Revision summary
Western secularism grew as a wall between a dominant church and the state. Indian secularism is equal respect and principled distance, not a total ban on contact. The Constitution protects faith and still allows reform of social practice around religion. Personal laws and public aid to religious institutions show the difference in design. Minority security after Partition is part of why India did not copy a hard laïcité.
Model answer
Flow diagram
flowchart TD W[Western model] --> S[Wall of separation] I[Indian model] --> E[Equal respect principled distance] E --> R[Reform and protect] S --> P[Religion as private] R --> C[Constitutional values]
Conclusion
- Keep equal respect without turning the state into a majority chaplain.
- Move toward uniform rights in family law by consent and constitution, not by humiliating one community.
Western secularism separates church and state; Indian secularism equalises religions and still reforms them in the name of rights. The Indian model is not a copy of Paris or Washington, and it must be judged by fairness to every faith, not by how loudly the wall is named.
Quick related
Students also ask
-
The Bhakti movement received a remarkable re-orientation with the advent of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Discuss.
Next question in the 2018 paper (Q11). View answer →
-
Is Indian secularism only majority goodwill?
It is a constitutional design of equal freedom plus reform. It fails when the state favours one faith in practice.
-
Does western secularism never touch religion?
Even western states regulate safety, tax, and hate speech. The difference is India’s open equal-respect and reform role toward many religions at once.
PYQ trend
When UPSC asked this
Related PYQs from other years, newest first. Open a question to read it.
-
2020 · Q8 · GS I · 10 marks
Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi- cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations. -
2020 · Q10 · GS I · 10 marks
Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue. -
2019 · Q10 · GS I · 10 marks
What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism? -
2018 · Q8 · GS I · 10 marks
"Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India." Comment. -
2018 · Q20 · GS I · 15 marks
'Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.' Argue by giving suitable illustrations. -
2017 · Q19 · GS I · 15 marks
Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words). -
2016 · Q12 · GS I · 12 marks
What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. -
2015 · Q13 · GS I · 12 marks
Debate the issue whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste.
More from this paper
Q1 · UPSC Mains 2018 · GS I · 10 marks
Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Comment.
Indian Heritage and Culture
Temples, caves, bronzes, manuscripts, and crafts form one heritage, not two separate worlds. Theft, climate, and urban pressure make delay costly because originals cannot be replaced. Laws such as AMASR and the Antiquities Act need faster enforcement and provenance. UNESCO fame without crowd control can harm the site it names. Craft apprentices and local care must sit beside museum conservation.
Q2 · UPSC Mains 2018 · GS I · 10 marks
Assess the importance of the accounts of the Chinese and Arab travellers in the reconstruction of the history of India.
World's Physical Geography
Faxian and Xuanzang supply dated pictures of Gupta and Harsha India and of Buddhist monasteries. Al-Biruni studies Indian science and society; Ibn Battuta describes Tughlaq Delhi and travel. Arab geographers map monsoon ports on the west coast. All travellers carry religious and court bias and miss much of rural life. They matter most when read with inscriptions and excavation.
Q3 · UPSC Mains 2018 · GS I · 10 marks
Throw light on the significance of the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi in the present times.
The Freedom Struggle
Satyagraha still judges how protest and power use violence and hate. Swaraj and Antyodaya still test whether growth reaches the last person. Trusteeship and village industry speak to inequality and jobless growth. The fight against untouchability is unfinished in atrocity and scavenging. The Constitution and law must carry Gandhi’s ethic into a modern state.
Toppers' copies
Toppers' copies for this question will be uploaded soon.