Indian Society PYQ | UPSC GS I

2026

1. · Paper Q8 · 2026 · 10 marks · Solution

Unity in diversity remains the defining feature of Indian society despite the challenges from communalism and regionalism. Comment.

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2. · Paper Q9 · 2026 · 10 marks · Solution

How do you understand disability? Substantiate the need for inclusive policy framework in India in this regard.

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3. · Paper Q10 · 2026 · 10 marks · Solution

Do you think digital technology promotes social empowerment? Explain with examples.

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4. · Paper Q18 · 2026 · 15 marks · Solution

Is caste disappearing in urban India? Illustrate your answer with examples.

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5. · Paper Q19 · 2026 · 15 marks · Solution

Critically examine the challenges of demographic transition in contemporary India.

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6. · Paper Q20 · 2026 · 15 marks · Solution

Evaluate the impact of globalization on Indian youths with reference to social, political, economic and cultural spheres.

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2025

7. · Paper Q17 · 2025 · 15 marks · Solution

Discuss the distribution and density of population in the Ganga River Basin with special reference to land, soil and water resources.

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8. · Paper Q18 · 2025 · 15 marks · Solution

How do you account for the growing fast food industries given that there are increased health concerns in modern society? Illustrate your answer with the Indian experience.

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9. · Paper Q20 · 2025 · 15 marks · Solution

Does tribal development in India centre around two axes, those of displacement and of rehabilitation? Give your opinion.

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2024

10. · Paper Q8 · 2024 · 10 marks · Solution

Distinguish between gender equality, gender equity and women's empowerment. Why is it important to take gender concerns into account in programme design and implementation?

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11. · Paper Q9 · 2024 · 10 marks · Solution

Intercaste marriages between castes which have socio-economic parity have increased, to some extent, but this is less true of interreligious marriages. Discuss.

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12. · Paper Q10 · 2024 · 10 marks · Solution

In dealing with socio-economic issues of development, what kind of collaboration between government, NGOs and private sector would be most productive?

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13. · Paper Q17 · 2024 · 15 marks · Solution

What is regional disparity? How does it differ from diversity? How serious is the issue of regional disparity in India?

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14. · Paper Q18 · 2024 · 15 marks · Solution

Despite comprehensive policies for equity and social justice, underprivileged sections are not yet getting the full benefits of affirmative action envisaged by the Constitution. Comment.

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15. · Paper Q19 · 2024 · 15 marks · Solution

Globalization has increased urban migration by skilled, young, unmarried women from various classes. How has this trend impacted upon their personal freedom and relationship with family?

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2023

16. · Paper Q8 · 2023 · 10 marks · Solution

Do you think marriage as a sacrament in loosing its value in Modern India?

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17. · Paper Q9 · 2023 · 10 marks · Solution

Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian Society.

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18. · Paper Q10 · 2023 · 10 marks · Solution

Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children.

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19. · Paper Q12 · 2023 · 15 marks · Solution

What were the major technological changes introduced during the Sultanate period? How did those technological changes influence the Indian society?

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20. · Paper Q13 · 2023 · 15 marks · Solution

How did the colonial rule affect the tribals in India and what was the tribal response to the colonial oppression?

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21. · Paper Q15 · 2023 · 15 marks · Solution

Identify and discuss the factors responsible for diversity of natural vegetation in India. Assess the significance of wildlife sanctuaries in rain forests regions of India.

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22. · Paper Q18 · 2023 · 15 marks · Solution

Does urbanization lead to more segregation and/or marginalization of the poor in Indian metropolises?

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23. · Paper Q19 · 2023 · 15 marks · Solution

Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static?

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24. · Paper Q20 · 2023 · 15 marks · Solution

Discuss the impact of post-liberal economy on ethnic identity and communalism.

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2022

25. · Paper Q8 · 2022 · 10 marks · Solution

Explore and evaluate the impact of 'Work From Home' on family relationships.

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26. · Paper Q10 · 2022 · 10 marks · Solution

Given the diversities among the tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category?

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27. · Paper Q18 · 2022 · 15 marks · Solution

Analyze the salience of 'sect' in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion.

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28. · Paper Q19 · 2022 · 15 marks · Solution

Are tolerance, assimilation and pluralism the key elements in the making of an Indian form of secularism? Justify your answer.

