GS Paper - I Model Answers (2020) - 2 | UPSC Mains Answer Writing: Practice PDF Download

Q11: Indian Philosophy and tradition played a significant role in conceiving and shaping the monuments and their art in India. Discuss. (UPSC GS 1 2020)
Ans: Since time immemorial, Indian art has been inspired by Indian philosophy and its traditions Influence of Indian philosophy and traditions on Indian art 

• Influence of different religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam and Christianity is profoundly evident in Indian art 
• Buddhism is one of the ancient religions to bestow its influence on Indian art as seen in the stupas and chaityas. 
• The temple architecture of the Chola and Chera dynasty and the Rajasthani School of Painting of the Rajput period reflect the influence of Hinduism. Stories from Mahabharata, Ramayana, Geet Govind, Puranas have influenced not just the visual arts like architecture and paintings and tribal paintings like madhubani, Tanjore, Pattachitraetc but also performing arts. 
• Classical dances of India like Kathakali, Manipuri dance etc are inspired from stories of Ramayana and Mahabharata. 
• India has always been the abode of multiple religions and cultures and thus it has as well experienced the impact of Islam during the Mughals. Christianity also has a significant role in the moulding of Indian art. 
• Mughal influence was another significant milestone in the evolution of Indian art forms. They were an imperial power and induced considerable Indo-Islamic-Persian influence on the various styles of Indian art. Example jail work of Sidisayyed mosque. 
• The Taj Mahal and the city of Fatehpur Sikriare the magnificent examples of the Mughal architecture. Finally it is the British invasion that affected Indian art form. It was marked by construction of Victoria memorial, Madras high court etc in Indo sarcenic style. 

Thus it can be seen that India is melting pot of various cultures and thus the philosophy of these different cultures is reflected in the artistic and cultural history of India. This has enriched India cultural landscape and given it a unique place in the world.

Q12: Persian literary sources of medieval India reflect the spirit of the age. Comment. (UPSC GS1 2020)
Ans: There were some important changes in language and literary trends in the medieval period and the Persian language’s appearance was one of them. Although the roots of the Persian language are as old as Sanskrit, it came to India with the coming of Turks and Mongols in the twelfth century and became the mode of communication of the court.
1. Persian literary sources composed in the form of history

• In the Delhi Sultanate, multiple texts were written in Persian. Most of them were concerned with creating histories for the rulers. 
• Zia-ud din Barani is amongst the top historians of that period and he wrote Tarikh-e-Firuz Shahi. It gives political insight into that time. 
• Mughal emperor Babar wrote Tuzuk-I-Babari in Turkish, which is his autobiography and gives us important information about the Mughal conquest of India. 
• One of the greatest Persian literary sources about the period of Jahangir was Tuzuk-I-Jahangiri. 
• Another important work is Humayun-nama which gives an account of his life and struggles to get the throne, written by the half-sister of Humayun, Gulbadan Begum. 
• The greatest emperor of this period was Akbar and Ain-e Akbari and Akbarnama written by his court historian AbulFazl, are the best examples of literature of this period. 
• These Persian literary sources give detailed accounts of the organisation of the court, administration and army, the sources of revenue and the physical layout of the provinces of Akbar’s empire and the literary, cultural and religious traditions of the people. 
• Along with a description of the various departments of Akbar’s government and elaborate descriptions of the various provinces (subas) of the empire, the Ain-e-Akbari gives intricate quantitative information of those provinces. 
• Akbar ordered several translations of Sanskrit texts like Ramayana, Bhagwata Gita and several Upanishads into Persian. 
• Padshahnama was written by Abdul Hamid Lahori. It is about Shah Jahan. 
• Although military campaigns are given the most prominence, the illustrations and paintings in the manuscripts of Padshahnama illuminate life in the imperial court, depicting weddings and other activities. 
• The Mahabharata was translated into Persian in this period called Razmnama.

