APSC Mains 2020 General Studies (GS-2) Paper-II
General Studies-II (Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and international relations)
Full Marks: 250 Time: 3 hours
1. Write a note on preparedness in India with special reference to Assam to realise the UNDP Sustainable Development Goal 2. (Answer in 150 words) 10
2. “In the Indian parliamentary system, the office of the President is like a ‘pivot’ that joins the two wheels, namely the legislature and the executive.” Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10
3. Discuss why Article 32 of the Constitution of India is regarded as the “Heart and Soul of the Constitution”. (Answer in 150 words) 10
4. Do you think ‘cooperative federalism’ exists in India? Substantiate your answer. (Answer in 150 words) 10
5. “The future of India lies in the villages.” Explain the statement in the light of the role of Panchayati Raj Institutions in empowering rural communities. (Answer in 150 words) 10
6. Discuss the role of civil society as the guardian of human rights and obligations. (Answer in 150 words) 10
7. “A nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought.” Explain. (Answer in 150 words) 10
8. Explain the procedure to amend the Constitution of India highlighting the significance of the basic structure doctrine. (Answer in 150 words) 10
9. Discuss the powers of the Speaker under the Rules for the Conduct of Business in the Parliament. (Answer in 150 words) 10
10. The Vine Declaration is a landmark in the history of human rights. Elucidate. (Answer in 150 words) 10
11. “Correlation of good governance with democracy has meant the dispersion of power amongst the governed instead of centralization in the elites.” Comment. (Answer in 250 words) 15
12. “E-governance transforms not only the ways in which public services are delivered but also the fundamental relationship between the government and the citizen.” Explain. (Answer in 250 words) 15
13. “The National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) launched by the Ministry of Rural Development, Government of India has been successful in creating efficient and effective institutional platforms of the rural poor.” Comment. (Answer in 250 words) 15
14. Discuss the administrative relations between the Union and the States. (Answer in 250 words) 15
15. “India and the USA are natural allies.” Discuss the strategic reasons of India’s closeness to the United States of America. (Answer in 250 words) 15
16. Discuss the role of civil service in realizing the true objectives of a democracy. Substantiate your arguments in the light of the functioning of the Indian
Civil Service. (Answer in 250 words) 15
17. What are the core provisions of the Representation of the People Act? Discuss the amendments of the Act as on date. (Answer in 250 words) 15
18. “The Indian Parliament system, though patterned on the British model, consists of its own unique features, drawn mainly from the non-British sources.” Elucidate in the context of difference between the parliamentary system of India with that of the British. (Answer in 250 words) 15
19. Critically analyse the problems and prospects of microfinance programme as a tool for empowerment and eradication of poverty with special reference to Assam. (Answer in 250 words) 15
20. Discuss, in detail, how judicial decisions shape Indian politics with special reference to the latest judgements of the Supreme court of India. (Answer in 250 words) 15
