Daily Answer Writing

Model Answer

Geographical Distribution of Polymetallic Nodules (PMNs)

Polymetallic nodules (PMNs) are primarily located in specific deep-sea regions worldwide, concentrated between 4,000 and 6,000 meters below sea level. The major regions of economic and strategic interest include:

1. North Central Pacific Ocean: This region hosts some of the most abundant PMN deposits.
2. Peru Basin, Southeast Pacific Ocean: Known for rich concentrations of PMNs.
3. North Indian Ocean: An area of growing exploration, especially significant for India’s Deep Ocean Mission.
   Historically, PMNs were first identified in the 19th century in the Kara Sea, Arctic Ocean, near Siberia. They are now recognized to be distributed across most ocean floors, although economically viable deposits are concentrated in the aforementioned regions.

Economic Significance

PMNs are rich in critical metals like nickel, cobalt, and copper, essential for high-tech industries, including electronics, batteries, and renewable energy technologies. For instance:

• Rare Earth Elements: Integral to the production of solar panels, smartphones, and other technologies.
• Multiple Commodities: Nodules from the Clarion-Clipperton Zone contain manganese, nickel, copper, and cobalt in a single deposit.
  These resources are crucial for advancing green technologies and transitioning to sustainable development.

Strategic Significance

Countries with access to PMNs gain a strategic advantage. For example, India’s exploration of PMNs in the Indian Ocean under its Deep Ocean Mission strengthens its position against China’s dominance and fosters collaborations with nations like Japan and Germany.

Ecological and Social Significance

Mining PMNs is environmentally preferable to terrestrial mining:

• Low Waste: No toxic tailings or deforestation.
• High Efficiency: PMNs consist of 99% usable minerals, minimizing waste.
• Child Labor-Free: Unlike land mining, PMN extraction avoids unethical labor practices.

Conclusion

PMNs hold immense potential to meet the world’s demand for critical metals while mitigating environmental impacts. India’s Deep Ocean Mission exemplifies their strategic and economic importance in achieving sustainable development and geopolitical stability.

Model Answer

Indian philosophy, rooted in Vedic traditions, explores profound questions about the soul (Atman), cosmic principles (Brahman), and ultimate reality. These schools are categorized as orthodox (Astika), which accept the authority of the Vedas, and unorthodox (Nastika), which do not.

Orthodox Schools (Astika)

1. Samkhya
   • Founder: Kapil Muni
   • Core Idea: Dual principles of Purusha (soul) and Prakriti (matter) explain creation.
   • Fact: It is one of the oldest philosophical systems and emphasizes the interplay between Purusha and Prakriti.
2. Yoga
   • Text: Yogasutra by Patanjali (2nd century BCE).
   • Core Idea: Liberation (Mukti) through the purification of the mind and body using physical and mental discipline.
   • Fact: It integrates physical, ethical, and spiritual practices.
3. Nyaya
   • Founder: Gautama
   • Core Idea: Logical reasoning and valid knowledge sources: perception, inference, comparison, and testimony.
   • Fact: Known as the “science of logic.”
4. Vaisheshika
   • Founder: Kanada
   • Core Idea: Reality is composed of five elements—earth, water, fire, air, and ether.
   • Fact: It emphasizes the role of karma and God’s governance.
5. Mimamsa
   • Core Idea: Focuses on the rituals and duties outlined in the Vedas.
   • Fact: Declares the Vedas as eternal and a complete source of knowledge.
6. Vedanta
   • Prominent Thinker: Shankaracharya
   • Core Idea: Non-dualism; Brahman and Atman are one.
   • Fact: Derived from the philosophical conclusions of the Upanishads.

Unorthodox Schools (Nastika)

1. Charvaka
   • Core Idea: Materialism; rejects the afterlife and prioritizes pleasure as the ultimate goal.
   • Fact: It is the most skeptical and atheistic school.
2. Buddhism
   • Founder: Gautama Buddha
   • Core Idea: “Four Noble Truths” and the “Eightfold Path” guide liberation from suffering.
   • Fact: Focuses on practical ethics and mindfulness.
3. Jainism
   • Core Idea: Anekantavada—truth and reality are multifaceted.
   • Fact: Emphasizes strict non-violence (Ahimsa).

Conclusion

Indian philosophy encompasses a wide spectrum of thought addressing spiritual and material questions. While orthodox systems align with Vedic traditions, unorthodox systems challenge them, showcasing the diversity and depth of Indian intellectual heritage.

Model Answer

Role of the Press in the Early Phase of the Indian National Movement

The press played a pivotal role in the formative years of the Indian national movement, acting as a critical tool for political education, mass mobilization, and resistance against colonial rule.

1. Political Propaganda and Education

• The Indian National Congress, in its initial years, lacked an organizational structure and relied heavily on the press for spreading its political ideas and nationalist ideology.
• Newspapers like Amrit Bazar Patrika and Kesari carried articles exposing colonial exploitation and encouraged nationalist sentiment.

Fact: The press was instrumental in spreading modern civil liberties, inspired by the French Revolution, as early as Raja Rammohan Roy’s protest against press restrictions in 1824.

2. Preparing the Masses

• During 1870-1918, when the movement was not mass-based, the press became the primary instrument for arousing and consolidating nationalist public opinion.
• It trained Indians to critique colonial policies and united people under a common cause.

Fact: The motto of the press—“oppose, oppose, oppose”—exemplified its dedication to resisting colonial rule.