2. Other Persian literary sources

• The most important work of this period in which the tableau of the then folk life is found is the epic Padmavat of the Malik Mohammad Jaisi. 
• One of the finest Persian poets is Amir Khusrau Dehlavi (Amir Khusrau of Delhi). Apart from his Diwan (collection of poetry in Persian), he also wrote Nuh Sipihr and the Masnavi Duwal Rani Khizr Khan, which is a tragic love poem. 
• There are several travel accounts written by famous travellers like IbnBatuta (Moroccan traveller) that explain the socio-political scenario of the period. 
• One of highly illustrated works from this period is called Hamzanama, which depicts the story of the mythical Persian hero, Amir Hamza 
• Other major writers of this period include Badauni, who wrote on ethics of political rule and Faizi who was considered a master of Persian poetry. 
• Several texts were produced in the period of Shah Jahan, especially about the emperor like the Shah Jahan-nama of Inayat Khan. 
• In Aurangzeb’s period, several satirists like Mir Jafar Zatalli wrote their Kulliyat (collection of verses). Texts like Tabqat-i-Alamgiri give us a good idea about the period of the eighteenth century.

A literature can be called the spirit of that time when it shows all the achievements and failures of that time and present the lively form of society to the reader. Persian literature composed in the medieval period meets all these standards.

Q13: Since the decade of the 1920s, the national movement acquired various ideological strands and thereby expanded its social base. Discuss. (UPSC MAINS 2020)
Ans: By the end of 1920, political activities had started intensifying. Opposition to Rowlatt Act, Khilafat Movement, and Non-Cooperation Movement, as well as the issues of farmers, laborers , religious groups and deprived sections of society, were making a place in the political sky. This led to the inclusion of many ideologies and new social classes in the national movement.

• Rise of the left wing was the most important feature of this decade. 
• The communist party of India was established in 1925 and the main leader of it was M N Roy. 
• The process of the disparate groups of workers in various parts of the country emerging as an organized, self-conscious, all India class is inextricably linked with the growth of the Indian national movement and left parties were facilitators of this process. 
• Left ideology stressed the need to combine nationalism and anti-imperialism with social justice and simultaneously raised the question of internal class oppression by capitalists and landlords. 
• Another right wing organisation like RSS was also founded in 1925 by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar, which asserted Hindu identity in the form of hindutva. 
• It was the second important right wing organisation after Hindu Mahasabha and they weaved the concept of Indian independence around religion. 
• Various socio-religious movements also took place during the 1920s that made the Indian national movement more inclusive. 
• The Akali movement , also called the Gurdwara Reform Movement, was a campaign to bring reform in the gurdwaras during the early 1920s. 
• The movement led to the introduction of the Sikh Gurdwara Bill in 1925, which placed all the historical Sikh shrines in India under the control of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC). 
• It was only during the Akali movement that the pro-British feudal leadership of the Sikhs was replaced by educated middle-class nationalists and the rural and urban classes united on a common platform during the two-pronged Akali struggle. 
• The Akali Movement also awakened the people of the princely states of Punjab to political consciousness and political activity hence helped to expand the Social and political base of national movement. 
• In 1923, the Congress decided to take active steps towards the eradication of untouchability. The basic strategy it adopted was to educate and mobilize opinion among caste Hindus on the question. 
• The struggle against untouchability and for the social and economic uplift of the depressed classes continued all over India in this decade as a part of the Gandhian constructive programme. 
• The nationalist challenge in this respect came to be symbolized by two famous struggles in Kerala. Vaikom and Guruvayur Temple Satyagraha. 
• Leaders of these movements were K Kelappan , E.V. Ramaswami Naicker (popularly known as Periyar later) , E.M.S. Namboodiripad etc. 
• The temple entry campaign used all the techniques developed by the Indian people in the course of the nationalist struggle. 
• Its organizers succeeded in building the broadest possible unity, imparting mass education, and mobilizing the people on a very wide scale on the question of untouchability and further align them with freedom struggle. 
• Peasant discontent against established authority was a familiar feature of the nineteenth century. 
• But in the second and third decades of the twentieth century, the movements that emerged out of this discontent were deeply influenced by national movement. 
• The national movement also took inspiration from these peasant movements and expanded its Social base. 
• The KisanSabha and Eka movements in Avadh in U.P., the Mappila rebellion in Malabar and the Bardoli Satyagraha in Gujarat are examples of these kind of movements.