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29. · Paper Q20 · 2022 · 15 marks · Solution

Elucidate the relationship between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with special reference to India.

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2021

30. · Paper Q6 · 2021 · 10 marks · Solution

what are the environmental implications of the reclamation of the water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples.

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31. · Paper Q9 · 2021 · 10 marks · Solution

Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems.

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32. · Paper Q10 · 2021 · 10 marks · Solution

Examine the role of 'Gig Economy' in the process of empowerment of women in India.

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33. · Paper Q18 · 2021 · 15 marks · Solution

Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail.

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34. · Paper Q19 · 2021 · 15 marks · Solution

What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also?

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35. · Paper Q20 · 2021 · 15 marks · Solution

How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it.

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2020

36. · Paper Q8 · 2020 · 10 marks · Solution

Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi- cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations.

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37. · Paper Q9 · 2020 · 10 marks · Solution

COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment.

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38. · Paper Q10 · 2020 · 10 marks · Solution

Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue.

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39. · Paper Q18 · 2020 · 15 marks · Solution

Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation? Justify your answer.

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2019

40. · Paper Q9 · 2019 · 10 marks · Solution

"Empowering women is the key to control population growth." Discuss.

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41. · Paper Q10 · 2019 · 10 marks · Solution

What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism?

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42. · Paper Q16 · 2019 · 15 marks · Solution

How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development in India?

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43. · Paper Q19 · 2019 · 15 marks · Solution

What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space?

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2018

44. · Paper Q8 · 2018 · 10 marks · Solution

"Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India." Comment.

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45. · Paper Q9 · 2018 · 10 marks · Solution

'Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing'. Explain by giving reasons.

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46. · Paper Q10 · 2018 · 10 marks · Solution

How the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of secularism? Discuss.

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47. · Paper Q14 · 2018 · 15 marks · Solution

"The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system." How can it be made effective in urban areas?

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48. · Paper Q18 · 2018 · 15 marks · Solution

'Women's movement in India has not addressed the issues of women of lower social strata.' Substantiate your view.

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49. · Paper Q19 · 2018 · 15 marks · Solution

'Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.' Elucidate.

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50. · Paper Q20 · 2018 · 15 marks · Solution

'Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.' Argue by giving suitable illustrations.

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2017

51. · Paper Q9 · 2017 · 10 marks · Solution

In the context of the diversity of India, can it be said that the regions form cultural units rather than the States? Give reasons with examples for your view point.

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52. · Paper Q17 · 2017 · 15 marks · Solution

What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the world population residing in Monsoon Asia? (250 words).

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53. · Paper Q19 · 2017 · 15 marks · Solution

Distinguish between religiousness/religiosity and communalism giving one example of how the former has got transformed into the latter in independent India. (250 words).

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2016

54. · Paper Q8 · 2016 · 12 marks · Solution

To what extent globalisation has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain.

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55. · Paper Q9 · 2016 · 12 marks · Solution

"An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from the process of deprivation." Substantiate this statement with suitable examples.

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56. · Paper Q10 · 2016 · 12 marks · Solution

Why are the tribals in India referred to as 'the Scheduled Tribes'? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment.

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57. · Paper Q12 · 2016 · 12 marks · Solution

What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer.

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2015

58. · Paper Q8 · 2015 · 12 marks · Solution

Describe any four cultural elements of diversity in India and rate their relative significance in building a national identity.

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59. · Paper Q9 · 2015 · 12 marks · Solution

Critically examine whether growing population is the cause of poverty OR poverty is the mains cause of population increase in India.

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60. · Paper Q10 · 2015 · 12 marks · Solution

How do you explain the statistics that show that the sex ratio in Tribes in India is more favourable to women than the sex ratio among Scheduled Castes?

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61. · Paper Q11 · 2015 · 12 marks · Solution

Discuss the changes in the trends of labour migration within and outside India in the last four decades.

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62. · Paper Q12 · 2015 · 12 marks · Solution

Discuss the positive and negative effects of globalization on women in India?

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63. · Paper Q13 · 2015 · 12 marks · Solution

Debate the issue whether and how contemporary movements for assertion of Dalit identity work towards annihilation of caste.

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