications. Major cities in India have witnessed loss of life and property, disruption in
transport and power and incidence of epidemics. Therefore, management of urban
flooding has to be accorded top priority.
Increasing trend of urban flooding is a universal phenomenon and poses a great
challenge to urban planners the world over. Problems associated with urban floods
range from relatively localized incidents to major incidents, resulting in cities being
inundated from hours to several days. Therefore, the impact can also be widespread,
including temporary relocation of people, damage to civic amenities, deterioration of
water quality and risk of epidemics.
3. Classify India into major earthquake zones.
Approach: Just mention the earthquake zones based on latest version of Seismic
zoning map of India where Zone1 is excluded and only 4 zones are there. Most of the
books has not covered this correction in their latest version.
Model Answer.
India being a large landmass is particularly prone to earthquakes About 60% of India
is vulnerable to earthquakes caused by the great, northward grind of the Indian
subcontinental landmass. The Indian subcontinent is divided into four seismic zones
with respect to the severity of the earthquakes.
The latest version of seismic zoning map of India given in the earthquake resistant
design code of India [IS 1893 (Part 1) 2002] assigns four levels of seismicity for India
in terms of zone factors. In other words, the earthquake zoning map of India divides
India into 4 seismic zones (Zone 2, 3, 4 and 5) unlike its previous version which
consisted of five or six zones for the country. According to the present zoning map,
Zone 5 expects the highest level of seismicity whereas Zone 2 is associated with the
lowest level of seismicity.
Each zone indicates the effects of an earthquake at a particular place based on the
observations of the affected areas and can also be described using a descriptive scale
like Modified Mercalli intensity scale or the Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik scale
Zone 5
Zone 5 covers the areas with the highest risks zone that suffers earthquakes of
intensity MSK IX or greater. The IS code assigns zone factor of 0.36 for Zone 5.
Structural designers use this factor for earthquake resistant design of structures in
Zone 5. The zone factor of 0.36 is indicative of effective (zero period) level earthquake
in this zone. It is referred to as the Very High Damage Risk Zone. The region of
Kashmir, the western and central Himalayas, North Bihar, the North-East Indian region
4. Compare and contrast the conditions of Growth of Tea and Coffee in India. Why
Tea grows at higher elevation than Coffee in South India ?
Model Answer:
Tea is a dried leaf of a bush. Tea bush is a tropical and sub-tropical plant and thrives
well in hot and humid climate.There is a very close relation between climate, the yield
and the quality of tea. The Ideal temperature for its growth is 20-30 degree C and the
temperatures above 35 degree C and below 10 degree C are harmful for the bush. It
requires 150-300 cms of annual rainfall which should be well distributed throughout the
year. Whereas Coffee plant requires hot and humid climate with temperature varing
between 15-28 degree C and rainfall from 150 to 250 cms.
(a)While prolonged dry spell is harmful for tea, high humidity, heavy dew and morning
fog favour rapid development of young leaves. Alternate waves of warm and cool
winds are very helpful for tea leaves. Tea is a shade loving plants and develops more
vigorously when planted along with shady trees. Coffee doesnt tolerate frost, snowfall,
high temperature above 30 degree C and strong sunshine and is generally grown
under shady trees.
(b) Tea bush grows well in well-drained, deep, friable loams. However, virgin forests
soils rich in humus and iron content are considered to be the best soils for tea
plantation. Relatively large proportion of phosphorous and potash in the soil gives
special flavor to tea as is the case in Darjeeling. In order to increase the yield proper
dose of nitrogenous fertilizer such as ammonium sulphate should be given to the soil.
Prolonged drought is also injurious to Coffee. Dry weather is necessary at the time of
ripening of berries. Stagnant water is harmful and this crop is grown on hill slopes at
elevations from 600 to 1600m above sea level.
(c)Although tea requires heavy rainfall for its growth, stagnant water is injurious to its
roots. It is thus grown on hill slopes where water drains easily and water logging does
not take place. Most of tea plantation are found at an elevation ranging from 6001800m above mean sea level. For Coffee Northern and eastern aspects of slopes are
preferred as they are less exposed to strong afternoon sun and the south-west
monsoon winds. Well drained, rich friable loams containing good deal of humus and
minerals like iron and calcium are ideal for coffee cultivation. The soil must be
properly matured to retain and replenish fertility and to increase productivity.
(d) Tea production is done in India in the states of Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu,
Kerala and Karnataka.Whereas Coffee production is done in the states of Karnataka,
Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.
Tea grows at higher elevation than Coffee in South India because the soils are
Successive governments have failed in creating any sort of medium term or longterm plan or vision for the state.
To put this in other words, when governments change too quick- the main goal of
MLAs and Ministers is how to extract maximum cash from builders, mining mafias and
corrupt bureaucrats who want transfer-posting in plump position. Hence, Disaster
management doesnt even come in their top-100 priority list of such politicians.
Insufficient resources- Only 4,000 army personnel have been deployed on duty. And
only 100 police men are trained on emergency medical procedures while there is no
one who is trained to manage a natural calamity. The disaster management committee
in the state had not met for six years and they were not at all prepared to handle
such a huge catastrophe.
