GENERAL STUDIES (MAINS) – Questions Pattern & Trends Analysis

INDIAN ECONOMY ∧ INDIA’S ECONOMIC INTERACTION WITH
THE WORLD
GROWTH & DEVELOPMENT OF INDIAN ECONOMY
(Industrial, Agricultural and Service Sector)
1. India is rapidly emerging as an Information Technology (IT) Superpower. Discuss some
aspects of the growth of this Sector in the Indian economy. What role can public policy
play in further enhancing growth prospects in this Sector?                             (00/30)    
2. What do you mean by ‘Parallel Economy’?                                                       (00/3)
3. What are the objectives of New Economic Policy of the Government of India? (00/3)
4. Write a note on Rao - Manmohan model of development.  (00/3)
5. What is ‘CRISIL’? What does it do?        (01/2)
6. What do you mean by providing industry status to agriculture in India ? (01/2)
7. Distinguish between “human development index” and “gender-related development
index”.  (01/2)
8. What is meant by “trickle-down” theory of development? (01/2)
9. What are ‘Minimum Support Prices’ in agricultural products? What are their objectives?
                                                                                                                   (02/15)
10. Elucidate ‘Special Economic Zones’.  (02/2)
11. State the comprehensive structural reforms under-taken to improve the Indian economy
since 1991.  (04/30)
12. Examine the effect of economic development on environmental degradation in India.
                                                                                                                  (04/15)
13. How is human development index for life expectancy measured ? (04/2)
14. Explain the necessity and role of controls in a mixed economy like India. (04/2)
15. Distinguish between primary sector, secondary sector and tertiary sector. What is the
change in the share of each sector in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during period of
1950-2000 ?  (04/2)
16. What has been the policy of agricultural development during last two decades in India?
                                                                                                                   (04/2)
17. Write about Physical Quality Life Index.    (05/2)
18. What are the reasons for industrial sickness in India? Suggest suitable remedies.(05/30)
19. Write about: Crude oil price and Indian economy. (05/2)
20. Write about : What is Gandhian economy? (05/2)
21. Write about: Second Green Revolution.  (05/2)
22. Write about: The notion of development of under- development. (05/2)
23. What were the terms of reference of the Abid Hussain .Committee? (05/2)
24. What is a rogue state ?  (05/2)
Vision IAS
www.visionias.cfsites.org
www.visionias.wordpress.com
GENERAL STUDIES (MAINS) – Questions Pattern & Trends Analysis  2
25. Describe the main sources of Industrial finance in India. How could India be benefited
from recent developments in International finance ?  (06/30)
26. Discuss the role of public sector during the post-reform period of Indian economy.
                                                                                                                                (06/15)
27. What is Phillips curve?                                                                                     (06/2)
28. Write short notes on Footloose Industries. (07/2)
29. Comment on the relationship between credit availability and agricultural growth in India.
                                                                                                                 (07/30)
30. Answer any two of the following :
 (a) What is the meaning and aim of Social Forestry? What are the main weaknesses
noticed in Social Forestry Programme?
 (b) Bring out the main objectives of Rashtriya Krishi Bima Yojana. The scheme is being
implemented by which agency?
 (c) Explain Mega Food Park Scheme of Government of India.  (07/15)
31. Explain the terms:                                                                                          (07/2)
 (a) Merit Goods.                                            (b)     Trickle Down Theory
 (c) Engel’s Law                                             (d)      Meaning of CCIL
 (d) Administered Price                                  (e)      Capital-Output Ratio.                
32. Discuss: Assistance to the States for Development of Export Infrastructure and other
Activities (ASIDE).   (08/15)
PLANNING
Five Year Plans / Rural and Urban Development / Poverty / Unemployment / Population
1. Control overgrowth of population in India is an essential condition for the country’s rapid
economic development. Discuss.  (00/30)
2. Discuss the economic effects of Black money (Parallel economy) in Indian economy.
                                                                                                                  (00/15)
3. What are the main objectives of the 9th Five-Year Plan of the Government of India? (00/2)
4. What has been the impact of the recent economic reforms programme on the incidence of
poverty in India ?  (00/2)
5. What are the UNDP indicators with reference to the planning process? (01/10)
6. What is the incidence of poverty in India? How should poverty alleviation programmes be
constructed ?  (01/30)
7. What is meant by “couple protection ratio” ? (01/2)
8. Explain “rolling plan”.  (01/2)
9. Illustrate Lorenz curve.  (01/2)
10. What is “misery index” ?  (01/2)
11. Outline the main targets fixed in the National Population Policy 2000. What have been the
follow up measures to this policy ?  (02/2)
