As it pretended to be Globalization and economic liberalization came as the binger of new hopes and prospects forth- whole world. The World Trade Organization is tire most potent weapon to this cause. Tall claims and widest possible promises were made to the weaker unions when the WTO saw its inception. The basic principles of WTO are trade without discrimination, free trade, transparency, economic equality among the nations etc. All these hopes were on belied all, the organization started functioning. Its principles looked better only-in -words than deeds. The failure of Doha Agenda which saw few promises/prospects for the developing and under developed -nations failed to fructify. Do we need more testimonials to say that WTO has given birth to a clash with neo-imperialism?

Tamanna Sinha, a Jadavpur University alumnus, has topped the intensely competitive Indian Economic Service (IES) exam, salvaging some pride for Bengal that barely figures on the IAS topper's list.

The IES selects the men and women who will go on to formulate critical economic policies for the country.

Tamanna inherited her passion for economics from her father, retired IAS officer Trinath Krishna Sinha. After passing ICSE from Lycee School on Hindustan Road followed by ISC in economics stream at Our Lady Queen of the Mission in Park Circus, Tamanna enrolled for economics at JU.

Topic: Causes Responsible for the Rise of Indian Freedom Struggle.

Ques. 1 : Briefly discuss the causes responsible for the rise of Indian freedom struggle?

Ans. At the beginning of the 19th century India was regarded as one of the few countries with least possibilities for the rise of nationalism or the growth of national movement. The main reason for such assumptions was that the vast population of India was not only politically and backward but also disunited by barriers of language, religion, culture etc. The dearth of unifying sense of nationalism and patriotic feelings was one of the cogent contributing factors to the foundation and consolidation of the British rule in India. Certain colonial scholars did not even regard India as a nation. But India, throughout the course of her history had enjoyed inherent unity in diversity. This unity in diversity greatly helped in the rise and growth of Indian National Movement. The 19th and early 20th centuries were an age of democratic, liberal and nationalist ideas. The American War of Independence, the French Revolution, the Russian Revolution of 1917 etc., greatly inspired the rise and growth of the National Movement in India. No doubt all these external events, internal turmoils and self-realisation together inspired the rise and growth of the Indian National Movement.

India’s National Movement was truly Indian in the respect that it was world’s first struggle for freedom based on truth and non-violence and its foundations was laid by the socio-religious reform movement of the 19th century.

CAUSES

Among the many causes responsible for the rise of the national movement the following deserve special mention:

1. The Macaulavian system of education though conceived in the interests of efficient administration opened to the newly educated Indians the foodgates of liberal European thought The liberal and radical thoughts of European writers inspired the Indian intelligentsia with the ideals of liberty, nationality and self-government. The spread and expansion of the English language gave to the Indians living in different linguistic regions a common language-lingua franca.

1. Answer any two of the following in about 250 words each: 20 X 2=40
a) The bilateral trade between India and Pakistan can alter subcontinent’s economic and political landscape. Give your views by highlighting the recent developments in the bilateral trade and the potential in the near future.
b) Trace the recent developments in the Indo-Saudi Arabia bilateral relations.
c) The foreign policy of India in dealing with Myanmar was guided more by realism rather than idealism. Do you agree with this statement?

Topic: Reasons of the Failure of the Revolt of 1857.

Question : Briefly discuss the reasons of the failure of the revolt of 1857?

Answer:

1. The revolt of 1857 failed because it suffered from weak leadership and was hardly organized. This proved a major handicap when dealing with the well trained and equipped British troops.

Topic: Causes of the Revolt of 1857

Question : Briefly discuss the causes of the revolt of 1857?

Answer:

The revolt did not happen overnight. From the beginning of the political influence .of the British after the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the British faced resistance from various sections of the society. The miscellaneous populace had been harbouring resentment against the British. Due to the nature of the early historiography of the revolt, which was written by officials turned historians, it was believed to be a ‘mere mutiny’ of the sepoys in Bengal and Meerut, which was later joined by the civil populace. However, an analysis shows that such a simplistic view is limited in its scope. It is difficult to highlight a single cause for the outbreak of the revolt. There were multiple grievances, which were acutely felt by the different sections of the society. While noting the anti-British sentiments in the revolt it is equally essential to take into account the fact that the revolt in later stages was directed against the landlords, banias and money-lenders. The landlords in the British period were principally the creation of the new revenue policies introduced under them and had become vehicles of peasant exploitation.