#4: Absence of tourism management
The Govt. of Uttarakhand spends Rs. 70 crores every year (as per books) in order to
manage tourism in Uttarakhand. In 2012, an additional relief fund of Rs. 23.4 crores
has also been set aside. Despite this, you will not find even a single clean toilet here.
Every year an approx. 3 crores people visit Uttarakhand, but there are only 2 lakh
beds as part of the lodging arrangement (out of which 75% are in dharmshalas and
25% are in hotels)
#5: Non-existent governing authority
No governing authority has been set up to manage pilgrim tourists visiting char
dham. There is not even a Nodal Officer who can monitor the yatra arrangements.
#6: No crowd management
There is a permit system in Amarnath and Mansarovar yatras. Even for Vaishno Devi
trip, there is a crowd management in place. But, there is no such system here.
#7: Reduction in forest cover
The forest cover in Uttarakhand in 1970 was 84.9%. This got reduced to 75.4% in
2000.
#8: Careless organizations
a) IMD
IMD was unable to alert State-authorities in time. It didnt have Doppler radars in the
subject to state level and to develop formal mechanisms for state participation in
decisions about initiation, siting, size and other aspects of airports and rail-based
transport. It has also suggested formation of state-level counterparts OTS, with
particular focus on urban transport.
At metropolitan level, the Committee has suggested for creation of Unified
Metropolitan Transport Authority (UMTAs) as statutory authority. It further suggested
independent budgets expert personnel in all urban agglomerations with population
greater than three million and formation of metropolitan planning committees as per
Constitutional mandate. The Committees recommendations include creation of publicprivate centres of excellence in urban transport in all cities larger than one million and
investment in unified metropolitan databases.
7. What is Montreux Record ?.Who maintains Montreux Record ?Name Indian sites
which are in Montreux Record. Name Indian site which is removed from Montreux
Record ?
Approach : This question can be approached directly by writing what is asked. So
answer is short and concise.
Model Answer: The Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of
Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have
occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological
developments, pollution or other human interference. It is maintained as part of the
Ramsar List.
Indian sites in the Montreaux Record are Keolade National Park-Rajasthan, Loktak
Lake Manipur.India, Chilika Lake, is removed from the Montreux Record.
8. Was the New Economic Policy, passed by Lenin and his government in 1921, a
strategic retreat?
Approach: The answer aimed at why NEP was needed and why it was a strategic
retreat from earlier policies by the government.
Model Answer: Yes, the New Economic Policy was a strategic retreat w.r.t. Lenins
previous policies.
After the success in the Civil War, the next major task before the Bolsheviks was the
reconstruction of Russia. The First World War and the Civil War has devastated the
economy to a great extent. Thus economic reconstruction of Russia was a herculean
task. The War communism imposed by Lenin had resulted into great dissatisfaction
among the peasants.
Initially the peasants were in the favor of the Revolution as the Bolsheviks abolished
the private property and peasants got rid of the oppressive feudal landlords. However,
when their surplus production was forcefully taken away from them with compensation
under the system of War Communism, the great wave of dissatisfaction cropped up
among them. There was no incentive for the peasants to work hard and produce
surplus grains beyond their subsistence. This caused acute food shortage that was
aggravated by drought in 1920-21. In this 5 million peasants lost their lives.
The condiction of production in the factories was no better. The factory owners had
to forcefully surrender their factories to the state which were nationalized. The
management of these factories passed into the hands of the union of the workers. The
union lacked professionalism and capacity to successfully run the factories and the
workshops. Hence the production in the factories went of diminishing which resulted
into inflation.
At this critical juncture Lenin realized that the fact that it would be impossible to
implement the exact theory of Marxism in the context of Russia. Thus he made
various amendments in the original theory of Marxs so that it gets adapted to the
ground realities prevailing in Russia. He came up with New Economic Policy (NEP)
which compromised with various original theory of Marxism but practically solved
various issues in Russia.
The following were the steps taken by Lenin under New Economic Policy (NEP) for
the reconstruction of Russia and to curtail agrarian distress:
(i) Peasants were allowed to keep surplus after payment of tax. This tax was initially
taken in the form of kind and later in cash.This a compromise with the original theory
of Marxism which envisaged nationalization of all means of production and production
as per the need and not for profit.
(ii) A similar compromise was made in the case of small scale industries and trade
where the private ownership was recognized. Though heavy and strategic industries
remained state controlled.
NEP was the departure from the Marxian ideal. It was a middle path between
socialism and capitalism. Lenin was of the view that the temporary mechanism was
essential in Russia to save the gains of revolution.NEP was moderately successful; the
economy began to recover gradually. NEP simulated the production and brought it to
pre-war levels.
The most significant aspect of NEP was the fact that it successfully solved the issue
of discontented peasants and brought production levels at par with the pre-war levels.
This gave ample time to Bolsheviks to consolidate the ideals of revolution and do
away with their enemies.
Thus NEP passed by Lenin and his government was strategic retreat from its earlier
policy.
