Model Answer

Recent advancements in technology have significantly empowered women in India, helping them break free from patriarchal limitations and engage in activities beyond traditional roles. The following key areas illustrate this transformative impact:

1. Improving Access to Education

Historically, patriarchal norms have limited women’s access to education. With the advent of Information and Communications Technology (ICT), educational barriers have been reduced. Women can now access quality education from the safety of their homes, overcoming physical attendance constraints. For instance, Pradhan Mantri Gramin Digital Saksharta Abhiyan (PMGDISHA) has enabled over 54% of its beneficiaries to be women, providing them with digital literacy and better educational opportunities.

2. Boosting Women’s Entrepreneurship

Technology has broken the traditional norms that restrict women from entering business ventures due to social constraints and limited mobility. E-commerce and digital platforms have created opportunities for women to start businesses from home. Programs like W2E2 (Wireless Women for Entrepreneurship and Empowerment) empower rural women to create ICT-based social enterprises, boosting their economic independence.

3. Ensuring Women’s Safety

Safety concerns have historically hindered women’s mobility and public participation. However, technological solutions like safety apps and helplines are improving women’s safety. The 112 Emergency Response Support System (ERSS) is one such initiative that provides immediate assistance to women in distress through a single emergency number.

4. Growth of Women’s Employment

Technology has also expanded employment opportunities for women. The rise of remote work and digital platforms has allowed women to access jobs like telemarketing, sales, and teaching from home. Platforms such as Apna.co have seen a 132% increase in female users, many of whom are seeking remote employment.

5. Better Advocacy

Technology has provided women with a voice in social issues. Digital platforms, particularly social media, have amplified women’s advocacy efforts. The MeToo Movement, which gained significant momentum online, allowed women to share experiences and demand change, fostering societal awareness.

Conclusion

In conclusion, technology has enabled women in India to break patriarchal constraints, create new avenues for education, entrepreneurship, employment, and advocacy, leading to a more inclusive and prosperous society.

Model Answer

1. Lack of Large-Scale Industries: India’s textile sector is dominated by small, informal weaving and processing units. Complex labor laws, weak export contract laws, and challenges in hiring and firing employees deter large-scale investments, reducing the sector’s competitiveness.
2. High Production Costs: The absence of technological advancements in small-scale units and lack of economies of scale results in higher production costs and inferior product quality. This makes Indian textiles less competitive compared to countries like China and Vietnam.
3. Trade Barriers: India lacks free trade agreements (FTAs) with key textile-importing markets, leading to higher prices for Indian products. Countries like Bangladesh benefit from duty-free access to the EU, offering them a significant advantage.
4. Declining Cotton Production: India’s cotton production dropped to a 15-year low in 2023-24, while countries like China benefit from intensive farming techniques that boost their cotton production, further affecting India’s textile industry.
5. Low Labour Productivity: The Indian textile industry suffers from low labour productivity, caused by a shortage of skilled workers and outdated technologies. China, for example, has nearly double the labour productivity compared to India.

Measures to Enhance Competitiveness

1. Promotion of Synthetic Apparel: Shifting towards synthetic fabrics would allow Indian textile manufacturers to produce year-round, overcoming the seasonal limitations of cotton-based industries and increasing production.
2. Strengthening Weaving and Processing Sectors: Establishing large-scale, formal weaving and processing units would help standardize quality and improve production efficiency.
3. Industry-Friendly Labour Laws: India should introduce flexible labour laws to encourage large-scale investments, such as those seen in the services sector, which would improve industry growth.
4. Negotiating Trade Agreements: India should prioritize ratifying preferential free trade agreements with key markets like the EU, UK, and Canada to ensure competitive pricing and improved market access.

Government Initiatives

• The government has implemented schemes like PM MITRA Parks, Production-Linked Incentive (PLI), and the National Technical Textiles Mission to bolster the textile sector. These initiatives aim to meet the export target of $65 billion by 2026 and generate new employment opportunities.

Model Answer

1. Landscape Transformation

Climate change is threatening to transform tropical rainforests into dry savannas. Studies by Brazil’s National Space Research Institute show that warmer and drier conditions could convert 30% to 60% of the Amazon rainforest into a dry savanna, resulting in a drastic loss of biodiversity.

2. Increased Forest Fires

Rising temperatures and reduced rainfall are leading to more frequent and intense forest fires. In 2019, the Amazon experienced catastrophic fires, pushing the rainforest closer to an irreversible tipping point. These fires are exacerbating deforestation and forest degradation.

3. Threatened Species

As the rainforest ecosystem deteriorates, biodiversity is severely impacted. For instance, scientists predict that by 2050, 33% of the species in the Western Ghats will be lost due to climate change, as many species are forced to migrate to higher altitudes for survival.

4. Altered Plant Phenology

Climate change is disrupting the natural cycles of tropical plants, such as early or late fruiting, which impacts species that depend on these plants, including pollinators like bees and hummingbirds. This disruption threatens the entire food chain in rainforests.

5. Food Shortages

The impact of climate change on agricultural productivity in tropical rainforest regions affects 1.2 billion people who depend on these forests for food and livelihood. This leads to food insecurity and economic instability for local communities.

Measures to Protect Tropical Rainforests

1. Conservation Efforts

Establishing protected areas and national parks is crucial to conserving tropical rainforests. These measures help preserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable land use while protecting ecosystems from deforestation.

2. Empowering Indigenous Knowledge

Indigenous communities possess traditional knowledge that can significantly contribute to rainforest conservation. For example, the Soliga tribe in the Western Ghats has used agroforestry and sustainable forest management practices to preserve biodiversity for centuries.

