Q5
Write short answers, with a sociological perspective, on the following questions in about 150 words each: (a) Citing some case studies, expand the concept of 'Development-induced Displacement'. (10 marks) (b) Examine the concept of 'Cultural Pluralism' in the context of India's Unity in Diversity. (10 marks) (c) Highlight the salient features of the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. (10 marks) (d) Analyse the sociological interconnections between Social Media and Mass Mobilization in India. (10 marks) (e) Discuss the nature of regional variations in sex ratio in India, stating reasons thereof. (10 marks)
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
निम्नलिखित में से प्रत्येक प्रश्न का, समाजशास्त्रीय दृष्टिकोण से, संक्षिप्त उत्तर लगभग 150 शब्दों में लिखिए : (a) कुछ केस-अध्ययन पद्धतियों को उद्धृत करते हुए, 'विकास-प्रेरित विस्थापन' की अवधारणा का विस्तार कीजिए । (10 अंक) (b) 'सांस्कृतिक बहुलवाद' की अवधारणा का भारत की अनेकता में एकता के संदर्भ में परीक्षण कीजिए । (10 अंक) (c) नई शिक्षा नीति 2020 (NEP 2020) की मुख्य विशेषताओं पर प्रकाश डालिए । (10 अंक) (d) भारत में सोशल मीडिया और जन लामबंदी (जुटाव) के बीच के समाजशास्त्रीय अंतर्संबंधों का विश्लेषण कीजिए । (10 अंक) (e) भारत में लिंगानुपात के क्षेत्रीय उतार-चढ़ाव की प्रकृति और उसके कारणों का उल्लेख करते हुए विवेचना कीजिए । (10 अंक)
Directive word: Examine
This question asks you to examine. 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
Each sub-part carries equal 10 marks and ~150 words; allocate roughly 3 minutes per part. For (a), 'expand' requires conceptual depth plus case studies (Sardar Sarovar, Narmada Bachao Andolan). For (b), 'examine' needs critical assessment of cultural pluralism against assimilationist pressures. For (c), 'highlight' demands systematic enumeration of NEP 2020 features with sociological implications. For (d), 'analyse' requires unpacking causal mechanisms between social media and mobilization (Arab Spring parallels, CAA protests). For (e), 'discuss' needs regional mapping (Punjab's masculinization, Kerala's feminization) with structural explanations. Structure each part as: definition/thesis → empirical illustration → critical twist → micro-conclusion.
Key points expected
- (a) Development-induced displacement: Cernea's impoverishment risks framework; Sardar Sarovar (Gujarat), Polavaram (Andhra), Koel-Karo (Jharkhand) as case studies; distinction between voluntary and forced displacement
- (b) Cultural pluralism: Kallen/Horace Kallen's mosaic vs. melting pot; constitutional recognition (Articles 29-30, 350A-B); threats from majoritarian homogenization and regional assertion
- (c) NEP 2020: 5+3+3+4 structure replacing 10+2; early childhood care emphasis; mother tongue instruction; multidisciplinary flexibility; GER targets 50% by 2035; sociological critique on digital divide in implementation
- (d) Social media-mobilization: Castells' networked social movements; affordances (virality, anonymity, horizontal organizing); CAA-NRC protests, farmers' movement, #MeTooIndia; dark side of algorithmic radicalization
- (e) Regional sex ratio variations: North-western masculinization (Punjab, Haryana: 850-900) vs. southern/northeastern feminization (Kerala: 1084); patrilocal exogamy, dowry inflation, female seclusion norms; tribal matriliny in Meghalaya
Evaluation rubric
| Dimension | Weight | Max marks | Excellent | Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demand-directive understanding | 20% | 10 | Correctly interprets each directive: 'expand' for (a) shows conceptual elaboration with cases; 'examine' for (b) tests pluralism critically; 'highlight' for (c) systematically enumerates; 'analyse' for (d) establishes causal mechanisms; 'discuss' for (e) presents regional variation with explanatory depth. No directive treated as mere description. | Recognizes most directives but treats one or two descriptively (e.g., lists NEP features without 'highlighting' their sociological significance); some slippage between 'analyse' and 'describe'. | Misreads multiple directives—treats 'examine' as define, 'analyse' as list, 'expand' as brief mention; answer reads as five disconnected definitions without directive-appropriate depth. |
| Theoretical framing | 20% | 10 | Deploys at least three distinct theoretical anchors across parts: Cernea's displacement framework (a), Kallen/Rawls on pluralism or Madan/Galanter on secularism (b), Bourdieu on cultural capital or human capital theory (c), Castells/McAdam on digital contention (d), Amartya Sen's 'missing women' or Dreze-Sen capability approach (e). Theory is applied, not merely named. | Names one or two theorists correctly but applies them superficially; or uses generic sociological concepts (social stratification, modernization) without specific theoretical grounding. | No theoretical framework; relies on commonsense or journalistic language; concepts like 'development' or 'culture' used unproblematically without sociological problematization. |
| Indian / empirical examples | 20% | 10 | Rich empirical grounding across all five parts: specific projects (Sardar Sarovar, Polavaram) with states; constitutional articles and language data for pluralism; NEP implementation challenges with state variations; specific hashtags and movements (CAA, farmers' protest) with platforms; census/NFHS sex ratio data with district-level granularity (e.g., Fatehgarh Sahib's 854 vs. Alappuzha's 1070). | Mentions some Indian examples but lacks specificity—'Narmada dam' without NBA, 'southern states' without Kerala/Tamil Nadu distinction, 'social media' without Indian platform context (WhatsApp, ShareChat), 'north India' without Punjab/Haryana precision. | Generic or absent Indian examples; (a) uses global cases (Three Gorges), (d) relies on Arab Spring without Indian adaptation, (e) cites only national average without regional mapping. |
| Multi-paradigm analysis | 20% | 10 | Shows tension and complexity: (a) acknowledges rehabilitation successes vs. Cernea's risks; (b) weighs pluralism against integrationist pressures and regional sub-nationalism; (c) critiques NEP's neoliberal assumptions vs. equity promises; (d) balances emancipatory potential with surveillance/communal polarization; (e) considers economic development paradox (Kerala's high HDI, low fertility) alongside patriarchy. | Acknowledges one counter-perspective briefly but doesn't integrate it structurally; or presents complexity in one part while others remain one-sided. | Wholly one-dimensional treatment—displacement as uniformly negative, social media as purely liberatory, NEP as unalloyed progress, regional variation explained only by patriarchy without considering development trajectories. |
| Conclusion & sociological imagination | 20% | 10 | Each part concludes with sociological insight connecting micro to macro: (a) displacement as structural violence reproducing primitive accumulation; (b) pluralism as negotiated everyday practice, not just constitutional ideal; (c) education policy as site of class reproduction despite inclusionary rhetoric; (d) social media as reconfiguring public sphere but not transcending offline power; (e) sex ratio as biosocial indicator of gendered modernity. Final synthesis possible across parts on state-citizen-market nexus. | Summarizes main points without analytical lift; or provides generic conclusions ('need for better policy', 'unity in diversity is strength') without sociological specificity. | No conclusions in individual parts; or abrupt endings; final answer lacks any integrative reflection on how these five issues illuminate contemporary Indian society's structural tensions. |
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