GS Paper - II Model Answers (2021)- 1 | UPSC Mains Answer Writing: Practice PDF Download

Q1: ‘Constitutional Morality’ is rooted in the Constitution itself and is founded on its essential facets. Explain the doctrine of ‘Constitutional Morality’ with the help of relevant judicial decisions.  (UPSC GS2 2021)
Ans: Constitutional morality means the adherence to the norms of the Constitution in a democracy. It is not just limited to following the constitutional provisions in their literal sense, but includes a commitment to an inclusive and democratic political process in which both individual and collective interests of the society are satisfied. It requires a practical percolation of values like sovereignty, social justice and equality in the realm of constitutional adjudication.
While the term ‘Constitutional Morality’ is not found in Indian Constitution, nevertheless it is rooted in various facets of the constitution.

• Preamble – Spells out values like justice, liberty, equality and fraternity to be the foundation stones of our democracy.  
• Fundamental Rights – Protects the rights of individuals against arbitrary use of power by the State. Especially, Article 32 provides for enforcement of these rights in SC.  
• Directive Principles – Guidelines to the State to implement the vision of the makers of the constitution. These include Gandhian, Socialist and Liberal-Intellectual directions.  
• Fundamental Duties – Citizens not only enjoy rights but have to fulfill certain duties towards the nation. 
• Check and Balances – like Legislative check on executive; judicial review of legislative and executive actions etc. 

Constitutional Morality as per various Supreme Court Judgements

• Government of NCT of Delhi Vs. Union of India – All high functionaries need to follow constitutional morality and protect the constitutional values spelt out by the Constitution. Constitutional Morality acts as check on arbitrary use of power by high functionaries. 
• Navtej Singh Johar & Ors. Vs. Union of India – Supreme Court opined that Section 377 violates the right of members of the LQBTQI community on the bedrock of the principles enunciated in Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution [dignity of individuals] 
• Naz Foundation case, the Supreme Court opined that only Constitutional Morality and not Public Morality should prevail 
• Justice K.S. Puttaswamy & Anr. Vs. Union of India & Ors. – SC upheld the constitutional validity of Aadhaar subject to certain limitations. Constitutional Morality ensures courts must neutralize the excesses of power by the executive and strike down any legislation or even executive action if it is unconstitutional. 
• Indian Young Lawyer’s Association v. State of Kerala [Sabrimala Case]– SC opined that constitutional morality which includes values like justice, liberty, equality and fraternity ought to be preferred over customary values, traditions and beliefs. It allowed the entry of women into sabrimala temple irrespective of their ages. [fighting perception, stereotype and prejudices]
• Constitutional morality is crucial for constitutional laws to be effective. Without constitutional morality, the operation of the constitution tends to become arbitrary, erratic and capricious.

Q2: Discuss the desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary to ensure diversity, equity and inclusiveness.
Ans: Recently, CJI has called for 50% representation of women in the judiciary. He has also supported the demand to increase gender diversity in legal education.
Status of representation of Women in Higher Judiciary

• There has never been a women Chief Justice of India.  
• SC was established in 1950. First female SC judge was appointed in 1989. 
• Of the 256 Supreme Court judges appointed in the past 71 years, only 11 (or 4.2%) have been women. The representation of women is more in lower judiciary due to recruitment through an open entrance examination. 
• However, the higher judiciary has opaque collegium system, which more likely reflect bias against women 
• Only out of 25 High Courts in the country has a woman Chief Justice (CJ Hima Kohli at Telangana High Court). Only 73 out of 661 High Court judges, which is roughly 11.04% are women. In five High Courts, namely, Manipur, Meghalaya, Patna, Tripura and Uttarakhand, there is not even a single woman judge.

Desirability of greater representation to women in the higher judiciary

• It will ensure diversity of perspectives is fairly considered. For example – more balanced and empathetic approach in cases involving sexual violence. It will instill greater public trust in the judiciary. 
• Improvements in women’s representation in the judiciary remain intrinsic to constitutional ideals of gender equality and social justice. 
• Women’s greater participation in higher judiciary will provide impetus to fighting gender stereotypes and can pave the way for women’s greater representation, in others decisions, making positions, such as in legislative and executive branches of the government. 
• The entry of women judges into spaces from which they had historically been excluded is seen as a positive step in the direction of judiciaries being perceived as being more transparent, inclusive, and representative of the people whose lives they affect. By their mere presence, women judges enhance the legitimacy of courts, sending a powerful signal that they are open and accessible to those who seek recourse to justice.

