Salient features of Indian Society
- ‘Primordial identities like religion and caste continue to retain their sheen in a predominantly literate India’. Is this literacy a mere facade? Comment.
- In India, suicide has become one of the leading causes of death among those aged 15-29. Bringing out the reasons behind the same, discuss the priority areas of the National Suicide Prevention Strategy.
- Highlighting the recent trends in marriages in India, explain why the legal backing of same-sex marriage is being termed as an issue of seminal importance.
Diversity of India
- Do you think that Hindi has been successful in becoming the link language for India?
- Discuss the challenges created by cultural diversity in achieving Indianness. Do you think that it would be advantageous to have a singular culture?
- How different is cultural diversity from cultural pluralism? Which of these do you think can bolster national unity?
- Discuss the complexities of India’s social cohesion by analysing how linguistic diversity poses both challenges and offers opportunities.
Role of Women and Women’s Organization
- ‘India is often seen as a land of contrasts where tradition and modernity coexist where Indian women are often showcased as emblematic of this coexistence.’ Critically Analyse the Statement in the context of ‘new women’ in India.
- Analyse the factors behind the changing status of women in contemporary India.
- To bridge the gender gap and improve the future of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), a multi-stakeholder approach is required. Discuss.
- Workplace gender inclusivity in India is skewed against women due to a range of cultural and gender biases existent in the society. Discuss. Also suggest socio-legal measures to address this issue.
- Analyze the factors that hinder women’s participation in the formal workforce and suggest measures to enhance women’s employment opportunities.
Population & Associated Issues
- How is India’s demographic structure changing? Examine the impact of the same on the social advancement and development of India.
- Examine how the interplay between social and economic alienation expounds the issues of migrant workers in India.
- In order to reap the benefits of decreasing Total Fertility Rate (TFR), there is a need to parallelly overcome the asynchronous fertility rates in India. Discuss.
- Migration is an expression of the human aspiration for dignity, safety, and a better future. In light of this, examine the multi-dimensional nature of internal migration in India and discuss its inherent relationship with development.
Poverty & Developmental issues
- Bring out the relationship between poverty and environmental degradation in India. How can poverty reduction efforts play an important role in promoting sustainable development and safeguarding the environment?
- Elucidate the factors contributing to the feminization of poverty in India. Suggest some measures to solve the issue.
Urbanization & Associated Issues
- In view of the visible trends in India’s urbanisation, discuss the key considerations for a new urbanisation policy to guide the planning and management of cities in a sustainable manner.
- In what ways are caste-based inequities still manifested in urban India? Discuss with examples.
- Safety for women in cities does not flow directly from institutional or infrastructural factors but has to be strategically produced. Examine.
- As India transitions from a rural to an urban society, Tier 2 and 3 cities can become the driver of the country’s economic growth. Discuss. Also, examine the key issues constraining the economic growth of these cities.
- Highlighting the factors responsible for the formation and proliferation of slums in India, discuss the need to revamp the In-Situ Slum Redevelopment (ISSR) scheme under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).
- How has urbanization contributed to the emergence of new social norms and values in Indian society?
- What are the challenges faced by informal settlements and slums? Propose potential approaches to address the issue?
- Define rural-urban migration and examine its effects on the originating rural areas.
Effects of Globalization on Indian society
- The contemporary Indian society finds itself caught at the intersection of a growing aspiration to mimic the West and a revival of the conservative traditional outlook. Comment.
- To what extent is Indian culture resilient to westernisation and globalisation?
- While globalisation is allegedly responsible for human rights violations, it allows human rights movements to counter its excesses and negative effects. Elaborate with relevant examples.
- Considering the multiplicity of factors affecting the mental well-being in an inter-connected world, discuss the various challenges in achieving sound mental healthcare.
- The relationship between globalization and religion has been a complex one with new possibilities and challenges emerging as a result of the interaction between the two. Discuss.
- Bring out the impact of globalisation in shaping the dynamics of family size, structure and relationships in the modern Indian society.
- Evaluate the implications of globalization on local traditions and identities.
Social Empowerment
- Menstruation has always been surrounded by taboos and myths that exclude women from many aspects of socio-cultural life. Discuss in the context of India. Also, suggest some steps to combat these taboos and myths.
- Analyse the significance of social empowerment in promoting equality, addressing marginalization, and fostering societal progress. Illustrate your answer with relevant examples.
Communalism
- What are the major features of communalism? Can it be said that these features themselves pose a challenge to Indian democracy?
- The major paradox of caste today is the rising caste groups/identities, declining caste system. Clarify your argument on this paradox.
- Communalism in India is a complex issue with deep historical roots and multifaceted causes. Its impact on Indian society is detrimental, fostering divisions, violence, and hindering social and economic progress. Examine.
Regionalism
Secularism
- For Indian secularism to be modern it need not be western nor can we replace it with the idea of toleration within indigenous religious traditions. Do you agree?
- Is secularism a weak ideology? Examine the factors that influence the future of secularism in India.
- Do you think Indian society is getting secularized? If so, how? If not, why?
- India’s secular approach has remained that of a ‘principled distance’ and not of ‘equi-distance’. Comment.
- How has secularism been a guiding principle in shaping India’s multicultural and diverse society? Discuss the challenges of maintaining a balance between secularism and cultural preservation.