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

Q9

'Virus of Conflict is affecting the functioning of the SCO' In the light of the above statement point out the role of India in mitigating the problems. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

'संघर्ष का विषाणु एस.सी.ओ. के कामकाज को प्रभावित कर रहा है' उपरोक्त कथन के आलोक में समस्याओं को कम करने में भारत की भूमिका बताइये। (150 शब्दों में उत्तर) 10

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Directive word: Explain

This question asks you to explain. 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 'explain' requires candidates to make the role of India in SCO conflict mitigation clear through reasoning and evidence. Structure: Brief intro acknowledging SCO's internal conflicts (India-China, India-Pakistan, Russia-Ukraine tensions) → Body: India's specific mitigating contributions (economic, diplomatic, institutional) → Conclusion: Balancing act between SCO engagement and strategic autonomy.

Key points expected

Recognition of 'virus of conflict': India-China border standoff, India-Pakistan tensions, Russia-Ukraine war impact on SCO unity
India's economic role: SCO Startup Forum, promotion of connectivity projects (INSTC, Chabahar) as alternatives to BRI
Diplomatic balancing: Maintaining engagement with Russia while supporting sovereignty principles; hosting SCO meetings despite bilateral tensions
Institutional contributions: Push for RATS cooperation on terrorism, humanitarian assistance (Operation Ganga for Ukraine evacuations)
Advocacy for multi-alignment: SCO as part of India's broader Eurasian strategy without sacrificing Quad engagement
Limitations and challenges: India's refusal to endorse BRI, selective participation in military exercises

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Correctly interprets 'explain' by establishing causal links between India's actions and conflict mitigation outcomes; addresses 'virus of conflict' metaphor specifically rather than generic SCO description	Mentions India's SCO role but treats it descriptively without explaining how it mitigates conflicts; vague reference to 'virus' without unpacking specific conflicts	Misreads directive as 'describe' or 'list'; ignores 'virus of conflict' framing entirely; writes generic essay on SCO without India-specific mitigation focus
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Accurately covers multiple conflict dimensions (bilateral, regional, extra-regional) with precise institutional knowledge: RATS, SCO-2023 Goa Summit, India's non-paper on terrorism, Operation Ganga	Basic coverage of India-China and India-Pakistan tensions with general statements on dialogue; some factual inaccuracies on SCO mechanisms or conflates with other groupings	Superficial content with major errors (e.g., claiming India supports BRI, misidentifying SCO founding members); conflates conflict mitigation with mere membership participation
Structure & flow	20%	2	Tight 150-word structure with clear progression: conflict context → India's mitigating instruments (economic, diplomatic, security) → nuanced conclusion; smooth transitions between bilateral and multilateral levels	Loosely organized with some logical flow but repetitive points or abrupt shifts; either too descriptive in intro or rushed conclusion	Disjointed structure with no clear thesis; bullet-point dumping without integration; word count significantly exceeded or severely underutilized
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	Deploys specific, recent examples: SCO Startup Forum 2023, India's RATS proposals, Chabahar port connectivity, Operation Ganga evacuation, refusal to attend SCO military exercises with China-Pakistan 2022	Generic references to 'bilateral talks' or 'economic cooperation' without naming specific initiatives; outdated examples or examples from other forums (BRICS, UN)	No concrete examples; relies entirely on assertions like 'India plays constructive role'; invents facts or uses irrelevant examples
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Sophisticated conclusion recognizing India's dual challenge: mitigating SCO conflicts while protecting own interests; acknowledges limits of SCO platform for India-Pakistan/China resolution; forward-looking note on SCO's relevance	Standard conclusion summarizing points without analytical depth; either overly optimistic ('SCO will solve all conflicts') or dismissive ('SCO is useless')	No conclusion or abrupt ending; purely descriptive closing; contradicts own argument or introduces new unsubstantiated claims

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