9. What is the difference between Bioprospecting and Biopiracy? Give examples.
Model Answer:
Bioprospecting is the process of discovery and commercialization of new products
based on biological resources. Despite indigenous knowledge being intuitively helpful,
bioprospecting has only recently begun to incorporate such knowledge in focusing
screening efforts for bioactive compounds.Bioprospecting may involve biopiracy, the
exploitative appropriation of indigenous forms of knowledge by commercial actors, and
also includes the search for previously unknown compounds in organisms that have
never been used in traditional medicine before
Biopiracy is a situation where indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with
indigenous peoples. is used by others for profit, without permission from and with little
or no compensation or recognition to the indigenous people themselves. For example,
when bioprospectors draw on indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants which is later
patented by medical companies without recognizing the fact that the knowledge is not
new, or invented by the patenter, and depriving the indigenous community to the rights
to commercial exploitation of the technology that they themselves had developed.
potash is deficient. Almost all laterite soils are red due to the presence of iron
oxides. This soil is poor in lime content and hence it is acidic. Humus is almost
absent in this type of soil. However, in the laterite soil developed in the forested areas
in the western part of Karnataka state, humus is present.
Geographical Stretch: Laterite soil is primarily found in the tropical regions which
receive heavy seasonal rainfall.They are mainly found on the summits of Western
Ghats at 1000-1500 m above mean sea level, Eastern Ghats, Rajmahal Hills,
Vindhayas, Satpuras and Malwa plateau. They are well developed in South
Maharashtra, part of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, West Bengal, Kerala,
Jharkhand, Assam and Meghalaya.
Economic Significance:
(i) Laterite so soils have a unique distinction of providing valuable building material
and construction of Roads. Hardened varieties of laterite are sometimes cut into blocks
and used as brickstones for building houses
(ii) The Laterite soils in India are not fertile at all and are not suitable to agriculture
Plants like cashew grow well along with Tapioca.. But agriculture can be practiced with
the help of fertilizer.
(iii) Ores are concentrated in metalliferous laterites; aluminium is found in bauxites, iron
and manganese are found in iron-rich hard crusts, nickel and copper are found in
disintegrated rocks, and gold is found in mottled clays.
11. Give an account for the petroleum refineries with factors responsible for their
particular location. How they help in the localization of fertilizer industry in India?
Model Answer:
Oil is extracted from the oil fields is in its crude form and contains many impurities. It
is refined in oil refineries before use. After refining various products such as kerosene,
diesel, petrol, lubricants, bitumen etc. are obtained. Although Indias first oil refinery
started working way back in 1901 at Digboi in Assam. Later on in 1954 only that
another refinery at Tarapur (Mumbai) came up. Since then oil refining in India has
progressed at a rapid pace. Today approximately 22 oil refineries are working in India.
Some of these places where they are located are Guwahati, Barauni, Koyali, Haldia,
During the recent year transportation of Naptha or Gas through rail or pipelines has
facilitated the widespread distribution of fertilizer plants with priority to sea board
location. The H-B-J gas pipeline has given birth to 6 gas based fertilizer plants at
Vijaypur, Jagdispur, Aonla, Gadipan, Babrala and Shahjahanpur.
12. What is sand mining? Illegal mining of river sand in various parts of India is
affecting the ecology of rivers and lives of people in the vicinity of these rivers.
Critically Examine the validity of this statement by listing the states where these
are rampant in recent times.
Model Answer:
Sand mining is a practice that is used to extract sand, mainly through an open pit.
However, sand is also mined from beaches, inland dunes and dredged from ocean
beds and river beds. It is often used in manufacturing as an abrasive, for example,
and it is used to make concrete. It is also used in cold regions to put on the roads
by municipal plow trucks to help icy and snowy driving conditions, usually mixed with
salt or another mixture to raise the freezing temperature of the road surface. Sand
dredged from the mouths of rivers can also be used to replace eroded coastline.
Due to boom in real estate/ construction activities especially in post liberalization era,
there has been a major spike in the sand (beach and river basin) requirement. It has
resulted in unscientific and indiscriminate sand mining against the prescribed rules,
also known as illegal sand mining. Many states of India like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka,
Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra etc have witnessed increased incidences in
recent past. It has affected the river ecology and lives of people nearby as
1. It pollutes the rivers (low PH, mix of various metal oxides, reduces oxygen and
thus, increased BOD). This badly affects river biota.
2. In-stream sand mining results in the destruction of aquatic and riparian habitat
through large changes in the channel morphology. Impacts include bed degradation,
bed coarsening, lowered water tables near the streambed, and channel instability.
3. Polluted water and also reduced ground water levels due to sand mining lead to
drinking water shortage and also agrarian distress in the vicinity, which in turn has
triggered an exodus of people to urban clusters, upsetting the economic and cultural
Four Generation Bio-fuels are aimed at not only producing sustainable energy
but also a way of capturing and storing co2.
Biomass materials, which have absorbed co2 while growing, are converted into
fuel using the same processes as second generation biofuels.
They can be utilized as an effective source of carbon sink and thus reducing
GHGs from the atmosphere .
This carbon capture makes fourth generation biofuel production carbon negative
rather then simply carbon neutral, as it is locks away more carbon than it
produces.
This system not only captures and stores carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
but it also reduces co2 emissions by replacing fossil fuels.
Parliament was elected body and the representative of the people so it should
have the exclusive rights related to taxation. The colonists were of the view that
since British Parliament did not have representation of American colonies,
principally it should not make the taxation laws for them. By making the taxation
laws for the American colonies, the British Parliament is actually defying the
principles and legacy on which it itself rests.
