materialism essay upsc

[Essay Topic- 3 Mains 2021] Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.

Introduction, the interplay between the ideals of wantlessness and the allure of materialism has been a topic of introspection and debate for centuries. the philosophy of wantlessness, or the state of desiring nothing, paints a picture of contentment and inner peace, often deemed utopian. materialism, on the other hand, with its emphasis on possessions and external validation, is seen as a chimera, an illusion that often eludes true fulfillment., thesis statement, while wantlessness suggests a utopian state of contentment devoid of desires, materialism, with its ever-shifting goals, often leads to an elusive chase, much like a chimera. exploring these two extremes offers a profound understanding of human nature, aspirations, and the essence of fulfillment., crux/meaning of the essay, at the heart of this discourse lies a fundamental human quest: the search for happiness and meaning. by delving into the ideals of wantlessness and the pitfalls of materialism, we seek to understand the pathways that might lead to genuine contentment and the traps that might divert us from it., different dimensions, inner peace vs. external validation: wantlessness emphasizes internal contentment, derived from a state of inner equilibrium, while materialism often seeks validation from external possessions and societal acknowledgment. transient joy vs. enduring contentment: material gains might offer fleeting happiness, but the philosophy of wantlessness suggests a more enduring state of contentment. societal constructs and pressures : the modern world, with its emphasis on consumerism, often champions materialistic pursuits, making the ideal of wantlessness seem even more utopian., different perspectives, the spiritual perspective: spiritual traditions often advocate for detachment from material pursuits and emphasize the serenity derived from wantlessness. the economist’s view : from a purely economic standpoint, materialism drives consumption, economic growth, and innovation. however, the never-ending chase might lead to societal burnout and existential voids. the psychologist’s lens: they might explore the impact of both philosophies on mental well-being. while materialism could lead to anxiety and perpetual dissatisfaction, a strict adherence to wantlessness might negate genuine human aspirations., significance in current context, in today’s hyper-connected, consumer-driven world, the allure of materialism is pervasive. the constant barrage of advertising, social media comparisons, and societal pressures magnifies this allure. however, there’s a growing movement advocating for minimalism, sustainable living, and introspection, suggesting a collective yearning for the utopian ideals of wantlessness., navigating the dichotomy between the utopian concept of wantlessness and the chimera of materialism requires self-awareness, introspection, and discernment. while it’s natural to seek comfort and even luxury, recognizing the transient nature of materialistic joys and appreciating the depth of contentment that comes from inner peace can pave the way for a balanced, fulfilling existence. as individuals and as a society, finding a harmonious path between these extremes is the key to genuine happiness and societal well-being., related posts:.

• ESSAY PAPER: UPSC MAINS EXAM 2021
• [Essay Topic- 1 Mains 2021]The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
• [Essay Topic- 3 Mains 2022]History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man.
• [Essay Topic- 2 Mains 2021]Your perception of me is reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.

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Essay Paper UPSC 2021 (Mains): Question Paper and Analysis

Last updated on January 8, 2022 by Alex Andrews George

UPSC conducted the  Essay Paper , as part of the Civil Services Main Exam 2021 on 07-01-2022.

There were 8 Essay topics, out of which candidates were asked to write on two topics in 3 hours.

Candidates were supposed to answer about 1000 words for each essay (about 10-12 pages).

Table of Contents

Essay Paper UPSC 2021 Instructions

• Total Marks: 250 marks, Time duration: 3 hours.
• The essay must be written in the medium authorized in the admission certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this question-cum-answer (QCA) booklet in the space provided.
• No marks will be given for answers written in the medium other than the authorized one.
• Word limit, as specified, should be adhered to.
• Any page or portion of the page left blank, must be struck off clearly.

Essay Question Paper – UPSC Civil Services Main Exam (Written) 2021

Write  two  essays, choosing  one  topic from each of the following Sections A and B, in about 1000-1200 words each:

1. The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.

2. Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.

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3. Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.

4. The real is rational and the rational is real.

5. Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

6. What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!

7. History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

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8. There are better practices to “best practices”.

Most of the essays topics this year were philosophical and open to the interpretation of the candidates. However, considering the philosophical base of the questions, most candidates found the questions tricky. It was not easy to write 1000 words on each topic within the time constraints.

UPSC has ensured that the essay topics were much different from the GS questions.

A philosophical theme is clearly evident in most of the essay topics in Section A as well as Section B. This was the case in 2020 as well. However, this year it became much more prominent. It is a clue about what UPSC expects from the essay paper.

Rather than asking candidates to write on topics most aspirants are familiar or trained with, UPSC is now evaluating the essay writing skills of aspirants by providing them with abstract or philosophical topics.

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The reason for such a shift in the pattern should be the change in the focus of the Commission.

All the 8 topics presented this year will test spontaneous thinking, comprehension, writing skills, and time-management of aspirants.

Repeated questions from previous years

The importance of the previous year UPSC questions cannot be stressed more.

Just like prelims, in mains too many questions came directly repeated from previous year question papers. Also, there were themes you often see in many essay books.

One such question was Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

Thinkers, Philosophers, and their Quotes

Let’s analyse the source of some of the question topics.

Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.

This essay topic was a quote going rounds on the internet. The quote is attributed to “Coach Bobbi” [Bobbi Chegwyn] on Facebook.

Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.

This essay topic was connected with J.K. Mehta’s Theory of Wantlessness!

This has also connections with Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy.

The real is rational and the rational is real.

This is a quote by Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel .

As per Hegel, something can be real, yet it may not exist. Also, something may not be real, it may still exist. For Hegel, reality does not mean existence.

Among philosophers, Hegel is one whose thought is extremely difficult to understand. Often to understand Hegel’s thoughts, we need to grasp his ideas, not in isolation but together with his dialogue with other philosophers, in particular, Aristotle and Kant.

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

“The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Is the Hand That Rules the World” is a poem by William Ross Wallace that praises motherhood as the preeminent force for change in the world. The poem was first published in 1865 under the title “ What Rules the World “.

What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!

This is a quote by Will Harvey . Will Harvey (born 1967) is an American software developer and Silicon Valley entrepreneur.

History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

It was Karl Marx who said that history repeats itself, first as tragedy, then as farce.

First, it’s a tragedy because it shouldn’t have happened. Then it’s a farce (joke) because we didn’t learn from our mistakes the first time around. This is Marx’s version of dark humour.

What should aspirants preparing for next year do for an essay paper?

First of all, you should take the essay paper seriously.

Unless properly trained, it is not easy to write 10-12 pages on an abstract or philosophical topic.

You need to polish your comprehension and analytical skills.

Read different kinds of essays – particularly philosophical essays.

Give stress to the thoughts of philosophers like Immanuel Kant, Thomas Aquinas, John Locke, Friedrich Niche, Karl Marx etc. Start writing essays on famous quotes.

Also, be prepared to write essays touching other areas like society, polity, economy, or technology. UPSC is known for surprises.

Remember that there is nothing like a constant trend with respect to UPSC questions.

What you get by analysing the previous year question papers are clues. And only those are what you need from UPSC questions!

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About Alex Andrews George

Alex Andrews George is a mentor, author, and social entrepreneur. Alex is the founder of ClearIAS and one of the expert Civil Service Exam Trainers in India.

He is the author of many best-seller books like 'Important Judgments that transformed India' and 'Important Acts that transformed India'.

A trusted mentor and pioneer in online training , Alex's guidance, strategies, study-materials, and mock-exams have helped many aspirants to become IAS, IPS, and IFS officers.

Reader Interactions

January 8, 2022 at 11:36 am

Upsc has chosen right path to evaluate person.one person read, listen ,rember and write in exam.He qualify exam.He is just like computer.worthy less people selected by upsc every year.They are not thinker.so our country is intellectually insolvent.civil services requires thinker to. progess country and welfare of common man.These types of question evaluate intellectual for the welfare of human being.

January 9, 2022 at 1:44 pm

You are putting the quality of a leader and a literate society in such a person who just has to follow his supremes.He/She must be a good analyst. That’s it!!!

June 13, 2022 at 12:41 pm

in the bureaucracy – there is no space for logical thinking.

once you clear the exams and get appointed – you have to follow the “protocol’ or “procedures” – its difficult to be analytical and innovative – bcos the system demands obedience and adherence to the protocol. If you follow the protocol – and even if lot of people are severely affected – you wont be taken to task. But if you are innovative – and even if ONE person gets affected – you will be punished.

January 8, 2022 at 4:02 pm

Yeah!I’ve passed upsc .

January 25, 2022 at 2:21 pm

I have written Essay on three topics..how may I share?

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Sociology Notes

Historical Materialism of Karl Marx

Historical materialism: marx’s theory of society.

Marx’s theory of historical materialism is the foundation of his sociological thought. He believed that material conditions, specifically economic factors, influence the structure and development of society. According to Marx, human society is formed by the forces and relations of production, which are essentially comprised of technological means of production. This theory is historical because Marx traced the evolution of human societies from one stage to another, and it is materialistic because he interpreted the evolution of societies in terms of their material or economic bases. In contrast to the earlier view of Hegel, who believed that ideas were the cause of change, Marx argued that ideas were a result of objective reality, i.e., matter.

Understanding Society and Social Change

Marx’s sociological thinking goes beyond examining the structure of human societies at a given point in time. He seeks to understand society in its entirety and explains societies in terms of the future of humankind. For Marx, it is not enough to describe the world; he has a plan for changing it. Therefore, his sociological thinking largely concerns the mechanism of change.

Clarification and Focus

It is important to note that this discussion is focused solely on Marx’s sociological ideas and not the various interpretations of his ideas that became the official ideology of Communist regimes. Marx’s theory of historical materialism is a general theory of society that extensively deals with the contradictions found in capitalist societies during his time.