The rising tide of nationalism and democracy inevitably began to overflow from the political to the religious and social fields affecting the downtrodden castes and classes and change the public opinion to issues which affected the internal structure of Indian society. By these movements of different sections of the society, raised their voices and the national movement of freedom struggle acquired various ideological strands and thereby expanded its social base.

Q14: The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods, and interrupted navigation. Critically examine.
Ans: "Before looking at the solution of this question you may try this question at your own first"
Introduction

• Interlinking of rivers envisions transferring water from water ‘surplus’ basins where there is flooding to water ‘deficit’ basins where there is drought/scarcity through inter-basin water transfer projects.
• The northern plains of India are endowed with surplus water due to the presence of perennial rivers originating from the Himalayas. Southern and western India generally witnesses drought, as this region is drained by seasonal rivers whose water level largely depends on the Indian monsoon.

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Proposed Benefits of the Interlinking of Rivers

• Hydropower Generation: It would generate additional hydropower, which will help India fulfill its commitment to the Paris Climate Deal.
• Round the year Navigation: As it would address the low levels of water in southern India’s rivers, it would provide around year waterways connectivity.
  • This will reduce the cost of transportation & levels of pollution and help in economic development.
• Irrigation Benefits: Interlinking of rivers will increase the country’s total irrigation potential, preventing some of the surface runoff into the sea.

Associated Concerns With Interlinking of Rivers

• Perennial Rivers Are Not So Perennial: A new analysis of rainfall data reveals that monsoon shortages grow in river basins with surplus water and falling in those with scarcities.
• Federal Issue: The spirit of federalism is ignored in the river interlinking project.
  • Historically, there has been dissent on the part of the state governments regarding water sharing. For example, as evident from the ongoing disputes on rivers like Cauvery, Mahadayi.
• Tensions With Neighboring Countries: Bangladesh being a lower riparian state, is less likely to agree to India’s interlinking project.
  • Further, India will be less likely to pressure China on its version of the interlinking river. This will eventually affect lives in north-east India.
• High Environmental & Economic Cost: The interlinking of rivers project, which is of a sub-continent magnitude, will incur a huge economic cost.
  • Moreover, it would harm many ecological factors like Delta formation, growth of mangroves, and aquatic life.

Interlinking of rivers has its pros and cons, but given the economic, political, and environmental implications, it may not be a wise decision to carry out this project at a centralized national level. Instead, interlinking of rivers may be pursued in a decentralized manner, and more sustainable ways like rainwater harvesting should be promoted to mitigate floods and droughts.

Q15: Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures.
Ans: "Before looking at the solution of this question you may try this question at your own first"
Introduction

• As climate variability and extreme weather events increase, urban flooding becomes more and more common in many Indian cities, like Hyderabad.
• While the untimely heavy rains can be attributed to climate variability, the urban flooding is mainly due to unplanned urbanization.

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Reasons For Frequent Urban Flooding

• Inadequate Drainage Infrastructure: Cities like Hyderabad, Mumbai rely on a century-old drainage system, covering only a small part of the core city.
  • In the last 20 years, the Indian cities have grown manifold with their original built-up area. However, not much was done to address the absence of adequate drainage systems.
• Cities Becoming Impervious: Indian cities are becoming increasingly impervious to water, not just because of increasing built up but also because of the nature of materials used (hard, a non-porous construction material that makes the soil impervious).
  • Moreover, irreversible damage has been done to the city by property builders, property owners, and public agencies by flattening terrain and altering natural drainage routes.
• Poor Implementation of EIA: Even with provisions of rainwater harvesting, sustainable urban drainage systems, etc., in regulatory mechanisms like the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), adoption at the user end and enforcement agencies remains weak.