American colonist came up with the slogan of No taxation without
representation. According to the revolutionaries the lack of representation in the
British Parliament was a clearly a violation of the rights of the colonists. Thus
taxation and all other laws that affected the colonists directly and indirectly were
not constitutional at all. During the American Revolution, there were only a few
British citizens that were represented and they were not a part of the colonies.
The phrase summarizes the sentiments that caused the English Civil War, as
told by John Hampden.
The British, on the other hand, supported the concept of virtual representation
which was based on the belief that a Member of Parliament virtually
represented every person in the empire and there was no need for a specific
representative from Virginia or Massachusetts etc.
Thus it was the principles of taxation which was involve in the import duties
and not the actual amount which would come to the treasury. This was very
much objected by the people of America. The resistance of tax gradually
changed into open defiance and lawlessness like that of Boston Tea Party.
15. Evaluate the view that the Battle of Sedan was provoked by Bismarck to fulfill
his political objectives.
Approach: The explanation required is how the France-Prussian war provoked by
Bismarck has helped him to attain the unification of Italy.
Model Answer: Bismarcks main political objective was to unify Italy and he used
critical situations like Battle of Sedan or France- Prussian War as an opportunity to
unify Italy. The following were two biggest impediments in the unification of the
Southern states of Germany:
(i) Many of the southern states were jealous with the growing domination of Prussia.
(ii) France was alarmed by the growing power of Prussia and gradual shift of balance
of power in Europe. Moreover the people of France had a feeling that the defeat of
Austria in Austro-Prussian war was that of France and not that of Austria.
Bismarck in such critical circumstances wanted a national war with France i.e. a war
in which the people of Northern and Southern states of Germany get aligned together
against France. He got this opportunity when Spanish throne got vacant and Prussia
supported the candidature of Leopold, a distant relative of Prussian King.
This was not acceptable to French king Napoleon III who sent his ambassador to the
King of Prussia demanding an assurance that the candidature of family member of the
King should not be supported by Prussia. Bismarck manipulated one of the telegrams
of the King, in such a way that France felt that her ambassador had been insulted
whereas Prussian felt that their king had been disgraced. Resentment in France was
so great that Napoleon was forced to declare a war on Prussia. The war was
declared.
Bismarck diplomatically isolated France in the following ways:
(i) Austria was generously treated after the battle of Sedowa (1866). The purpose was
to gain her support in near future for the unification.
(ii) Italy was given Venetia for remaining neutral after the Austro-Prussian war. Also
Papal States in Italy were yet to be unified and France was the main obstacle in the
unification. Thus the neutrality of Italy was ensured.
(iii) Russia was defeated by France in Ceriman War in 1855. Russia wanted to
avenge that defeat; therefore an alliance between Russia and France was next to
impossible.
French armies were defeated in the Battle of Sedan. The war came to an end with
the Treaty of Frankfurt (1871). The main provisions of the treaty were:
(i) King of Prussia was accepted as the ruler of Germany and Southern states of
Germany was to be part of German Confederation.
(ii) France agreed to give Alsace and Lorraine to Germany.
(iii) France agreed to pay to Prussia heavy was indemnity.
In this way, the task of unification of Germany was completed with the efforts of
Bismarck.
The Battle of Sedan also proved significant for the unification of Italy and France.
During the war French army withdrew from Rome, which is occupied by Italian forces.
This unified the Papal States with Italy and completed the final stage of Italian
Unification as well. Also after the defeat of Napoleon III, republic was created in
France.
Battle of Sedan reinforced the fact that balance of power had shifted in Europe in the
favour of Germany. France no longer remained to be most powerful country. The glory
of France of Napoleonic era passed into oblivion after this battle. Its not an
exaggeration to say that after the battle, Europe has lost of mistress (France ) and
has gained a master (Germany).
16. National Green Tribunal (NGT) has played critical role in addressing the
problem of environment pollution and degradation in India. Explain critically giving
few previous judgments.
Model Answer:
Surging environmental and ecological concerns fertilized the idea of setting up a
National Green Tribunal as an apex body to vaccine the cause.
The National Green Tribunal has been established on 18.10.2010 under the National
Green Tribunal Act 2010 for effective and expeditious disposal of cases relating to
environmental protection and conservation of forests and other natural resources
It also include enforcement of any legal right relating to environment and giving relief
and compensation for damages to persons and property and for matters connected
therewith or incidental thereto.
It is a specialized body equipped with the necessary expertise to handle environmental
disputes involving multi-disciplinary issues. The Tribunal shall not be bound by the
procedure laid down under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, but shall be guided by
principles of natural justice.
The Tribunal's dedicated jurisdiction in environmental matters shall provide speedy
environmental justice and help reduce the burden of litigation in the higher courts.
Ultimately, it was realized that the Southern Oscillation is just the corresponding
atmospheric component of the El Nio/La Nia effect (which happens in the Ocean).
Therefore in the context of the Monsoon, the two cumulatively came to be known as
the ENSO. The ENSO is known to have a pronounced effect on the strength of SW
Monsoon over India with the Monsoon being weak (causing droughts in India) during
the El Nio years whereas La Nia years had particularly good Monsoon strength over
India.