Marx’s childhood and youth took place during a period of European history when reactionary powers were attempting to eradicate the influence of the French Revolution. At the same time, there was a liberal movement in Germany that was influenced by the Revolution in France. Marx became associated with the young Hegelians, a group of people following the philosophy of Hegel, during his studies at the University of Berlin. Despite being the youngest member, Marx gained the confidence, respect, and admiration of the group, as they saw in him a powerful anti-Hegelian and a new Hegel.

Marx’s Faith in Democracy

Marx’s intellectual heritage was a synthesis of many ideological currents in Europe during the early and middle nineteenth century. He drew insights, attitudes, and concepts from the basic assumptions of democratic faith and slogans of the French Revolution. His radical view of democracy was based on historical events such as the revolutions in England, France, and America. From these studies, Marx concluded that a transitory stage of Proletarian democracy would ultimately lead to communism, a system in which goods are owned in common and accessible to all.

Conception of History

Marx’s epoch coincided with the era of industrial and social revolutions, extending into the modern era. This historical context shaped his thinking and provided the framework for his theory of historical materialism. Although Marx never explicitly wrote about historical materialism, his writings from 1843-8 referred to it in a fragmentary fashion. He viewed historical materialism not as a new philosophical system, but as a practical method of socio-historical studies and a basis for political action. He drew inspiration from Hegel’s philosophy, recognizing that the history of mankind is a single and non-repetitive process, and that the laws of historical process can be discovered.

Materialism and Marx’s Approach to History

Materialism seeks scientific explanations of things, including religion, and opposes the concept of idealism. Historical materialism emphasizes the fundamental and causal role of material conditions in the development of human history. Marx traced historical events in the light of a materialistic understanding of reality and developed a sociological approach to history. He rejected Hegelian and Post-Hegelian speculative philosophy and instead built on Feuerbach’s anthropological naturalism. Marx’s theory sought to explain all social phenomena in terms of their place and function in complex systems of society and nature, without resorting to metaphysical explanations.

Marx’s theory of historical materialism is a fundamental aspect of his sociological thought. It emphasizes the influence of material conditions, particularly economic factors, on the structure and development of society. Marx’s understanding of society goes beyond examining its structure at a given point in time; he seeks to understand society in its entirety and has a plan for changing it. His theory is historical because he traces the evolution of human societies, and it is materialistic because he interprets the evolution of societies in terms of their material or economic bases. Marx’s ideas were influenced by the historical context in which he lived, as well as the philosophical ideas of Hegel and Feuerbach.

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UPSC 2021 Mains Essay Question Paper

• January 7, 2022
• Mains , Questions , UPSC

UPSC 2021 Mains Essay Question

Essay writing is a crucial topic, from an exam point of view. While you can read and learn about the various disciplines and topics, it is hard to develop a good style of writing merely by reading books. Thus, writing practice has its own importance, that flows through each and every paper, that needs descriptive answers.

Write TWO Essays, choosing ONE from each of the Sections A and B, in about   1000-1200 words each. (125×2-250)

• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
• Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.
• The real is rational and the rational is real.
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.
• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
• History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.
• There are better practices to “best practices”.

Download PDF  UPSC CSE 2021 Mains Essay Question Paper

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Table of Contents

Essay (UPSC Mains) – Previous Year Questions

• Thinking is like a game; it does not begin unless there is an opposite team.
• Visionary decision-making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic.
• Not all who wander are lost.
• Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.
• Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands — two equally harmful disciplines.
• Mathematics is the Music of Reason.
• A society that has more justice is a society that needs less charity.
• Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.

Value based / Ethical Issues

• A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities.
• Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.

Philosophical

• The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.
• You can not step twice in the same river.
• A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for.

Miscellaneous / Mixed

• Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence. (Environment / Economics)
• Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world ( Literature / Socio-political-economic impacts)
• History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man ( History / Values / Philosophy)
• Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
• Philosophy of wantlessness is Utopian, while materialism is a chimera.
• The real is rational and the rational is real.
• Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.

History / Culture

• History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.

Science and Technology

• What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
• There are better practices to “best practices”. ( Multiple Themes )
• The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced. ( Philosophy / Technology)
• Life is long journey between human being and being humane.
• Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self.
• Ships do not sink because of water around them; ships sink because of water that gets into them.
• Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.
• Culture is what we are, civilization is what we have.

Social Issues

• There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless.
• Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality.
• Technology as the silent factor in international relations ( Technology / International Relation ).
• Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be.
• Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success.
• Wisdom finds truth.
• South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities.
• Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society.
• Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness.

Science & Technology

• Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling.
• Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy.
• A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.
• A people that value its privileges above its principles lose both.
• “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values.
• Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life.
• Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it.
• Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere.

Environment

• Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India.

IR & Security

• Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task.
• Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
• Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth.
• Social media is inherently a selfish medium Domain.
• Has the Non- Alignment Movement (NAM) lost its relevance in a multi-polar world Domain.
• Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India Domain. ( Agriculture )
• Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India Domain.
• Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms.

Polity & Governance

• We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws Domain.
• Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed.
• If development is not engendered, it is endangered.
• Cyberspace and internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run Domain.
• Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms.
• Water disputes between states in federal India Domain.
• Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality India.
• Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality. ( Technology / Economy)
• Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare Domain. ( Technology / Economy / Social Sector)
• Character of an institution is reflected in its leader.
• Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole.
• Quick but steady wins the race.
• Technology cannot replace manpower.
• Can capitalism bring inclusive growth?
• Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make a man more clever devil. ( Education / Ethics)
• Crisis faced in India – moral or economic. ( Morality / Economics)
• With greater power comes greater responsibility.
• Words are sharper than the two-edged sword.
• Is sting operation an invasion on privacy?
• Was it the policy paralysis or the paralysis of implementation which slowed the growth of our country?
• Tourism: Can this be the next big thing for India?
• Is the growing level of competition good for the youth?
• Are the standardized tests, good measure of academic ability or progress?
• Dreams which should not let India sleep. ( Multiple themes )
• Fifty Gold’s in Olympics: Can this be a reality for India? ( Sports / Governance )
• Be the change you want to see in others – Gandhiji
• Science and technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation.
• GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the well-being of a country.
• Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s Success? ( History / Culture / Growth & Development / Ethics )

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WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGE

Following are the topics on which our followers have written (and writing essays) every Sunday to hone their essay writing skills. The topics are chosen based on UPSC previous year topics. Writing one essay on each Sunday will help you get better marks in this paper.

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• [VIDEO] How to Write Philosophical Essays

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2024

• April 07, 2024 : Came from plant, use it; made in plant, don’t.
• March 30, 2024 : A Business That Makes Nothing More Than Money Is Poor Business
• March 24, 2024 : If Voting Really Made Difference, They Would Not Let Us Do It
• March 17, 2024 : Cinema Is Not A Slice Of Life, But A Piece Of Cake. 
• March 10, 2024 : Education Can give skill, but a liberal education can give dignity
• March 3, 2024 : Sometimes when you lose your way you find yourself
• February 25, 2024 : Who Looks Inside Awakes, Who Looks Outside Dream
• February 18, 2024 : Never Let School Interfere With Your Education
• February 11, 2024 : Whoever Controls the Media Controls the Mind
• February 04, 2024 : A certain darkness is needed to see the stars
• January 28, 2024 : Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it
• January 21, 2024 : Subtle Is powerful
• January 14, 2024 : The power of community to create health is far greater than any physician, clinic or hospital. 
• January  07, 2024 : Give them Quality. That’s The Best Kind of Advertising

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2023

• December 31, 2023 : The only antidote to mental suffering is physical pain
• December 24, 2023 : All Great Changes Are Preceded By Chaos
• December 17, 2023 : We are drowning in information, but starved for Knowledge
• December 10, 2023 : Violence Is the last resort of the incompetent
• December 03, 2023 : Be a Voice, Not an Echo
• November 26, 2023 : A Society that has more justice is the society that needs less charity
• November 19, 2023 : Sell Your Cleverness and Buy Bewilderment
• November 12, 2023 : love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within
• November 5, 2023 : Clothes Make The Man
• October 29, 2023 : Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.
• October 22, 2023 : Mathematics is the music of reason
• October 15, 2023 : Girls are weighed down by restrictions, boys with demands – two equally harmful disciplines
• October 08, 2023 : Inspiration for creativity springs from the effort to look for the magical in the mundane.
• October 01, 2023 : Not All Who Wander Are Lost
• September 24, 2023 : Visionary Decision-Making happens at the intersection of intuition and logic
• September 17, 2023 : Thinking Is Like A game. It does not begin unless there is an opposition team.
• September 10, 2023 : Unless we have well-educated people, we are vulnerable on National Security
• September 03, 2023 : Harsh Laws are, at times, better than No laws
• August 27, 2023 : Nations Do Not Die From Invasion. They Die From Internal Rottenness
• August 20, 2023 : In Individuals, insanity is rare; In groups, parties and nations, it is the rule.
• August 13, 2023 : Economics Is Too Important To Leave To The Economists.
• August 06, 2023 : A self without a book-shelf is naked.
• July 30, 2023 : Wrong Choices Lead To Right Places
• July 23, 2023 : Credit where credit is due.
• July 16, 2023 : A right is not what someone gives you; it’s what no one can take away from you.
• July 9, 2023 : The measure of intelligence is the ability to change
• July 2, 2023 : Do what you can, with what you have, where you are. 
• June 25, 2023 : In the long run , the sword will always be conquered by the spirit
• June 18, 2023 : The company you keep determines your Success
• June 11, 2023 : A disciplined mind brings happiness.
• June 4, 2023 : Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future but to shape it
• May 28, 2023 : Action breeds confidence and courage
• May 21, 2023 : A library is a hospital for the mind
• May 14, 2023 : Self-Education is Life-Long Curiosity
• May 7, 2023 : Silence is Spurious Golden
• April 30, 2023 : The price of greatness is responsibility
• April 23, 2023 : Progress is impossible without change
• April 16, 2023 : The Impact of Artificial Intelligence.
• April 9, 2023 : People would rather believe than know.
• April  2, 2023 : Prioritizing education technology for global growth
• March 26, 2023 : Technology is a weapon against poverty
• March 19, 2023 : Every choice you make makes you
• March 12, 2023 : Patience is a virture ; virtue is a grace
• March 5, 2023 : Before any fight, it is the fight of mind
• February 26, 2023 :  The Measure of a man is what he does with Power.
• February 19, 2023 : When you kill time, you kill life.
• February 12, 2023 : Delayed success mostly stays forever.
• February 05, 2023 : The wound is the place where the Light enters you.
• January 29, 2023 : Doubt is an uncomfortable condition, but certainty is a ridiculous one.
• January 22, 2023 : I am what I am, so take me as I am
• January 15, 2023 : Real learning comes about when the competitive spirit has ceased
• January 08, 2023 : Time hurts but it also heals. It punishes but it rewards too- it is the greatest teacher ever for a human.
• January 01, 2023 : The Beginning is the End and the End is The Beginning.

