General Studies Strategy

8/11/2019 General Studies Strategy

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General Studies- I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History

and Geography of the World and Society

1. History of India and Indian Heritage and Culture

1. Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art

Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to

modern times.

1. Art forms

a. Ancient

b. Medieval

c. Modern

2. Literature

a. Ancient

b. Medieval

c. Modern

3. Architecture

a. Ancient

b. Medieval

c. Modern

2. Modern Indian history from about the middle of the

eighteenth century until the present- significant events,

personalities, issues

1. Significant Events and Issues

a. Middle of 18th Century to Middle of 19th Century

b. Middle of 19th Century to 1857

c. 1857 to 1947


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d. 1947 to 1964

e. 1964 till present

2. Significant Personalities

a. Middle of 18th Century to Middle of 19th Century

b. Middle of 19th Century to 1857

c. 1857 to 1947

d. 1947 to 1964

e. 1964 till present

3. The Freedom Struggle- its various stages and

important contributors /contributions from different

parts of the country

1. Various Stages of Freedom Struggle

2. Important Contributions from different parts of

the Country

a. North India

b. North-East India

c. South India

d. West India

e. Tribal Resistance to Colonialism in British India

3. Important Contributors from different parts of the

Country

a. North India

b. North-East Indiac. South India

d. West India

2. Indian Society

1. Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India


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03. History and Geography of the World

1. History of the world will include events from 18th

century such as industrial revolution, world wars,

redrawal of national boundaries, colonization,

decolonization, political philosophies like communism,

capitalism, socialism etc. - their forms and effect on the

society

1. Industrial revolution

2. World Wars

3. Redrawal of national boundaries

4. Colonization and decolonization

5. Forms and effect of Political philosophies like

communism, capitalism, socialism etc. on the society

2. Salient features of worlds physical geography

1. The Earth

2. Landforms

3. Climate

4. Water (Oceans)

5. Biogeography (Life on Earth)


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3. Distribution of key natural resources across the world

(including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent);

factors responsible for the location of primary,

secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts

of the world (including India)

1. Key Natural Resources and their Distribution

across the World

2. Factors responsible for the location of following

industries in various parts of World and India:

a. Primary

b. Secondary

c. Tertiary

4. Important Geophysical phenomena such as

earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,

geographical features and their location- changes in

critical geographical features (including water bodies

and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of

such changes

1. Important Geophysical phenomena:

a. Earthquakesb. Tsunami

c. Volcanic activity

d. Cyclone

2. Geographical features and their location

3. Changes in :


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a. Critical geographical features (including water

bodies and ice-caps) and

b. Flora and fauna

and effects of such changes.

General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity,

Social Justice and International relations

1. Governance, Constitution and Polity

1. Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings,

evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions

and basic structure.

1. Historical underpinnings

2. Evolution

3. Features

4. Amendments

5. Significant Provisions

6. Basic Structure

2. Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the

States, issues and challenges pertaining to the federal

structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local

levels and challenges therein

1. Functions and responsibilities of the Union andthe States

2. Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal

structure

3. Devolution of powers and finances up to local

levels and challenges therein


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3. Separation of powers between various organs dispute

redressal mechanisms and institutions

1. Separation of powers between various organs

2. Dispute redressal institutions and mechanisms

4. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with

that of other countries

1. Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme

with that of other countries, including, but not limited

to:

a. Constitution of the UK

b. Constitution of the USA

c. Constitution of Switzerland

d. Constitution of Russia

e. Constitution of China

f. Constitution of Japan

g. Constitution of France

h. Constitution of Germany

5. Parliament and State Legislatures- structure,

functioning, conduct of business, powers and privileges

and issues arising out of these

Parliament and State Legislatures

1. Structure2. Functioning

3. Conduct of business

4. Powers and privileges

and issues arising out of these


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6. Structure, organization and functioning of the

Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments

of the Government; pressure groups and

formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity

1. Structure, organization and functioning of

a. The Executive

b. The Judiciary

a. The Judiciary Concepts of Judicial Review

,Judicial Activism,Judicial Supremacy and Judicial

Overreach

c. Ministries of the Government, and

d. Departments of the Government

2. Pressure groups and their role in the Polity

3. Formal/informal associations and their role in the

Polity

7. Salient features of the Representation of Peoples

Act.

1. The Representation of Peoples Act

a. Salient featuresb. Amendments

c. Recent issues

8. Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers,

functions and responsibilities of various Constitutional

Bodies.


