General Studies 2023 GS Paper II 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Describe

Q10

Indian diaspora has scaled new heights in the West. Describe its economic and political benefits for India. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारतीय प्रवासियों ने पश्चिम में नई ऊँचाइयों को छुआ है। भारत के लिये इसके आर्थिक और राजनीतिक लाभों का वर्णन करें। (150 शब्दों में उत्तर) 10

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Directive word: Describe

This question asks you to describe. 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 'describe' requires a factual, systematic portrayal of economic and political benefits without deep critical analysis. Structure: brief introduction acknowledging diaspora achievements → body with clear bifurcation into economic benefits (remittances, investment, knowledge transfer) and political benefits (lobbying, soft power, diplomatic leverage) → concise conclusion on strategic importance.

Key points expected

Economic: remittances as forex reserve buffer ($125B+ annually), FDI through diaspora investment (e.g., US-India corridor)
Economic: knowledge/technology transfer, startup ecosystem mentorship, reverse brain drain initiatives
Political: lobbying for India-US nuclear deal, Congressional caucuses, influencing host country policies
Political: soft power projection (yoga, cuisine, cinema), countering anti-India narratives, diaspora as cultural ambassadors
Specific West-focused examples: Silicon Valley CEOs (Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella), UK politicians (Rishi Sunak, Priti Patel)
Strategic leverage in multilateral forums and bilateral negotiations

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Correctly interprets 'describe' as requiring systematic factual portrayal of both economic AND political dimensions; maintains balanced coverage without drifting into evaluation or prescription	Covers both dimensions but conflates description with analysis; minor imbalance between economic and political aspects	Misreads directive as 'discuss' or 'evaluate'; omits one dimension entirely or provides generic commentary without descriptive detail
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Precise, contemporary content: quantified remittance figures, specific policy outcomes (nuclear deal lobbying), accurate identification of diaspora political positions	Broadly accurate but lacks specificity; mentions remittances without figures or generic 'influence' without concrete political outcomes	Factually incorrect claims (e.g., conflating PIOs with NRIs); outdated examples; confused economic/political categories
Structure & flow	20%	2	Clear binary structure (economic vs political) with internal coherence; smooth transitions; 150-word discipline with no structural waste	Recognizable structure but uneven weighting; some repetition or abrupt shifts between points; minor word management issues	Disorganized or monolithic paragraph; no clear thematic separation; significantly over/under word limit
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	West-specific exemplars: remittance data (World Bank 2023/24), CEO-level corporate leadership, UK-US political office holders, specific lobbying outcomes	Generic diaspora references without West focus; mentions 'Silicon Valley' or 'UK Parliament' without named individuals or quantified impact	No examples from West; uses Gulf remittance data inappropriately; fictional or unattributed claims
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Sharp concluding synthesis on strategic asset value; forward-looking note on leveraging diaspora for India's global aspirations within descriptive frame	Serviceable summary restating points; no analytical elevation but maintains descriptive integrity	Absurdly long conclusion consuming body space; abrupt ending; shifts to prescriptive 'should' recommendations violating 'describe' directive

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