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2022

• December 25, 2022 : To tolerate is purely an act of mind
• December 18, 2022 : The arc of moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice
• December 11, 2022 : Religion is a culture of faith; Science is a culture of doubt.
• December 04, 2022 : My best friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read
• November 27, 2022 : Everything comes to him who hustles while he waits
• November 20, 2022 : We are always blind as we want to be
• November 13, 2022  : By your stumbling, the world is perfected.
• November 6, 2022 : You cannot step twice in the same river
• October 30, 2022 : Just because you have a choice, it does not mean that any of them has to be right.
• October 23, 2022 : A smile is the chosen vehicle for all ambiguities
• October 16, 2022 : The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining
• October 9, 2022 : A ship in harbour is safe, but that is not what ship is for
• October 2, 2022 : History is a series of victories won by the scientific man over the romantic man
• September 25, 2022 : Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world
• September 18, 2022 : Forests are the best case studies for economic excellence
• September 11, 2022 : Culture changes with economic development.
• September 4 2022 : We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.
• August 28 2022 :  The obstacle is the path.
• August 21 2022 : What is to give light must endure burning.
• August 14 2022 : “He who has never learned to obey cannot be a good commander.” Aristotle.
• August 7 2022 : Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” Albert Einstein
• July 31, 2022 : A bad conscience is easier to cope with than a bad reputation. Friedrich Nietzsche.
• July 24, 2022 : Time is all we have and don’t
• July 17, 2022 : Life fritters away when distractions become your lifestyle
• July 10, 2022 : After every darkness comes the dawn July 10, 2022 : After every darkness comes the dawn
• July 3, 2022 : Mind – a beautiful servant? Or a dangerous master?
• June 26, 2022 : Education Breeds Peace
• June 19, 2022 : A great leader is never angry
• June 12, 2022 : That which hurts, instructs; That which instructs, creates; Creates Wonders!
• June 05, 2022 : Don’t let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do
• May 29, 2022 : The journey is a reward as well as destination
• May 22, 2022 : Imagination creates reality
• May 15, 2022 : The curious paradox is, only if we accept things as they are, things can change
• May 08, 2022:  The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are so certain of themselves, while wiser people are so full of doubts
• May 01, 2022:  Loyalty To Country Always. Loyalty To Government Only When It Deserves
• April 24, 2022: Successful Investing Is Anticipating The Anticipations of Others
• April 17, 2022: Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear
• April 10, 2022 : Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn
• April 03, 2022 : Forgiveness is the final form of love
• March 27, 2022 : The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless
• March 20, 2022 : Reason has always existed, but not always in a reasonable form.
• March 13, 2022 : Everything we hear is an opinion; not a fact
• March 5, 2022 : There are better practices to “best practices”
• February 27, 2022 : History repeats itself first as a tragedy second as a farce.
• February 20, 2022 : What is research, but a blind date with knowledge!
• February 13, 2022 : Hand that rocks the cradle rules the world
• February 6, 2022 : The real is rational and the rational is real.
• January 30, 2022 : Philosophy of Wantlessness Is Utopian, while the philosophy of materialism is chimera.
• January 23, 2022 : Your perception of me is a reflection of you; my reaction to you is an awareness of me.
• January 16, 2022 : The process of self-discovery has now been technologically outsourced.
• January 09, 2022 : Knowing oneself is the beginning of all wisdom
• January 02, 2022 : Biased Media Is A Real Threat To Indian Democracy

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2021

• December 26, 2021 : What Gets Measured Gets Managed
• December 19, 2021 : The enemy of stability is complacency
• December 12, 2021 : A clear conscience fears no accusation
• December 05, 2021 : Power of vested interests is vastly exaggerated compared with the gradual encroachment of ideas
• November 28, 2021 : The whole is more than a sum of its parts
• November 21, 2021 : Scientific and technological progress cannot be equated with the progress of humanity
• November 14, 2021 : The price of our vitality is the sum of all our fears
• November 7, 2021 : Lawlessness is the result of failure to cultivate a sense of self-evaluation
• October 30, 2021 : What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make
• October 24, 2021 : Science for the economic freedom of humanity
• October 17, 2021 : An interdependent world cannot be an inequitable world
• October 03, 2021 : Strength comes from an indomitable Will
• SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 : Ethnocracy and concentration of power can derail even an affluent nation
• SEPTEMBER 19, 2021 : Conservation is a state of harmony between men and land.
• SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 : Culture of entitlement comes with unreasonable expectations and insecurities 
• SEPTEMBER 5, 2021 : Literacy is a vital skill that enhances dignity, improves health outcomes, empowers people to access their rights and bolsters opportunities
• AUGUST 29, 2021 : A parliamentary system of government rests on a functioning opposition as ‘no democracy can do without it’.
• AUGUST 22, 2021 : Development must lead to dismantle all kinds of human unfreedom
• AUGUST 15, 2021 : Sport is a reflection of larger social phenomena
• AUGUST 8, 2021 : Every social stratum has its own Common Sense and its own good sense
• AUGUST 1, 2021 : Capitalism without competition is not Capitalism. It is Exploitation.
• JULY 25, 2021 : We don’t have to sacrifice a Strong Economy for a Healthy Environment
• JULY 18,2021 : We Need not a social conscience, but a social consciousness.
• JULY 11, 2021 : The cure for evils of democracy is more democracy.
• JULY 04, 2021 : No Constitution by itself achieves perfect justice
• JUNE 27, 2021 : Our world has achieved brilliance without conscience.
• JUNE 20, 2021 : Our common humanity demands that we make the impossible possible.
• JUNE 13, 2021 : Without courage we cannot practice any other virtue with consistency. We can’t be kind, true, merciful, generous, or honest.
• JUNE 06, 2021 : The political problem of mankind is to combine three things: economic efficiency, social justice and individual liberty.
• MAY 30, 2021 : Economics without ethics is a caricature & ethics without economics is a fairy tale.
• MAY 23 , 2021 : Indecisiveness is the rival of Progression
• MAY 16 , 2021 : Time changes everything except something within us which is always surprised by change.
• May 09, 2021 : The possession of arbitrary power has always, the world over, tended irresistibly to destroy humane sensibility, magnanimity, and truth
• May 02, 2021 : The truth of character is expressed through choice of act ions
• April 25, 2021 : It is not our differences that divide us; It is our inability to recognise, accept, and celebrate those differences.
• April 18, 2021 : Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
• April 11, 2021 : Solutions emerge if situations are not forced
• April 04, 2021 : Morality is subservient to materialistic values in present times
• March 28, 2021 : Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the present inaccessible
• March 21, 2021 : Our major social problems are not the cause of our decadence but are a reflection of it
• March 14, 2021 : The Future of Multilateralism : Towards a responsible Globalization
• March 07, 2021 : Subtlety may deceive you; Integrity never will
• February 28, 2021 :Technology as the silent factor in international relations
• February 21, 2021 :Patriarchy is the least noticed yet the most significant structure of social inequality
• February 14, 2021:There can be no social justice without economic prosperity but economic prosperity without social justice is meaningless
• February 07, 2021: Culture is what we are civilization is what we have
• January 31, 2021: Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication
• January 24, 2021: Ships do not sink because of water around them , ships sink because of water that gets into them
• January 17, 2021: Mindful manifesto is the catalyst to a tranquil self
• January 10, 2021: Life is long journey between human being and being humane
• January 03, 2021: The Covid pandemic has revealed the urgent need for effective governance everywhere”
• December 27, 2020: Challenges of 21st Century – insurmountable?
• December 20, 2020: Too much Democracy is Detrimental to Development
• December 13, 2020: Happiness is not an ideal of reason, but of imagination.

