UPSC Civil Services Examination Social Justice, Society and International Relations Syllabus

Name three welfare schemes targeting Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Post-Matric Scholarship Scheme, Stand Up India (for SC/ST and women entrepreneurs), and the Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana.

What is the objective of MGNREGA?

The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (2005) guarantees at least 100 days of wage employment per year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.

What does the National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) provide?

Social security in the form of pensions to the elderly, widows, and persons with disabilities, plus the National Family Benefit Scheme for BPL households on the death of a breadwinner.

What is the Ayushman Bharat scheme?

A national health protection scheme with two components: Health and Wellness Centres for primary care, and PM-JAY providing health insurance cover of Rs 5 lakh per family per year for secondary and tertiary care.

What does the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 guarantee?

Free and compulsory education to all children aged 6-14 years (Article 21A), with 25% reservation in private schools for disadvantaged groups.

What is the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020's school structure?

A 5+3+3+4 curricular structure replacing the 10+2 system: Foundational (ages 3-8), Preparatory (8-11), Middle (11-14), and Secondary (14-18).

What is Human Resource Development (HRD)?

The process of improving the knowledge, skills, abilities, and overall capabilities of a population through education, training, and health, to enhance productivity and well-being.

What is the difference between malnutrition and undernutrition?

Malnutrition is any deficiency, excess, or imbalance in nutrient intake (includes obesity); undernutrition specifically refers to insufficient intake leading to stunting, wasting, and being underweight.

What do 'stunting' and 'wasting' indicate in child nutrition?

Stunting is low height-for-age indicating chronic undernutrition; wasting is low weight-for-height indicating acute undernutrition.

What is the National Food Security Act (NFSA), 2013?

It provides subsidised foodgrains to about two-thirds of the population (75% rural, 50% urban) through the Public Distribution System, entitling 5 kg per person per month.

What is the difference between an NGO and a Self-Help Group (SHG)?

An NGO is a non-profit voluntary organisation working on development/advocacy issues; an SHG is a small voluntary association (usually 10-20 people, often women) that pools savings and provides micro-credit to members.

What role does civil society play in development?

It bridges the gap between state and citizens by advocacy, mobilisation, service delivery, monitoring governance, ensuring accountability, and empowering marginalised groups.

What is microfinance and which model is associated with SHGs in India?

Microfinance is the provision of small loans and financial services to the poor; the SHG-Bank Linkage Programme (NABARD) is India's dominant microfinance model.

What is India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy?

A foreign policy approach prioritising peaceful, cooperative, and mutually beneficial relations with immediate neighbours (Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, etc.) through connectivity, aid, and people-to-people ties.

What is the 'Gujral Doctrine'?

A 1996 foreign policy principle of non-reciprocal accommodation toward smaller South Asian neighbours, emphasising unilateral goodwill to build trust without expecting equal returns.

What is SAARC and when was it founded?

The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, founded in 1985, comprising eight South Asian countries to promote regional economic and social cooperation.

What is the difference between a bilateral and a regional grouping?

A bilateral arrangement is between two countries (e.g., India-US); a regional grouping involves multiple countries of a geographic region cooperating on shared interests (e.g., ASEAN, BIMSTEC).

What does BIMSTEC stand for and why is it significant for India?

Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation; it links South and Southeast Asia and serves as an alternative to a stalled SAARC, advancing India's Act East policy.

Who constitutes the Indian Diaspora, and what are NRIs vs PIOs vs OCIs?

NRIs are Indian citizens residing abroad; PIOs are persons of Indian origin holding foreign citizenship; OCI (Overseas Citizen of India) is a status granting most rights of residence and travel (but not voting) to eligible persons of Indian origin.

What is the significance of remittances from the Indian Diaspora?

India is the world's largest recipient of remittances (over USD 100 billion annually), which support household incomes, foreign exchange reserves, and the balance of payments.

What is the 'Look East' / 'Act East' policy?

Initiated in 1991 as Look East to engage Southeast Asia economically; upgraded to Act East in 2014 to deepen strategic, security, and connectivity ties with ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific.

What is 'strategic autonomy' in India's foreign policy?

India's policy of maintaining independence in decision-making and avoiding binding alliances, enabling it to pursue national interests with multiple powers without being locked into one bloc.

How can a foreign country's policy affect India's interests? Give an example.

US sanctions (e.g., CAATSA) on Russia and Iran can threaten India's defence imports (S-400) and oil purchases; OPEC output decisions affect India's import bill and inflation.

What are the six principal organs of the United Nations?

General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), International Court of Justice, Secretariat, and the Trusteeship Council (now inactive).

Who are the permanent members of the UN Security Council and what special power do they hold?

China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States (P5); they hold the veto power over substantive resolutions.

Name three specialised agencies of the United Nations.

World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

What is the difference between the IMF and the World Bank?

The IMF maintains global monetary stability and provides short-term balance-of-payments support; the World Bank provides long-term loans and grants for development and poverty reduction projects.

What is the WTO and its key principle?

The World Trade Organization (1995) regulates international trade; its core principle is non-discrimination through Most Favoured Nation (MFN) treatment and National Treatment.

What is the difference between the G7 and the G20?

The G7 is a grouping of seven advanced industrial economies; the G20 is a broader forum of 19 countries plus the EU and African Union, representing major developed and emerging economies covering about 85% of global GDP.

What is BRICS and what financial institution did it establish?

A grouping of Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (later expanded); it established the New Development Bank (NDB) to fund infrastructure and sustainable development in member and developing nations.

What is the Paris Agreement (2015) and its central goal?

A legally binding international treaty under the UNFCCC aiming to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius (preferably 1.5) above pre-industrial levels, through nationally determined contributions (NDCs).