UPSC Mains 2020 GS2 Q3 — Cooperative and Competitive Federalism

"We have earlier seen how small countries like Belgium and Sri Lanka face so many problems of managing diversity. What about a vast country like India, with so many languages, religions and regions? What are the power sharing arrangements in our country? Let us begin with the Constitution. India had emerged as an independent nation after a painful and bloody partition. Soon after Independence, several princely states became a part of the country. The Constitution declared India as a Union of States. Although it did not use the word federation, the Indian Union is based on the principles of fede…"

"• 1. In the light of recent controversy regarding the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM), what are the challenges before the Election Commission of India to ensure the trustworthiness of elections in India? 150 words • 2. Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in religious minority institutions? Examine. [150 words] elected government of Delhi? Examine. [250 words] 15 • 7. How far do you agree with the view that tribunals curtail the jurisdiction of ordinary courts? In view of the above,…"

"What are the various positions on the issue of regional autonomy for Kashmir? Which of these do you think are justifiable? Give reasons for your answer.• 7. The Assam movement was a combination of cultural pride and economic backwardness. Explain.• 8. All regional movements need not lead to separatist demands. Explain by giving examples from this chapter.• 9. Regional demands from different parts of India exemplify the principle of unity with diversity. Do you agree? Give reasons.…"

"• 1. What have been the methods used to study the ruins of Hampi over the last two centuries? In what way do you think they would have complemented the information provided by the priests of the Virupaksha temple?• 2. How were the water requirements of Vijayanagara met?• 3. What do you think were the advantages and disadvantages of enclosing agricultural land within the fortified area of the city?• 4. What do you think was the significance of the rituals associated with the mahanavami dibba?• 5. Fig. 7.33 is an illustration of another pillar from the Virupaksha temple. Do you notice any floral…"

"What accounts for this achievement? Can we attribute it to the federal structure of governance that we in India adopted through our Constitution? All the countries mentioned above, were federations. Yet they could not remain united. Therefore, apart from adopting a federal constitution, the nature of that federal system and the practice of federalism must also be important factors. Federalism in West Indies You may have heard about the cricket team of West Indies. But is there a country called West Indies? Like India, West Indies was also colonised by the British. In 1958, the federation of We…"