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2020

• December 06, 2020 : As you Start to walk on the way, the Way appears
• November 29, 2020: Need of the Hour is to Maximise Possibilities of Agriculture in India
• November 22, 2020: The survival of democracy depends on its ability to lower social uncertainty
• November 15, 2020: There is no greatness where there is no simplicity
• November 08, 2020: Inequality can be Reduced by the Power of the Market rather than the Government
• November 01, 2020: Civil liberties are fundamental to the functioning of modern democracies
• October 25, 2020: Artificial Intelligence is Not All Evil – It can Promote Social Good Too
• October 18, 2020: Wherever law ends, tyranny begins
• October 11, 2020:Hyper-globalism is threat to human prosperity
• September 27, 2020: Our World is in a Surplus of Multilateral Challenges and a Deficit of Solutions
• September 20, 2020: In India Agriculture and the Farmer are both the Victims of Narrow Political Vision
• September 13, 2020: India Needs Aggressive and Pragmatic Neighbourhood Policy
• September 6, 2020: “The greatest discovery of all time is that a person can change his future by merely changing his  attitude .
• August 30, 2020: The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal
• August 23, 2020: Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.
• August 16, 2020: Life without liberty is like a body without spirit.
• August 09, 2020: Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value
• August 02, 2020: New Education Policy 2020: A Progressive Policy with Diverse Challenges
• July 26, 2020: In a democracy, the individual enjoys not only the ultimate power but carries the ultimate responsibility
• July 19, 2020: Education is a progressive discovery of our own ignorance
• July 12, 2020: The human spirit must prevail over technology
• July 05, 2020: When the power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace.
• June 28, 2020: Today India Needs ‘Harmony in Diversity’, Not Unity in Diversity.
• June 21, 2020: A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.
• June 14, 2020: Post Independence, the Issue of Land is at the Core of India’s Non-Achievement of Its Development Aspirations
• June 7, 2020: Never Let a Good Crisis Go to Waste
• May 31, 2020: Despite Challenges, To be a Healthy and Successful Nation, India must Ensure Universal Health Coverage 
• May 24, 2020: Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.
• May 17, 2020:The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little
• May 10, 2020: Urban Exclusion of Migrant Workers in India is a Reality and Needs Urgent Robust Policy Measures
• May 03, 2020: Uncertainty should ignite creativity, not depravity
• April 26, 2020: The fool doth think he is wise but the wise man knows himself to be a fool
• April 19, 2020: Social Harmony, not Social Distancing, is the final solution to all our problems
• April 12, 2020: It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities
• April 05, 2020: Education must also train one for quick, resolute and effective thinking
• March 29, 2020: “Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them”
• March 22, 2020: In order to understand the world one has to turn away from it on occasion
• March 15, 2020: Pandemics such as COVID-19, though Catastrophic, are in the end Meant to Reset Humanity and its Priorities
• March 08, 2020: Those who have wisdom have all: Fools with all have nothing
• March 01, 2020: Indifferentism is the worst kind of disease that can affect people.
• [VIDEO] Perspectives on Essay Topic of Feb 23
• February 23, 2020: To ease another’s heartache is to forget one’s own.
• February 16, 2020 : When civil services does its job, people will not need social service
• February 09, 2020 : The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it.
• February 02, 2020: Ability will get you success, Character will keep you successful.
• January 26, 2020: Media’s duty is to inform public, not manufacture opinion.
• January 19, 2020: Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes
• January 12, 2020 : Women who seek to be equal with men lack ambition
• J anuary 5, 2020 : All war is a symptom of man’s failure as a thinking animal
• December 29, 2019 : There cannot be daily democracy without daily citizenship
• December 22, 2019: War is the ultimate Price we pay for lasting Peace
• December 15, 2019 : Inclusivity and Plurality are the hallmarks of a peaceful society
• December 08, 2019: Justice Loses Character if it becomes Revenge
• December 01. 2019: Economic Growth and Development are Shaped by the Societies in which they Operate
• November 24, 2019: Social Media is the Fourth Pillar of Democracy
• November 17, 2019: Media is No More a Fourth Pillar of Democracy
• November 10, 2019: Rise of Artificial Intelligence: the threat of jobless future or better job opportunities through reskilling and upskilling
• November 03, 2019:Biased media is a real threat to Indian democracy
• October 27, 2019: Neglect of primary health care and education in India are reasons for its backwardness
• October 20, 2019: South Asian societies are woven not around the state, but around their plural cultures and plural identities
• October 13, 2019: Courage to accept and dedication to improve are two keys to success
• October 06, 2019: Best for an individual is not necessarily best for the society
• September 29, 2019: Values are not what humanity is, but what humanity ought to be
• September 22, 2019: Wisdom finds truth

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2019

• September 15, 2019: Kashmir Problem – Historical Injustice or Misguided Geopolitics?
• September 08, 2019: India’s Space Ambitions – Are they Welfarist?
• September 01, 2019: India – $5 Trillion Economy: Dream or Reality?
• August 25, 2019 Knowledge will give you power, but character respect.
• August 18, 2019 The mind is everything. What you think you become.
• August 11, 2019: Virtue is Knowledge
• August 04, 2019: Inclusive governance begets Inclusive growth
• July 28, 2019: India’s headache: Unemployment or Underemployment?
• July 21, 2019: The road to science and spirituality are opposite, but we should tread both
• July 14, 2019: India is a leading power, rather than just a balancing power
• July 07, 2019: Should the world embrace democratic socialism or progressive capitalism?
• June 30, 2019: Impact of Digital Revolution on Human Wellbeing
• June 23, 20 19: Contentment is natural wealth, luxury is artificial poverty
• June 16, 2019: The definition of happiness is the full use of your powers, along the lines of excellence.
• June 09, 2019: Not Corruption, Communalism is the Greatest Threat India is facing Today
• May 19, 2019: First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.
• May 12, 2019: Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake
• May 05, 2019: Happiness equals reality minus expectations
• April 28, 2019: Political correctness is tyranny with manners
• April 21, 2019: The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.
• April 07, 2019: Dogma is the sacrifice of wisdom to consistency
• March 31, 2019: The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.
• March 24, 2019: Terrorism has No Religion
• March 17, 2019: Money and Religion – Great Unifiers of Humankind?
• March 10, 2019: Tradition becomes our security, and when the mind is secure it is in decay
• March 03, 2019: Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower
• February 24,2019: Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens
• February 17, 2019: Problems worthy of attack prove their worth by fighting back
• February 10, 2019: Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.
• February 03, 2019: You can avoid reality, but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality
• January 27, 2019: Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever
• January 20, 2019: All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
• January 12, 2019: All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.
• January 06, 2019: National security is Irreversibly linked to good economic growth

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2018

• December 28, 2018: To plan for smart development, governments and business must recognize nature’s role in supporting economic activity
• December 23, 2018: Government Surveillance – Good or Bad?
• December 16, 2018: Trade Wars – Economic or Geopolitical?
• December 02, 2018: Immigration is Not a Threat, but Fundamentally it’s an Economic Issue
• November 25, 2018: A people that values its privileges above its principles loses both
• November 18, 2018: “The past’ is a permanent dimension of human consciousness and values
• November 11, 2018: A good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge
• November 04, 2018: Management of Indian border disputes – a complex task
• October 28, 2018: Alternative technologies for a climate change resilient India
• October 21, 2018: Poverty anywhere is a threat to prosperity everywhere
• October 14, 2018: Reality does not conform to the ideal, but confirms it
• October 07, 2018: Customary morality cannot be a guide to modern life
• September 30, 2018: Commercialization of Space : Importance and the need for regulation
• September 23, 2018: E-commerce as a new form of trade and its challenges to India.
• September 16, 2018: Ability is nothing without opportunity
• September 09, 2018: Death Penalty eliminates Criminals, not Crime.
• September 02, 2018: Dissent is the foundation of democracy.
• August 26, 2018: Mars Mission and Mob lynchings are two obverse faces of India
• August 19, 2018: Strengthening Land Rights Strengthens Development
• August 12, 2018: Age of Big Data: Data is the New Oil, History is its oldest bank
• August 05, 2018: Strong Institutions and fair procedures, not personalities constitute the fundamentals of good governance
• July 29, 2018: Social reform is a myth if places of worship are open only to all castes and not to all genders.
• July 22, 2018: Section 377, not the carnal acts banned under it is ‘against the order of nature ‘
• July 15, 2018: Schooling Is Not Education
• July 08, 2018: Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster.
• July 01, 2018: Normal human activity is worse for nature than the greatest nuclear accident in history
• June 24, 2018: Gender Sensitive Indian Society is Prerequisite for Women and Child Empowerment
• June 17, 2018: Where Should India Invest More – Human Capital or Human Development?
• June 10, 2018: Has Democracy Taken Backseat Due to the Rise of Populists and Demagogues?
• June 03, 2018: We won’t have a society ,if we destroy the environment
• May 27, 2018: Can Development and Environment Protection Go Together?
• May 20, 2018: Governor is the Choke Point of Federal Circuit of India
• May 13, 2018: Anonymity is the Best and the Worst Feature of Urbanism
• May 06, 2018: A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes
• April 29, 2018: Guaranteeing Right to Vote may Establish a Democracy, But Ensuring it’s Right Use Only Will Bring a True Democracy
• April 22, 2018: Stereotyping is an Ideological Force Which Hinders and Endangers Consolidation of India
• April 15, 2018: Can Education and legislation Address Violence Against Women and Children in India?
• April 8, 2018: Banking Crisis in India – Failure of Governance and Regulation?
• April 1, 2018: Privacy is the fountainhead of all other rights
• March 25, 2018: Impact of Technology on Human Relations and Human Productivity
• March 18, 2018: India’s Focus should be on Ease of Living, not on Easy of Doing Business
• March 11, 2018: A friend to everybody is a friend to nobody
• March 04, 2018: Capitalism can not Bring Inclusive Growth
• February 25, 2018: The unprecedented advance of technologies facilitate individual empowerment but at the cost of Institutions and Democratic societies
• February 18, 2018: Threats being Faced by Liberal Democratic Systems are both Dangerous and Permanent
• February 11, 2018: For India, Stigmatised Capitalism is Better than Crony Socialism
• February 04, 2018: Art, freedom and creativity will change society faster than politics.
• January 28, 2018: Politics of Identity is the Politics of the Weak
• January 21, 2018: Poverty is the parent of revolution and crime
• January 14, 2018: Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding
• January 07, 2018: The Root Cause of Agrarian Distress in India – Failure of Policies or Failure of Governance?

