PSIR Optional Question Paper 2016

The PSIR Optional Question Paper 2016 for the UPSC Civil Services Mains examination is reproduced below in full: Political Science and International Relations Paper-I and Paper-II, Section A and Section B, with the marks for every question as UPSC printed them. Each question links to its solved model answer, and after the papers you will find a syllabus-wise mapping of the 2016 questions, the thinkers who were tested and what the paper signals for your preparation. For every other year and the full topic-wise list, see PSIR Optional question papers (year-wise and topic-wise).

Want the answers too? All 56 questions of the 2016 paper are solved in LotusArise PSIR Optional PYQ Solutions — tap Model answer next to any question below to open it.

PSIR Optional Question Paper-I (2016)

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Time allowed: three hours · Maximum marks: 250 · Eight questions in two sections; Question 1 and Question 5 are compulsory, and three more are to be attempted with at least one from each section.

Section ‘A’: Political Theory and Indian Politics

1. Comment on the following in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
   (a) “How would I and my fellow human beings behave if we were to find ourselves in a state of nature, and what does this behaviour tell us about our innate predispositions?” (Thomas Hobbes) 10 · Model answer
   (b) The Post-Behavioural Approach. 10 · Model answer
   (c) Affirmative Action. 10 · Model answer
   (d) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’s idea of state socialism. 10 · Model answer
   (e) Gramsci’s concept of Hegemony. 10 · Model answer
2. (a) “The Political ideology of Globalization is Neo-liberalism.” Comment. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Discuss Feminist theory of the State. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Critically examine John Rawl’s argument for democratic equality. 15 · Model answer
3. (a) Discuss Sri Aurobindo’s views on Cultural Nationalism. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Explain Marx’s understanding of Human Essence and Alienation. 15 · Model answer
   (c) “The implementation of human rights is regarded as a matter of changing the conduct of States.” Comment. 15 · Model answer
4. (a) Discuss Hannah Arendt’s analysis of the role of Ideology in modern totalitarian regimes. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Explicate the features of Representative Democracy. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Examine Gandhi’s critique of ‘Modernisation’. 15 · Model answer

Section ‘B’: Indian Government and Politics

5. Comment on the following in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
   (a) Critically examine the Radical Humanist perspective on Indian National Movement. 10 · Model answer
   (b) Cultural and Regional differences are the enduring bases on which politics is played out in India. 10 · Model answer
   (c) ‘Article 368 does not enable Parliament to alter the basic structure or framework of the Constitution’. 10 · Model answer
   (d) The purpose of the 42nd Constitutional Amendment was to make the economic and social democracy explicitly visible. 10 · Model answer
   (e) The philosophy and administration of the distribution of powers between Centre and State is required to be re-assessed. 10 · Model answer
6. (a) Critically examine the politics of Economic growth in India. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Comment on the emergence of Backward classes in the Indian Politics. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Discuss the pattern of Political Parties from one dominant party system to coalition politics in national politics. 15 · Model answer
7. (a) Land reforms have failed in the eradication of rural poverty. Comment. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Critically examine the role of Governor in recent times. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Discuss the Right to Information and underline challenges being posed before it. 15 · Model answer
8. (a) The goal of Good governance will be achieved only by strengthening the grass root level democracy. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Examine the objective and role of the National Human Rights Commission. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Critically examine the provisions made in the Constitution for the protection of Environment. 15 · Model answer

PSIR Optional Question Paper-II (2016)

Time allowed: three hours · Maximum marks: 250 · Eight questions in two sections; Question 1 and Question 5 are compulsory, and three more are to be attempted with at least one from each section.

Section ‘A’: Comparative Politics and International Relations

1. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
   (a) Critically examine the Marxist aspect of political economy approach to the study of comparative politics. 10 · Model answer
   (b) Comment on the decline of political parties and examine whether new social movements shall be alternative strategy for establishing link between government and society. 10 · Model answer
   (c) Discuss the impact of globalization on the internal functioning of the state. 10 · Model answer
   (d) Critically examine the functional and system approaches to the study of international relations. 10 · Model answer
   (e) “A combination of internal pressures (ethnic and regional forces) and external threats (EU, UN, TNC, global market, etc.) has produced what is commonly referred to as a ‘crisis of the nation-state’.” Elaborate. 10 · Model answer
2. (a) Why does global human security need to be emphasized along with economic security? Explain with examples. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Do you endorse that the United Nations needs major changes in its structures and functioning? Suggest the changes for efficient improvements. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Discuss the evolution of non-proliferation of nuclear weapons in the post-Cold War period. 15 · Model answer
3. (a) “The IMF, World Bank, G-7, GATT and other structures are designed to serve the interests of TNCs, banks and investment firms in a ‘new imperial age’.” Substantiate with examples of governance of new world order. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Examine in brief the rise and fall of the Cold War. 15 · Model answer
   (c) How does the regionalism shape the world politics? Explain with examples. 15 · Model answer
4. (a) Explain the instruments and methods devised for the promotion of national interest. 20 · Model answer
   (b) “The notion of balance of power is notoriously full of confusion.” In the light of this quotation, do you think that the concept of balance of power is relevant? 15 · Model answer
   (c) Do interest groups help to promote democracy or to undermine it? Give your opinion. 15 · Model answer

