UPSC Mains 2016 PSIR Optional Paper I questions

24 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2016. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All PSIR Optional PYQs

1. "How would I and my fellow human beings behave if we were to find ourselves in a state of nature, and what does this behaviour tell us about our innate pre- dispositions?" (Thomas Hobbes)

   10 marks

2. The Post-Behavioural Approach.

   10 marks

3. Affirmative Action.

   10 marks

4. "The Political ideology of Globalization is Neo-liberalism." Comment.

   20 marks

5. Discuss Feminist theory of the State.

   15 marks

6. Critically examine John Rawl's argument for democratic equality.

7. Explain Marx's understanding of Human Essence and Alienation.

8. "The implementation of human rights is regarded as a matter of changing the conduct of States."" Comment.

   15 marks

9. Discuss Hannah Arendt's analysis of the role of Ideology in modern totalitarian regimes..

   20 marks

10. Explicate the features of Representative Democracy.

    15 marks

11. Critically examine the Radical Humanist perspective on Indian National Movement.

12. Cultural and Regional differences are the enduring bases on which politics is played out in India.

    10 marks

13. Article 368 does not enable Parliament to alter the basic structure or framework of the Constitution'.

    10 marks

14. The purpuse of the 42nd Constitutional Amendment was to make the economic. and social democracy explicitly visible.

15. The philosophy and administration of the distribution of powers between Centre and State is required to be re-assessed.

    10 marks

16. Critically examine the politics of Economic growth in India.

    20 marks

17. Comment on the emergence of Backward classes in the Indian Politics.

18. Discuss the pattern of Political Parties from one dominant party system to coalition politics in national politics.

    15 marks

19. Land reforms have failed in the eradication of rural poverty. Comment.

    20 marks

20. Critically examine the role of Governor in recent times.

    15 marks

21. Discuss the Right to Information and underline challenges being posed before it.

22. The goal of Good governance will be achieved only by strengthening the grass root level democracy.

    20 marks

23. Examine the objective and role of the National Human Rights Commission.

    15 marks

24. Critically examine the provisions made in the Constitution for the protection of