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2017

• December 31, 2017: Impact of the new economic measures on fiscal ties between the union and states in India
• December 24, 2017: Fulfilment of ‘new woman’ in India is a myth
• December 17, 2017: Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.
• December 10, 2017: Farming has lost the ability to be a source of subsistence for majority of farmers in India
• December 03, 2017: Destiny of a nation is shaped in its classrooms
• November 19, 2017: Has the Non- Alignment Movement(NAM) lost its relevance in a multipolar world
• November 12, 2017: Social media is inherently a selfish medium.
• November 04, 2017: We may brave human laws but cannot resist natural laws
• October 29, 2017: Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.
• October 22, 2017: Harith Diwali, Swasth Diwali : What measures are needed to deal with Festivity and Air Pollution?
• October 15, 2017: Biggest Threat to Humanity – Moral Crisis or Climate Change?
• October 08, 2017: The monsoon is a defining aspect of India’s nationhood
• October 01, 2017: India’s Infrastructure Story – Why is India not able to Build like China?
• September 24, 2017: Impact of Digital Technologies on Globalisation
• September 17, 2017: Urbanisation and Solid Waste Management in India – Challenges and Opportunities
• September 10,2017: Gender Equality and Peace: Are They Connected?
• September 03, 2017: Recent Natural Disasters – What do they Reveal about Humanity?
• August 27, 2017: Godmen – A Threat to Indian Society and Culture
• August 20, 2017: Corruption in India: Neither Systemic Reforms nor Surgical Strikes would End it
• August 13,2017: Interrelationship between Gender Equality and Sustainable Development
• August 06, 2017: Utility and relevance of Parliament in our polity
• July 30, 2017: Caste System – Source of India’s Eternal Inequality?
• July 23, 2017: Indian Democracy, Media and Public Opinion – Does Public Opinion Matter in Policymaking?
• July 16, 2017: Poverty and Environment – Their Interrelationship is the Key to Sustainable World
• July 09, 2017: Soft Power is India’s Strength, not its Weakness
• July 02, 2017: Technology and Jobs – Is Technology a Curse?
• June 25, 2017: Democracy’s Relevance in the Face of New Global Threats
• June 18, 2017: Federalism in India – Competitive or Cooperative?
• June 11, 2017: Peace, Environment and Development: Are these Interrelated?
• June 04, 2017: Role of Technology in Development – Is Technology Helping or Hindering Development?
• May 28, 2017: Poverty is a State of Mind
• May 21, 2017: Does India Need Superpower Status?
• May 14, 2017: India’s Achilles Heel – Lack of Ambition or Lack of Leadership in Achieving Greatness?
• May 07, 2017: Don’t limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time.
• April 29, 2017: The greatest happiness of the greatest number is the foundation of morals and legislation
• April 23, 2017: To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom
• April 16, 2017: One-Party-Dominant System – Is it Good for India?
• April 09, 2017: Should Youth in India Consider Politics as Career?
• April 02, 2017: Can World Save Succeeding Generations from the Scourge of War?
• March 26, 2017: Low, stagnating female labour-force participation in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms?
• March 19, 2017: When a man is denied the right to live the life he believes in, he has no choice but to become an outlaw
• March 12, 2017: The marks humans leave are too often scars
• March 05, 2017: Environmental Challenges and Geopolitics: How to save our Environment?
• February 27, 2017: Radical Solutions are Needed to Address Today’s Radical Problems
• February 19, 2017: India’s Importance in the Post-truth World
• February 12, 2017: The Role of Politics in Development
• February 05, 2017: Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored
• January 29, 2017: Building Walls and Banning Refugees – Does this Help Humanity?
• January 22, 2017: Digital economy: A leveller or a source of economic inequality
• January 15, 2017: Cyberspace and internet: Blessing or curse to the human civilization in the long run
• January 08, 2017: Water disputes between states in federal India
• January 01, 2017: Need brings greed, if greed increases it spoils breed

WEEKLY UPSC IAS ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2016

• (December 25, 2016) – Cooperative federalism: Myth or reality
• (December 18, 2016) – Innovation is the key determinant of economic growth and social welfare
• (December 11, 2016) – Near jobless growth in India: An anomaly or an outcome of economic reforms
• (December 04, 2016) – If development is not engendered, it is endangered
• (November 27, 2016) – Social media is better at breaking things than at making things
• (November 20, 2016) – Deglobalization is good for the world
• (November 12, 2016) – Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others
• (November 06, 2016) – It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence
• (October 30, 2016) – Reducing Poverty while also Conserving Nature is an Impossible Task
• (October 23, 2016) – Poverty can be eliminated by putting science at the heart of development
• (October 16, 2016) – People shouldn’t be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people
• (October 09, 2016) – Better Access is Key to Inclusive Cities
• (October 02, 2016) – The weaker sections of Indian society – Are their Rights and Access to Justice Getting Better?
• (September 25, 2016) – Imagination is more important than intelligence
• (September 18, 2016) – Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life
• (September 11, 2016) – Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance
• (September 04, 2016) – It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it
• (August 28, 2016) – If one can Address Moral Crisis, many of World’s Problems can be Solved
• (August 21, 2016) – Overdependence on Technology will Advance Human Development
• (August 14, 2016) – Geography may remain the same ; history need not
• (August 07, 2016) – Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom
• (July 31, 2016) – To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all
• (July 24, 2016) – True knowledge exists in knowing that you know nothing
• (July 17, 2016) – We Can Not Fight Terrorism – We have to Live With it
• (July 10, 2016) – A house divided against itself cannot stand
• (July 02, 2016) – When the going gets tough, the tough get going
• (June 26, 2016) – India a Reluctant Participant in the New Global Order?
• (June 19, 2016) – Inclusiveness in India – Still a Dream?
• (June 12, 2016) – No one can make you feel inferior without your consent
• (June 05, 2016) – Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted
• (May 29, 2016) – It is hard to free fools from the chains they revere
• (May 22, 2016) – Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress
• (May 15, 2016) – Fire is a good servant but a bad master
• (May 08, 2016) – The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence
• (May 01, 2016) – Labour Reforms in India and its Role in Economic Development
• (April 24, 2016) – It takes a whole village to raise a child
• (April 17, 2016) – Trust take years to Build, Seconds to Break
• (April 10, 2016) – Cleanliness is next to Godliness
• (April 03, 2016) – Honesty is the Best Policy
• (March 27, 2016) – Before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes
• (March 20, 2016) – Caste System – India’s Enduring Curse
• (March 13, 2016) – Fortune favors the bold
• (March 06, 2016) – Quick but steady wins the race
• (February 28, 2016) – Dreams which should not let India sleep
• (February 21, 2016) – Lending hands to someone is better than giving a dole
• (February 14, 2016) – Technology cannot replace manpower
• (February 7, 2016) – Character of an institution is reflected in its leader
• (January 31, 2016) – Can Capitalism bring Inclusive Growth?
• (January 24, 2016) – Crisis Faced in India – Moral or Economic?
• (January 17, 2016) – Too many cooks spoil the broth
• (January 10, 2016) – The Best Things in Life are Free
• (January 3, 2016) – Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

WEEKLY ESSAY WRITING CHALLENGES – 2015

• 27 December 2015
• 20 December 2015
• 13 December 2015
• 06 December 2015
• 28 November 2015
• 21 November 2015
• 15 November 2015
• 08 November 2015
• 01 November 2015
• 25 October 2015
• 18 October 2015
• 11 October 2015
• 04 October 2015
• 27 September 2015
• 20 September 2015
• 13 September 2015
• 06 September 2015
• 31 August 2015
• 30 August 2015
• 23 August 2015
• 16 August 2015
• 09 August 2015
• 01 August 2015
• 26 July 2015
• 19 July 2015
• 12 July 2015
• 05 July 2015
• 28 June 2015
• 21 June 2015
• 14 June 2015
• 07 June 2015
• 31 May 2015
• 24 May 2015
• 17 May 2015
• 10 May 2015
• 03 May 2015
• 26 April 2015
• 19 April 2015
• 12 April 2015
• 05 April 2015
• 29 March 2015
• 22 March 2015
• 15 March 2015
• 01 March 2015
• 22 February 2015
• 15 February 2015
• 08 February 2015
• 01 February 2015
• 25 January 2015
• 18 January 2015
• 11 January 2015
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Dialectical Materialism

• June 7, 2020
• Posted by: admin
• Category: DPN Topics

Subject: Economy/polity

Thomas Piketty in his new book “Capital and Ideology” examines a trajectory of inequality in the world, with an optimistic suggestion on how to realise a better future for all.

• Scholars look at income inequality in purely economistic terms , but Piketty is among those who look at such issues holistically, in their economic, sociological, historical, political and even cultural ramifications.
• Such scholars are a rare breed and are usually indebted to Karl Marx .
• In the Communist Manifesto , Marx had asserted that the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.
• Dialectical materialism led Marx to conclude that the pauperisation of peasants and workers would result in the violent overthrow of the propertied class , as in the Reign of Terror of 1789 and the 1917 October Revolution.
• But Piketty believes that a just society can be established through participatory socialism , with explicit power-sharing between workers and shareholders.

Cultural Materialism (Harris) | Anthropology Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Introduction It was developed by Marwin Harris. It was propounded in his book, “ The rise of anthropological theories” in 1968. Cultural materialism talks about change in culture because of change in material life of people. It seeks to make anthropology as pan human science. It represents etic view of the culture in contrast to emic view.  Cultural materialism embraces three anthropological schools of thought: cultural materialism, cultural evolution and cultural ecology.

Origin and Points of Reaction It emerged in reaction against structuralism, emic view, cultural relativism and idealism.  Emerging as an expansion of Marxism materialism, cultural materialism explains cultural similarities and differences as well as models for cultural change within a societal framework consisting of three distinct levels infrastructure, structure and superstructure . Cultural materialism is an expansion upon Marxist materialism. Cultural materialism explains the structural features of a society in terms of production within the infrastructure only. As such, demographic, environmental, and technological changes are invoked to explain cultural variation.

Aim Cultural materialism aims to understand the effects of technological, economic and demographic factors on molding societal structure and superstructure through strictly scientific methods. It aims to create pan-human science by pan human society on the basis of logic and evidence.

