The Subject-wise Economy Questions in the UPSC Mains examination from 2013 to 2023 have served as a critical component in evaluating candidates’ understanding of economic principles, policies, and their application in the context of India and the world. Covering a vast array of topics ranging from macroeconomics to microeconomic theory, from fiscal policies to international trade dynamics, these questions have tested aspirants’ analytical skills, conceptual clarity, and ability to articulate coherent arguments. With the UPSC’s consistent focus on assessing candidates’ comprehension of economic issues from multiple perspectives, mastering these subject-wise economy questions has become indispensable for those aiming to excel in one of the most prestigious and competitive examinations in the country.
2023
- Faster economic growth requires increased share of the manufacturing sector in GDP, particularly of MSMEs. Comment on the present policies of the Government in this regard.
- What is the status of digitalization in the Indian economy? Examine the problems faced in this regard and suggest improvements.
- Most of the unemployment in India is structural in nature. Examine the methodology adopted to compute unemployment in the country and suggest improvements.
- Distinguish between ‘care economy and ‘monetized economy’. How can the care economy be brought into a monetized economy through women empowerment?
2022
- Why is Public Private Partnership (PPP) required in infrastructure projects ? Examine the role of PPP model in the redevelopment of Railway Stations in India.
- Is inclusive growth possible under market economy ? State the significance of financial inclusion in achieving economic growth in India.
- What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India ? How can it be made effective and transparent ?
- Elaborate the scope and significance of the food processing industry in India.
- The increase in life expectancy in the country has led to newer health challenges in the community. What are those challenges and what steps need to be taken to meet them ?
- Economic growth in the recent past has been led by increase in labour activity.”Explain this statement.Suggest the growth pattern that will lead to creation of more jobs without compromising labour productivity.
- Do you think India will meet 50 percent of its energy needs from renewable energy by 2030 ? Justify your answer. How will the shift of subsidies from fossil fuels to renewables help achieve the above objective ? Explain.
2021
- Explain the difference between computing methodology of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) before the year 2015 and after the year 2015.
- Distinguish between Capital Budget and Revenue Budget. Explain the components of both these Budgets.
- How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers ?
- Do you agree that the Indian economy has recently experienced V- shapes recovery? Give reasons in support of your answer.
- “Investment in infrastructure is essential for more rapid and inclusive economic growth. ”Discuss in the light of India’s experience.
2020
- Explain intergenerational and intragenerational issues of equity from the perspective of inclusive growth and sustainable development.
- Define Potential GDP and explain its determinants. What are the factors that have been inhibiting India from realizing its potential GDP?
- Explain the meaning of investment in an economy in terms of capital formation. Discuss the factors to be considered while designing a concession agreement between a public entity and a private entity.
- Explain the rationale behind the Goods and Services Tax (Compensation to States) Act of 2017. How has COVID-19 impacted the GST compensation fund and created new federal tensions?
- Describe the benefits of deriving electric energy from sunlight in contrast to conventional energy generation. What are the initiatives offered by our Government for this purpose?
2019
- Enumerate the indirect taxes which have been subsumed in the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. Also, comment on the revenue implications of the GST introduced in India since July 2017.
- Do you agree with the view that steady GDP growth and low inflation have left the Indian economy in good shape? Give reasons in support of your arguments.
- It is argued that the strategy of inclusive growth is intended to meet the objectives of inclusiveness and sustainability together. Comment on this statement.
- The public expenditure management is a challenge to the Government of India in the context of budget-making during the post-liberalization period. Clarify it.
2018
- “Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy is the sine qua non to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”. Comment on the progress made in India in this regard.
- Comment on the important changes introduced in respect of the Long-term Capital Gains Tax (LCGT) and Dividend Distribution Tax (DDT) in the Union Budget for 2018-2019.
- How are the principles followed by NITI Aayog different from those followed by the erstwhile planning commission in India?
- How would the recent phenomena of protectionism and currency manipulations in world trade affect macroeconomic stability of India?
2017
- Among several factors for India’s potential growth, the savings rate is the most effective one. Do you agree? What are the other factors available for growth potential?
- Account for the failure of the manufacturing sector in achieving the goal of labour-intensive exports. Suggest measures for more labour intensive rather capital-intensive export.
- Examine the developments of Airports in India through Joint Ventures under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model. What are the challenges faced by the authorities in this regard?
- One of the intended objectives of Union Budget 2017-18 is to ‘transform, energize and clean India’. Analyse the measures proposed in the Budget 2017-18 to achieve the objective.
