3) The support for net neutrality upholds the values of Indian constitutionalism. Analyse. (250 Words)

It upholds because , Art 16 states that there should be equality of opportunities in public employement, Art 14 which states that there should be equality of law.
On elaborating further, if every person is equally accessing the open ended internet, then he or she may have equal opportunities in looking for a job over the cyber space. This is one example. So, fundamental rights upholds.
Again if we consider prohibition of discriminatory tarriffs for data services regulation, 2016, then this brings equality before law. everyone is equal over the cyberspace, facebook or reliance which were trying to attract the people with free basics, was violative of this fundamental right. Hence, again constitution upholds.


* it also supports Art 21 as it provides the right to privacy, so ISP should not have any right to prevent users from accessing lawful internet content

2) According to WHO report, India accounted for 6% of global malaria cases and 7% of deaths caused by it in 2016. Why has India failed to eliminate Malaria? Examine. (150 Words)

1. Lack of data acquistion, strict data monitoring as seen in countries like Sri Lanka, and european countries. This makes difficult to control malaria
2. Lack of awareness among the masses, nation wide campaign like Darwaja Band for open defecation launched by ministry of driniking water and sanitation, can there be simiar campaign for malaria ?
3. Nurses, Anganwadi workers, Auxillary nurse midwifes, the bedrock of health scaffolding in the country: not empowered to train the masses about malaria
4. Fund access: are there suitable funds for controlling malaria (TB has more focus : as far as fund allocation is concerned)
5. How many countries have approached India in the recent past to handle malaria issues? Very few
6. lack of vaccine : still at research stage: Why can't WHO and best medical institutes like AIIMS and Ecole Polytechnnique in France, etc can come together and collaborate with each other?
All these are reasons. To control; innovative measures need to be deployed like  sale of medicated nets in rural areas, no potholes to allow stagnating water (using submersible pumps), issue malaria bonds as we have green bonds, to raise money from abroad (Guaranteers of such money shall be state government)

* society
*international -migration one view

1) Examine the impact Himalayan rivers have had on the evolution of Indus Valley Civilisation. (150 Words)

1.Himalayan rivers flow through a greater gradient and hence Indus valley civilisation would have many gullies, rills and erosional landforms. More silt deposited in the floodplains of the rivers , this would have caused the land more fertile, and so rice and other staple foodcrops, like barley might have been popular owing to this fact.
2. presence of rivers: mean economic set up around the rivers, villages, markets and other public gatherings. This would have caused Indus valley civilisation to grow.
3. Since the himalayan rivers are perennial, Indus valley civilisation, might not have received any break in its potential to flourish: sustaining the civilisation

Does the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 ensure effective mechanism for empowerment and inclusion of the intended beneficiaries in the society? Discuss

Empowerment need to be multi pronged: psychological, economical, physical, cultural and political.
This act does give the disabled, right to work, rght to medical access, righ to proper education, but does this psychologcally lift them? are there proper committees in the district under the charge of district collector, so that proper grievance mechanism are addressed, or is there transparency in addressing those. a lot need to be achieved on these front.
Web pages, W3 compliant, accessible india campaig, railways where coaches are retrifitted with the disabled friendly stairs, coach mitra initiative are some of the initiatives taken by the government.
There should be more state specific approach like Orissa, which has maximum no of disabled persons, budgetary allocation for social welfare schemes; should be maximum in orissa targeted at disabled people. Rcently there was global entrepreneur shummit; I wonder how many disabled persons would have received proper loans for starting new businesses under Start up India campaign from financial intermediaries like NBFCs/RRBs/MFI etc.