Suggestions to increase women’s participation in the higher judiciary

• lack of infrastructure in courts, gender stereotypes and societal attitudes that have created hurdles for women to enter the legal profession. For example – a survey noted that out of nearly 6,000 trial courts, 22% have no toilets for women. This needs to change. 
• Making the process of Judicial appointment more transparent, inclusive and involve representation from government and opposition rather than the current scenario of ‘judges appointing judges’ (Collegium system). 
• Adopt better practices from countries like Britain where the government created an Advisory Panel on Judicial Diversity to investigate the barriers to women and in the judiciary and propose suitable remedies and recommendations.

Q3: How have the recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission of India enabled the states to improve their fiscal position? (UPSC GS2 2021)
Ans: Finance Commission is constituted by the President under Article 280 of the Constitution, mainly to give its recommendations on the distribution of tax revenues between the Union and the States and amongst the States themselves. Recommendations of the 14th Finance Commission, enabling fiscal position of states.

• Increased devolution to states from the divisible pool of taxes from 32% to 42% [drastic change] States would receive a larger volume of untied funds relative to tied funds. This will enhance the states’ autonomy in deciding their expenditure priorities. 
• Asked Centre to reduce conditional grant-in –aids to states; 
• Recommend eight centrally sponsored schemes (CSS) to be delinked from support from the Centre, thus, states sharing a higher fiscal responsibility and autonomy to implement development initiatives. 
• States got much autonomy in deciding their expenditure priority; this is in the spirit of “balancing wheel of fiscal federalism” 
• Given due consideration to the fiscal federalism framework in India by devolving a larger amount to local governments.

Q4: To what extent, in your view, the Parliament is able to ensure accountability of the executive in India?
Ans: Constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government, where the Executive is responsible to the Parliament for its policies and acts.
Mechanisms of Parliamentary control over the Executive:

• Question-hour, zero-hour, half-an-hour discussion, short duration discussion, calling attention motion, adjournment motion, no-confidence motion, censure motion, and other discussions. 
• General Discussion, Voting on policy/law; censure motion; no-confidence motion. 
• Budgetary control – appropriation of grants and post-budgetary control through financial committees like Public Accounts Committee, etc. 
• Walkouts, abstain from voting, use of live-streaming to put pressure on the executive.

Parliament unable to ensure accountability of the executive:
1. Tendencies to evade route of debates/discussions/checks through instruments –  

• Money bill route [Aadhar bill];  
• Use of voice vote mechanism [Farm bills];  
• frequent ordinances.

2. Sidelining parliamentary institutions –  

• lesser bills referred to parliamentary committees;  
• low productivity of question-hour.

3. During the pandemic – a complete session [Winter session] was missed.
4. Lack of discipline/decorum – frequent disruptions [PRS – LS lost 1/6th; RS lost 1/3rd of its time to disruptions]
Suggestion to improve 

• Following 15-point reform charter for better functioning of Parliament as suggested by Vice President
• Making scrutiny of all bills by Parliamentary Committees mandatory.
• Providing adequate time to opposition members to debate issues of public importance.

Q5: “Pressure Groups play a vital role in influencing public policy making in India.” Explain how the business associations contribute to public policies.
Ans: Pressure Groups are a group of people organized actively to promote and defend their common interests and influence public policy. They act as the liaison between government and its members. 
Role of Pressure Groups –  

1. Promote opportunities for political participation without political party 
2. Provide expertise and information to government;  
3. Help in expressing views and needs of minority groups which remain unheard  
4. Attract the attention of government on important issues  
5. Act as safety valve in the democracy to vent out the pressure of people. 