Remedial Measures For Urban Flooding

• Holistic Engagement: Urban floods cannot be contained by the municipal authorities alone. Floods cannot be managed without concerted and focused investments of energy and resources.
  • The Metropolitan Development Authorities, National Disaster Management Authority, State revenue, and irrigation departments along with municipal corporations, should be involved in such work together.
• Developing Sponge Cities: The idea of a sponge city is to make cities more permeable so as to hold and use the water which falls upon them.
  • New porous materials and technologies must be encouraged or mandated across scales to improve the city’s capacity to absorb water.
  • Sponge cities may deploy technologies like bioswales and retention systems, permeable material for roads and pavement, drainage systems that allow stormwater to trickle into the ground, green roofs, and harvesting systems in buildings.
• Water Sensitive Urban Design: These methods take into consideration the topography, types of surfaces (permeable or impervious), natural drainage and leave very less impact on the environment.
  • Vulnerability analyses and risk assessments should form part and parcel of city master plans.
  • Watershed management and emergency drainage plan should be clearly enunciated in policy and law.
• Convergent Approach: These can all be delivered effectively through an urban mission along the lines of the Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY), and Smart Cities Mission.

Overburdened drainage, unregulated construction, no regard for the natural topography, and hydro-geomorphology all make urban floods a man-made disaster.

Q16: India has immense potential of solar energy though there are regional variations in its developments. Elaborate. (UPSC GS1 2020)
Ans: Life on earth is heliocentric as most of its energy is derived from the sun. Imminent climatic changes and the demand for clean energy sources have induced significant global interest in solar energy. It has been observed that, solar as viable alternative for power generation among the available clean energy sources has the highest global warming mitigation potential.
Solar energy incident on the earth’s surface, also called as insolation primarily depends on parameters like geographic location, earth–sun movements, tilt of the earth’s rotational axis and atmospheric attenuation due to suspended particles. The immense potential of solar energy in India and regional variations. 

• India is one of the best recipients of solar energy due to its favourable location in the solar belt (40æ%S to 40æ%N).The National Solar Mission (NSM) launched in January 2010 has given a great boost to the solar scenario in the country. But due to the geographical expanse of the country there are seen regional variations in the development of this renewable energy resource. 
• Annual radiation of solar energy is highest in northern region, especially in Ladakh and least in the North-Eastern Region. Some areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra also receive a large amount of solar radiation as compared to other areas of India. The solar radiation level receives lowest in some parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim. 
• According to Ministry of Power Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat will be the major producer of solar energy by the year 2022 due to the high solar potential, irradiation etc. available in these states Seeing the potential of solar hotspot regions in the country, recently the government has dedicated a solar power plant to the country in Rewa, Madhya Pradesh.
• It has been acknowledged in India and abroad for its robust project structuring and innovations. It has also received World Bank Group President’s Award for innovation and excellence. 

India due to its geographical advantages can harness a tremendous amount of solar power but for that it requires huge technological advancement and financial support. Organisation like International Solar Alliance can help India become a major player in generating solar power. With an ambitious solar mission, and positively evolving policy instruments, the nation will rightly adorn the epithet of ‘Solar India’ in the near future.

Q17: Examine the status of forest resources of India and its resultant impact on climate Change. (UPSC GS1 2020)
Ans: Forests play an important role in the socio-economic development of a country like India. They are rich sources of energy, housing, firewood, timber and fodder and they provide employment to a large section of the rural population. The recorded forest area in India is about 76.5 million ha (23% of total land mass). 

• The status of forest resources of India According to the 16th India State of Forest Report (ISFR) the total forest and tree cover of the country is 80.73 million hectare which is 24.56 percent of the geographical area of the country. Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra. 
• In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (85.41%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%), Meghalaya (76.33%), Manipur (75.46%) and Nagaland (75.31%).The total mangrove cover in the country is 4,975 sq. km. An increase of 54 sq. Km in mangrove cover has been observed. 
• Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Gujarat (37 sq. km) followed by Maharashtra (16 sq. km) and Odisha (8 sq. km). The report presents a gloomy picture of the forests in North Eastern States. The forest cover of six states, excluding Assam, has decreased by nearly 18 per cent between 2011 and 2019. 
• But there are regions which are under the brunt of deforestation due to development initiatives like the expansion of the Talabira coal mine in Odisha, requires the cutting of over 130,000 trees. 