(iii)Indian Ocean Dipole effect
IOD is an irregular phenomenon in which the western equatorial of the Indian Ocean
becomes warmer while the eastern equatorial cooler.It affects the Sub continent,
Australia, Indonesia and many other surrounding countries. There are two phases of
Indian Ocean Dipole; 1. Positive IOD
2. Negative IOD
Positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) causes sea temperatures to rise in the western
Indian Ocean with heavy precipitation in Sub-continent while it makes the sea
temperatures cooler in the eastern Indian Ocean with drought or very little to no
precipitation in Australia and Indonesia.
Negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) causes cooler sea temperatures in western
Indian Ocean with no rainfall in the Sub-continent while eastern Indian Ocean becomes
warmer with heavy precipitation.
18. Explain the difference between Centrifugal and Centripetal Drainage pattern with
examples from India.
Approach: Centrifugal drainage is nothing but Radial drainage. Explain Centrifugal and
Centripetal drainage with examples and diagrams.
Model Answer: Centrifugal patterns also known as Radial drainage pattern, is formed
by the streams which diverge from a central higher point in all directions. Since the
stream follow the slopes and hence they are basically consequent streams. These
streams resemble the spokes of a wheel or the radii of a circle. Examples- Sri Lanka
is the best example of radial drainage pattern at macro-level, Ranchi city has given
birth to radial drainage pattern wherein the South Koel, Subarnarekha, Kanchi and
Karo rivers take their source and radiate in different directions, Hazaribagh Plateau,
Parasnath hill, Panchet Hill and Dalma lava upland (all in Jharkhand) have radial or
Centrifugal drainage pattern.
Whereas Centripetal or Inland drainage pattern is opposite to the radial drainage
pattern because it is characterized by the streams which converge at a point which is
generally a depression of a basin.This pattern is formed by a series of streams which
after emerging from surrounding uplands converge in a central low land which may be
a depression, or a basin or a crater lake. The Kathmandu valley of Nepal presents an
ideal example of centripetal drainage pattern wherein the tributary streams of the
Baghmati converge in the tectonically formed circular basin.The depression formed by
Rajgarh Dome and Lower Chambal Basin has given birth to centripetal drainage
pattern.
19. What is Tennis Court Oath? What is its significance ?
Approach: This question is related to French Revolution. First introduce the term
Tennis court Oath in the first para/ introduction part. Then summarize the events that
led to the Tennis Court Oath along with its significance in the last paragraph.
Model Answer: The Tennis Court Oath was a pivotal event during the first days of the
French Revolution. The Oath was a pledge signed by 576 of the 577 members from
the Third Estate who were locked out of a meeting of the Estates-General on 20 June
1789.
The King Louis XVI faced the grave economic crisis in 1789. He couldnt raise more
taxes and didnt have the power to find the money he needed to govern. To prevent
impending bankruptcy Louis XVI was forced to summon the States-General in the hope
of finding a way out. Estates-General was the legislative assembly of the three
estates.
The Estates-General met at Versailles and Louis XVI hoped that the agenda discussed
would mostly be traditional and financial. The representatives, on the other hand,
demanded the end of Absolute monarchy. However, the representative of the different
estates had different views about the policy related with taxation. The representatives
of the Third Estate envisaged uniform taxation for all the people of France irrespective
of their state to which they belong to. This also meant end of all special privileges of
First and Second Estates. On the other hand, the representatives of the First and
Second Estates were not ready as they had vested interests.
There were also differences among the representatives of different Estates about the
manner of voting. The representatives of First and Second Estates wanted that the
vote of every Estate should be counted separately. In doing so, they wanted to
outvote the Third Estate by 2:1. On the other hand, the representative of Third Estate
wanted voting on the basis of headcount. They wanted that the individual votes of the
representatives present in the Estates-General should be counted. The divergent views
related to the voting procedure created a dead lock in the assembly.
Unable to resolve the deadlock related to the voting procedures in the Estates-General
on June 20th 1789, the representatives of the Third Estates had to face an alarming
situation. They were locked out of the assembly hall of the Estates-General. The
representative were shocked to discover that the chamber doors was locked and
guarded by soldiers.
The representatives of the Third Estates gathered in the nearby Tennis Court under
the leadership of Mirabeau (a rebel noble). In the Tennis court they took the solemn
collective oath not to separate and to reassemble wherever circumstances required
despite the royal prohibition, until the constitution of the kingdom get established. The
Third Estate also declared itself as the National Assembly.
The oath signified political legitimacy derived from the will of the people and their
representatives rather than from the monarch himself. The solidarity forced Louis XVI
to recognize the National Assembly and ordered the clergy and the nobility to join with
the Third Estate in the National Assembly.
20.Globalization had created new opportunities and new ideas in Indian society.
Examine the impact of globalization on Indian society? (Question and Answer
prepared by Yogesh Doke, DSP, Maharahtra)
Model Answer:
Globalization is the process of international integration arising from the interchange
world views, product ,idea and other aspect of culture. It affects every section of
4.Festivals:
India, being a multi-cultural and multi-religious society, celebrates holidays and festivals
of various religions. The 3 National holidays in India, are the Independence Day, the
Republic Day and the Gandhi Jayanti, Popular religious festivals include the Hindu
festivals of Diwali, Durga puja, Holi, Rakshabandhan, Dussehra, Ramzaan etc.
