What's New :
Gist of India Year Book (IYB) 2024. Download Here...
Thematic Current Affairs Compilation. Download here...

Indian Society(Integrative Elements of indian Society) by Smriti Rao

  • Category
    GS-I
  • Test Date
    21-12-2022 07:00 AM
  • Evaluated
    Yes

To participate in answer writing program, Register yourself for the test. Copies will be evaluated only for the registered students. Registration will be closed after the scheduled date.

48 Hrs. Answer Writing, Copy Evaluation and Marks Improvement Cycle

Step 1 (Answer Writing): 

  • Questions will be uploaded on the portal on the scheduled date at 7:00 AM.  
  • You have to write your answers on an A4 size sheet leaving margins on both sides based on the UPSC pattern.
  • Mention your name, email id, location, and phone number on the 1st page in the top right corner and the page number on each page. 
  • After writing the answers, Click pictures of each page of your answer sheet, merge them all in a single PDF, and upload them in the upload section of the same question
  • Written answer sheets will be accepted before 7:00 PM or until the First 100 copies are received.
Note: Answer sheets without the proper guidelines given above will not be accepted for evaluation.

Step 2 In Next 48 Hrs (Copy Evaluation): After evaluation, the first 100 copies will be uploaded to your account. During these 48 hrs, doubt clearing and discussion about the theme or topic of the test with respective mentors of the test will be done in the telegram group. 

Step 3 (Mentorship): Once evaluated copies will be sent to you,
and a mentorship session for the marks improvement with respective faculty will be conducted online so that students can get a wider perspective of the topics. Here you can discuss your evaluated copies also with the faculty. 

For discussion sessions, y
ou will be notified through SMS and Telegram Group.

Instruction:

  • There will be 2 questions carrying 10 marks each. Write your answers in 150 words
  • Any page left blank in the answer-book must be crossed out clearly.
  • Evaluated Copy will be re-uploaded on the same thread after 2 days of uploading the copy.
  • Discussion of the question and one to one answer improvement session of evaluated copies will be conducted through Google Meet with concerned faculty. You will be informed via mail or SMS for the discussion.

Question #1. “The tradition of accommodation, tolerance and interdependence of Indian society has been in existence in India for long and is still present.” Elaborate

Question #2. Diversification of Indian family type reflects our march toward modernity. Discuss with empirical evidence.

(Examiner will pay special attention to the candidate's grasp of his/her material, its relevance to the subject chosen, and to his/ her ability to think constructively and to present his/her ideas concisely, logically and effectively).

Model Answer

Question #1. “The tradition of accommodation, tolerance and interdependence of Indian society has been in existence in India for long and is still present.” Elaborate

Approach

  • Write an introductory paragraph on the spirit of accommodation and assimilation features of Indian society. ( 50 words)
  • Explain how the tradition of Interdependence, accommodation and tolerance existed in past and still present in the current times.  Explain with the help of examples. ( 160 words)
  • Conclusion ( 40 words)

Hints:

The spirit of love, tolerance, accommodation and interdependence of Indian society has led to acceptance of various kingdoms and dynasties which came here to rule and it led to assimilation of various cultures. Starting with humanity, people of India are thought of for their humanness. Tolerance played a big part in a traditional Indian society. One understands the different races, beliefs, and practices brought into their country and doesn’t step back and judge.

The spirit and tradition which was present in the past and still exist in the present is strengthening the cause of unity and diversity. Tradition of Interdependence, accommodation and tolerance can be seen in the past and in the present.

Examples of Interdependence, accommodation and tolerance in the past

l  Indo-Aryans came to India their language and culture spread into northwest India around 1500 BCE. They were accepted in Indian society, their culture got assimilated into our society and it is one of the pillars of our tradition.

l  Rise of Buddhism and Jainism because of religious unrest in India in the 6th century B.C. Both were founded on the principle of tolerance, love, accommodation and interdependence. Both religions Buddhism and Jainism and one which was advocated by Vedic period existed side by side.

l  Kingdoms like Greeks, Shakas, Hunas and Kushanas were accepted by the Indian society. They brought various cultures which got assimilated into our culture.

