MAINS 2013
GS2
10 marks
Pressure group politics is sometimes seen as the informal face of politics. With regard to the above, assess the structure and functioning of pressure groups in India.
WRITE IN
7 min
200 words
What the examiner wants
Assess the structure and functioning of Indian pressure groups as informal politics.
AssessWeigh the evidence and say how far the claim holds.
Demand-wise check
- 1Why 'informal face': influence policy without contesting power≈35 words
- 2Structure: business (FICCI, CII), labour (AITUC, BMS), farmers (BKU), professional (IMA, Bar Councils), students, caste and religious, issue-based (NBA)≈35 words
- 3Functioning: lobbying, petitions, PILs, protests, media campaigns≈35 words
- 4Assessment: often party-affiliated, caste-based, unequal access; no lobbying law; yet strengthen democracy≈35 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
MeaningTypology with examplesMethodsStrengths and weaknessesConclusion
Where marks usually go
- Confusing pressure groups with political parties
- No Indian examples of methods
Draw this
- Typology chart (Almond-Powell: institutional, associational, non-associational, anomic)
Value addition
- ThinkerMyron Weiner's 'The Politics of Scarcity' (1962) studied Indian pressure groups.Myron Weiner, 1962
- ExampleFarmers' unions' 2020-21 protest led to repeal of the three farm laws (November 2021).Farm Laws Repeal Act, 2021
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 3 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
- Alfred Thomas · Page 13 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Aditya Srivastava · AIR 1 · Page 9 ↗Same syllabus reference
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