Applying right strategies to build answers
Hyderabad: Merely gaining knowledge on a topic doesn’t suffice, aspirants should also know how to write well In our previous ten articles, we have covered strategies, techniques, frameworks and methodologies – how to write GS answers and Essays. It included building impactful introductions, proper body and effective conclusions with a number of examples in each […]
Published Date - 22 July 2022, 11:43 PM
Hyderabad: Merely gaining knowledge on a topic doesn’t suffice, aspirants should also know how to write well
In our previous ten articles, we have covered strategies, techniques, frameworks and methodologies – how to write GS answers and Essays. It included building impactful introductions, proper body and effective conclusions with a number of examples in each article.
Now it’s time to apply all the strategies and build good answers across all the subjects. In this article, we are going to see the best possible answers for the previous questions asked in the UPSC Mains and State services examinations. These answers will serve as a guiding light, thus helping you in writing answers to similar topics you come across.
Indian Polity and Governance:
1) Highlight the significance of the 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019. Also discuss the issues associated with this act.
Answer: The 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019, has empowered the State to provide up to 10 per cent reservation in education and public employment for “economically weaker sections” of citizens other than the scheduled castes (SC), the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and the non-creamy layer of the OBC.
This will be over and above the existing scheme of reservations and increases the total reservations to nearly 59%.
Significance of the Act:
1) EWS is Constitutionally recognised as a vulnerable section and would form the basis of reservation. Earlier, it is only educationally and socially backward sections that got the reservation, now economical factor came into the picture.
2) In Ram Singh vs. union of India (2015), SC said social deficiencies may exist beyond the concept of caste. Hence, there is a need to evolve new yardsticks to move away from caste-centric definition of backwardness, so that most distressed can get the benefit of the reservation system.
3) According to Commission for economically backward classes (CEBC)-2010 report, nearly 18% of the general category came under the below poverty line. This has created a sense of dissatisfaction among them because of similar or poorer economic status but excluded from caste-based reservation.
Issues associated with this Act:
1) In Indira Sawhney case (1992), SC has set the cap for reservation at 50%. With 10% reservation for EWS, total reservation has increased to 59% violating the judgment.
2) In Nagaraj vs union of India (2006), SC said that the 50% ceiling is a Constitutional requirement without which the structure of equality in opportunity would collapse.
3) The gross household income limit up to Rs 8 lakh a year may lead to elite to elite capture of the reservation benefits.
Any reservation policy should ensure that it is not a populistic measure and manipulate the voters. Transparent and genuine verification of beneficiaries should be devised to fully achieve the benefits of reservation. Along with this, creating an ecosystem for quality education, skill development, and employment opportunities is important to address the issues like caste and class divisions in India.
2) What are Tribunals? Discuss the advantages and issues related to Tribunals in India.
Answer:
Tribunals are quasi-judicial body established by an Act of Parliament or State Legislature under 323A or 323B to resolve disputes that are brought before it. They were inserted through 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 on the recommendations of Swaran Singh committee.
Advantages of Tribunals:
1) Administrative tribunals are set up to be less formal, less expensive and a faster way to resolve disputes than by using the traditional court system.
2) Tribunal members who make decisions usually have special knowledge about the topic they are asked to consider.
3) They do not have any to follow any uniform procedure as laid down under the Civil Procedure Code and the Indian Evidence Act.
4) Tribunals reduce the burden of already overburdened courts. They hear disputes related to the environment, armed forces, and tax and administrative issues.
Issues with Tribunals:
1) Against separation of the powers: Here, tribunal is not a court of law and is controlled by the Executive.
2) By-passing High Court: Aggrieved person can directly appeal to the Supreme Court, side-stepping the High Court.
3) Expensive and difficult to access: For instance, there are only a few benches of Green Tribunal for the whole country. Parties across India cannot access them that easily.
Tribunals perform an important and specialised role in the justice mechanism. As per the Law Commission of India report, the appointments to Tribunals and their functioning are independent of the Executive’s influence.
Thus, today we discussed two important topics from Indian Polity and Governance through previous questions. Do make note of important points from the above questions and make your answers enriched. We will discuss a few more topics in the upcoming articles in this series.
To be continued…
By Anirudh Billa