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General Studies 2026 GS Paper II 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Explain

GS Paper II — Q10

"BRICS acts as a powerful counterweight in global governance, actively amplifying the voice and influence of the Global South."…

"BRICS acts as a powerful counterweight in global governance, actively amplifying the voice and influence of the Global South." Explain the role of BRICS in projecting itself as an alternative to other groupings. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

“ब्रिक्स (BRICS) वैश्विक शासन में एक शक्तिशाली संतुलनकारी शक्ति के रूप में कार्य करता है, जो वैश्विक दक्षिण की आवाज़ और प्रभाव को सक्रिय रूप से प्रबल बनाता है।” ब्रिक्स (BRICS) की भूमिका को समझाइए कि वह स्वयं को अन्य समूहों के विकल्प के रूप में कैसे प्रस्तुत करता है? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q10 of the 2026 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper II, as printed
The question as printed in the 2026 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

BRICS projects itself as a Global South alternative by institutionalising collective representation outside Western-led forums. It amplifies influence by pooling economic weight and leverage. The BRIC grouping—Brazil, Russia, India, China—became BRICS when South Africa joined in 2010; 2023 Johannesburg Summit added Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the UAE, with Saudi Arabia invited, creating BRICS+. Its New Development Bank, headquartered in Shanghai, offers infrastructure and sustainable-development finance as an alternative to the World Bank/IMF. The Contingent Reserve Arrangement provides balance-of-payments swap support as an alternative safety net to IMF conditionality, though its IMF-linked Standby Instrument keeps it connected to IMF mechanisms. Local-currency settlement and de-dollarisation challenge dollar-centric finance. BRICS frames itself as the Global South’s voice, pressing for UN Security Council and IMF quota reform against G7 dominance. Yet India-China rivalry, heterogeneous interests and China’s disproportionate economic weight limit cohesion, requiring India’s careful multi-alignment; thus BRICS is a significant but incomplete counterweight.

What "Explain" is asking you to do

Make the working of something clear — what sets it off, what follows from what, and what it produces. Explain is the Commission's mechanism word: it dominates the technical papers and the “explain why” stems, where the marks sit in the causal chain and not in the label.

Structure that answers it

State what it is → the initiating condition → the chain of cause, step by step → an instance where it plays out → what the chain produces

Where marks are lost

Describing what something looks like instead of why it works that way. Naming the stages without linking them reads as description too.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS2 International Relations. explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close Full marks: Analyzes BRICS as a structural alternative to Western-led institutions with specific examples (NDB, UNSC reform).

Key points expected

  • Mention NDB as alternative to Bretton Woods institutions
  • Reference New Development Bank (NDB) or BRICS Pay
  • Discuss reform of UN Security Council or IMF/World Bank
  • Highlight 'Global South' representation and voice amplification

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Contextualize BRICS as a counterweight and detail its mechanisms for challenging existing global groupings. 10 marks · 150 words

    explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close

    Must cover

    • Mention NDB as alternative to Bretton Woods institutions
    • Reference New Development Bank (NDB) or BRICS Pay
    • Discuss reform of UN Security Council or IMF/World Bank
    • Highlight 'Global South' representation and voice amplification

    Loses marks

    • Reciting member list without analyzing their role
    • Treating BRICS as a military alliance
    • Ignoring the 'alternative' aspect of the prompt

    Earns more

    • Mention expansion to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, UAE
    • Reference de-dollarization or local currency trade
    • Contrast with G7 or G20 dynamics
    • Mention 'BRICS Plus' concept

    Extra mark

    • Cite specific NDB funding figures or projects
    • Reference specific BRICS summit declarations (e.g., Goa 2023)

Practice this exact question

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