QUESTION 9
GS1
10 marks
COVID-19 pandemic accelerated class inequalities and poverty in India. Comment.
WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
What the examiner wants
Comment on whether the pandemic deepened class inequality and poverty in India.
CommentGive your own view on the statement and back it with facts and examples.
Demand-wise check
- 1Evidence: migrant crisis, informal job losses, school disruption for poor children, digital divide, debt≈30 words
- 2Rich did better: asset prices and billionaire wealth rose≈30 words
- 3Counter: safety nets (PMGKAY, Jan Dhan transfers, MGNREGA) softened the blow≈30 words
- 4Your view and measures≈30 words
Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.
Answer plan
StandEvidence forMitigating factorsConclusion with measures
Where marks usually go
- No data, e.g. CMIE job-loss figures in 2020 lockdown or billionaire wealth rise
- Ignoring government relief
Draw this
- K-shaped sketch: upper arm 'billionaire wealth, formal jobs'; lower arm 'migrants, informal workers, poor students'
Value addition
- DataAzim Premji University estimated about 23 crore more people fell below the national minimum wage poverty line in 2020.State of Working India 2021
- DataMGNREGA employment hit a record of about 389 crore person-days in 2020–21.Ministry of Rural Development
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 15 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akansh Dhull · AIR 3 · Page 38 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 29 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akansh Dhull · AIR 3 · Page 13 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 7 minutes, then get it checked.