- “Industrial growth rate has lagged behind in the overall growth of Gross-Domestic- Product (GDP) in the post-reform period” Give reasons. How far are the recent changes in Industrial Policy capable of increasing the industrial growth rate?
- What are the salient features of ‘inclusive growth’? Has India been experiencing such a growth process? Analyze and suggest measures for inclusive growth.
2016
- How globalization has led to the reduction of employment in the formal sector of the Indian economy? Is increased informalization detrimental to the development of the country?
- Women empowerment in India needs gender budgeting. What are the requirements and status of gender budgeting in the Indian context?
- Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana (PMJDY) is necessary for bringing unbanked to the institutional finance fold. Do you agree with this for financial inclusion of the poor section of Indian society? Give arguments to justify your opinion.
- What are ‘Smart Cities’? Examine their relevance for urban development in India. Will it increase rural-urban differences? Give arguments for ’Smart Villages’ in the light of PURA and RURBAN Mission.
- Justify the need for FDI for the development of the Indian economy. Why is there a gap between MOUs signed and actual FDIs? Suggest remedial steps to be taken for increasing actual FDIs in India.
- Comment on the challenges for inclusive growth which include careless and useless manpower in the Indian context. Suggest measures to be taken for facing these challenges.
2015
- The nature of economic growth in India in recent times is often described as jobless growth. Do you agree with this view? Give arguments in favour of your answer.
- In what way could replacement of price subsidy with direct benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss.
- What are the impediments in marketing and supply chain management in developing the food processing industry in India? Can e-commerce help in overcoming this bottleneck?
- Craze for gold in India has led to a surge in the import of gold in recent years and put pressure on balance of payments and external value of the rupee. In view of this, examine the merits of the Gold Monetization scheme.
- “Success of the Make in India program depends on the success of Skill India programme and radical labour reforms.” Discuss with logical arguments.
- There is a clear acknowledgement that Special Economic Zones (SEZs) are a tool of industrial development, manufacturing, and exports. Recognising this potential, the whole instrumentality of SEZs require augmentation. Discuss the issue plaguing the success of SEZs with respect to taxation, governing laws, and administration.
2014
- Normally countries shift from agriculture to industry and then later to services, but India shifted directly from agriculture to services. What are the reasons for the huge growth of services vis-a-vis industry in the country? Can India become a developed country without a strong industrial base?
- “While we flout India’s demographic dividend, we ignore the dropping rates of employability.” What are we missing while doing so? Where will the jobs that India desperately needs come from? Explain.
- The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 has come into effect from Ist January 2014. What are the key issues which would get addressed with the Act in place? What implications would it have on industrialization and agriculture in India?
- Capitalism has guided the world economy to unprecedented prosperity. However, it often encourages short sightedness and contributes to wide disparities between the rich and the poor. In this light, would it be correct to believe and adopt capitalism for bringing inclusive growth in India? Discuss.
- Explain how Private Public Partnership arrangements, in long gestation infrastructure projects, can transfer unsustainable liabilities to the future. What arrangements need to be put in place to ensure that successive generations’ capacities are not compromised?
- National Urban Transport Policy emphasizes on ‘moving people’ instead of ‘moving vehicles. Discuss critically the success of the various strategies of the Government in this regard.
- Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the defense sector is now set to be liberalized: What influence is this expected to have on Indian defense and economy in the short and long-run?
2013
- With a consideration towards the strategy of inclusive growth, the new companies bill, 2013 has indirectly made CSR a mandatory obligation. Discuss the challenges expected in its implementation in earnest. Also discuss other provisions in the bill and their implications
- What are the reasons for introduction of Fiscal responsibility and Budget Management (FRBM) act, 2003? Discuss critically its salient features and their effectiveness.
- What is the meaning of the term tax-expenditure? Taking the housing sector as an example, discuss how it influences budgetary policies of the government.
- Examine the impact of liberalization on companies owned by Indians. Is it competing with the MNCs satisfactorily?
- Discuss the impact of FDI entry into the multi-trade retail sector on supply chain management in commodity trade patterns of the economy.
- Though India allowed foreign direct investment (FDI) in what is called multi-brand retail through joint venture route in September 2012, the FDI even after a year, has not picked up. Discuss the reasons.
- Discuss the rationale for introducing the Goods and services tax in India. Bring out critically the reasons for the delay in roll out for its regime.
- Write a note on India’s green energy corridor to alleviate the problems of conventional energy.
- Adaptation of the PPP model for infrastructure development of the country has not been free from criticism. Critically discuss the pros and cons of the model.
- What do you understand from the run of the river hydroelectricity project? How is it different from any other hydroelectricity project?
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