UPSC Mains Answer Writing Practice: GS Paper 1 Topics for Week 137
Are you gearing up for the Civil Services Examination 2026? This weekly answer writing initiative provides essential practice for the UPSC Mains. We present two crucial questions from General Studies Paper 1, complete with key points to enrich your responses. Engage with the material and share your answers in the comments section below.
Written by Nitendra Pal Singh
New Delhi | January 15, 2026 04:06 PM IST
Question 1: The Trust Factor in India's Higher Education System
Discuss the critical role of trust between the state and educational institutions in achieving a high-quality higher education system in India.
Relevance: This question connects social development through education with governance and institutional reforms. It is a recurring theme in GS-I. Candidates can analyze aspects like the National Education Policy 2020, regulatory autonomy, and public-private partnerships. The core idea explores how a trust-based governance model can enhance quality, foster innovation, and boost the global competitiveness of Indian universities.
Note: This is not a model answer. It offers a thought process to incorporate into your own writing.
Introduction: A foundation of trust between the Indian government and its higher education institutions is paramount for elevating quality. Moving away from excessive control towards an autonomy-driven approach empowers institutions. This shift allows them to innovate, embrace responsibility, and pursue excellence. Trusted universities can transform into vibrant hubs of knowledge and research, rather than remaining mere degree-granting bodies.
Body Points to Consider:
- The landscape of higher education is globalizing. Over 1.25 million Indian students study abroad, but changing visa policies underscore the need for robust domestic options. Simultaneously, foreign universities are entering India, and Indian institutions are expanding globally.
- Modern education demands interdisciplinary learning. Institutions need space for collaboration across technology, management, science, and liberal arts. Regulatory consolidation and clear benchmarking can facilitate this coordination effectively.
- With private institutions enrolling two-thirds of students, a strong, unified accreditation system is essential. This builds transparency and communicates quality clearly to students and parents.
- Artificial Intelligence is reshaping learning and administration. India's diverse educational landscape positions it to lead global discussions on implementing AI in context-sensitive, high-impact ways.
- Bridging gaps in practical exposure is vital. Leveraging university makerspaces and fostering industry partnerships can build the skilled talent pool needed for a competitive deep-tech ecosystem.
Conclusion: India is making significant progress in expanding access to education. Achieving the 2035 goal of a 50% gross enrolment ratio requires treating higher education as critical national infrastructure. Encouraging innovative thinking and integrating digital delivery models can help overcome physical limitations and reach every aspiring learner.
Question 2: The Aravalli Range - An Ecological Shield for North India
Discuss how the Aravalli ranges act as a natural barrier against desertification, contribute to groundwater recharge, and influence air quality in northern India.
Relevance: This question is directly pertinent to GS-I topics of Physical Geography and Environment. It integrates understanding of landforms, climate, groundwater systems, and air pollution. It assesses how physical features influence ecological stability, control desertification, and impact urban environmental health, particularly in the Delhi-NCR region.
Note: This is not a model answer. It provides a framework for your response.
Introduction: The Aravalli range, over a billion years old, ranks among the world's oldest mountain formations. Stretching approximately 700 kilometers across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi, its present form is a much-eroded version of its original stature, affected by both natural processes and human activity.
Body Points to Consider:
- The Aravallis provide invaluable ecological services. They function as an essential shield for the northern plains, blocking the advance of sand from the Thar Desert in the west. This barrier role is crucial for protecting air quality in already polluted regions like Delhi-NCR.
- These hills induce rainfall, which is vital for agriculture and drinking water for surrounding settlements. Studies indicate that deforestation and quarrying have created significant gaps in this natural barrier.
- The range's rocky, fractured formations are highly effective for groundwater recharge. Rainwater percolates deep into the ground instead of running off, securing water for cities like Gurugram and Faridabad.
- The Aravallis form a key watershed, separating river systems that drain into the Bay of Bengal from those flowing to the Arabian Sea. The region hosts important lakes and wetlands such as Sambhar Lake and Pushkar Lake.
- Biodiversity thrives here. The range's unique dry, deciduous landscape supports diverse flora and fauna. It houses 22 wildlife sanctuaries, including three tiger reserves: Ranthambore, Sariska, and Mukundra.
Conclusion: Recent redefinitions of the Aravalli range have raised concerns, potentially excluding large areas from protection against mining and development. This threatens wildlife corridors and fragments forest patches. The ecological richness of the Aravallis is declining due to increased human pressure. These hills also sustain local livelihoods, providing communities with fuelwood, fodder, and medicinal plants.
Points to Ponder: Reflect on how trust-based governance differs from strict regulation in education. Consider the long-term environmental consequences of degrading natural barriers like the Aravallis. How can policy balance development with ecological preservation?