‘China is using its economic relations and positive trade surplus as tools to develop potential military power status in Asia’, In the light of this statement, discuss its impact on India as her neighbor. (150 words)

Impact on India: does this create a fear in India, that India will not be able to compete with it in the short and long run? Why should we fear? However, healthy competition need to be envisaged.
It impacts India in economic front, as of now,India is exploring act east policy, via trade surplus wit ASEAN countries, will this be affected? Because China laos engages in heavy trade with ASEAN countries, also biilding artificial islands in South east asia, so ASEAN countries are both in and out of the game with China, latter due to SOuth china sea disputes.
Political atmosphere also gets distrubed, Doklam issue recent. Millitary standoff, create tensions across the borders. Already we are at issue with China related to Tawang in Arunachal pradesh.
Also affects culturally. Low cost diwali items are imported from China to India, so will thsi relations be affected?
Also psychological impact, India constantly strugg;ing with China pakistan economci corridor, due to passign through POK. if China develops as millitary superpower, then this area, permanent stanfing of chinas millitary is a cause of concern for India.

3) “The possibility of indoctrination cannot be a reason for undermining personal autonomy.” Comment. (150 Words)

Recently, Hadiya case was unique, before the Supreme court judges; surely a fight between indoctrination and personal autonomy. Judges also opined: Hadiya has her own personal autonomy, she need not depend on her husband as guardian (even if she consents that she married her not because of compulsion, but of her own will, she was not forcibly indoctrinated). So, according to this example, personal autonomy can not be undermined, even if there has been several allegations that she has been forcibly indoctrinated. 

2) The attempt by the executive to subvert the independent function of the legislature and its secretariat has serious implications for Indian polity. Discuss critically these implications and comment if there should be an alternative manner to convene parliament. (250 Words)

Implications are: basic tenet of parliamentary form of government, where there is seperation of powers, executive is responsible to the legislature stands disturbed, in such cases. Ethically also is not in favour, executive subverting the secratriat for its own good, for the legidlsature main purpose is the dissemniation of information,even more important than making laws. So while executive, in cases where subverts the legislature;
1. masses are unaware of the debate held in the parliament
2. laws making is affected, sessions are short, some state legislatures have been known to hold session for only 3 days  or so, some 14 days. Is this democracy we want?
Parliament should be held keeping in mind:
1. elections in the state legislature, for e.g. recently, in gujarat, due to elections, winter session was postponed to be held from 14th Dec, this will prevent chaos, ethically a good practice.

1) Discuss the contributions of Vithalbhai Patel to India’s struggle for independence and to the evolution of India’s polity. (150 Words)

He was elected as the first speaker of central legislative assembly: it went several transformations after that, during the course of india's struggle for independence. His contributions: period between central legislative assembly and post- independent india legislative assembly, upto the time of Mavalankar as the speaker, have seen many ups and downs

4) Why is it advised for pregnant women to gain weight during pregnancy? Examine the causes of high IMR and MMR in India. (250 Words)

For multiple reasons: to avoid malnutrition, to deliver a healthy child, to develop self confidence, to avoid miscarriage. If any of the above issues emerge, out of pocket expenditure will increases, which the government do no wish at any stage.
High IMR and MMR are caused due to multiple reasons: paternal family (lack of care of women in such societies), lack of access of emergency helath care in far flung areas such as hilly, tribal areas, village location where primary health care units and community health care units are not located nearby, poverty (lack of funds to help them with emergency care)
Also, institutional mechanism such as private health care facilities charging heavy amount as compared to public health care ones, and the latter not having quality health care services.
Other factors :
1. mind set of the people, avoiding public health care facilities, even if they are located nearby, because they trust private hospitals more
2. Anganwadis, ASHA etc., though are the bedrock of health care facilities ,rural areas, they need to escalate the issues to higher officer, in the smallest time frame, so that unwanted deliveries are avoided.
3. Weakly iron folic acid supplements, I doubt, whether they have been seriously distributed among the anemia patients, who are expected to deliver in due course of time.
All these factors coupled together, cause IMR and MMR to be higher.
Innovative agendas to be made like: engaging teachers to contribute in health sector, who want to do so voluntarily, mass meetings to generate awareness, bold decisons that if successful will give eneormous amount of benefits but of gone wrong, backup plan ready to survive, for e.g. how to take clinical trials successfully forward?

