TOPIC
GS2
2013–2026
Social Justice, Health and Education — PYQ Trend Intelligence
MATCHES
72
mapped PYQs
What the data shows
In the mapped 2013–2026 GS 2 dataset, 72 questions connect to social justice, health and education across 14 exam years. The highest observed count is 8 in 2022, 2021. These counts describe historical coverage, not the probability of a future exam question.
Method: topic hierarchy adapted from the supplied GS1–GS4 topic-map PDFs (2013–2025); questions are linked using MainsBuddy metadata term matching, restricted to GS2. Overlapping themes may include the same question. 2026 questions are mapped as a separate extension beyond the PDFs. Cross-topic matches may occur; these are provisional classifications, not verified question-level PDF mappings.
Questions by year
2026
4
2025
6
2024
6
2023
7
2022
8
2021
8
2020
4
2019
6
2018
5
2017
6
2016
3
2015
3
2014
3
2013
3
Answer-writing intelligence
Directives recorded for mapped questions include Discuss, Examine, Evaluate, Explain, Justify. Compare how the demand changes across years: identify the directive, split the question into its components, and practise within the stated mark allocation.
Mapped previous year questions
- Does India’s tribal development policy reflect the aspirations for a socially grounded and equity-based governance? Justify your answer.
- Malnutrition in India is not merely a public health concern; it is also a challenge of social equity, human development and effective welfare governance. Discuss.
- Can the constitutional mandate of rights-based welfare be effectively realised in the context of non-integrated governance and minimal public investment? Examine.
- 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.
- Comment on the need of administrative tribunals as compared to the court system. Assess the impact of the recent tribunal reforms through rationalization of tribunals made in 2021.
- "The Attorney General of India plays a crucial role in guiding the legal framework of the Union Government and ensuring sound governance through legal counsel." Discuss his responsibilities, rights and limitations in this regard.
- Women's social capital complements in advancing empowerment and gender equity. Explain.
- Civil Society Organizations are often perceived as being anti-State actors than non-State actors. Do you agree? Justify.
- Inequality in the ownership pattern of resources is one of the major causes of poverty. Discuss in the context of 'paradox of poverty'.
- The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights has to address the challenges faced by children in the digital era. Examine the existing policies and suggest measures the Commission can initiate to tackle the issue.
- Explain and distinguish between Lok Adalats and Arbitration Tribunals. Whether they entertain civil as well as criminal cases?
- "The duty of the Comptroller and Auditor General is not merely to ensure the legality of expenditure but also its propriety." Comment.
- Public charitable trusts have the potential to make India's development more inclusive as they relate to certain vital public issues. Comment.
- Poverty and malnutrition create a vicious cycle, adversely affecting human capital formation. What steps can be taken to break the cycle?
- What are the aims and objects of recently passed and enforced, The Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024? Whether University/State Education Board examinations, too, are covered under the Act?
- In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketisation of the system. Suggest some measures through which the State can enhance the reach of public healthcare at the grassroots level.
- Who are entitled to receive free legal aid? Assess the role of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) in rendering free legal aid in India.
- The crucial aspect of development process has been the inadequate attention paid to Human Resource Development in India. Suggest measures that can address this inadequacy.
- Discuss the role of the Competition Commission of India in containing the abuse of dominant position by the Multi-National Corporations in India. Refer to the recent decisions.
- Explain the constitutional perspectives of Gender Justice with the help of relevant Constitutional Provisions and case laws.
- Discuss the contribution of civil society groups for women’s effective and meaningful participation and representation in state legislatures in India.
- “Development and welfare schemes for the vulnerable, by its nature, are discriminatory in approach.” Do you agree? Give reasons for your answer.
- Skill development programmes have succeeded in increasing human resources supply to various sectors. In the context of the statement analyse the linkages between education, skill and employment.
- Discuss the role of the National Commission for Backward Classes in the wake of its transformation from a statutory body to a constitutional body.
- The Gati-Shakti Yojana needs meticulous coordination between the government and the private sector to achieve the goal of connectivity. Discuss.
- The Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 remains only a legal document without intense sensitisation of government functionaries and citizens regarding disability. Comment.
- Reforming the government delivery system through the Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme is a progressive step, but it has its limitations too. Comment.
- Discuss the role of the Election Commission of India in light of the evolution of the Model Code of Conduct.
- Besides the welfare schemes, India needs deft management of inflation and unemployment to serve the poor and the underprivileged sections of society. Discuss.
- Do you agree with the view that increasing dependence on donor agencies for development reduces the importance of community participation in the development process? Justify your answer
- The Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 remains inadequate in promoting an incentive-based system for children’s education without generating awareness about the importance of schooling. Analyse
- “Pressure groups play a vital role in influencing public policy making in India.” Explain how the business associations contribute to public policies.
- “Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyze.
- “Earn while you learn” scheme needs to be strengthened to make vocational education and skill training meaningful. Comment.
- Can the vicious cycle of gender inequality, poverty and malnutrition be broken through microfinancing of women SHGs? Explain with examples.
- Though the Human Rights Commissions have contributed immensely to the protection of human rights in India, yet they have failed to assert themselves against the mighty and powerful. Analyzing their structural and practical limitations, suggest remedial measures.
- Has digital illiteracy, particularly in rural areas, coupled with lack of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) accessibility hindered socio-economic development? Examine with justification.
- “Though women in post-Independent India have excelled in various fields, the social attitude towards women and feminist movement has been patriarchal.” Apart from women education and women empowerment schemes, what interventions can help change this milieu?