12. Define Sex ratio in the population of India. What is its present status? (02/2)
13. Write a note on the strategy of planning in India since 1951.  (03/30)
14. Outline the important objectives of the Tenth Five Year Plan.  (03/15) 3
15. What is Plan Holiday?  (03/2)
16. What is the main objective of the Competition Act, 2002? (03/2)
17.  HOW is poverty level measured? Evaluate poverty eradication programmes in India.
                                                                                                                                (04/30)
18. What is ‘social justice’ in the context of Indian economy ? (04/2)
19. Differences between absolute poverty and relative poverty. (05/2)
20. What is structural unemployment?  (05/2)
21. What are the implications of gender disparities in India?  (06/15)
22. What is Laffer curve ?  (06/2)
23. What is disguised unemployment ?  (06/2)
24. What is rolling settlement ?  (06/2)
FISCAL DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC FINANCE
Tax Structure, Reforms and changes / Budget
1. Write a note on MODVAT Scheme of 1986. (00/2)
2. What do you mean by revenue deficit in the Central Government’s Budget? (00/2)
3. What are the hurdles faced by the Finance Ministers of India in keeping the fiscal deficit
below 3-4 percent of the GDP? Suggest steps to lower the fiscal deficit.  (01/15)
4. What is peak rate of Custom duty? What are its objectives in India? (01/2)
5. Define fiscal deficit.  02/2)
6. The Union Budget 2002-03 recommended some services to be taxed. Name any four of
these services.  (02/2)
7. What is ‘dumping
’
? What is its objective ? (02/2)
8. Distinguish between ad-valorem and specific duties.  (02/2)
9. Define zero-based- budget.  (02/2)
10. What were the major recommendations of the Task Force on direct taxes appointed
under the Chairmanship of Shri Vijay L. Kelkar ? (03/30)
11. What is Value Added Tax?  (03/2)
12. What is the main thrust of the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Bill?(03/2)
13. Explain the essential feature of differential rate of interest scheme. (03/2)
14. Which are the three major items of expenditure of the Government of India on revenue
account ?  (03/2)
15. What is Minimum Alternative Tax (MAT)? (04/2)
16. What is deficit financing ?  (04/2)
17. Explain full convertibility of Indian Rupee. (06/10)
18. Write about Business Process Outsourcing.  (06/2)
19. What is twin deficit ?  (06/2) 4
PRICE AND MONETARY MANAGEMENT
1. Differentiate between “galloping inflation” and “run-away, inflation”.  (01/2)
2. Indian economy presents a paradox of high savings rate with low-income and high
savings rate with low growth rate. Analyze. (01/30)
3. What does “priority sector lending” mean? (04/2)
4. Write about Cost-push inflation.                 (05/2)
5. What is stagflation?   (07/2)
6. What is Venture Capital?         (07/2)
FINANCIAL INTERMEDIATION AND MONEY AND CAPITAL MARKET
Banks / Financial institutions / Capital and commodity markets / Insurance and pension funds
1. Discuss the nature and causes of the UTI crisis with particular reference to US-64. How
does this UTI fiasco affect the investment climate in India? (01/15)
2. Expand the term “NASDAQ”.  (01/2)
3. Distinguish between a “hard” currency and a “soft” currency. (01/2)
4. Highlight the main feature of the policy relating to buy- back of shares. (03/2)
5.    Describe the recommendations of Narasimham Committee regarding the banking sector
in India,   (04/15)
6.     What is Cash Reserve Ratio?                   (04/2)
7. Write about Dow Jones.  (05/2)
8. Write about Repo market.  (05/2)
9. What is Hundi?  (06/2)
10. What is the main difference between free trade area and common market? (06/2)
11. What is forward currency market?  (06/2)
12. What is offshore currency market?  (06/2)
13. What are Eurobonds?  (06/2)
14. What are nifty and the nifty junior?  (06/2)
15. What is Cheap Money?   (07/2)
16. What is Hot Money?   (07/2)
EXTERNAL SECTOR
Balance of payments / Foreign Trade / Foreign Exchange / WTO negotiations and India /
Liberalisation & Globalisation
1. Discuss the reasons for the failure of the Seattle Millennium talks on the WTO (World
Trade Organisation). Discuss some implications of this failure for the Indian economy.
                                                                                                                (00/15)
2. Liberalisation of the Indian economy since 1991 has led to excessive consumerism and
over-production of ‘white goods’. Elucidate. (01/15) 5
3. What do you understand by “Current Account Convertibility of Rupee’”? (01/2)
4. What is meant by “Most Favored Nation” policy? (01/2)
5. The main thrust of Export-Import Policy 2002 - 07 is on creating a framework for
enhancing India’s export capability. In the light of this statement outline the salient
features of EXIM Policy 2002-07.  (02/30)