3) Critically evaluate the functioning of the Monetary Policy Committee. (150 Words)

Prior to Monetary policy committee, the policy rate decisions was the prerogative of RBI governor alone. It was more open to criticism (if the decisons did not work). Now in a six member committee, decisions are taken by the consensus. Less prone to criticisms. Also because ,the committee consists of highly qualified intellectual persons along with the RBI governor.
Still there are few shortcomings.
1. There is no veto power. If out of 6, 4 agrees and one disgaree, 1 abstains from voting, can the decision of the majority be over riden by the 1 who disgarees? No. The system can be made similar to the UNSC 5 permanent members, who have veto power. This system will not be applicable to all the cases. Only highly qualified cases that may prop up, in course of time such as, financial crisis.
2. Now who ma have veto power, is  million dollar question? Can we leave this at policy makers and appointment committee of the cabinet ?
3. This system also has shortcoming as we saw, recently that Dalveer singh bhnadari slection as a judge inICJ was repeatedly stalled at UNSC vote due to veto of UK.
Above is only an innovative solution, however, as far as MCLR rates, inflation targeting , policy decisions, demonetisation decisions are concerned, they have been taken bey consensus and there has been no controvery so far.

2) What are the important findings of Global Burden of Disease study with respect to India? Discuss the significance of its findings to policymaking in health sector for Indian states. (250 Words)

Malnutrition, higher number of incidences of Tuberclosis, Multi drug resistant TB are some of the important findings of Global Burden of Disease study with respect to India.
These findings help provide
1. important data to the government(different from survey data), which help them in formulating the right policies
2. Government can proactively take decisions such as budgetary support for the health sector, if data is available
3. Govenrment can fetch international best practices. Countries which are doing good in reducing incidneces of TB. for e.g. can help a lot in policy making
4. helping the government in convergence of varios health sector schemes
5. it will also be an eye opener to the govenrment, if all of a sudden, some new disease is covered in the report by Lancet, for e.g. if AIDS become all of sudden important for the nation, then it will be reflected in the report.
Multi pronged and innovative approach needed to handle crisis. strengthening public sector health institutions, reducing out of pocket expenditure, proper budgetary support, international aid such as from bill and melinda gates foundation etc will help India achieve the goals

1) Who were ‘criminal tribes’? What was the British policy on these tribes in colonial India? Examine. (250 Words)

Scheduled tribes, that britishers included in criminal tribes act were known as criminal tribes.
Britishers policy was to alienate them. They were considered anti social for the rest of the Indian population (endangered). For e.g. Asur tribes in Jharkhand.
1. They were interfering with the colonial administration , and hence came the policy.
2. Geographically they were concentrated in the eastern part of India, britishers prevented them from mingling to the western and rest of the country
3. Britisheres had an special eye on them , to maintain law and order
In recent times, there have been reshuffle in denitified tribes by state governments such as Jharkhand

Will manual scavenging be a perpetual problem in India?

Going by the fact that, only dalits are involved in manual scavenging, can we visualise India, a country where no single incidence of manual scavenging is reported? Hypothesis is that dalits form a certain percentage of the society, more concentrated in four states, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Tamil nadu. How, then, can we get rid of manual scavenging, if only dalits perform these menial work? This is seriously digusting. On one hand we are boasting of making new India by 2022 where we will have new job opportunities for youth, corruption free society, no hunger and malnutrition incidence and on the other hand we still have another India existing, where manual scavenging is performed for meagre payment to support their family.