Impact on Climate Change 

• Trees remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. Cutting down forests will cause a decline in photosynthetic activity which results in the atmosphere retaining higher levels of carbon dioxide. Forests also store an enormous amount of organic carbon which is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide when forests are cleared by burning. Clearly, deforestation contributes to global warming and ocean acidification. 
• Water recycling is the movement of rain from the forest to land masses further inland. When rain falls on forests the water is intercepted by the forest canopy. Some of this intercepted water is returned to the atmosphere by evaporation and transpiration (release of water vapor into the atmosphere through stomata on tree leaves) while the rest is returned to the ocean as river runoff. 
• In a healthy forest about three fourth of the intercepted water is returned to the atmosphere as moisture laden air masses which move inland, cool and are converted to rain. Land cleared by deforestation returns only about one fourth of the rain water to the atmosphere. This air mass has less moisture and delivers less rain further inland. Deforestation inhibits water recycling and converts inland forest to dry land and potential waste land. 
• Severe flooding is a result of deforestation because removal of the forest leaves little vegetative cover to hold heavy rains. The inability of land void of forest to hold heavy rain water will alsotrigger mudslides. Severe flooding and mudslides are extremely costly because they devastate homes and communities. 
• However, new research from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur, shows that a majority of Indian forests are exceptionally resilient to large variations in rainfall and short droughts caused by climate change. The research, which used canopy cover and rainfall changes as criteria to deduce resilience, revealed that forests in wetter regions and scrubs in drier regions would be more resilient to rainfall decline.

No amount of innovation or technology can replace the life-giving functions that forests provide for people and the planet. It is now established that effectively protecting and restoring forests has the potential to deal with 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions by 2030, thereby significantly mitigating the effects of climate change. Hence, forests and so their conservation is of essential importance.

Q18: Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalization? Justify your Answer. (UPSC GS1 2020)
Ans: Being a diverse civilization, India is a land of myriad tongue with over 1650 spoken languages and dialects. Despite of different cultures, religions and languages, people of India live together with love and brotherhood. The immense unity in diversity and pluralism makes India an example of cultural brotherhood. However, globalization has a profound effect on all our cultures and on the ways we live our lives. It has affected what we eat and the way we prepare our food, what we wear and the materials from which our clothing is made, it has affected the music we hear, the books we read, even the language we use to communicate with others. In spite of “unity in Diversity, India is not immune from negative impact of globalizing.
Threats due to globalization on Diversity and pluralism in India 

• The biggest challenge for diversity of nation through social networking site is cyber terrorism. Today terrorists select Social Media as a practical alternative to disturb the function of nations, create religious hatred among the masses. 
• Popular social networking websites are another means of attracting potential members and followers. These types of virtual communities are growing increasingly popular all over the world, especially among younger demographics. This can build Anti-national Sentiments among Society which in turn can threat the pluralism in India. 
• National subversive groups (Marxist-Leninist groups, anarchist-insurrection list groups) are influenced by other countries and get involved in violence, threatening the diversity of the nation. 
• The false propaganda of some international media to malign particular religion has impacted India as well. Its effects are visible mostly in urban areas. For example, there is some instance that in cities the rental rooms are denied by some landlord to particular religious community. 
• Globalisation has led to increased economic and cultural hegemony. With globalisation there is arguably less cultural diversity; however, it is also led to more options for some people.

Positive impact of globalisation on Indian diversity and pluralism 

• Due to globalization, there has been expansion of economic opportunities, education and liberal thoughts, which has resulted in weakening of the caste system. 
• Inter caste marriages are becoming more common and are being accepted gradually. 
• With globalization, women’s employment opportunities have increase, and now they are also contributing in family expenses which support the creation of new resources and raise the level of income of family. 
• The international writers, philosophers and thinkers have further assisted Indian people in having more tolerance, strengthening the “unity in diversity”. 

The people of India, despite having different faiths, religions, castes, languages, food habits, dresses, music, and dances, have been living more or less peacefully through the ages. Some sorts of tensions, disputes, and conflicts have always existed because of the inherent contradictions and differences that exist in such diversity. The underlying spirit of respect for plurality, synthesis, and coexistence has transcended over the factors of ethnicity, language, religion, and subregional identity.

