General Studies 2025 GS Paper IV 20 marks 150 words Compulsory Explain

Q3

Given below are three quotations of great thinkers. What do each of these quotations convey to you in the present context? (a) "Those who in trouble untroubled are, Will trouble trouble itself." – Thiruvalluvar (Answer in 150 words) 10 (b) "The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitudes." – William James (Answer in 150 words) 10 (c) "The strength of a society is not in its laws, but in the morality of its people." – Swami Vivekananda (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

महान विचारकों के तीन उद्धरण नीचे दिए गए हैं। वर्तमान संदर्भ में, प्रत्येक उद्धरण आपको क्या संप्रेषित करता है ? (a) "जो लोग मुसीबत में भी शांत रहते हैं, मुसीबत ही स्वयं परेशान होगी।" – तिरुवल्लुवर (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 10 (b) "मेरी पीढ़ी की सबसे बड़ी खोज यह है कि मनुष्य अपना दृष्टिकोण बदलकर अपना जीवन बदल सकता है।" – विलियम जेम्स (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 10 (c) "किसी समाज की शक्ति उसके कानूनों में नहीं, बल्कि उसके लोगों की नैतिकता में होती है।" – स्वामी विवेकानंद (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 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 unpacking each quotation's meaning and connecting it to contemporary ethical challenges. Allocate approximately 50 words per sub-part (150 words total), spending roughly equal time on each since all carry equal marks. Structure: brief contextual introduction for each thinker, core interpretation of the quotation, present-day application with specific examples, and a synthesizing conclusion that ties the three perspectives together on personal and societal ethics.

Key points expected

For (a) Thiruvalluvar: Explain emotional resilience and stoic equanimity—how maintaining inner calm prevents trouble from escalating; connect to crisis management in governance or personal life
For (b) William James: Explain attitude as locus of control—cognitive reframing, growth mindset, and psychological agency; link to civil services adaptability and mental health
For (c) Swami Vivekananda: Explain moral foundations over legal formalism—social cohesion through shared values; contrast with over-legislation without ethical internalization
Demonstrate interconnection: personal ethics (a,b) → collective morality (c); individual transformation enables societal strength
Present-context specificity: post-pandemic resilience, bureaucratic reform, social movements, or digital ethics
Avoid mere paraphrasing; show analytical depth in interpreting 'trouble trouble itself,' 'altering attitudes,' and 'morality vs laws'

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	4	Correctly interprets 'explain' as requiring conceptual unpacking plus contemporary relevance for each quotation; for (a) shows understanding of Kural's philosophical context; for (b) grasps James's pragmatism; for (c) captures Vivekananda's critique of legalism without moral substance	Provides basic paraphrase of quotations with superficial present connections; misses philosophical depth of at least one thinker; conflates explanation with description	Misinterprets directive as 'describe' or 'list'; merely quotes without elaboration; fundamentally misunderstands one or more thinkers' intent
Content depth & accuracy	20%	4	Demonstrates accurate knowledge of Thiruvalluvar's Tirukkural tradition, James's psychological pragmatism, and Vivekananda's social philosophy; precisely interprets 'trouble trouble itself' as self-defeating nature of agitation; 'altering attitudes' as volitional control; 'morality vs laws' as internal vs external regulation	Generally accurate but imprecise interpretations; conflates thinkers' traditions; vague on one quotation's mechanics; minor anachronisms or misattributions	Significant factual errors in thinker identification or quotation meaning; confuses Thiruvalluvar with other Tamil poets; misrepresents James as behaviorist; garbles Vivekananda's core argument
Structure & flow	20%	4	Clear tripartite structure with balanced 50-word segments per sub-part; smooth transitions between personal resilience (a), psychological agency (b), and collective morality (c); integrated conclusion showing progression from individual to societal ethics; adheres strictly to 150-word limit	Identifiable structure but uneven weightage (e.g., 70 words on (a), 40 on (c)); abrupt transitions; either no conclusion or generic summary; minor word limit violations	Disorganized or missing structure; lumps all quotations together without clear demarcation; severe imbalance (e.g., ignores one part); significantly over/under word limit; no discernible flow
Examples / case-law / data	20%	4	Specific, contemporary Indian illustrations: for (a)—civil servants' composure during COVID-19 or natural disasters; for (b)—growth mindset in Mission Karmayogi or sports psychology; for (c)—comparison of prohibition laws vs drinking culture, or RTI's limitations without ethical compliance; examples precisely match each quotation's logic	Generic examples without Indian specificity; examples somewhat mismatched to quotation (e.g., using legal reform for (c) instead of moral-cultural emphasis); clichéd references without elaboration	No examples or irrelevant ones; examples contradict the quotation's meaning; relies on foreign illustrations when Indian context is available; fabricated case references
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	4	Synthesizes three perspectives into coherent ethical framework: inner tranquility enables attitude change, which collectively builds moral society; offers critical insight—e.g., noting tension between (b)'s individualism and (c)'s collectivism, or how digital age challenges all three propositions; forward-looking implication for civil services	Restates main points without synthesis; predictable conclusion on 'importance of ethics'; no critical tension acknowledged; generic aspirational closing	No conclusion or completely disconnected ending; contradicts earlier analysis; purely rhetorical flourish without substance; misses opportunity to integrate the three thinkers' insights

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