l  Essence of both Bhakti and Sufi movements dissolved the separate religious identities to a great extent and provides a great contribution to India’s composite culture. It brought to fore the universal brotherhood, equality and oneness of God while rejecting castes, rituals, idol worship which promoted the tradition of accommodation and interdependence among various sections of society.

l  Different regions of India contributed to promotion of literature and higher learning to the composite culture of India. For example Vedas were developed in Sapta-Sindhu regions, Upanishads in Magadha, Sangam literature in South are shining examples of accommodation of diverse literature in India.

l  Though it is believed that India’s continuity as a civilization was social and cultural rather than political; yet the idea of bringing the entire country under one central authority has been the dream of great kings, sultans, emperors and rulers. This idea was put into practice by Chandragupta, Asoka, Harsha, Akbar and British rulers.

l  Indian society in the medieval period accepted the rule of Sultanate and Mughals and their culture got assimilated in Indian society forever.

l  The tradition of accommodation and interdependence can be seen during the reign of Akbar. Akbar propagated his ideas of tolerance through sulh-i-kul which promoted harmony between various religions. He and other rulers appointed Hindus as their highest military officers.

Even in the present times these traditions are intact

l  The Cultural unity in diversity of India is generally denoted with the phrase “Ganga-Jamuni Tahjeeb” or India’s composite culture.

l  India has multitude of religions including majority Hinduism and minority Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and Judaism. This diversity has many times kept the country united in difficult times. Religious unity is particularly visible when a war or a disaster happens. Time and again, India has stood united in crisis, and that is what religious unity in diversity of India is.

l  This apart, we see everyday examples of religious harmony such as the use of Ganapati Pandal as a makeshift mosque for Muslims and Hindus participating in Eid festivities, Sikhs building mosques for Muslims, Muslims kids dressed as Krishna for Janmasthmi festivals and so on.

l  Since Independence India has accepted streams of refugees like Tibetians, Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka, Chakma and Hajong refugees which shows the tradition of accommodation.

l  Tradition of Interdependence as an element of unity in diversity can be seen in rural areas and in joint family structures. One socio-economic activity is linked to the other which is beneficial for both.

l  Acceptance of all people whether they are citizens or non-citizens at workplaces like Cinema, music industry etc. - all are accepted and working in harmony.

Conclusion:

Unity in diversity is an important feature of Indian society. Its core idea is “unity without uniformity” and “diversity without fragmentation”. It is based on the notion that diversity enriches human interaction. There are reports from various sources that there is a rise in religious intolerance. But except for a few incidents, the social fabric of Indian society remains strong. 

 

Question #2. Diversification of Indian family type reflects our march toward modernity. Discuss with empirical evidence.

Approach:

  •   In introduction discuss the conventional notion regarding Indian family system.
  •   Since the question is in the context of diversification, discuss how a new type of family arrangement has been added in the conventional family system in recent times.
  •   Also link the increase in family types with change in the value system of society thereby showing linkage between diversification and modernity.
  •   Since the question asked about empirical evidence, quote any reputed study to substantiate your arguments.
  •   In conclusion, discuss new challenges which the emerging family system is encountering and ways to deal with it.

Hints:

Indian society is traditionally recognized by a strong family system whose key features are jointness in organization, dominant role of family patriarch, compulsory domesticity of women.. However, with the advent of forces of industrialization, modernization, globalization etc this conventional family type is undergoing a rapid change.

Diversification of Indian family system:

  • Conventional joint families are increasingly being replaced by nuclear families. Further the form of jointness is also being shifted from structural to functional. This change comes in response to demands of industrialization and urbanization which demands small and mobile family units. The United Nations 2019 report finds that nuclear families form the highest percentage of households in India.
  • The impact of improvement in status of women is also reflected in the family system. Today there are more single-mother households (5.4%) than single-father households as documented by the world's women report.
  • Further the rise of individualism has also impacted the composition of family. As the nuclear family system has gained traction, the percentage of ‘couple only’ families has increased. The percentage of single mothers too has increased, corresponding to increasing rates of divorce in the country. This is also made possible with removal of stigma associated with the divorce.
  • Another form of individualism is manifested in the rise in incidences of live-in couples. Another interlinked phenomenon rising in Indian society is the rise of serial monogamy where an individual can have multiple marriages and relationships although one at a time.
  • With the increasing participation of women in the workforce and their desire to excel in careers, there is a rise in DINK (double income no kids) family type where couples avoid bearing children to focus on their career and lifestyle improvement.
  • Another key aspect of modernity is emphasis on sexual autonomy. This desire also impinges upon Indian family system with growing acceptance of homosexual couples. A 2017-18 survey of people in eight states by the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS) and Azim Premji University found that 28% agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement that sexual relationships between two men or two women should be accepted by society.

