UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on Ahilya Bai Holkar and Globalisation (Week 54)

QUESTION 2

Discuss how globalisation affects the cross-border dissemination of knowledge and technology.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.

— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.

— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.

— Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer.

— Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required.

Way forward/ conclusion

— The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction.

— You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers.

Self Evaluation

— It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers.

THOUGHT PROCESS

You may enrich your answers by some of the following points

QUESTION 1: Analyse the socio-political reforms of Ahilya Bai Holkar and their long-term impact on governance and society in 18th-century India.

Introduction:

— Ahilya Bai Holkar, the Maratha queen, was a superb administrator, visionary, and spiritualist.

— She was born in 1725 to a shepherd (Dhangar/Gadariya) family in the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra.

— She contributed to the preservation and promotion of India’s spiritual integrity while demonstrating administrative ingenuity and political neutrality.

Body:

— Ahilya Bai was well aware that her gender — and her status as a widow — made her unsuitable for certain administrative and political positions in the social and cultural environment of the time.

— She nominated Tukoji Holkar, a trustworthy soldier who had previously served under her father-in-law Malhar Rao Holkar, as head of her army.

— Ahilya Bai was guided by her innate compassion and ethics in all of her interactions with her subjects.

— Ahilya Bai is regarded as the wonderful queen that she was because of her unwavering devotion in Hinduism. She routinely attended Purana recitals and yagnas, hoping that the spiritually charged ambiance would help her stick to her convictions.

— Her immersion in Hindu philosophy resulted in a dramatic shift in the faith’s architectural representation. Ahilya Bai restored the jyotirlingas throughout the land as a devotion to Lord Shiva.

— During her reign, numerous religious places were renovated, including Somnath, Varanasi, Trambak, Gaya, Pushkar, Vrindavan, Nathdwara, Haridwar, Badrinath, and Kedarnath.

— She came up with the concept of storing the idols in secret shrines beneath the temples, adding an extra degree of security to protect against attacks and iconoclasm.

— She championed traditional weaving and paved the road for women’s empowerment, resulting in the creation of magnificent Maheshwari saris.

— Ahilya Bai also worked to improve Indore, save forests and animals, and oversaw her kingdom’s thriving trade and commerce.

— She commanded respect not only from her contemporaries, but also from later historians and thinkers, like Jadunath Sarkar, Annie Besant, and John Keay.

— Ahilya Bai’s rule is an example of inclusive policy making. She worked to improve her state and her subjects in a variety of ways. Her legacy is renowned not only for her administrative skills, but also for opening the path for future generations of the Holkar dynasty to practise good governance that goes beyond gender conventions.

— It is impossible to measure her impact without considering her comprehensive governance, which contributed to true samajik samrasta (social peace).

(Source: When a Holkar queen gave India Ram Rajya by Aditi Narayani Paswan)

Points to Ponder

Other social reformers

Holkar dynasty

Related Previous Year Questions

The women’s questions arose in modern India as a part of the 19th century social reform movement. What were the major issues and debates concerning women in that period? (2017)

What were the major political, economic and social developments in the world which motivated the anti-colonial struggle in India? (2014)

QUESTION 2: Discuss how globalisation affects the cross-border dissemination of knowledge and technology.

Introduction:

— Globalisation is the process in which different countries trade their goods with each other to improve their economy.

— Globalisation is a positive process in which people in various countries are interested to inter connect and work together and become more creative in the fields of commerce,finance,cross-border trades and technology.

— It has become a worldwide movement which is inevitable and it stimulates new thinking and joint activity.

— Globalisation raises the standard of living in developing countries, spreads technological knowledge, and increases political liberation.

— One of the social benefits of globalisation is an increase in the Human Development Index, which measures a country’s social, political, and economic growth in comparison to other countries around the world.

Body:

— Technological advancement is a major driver of rising earnings and living standards.

— From 1995 to 2014, the United States, Japan, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom (the G5) created three-fourths of all patented ideas worldwide. Other large countries, most notably China and Korea, have begun to contribute significantly to the global knowledge stock in recent years.

— The increasing intensity of global information transfers indicates significant benefits of globalisation.

— Globalisation has accelerated the diffusion of technology across boundaries in two ways:

(i) Globalisation enables countries to acquire greater access to foreign expertise.

(ii) It boosts international competitiveness, particularly the emergence of emerging market enterprises, which increases firms’ incentives to innovate and embrace foreign technologies.

— One major advantage of globalisation is that it promotes the transfer of knowledge and technology, which helps disperse the potential for growth among nations.

— To increase one’s ability to assimilate and apply foreign knowledge effectively, one must make investments in human capital, education, and domestic research and development.

(Source: ‘Globalisation stimulates new thinking’, http://www.imf.org)

Points to Ponder

LPG reforms, 1991

Positive and negative impacts of globalisation

Related Previous Year Questions

Elucidate the relationship between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with special reference to India. (2022)

Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalization? Justify your answer. (2020)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 53)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 52)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 54)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 53)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 53)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 54)

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