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1. Appointment to various Constitutional posts

2. Powers, functions and responsibilities of various

Constitutional Bodies

9. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies

1. Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial

bodies

2. Social Justice

1. Government policies and interventions for

development in various sectors and issues arising out of

their design and implementation.

1. Government policies and interventions fordevelopment in various sectors

2. Issues arising out of their design and

implementation.

2. Development processes and the development

industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and

associations, donors, charities, institutional and other

stakeholders

Development processes and the development industry

1. The role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and

associations, donors, charities, institutional and other

stakeholders


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3. Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the

population by the Centre and States and the

performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws,

institutions and Bodies constituted for the protection

and betterment of these vulnerable sections.

1. Identification of vulnerable sections of the

population

2. Welfare schemes for them by the Centre and

States

3. The performance of these schemes

4. Mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies

constituted for the protection and betterment of these

vulnerable sections

4. Issues relating to development and management of

Social Sector/Services relating to Health, Education,

Human Resources.

Issues relating to development and management of

Social Sector/Services relating to:

1. Health

2. Education

3. Human Resources

5. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.

1. Issues relating to poverty and hunger.


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6. Important aspects of governance, transparency and

accountability, e-governance- applications, models,

successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters,

transparency and accountability and institutional and

other measures.

1. Important aspects of governance

2. Transparency and accountability

3. e-governance- applications:

a. Models, successes, limitations, and potential

4. Citizens charters

(Repeat) of GS-P-II-02-47

5. Institutional and other measures

7. Role of civil services in a democracy.

1. Role of civil services in a democracy

3. International Institutions and International relations

1. India and its neighbourhood- relations

Indias relationship with:

1. Afghanistan

2. Bangladesh

3. Bhutan / Myanmar

4. China

5. Maldives


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(Repeat) of GS-P-II-03-55

7. Nepal

8. Pakistan

9. Sri Lanka

2. Bilateral, regional and global groupings and

agreements involving India and/or affecting Indias

interests

Various Trade Agreements / Groupings involving India

1. Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN)

and India Free Trade Agreement (FTA)

2. India- Sri Lanka Comprehensive Economic

Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

3. India-Thailand Comprehensive EconomicCooperation Agreement (CECA)

4. Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral

Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Free

Trade Agreement (FTA)

5. India-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Free Trade

Agreement (FTA)

6. India-Mauritius Comprehensive EconomicCooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA)

7. India-SACU Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)


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8. India-Singapore Comprehensive Economic

Cooperation Agreement (CECA)

9. India-Chile Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)

10. MERCOSUR Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA)

11. India-Pakistan Trading Arrangement

12. India-EU Broad Based Trade and Investment

Agreement

13. India-European Free Trade Association (EFTA)

14. Global System of Trade Preferences (GSTP)

15. Asia Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA) (Previously

Bangkok Agreement)

16. India -New Zealand Free Trade Agreement /

Comprehensive Economic Cooperation

17. India-Canada Comprehensive Economic

Partnership Agreement (CEPA)

18. India-Australia Comprehensive Economic


19. India-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic


Indicative List. We are required to add

Agreements/Groupings not included in the list


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3. Effect of policies and politics of developed and

developing countries on Indias interests, Indian

diaspora

Recent policies of developed and developing countries

affecting India

20. India-Iran relations21. India-Japan relations

Recent political developments of developed and

developing countries affecting India

1. (List to be compiled )

4. Important International institutions, agencies and

fora- their structure, mandate.

1. UN System and its principal organs

a. The General Assembly

b. The Security Council

c. The Economic and Social Council

d. UNCTAD

e. UNDP

f. UNHCR

g. World Food Programme

h. UNEP

Indicative List. We are required to add other

Institutions and Agencies not included in the list

2. BIS

3. ICC

4. World Customs Organization


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Indicative List. We are required to add other Institutions

and Agencies not included in the list

General Studies-III: Technology, Economic

Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and

Disaster Management

1. Technology

1. Science and Technology- developments and their

applications and effects in everyday life

1. Recent Scientific Developments and their

Applications and effects in everyday life

Contributor required to prepare a comprehensive list

from recent news and websites

2. Achievements of Indians in science and technology;

indigenization of technology and developing new

technology

1. Science and Technology Policy 2003

2. Science and Technology System in India

a. Department of Science and Technology

b. Department of Space

c. Department of Atomic Energy


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d. Defence Research and Development Organisation

e. Ministry of Earth Sciences

f. Department of Scientific and Industrial Research

g. Department of Biotechnology

3. Contribution of the Science and Technology

System in indigenization of Technology and

development of New Technologies

Contributor required to prepare a comprehensive list

from the website of respective departments/Ministries

3. Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers,

robotics, Nano-technology, bio-technology and issues

relating to intellectual property rights

1. Awareness in the fields of:

a. IT & Computers

b. Space

c. Robotics

d. Nano-technology

e. Bio-technology

2. Issues relating to Intellectual Property Rights

2. Economic Development

1. Indian Economy and issues relating to planning,

mobilization of resources, growth, development and

employment


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1. Salient features of Indian Economy