Q19: Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree? (UPSC GS1 2020)
Ans: Customs are traditional and widely accepted course to behave or do something that is clearly defined to a particular society, whereas traditions are about the transmission of these customs or beliefs from generation to generation. The fact is that they have to be passed on in this manner. Unless customs are followed and practiced with lots of self-control and discipline, they can’t be passed on from one generation to another as unique cultural traditions specific to their society. This means it is limited, or in fact, no scope for change. How the customs/traditions suppress rationality We encounter frequently these traditions in our daily lives, starting from the harmless ones to the most brutal and inhumane customs.
Some of the them that prevail in India are as follows: 

• Made Snana is a ritual where devotees roll over leftover food by Brahmins to cure skin diseases, marriage problems and infertility. It is conducted during three-day annual celebration outside Kukke Subramanya temple in Dakshina Kannada district between November-December. It is also practiced in parts of Tamil Nadu. 
• FGM is the name given to procedures that involve altering or injuring the female genitalia for non-medical or cultural reasons, and is recognized internationally as a violation of human rights and the health and integrity of girls and women. It is one of the most brutal ritual that is practiced in various countries including India among the Dawoodi Bohra community. 
• Self-flagellation is a ritual of religious significance done in the name of atonement of one’s sins is practised widely even today and the people engaging themselves into the act confess that they do not experience any sort of pain as they are in a religious trance. 
• It is a ritual involving hitting oneself with a whip or whips of chains with attached blades. Practised among the Christian communities in the Phillipines and Mexico on Good Friday and among the Shi’a sect of Islam in countries like India, Pakistan, Iraq and Lebanon during the month of Muharram. 
• The Devadasi is a Sanskrit term which means servant of Deva (GOD) or Devi (GODESS). This is a kind of religious practice carried on basically in the southern part of India in which a girl in her pre puberty period was dedicated to worship and service of deity or a temple for the rest of her life by her parents. 

How it leads to obscurantism? 

• Often these traditions are justified using either pseudo-science or interpretation of religious texts. For example, triple talaq and nikah halala have been defended irrationally by quoting various texts. In Sabarimala case, despite the ban on the entry of women is against the Right to Equality as ensured in the Constitution, has been also defended. 
• Since the change in these customs is not welcomed at all, these justifications even suppress the reason of the greatest importance. Sometimes they stand so rigid that a reason looks completely helpless and further leads to obscurantism. 
• These obscurantisms protect the customs and traditions from reason, evolution of human and dynamic social order. 
• Communal politics, lack of spirit of rationality, lack of education, etc. further aggravate the situation. 

In a democratic polity, whenever there is a conflict between reason and customs, state apparatus esp. judiciary has the task to strengthen the idea of rationality. But, in many cases, state too struggles in doing so. This is the reason that despite the Constitution in Article 51A (h) directs state to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform among the citizens, still the situation is far from the desired result. Customs and traditions need to make people the rational beings taking account of reasons, rather than becoming a reason for obscurantism, ignorance and faithlessness.

Q20: How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate your answer (UPSC GS1 2020)
Ans: Digitalization is the trending term in 21st century. Right from a child to an experienced old person, they are surrounded by laptops, computers, tablets and smartphones. Educational system is also getting influenced due to the digitalization era.
Contribution of digital initiatives on the functioning of the education system in India 