3. Promoting Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES)

The PES model rewards local communities for their role in environmental stewardship. Costa Rica’s PES program has helped reduce deforestation and increase forest cover to 54%, demonstrating the effectiveness of this approach.

4. Technological Innovations

Innovative tools like Firecast, which uses satellite technology to detect forest fires, are essential in early fire detection. These systems can help minimize the impact of forest fires on tropical rainforests by enabling rapid response and intervention.

Addressing the challenges of climate change in tropical rainforests requires a comprehensive approach combining conservation, indigenous knowledge, economic incentives, and technology.

Model Answer

The First World War (1914-1918) caused significant socio-economic disruptions in India, which contributed to the rise of mass mobilization for the independence movement. Some of the key disruptions included:

1. Economic Hardships

• Rise in National Debt: To fund the war, the British government significantly increased defense expenditure, leading to a rise in national debt by over Rs. 3 million between 1914 and 1923. This debt burden was passed on to the common people through heavy war loans and increased taxes. This economic strain was compounded by the rise in prices, leading to widespread hardship for the Indian populace.
• Food Shortages and Famine: The export of food grains to support the war effort, along with crop failures in 1918-19, led to food shortages and famine. The underproduction of crops during this period disproportionately affected vulnerable groups, such as women and children.

2. Distress Among Peasants and Workers

• Farmer Distress: Rising prices of industrial goods and food crops during the war were not matched by a corresponding increase in the prices of Indian agricultural raw materials. This led to severe distress among farmers, sparking protests like the Kisan Sabha movement in Uttar Pradesh (1918).
• Working-Class Discontent: Low wages, long working hours, and harsh working conditions, compounded by the demand for overtime to increase war production, led to widespread dissatisfaction among industrial workers.

3. Spread of Pandemic

• The return of Indian soldiers from the front lines in Europe facilitated the spread of the Spanish Flu (1918-1919), which claimed millions of lives and overwhelmed India’s already strained healthcare system.

Contribution to Mass Mobilization for Independence

The socio-economic impact of WW-I fueled the Indian independence struggle in several ways:

1. Political Awareness

Indian soldiers who fought in the war returned with heightened political awareness and a sense of injustice about colonial rule. This sense of empowerment contributed to the spread of nationalist ideas.

2. The Home Rule Movement

In response to the hardships caused by WW-I, the Home Rule Movement, led by leaders like Bal Gangadhar Tilak and Annie Besant, gained momentum. It called for self-governance and rallied public opinion against British policies.

3. Repressive British Policies

The British response to growing discontent included the imposition of martial law and the Rowlatt Act (1919), which restricted civil liberties. These oppressive measures further united Indian society, leading to Gandhiji’s Rowlatt Satyagraha.

4. The Khilafat-Non-Cooperation Movement

The harsh post-war Treaty of Sevres and the treatment of the Turkish Sultan (Khalifa) sparked the Khilafat Movement. Gandhiji’s Non-Cooperation Movement, which combined the Khilafat cause with the broader nationalist struggle, mobilized peasants, workers, and women.

Thus, the socio-economic disruptions caused by the war, alongside oppressive British policies, led to mass mobilization across various sections of Indian society for the independence movement.

Model Answer

1. Introduction

Sangam literature, composed between 300 BCE and 300 CE, offers profound insights into the political, social, and economic life of the Tamil region. It was transmitted orally and later codified, capturing the essence of the period through the works of various poets. This literature is invaluable for reconstructing the past and understanding the Tamil society’s connection to wider India.

2. Sangam Polity

Rule of Multiple Dynasties: Sangam texts like Patitrupathu chronicle the reigns of prominent Tamil dynasties—Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas. These texts provide a detailed political landscape, including wars, alliances, and territorial expansion.

Administrative Systems: Puranānūru and Pattinappalai offer rich descriptions of governance structures, highlighting the roles of kings, ministers, and officials. For instance, Puranānūru explains the duties of the king and administrators, while Pattinappalai mentions the custom officials at the Puhar seaport, showing how trade and taxation were managed.

3. Sangam Society

Religion and Culture: The dominant deity in Sangam literature is Murugan, the Tamil god, alongside others like Vishnu and Indra. Works like Silappadikaram depict a society influenced by diverse religious beliefs and cultural practices such as dance and music.

Social Hierarchy: According to Tolkappiyam, society was divided into four main classes: Arasar (rulers), Anthanar (priests), Vanigar (traders), and Vellar (agriculturists). This division reflects the structured nature of Sangam society.

Position of Women: Women were pivotal in Sangam society, contributing to literature. However, practices like Sati and societal norms regarding chastity also existed, as seen in the treatment of widows.

4. Sangam Economy

Agriculture and Crafts: The economy was primarily agrarian, with rice cultivation as the backbone. Tolkappiyam mentions the five-fold division of land. Crafts like weaving, metalwork, and carpentry were vital, as indicated in the vivid descriptions of Sangam poems.

Trade and Commerce: Trade flourished, with ports like Puhar and Musiri facilitating both internal and foreign trade. Yavanas (foreigners) traded gold and pepper, reflecting a well-organized commercial system.

5. Wider Impact of Sangam Literature

Religious and Geographical Knowledge: Sangam literature not only highlights Tamil religion but also references Northern epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Geographical knowledge of India, including mentions of the Himalayas and the Ganges, can be found in these texts, illustrating the interconnectedness of regions during the period.

6. Conclusion

Sangam literature provides invaluable political, social, and economic insights into the Tamil region while offering glimpses of broader Indian contexts. Its enduring legacy enriches our understanding of ancient India, revealing the vibrant civilization of the Tamil people.