- Can Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations present an alternative model of public service delivery to benefit the common citizen? Discuss the challenges of this alternative model.
- In order to enhance the prospects of social development, sound and adequate health care policies are needed particularly in the fields of geriatric and maternal health care. Discuss.
- “The incidence and intensity of poverty are more important in determining poverty based on income alone”. In this context analyse the latest United Nations Multidimensional Poverty Index Report.
- “Micro-Finance as an anti-poverty vaccine, is aimed at asset creation and income security of the rural poor in India”. Evaluate the role of the Self Help Groups in achieving the twin objectives along with empowering women in rural India.
- National Education Policy 2020 is in conformity with the Sustainable Development Goal-4 (2030). It intends to restructure and reorient education system in India. Critically examine the statement.
- What are the methods used by the farmers’ organisations to influence the policy-makers in India and how effective are these methods?
- Despite consistent experience of high growth, India still goes with the lowest indicators of human development. Examine the issues that make balanced and inclusive development elusive.
- There is a growing divergence in the relationship between poverty and hunger in India. The shrinking of social expenditure by the government is forcing the poor to spend more on non-food essential items squeezing their food-budget. Elucidate.
- ‘In the context of neo-liberal paradigm of development planning, multi-level planning is expected to make operations cost-effective and remove many implementation blockages.’ Discuss.
- The need for cooperation among various service sectors has been an inherent component of development discourse. Partnership bridges the gap among the sectors. It also sets in motion a culture of ‘collaboration’ and ‘team spirit’. In the light of statements above examine India’s development process.
- Performance of welfare schemes that are implemented for vulnerable sections is not so effective due to absence of their awareness and active involvement at all stages of policy process. Discuss.
- Whether National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) can enforce the implementation of constitutional reservation for the Scheduled Castes in the religious minority institutions? Examine.
- “Policy contradictions among various competing sectors and stakeholders have resulted in inadequate ‘protection and prevention of degradation’ to environment.” Comment with relevant illustrations.
- Appropriate local community-level healthcare intervention is a prerequisite to achieve ‘Health for All’ in India. Explain.
- Multiplicity of various commissions for the vulnerable sections of the society leads to problems of overlapping jurisdiction and duplication of functions. Is it better to merge all commissions into an umbrella Human Rights Commission? Argue your case.
- How far do you agree with the view that the focus on lack of availability of food as the main cause of hunger takes the attention away from ineffective human development policies in India?
- “To ensure effective implementation of policies addressing water, sanitation and hygiene needs the identification of the beneficiary segments is to be synchronized with the anticipated outcomes.” Examine the statement in the context of the WASH scheme.
- Does the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 ensure effective mechanism for empowerment and inclusion of the intended beneficiaries in the society? Discuss.
- Hunger and poverty are the biggest challenges for good governance in India still today. Evaluate how far successive governments have progressed in dealing with these humongous problems. Suggest measures for improvement.
- Explain the salient features of the Constitution (One Hundred and First Amendment) Act, 2016. Do you think it is efficacious enough “to remove cascading effect of taxes and provide for common national market for goods and services”?
- “The emergence of the Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in contemporary times points to the slow but steady withdrawal of the State from developmental activities.” Examine the role of the SHGs in developmental activities and the measures taken by the Government of India to promote the SHGs.
- “Poverty alleviation programmes in India remain mere showpieces until and unless they are backed up by political will.” Discuss with reference to the performance of the major poverty alleviation programmes in India.
- Examine the main provisions of the National Child Policy and throw light on the status of its implementation.
- Demographic Dividend in India will remain only theoretical unless our manpower becomes more educated, aware, skilled and creative. What measures have been taken by the government to enhance the capacity of our population to be more productive and employable?
- Professor Amartya Sen has advocated important reforms in primary education and primary health care. What are your suggestions to improve their status and performance?
- The quality of higher education in India requires major improvements to make it internationally competitive. Do you think entry of foreign educational institutions would help improve quality of higher and technical education? Discuss.
- Public health system has limitations in providing universal health coverage. Do you think the private sector could help bridge the gap? What other viable alternatives would you suggest?
- Though there have been several different estimates of poverty in India, all indicate reduction in poverty levels over time. Do you agree? Critically examine with reference to urban and rural poverty indicators.
- Do government schemes for uplifting vulnerable and backward communities by protecting required social resources for them lead to their exclusion in establishing businesses in urban economies?
- Should premier institutes like IITs/IIMs be allowed to retain premier status, more academic independence in designing courses, and decide mode/criteria of selection of students? Discuss in light of growing challenges.
- An athlete participates in Olympics for personal triumph and nation’s glory; victors are showered with cash incentives by various agencies on their return. Discuss the merit of state-sponsored talent hunt and cultivation as against the rationale of a reward mechanism as encouragement.
- The Central Government frequently complains of poor performance of State Governments in eradicating suffering of vulnerable sections. Restructuring Centrally Sponsored Schemes across sectors aims at providing flexibility to States in better implementation. Critically evaluate.
- Identify the Millennium Development Goals related to health. Discuss the success of actions taken by the Government for achieving them.
- The concept of Mid Day Meal scheme is almost a century old in India with early beginnings in Madras Presidency. The scheme has again been given impetus in most states in the last two decades. Critically examine its twin objectives, latest mandates and success.
Study the trend, choose a real question, write your answer, and evaluate it.