Role of Business Associations:  

1. Engaging with the policy makers, government and civil society, influencing policies by way of articulating the views and suggestions of industry. (e.g. – FICCI, CII) 
2. Communicate the grievances and demands of various sectors and industries to the government. 
3. Conduct workshops, seminars, business meets and conferences to discuss, debate various upcoming and existed policies of the government. 
4. Provides a platform for consensus-building and networking on key issues   
5. Provide useful and credible research on existing and newer developments in areas such as industrial operations, infrastructure and technology. 
6. Provide valuable information on potentials and new developments in foreign trade by studying the trade environment and imports regulations of many foreign countries.

Q6: “Besides being a moral imperative of Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary pre-condition for sustainable development.” Analyze. (UPSC GS2 2021)
Ans: 

• Education and healthcare contribute to the economic development, social change and the quality of life. India spends 2 per cent of theGDP on the healthcare sector. The pandemic too has further taken a toll on this sector.
• The idea of a welfare state calls for a Universal Health Coverage that ensures equitable access of health to all the Indian citizens in a non-discriminatory manner and ensure its quality, affordability and accountability.
• There is a dismal situation been faced in the healthcare facilities due to inadequate resources with the healthcare planners. There are corruption and quality issues. The private sector driven by the free market economy where there is little monitoring of the prices. Its accessibility and affordability is beyond the reach of many households.
• There is lack of availability of subsidised and timely treatment leads to affordability and increases poverty and heightens the out of pocket expenditure. The aim is inclusive healthcare for it there has been an increase in the GDP expenditure planning and public private partnership. The aim is also to reduce the leakages and the corruption and governance issues must be dealt well.
• The government has come up with the provision of the PMJAY or the Ayushmann Bharat Yojana that helps the economically vulnerable population and provide them with the healthcare facilities and put the secondary and tertiary facilities completely cashless in the empanelled public private hospitals.

Certain reforms in the Health Sector

• Implement national standards for training and employment for the workforce.
• Implement the national accreditation of the hospitals.
• PPP in designing new healthcare services and research where affordable generic medicines are promoted.
• Insurance penetration to reduce the OPO Expenditure.
• Better the hospital infrastructure.

Thus the healthcare services needs to be paid adequate attention to so that the idea of the welfre state that is promised and thus well realised.

Q7: “‘Earn while you learn’ scheme needs to be strengthened to make vocational education and skill training meaningful.” Comment. (UPSC GS2 2021)
Ans: The Ministry of Tourism is implementing a Scheme titled ‘Earn While You Learn’. It envisages to inculcate appropriate tourism travel traits and knowledge amongst trainees to enable them to work as ‘student volunteers’. This scheme provides short term training, dedicated to travel industry, to college-going students pursuing graduation courses or graduates in the age group of 18 to 25 years.
Benefits of ‘Earn While You Learn’ Program

• Provides opportunities to students to earn while learning to meet their expenses. 
• Exposes the students to the world of work before actual employment. 
• Gives students hands on experience and confidence thereby prepares them better for taking up jobs in future. 
• Enables the students to explore their subject preferences and develop them into a career. 
• Helps inculcate in the students values of hard work and dignity of labour. 
• Helps to channelize the in exhaustive energy of the young students in positive activities.

Making vocational training meaningful

• Burden of providing for household expenses prevents many young people from undertaking vocational training which creates a void in daily income.  
• Has the potential to attract more people towards undertaking such programmes when income is ensured.  
• Give students hands on experience and thereby prepare them better for taking up jobs in future. 
• Help India reap its rich demographic dividend transition from a jobless growth economy to employable economy.  

Q8: Can the vicious cycle of gender inequality, poverty and malnutrition be broken through micro financing of women SHGs? Explain with examples. (UPSC GS2 2021)
Ans: Gender inequality results in unequal opportunities in terms of access to health, education, nutrition and quality jobs pushing women into poverty and malnutrition. Microfinancing of women SHGs can target women sitting at the bottom of the poverty pyramid with higher socio-economic inequalities, in the following manner:

