UPSC Mains 2020 GS1 Q18 — Globalisation and Society
Is diversity and pluralism in India under threat due to globalisation ? Justify your answer. (Answer in 250 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Justify your answer
- Scope keywords
- diversity and pluralismunder threatglobalisation
- Implicit sub-parts
- Explain the relationship between globalisation and the erosion of local cultural identities (Homogenization).
- Identify how globalisation has paradoxically strengthened diversity through 'Glocalization' or cultural assertion.
- Evaluate the impact on specific pluralistic pillars like language, religion, culinary habits, and social structures (caste/family).
- Provide a balanced conclusion on whether the threat is existential or transformational.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing only on the negative 'Westernization' without discussing the 'Glocalization' phenomenon.
- Ignoring the pluralistic elements beyond just religion, such as linguistic diversity and tribal cultures.
- Writing a general essay on globalisation without linking every point back to the specific threat to Indian pluralism.
- Failing to use contemporary examples like the rise of regional cinema or the digital preservation of local dialects.
- Dimensions required
- Cultural (Homogenization vs. Heterogenization)Sociological (Impact on Joint Family and Caste)Linguistic (English dominance vs. Vernacular revival)Economic (Consumerism vs. Traditional crafts)Technological (Digital divide vs. Global connectivity)
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 50 words to defining the intersection of globalisation and pluralism. Devote 100 words to the 'threat' side (cultural dilution, consumerism). Use 70 words to justify the 'counter-threat' or resilience of Indian culture (glocalization, digital outreach). Reserve 30 words for a nuanced synthesis.
Unlock the full analysis for this question
You've seen the question and its examiner-intent decoding. Subscribers also get:
- 🔗 Similar Previous Year Questions — cross-year, cross-paper matches so you study the topic, not the question
- 📚 Source Map — verified citations from Laxmikanth, NCERT, PRS, Yojana, Economic Survey, Spectrum
- 🌱 How this topic is evolving — current-affairs bridge anchored to live TARS news clustering
- 🧭 Examiner's Pattern — how the topic has been framed across every year UPSC has tested it
- ✍️ Answer Skeleton — a structured outline (intro → body → conclusion) you can flesh out
- 🎯 AI evaluation — write your answer, get rubric-based scoring from gs-eval
Or browse 132+ free preview questions across all years and papers — the first 3 questions of every paper are unlocked.
Ready to practice?
Subscribers can attempt this question in 250 words and get an instant, rubric-based evaluation showing where they stand.
Subscribe to evaluate your answer →