6. Outline the main’ objectives and achievements of the policy of disinvestment in India.
                                                                                                                                (02/15)
7. Explain the provision of OGL.  (02/2)
8. Explain RBI’s ‘Automatic route’ in FDIs.  (02/2)
9. What do you understand by ‘Capital Account Convertibility’ of Rupee? (02/2)
10. Point out the measures undertaken towards flexibility in capital account transactions
during the recent past.  (03/15)
11. Why did India have a surplus in current account balance in 2001-02 after a gap of 24
years?   (03/2)
12. Name the two agencies that have helped to promote Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in
India.   (03/2)
13. What are the major provisions of Agreements on Agriculture in the context of World Trade
Organization?  (04/2)
14. Elucidate Special Drawing Rights.  (04/2)
15. What is Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) ? (04/2)
16. What is WTO? What are India’s objections to its overall functioning? (04/10)
17. Write about: Full convertibility.  (05/2)
18. What is the role of external financial assistance in Indian economy? (05/15)
19. What is Euro-control ?  (05/2)
20. What is the concept of copyleft?  (05/2)
21. What is banana war?  (05/2)
22. Discuss the importance of World Trade Organization (WTO) to Indian economy in the
light of various opportunities and challenges at the global level.  (06/30)
23. Examine the effects of globalisation on poverty removal in India.  (06/15)
24. What is Agri-Trade?  (06/2)
25. What are non-factor services in India’s balance of payments? (06/2)
26. Explain the implications of the implementation  of Intellectual Property Clauses in our
patent law regime after joining the WTO. (06/30)
27. What do we understand by ‘Doha Round’ of talks? (06/10)
28. What is Dumping? Evaluate the remedial measures taken by Government of India
       Vis-a-vis WTO provisions regarding dumping.  (07/30)
29. What is Countervailing Duty?  (07/2)
30. Explain the term Balance on Current Account. (07/2)
31. What is Budget Deficit?         (07/2)
32. Explain the term Most Favoured Nations.  (07/2)
33. Discuss the performance of India in attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). (08/30)
34. Discuss: Convertibility of Indian Rupee.  (08/15)
35. Discuss: India on Global Competitiveness Index-2007.  (08/15) 6
36. Write about the following   (08/10)
 (a)   Special Drawing Rights (SDRs)              
       (b)      NAMA
 (c)    Non-tariff trade barriers                            
        (d)     Current Account Balance
 (e)      Free Trade Area
37. Discuss India’s stand on agricultural issues in WTO’s Ministerial Conferences since Doha
Round.   (08/30)
NATIONAL INCOME
1. Explain per capita income as a measurement of economic growth. (00/2)
2. What is green GNP?  (01/2)
3. ‘What is Green GDP?  (05/2)
PUBLIC PROGRAMMES
Poverty Alleviation / Employment / Rural Development / Environment &
Sustainable Development
1.   How is poverty line defined in India? Briefly enumerate the measures undertaken by the
      Government in recent year to alleviate poverty?                                            ( 96/20)  
2.   What is a Lorentz curve ?                                                                               (96/2)
3.   What measures has the government taken to make women economically independent
      self reliant during the last decade?                                                                  (97/20)
4.   Why was the rationale for ‘Mid-day Meal’ Scheme?                                         (97/3)
5.   Describe the use of ‘Command Area Development’ in India.                          ( 97/3)
6. What is (Revised) Targeted Public Distribution System?What are its main features?                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                          (00/15)
7. What are the objectives of Social Security? (00/2)
8. Describe the use of ‘Command Area Development’ in India. (00/2)
9. How has the Census (1991) defined the Urban Areas? (00/2)
10. What is the rationale for ‘Mid-day Meal’ Scheme? (00/2)
11. With what objectives was ‘Essential Commodities Act 1955' amended last year?
                                                                                                                                 (02/15)
12. Highlight salient feature of ‘National Highway Development Project’. (02/2)
13. With what objectives was ‘Annapurna’ Scheme launched? (02/2)
14. Elucidate ‘Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojna’. (02/2)
15. Why was Janashree Bima Yojana introduced? (03/2)
16. What was the essential feature of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana ? (03/2)
17. Explain the objectives of Plant Varieties Right Act, 2002. (04/2)
18. Write about Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Yojana. (05/2)
19. What is the difference between Green Box subsidies and Blue Box subsidies?(06/2) 7
ECONOMIC ORGANISATION (INDIA & WORLD)
1.   Write a short note on European Common Market (1992). (90/5)
2. Give the full names of:
 (i)  FAO        (ii) FOB        (iii)    GATT   (92/3)
3. What is Group of 77 ?  (95/3)
4.    What are the main objectives of NABARD? (00/2)
5. What do you know about 11
th
 Finance Commission? (00/2)
6. What is the role of SEBI?  (02/2)
7. What is a Finance Commission?  (03/15)
8. When was the idea of Agriculture Insurance Corporation mooted? (03/2)
9. What are the objectives of the Twelfth Finance Commission? (04/2)
10. What is the main objective of Security and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)?
                                                                                                                   (04/2)
11. What is IFC ?  (05/2)
12. Examine the functions of the European Free Trade Association.‘                    (05/5)
13.   What is CEMA bloc?  (06/2)