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General Studies 2025 GS Paper II 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Discuss

GS Paper II — Q16

Inequality in the ownership pattern of resources is one of the major causes of poverty. Discuss in the context of 'paradox of…

Inequality in the ownership pattern of resources is one of the major causes of poverty. Discuss in the context of 'paradox of poverty'. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

संसाधनों के स्वामित्व पैटर्न में असमानता गरीबी का एक प्रमुख कारण है। 'गरीबी के विरोधाभास' के संदर्भ में चर्चा कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

The 'paradox of poverty' in India refers to the stark coexistence of abundant natural, mineral, and capital wealth alongside pervasive deprivation. While the nation possesses rich agro-ecological endowments and industrial resource bases, skewed resource ownership ensures that the dividends of growth remain concentrated, trapping large segments of the population in chronic poverty.

Agrarian Asset Inequality and Economic Inefficiency Land ownership remains the primary determinant of rural socioeconomic mobility. With a land distribution Gini coefficient exceeding 0.7, extreme concentration of holdings has created a massive class of assetless agricultural labourers vulnerable to subsistence wages. Furthermore, economic evidence shows an inverse relationship between farm size and productivity, wherein smallholder farming yields higher land productivity than large, fragmented holdings. Skewed land distribution thus breeds both poverty and systemic economic inefficiency.

Caste, Gender, and the Resource Curse Resource deprivation is heavily mediated by social intersectionality. Dalits and women face systemic exclusion from asset ownership; women own less than 14 percent of agricultural land, while Scheduled Castes remain disproportionately land-poor, cementing intergenerational poverty. Similarly, the resource curse manifests sharply in mineral-rich central and eastern belts. Tribal communities in Odisha and Jharkhand are routinely displaced by mining and industrial expansion, losing access to traditional forest resources without gaining viable alternative livelihoods.

Policy Pathways Historical land ceiling acts and tenancy protections saw limited success due to weak implementation and tenancy concealment. Mitigating this inequality requires formalising secure tenancy rights, effectively enforcing the PESA Act to safeguard tribal resources, and scaling property formalisation initiatives like SVAMITVA to democratise asset ownership and dismantle structural deprivation.

What "Discuss" is asking you to do

Lay the issue out from more than one side — how it arose, what is claimed for it, what is held against it, and where it now stands. UPSC attaches discuss to broad topics with several live dimensions, so coverage of the dimensions earns more than the strength of your opinion.

Structure that answers it

Set the issue up → the case as it is made → the case against → the dimension both sides leave out → where the balance now lies

Where marks are lost

Listing facts with no thread between them, or arguing one side throughout and calling it a discussion.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS2 Social Justice / Economic Development. discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Clearly defines the paradox and links it to resource ownership with a specific reform.

Key points expected

  • Define 'paradox of poverty' (poverty begets poverty)
  • Link resource ownership (land/capital) to income inequality
  • Explain the vicious cycle of deprivation (health/education)
  • Provide a realistic reform or policy intervention

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Analyze how resource ownership inequality drives poverty via the 'paradox of poverty' mechanism. 15 marks · 250 words

    discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close

    Must cover

    • Define 'paradox of poverty' (poverty begets poverty)
    • Link resource ownership (land/capital) to income inequality
    • Explain the vicious cycle of deprivation (health/education)
    • Provide a realistic reform or policy intervention

    Loses marks

    • Reciting general causes of poverty without the 'paradox' link
    • Focusing only on income without ownership patterns
    • Ending without a reform or way forward

    Earns more

    • Mention specific resource types (land, financial, human)
    • Reference structural causes (caste/class barriers)
    • Cite specific government schemes (e.g., MGNREGA, land reforms)
    • Balanced conclusion on breaking the cycle

    Extra mark

    • Cite specific data on landholding inequality (e.g., NSSO)
    • Reference 2nd ARC or Law Commission on resource distribution

Practice this exact question

Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.

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