Basic Premises

• Societal framework consisting of three distinct levels:  infrastructure, structure and superstructure.
• Cultural materialism promotes the idea that infrastructure, consisting of “material realities” such as technological, economic and reproductive (demographic) factors mold and influence the other two aspects of culture.
• The “structure” sector of culture consists of organizational aspects of culture such as domestic and kinship systems and political economy,
• The “superstructure” sector consists of ideological and symbolic aspects of society such as religion.
• Therefore, cultural materialists believe that technological and economic aspects play the primary role in shaping a society.
• Cultural Materialists believe that all societies operate according to  a model in which production and reproduction dominate and determine the other sectors of culture, effectively serving as the driving forces behind all cultural development.
• They propose that all non-infrastructure aspects of society are created with the purpose of benefitting societal productive and reproductive capabilities.  Therefore, systems such as government, religion, law, and kinship are considered to be constructs that only exist for the sole purpose of promoting production and reproduction.
• Calling for empirical research and strict scientific methods in order to make accurate comparisons between separate cultures, proponents of cultural materialism believe that its perspective effectively explains both intercultural variation and similarities.  As such, demographic, environmental, and technological changes are invoked to explain cultural variation.

Principal Concepts  

• Emic This term denotes an approach to anthropological inquiry where the observer attempts to “get inside the heads” of the natives and learn the rules and categories of a culture in order to be able to think and act as if they were a member of the population (Harris 1979: 32). For example, an emic approach might attempt to understand native Faeroe islanders’ highly descriptive system for naming geographic locations. Cultural materialism focuses on how the emics of thought and the behavior of a native population are the results of etic processes (i.e., observable phenomena).
• Etic  This term denotes an approach to anthropological inquiry where the observer does not emphasize or use native rules or categories but instead uses “alien” empirical categories and rules derived from the strict use of the scientific method. Quantifiable measurements such as fertility rates, kilograms of wheat per household, and average rainfall are used to understand cultural circumstances, regardless of what these measurements may mean to the individuals within the population (Harris 1979:32). An example of this approach can be found in Paynter and Cole’s work on tribal political economy (Paynter and Cole 1980). Cultural materialism focuses on the etics of thought and the etics of behavior of a native population to explain culture change.
• Etic behavioral mode of production The etic behavioral mode of production involves the actions of a society that satisfy the minimal requirements for subsistence (Harris 1979: 51). The important thing to remember here is that these actions are determined and analyzed from a scientific perspective, without regard for  their meaning to the members of the native society.
• Etic behavioral mode of reproduction The etic behavioral mode of reproduction involves the actions that a society takes in order to limit detrimental increases or decreases to population (Harris 1979: 1951).  These actions are determined and analyzed from a scientific perspective by the observer, without regard for their meaning to the members of the native society.
• Infrastructure The infrastructure consists of etic behavioral modes of production and etic modes of reproduction as determined by the combination of ecological, technological, environmental, and demographic variables (Harris 1996: 277).
• Structure The structure is characterized by the organizational aspects of a culture consisting of the domestic economy (e.g., kinship, division of labor) and political economy (Harris 1996: 277). Political economy involves issues of control by a force above that of the domestic household whether it be a government or a chief.
• Superstructure The superstructure is the symbolic or ideological segment of culture. Ideology consists of a code of social order regarding how social and political organization is structured (Earle 1997: 8). It structures the obligations and rights of all the members of society. The superstructure involves things such as ritual, taboos, and symbols (Harris 1979: 229).
• Priority of Infrastructure “The etic behavioral modes of production and reproduction probabilistically determine the etic behavioral domestic and political economy, which in turn probabilistically determine the behavioral and mental emic superstructures”. The main factor in determining whether a cultural innovation is selected by society lies in its effect on the basic biological needs of that society. These innovations can involve a change in demographics, technological change and/or environmental change in the infrastructure. The innovations within the infrastructure will be selected by a society if they increase productive and reproductive capabilities even when they are in conflict with structural or superstructural elements of society. Innovations can also take place in the structure (e.g., changes in government) or the superstructure (e.g., religious change), but will only be selected by society if they do not diminish the ability of society to satisfy basic human needs. Therefore, the driving force behind culture change is satisfying the basic needs of production and reproduction.

Leading Figures Marvin Harris (1927-) wrote The Rise of Anthropological Theory in which he lays out the foundations of cultural materialism (CM) and critically considers other major anthropological theories; this work drew significant criticism from proponents of other viewpoints. . His work with India’s sacred cow ideology (1966) is seen by many as his most successful CM analysis, Harris considers the taboo against cow consumption in India, demonstrating how economic and technological factors within the infrastructure affect the other two sectors of culture, resulting in superstructural ideology.  In this work, Harris shows the benefits of juxtaposing both etic and emic perspectives in demonstrating how various phenomena which appear non-adaptive are, in fact, adaptive.

Methodologies   Using empirical methods, cultural materialists reduce cultural phenomena into observable, measurable variables that can be applied across societies to formulate nomothetic theories. By focusing on observable, quantifiable, measurable phenomena, cultural materialism presents an etic (viewed from outside of the target culture) perspective of society. In keeping with the scientific method, these events and entities must be studied using operations that are capable of being replicated.

Examples Harris’s basic approach to the study of culture is to show how emic (native) thoughts and behaviors are a result of material considerations.   Harris focuses on practices that contribute to the basic biological survival of those in society (i.e., subsistence practices, technology, and demographic issues). In order to demonstrate this point, analysis often involves the measurement and comparison of phenomena that might seem trivial to the native population (Harris 1979: 38).  Harris used a cultural materialist model to examine the Hindu belief that cows are sacred and must not be killed.. First, he argued that the taboos on cow slaughter (emic thought) were superstructural elements resulting from the economic need to utilize cows as draft animals rather than as food (Harris 1966: 53-5 4). He also observed that the Indian farmers claimed that no calves died because cows are sacred (Harris 1979: 38). In reality, however, male calves were observed to be starved to death when feed supplies are low (Harris 1979: 38). Harris argues that the scarcity of feed (infrastructural change) shaped ideological (superstructural) beliefs of the farmers (Harris 1979: 38). Thus, Harris shows how, using empirical methods, an etic perspective is essential in order to understand culture change holistically. Example of cultural materialism at work involves the study of women’s roles in the post-World War II United States. Maxine Margolis empirically studied this phenomenon and interpreted her findings according to a classic cultural materialist model. The 1950’s was a time when ideology held that the duties of women should be located solely in the home (emic thought); however, empirically, Margolis found that women were entering the workforce in large numbers (actual behavior) (Margolis 1984). This movement was an economic necessity that increased the productive and reproductive capabilities of U.S. households (Margolis 1984).Furthermore, Margolis argues that the ideological movement known as “feminism” did not cause this increase of women in the workforce, but rather was a result of this movement by women into the workforce (Margolis 1984). Thus, here we see how infrastructure determined superstructure as ideology changed to suit new infrastructural innovations. Garbage project by Willium Rathje in Arizona about Alcohol consumption. Archaeologist William Rathje wanted to test many of the assumptions archaeologists have in dealing with waste from the past (Rathje 1992). In pursuit of this aim, Rathje excavated modern landfills in Arizona and other states and took careful measurements of artifact frequencies. One of the many things he did with this data was to test the difference between stated alcohol consumption of informants and actual alcohol consumption (based on refuse evidence). In order to do this, Rathje selected a sample of households from which he collected and analyzed refuse. He also gave those households a questionnaire that asked questions relating to alcohol consumption. After analyzing what people said they drank and what was actually found in the refuse, Rathje found a significant discrepancy between stated and actual alcohol consumption (Rathje 1992). This case study demonstrates that an etic approach to cultural phenomena may uncover vital information that would be otherwise missed by a wholly emic analysis.

Accomplishments  

• Cultural materialism can be credited with challenging  anthropology to use more scientific research methods. Rather than rely solely on native explanations of phenomenon, Harris and others urged analysts to use empirical and replicable methods.
• Cultural materialism also promoted the notion that culture change can be studied across geographic and temporal boundaries in order to get at so-called universal, nomothetic theories.
• Some of Harris’ work (1966, 1977) shows that logical, scientific explanations for cultural phenomena such as India’s beef taboos are possible without invoking mystical or ephemeral causal factors such as are present in structuralist or functionalist interpretations.
• Archaeologists, have adopted cultural materialist approaches.
• Critics of Harris  argued that his use of CM to explain all cultural phenomena was too simplistic and, as a result, many criticized and even dismissed his work (Friedman 1974).
• Cultural materialism has been termed “vulgar materialism” by Marxists such as J. Friedman
• Criticisms of cultural materialism are plentiful in anthropology. As with all of the different paradigms in anthropology (e.g., functionalism, structuralism, and Marxism), cultural materialism does have its flaws. Cultural materialism has been termed “vulgar materialism” by Marxists such as J. Friedman because opponents believe that the cultural materialists empirical approach to culture change is too simple and  straightforward (Friedman 1974). Marxists believe that cultural materialists rely too heavily on the one-directional infrastructure-superstructure relationship to explain culture change, and that the relationship between the “base” (a distinct level of a sociocultural system, underlying the structure, in Marxist terminology) and the superstructure must be dialectically viewed (Friedman 1974).  They argue that a cultural materialist approach can disregard the superstructure to such an extent that the effect of superstructure on shaping structural elements can be overlooked.
• Idealists such as structuralists (e.g., Durkheim and his followers) argue that the key to understanding culture change lies in the emic thoughts and behaviors of members of a native society. Thus, in contrast to cultural materialists, they argue that there is no need for an etic/emic distinction (Harris 1979: 167). To idealists, the etic view of culture is irrelevant and full of ethnocentrism; furthermore, they argue that culture itself is the controlling factor in culture change  (Harris 1979: 167). In their view, culture is based on a panhuman structure embedded within the brain, and cultural variation is the result of each society’s filling that structure in their own way (Harris 1979: 167).  They argue that the cultural materialist emphasis on an etic perspective creates biased conclusions.
• Postmodernists also argue vehemently against cultural materialism because of its use of strict scientific method. Postmodernists believe that science is itself a culturally determined phenomenon that is affected by class, race and other structural and infrastructural variables (Harris 1995: 62). In fact, some postmodernists argue that science is a tool used by upper classes to oppress and dominate lower classes (Rosenau 1992: 129). Thus, postmodernists argue that the use of any science is useless in studying culture, and that cultures should be studied using particularism and relativism (Harris 1995: 63). This is a direct attack on cultural materialism with its objective studies and cross-cultural comparisons.
• Marxists believe that cultural materialists rely too heavily on the one-directional infrastructure-superstructure relationship to explain culture change, and that the relationship between the “base” (a distinct level of a sociocultural system, underlying the structure, in Marxist terminology) and the superstructure must be dialectically viewed (Friedman 1974).  They argue that a cultural materialist approach can disregard the superstructure to such an extent that the effect of superstructure on shaping structural elements can be overlooked.

