UPSC Mains Society and Social Issues Previous Year Questions

Last Updated on February 27, 2024 by Admin

Society and Social Issues Topic Wise PYQs (2018-2023)

6] INDIAN SOCIETY AND DIVERSITY

1. Do you think marriage as a sacrament is loosing its value in Modern India? [2023/Q8/10m/150w]
2. Why did human development fail to keep pace with economic development in India? [2023/Q16/15m/200w]
3. Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work From Home’ on family relationships. [2022/Q8/10m/150w]
4. Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge system when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems. [2021/Q9/10m/150w]
5. How does Indian society maintain continuity in traditional social values? Enumerate the changes taking place in it. [2021/Q20/15m/250w]
6. How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate your answer.   [2020/Q20/15m/200w]
7. What makes Indian society unique in sustaining its culture? Discuss.   [2019/Q8/10m/150w]
8. Do we have cultural pockets of small India all over the nation? Elaborate with examples [2019/Q18/15m/200w]

7] WOMEN, POPULATION, POVERTY, DEVELOPMENT AND URBANIZATION ISSUES

1. Explain why suicide among young women is increasing in Indian society. [2023/Q9/10m/150w]
2. Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of Children.  [2023/Q10/10m/150w]
3. Does urbanization lead to more segregation and/or marginalization of the poor in Indian metropolises? [2023/Q18/15m/200w]
4. How is the growth of Tier 2 cities related to the rise of a new middle class with an emphasis on the culture of consumption? [2022/Q9/10m/150w]
5. Examine the role of ‘Gig Economy’ in the process of empowerment of women in India. [2021/Q10/10m/150w]
6. What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India? [2021/Q17/15m/250w]
7. Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. [2021/Q18/15m/250w]
8. COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment.   [2020/Q9/10m/150w]
9. Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures.   [2020/Q15/15m/200w]
10. “Empowering women is the key to control population growth”. Discuss   [2019/Q9/10m/150w]
11. How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development of India?  [2019/Q16/15m/200w]
12. What are the continued challenges for women in India against time and space?  [2019/Q19/15m/200w]
13. ‘Despite implementation of various programmes for eradication of poverty by the government in India, poverty is still existing’. Explain by giving reasons. [2018/Q9/10m/150w]
14. ‘Women’s movement in India has not addressed the issues of women of lower social strata.’ Substantiate your view. [2018/Q18/15m/200w]

8] EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON INDIAN SOCIETY.

1. Discuss the impact of post-liberal economy on ethnic identity and communalism. [2023/Q20/15m/200w]
2. Elucidate the relationship between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with special reference to India. [2022/Q20/15m/250w]
3. What are the environmental implications of the reclamation of the water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples. [2021/Q6/10m/150w]
4. What is Cryptocurrency? How does it affect global society? Has it been affecting Indian society also? [2021/Q19/15m/250w]
5. Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation? Justify your answer.   [2020/Q18/15m/200w]
6. Are we losing our local identity for the global identity? Discuss.  [2019/Q20/15m/200w]
7. Why indentured labour was taken by the British from India to their colonies? have they been able to preserve their cultural identity over there? [2018/Q13/15m/200w]
8. ‘Globalisation is generally said to promote cultural homogenisation but due to this cultural specificities appear to be strengthened in the Indian society.’ Elucidate. [2018/Q19/15m/200w]

9] SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT, CASTE, COMMUNALISM, REGIONALISM, SECULARISM

1. Why is caste identity in India both fluid and static? [2023/Q19/15m/200w]
2. Given the diversities among tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category? [2022/Q10/10m/150w]
3. Analyse the salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-à-vis caste, region and religion. [2022/Q18/15m/250w]
4. Are tolerance, assimilation and pluralism the key elements in the making of an Indian form of secularism? Justify your answer. [2022/Q19/15m/250w]
5. Has caste lost its relevance in understanding the multi-cultural Indian Society? Elaborate your answer with illustrations.   [2020/Q8/10m/150w]
6. Do you agree that regionalism in India appears to be a consequence of rising cultural assertiveness? Argue.   [2020/Q10/10m/150w]
7. Customs and traditions suppress reason leading to obscurantism. Do you agree?   [2020/Q19/15m/200w]
8. What are the challenges to our cultural practices in the name of secularism   [2019/Q10/10m/150w]
9. “Caste system is assuming new identities and associational forms. Hence, caste system cannot be eradicated in India.” Comment. [2018/Q8/10m/150w]
10. How the Indian concept of secularism different from the western model of secularism? Discuss. [2018/Q10/10m/150w]
11. Discuss whether formation of new states in recent times is beneficial or not for the economy of India. [2018/Q12/15m/200w]
12. ‘Communalism arises either due to power struggle or relative deprivation.’ Argue by giving suitable illustrations. [2018/Q20/15m/200w]