So, will manual scavenging be a perpetual problem in india? A problem with no solution? Aren't laws delivering results? If laws exist, then why are not getting completely getting rid of it? Why no effective deterrence due to such laws? So, where is the lacunae in the rule of law ? The law of the land? The constitution, where directive principles of state policy exhort the states to frame laws such that people live with dignity. Fundamental rights of the people, exhibited by right to life in Article 21, doesn't it apply to the issue? When I talk about these, I seriously think, where things went wrong? If they went wrong, why can't we mend them? As law makers and policymakers of the country, where are their present focus? Is it vote bank politics? Or is it will power to set things right? Or is it that we do not have another Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar of Raja Ram Mohan Roy to take up such social reform movements in present context, as they existed in 18th century. Seriously, all these need to be given a proper thought, to eliminate this problem from its roots, so that it doesn't remain a perpetual one.

From my analysis, manual scavenging problem arose due to following reasons in the society:
1. no toilets at home in rural areas, some attributed to cultural angle, that presence of toilets at home will make their home "impure", and some attributed to lack of funds even if they are willing. Now, to clean their faeces, dalits become obvious choice. Because, people think they can undertake any menial job for their sustenance. No one hires them because they are treated as untouchables

2. Vast rural expanse in the states I mentioned above, Bihar, UP were once categorised under BIMARU states, poor, illiterate and less healthy. When there is rural expanse, people tend to defectae more in open. Then again dalits come to their rescue.

3. Less public interest litigations on such issue due to muscle power. Muscle flexing from wealthy and aristocrat people, under which dalits work. People fear to take up any public issue on a mass scale like anti corruption movement that picked up under mascot Sri Anna Hazare

4. People think 'manual scavenging' is too menial to talk about. Those who are not affected by these, either due to lack of patriotism or otherwise, do no want to get indulge themselves into such a menial thing, according to them!

5. Lack of funds at the disposal of panchayats and municipalities for toilets construction. Government is trying hard so that issues are minimal.

6. Lack of technological interventions to take up such issues. All research institutions are bogged up in making new solar cells, new gene editing techniques. No one talks about: even if dalits have to take up such jobs , they don't have to use broom. Can there be mechanisation of whole process, so that there is no man-faeces interface.

7. Lack of robust data on number of deaths occurring due to manual scavenging. It should be released every year. Not only death figures, but people encountering other dermal diseases also need to be highlighted.

8. In a decade, and in post independence era, we have only one Bezwada Wilson so far. Why not 2-3? Why did only a single man took this cause? Why not many? So again will power of people to take up the issue is reflected here.

9. Laws such as Prohibition of employment as manual scavengers and their rehabilitation (2013) came after too much delay, too late after the issue has already been existing. Even here, the role of district collector to constitute a rehab committee in every district has to be fully adhered to.

However, the solutions proposed are:
1. All dalits in states to be relocated to some other states, and give them opportunities to survive. For e.g. dalits can be employed in textile factory somewhere in West Bengal. They can be employed in Tamil Nadu in fire crackers industry. No employer shall deny them jobs. If anyone does so, strict action to be taken against them. We have Art15 , prohibition of discrimination on grounds of race, religion, caste or sex, to defend our case.

2. If 1st option does not work, then deploy other innovative measures to provide them opportunities to survive. For e.g. if someone is taking up manual scavenging in Jalaun in Uttar pradesh, then make Jalaun a skill centre, an industrial centre. This will take time, but they will find something meaningful. They can be deployed as clerks, teachers in schools in Jalaun for the time being. No muscle flexing will be allowed. Any upper caste incidence threatening them will be treated as per rule of law. IPC and CrPC will defend.

3. Prevention of Atrocities act (scheduled caste and scheduled tribes) 1989, to be more strengthened. Stringent punishment to be inflicted to the mischievous.

4. Innovative ways of registering FIR, for e.g. before turning any village inhabited by Dalits to be converted into skill centre or industrial centre, FIR needs to be registered against unknown persons, so that upper classes have a fear to disturb dalits.

'Manual scavenging' is a shame on the society, on the upper class people who deploy people for such acts. Change. Fear the rule of Law, and fear God. Otherwise it will remain a perpetual problem.