5. American festivals like Valentines day, Friendship day etc. are spreading across
India.
5.CUISINE
The multiple families of Indian cuisine are characterized by their sophisticated and
subtle use of many spices and herbs. Though a significant portion of Indian food is
vegetarian, many traditional Indian dishes also include chicken, goat, lamb, fish, and
other meats. Cuisine across India has also been influenced by various cultural groups
that entered India throughout history, such as the Persians, Mughals, and European
colonists. Though the tandoor originated in Central Asia, Indian tandoori dishes, such
as chicken tikka made with Indian ingredients, enjoy widespread popularity.
Impact
Indian cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines across the globe. Historically, Indian
spices and herbs were one of the most sought after trade commodities. Pizzas,
burgers, Chinese foods and other Western foods have become quite popular.
6.CLOTHING
Traditional Indian clothing for women are the saris and also Ghaghra Cholis For men,
traditional clothes are the Dhoti, Kurta. In southern India men wear long, white sheets
of cloth called dhoti with shirts. Women wear a sari draped over a simple or fancy
blouse. This is worn by young ladies and woman. Little girls wear a pavada.
Traditionally, the red bindi (or sindhur) was worn only by the married Hindu women,
but now it has become a part of women's fashion.
Impact
Indo-western clothing, the fusion of Western and Sub continental fashion is in trend.
Wearing jeans, t-shirts, mini skirts have become common among Indian girls.
7.PERFORMING ARTS
Music
The music of India includes multiples varieties of religious, folk, popular, pop, and
classical music. India's classical music includes two distinct styles: Carnatic and
Hindustani music. It remains instrumental to the religious inspiration, cultural expression
and pure entertainment.
Dance
Indian dance too has diverse folk and classical forms. Bharatanatyam, kathak, kathakali
mohiniattam, kuchipudi, odissi are popular dance forms in India. Kalarippayattu or
Kalari for short is considered one of the world's oldest martial art. There have been
many great practitioners of Indian martial Arts including Bodhidharma who supposedly
brought Indian martial arts to China.
Impact
1. Indian Classical music has gained worldwide recognition.
2. Western music is becoming very popular in our country.
3. Fusing Indian music along with western music is encouraged among musicians.
4. More Indian dance shows are held globally.
5. The number of foreigners who are eager to learn Bharatanatyam is rising.
6. Western dance forms such as Jazz, Hip hop, Salsa, Balley have become among
Indian youngsters.
8.Technology, Culture and Social Values
Technology has failed to percolate to villages in absence of electricity and other
communication infrastructure. Few people know about the internet. However, well-to-do
families have availed DTH and dish TV facilities. Mobile connections are increasing in
rural areas but at slower pace. There are no small scale industries in villages to
provide employment to educated youth. Indias real culture is still preserved in rural
life. New advancement of technology has not much influence in rural areas. People
still prefer to wear dresses of old fashion and celebrate festivals in old styles. Folk
dances and folk songs are still popular among villagers. Culture is still untouched and
unaffected by western influence. Globalization has no impact on rural life as standards
of living are suboptimal but migration of people is taking place and poor people are
moving to urban areas in search of employment.
9.Agriculture
Globalization does not have any positive impact on agriculture. On the contrary, it has
few detrimental effects as government is always willing to import food grains, sugar etc
whenever there is a price increase of these commodities. Government never thinks to
pay more to farmers so that they produce more food grains but resorts to imports. On
the other hand, subsidies are declining so cost of production is increasing. Even farms
producing fertilizers have to suffer due to imports. There are also threats like
introduction of GM crops, herbicide resistant crops etc.
10.Other changes in social and cultural life
Access to television grew from 10% of the urban population (1991) to 75% of the
urban population (1999).
Cable television and foreign movies became widely available for the first time and
have acted as a catalyst in bulldozing the cultural boundaries.
All these technologies have changed perceptions and dreams of ordinary people.
Unmarried boys and girls are sharing same apartment and staying away from their
parents.
Indian youths leaving education in mid-way and joining MNC's
There has been a increase in the violence, particularly against women.
Scientific and technological innovations have made life quite comfortable, fast and
enjoyable.
More availability of cheap and filthy material (CD's or DVD's of Hollywood movies,
porn movies, sex toys, foreign channels like MTV) in the name of liberalization.
In India, land-line or basic phone was a prestige symbol few years back but now
you find people riding bicycle with a mobile in hand, talking or listening music or even
clicking cameras of their phones targeting pretty girls or ladies.
Society has become more open compared to its earlier conservative look due to
exposure to other cultures through DTH or cable network.
This has contributed to dating, celebration of friendship days/valentine day, and
resulted to rising number of call girls and makes them more prone to sexually
transmitted diseases.
People are less worried for government jobs as MNC's and private or public sector
are offering more lucrative jobs.
People are more wary of the world events and have a direct opportunity to
participate in world politics and economy. As a result of this, a new middle class has
emerged. This class is a fusion of Indian and western value system. It is unique and
characteristic of globalization.
Extension of internet facilities even to rural areas.
In place of old cinema halls, multiplex theatre is coming up.