2. Issues relating to:

a. Planning

b. Mobilizing domestic and external resources

c. Growth and Development (Compare and Contrast)

d. Employment

2. Inclusive growth and issues arising from it

1. Inclusive Growth the concept

2. Policies for Inclusive Growth

3. Issues arising in and from implementation of these

policies

3. Government Budgeting

1. Budget2. Indian Financial Situation

3. Fiscal Consolidation in India

4. State Level Finances

4. Land reforms in India

1. Historical Review

2. Issues related to Land in India

3. Tenancy reforms

5. Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in

industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth

1. Liberalization and its effect on the Indian Economy

2. Indias Industrial Policy and their effects on

Industrial Growth


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6. Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports,

Railways etc.

1. Energy

2. Ports

3. Roads

4. Airports

5. Railways7. Investment models

1. Modes of raising funds for infrastructure

a. Public Private Partnership (PPP)

b. Build Operate Lease Transfer (BOLT)

c. Build Own Operate Transfer (BOOT)

d. Build Operate Transfer (BOT) (Toll Model &

Annuity Model)

e. Operate Maintain and Transfer (OMT)/

Operations and Maintenance Contract (O & M Contract)

f. Viability Gap Funding Scheme (VGF)

g. Special Economic Zone (SEZ)

h. Special Investment Region (SIR)


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8. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the

country, different types of irrigation and irrigation

systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural

produce and issues and related constraints; e-

technology in the aid of farmers

1. Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of

the country

a. Crop Seasons and Crop Practices

b. Cropping Patterns

c. Changes in Cropping Patterns

2. Different types of irrigation and irrigation systems

a. Need for irrigationb. Different types of Irrigation

c. Irrigation Projects

3. Storage, transport and marketing of agricultural

produce and issues and related constraints

a. Storage facilities for agricultural produce

b. Transport of agricultural produce

c. Marketing of agricultural produce

4. e-technology in the aid of farmers


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9. Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies

and minimum support prices; Public Distribution System-

objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of

buffer stocks and food security; Technology missions;

economics of animal-rearing

1. Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies

and minimum support prices

2. Public distribution system- objectives, functioning,

limitations, revamping

3. Issues of buffer stocks and food security

4. Technology missions

5. Economics of animal-rearing

10. Food processing and related industries in India-

scope and significance, location, upstream and

downstream requirements, supply chain management

1. Food processing and related industries in India

a. Scope and significance

b. Location

c. Upstream and downstream requirements

d. Supply chain management

3. Biodiversity and Environment


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1. Conservation, environmental pollution and

degradation, environmental impact assessment

1. Conservation

2. Environmental pollution and degradation

3. Environmental Impact Assessment

4. Security and Disast er Management

1. Disaster and disaster management

1. Meaning and Classification of Disasters

2. Disaster Management

3. Disaster Preparedness

4. Disaster Prevention5. Disaster Mitigation

6. Damage Assessment

7. Rehabilitation and Reconstruction

8. Disasters and Development

Contributor to expand the list to ensure all relevant and

important points are covered

2. Linkages between development and spread of

extremism1. Linkages between development and spread of

extremism

3. Role of external state and non-state actors in creating

challenges to internal security


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1. External State and non-State Actors creating

challenges to internal security

4. Challenges to internal security through

communication networks, role of media and social

networking sites in internal security challenges, basicsof cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention

1. Challenges to internal security through

communication networks

2. Role of media and social networking sites in

internal security challenges

3. Basics of cyber security

4. Money-laundering and its prevention

5. Security challenges and their management in border

areas; linkages of organized crime with terrorism

1. Security challenges and their management in

border areas

2. Linkages of organized crime with terrorism

6. Various Security forces and agencies and their

mandate

1. Various Security forces and agencies

2. Mandates of the Security forces and agencies

Documents

General Studies Strategy