Below are the list of essay topics asked in the UPSC Civils Mains Essay Paper since 1993.
2013
- Be the change you want to see in other – Gandhijee
- Is the Colonial mentality hindering India’s success ?
- GDP (Gross Domestic Product) along with GDH (Gross Domestic Happiness) would be the right indices for judging the well-being of a country.
- Science and Technology is the panacea for the growth and security of the nation.
2012
- In the context of Gandhiji’s views on the matter, explore, on an evolutionary scale, the terms ‘Swadhinata’, ‘Swaraj’ and ‘Dharmarajya’. Critically comment on their contemporary relevance to Indian democracy.
- Is the criticism that the ‘Public-Private-Partnership’ (PPP) model for development is more of a bane than a boon in the Indian context, justified ?
- Science and Mysticism : Are they compatible ?
- Managing work and home – is the Indian working woman getting a fair deal ?
2011
- Creation of smaller states and the consequent administrative , economic and developmental implication
- Does Indian Cinema shape our popular culture or merely reflect it
- Credit – based higher education system – status , opportunities and challenges
- In the Indian context , Both human intelligence and technical intelligence are crucial in combating terrorism
2010
- Geography may remain the same ; history need not.
- Should a moratorium be imposed on all fresh mining in tribal areas of the country?
- Preparedness of our society for India’s global leadership role.
- From traditional Indian philanthropy to the Gates-Buffet model-a natural progression or a paradigm shift?
2009
- Are our traditional handicrafts doomed to a slow death?
- Are we a ‘Soft ’ state ?
- “The focus of health care is increasingly getting skewed towards the ‘haves’ of our society”.
- “ Good Fences make good neighbors”
- ‘ Globlisation’ vs. ‘ Nationalism’
2008
- Role of Media in good governance
- National Identity and Patritism
- Special Economic Zone : Boon or Bane
- Descipline means success , anarchy means ruin
- Urbanisation and Its Hazards
- Is an Egalitarian society possible by educating the masses ?
2007
- Independent thinking should be encouraged right form the childhood.
- Evaluation of Panchayati Raj System in India from the point of view of eradication of power to people.
- Attitude makes, habit makes character and character makes a man.
- Is Autonomy the best answer to combat balkanization?
- How has satellite television brought about cultural change in Indian mindsets.
- BPO boom in India.
2006
- Women’s Reservation Bill Would Usher in Empowerment for Women in India.
- Protection of Ecology and Environment is Essential for Sustained Economic Development.
- Importance of Indo-U.S. Nuclear Agreement
- “Education for All” Campaign in India: Myth or Reality.
- Globalization Would Finish Small-Scale Industries in India.
- Increasing Computerization Would lead to the Creation of a Dehumanized Society.
2005
- Justice must reach the poor
- The hand that rocks the cradle
- If women ruled the world
- What is real education?
- Terrorism and world peace
- Food security for sustainable national development
2004
- India’s Role in Promoting ASEAN Co-operation.
- Judicial Activism and Indian Democracy.
- Whither Women’s Emancipation?
- Globalizations and Its Impact on Indian Culture.
- The Lure of Space.
- Water Resources Should Be Under the Control of the Central Government.
2003
- The Masks of New Imperialism.
- How far has democracy in India delivered the goods?
- How should a civil servant conduct himself?
- As civilization advances culture declines.
- There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.
- Spirituality and Scientific temper.
2002
- Modern technological education and human values.
- Search for truth can only be a spiritual problem.
- If youth knew, if age could.
- The paths of glory lead but to the grave.
- Privatization of higher education in India.
- Responsibility of media in a democracy.
2001
- What have we gained from our democratic set-up?
- My vision of an ideal world order.
- The march of science and the erosion of human values.
- Irrelevance of the classroom.
- The pursuit of excellence.
- Empowerment alone cannot help our women.
2000
- Why should we be proud of being Indians?
- The cyberworld: Its charms and challenges.
- The country’s need for a better disaster management system.
- Indian culture today: A myth or a reality?
- The implications of globalization for India.
- Modernism and our traditional socio-ethical values.
1999
- Women empowerment: Challenges and prospects.
- Youth culture today.
- Mass media and cultural invasion.
- Resource management in the Indian context.
- Value-based science and education.
- Reservation, politics and empowerment.
1998
- The composite culture of India.
- Woman is God’s best creation.
- The misinterpretation and misuse of freedom in India.
- India’s contribution to world wisdom.
- The language problem in India: Its past, present and prospects.
- The world of the twenty-first century.
1997
- What we have not learnt during fifty years of Independence.
- Judicial activism.
- Greater political power alone will not improve women’s plight.
- True religion cannot be misused.
- The modern doctor and his patients.
- Urbanization is a blessing in disguise.
1996
- Literacy is growing very fast, but there is no corresponding growth in education.
- Restructuring of UNO reflect present realities
- New cults and Godmen: a threat to traditional religion
- The VIP cult is a bane of Indian democracy
- Need for transparency in public administration
- Truth is lived, not taught
1995
- Politics without ethics is a disaster.
- The new emerging women Power: the ground realities.
- When money speaks, the truth is silent.
- Whither Indian democracy?
- Restructuring of Indian education system.
- Disinterested intellectual curiosity is the lifeblood of civilization.
- Our deeds determine us, as much as we determine our deeds.
1994
- Youth is a blunder, Manhood a struggle, old age a regret
- The Indian society at the crossroads.
- Modernization and westernization are not identical concepts.
- Useless life is an early death.
- Politics, bureaucracy and business – Fatal Triangle.
- Multinational corporations – saviors or saboteurs
1993
- My vision of India in 2001 A.D.
- The global order: political and economic
- He would reigns within himself and folds his passions and desires and fears is more than a king.
- Compassion is the basic of all morality would
- Men have failed: let women take over.
- Economic growth without distributive justice is bound to breed violence.
- Ecological considerations need not hamper development.
- Computer: the harbinger of silent revolution.
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