UPSC Mains 2016 GS1 Q8 — Globalization and Society

• Identify specific 'core' elements of Indian culture (e.g., family structure, language, food, religious tolerance).
• Analyze how globalization has diluted or eroded these core elements (Glocalization vs. Homogenization).
• Assess the counter-trend of cultural reinforcement or 'revivalism' where globalization has strengthened local identities.
• Conclude with a balanced verdict on whether the 'core' remains intact or has fundamentally morphed.

• Writing a generic essay on the pros and cons of globalization instead of focusing on 'cultural diversity'.
• Failing to define what constitutes the 'core' of Indian diversity, leading to a superficial list of Western brands and food.
• Ignoring the 'extent' part of the directive by not providing a nuanced scale of impact (some areas changed deeply, others remained resilient).
• Focusing only on Westernization rather than recognizing the multi-directional flow of culture (e.g., Yoga or Ayurveda going global).

Devote 40 words to defining core diversity and the process of globalization; 70 words to the transformative/negative impacts (homogenization); 60 words to the resilience and hybridization (glocalization); and a final 30 words for a concluding synthesis on the 'extent' of the impact.