UPSC Mains 2014 GS-1 Question Paper

All 25 questions from this paper, with real topper answers where available.

• Q1. The life cycle of a joint family depends on economic factors rather than Joint Family & social values. Discuss.10 marks · Economy
• Q2. How do the Indian debates on secularism differ from the debates in the West?10 marks · Indian vs Western Secularism
• Q2. Why do some of the most prosperous regions of India have an adverse sex ratio for women? Give your arguments.10 marks · Prosperity & Adverse Sex Ratio
• Q3. Discuss the various economic and socio-cultural forces that are driving Feminization increasing feminization of agriculture in India.10 marks · of Agriculture
• Q3. How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?10 marks · India-Africa Natural Resources
• Q3. Why did the Green Revolution in India virtually by-pass the eastern region despite fertile soil and good availability of water?10 marks · Green Revolution (Eastern India)
• Q4. Sufis and medieval mystic saints failed to modify either the religious ideas and practices or the outward structure of Hindu / Muslim societies to any appreciable extent. Comment.10 marks · Bhakti & Sufi Movement
• Q4. In what ways did the naval mutiny prove to be the last nail in the coffin of Royal Indian British colonial aspirations in India?10 marks · Navy Mutiny
• Q4. How does patriarchy impact the position of a middle class working woman in India?10 marks · Patriarchy & Working Women
• Q4. Bring out the relationship between the shrinking Himalayan glaciers and Glaciers & the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent.10 marks · Climate Change
• Q4. Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world.10 marks · Oceanic Resources
• Q4. Account for the change in the spatial pattern of the Iron and Steel Iron and steel industry in the world.10 marks · Industry
• Q5. Taxila university was one of the oldest universities of the world with which were associated a number of renowned learned personalities of Taxila and different disciplines. Its strategic location caused its fame to flourish, but University unlike Nalanda, it is not considered as a university in the modern sense.10 marks · Nalanda
• Q5. Examine critically the various facets of economic policies of the British in India from mid-eighteenth century till independence.10 marks · Economic Impact of British Rule
• Q5. The New Economic Policy – 1921 of Lenin had influenced the policies adopted by India soon after independence. Evaluate.10 marks · Lenin's New Economic Policy
• Q5. Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree?10 marks · El-Nino Effect
• Q5. Whereas the British planters had developed tea gardens all along the Shivaliks and Lesser Himalayas from Assam to Himachal Pradesh, in effect Tea Plantation they did not succeed beyond the Darjeeling area. Explain.10 marks
• Q6. Discuss. Gandhara sculpture owed as much to the Romans as to the Greeks. Gandhara Explain.10 marks · Sculpture
• Q6. Battles of The third battle of Panipat was fought in 1761. Why were so many empire-shaking battles fought at Panipat? It would have been difficult for the Constituent Assembly to complete its10 marks · Panipat
• Q6. What were the events that led to the Suez Crisis in 1956? How did it deal Suez Crisis a final blow to Britain’s self-image as a world power?10 marks · (1956)
• Q6. Why are the world’s fold mountain systems located along the margins of continents? Bring out the association between the global distribution of Fold Mountains and the earthquakes and volcanoes.10 marks · Tectonics (Mountains & Volcanoes)
• Q7. To what extent has the urban planning and culture of the Indus Valley IVC Urban Civilization provided inputs to the present day urbanization? Discuss.10 marks · Planning
• Q7. What were the major political, economic and social developments in the Anti-Colonial world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India?10 marks · Struggles
• Q7. Tropical cyclones are largely confined to South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why?10 marks · Tropical Cyclones Distribution
• Q8. Explain the formation of thousands of islands in Indonesian and Island Arcs Philippines archipelagos.10 marks · Formation