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The UPSC essay paper is one of the nine papers for the IAS main exam. With this, the scores obtained in the UPSC essay topics will also be considered in the merit list. Hence, it is important to cover all the aspects of the UPSC essay syllabus .

In this paper, candidates need to write two essays, each with a word limit of 1000-1200 words. Moreover, they are required to choose one IAS essay topic out of the four options in each section i.e. A and B.

The UPSC essay paper is conducted for 250 marks with one essay UPSC paper for 125 marks. Therefore, aspirants should use the best books and strategies to excel in this section.

In this article, we have compiled all the details of the UPSC IAS essay for the candidates aspiring for the upcoming civil services exam.

UPSC Essay Paper 2023 Structure

• As per the UPSC exam pattern , the essay paper is one of the nine subjects in the civil services main exam. In this paper, aspirants need to write essays on assigned UPSC essay topics .
• Candidates should practice writing essays on multiple topics in order to learn how to arrange their ideas and execute the same in the proper order.
• Furthermore, the UPSC essay paper will carry 250 marks with an exam duration of 3 hours.

UPSC Essay Previous Year Papers

The previous year’s UPSC essay paper is one of the finest resources to prepare well for this section. This will strengthen their vocabulary and writing skills and also provide them insights into the type of essay topics UPSC asked over the years.

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UPSC essays must be well-formatted and presented in a manner that the readers can easily understand without any obstacles. Above all, it must include the ideas about the issue mentioned in the question.

Candidates must note that the general essay papers also play an important role in compensating for the less scores in general studies and optional papers. Hence, it is advisable to focus on improving the vocabulary and writing skills from the first leg of the preparation.

Let’s look at the best strategy to score high marks in the UPSC essay topics in the main exam.

• Go through the entire UPSC essay syllabus to cover all the aspects of the section.
• Build a habit of reading newspaper editorials and journals every day. Going by the trend analysis, it is found that many essay questions were asked directly from current affairs in the past few years.
• Next, note down relevant quotes from the books/magazines/journal and implement them whenever required in the essay writing.
• Focus on IAS essay topics related to democracy, environment/urbanization, judiciary, social justice/poverty, philosophies, media & society, education, economic sector, etc as questions can be asked from these topics.
• Pick the essay topic very carefully. Also, it is advised to take some time to think about the topic and collect ideas and thoughts.
• One should make sure that the essay comprises sections like introduction, main body, theme, and conclusion.
• Moreover, aspirants can also reach out to their mentors, experts, seniors, or teachers for feedback on their essay writing. This will allow them to recognize their mistakes and focus more on their weak points for effective preparation.

Read More: How to write an essay for UPSC here!

Best Books for UPSC Essay Writing

Along with the best UPSC essay strategy , aspirants should also choose the finest books that comprise multiple essay topics UPSC for the exam. Here, we have shared below the best books and resources to strengthen the preparation of the general essay section:

• Monthly Current Affairs Magazines by OnlyIAS
• Only IAS Yogana Magazine
• Only IAS Praarambh Post-Independence India
• Only IAS Kurukshetra Magazine
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• The Hindu (editorial articles)

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Q1. How to score 150 in UPSC essay?

Ans. One can score 150 marks on the UPSC essay paper by managing time effectively throughout the exam and avoiding any kind of deviation from the topic.

Q2. What are the topics for UPSC essay?

Ans. Some of the important IAS essay topics include democracy, environment/urbanization, judiciary, social justice/poverty, philosophies, media & society, education, economic sector, etc

Q3. What is essay paper 1 in UPSC?

Ans. The UPSC essay paper 1 is one of the nine papers for the IAS main exam. In this paper, candidates need to write two essays, each with a word limit of 1000-1200 words. The maximum mark is 250 with a duration of 3 hours.

Q4. Is UPSC essay tough?

Ans. Yes, the UPSC essay paper is moderately tough as per the past year’s exam analysis. However, it also depends on the aspirant knowledge of the topic.

Q5. How many pages is 1,000 words in UPSC?

Ans. 2 pages single-spaced or 4 pages double-spaced is about 1000 words in UPSC.

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Sociology Optional Mains Paper 2 for UPSC | Year 2023 | A. R. Desai’s ‘Dialectical Perspective’ | Triumph IAS

Table of Contents

Highlight the significant features of A. R. Desai’s ‘Dialectical Perspective’ to study Indian Society.

Section: A Sociology Paper 2023 Analysis [Paper 2: Unit-12 Perspectives on the study of Indian society; Marxist sociology (A. R. Desai )]

Question: 1 (a) “ Highlight the significant features of A. R. Desai’s ‘Dialectical Perspective’ to study Indian Society.

Introduction:

• A. R. DESAI applied Marxist approach to study Indian society. He used dialectical historical model to study Indian society. He rejects any interpretations of tradition with reference to religion, rituals and festivities . Desai framed an interdisciplinary sociology and used the method of participant observation and fieldwork to understand Indian social structure and capture the processes of change.

Significant Features of Dialectical Perspective of A R Desai To Study Society

• Nature of society : A.R. DESAI says Indian society went from feudal economy to capitalist economy due to the British conquest of India. The introduction of economic reforms of the British government disrupted the old economic systems. The village commune was replaced by modern peasants proprietors or zamindars, as private owners of land.
• Agrarian class structure : According to DESAI Indian agrarian class structure changed to capitalist form , where multiple classes existed due to commercialization of agriculture , fragmentation of land  resulted in growing polarization of classes in agrarian areas, poverty in rural areas and exploitation by the owner of land.
• Tradition: Desai rejected any interpretation of tradition with reference to religion, rituals and festivities. It is essentially a secular phenomenon. Its nature is economic and it originates and develops in economics.
• Transformation of Indian Society:  Desai does not deny the necessity of understanding the institution like caste, religion, linguistic or tribal groups or even specific cultural traditions which are characteristics of Indian society. He however supports the endeavors to understand their role in and the nature of their transformation in the larger context of the type of society , which is being evolved , understand them in the matrix of underlying overall property relations and norms implicit therein, which pervasively influence the entire social economic formation.
• Peasant struggle: He examines peasant struggle in two volumes entitled “PEASANT STRUGGLES IN INDIA” and “PEASANT STRUGGLES IN INDIA AFTER INDEPENDENCE”. He analyze the struggle before independence and post-independence by highlighting the difference in character of struggle by saying that agrarian struggle in present is war wage by the newly emerged propertied class as well as agrarian poor , especially agrarain proletariat.
• The propertied class fight for greater share in the fruits of development. The poor comprising pauperized peasants and laborers belonging to low caste and tribal communities struggle for survival and for better life for themselves. Thus Desai maintained that progress can be achieved only by radically transforming the exploitative capitalist system in India.
• State and society: in “STATE AND SOCIETY IN INDIA” Desai provided a critique of the theories of modernisation accepted by large number of academic establishments. He says modernisationn serves as a valuable ideological vehicle to ruling class pursuing the capitalistic path. In an essay “THE MYTH OF THE WELFARE STATE” Desai provided a detailed picture critique of notion. According to him an ideal welfare state has three core features :
• It is democratic
• It is mixed economy
• It is positive state rather then being lazzie faire state

But according to him state has failed to remove poverty, reduce income gaps eliminate social discrimination check the capitalistic greed and provide employment to all.

• Village : according to Desai village was historically evolved much before pre British era and the village as a social unit was a relatively self-sufficient unit in economic dimension. It never had considerable exchange reaction with outside world and relation within village was feudal in nature. He saw JAJAMANI system as exploitative one . However introduction of land revenue system introduced by Britishers led to capitalist mode of production in village.
• Urban society: in urban society there is also capitalist industrial working class, petty traders, and professional class like doctors, lawyers and engineers.
• Caste : Desai thinks that when tradition is linked with economic relations, the change in economy would eventually change the traditions. According to him caste inherits an underdeveloped but potential class character.  It is in this context that he thinks that caste will disintegrate with the creation of new social and material conditions, such as industries, economic growth, education etc. He even sees reservation as deliberate attempt of state to glorify the segmentation of society.
• Contradictions in Indian Society and Social Unrest: Emerging contradictions in India’s social transformation stem primarily from the growing nexus among capitalists, rural petty bourgeoisie, and the state apparatus, all originating from similar roots. This nexus hinders the aspirations of rural and industrial working classes through its power and strategic maneuvers. These contradictions persist, evolving into new cumulative forms and reemerging as protests and social movements. Social unrest finds its roots in India’s adoption of a capitalist path, inheriting this legacy from the national movement .

