General Studies 2024 GS Paper III 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Describe

Q17

What is disaster resilience? How is it determined? Describe various elements of a resilience framework. Also mention the global targets of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (2015-2030). (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

आपदा प्रतिरोध क्या है? इसे कैसे निर्धारित किया जाता है? एक प्रतिरोध ढाँचे के विभिन्न तत्वों का वर्णन कीजिए। आपदा जोखिम न्यूनीकरण के लिए सेंडाई ढाँचे (2015-2030) के वैश्विक लक्ष्यों का भी उल्लेख कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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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 systematic exposition of disaster resilience, its determinants, resilience framework elements, and Sendai targets. Structure as: brief conceptual definition → determinants of resilience → four elements of resilience framework → four global targets of Sendai Framework → concluding linkage to India's disaster management. Maintain 250-word precision with balanced coverage across all four components.

Key points expected

Definition: Disaster resilience as capacity of social, economic and environmental systems to cope, adapt and recover from hazards (UNISDR definition preferred)
Determinants: Exposure, vulnerability, coping capacity, adaptive capacity, and institutional preparedness
Resilience framework elements: Physical/infrastructure resilience, social resilience, economic resilience, and institutional/organizational resilience
Sendai Framework four global targets: Substantial reduction in disaster mortality, affected people, economic losses, and damage to critical infrastructure by 2030
India-specific connect: Mention of National Disaster Management Plan 2016 alignment with Sendai or Aspirational Districts Programme resilience focus

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Addresses all four sub-questions (definition, determinants, elements, Sendai targets) with precise weightage; no part ignored or conflated; understands 'describe' requires elaboration not just listing	Covers 3 of 4 sub-questions adequately; minor conflation between determinants and elements; some imbalance in word allocation	Misses one or more sub-questions entirely; confuses determinants with elements; treats 'describe' as 'define' with minimal elaboration
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Technically accurate: defines resilience as dynamic process not static state; correctly identifies all four Sendai targets with 2030 timeline; distinguishes four resilience elements precisely	Generally accurate but minor errors: vague on determinants, conflates some resilience elements, or lists only 3 Sendai targets correctly	Significant factual errors: confuses Hyogo Framework with Sendai, misstates targets, or presents resilience as purely infrastructure-based
Structure & flow	20%	3	Clear four-part structure with visible transitions; each sub-question gets dedicated paragraph; logical progression from concept → determinants → framework → global targets; within 250 words	Adequate structure but some merging of sections; word limit slightly exceeded or significantly underutilized; transitions present but mechanical	Disorganized or stream-of-consciousness writing; no paragraph breaks between components; severe word management issues (under 180 or over 300 words)
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Integrates at least two India-specific illustrations: e.g., Kerala flood resilience (2018) for social resilience, Bihar's community-based flood management for institutional resilience, or SDMA capacity building under NDMA	One relevant Indian example or generic international reference only; examples not tightly linked to specific resilience elements	No examples at all, or irrelevant examples (e.g., only mentioning tsunami without resilience angle); purely theoretical response
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Synthesizes Sendai targets with India's Sendai Monitor implementation; notes gap between global targets and local resilience; forward-looking statement on climate adaptation integration	Standard concluding summary without synthesis; mere restatement of points; no critical observation on implementation challenges	Abrupt ending or missing conclusion; purely descriptive close; no analytical observation on resilience-Sendai linkage or India's progress

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