Getting Started: Importance of The Hindu Editorials for UPSC Exams
UPSC Exam has changed completely in the last few years. It is now more and more changing towards the opinion based exam. Opinion based question test the knowledge of the students at various levels. From the static knowledge to current situation and what should be the best course of action all should be covered in an opinion based answer.
Some of the opion based questions which were asked in recent mains upsc papers are given below:
- Recent directives from Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas are perceived by the `Nagas’ as a threat to override the exceptional status enjoyed by the State. Discuss in light of Article 371A of the Indian Constitution. (GS PAPER 2, 2013).
- Food security bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehensions in its effective implementation along with the concerns it has generated in WTO.( GS PAPER 3,2013)
- Instances of President’s delay in commuting death sentences has come under public debate as denial of justice. Should there be a time limit specified for the President to accept/reject such petitions? Analyse. (GS PAPER 2, 2014)
- Resorting to ordinances has always raised concern on violation of the spirit of separation of powers doctrine. While noting the rationales justifying the power to promulgate ordinances, analyze whether the decisions of the Supreme Court on the issue have further facilitated resorting to this power. Should the power to promulgate ordinances be repealed? (GS PAPER 2, 2015)
All the above questions look for opinion from the aspirant. In order to answer an opinion based question aspirant must have a understanding of pros and cons of all the actions by the government and where they are not doing well and where they can improve. Most of the editorials in The Hindu Newspaper are written by the experts in relative fields. Those who have been working in those fields from last many years. This helps in getting an expert and most of the time independent opinion on the subject matter.
Most of these questions appear in GS paper 2 and GS paper 3 of UPSC mains exam. Apart from the opinion aout the current topics, editorials also help in topics which are important for the mains. It also helps in ffinding what kind of question might appear in the mains paper.
Apart from the questions, editorials also helps in understanding how to write about any topic in lesser words and provide maximum information. Editorials are also very important for prelims exam as they help in solving reading comprehension questions of CSAT paper 2. Reading comprehensions are also opinion based paragraphs from which aspirants needs to extract the information to solve the questions. Editorials of the hindu helps in practising this art.
Last but not the least editorials are also highly helpful in wrting essays in Mains Exams. UPSC asks aspirants to write two essays in three hours. Editorials from the Hindu are greatly helpful to aspirants to understand how they should write an essay. It allows aspirants to limit their words so that they can do justice with both the essays and also to provide the maximum information possible.
The Hindu also helps aspirants during the interview stage. Mostly opinion based questions on the current issues are asked during an interview. If any person has regular practise of reading the editorials, he can give the correct answer to many questions.
So in case you have missed reading editorials so far, Let it be the last time.
Start reading them from today!