Limitations of ‘Dialectical Perspective’ to study Indian society

• Desai’s approach for understanding Indian Society from the economic dimension is not always the best way to understand the society.
• Desai’s approach of understanding Indian Society is not empirical based. According to YOGENDRA SINGH the important limitation of dialectical perspective applied by Desai for studies of social change in India is lack of substantial empirical data in support of his major assertions, which are often historiographical and can easily be challenged.
• In a bid to give importance to material aspects, it ignored the importance of religion and culture in the lives of people of India . Religion occupies an important place in Indian society and world view of people is influenced by it. This perspective is not capable of portraying a total view of social reality in India and takes only a materialistic view.
• Another deficiency is ignoring caste as the basis of traditional Hindu social organization. Caste was often equated with class which generated an over-simplistic view of the pattern of social inequalities.
• Over emphasis upon conflict led them to overlook aspects of integration and solidarity of Indian society. For example, institutions like Jajmani system and panchayats were also seen as exploitative.

Conclusion:

In theoretical terms however , dialectical approach can be more visible for analysis of the processes of change and conflict in India provided it is founded upon sound tradition of scientific research. Despite this limitation some studies conducted on this model offer useful hypothesis, which can be further tested in course of the studies on social change.

Related Blogs…

To master these intricacies and fare well in the Sociology Optional Syllabus, aspiring sociologists might benefit from guidance by the Best Sociology Optional Teacher and participation in the Best Sociology Optional Coaching. These avenues provide comprehensive assistance, ensuring a solid understanding of sociology’s diverse methodologies and techniques.

A.R. Desai, dialectical perspective, Indian society, capitalism, agrarian class structure, peasant struggles, tradition, transformation, state and society, caste, contradictions, social unrest, limitations, empirical data, religion, culture, Jajmani system, panchayats, social change.

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Choose T he Best Sociology Optional Teacher for IAS Preparation?

At the beginning of the journey for Civil Services Examination preparation, many students face a pivotal decision – selecting their optional subject. Questions such as “ which optional subject is the best? ” and “ which optional subject is the most scoring? ” frequently come to mind. Choosing the right optional subject, like choosing the best sociology optional teacher , is a subjective yet vital step that requires a thoughtful decision based on facts. A misstep in this crucial decision can indeed prove disastrous.

Ever since the exam pattern was revamped in 2013, the UPSC has eliminated the need for a second optional subject. Now, candidates have to choose only one optional subject for the UPSC Mains , which has two papers of 250 marks each. One of the compelling choices for many has been the sociology optional. However, it’s strongly advised to decide on your optional subject for mains well ahead of time to get sufficient time to complete the syllabus. After all, most students score similarly in General Studies Papers; it’s the score in the optional subject & essay that contributes significantly to the final selection.

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The choice of the optional subject should be based on objective criteria, such as the nature, scope, and size of the syllabus, uniformity and stability in the question pattern, relevance of the syllabic content in daily life in society, and the availability of study material and guidance. For example, choosing the best sociology optional coaching can ensure access to top-quality study materials and experienced teachers. Always remember, the approach of the UPSC optional subject differs from your academic studies of subjects. Therefore, before settling for sociology optional , you need to analyze the syllabus, previous years’ pattern, subject requirements (be it ideal, visionary, numerical, conceptual theoretical), and your comfort level with the subject.

This decision marks a critical point in your UPSC – CSE journey , potentially determining your success in a career in IAS/Civil Services. Therefore, it’s crucial to choose wisely, whether it’s the optional subject or the best sociology optional teacher . Always base your decision on accurate facts, and never let your emotional biases guide your choices. After all, the search for the best sociology optional coaching is about finding the perfect fit for your unique academic needs and aspirations.

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UPSC IAS (Mains) Exam / 05 Jan 2024

Free Study Material - UPSC (Paper - I: Essay) IAS Mains Exam

Syllabus: (Paper-I: Essay)

Q. sunrise industries: can this be the next big thing for india, structure of the essay:, introduction:.

• The meaning of sunrise industry should be clarified with a lucid example.
• Do give an idea of what all is going to come in the body of the essay.
• Also clarify your stand to the question asked in the topic.
• Mention various sunrise industries in Indian context.
• Briefly explain in each case why it is apt to classify it as Sunrise industry.
• Discuss the futuristic importance of each one of them in the Indian context.
• Mention the possible threats to Indian economy due to the sunrise industries.
• If your stand is that it’s the next big thing, then do negate those threats.
• Mention the bottlenecks for these Sunrise industries.

Conclusion:

• Write down the measures that need to be taken by various actors viz. government, civil society, citizenry to fully reap the potential of sunrise industries.

Content of the Essay:

Definition of Sunrise industry:

Sunrise industry is a colloquial term for a burgeoning sector or business that is just in its infancy but shows promise of a rapid boom. It generally has plenty of “buzz” surrounding them as public awareness about the sector increases and investors get attracted to its long-term growth prospects. Examples include e-commerce, cloud computing etc.

Characteristics of Sunrise Industry:

1. High growth rates 2. Numerous start-ups 3. High degree of innovation 4. Abundance of venture capital funding. Various Sunrise Industry in India

1. E-Commerce – e-commerce encompasses a range of economic activities such as retail, travel, tourism, food and beverages etc. It is going to be driven by growing Internet population, smartphones access and increased online shoppers.

2. IT Industry - Global technology spend will increase, not decrease in future, and this will create a lot more opportunities for the Indian IT industry. According to Nasscom, The Indian IT industry is likely to grow 7-9 per cent in next decade. There is going to be a net addition of nearly 1.5 lakh jobs to the industry every year.

3. Food processing Industry - In today’s world, time has become extremely precious, and a fast-paced world has got habituated, in fact, addicted, to a ready-made culture. Thus, growing youth population, which is also going to be more urban, is more likely to shift to Ready to Eat Food.

Further, The food processing industry connects the farmers with their consumers, adding value on the way.

According to reports, during 2009-13, India’s exports of processed food and related products increased at a compounded annual growth rate of 21.9% to $36.1 billion. Further, the Indian food industry is estimated to grow to about $200 billion by 2015.

Mega Food Parks have set a great precedent for public-private partnerships where the private sector invests in infrastructure, while the government brings in technology and knowledge to help farmers earn reasonably, without suffering losses.

4. Tourism – Diversity of culture, varied geographical and climatic conditions provides immense opportunity for tourism sector in India. Realising this, the government has also started schemes like Swadesh Darshan, which has prepared thematic tourism circuits like Ramayana circuit.

5. Cloud Computing - Cloud Computing and its increasing usage among Indian enterprises is expected to create over a million new jobs by 2022. Its annual growth is forecast at 17 per cent. It facilititates other sectors of the economy as well by permitting an increase in IT innovation, which, in turn, supports business innovation that leads to accelerated development schedules, faster project completion, shorter time to market for new products, and lower operational costs.

6. New and Renewable Energy – Under INDC, India has pledged to increase the share of non-fossil fuels to 40% in its energy mix by 2030. India has set an ambitious target of 175 GW of renewable energy by 2022. Certain other newer source of energy like hyderogen fuel, biofuel are also witnessing high level of research and they can be the next big thing in fuel basket.

7. Electric Mobility – E-Rickshaw has already started replacing conventional rickshaw in most of the cities across India. Government of India targets to completely shift to electric vehicles by 2030 under FAME India Mission. This industry is also driven by increasing level of air pollution in various Indian cities.

Threats from Sunrise Industry:

1. Its rapid emergence may push into obsolescence a competing industry sector that is already in decline. E.g. e-commerce can make brick and mortar shops obsolete. 2. Structural Unemployment – Any sunrise industry shall require a new skill set and the people from competing industry may lose job as there would be a mismatch between the skills they posses and skills required in these new industries. 3. Life Style Changes could be detrimental –e.g. Processed food could be tastier but less nutritious. Smartphones and other IT revolutions may induce sedentry life style.

Bottlenecks for sunrise Industry:

1. Viability - The buzz they generate at the onset may be based largely on speculation for the possibilities the industry represents, rather than any tangible business activity. E.g. mobile industry remained unviable for a major part of second half of 20th century.

2. Short Life Cycyle – e.g. The compact-disc industry, which was a sunrise industry in 1990s, but it became sunset industry within a decade.

3. Failure to Meet global standard - e.g. lack of phytosanitary measures in Indian food processing industry.

4. Chalta Hai Culture of India – “Old habbits die hard”. Sunrise Industries will require new set of standards and skills.

5. Poor Quality of Higher Education – None of our universitities feature in global top 100 universities list. Around 80% of our engineering graduates are not employable. So, there is lack of skilled workforce to be employed in fast changing sunrise industry.

6. Lack of Digital Infrastructure – Most of the sunrise industries are related to digital infrastruture in one way or another. Internet Penetration in rural India is still as low as 20%.

7. Lack of Physical Infrastructure – It makes trade and logistics costly in India. E.g. logistics consists 25% of the cost of manufacturing firm in India while it is lesss than 15% in case of China.

8. Complicated Legal Structure – e.g. Flipkart was first forced to shift its headquarter to Singapore and then it was sold to a Walmart. Lack of autonomy in operating ecommerce business is being considered a prime reason for this exit.

Steps Needed:

1. By Government

• Infrastructure – Road, Rail, Ports are facilitator to any industry.
• Quality Education – We need world class universitites to avoid brain drain and also provide skilled workforce to sunrise industries in India.
• Ease of doing business – Although we have improved 30 points n World Banks ease of doing business ranking in 2017, we still perform very poorly in many areas like contract enforcement.

2. By Corporates

• Skill Training to Youths – Indian IT industry measures like Infosys and TCS has adopted inhouse training model to create the skilled workforce needed for IT industry. Other Sunrise industries needs to do the same.
• Venture Capital Investment – Venture capitalists needs to support entrepreneurs in these sunrise industries
• R&D – Companies in India need to invest more in R&D because most of the sunrise industries are based on latest tools and technologies.

3. Citizenry

• We need to be progressive towards latest scinetific developments.
• We need to ward off “chalta hai” culture
• Human Resource Development should be a priority in every household.

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