QUESTION 18
GS2
15 marks
Should education be treated primarily as a welfare obligation of the state or as a strategic investment for building a globally competitive, knowledge-driven nation? Critically evaluate.
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Critically examine the false binary between education as a public obligation/right and education as long-term strategic investment.
Critically evaluateAnswer exactly what the question asks.
Demand-wise check
- 1Welfare/right case: equity, citizenship, capability and minimum opportunity≈50 words
- 2Investment case: productivity, research, innovation and knowledge-economy competitiveness≈50 words
- 3Tensions: commercialization, unequal quality and short-term ROI logic≈50 words
- 4Integrated framing where universal access and high-quality capability reinforce each other≈50 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
Welfare rationaleInvestment rationaleTensionsIntegrated modelJudgment
Where marks usually go
- Treating welfare as consumption with no economic return
- Using competitiveness to justify neglect of universal/foundational education
Value addition
- Venn diagram: welfare obligation ∩ strategic investment
→ 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.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.