Social and Religious Causes: From the early decades of the nineteenth century, the British had abandoned its policy of non-interference in the socio-religious life of the Indians. Abolition of Sati in 1829 under Lord Bentinck, the Hindu Widow Remarriage Act of 1856, and western education all led to disruption in the social world of the people After the Charter of 1813, the Christian missionaries were allowed to enter India and carry on with their mission of proselytizing. This, combined with the Religious Disabilities Act of 1856, which sought to do away with the previous ban on Christian converts from Hinduism in inheriting property, created a feeling amongst the people of threat to their religion and way of life.

‘Democracy’ literally means ‘rule by the demos’ in the ancient Greek word. The term ‘demos’ is generally translated as ‘the people’ and the ‘people’ implies the whole population, particularly the adult population, of a tribe, a territory or a country. The entire population or the collectivity obviously comprises a multitude of indi­viduals as units. It is well-known that no two individuals in a collectivity, mechanical or organic, can be alike, as their needs and aspirations differ even as their physical and mental compositions differ. Naturally, their views, notions, beliefs and habits are not similar and yet the concept and practice of and the rule of/by the people, however disparate, is very much in existence.

Human societies are held together by something more than convenience, calculation or the threat of punishment. There is certainly something in a state’s constitution, especially in democratic states, that is permanent, never to be questioned, and that political institutions must protect and preserve. A democratic constitution is in fact far more than a writing on a piece of paper. It envisages cultural and moral loyalty to certain values. This kind of loyalty or feelings of faithfulness consists in an explicit commitment to the basic ideals that the law of the state incorporates. The power of this

Topic: Causes and Phase of Tribal Movements

Question : Briefly discuss the causes of the tribal movements?

Answer :

Tribal movements are further subdivided into two categories along two main divisions of tribes based on the geographical region occupied.

(a) Non-frontier tribes constitute 89 per cent of the total tribal population. The non-frontier tribes were mainly confined to Central India, West-CentraI India and Andhra. Among the tribes that participated in the movements were Khonds, avara, Santhal, Munda, Oraon, Koya, Kol, Gond and Bhil. The uprisings of these tribes were quite volatile and constitute some of the major uprisings.

(b) Frontier tribes of the seven North-eastern frontier states of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura.

::Women & War::

Question : What are the problems faced by women during war?

Answer :

::Quality Education::

Question : What is our present education system?

Answer:

• Memorization
• Rush through a pre determined syllabus.
• Prepare children for examinations.

::Planning for the Billions::

Question : What are the issues in front of 7 in population?

Answer :

• Migration to urban areas.
• Settlement issues and infrastructure inadequacies.

::The Rise of China::

Question : What are the implications?

Answer :

• Increasing military might
• Trade surplus with most of the countries.

::Look East Policy (LEP)::

Question : What is the fundamental goal of LEP?

Answer :

• To qualitatively enhance synergies and civilization in East and South East Asian region.

Question : What comprises “East”?

::Look East Policy::

Question : What are the advantage to India?

Answer :

• Geographical connectivity and abundant resource in North East.
• A more opportunities for investment and trade in Eastern India.

Topic: Political-Religious Movements in the Early Phase of Colonial Expansion

Question : Briefly discuss the major political-religious movements in the early phase of colonial expansion?

Answer:

These movements erupted in the early phase of colonial expansion. In this phase religion provided the framework to locate and understand the colonial rule and articulate resistance. The main politico-religious movements were the Faqir Uprising, Sanyasi Rebellion, Pagal Panthis, Tariqah-i-Muhammadiya, Wahabi Movement, Faraizi Movement and Kuka Revolt.

::NNREGS::

Question : What are the issues of this scheme?

Answer :

• Shortage of supply of farm workers because of MNREG.
• An upward pressure on wage rates in rural India.

::Mullai Periyar Dam::

Question : What the supreme courts advice on the dam issue?

Answer :

• To determine the merits threw legal sanctioned means.
• To douse the flames in the border areas.

::Legal Aid::

Question : What are the reasons in providing legal aid to poor?

Answer :

• Illiteracy.
• Lack of financial resources and social backwardness.
• Lack of courage to exercise legal rights.
• The proclivity to suffer silently the denial of rights.