Conclusion:

Although such diversification is a healthy expression of modernity still old values persist. Latest NFHS-5(national family health survey) data indicates that a large number of Indians still have a preference for sons. Further despite improvement in status of women, incidence of domestic cruelty still constitutes the largest percentage of crime against women. Hence, the contemporary family scenario demands addressing both the emerging as well as vestigial problems. Focus of elderly care, legal protection of same sex couples, addressing issue of domestic violence is the need of the hour.



Procedure of Answer Writing:

To participate in the answer writing program, Register yourself for the test. Copies will be evaluated only for the registered students. Registration will be closed after the scheduled date.

Answer Writing, Copy Evaluation, and Marks Improvement Cycle:

Step 1 (Theme, Details & Its Topics):

  1. Every round of Answer writing initiative will be around a theme related to the Subject/Topic.
  2. Please read the theme and its description, and try to cover the topics given within the theme before writing the answer along with the sources.

Step 2 (Answer Writing):

  1. Questions will be uploaded on the portal on the scheduled date at 7:00 AM.
  2. You have to write your answers on an A4 size sheet leaving margins on both sides based on the UPSC pattern.
  3. Mention your name, email id, location, and phone number on the 1st page in the top right corner and the page number on each page.
  4. After writing the answers, Click pictures of each page of your answer sheet, merge them all in a single PDF and upload them in the upload section of the same question.
  5. Kindly submit your written answers before 7:00 PM. Only the first 100 copies will be considered for evaluation. No request for late submission or evaluation will be entertained once the 100 mark is reached.

Note: Answer sheets without the proper guidelines given above will not be accepted for evaluation.

Step 3 (Copy Evaluation): Copies will be evaluated in the next 72 hours of the test date. After evaluation, copies will be uploaded into your account. During the copy evaluation period, doubt clearing and discussion about the theme or topic of the test with respective mentors of the test will be done in the telegram group

Step 4 (Mentorship): Evaluated copies will be sent to you via mail and also uploaded into your account on the website. After that a mentorship session for the marks improvement with respective faculty will be conducted on the Google Meet, so that students can get a wider perspective of the topics. Here you can discuss your evaluated copies also with the faculty. Top 5 copies of every test will be shared in the telegram group for reference.

Note: Aspirants who have not written the test can also participate in the mentorship session.

For Updates and Mentorship of the session, you will be notified through SMS or Telegram Group.

For Notification And Update About the Program Join Telegram Group at: https://t.me/gsscoreopendailyanswerwriting

Note: You have to write your answers on an A4 size sheet leaving margins on both sides based on UPSC pattern. Mention Your Name on 1st page and Page Number on each page. After writing the answer, Click pictures of each page of your answer sheet, merge them all in a single PDF and upload in the Your Answer Copy section of the same question.

Copy submission is closed now for this test.

GS Mains Classes GS Classes 2024 GS Classes 2024 UPSC Study Material
X

Verifying, please be patient.

Our Centers

DELHI (Karol Bagh)

GS SCORE, 1B, Second Floor, Pusa Road, Karol Bagh, New Delhi - 110005 (Beside Karol Bagh Metro Station Gate No. 8)

Get directions on Google Maps

BHUBANESWAR (Jaydev Vihar)

GS SCORE, Plot No.2298, Jaydev Vihar Square, Near HCG Day Care, BBSR - 751013

Get directions on Google Maps

LUCKNOW (Aliganj)

GS SCORE, 2nd Floor, B-33, Sangam Chauraha, Sector H, Aliganj, Lucknow, UP - 226024

Get directions on Google Maps

Enquire Now