• Education is the pillar of any country. Education transforms the person and leads him/her on the path where he can strive for the economic and social development of the country. The educational system is going through rapid transformation due to which, the children of this generation are be limited to traditional textbooks. 
• Their thirst for knowledge cannot be quenched using the age-old methodologies and pedagogies. Their hunger for ever-increasing information can be satisfied by the use of digital tools and Internet in the form of e-learning courses, digital textbooks, interactive animation videos and integrating ICT in classrooms The traditional classrooms are getting transformed to “SMART” classrooms. However, this process of digitalization has not touched the rural areas of India effectively. This has created a digital divide between the urban areas and rural areas. “Digital India” aims to bridge this gap by connecting the remotest villages through WIFI and broadband. 
• The “Digital India” programme is a flagship programme aiming to transform India into a digitally powerful and energized society and skilled economy. 
• The Government of India visions to see the most secluded, inaccessible village to be connected by high-speed internet and broadband facilities. This will help in bridging the digital divide between rural and urban areas. This will help in achieving social inclusion and financial inclusion of the rural areas. This also ensures that there is uniformity in the services provided to urban and rural areas. 
• e-Basta: To be consistent with the Government’s Digital India initiative, this project has been created to make school books approachable, easy-to-use and user-friendly. e-Basta books are available in digital format. E-Bastas can be read and used on tablets and laptops. The main idea is to bring various publishers and schools together on the same stand. The participants of the eBasta framework are publishers, schools, teachers and students. The e-Basta app can be easily downloaded by the students from all over the world. The contents required are selected by the schools and teachers. The publishers upload and manage content in the portal. 
• E-Pathshala: It is an app developed by NCERT. This app is house for different kinds of quality textbooks, audios and videos. It addresses a wide audience and also helps in bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas. It has variety of accessibility options. It can accessed through mobiles (android or IOS) or through web platforms on laptops or desktops. 
• Shaala Siddhi: It is a platform initiated by National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration. It aims at evaluating the schools to achieve the goal of sustainable improvement. They can also take sensible decisions for achieving their goals by comparing their performance with the criteria specified by the Schools Standards and Evaluation Framework. 
• e-Education: Digital India aims to connect all the schools in India through Wi-Fi and broadband facilities. This again ensures that all the schools, be it in urban or rural, are able to access the state of art facilities. Digital India would enable inclusive growth by providing access to better educational facilities. People who had to quit school education can make use of online educational facilities like Swayam. This would in turn increase the literacy rate in India. Digital Tools Used and Impact of Learning Outcomes in the Indian Schools. 
• Primary and Secondary schools across the country appear to be more advanced in the adoption of technology. Teachers in primary schools use smart boards and LCD screens to teach concepts in Mathematics, Science, and English Grammar. 
• Schools across the country are using technology seamlessly to engage with students and achieve desired results through well-planned learning methods. 
• Most schools utilize digital tools such as smart boards, LCD screens, audio-visual videos, digital recordings of older lectures and so on to teach children difficult as well as easy concepts. 
• Moreover, the role of a teacher has always been to impart knowledge to students and become facilitators using digital tools. 
• However, many school heads concur that these technologies will never replace the physical presence of a teacher, instead complement the entire teaching process. 
• In India, most of the school’s teachers are conducting ‘Smart Classes for 6-12th standard and teachers have been trained with the software to use it for main subjects (Maths, Science, History and Geography). The teachers are using it extensively in all the classes; and they plan ahead. The schools will soon be a place where the students will learn to study on their own with the help of computers while the teacher being a mere facilitator. 
• For a Digital India to succeed in impacting education, it needs a vision and mission to integrate technology as an important part of our large and complex school system. It must have a targeted approach to improve education through digitalization and by providing better teachers and with a comprehensive vision to provide benefit to a large extent of children. 
• Some of the techniques that can be incorporated in schools-Introduce benefits of technology in education–The very basic thing is to teach children how to incorporate technology with their education, to gain benefit and to use it as a tool to compete with the ever-growing world. This is mainly required in rural areas where children are very far away from this piece of knowledge. E learning apps– After this some innovative tools can be introduced for providing notes, books, resolving queries of student, practicing question etc. 
• There are 100’s of app and software available for students to learn. Smart schools Government should try to incorporate technology from the ground level that is school, more smart school should be open, public schools must be digitalized, classes must be provided to teach student and teachers about the benefits of digital world and everybody must have basic computer proficiency. Smart tools-Schools should be digitalized and must use smart tool to provide education to students like smart board, visual/audio education, school management software for management of school data.

As the access to internet in India has increased over the years and still rising due to the Bharat Net program, there should be more convergence between traditional and digital education. To achieve the highest potential, the digital divide must be narrowed down further.
The digital platform has been the sole medium in the testing time of Covid-19 pandemic which indicates the success of the Digital India Mission. In the coming future one can expect the rise in investment in edutech startups in digital education that can take India to better position of growth and development.