← All questionsGS1 · 2026 · Society ·Unity in Diversity
QUESTION 8
GS1
10 marks

Unity in diversity remains the defining feature of Indian society despite challenges from communalism and regionalism. Comment.

WRITE IN
7 min
150 words

What the examiner wants

Assess whether plural identities remain nested within common civic and constitutional frameworks despite communal and regional tensions.

CommentGive your own view on the statement and back it with facts and examples.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1Sources of unity: constitutional citizenship, social interdependence, syncretic traditions and shared institutions≈35 words
  2. 2How communalism and exclusionary regionalism damage trust and belonging≈35 words
  3. 3Why Indian unity remains resilient yet conditional rather than automatic≈35 words

Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.

Answer plan

Basis of unityCommunal/regional stressesResilience mechanismsQualified judgment

Where marks usually go

  • Treating every regional identity assertion as anti-national
  • Using only festivals/languages as evidence and ignoring civic/institutional integration

Value addition

  • Nested identities diagram
    → Draw it in the body, next to the point it supports.

Official source anchors

These are authoritative sources selected for this exact PYQ. Where a card is an official-domain anchor rather than a fact-level citation, verify the precise provision, definition or data point on the linked source before using it.