April 10 – Mini Mock Test Solutions: 2026 | UPSC Daily Answer Writing Practice PDF Download

Q1. (GS1/ Indian Society)
“The escalating mental health crisis among Indian youth in 2025 underscores systemic educational and employment pressures.” Discuss. (150 words)
Ans: 
Introduction
In 2025, India’s youth face a growing mental health crisis, driven by intense educational and employment pressures. Systemic issues like competitive exams, job scarcity, and societal expectations exacerbate anxiety and depression, necessitating urgent interventions.

Body

Educational Pressures

• Competitive Culture: The race for IITs, UPSC, and other exams creates immense stress, with 2025 data showing 70% of students reporting anxiety. Coaching centers amplify pressure, often neglecting holistic well-being.
• Lack of Support Systems: Schools rarely integrate mental health education, leaving students ill-equipped to cope with failure or stress.

Employment Challenges

• Job Scarcity: Despite economic growth, youth unemployment in 2025 stands at 20%, fueling uncertainty and low self-esteem.
• Skill Mismatch: Outdated curricula fail to align with industry needs, leaving graduates unprepared and anxious.

Societal Expectations

• Stigma Around Mental Health: Cultural taboos discourage seeking therapy, with only 10% of affected youth accessing professional help.
• Parental Pressure: Expectations of financial stability push youth toward high-paying careers, stifling personal aspirations.

Suggested Diagram: A flowchart showing causes (education, employment, society) leading to mental health issues and potential interventions.

Conclusion
The mental health crisis among Indian youth in 2025 stems from systemic educational and employment pressures, compounded by societal stigma. Integrating mental health education and counseling in schools and workplaces is critical for change.

Q2. (GS2/ Indian Society)
To what extent have government initiatives mitigated the youth unemployment crisis in India by 2025? Suggest strategies for enhancing skill development and job creation while addressing regional disparities. (250 words)
Ans: 
Introduction
India’s youth unemployment crisis, pegged at 20% in 2025, poses a significant socio-economic challenge. Government initiatives like Skill India and Make in India aim to address this, but regional disparities and structural issues limit their impact. Strategic interventions are needed to enhance employability and job creation.

Body

Effectiveness of Government Initiatives

• Skill India Mission: By 2025, over 40 crore youth have been trained under PMKVY, but only 30% secured jobs due to skill-industry mismatches.
• Make in India: Manufacturing growth created 1.5 crore jobs, yet urban-centric focus left rural youth underserved.
• Startup India: Support for 50,000 startups fostered innovation, but limited funding access in Tier-2/3 cities restricted scalability.

Challenges

• Regional Disparities: States like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh report 25% youth unemployment, compared to 15% in Gujarat, due to uneven industrial growth.
• Quality of Training: Many skilling programs lack practical, industry-relevant curricula, reducing employability.

Strategies for Improvement

• Region-Specific Skilling: Tailor programs to local industries, e.g., agro-based skills in rural areas and tech skills in urban hubs.
• Public-Private Partnerships: Collaborate with industries to design demand-driven curricula and apprenticeships.
• Decentralized Job Creation: Incentivize MSMEs in backward regions through tax breaks and infrastructure support.
• Digital Platforms: Expand online job portals and freelancing opportunities to bridge urban-rural divides.

Suggested Diagram: A map of India highlighting youth unemployment rates by state, with annotations for key government initiatives.

Conclusion
Government initiatives have made strides in addressing youth unemployment by 2025, but regional disparities and skill gaps persist. Targeted skilling, decentralized job creation, and industry collaboration can enhance outcomes, ensuring inclusive growth.

Q3. (GS3/ Internal)
Evaluate the impact of cross-border infiltration on India's internal security landscape in 2025, with reference to incidents in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast. (150 words)
Ans: 
Introduction
Cross-border infiltration remains a critical challenge to India’s internal security in 2025, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and the Northeast. These incidents fuel militancy, communal tensions, and resource strain, necessitating robust countermeasures.

Body

Impact in Jammu and Kashmir

• Militancy Surge: In 2025, over 50 infiltration attempts along the LoC in J&K fueled terrorist activities, with 20% linked to Pakistan-backed groups, destabilizing peace post-Article 370 revocation.
• Social Polarization: Infiltration exacerbates local unrest, with youth radicalization rising due to propaganda.

Impact in the Northeast

• Ethnic Tensions: Infiltration from Bangladesh, especially post-2025 political turmoil, has spiked illegal migration in Assam, straining resources and sparking communal clashes.
• Crime and Trafficking: Smuggling networks linked to infiltrators have increased drug and human trafficking, undermining regional stability.

