General Studies 2022 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Discuss

Q11

The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century. Discuss with examples. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

राज्यों एवं प्रदेशों का राजनीतिक और प्रशासनिक पुनर्गठन उन्नीसवीं शताब्दी के मध्य से निरंतर चल रही एक प्रक्रिया है । उदाहरण सहित विचार करें । (250 शब्दों में उत्तर दें)

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Directive word: Discuss

This question asks you to discuss. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'discuss' requires a balanced examination of multiple phases of political reorganization, presenting arguments and evidence rather than mere narration. Structure as: brief introduction defining the continuous nature of reorganization; body covering colonial-era (1858-1947), post-Independence (1947-1956), States Reorganization Act 1956, and post-1956 developments; conclusion assessing whether reorganization has achieved intended objectives.

Key points expected

Recognition that reorganization began with British colonial administrative restructuring (Provinces of British India, princely states integration)
Coverage of post-Independence phase: Dhar Commission (1948), JVP Committee (1949), and adoption of linguistic principle
States Reorganization Act 1956 as watershed moment with 14 states and 6 UTs
Post-1956 developments: formation of Maharashtra-Gujarat (1960), Punjab-Haryana-Himachal (1966), Northeast reorganization (1972 onwards), Jharkhand-Uttarakhand-Chhattisgarh (2000), Telangana (2014), J&K bifurcation (2019)
Administrative dimensions: creation of Union Territories, autonomous districts, recent district reorganization

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Treats 'discuss' as requiring multi-perspective analysis across time periods, not mere chronology; explicitly addresses 'continuous ongoing process' by connecting colonial and post-Independence phases as part of single evolutionary trajectory	Provides chronological narrative without analytical framing; mentions multiple phases but treats them as discrete events rather than continuous process	Misinterprets 'discuss' as 'list' or 'describe'; focuses only on post-1956 period ignoring colonial origins; or provides generic essay on federalism without addressing reorganization specifically
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Accurately covers all four phases with correct dates, commissions, and constitutional provisions; distinguishes political from administrative reorganization; mentions Article 3 and 4 procedures	Covers major phases with minor factual errors (e.g., wrong years for state formations); conflates political and administrative reorganization; misses constitutional provisions	Significant factual errors (e.g., attributing linguistic states to pre-1950 period); omits entire phases; confuses Dhar Commission with States Reorganization Commission
Structure & flow	20%	3	Clear chronological-progressive structure with thematic coherence; smooth transitions between colonial, immediate post-Independence, 1956, and contemporary phases; balanced word allocation (~60 words per phase)	Chronological but uneven coverage—either over-detailed on 1956 or disproportionately focused on recent events; abrupt transitions between phases	Disorganized jumping between time periods; no clear introduction or conclusion; exceeds word limit significantly or falls substantially short
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Specific examples from each phase: e.g., Madras Presidency reorganization, Fazal Ali Commission, Punjab Suba movement, North-Eastern Areas (Reorganization) Act 1971, 73rd-74th Constitutional Amendments' impact, recent Ladakh UT creation	Generic mention of 'linguistic states' or 'new states in 2000' without naming specific states; examples from only 2-3 phases with gaps	No specific examples or only one phase illustrated; incorrect examples (e.g., citing Bangladesh partition as state reorganization); purely theoretical without concrete cases
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Critical assessment of whether reorganization strengthened federalism, managed diversity, or created new challenges; mentions Second States Reorganization Commission (2009) recommendations; balanced view on language vs development-based demands	Descriptive conclusion summarizing what was discussed without evaluation; generic statement about 'successful federalism' without specific assessment	No conclusion or abrupt ending; purely celebratory or entirely negative assessment without nuance; introduces new factual claims in conclusion

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