Answers to Questions no. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words, whereas answers to Questions no. 11 to 20 should be in 250 words.

Q1 . Early Buddhist Stupa-art, while depicting folk motifs and narratives, successfully expounds Buddhist ideals. Elucidate. (150 words) 10

Q2 . Krishnadeva Raya, the king of Vijayanagar, was not only an accomplished scholar himself but was a also a great patron of learning and literature. Discuss. (150 words) 10

Q3 . Explain how the upraising of 1857 constitutes an important watershed in the evolution of British policies towards colonial India. (150 words) 10

Q4 . Discuss the role of women in the freedom struggle especially during the Gandhian phase. (150 words) 10

Q5 . Highlight the differences in the approach of Subhash Chandra Bose and Mahatma Gandhi in the struggle for freedom. (150 words) 10

Q6 . Has the formation of linguistic states strengthened the cause of Indian unity? (150 words) 10

Q7 . The anti-colonial struggles in West Africa were led by the new elite of Western-educated Africans. Examine. (150 words) 10

Q8 . To what extent globalisation has influenced the core of cultural diversity in India? Explain. (150 words) 10

Q9 . “An essential condition to eradicate poverty is to liberate the poor from the process of deprivation.” Substantiate this statement with suitable examples. (150 words) 10

Q10 . Why are the tribals in India referred to as ‘the Scheduled Tribes’? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. (150 words) 10

Q11 . With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme.” (250 words) 15

Q12 . What is the basis of regionalism? Is it that unequal distribution of benefits of development on regional basis eventually promotes regionalism? Substantiate your answer. (250 words) 15

Q13 . Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes. (250 words) 15

Q14 . “The Himalayas are highly prone to landslides.”Discuss the causes and suggest suitable measures of mitigation. (250 words) 15

Q15 . The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain. (250 words) 15

Q16 . South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment. (250 words) 15

Q17 . Major cities of India are becoming vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss. (250 words) 15

Q18 . Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations. (250 words) 15

Q19 . Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India. (250 words) 15

Q20 . In what way micro-watershed development projects help in water conservation in drought-prone and semi-arid regions of India? (250 words) 15