Old restaurants are now replaced by Mc. Donalds. Fast food and Chinese dishes
have replaced juice corners and Parathas.
More inflow of money has aggravated deep rooted problem of corruption?
More scandals and scams compared to pre-globalization era.
Girls being blackmailed by their ex-boy friends using MMS
Ban on TV channels for showing sex and violence violating all norms
Girls being raped in moving vehicles
There is deterioration in social values as evident from less respect for ladies and
older people.
IMPACT OF GLOBALISATION ON INDIAN BUSINESS CULTURE
The Indian economy had been booming for the past few years. The country held great
promise for the future. Liberalized foreign policies had unleashed the entrepreneurial
spirit of its people and many multi-national firms, attracted by the dusty plains of
Deccan, had already set up big offices throughout the nation.
The foreign culture can have both positive and negative influence on people and
business firms. New ways of thinking and working may develop leading to higher
efficiency. A few examples of impact of foreign culture on business practices are given
below:
Indian companies adopting international accounting standards.
Just-in-time and other more efficient techniques of inventory control.
historically, reinforce instead of threatening the national identity. These bonds seem to
become stronger as India encounters the forces of modernization and globalization.
21. Most of our knowledge about the interior of the earth is largely based on
estimates and inferences. Explain with a list of direct and indirect sources which
helps to know more about the earths interior.
Approach: Just mention the direct and indirect sources with little explanations on each
one of it. Based on NCERT text.
Model Answer:
Knowledge about the earths interior can be studied by various direct and indirect
sources which are mentioned below:
Direct Sources
The most easily available solid earth material is surface rock or the rocks we get from
mining areas. Gold mines in South Africa are as deep as 3 - 4 km. Going beyond this
depth is not possible as it is very hot at this depth.
Besides mining, scientists have taken up a number of projects to penetrate deeper
depths to explore the conditions in the crustal portions. Scientists world over are
working on two major projects such as Deep Ocean Drilling Project and Integrated
Ocean Drilling Project. The deepest drill at Kola, in Arctic Ocean, has so far reached
a depth of 12 km. This and many deep drilling projects have provided large volume of
information through the analysis of materials collected at different depths.
Volcanic eruption forms another source of obtaining direct information. As and when
the molten material (magma) is thrown onto the surface of the earth, during volcanic
eruption it becomes available for laboratory analysis. However, it is difficult to ascertain
the depth of the source of such magma.
Indirect Sources
Analysis of properties of matter indirectly provides information about the interior. We
know through the mining activity that temperature and pressure increase with the
increasing distance from the surface towards the interior in deeper depths. Moreover, it
is also known that the density of the material also increases with depth. It is possible
to find the rate of change of these characteristics. Knowing the total thickness of the
earth, scientists have estimated the values of temperature, pressure and the density of
materials at different depths.
Another source of information are the meteors that at times reach the earth.
However,it may be noted that the material that becomes available for analysis from
meteors, is not from the interior of the earth. The material and the structure observed
in the meteors are similar to that of the earth. They are solid bodies developed out of
materials same as, or similar to, our planet. Hence, this becomes yet another source
of information about the interior of the earth.
The other indirect sources include gravitation, magnetic field, and seismic activity. The
gravitation force (g) is not the same at different latitudes on the surface. It is greater
near the poles and less at the equator. This is because of the distance from the
centre at the equator being greater than that at the poles. The gravity values also
differ according to the mass of material. The uneven distribution of mass of material
within the earth influences this value. The reading of the gravity at different places is
influenced by many other factors. These readings differ from the expected values.
Such a difference is called gravity anomaly. Gravity anomalies give us information
about the distribution of mass of the material in the crust of the earth. Magnetic
surveys also provide information about the distribution of magnetic materials in the
crustal portion, and thus, provide information about the distribution of materials in this
part. Seismic activity is one of the most important sources of information about the
interior of the earth.
Due to these seismic activities like earthquake and waves generated by it like body
and surface waves are used to study earths interior.
Thus with both direct and indirect sources of estimation, the interior of earth can be
classified as above diagram.
22. Do you agree that Spanish Civil War was the dress rehearsal of the Second
World War.? Elucidate.
Approach: The answer aim at starting of Spanish civil war and why it is called dress
rehearsal of the second world war.
Model Answer: The Spanish Civil War is also known as dress rehearsal of the
Second world War. In the civil war the clash of ideologies between the communists
and Fascists became clearly visible.
In 1931, a Republican government was formed in Spain. This government in Spain
started drifting towards communism. A revolt started in Spain under General Franco as
a reaction against the growth of communist tendencies of the government. General
Franco was inclined towards Fascism.
The Spanish Civil War is also called as dress rehearsal of the Second World War
because various European countries got involved in this. Russia along with the other
socialists and communists across the Europe openly supported the Republican
government while Italy and Germany sided with General Franco. France and Britain
maintain neutrality as they were ideologically opposed to both Fascism and
communism. General Franco emerged as a victor. Spanish Civil war proved to be a
big accomplishment for Germany and Italy.
Thus Spanish Civil War was the dress rehearsal of the Second World War.
23.What are Lacustrine Plains? Where it is found in India? Explain their economic
significance?