Security Measures

• Technological Upgrades: Deployment of AI-based surveillance along borders has reduced infiltration by 30% in 2025.
• Community Engagement: Programs like “Sadbhavana” in J&K aim to counter radicalization through development.

Suggested Diagram: A map showing infiltration hotspots in J&K and Northeast, with security deployment points.

Conclusion
Cross-border infiltration in 2025 significantly threatens India’s security, fueling militancy and social discord. Enhanced surveillance, community outreach, and diplomatic efforts are critical to mitigate these challenges effectively.

Q4. (GS4/ Ethics) Case Study
Rajesh is an IPS officer posted as Superintendent of Police in a border district in Northeast India. In 2025, amid heightened tensions due to cross-border infiltration from Bangladesh following political instability there, Rajesh uncovers a network of local politicians and smugglers facilitating illegal migration in exchange for electoral support. The infiltrators are being used as vote banks, exacerbating communal tensions and straining local resources.

Rajesh reports the issue to his superiors, but they caution restraint, stating:

• Exposing the network could ignite communal violence and destabilize the fragile peace in the region.
• The politicians involved have high-level connections, and action might lead to transfers or false allegations against him.
• Maintaining status quo could "preserve harmony" by avoiding immediate conflict, allowing time for diplomatic resolutions.

Meanwhile, local communities complain of increased crime, resource scarcity, and cultural dilution due to the influx. NGOs provide evidence of human trafficking linked to the network. If Rajesh pursues the case aggressively, he risks his safety and career; if he ignores it, he enables security breaches and ethical lapses.

Questions 
(a) What ethical dilemmas does Rajesh face in this scenario? 
(b) If mentoring aspiring police officers, what ethical principles and qualities would you highlight for managing conflicts between security imperatives and political pressures? 
(c) Propose a pragmatic yet ethically sound course of action for Rajesh, balancing immediate risks with long-term national security.
Ans: 
(a) Ethical Dilemmas

• Duty vs. Political Pressure: Exposing the smuggling network upholds law but risks antagonizing powerful politicians, potentially leading to transfer or retaliation.
• Security vs. Stability: Action against infiltrators could spark communal violence, while inaction compromises border security and enables trafficking.
• Public Interest vs. Personal Safety: Pursuing the case protects communities but endangers Rajesh’s career and safety.

(b) Recommended Principles and Qualities

• Integrity and Courage: Officers must uphold the law fearlessly, resisting political pressures to maintain public trust.
• Emotional Intelligence: Understanding community sentiments aids in managing tensions while addressing security concerns.
• Ethical Frameworks: Apply utilitarianism (maximizing societal good) and deontology (duty-based action) to guide decisions.

(c) Course of Action

• Discreet Investigation: Gather irrefutable evidence through covert operations and coordinate with central agencies like NIA.
• Community Engagement: Work with NGOs to address local grievances, reducing communal tensions.
• Diplomatic Advocacy: Escalate findings to higher authorities for coordinated border security measures without public confrontation.

Q5. (GS4/ Ethics) 
“Objectivity in public administration ensures impartiality, but emotional intelligence fosters humane governance.” Analyze this in the context of ethical leadership. (150 words)
Ans: 

Introduction
Ethical leadership in public administration requires a balance between objectivity, ensuring impartial decisions, and emotional intelligence (EI), fostering empathy and humane governance. Together, they create a framework for just and compassionate leadership.

Body

Role of Objectivity

• Impartial Decision-Making: Objectivity ensures decisions are based on facts, not biases, as seen in fair recruitment processes under UPSC guidelines.
• Rule of Law: Upholding policies without favoritism builds public trust, critical for governance legitimacy.

Role of Emotional Intelligence

• Empathetic Governance: EI enables leaders to understand stakeholders’ needs, as seen in disaster management where empathetic communication calms affected communities.
• Conflict Resolution: EI helps navigate interpersonal tensions, ensuring collaborative decision-making in diverse settings.

Synergy in Leadership

• Balanced Approach: Combining objectivity with EI ensures decisions are fair yet considerate, e.g., implementing welfare schemes with empathy for marginalized groups.
• Challenges: Over-reliance on objectivity may seem cold, while excessive empathy risks bias, necessitating balance.

Suggested Diagram: A Venn diagram showing the overlap of objectivity and emotional intelligence in ethical leadership outcomes.

Conclusion
Objectivity ensures impartiality, while emotional intelligence humanizes governance. Ethical leaders must integrate both to deliver fair, empathetic, and effective public administration, fostering trust and inclusivity.