3. Enhancing Geographical Reach

• The press carried messages from national leaders to remote areas, transcending urban boundaries and creating awareness even in rural regions.
• Library movements, inspired by press publications, spread across India, fostering a collective nationalist consciousness.

Fact: Newspapers like Kesari (by Bal Gangadhar Tilak) reached the grassroots, educating people about their rights and duties.

Challenges Faced by the Indian Press

1. Stringent Sedition Laws

• Laws like Section 124A of IPC penalized criticism of the government with life imprisonment.
• Leaders like Tilak faced multiple sedition charges for writings critical of British policies.

Fact: Bal Gangadhar Tilak was imprisoned twice under sedition charges for his editorials in Kesari.

2. The Vernacular Press Act, 1878

• Targeted non-English newspapers to suppress anti-colonial voices, particularly after the Bengal famine.
• It allowed the confiscation of press equipment and heavy fines.

Fact: Amrit Bazar Patrika converted into an English publication overnight to escape this Act’s provisions.

3. Other Draconian Laws

• Acts like the Prevention of Seditious Meetings Act (1911) and Press Act (1910) imposed hefty penalties and prosecuted over 1,000 newspapers.
• These laws enriched the British treasury through securities and forfeitures.

Fact: The Press Act of 1910 alone collected Rs. 5 lakhs in securities and fines.

Conclusion

Despite severe challenges, the Indian press remained a resilient force in promoting nationalism, opposing colonial rule, and educating the masses. Its sacrifices laid the foundation for the recognition of press freedom as a fundamental right in independent India.

Model Answer

Introduction

Between 1765 and 1833, the relationship between the East India Company (EIC) and the British state evolved significantly, marked by a series of regulatory acts. These acts gradually brought the Company under greater British control, influencing both its political and commercial functions in India.

Dual Government (1765-1772): During this period, the EIC’s Indian officials held power but were not responsible, while British officials had responsibility but lacked power. This imbalance led to widespread corruption and exploitation, which attracted the attention of British politicians and merchants eager to share in the profits from India.

Regulating Act (1773): This act formalized the political and administrative functions of the EIC. It introduced British control by requiring the Court of Directors to report on Indian affairs and made the Governor of Bengal the Governor-General of India, with control over Madras and Bombay. It also prohibited the Company’s servants from engaging in private trade or accepting bribes.

Pitt’s India Act (1784): This act created a dual government system by separating the Company’s commercial and political functions. The Board of Control, representing the British government, took charge of political affairs, while the EIC managed commercial activities. This system further tightened British oversight of India.

Charter Act (1793): This act extended the Company’s monopoly on trade for 20 more years but imposed a levy of 5 lakh pounds annually on Indian revenues to the British government. It also restructured the administration by separating revenue and judicial functions and restricted the movement of senior officials.

Charter Act (1813): Ending the EIC’s trade monopoly except in tea, opium, and China, this act marked the final step towards centralization. The Governor-General of India was given full legislative and financial control over British India, cementing the British government’s dominance over the Company’s affairs.

Conclusion

By 1833, the series of acts had subordinated the East India Company to British parliamentary control, enabling the British to consolidate power and establish a more centralized and efficient administration in India.

Model Answer

Ancient India made remarkable contributions to both Mathematics and Science, some of which were ahead of their time and laid the foundation for further advancements.

Mathematics

1. Baudhayan (1st Millennium BC): Baudhayan’s Sulva-Sutra contained the formula for calculating the area of a triangle, a concept later known as the Pythagorean theorem. It also included early approximations of pi and the square root of two.
2. Aryabhata (5th Century CE): Aryabhata’s work, Aryabhatiya, provided an accurate value of pi and demonstrated the concept of zero as both a numeral and a symbol. He also proposed the Earth’s rotation on its axis and explained eclipses scientifically.
3. Brahmagupta (7th Century CE): Brahmagupta introduced the use of zero in arithmetic and negative numbers. He also laid down rules for operations involving zero and negative numbers, which became a foundation of modern arithmetic.
4. Bhaskaracharya (12th Century CE): In his Siddanta Shiromani, Bhaskara introduced the Chakrawat or Cyclic Method to solve algebraic equations, a technique later rediscovered by European mathematicians.
5. Mahaviracharya (9th Century CE): He wrote Ganit Sara Sangraha, one of the earliest texts on arithmetic. His work included methods to calculate the least common multiple (LCM), long before it became known in the West.

Science

1. Kanad (6th Century BCE): Kanad, the founder of the Vaisheshika school, proposed the atomic theory, stating that the universe is composed of indivisible particles called “kanas” or atoms.
2. Varahamihira (6th Century CE): A pioneer in meteorology, Varahamihira proposed the earthquake cloud theory in his Brihat Samhita, linking earthquakes to unusual atmospheric and animal behaviors.
3. Nagarjuna (10th Century CE): A skilled alchemist, Nagarjuna’s work in metallurgy involved the extraction of precious metals and the creation of gold-like substances for jewelry.
4. Susruta (700 BCE): Known as the father of surgery, Susruta wrote Susruta Samhita, describing surgical procedures like rhinoplasty and cataract removal and cataloging over 1,100 diseases.
5. Charaka (2nd Century CE): Charaka, a prominent figure in Ayurvedic medicine, wrote Charak Samhita, detailing treatments for various diseases and introducing concepts that hinted at genetic inheritance.

These contributions, though not always well-documented, highlight India’s advanced understanding of mathematics and science long before their Western counterparts.