Approach: The questions is indirectly asking about the Karewa, which are Lacustrine
deposits found in Kashmir valley and its economic significance.
Model Answer: Lacustrine Plains (or lake plains) are lakes that get filled by incoming
sediment. Over time, the water may drain from the lake, leaving the deposited
sediments behind. This can be caused by natural drainage, evaporation or other
geophysical processes.
The soil of the plain left behind may constitute fertile and productive farm land, due to
the previous accumulation of lacustrine sediments. In other cases it may become a
wetland or a desert.
The examples of lacustrine plains include The Kashmir Valley of India, the Imphal
basin in the Manipur hills and the watershed of the Red River of the North in the
USA and Canada.
Karewas are the lacustrine deposits in the Valley of Kashmir and in Bhadarwah Valley
of the Doda District of the Jammu Division. These are the flat topped mounds that
border the Kashmir Valley on all sides. They are composed of fine silt, clay, sand,
and bouldery-gravel. They are characterised with fossils of mammals and at places by
peat. According to geologists, during the Pleistocene Period, the entire Valley of
Kashmir was under water. Subsequently, due to endogenetic forces, the Baramullah
Gorge was created and the lake was drained through this gorge. The deposits left in
the process are known as karewas
According to Middlemiss, the thickness of karewas is about 1400 m. In fact, the
karewas have been elevated,dissected and in great measure removed by subaerial
denudation as well as by the Jhelum river giving them the present position. The
karewas are mainly devoted to the cultivation of saffron, almond, walnut, apple and
orchards. The karewas, devoted to saffron cultivation are fetching good income to the
growers. The karewas of Palmpur, Pulwama, and Kulgam are well known for their
production of superior quality of saffron.
The world famous saffron from Pampore and apples from Shopian are best examples
of the products produced in these karewas.
24. How is ethics different from values and morals? Explain with examples. (250
Words) (10 marks)
Model Answer:
Ethics, morals and values share common and inseparable behavioral theories.
Superficially they are indectical and integral. However penetrative analysis of these
theories bring some segregation with permeable boundaries.
Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and
shouldn't, good and bad. They also tell us which are more or less important, which is
useful when we have to trade off meeting one value over another. Often values are
ideas that we aispire to achieve, like equality and social justice.
Morality delves into the right and wrong at a much deeper level, both personal and
spiritual. It defines personal character.It concerns more with one's inner shelf rather on
some customes or set of rules We thus judge others more strongly on morals than
values. A person can be described as immoral, yet there is no word for them not
following values.
Ethics tend to be codified into a formal system or set of rules which are explicitly
adopted by a group of people. Like professional ethics , medical ethics etc. Ethics is
set of standards that a society places on itself and which helps guide behavior,
choices and actions. It rely on logical and rational criteria to reach a decision, a
cognitive process.
To summarize ethics describes a generally accepted set of moral principles
morals describes the goodness or badness or right or wrong of actions
values describes individual or personal standards of what is valuable or important.
When considering the difference between ethics and morals, it may be helpful to
consider a criminal defense lawyer. Though the lawyers personal moral code likely
finds murder immoral and reprehensible, ethics demand the accused client be
defended as vigorously as possible, even when the lawyer knows the party is guilty
and that a freed defendant would potentially lead to more crime. Legal ethics must
override personal morals for the greater good of upholding a justice system in which
the accused are given a fair trial and the prosecution must prove guilt beyond a
reasonable doubt.
Ethics can be separated from values with the help of following example.
A community worker may consider that it is in the best interests of their client to
breach the clients confidence, leading to a breach of a set standard of confidentiality
such as prescribed by a code of ethics, a code of conduct or a legal obligation. The
reason for the breach may have been value-based and thereby will not satisfy proper
and accepted standards for breaching confidence even though the community worker
thought it acceptable or even mandatory. This highlights how our individual values can
intrude into our professional lives and potentially cause us to ignore ethical obligations
and duties. In other words, our values may cause us to ignore a code of ethics.
25.What do you understand by the following terms in the context of public
service?(3X5=15 marks)(250 words)
(i) Fortitude
(ii) Empathy
(iii) Altruism
(iv) Prudence
(v) Temperance
Model Answer:
Fortitude: means strength of mind in times of pain and danger.It is related to strong
conviction and believe in your abilities. For civil servants this virtue is essential for he
has to see many such times in his career.There will be threats,pull and push,political
demands, media ostracization, social criticisation. Fortitude will be tested in such times.
Empathy: is ability to feel pain of others, to fit yourself in others position and be able
to understand their emotions, conditions and feelings. Often the Mai-Baap culture of
civil services is seen as dissociation from the general travesty of Masses. Empathy will
remove this conception. Especially for rural,poor,marginalised and oppressed this is
needed to understand the real situation.
Altruism: is related to controlling government expenditure. It is application of rationality
and use of thrift. This will ease burden on day to day work and civil servants will be
able to help government this way.That saved money can be used for public welfare or
other essential works.
Prudence: is closely related to rationality and use of moderation especially in
economic transaction. It will also help in maintaining social harmony while dealing with
different section of society.
Temperance: means showing restraint in behavior and action and not to take decision
in impulse. As a public servants its important to have an open minded. All action must
be taken after thoroughly anyalying the ground situation and going thorough the facts.