• Nutritional indicators: Microfinancing of the women SHGs is linked to better nutritional outcomes for the whole family. It is important in breaking inter-generational poverty. For example, Self Employed Women’s Association, works towards nutrition security amongst women. 
• Community involvement: Microfinancing of women SHGs, help break the barriers of social conventions and gender ideology, with enhanced community engagement. For example, Kudumbshree, initiative in Kerala started as a SHG. 
• Decision making ability: Microfinancing of women SHGs improves the decision-making ability of its members. With greater say in the matters of resource utilization, family planning etc. For example, Indira Kranti Patham enhanced human resource capacity of its women members.  
• Socio-economic empowerment: Mission Shakti initiative of Orissa government have led to better socio-economic indicators among tribal women. 
• Credit availability: Microfinancing of women SHGs is linked to increased credit worthiness of the members. Access to credit provides resilience against falling into poverty trap. For example, Jay Ambe SHG, in Rajasthan facilitates credit availability for its poor members. 
• Provide for non-farm employment is crucial in supporting the primary occupation of agriculture during times of agricultural distress.  

Microfinancing of the SHGs can enhance the ability of women to augment the family income. While, it will enhance gender parity, it will also keep the women/children from falling into the vicious circle of malnutrition and poverty.

Q9: “If the last few decades were of Asia’s growth story, the next few are expected to be Africa’s.” In the light of this statement, examine India’s influence in Africa in recent years.
Ans: The last few decades saw the exponential rise of Asia driven by countries like China, Vietnam, India, etc. However, Asian growth is slowing down and is now being overshadowed by the growth of countries in Africa. Currently, the rate of return on foreign investment is higher in Africa than in any other developing region. 
India’s influence in Africa 

1. India shares long-standing ties with Africa and solidarity forged by the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi against oppressive colonial rule.
2. India is now Africa’s third-largest trading partner, accounting for 6.4 percent of African total trade for a total value of $62.6 billion in 2017-18.
3. India also has a large diaspora in Africa, which India can engage in its favor.
4. India’s private sector companies are making inroads in Africa and exploiting these emerging markets.
5. India has time again has stood as a supporter of Africa in International politics tracing back to NAM which forged South-South cooperation.
6. Principled lending using cooperation like Asia-Africa Growth Corridor compared to debt-trap diplomacy of China.
7. India is providing grants-in-aid and Line of credits running into billions of dollars to help Africa in developmental needs. 
8. During COVID-19, India used medical diplomacy to help African nations with essential medicines and vaccines. Moreover, India regularly assists African nations during natural disasters by carrying out HADR operations.
9. India also holds several diplomatic forums with Africa to increase its outreach in the continent like India-Africa Form Summit etc.  

Africa offers a number of resources that are essential for India’s continued growth. Therefore, it is imperative for India to have favorable ties with Africa. 

Q10: “The USA is facing an existential threat in the form of a China, that is much more challenging than the erstwhile Soviet Union.” Explain. 
Ans: The rise of China as a major global power, threatening the hegemonic power of the United States, has resulted in the debate of a new Cold War emanating between the two economic powers. Thus, comparisons are being made about the threat faced by the US from China vis-a-vis the threat that was posed by the Soviet Union. 
Challenges faced by the USA from China compared to the erstwhile Soviet Union 

1. the Soviet Union led the Eastern bloc during the Cold War era through its military and ideological might. China, on the other hand, competes in administrative models and governance.
2. Compared with the largely theoretical promises of communism of the Soviet Union, China’s real-life achievements with its development model appeal to many developing countries. Meanwhile, democracy and freedom have been on a sustained decline around the world over the past fifteen years.
3. The Soviet Union openly and directly regarded the United States as its enemy, which it could hardly co-exist with. China seeks to construct a “new model of major-country relationship” with the United States. Thus, making the threat more veiled and more dangerous.
4. China has not aimed to foster revolution and regime change—as the Soviet Union did—but worked with ruling elites, offering trade and investment opportunities without criticizing them for violations of human rights, corruption, or authoritarianism, as the US does. This has gained many allies for China in the developing world.
5. Compared to the Cold War era, the contemporary global economy is more integrated, especially with China being the top trading partner of many countries, thus an indispensable unit of global trade.
6. While the Soviet Union exhausted its economy while competing with the US in defense and space, China has kept its economy growing and is poised to overtake the US as the largest economy.
7. China is well-placed and planning to capitalize on emerging technologies, while the Soviet Union lost the war on the technological front long before its demise.