Section ‘B’: India and the World

5. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5=50
   (a) Which determinant factors play an important role in making India’s foreign policy? Illustrate with examples. 10 · Model answer
   (b) Comment on India’s contribution to Non-Alignment Movement and its contemporary relevance. 10 · Model answer
   (c) Illustrate the main causes of tension between India and China. Suggest the possibilities of improving relationship. 10 · Model answer
   (d) Critically analyze India’s nuclear policy. 10 · Model answer
   (e) “Sometimes we visualize that SAARC’s efforts come to halt because of various impediments to regional cooperation.” Elaborate with reasonable examples of impediments. 10 · Model answer
6. (a) Explain Britain’s ouster from EU and bring out its consequences on world economy in general and India in particular. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Comment on India’s growing relationship with USA in the background of constrained relations between India and China. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Critically analyze China’s role in international politics against India’s demand for permanent seat in UN Security Council. 15 · Model answer
7. (a) Examine the main problems and challenges involved in looking after environmental concerns in world politics. 20 · Model answer
   (b) Explain the concept of the North-South divide and suggest how structural inequalities between the high wage, high investment industrial North and low wage, low investment predominantly rural South can be reduced. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Discuss the positive and negative impacts of Soviet Union’s disintegration on developing nations. 15 · Model answer
8. (a) Explain the socio-economic impacts of arms race and identify the obstacles in the way of disarmament. 20 · Model answer
   (b) What are the hopes and aspirations of ‘Look East Policy’ of India? Explain. 15 · Model answer
   (c) Discuss the shift of India’s foreign policy towards Pakistan in the light of Pathankot incident. 15 · Model answer

PSIR Optional 2016 Paper Analysis

Paper-I: syllabus-wise mapping

What stood out in Paper-I

• Eight thinkers in one section. Section A named Hobbes 1(a), Ambedkar 1(d), Gramsci 1(e), Rawls 2(c), Aurobindo 3(a), Marx 3(b), Arendt 4(a) and Gandhi 4(c), so a candidate who had prepared thinkers well could answer almost all of it.
• Indian thought got full-length questions. Aurobindo’s cultural nationalism carried 20 marks in 3(a), Gandhi’s critique of ‘Modernisation’ 15 marks in 4(c), and Ambedkar’s state socialism appeared as a 150-word comment in 1(d).
• Familiar Western-thought themes returned. Gramsci’s hegemony 1(e) had been asked as a full question in 2008, and Marx on alienation 3(b) followed the 2009 question on de-alienation; Arendt 4(a) shifted from her idea of the ‘political’ (2012) to ideology and totalitarianism.
• Section B was Constitution-heavy. Article 368 and basic structure 5(c), the 42nd Amendment 5(d), Centre–State relations 5(e), the Governor 7(b), the NHRC 8(b) and environmental provisions 8(c) made up half of the section.
• Political economy and social base of politics. The politics of economic growth 6(a) and land reforms and rural poverty 7(a) carried 20 marks each, with backward classes 6(b) and the shift from one-party dominance to coalitions 6(c) completing Question 6.

Paper-II: syllabus-wise mapping

What stood out in Paper-II

• Current events were asked by name. Britain’s exit from the EU 6(a) and the Pathankot attack 8(c) were both 2016 developments, and 6(b) asked about India–US ties against strained India–China relations.
• China appeared three times in Section B. Causes of India–China tension 5(c), the US relationship in that background 6(b) and China’s stance on India’s UNSC bid 6(c) together tested one bilateral relationship from three angles.
• Core IR concepts held Section A together. National interest 4(a), balance of power 4(b), functional and systems approaches 1(d) and the rise and fall of the Cold War 3(b) rewarded conceptual preparation over news.
• Comparative politics was asked through critique. The Marxist strand of the political economy approach 1(a), the decline of parties against new social movements 1(b), interest groups 4(c) and the ‘crisis of the nation-state’ 1(e) all asked for evaluation rather than description.
• Security and the global economy shared space. Human security 2(a), nuclear non-proliferation 2(c) and the arms race 8(a) sat beside the ‘new imperial age’ quotation on the IMF, World Bank, G-7 and GATT 3(a) and the North–South divide 7(b).

Each question is counted once, under the syllabus unit its model answer is filed in. The marks show how much of the 400 marks set in each paper came from a unit; a candidate attempts five questions worth 250.

Thinkers and scholars in the PSIR 2016 paper

Solved Answers to the PSIR 2016 Paper

Preparing the syllabus from scratch? Start with the PSIR Optional hub for notes, the official PSIR syllabus and unit-wise PYQs.

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