Detailed Solutions for GS questions - SSC Exam August 9th Morning Session

Solutions for SSC CGL August 9th Morning Exam

Hi !

I compiled detailed solutions for GS Questions of SSC Exam, the one held on August 9th Morning session.

Here is the question Paper for GS Questions:

SSC CGL 2015 Question Paper 1

SSC CGL 2015 Question Paper 2

SSC CGL 2015 Question Paper 3

Get the solutions from this Scribd File.

   Detailed Solutions for GS questions - SSC Exam August 9th Morning Session

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I welcome your comments. Please feel free to Drop a comment below.

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We named it Ujwal Andhra.

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Understanding Economic Survey 2015 through 22 Images - Part 1

Economic Survey 2015 is a special one, in the sense that it was presented this time, in two Volumes, each of 150 Page, departing from one Volume traditional ritual.

Without much discussion, I will present 22 most important Images in this post, (from Volume 1) which unravel the mysteries of Indian Economics. 

( Btw, click here, if you wish to get your basics right, about Indian Economics, for your GS Preparation - Aspiring Jīvanmuktha: How to approach 'Indian Economics' paper )

Analyse each picture, understand the subtleties. - That part is left to the reader :-p

Next Post will be focusing on the important images from Volume 2.

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 Image 1: WPI vs CPI from 2013 to 2015

Image 1: WPI vs CPI from 2013 to 2015

Image 2: GDP Growth Slowdown towards the end of UPA 2 regime

 Image 2: GDP Growth Slowdown towards the end of UPA 2 regime

 

Image 3: Acceleration in growth of Rural Wages and eventual Slowdown

 Image 3: Acceleration in growth of Rural Wages and eventual Slowdown

Image 4: Neccessary Transformational Properties of a sector for being a growth engine

Image 4: Neccessary Transformational Properties of a sector for being a growth engine

Image 5: Stagnation in Exports of Goods and Services as a % of GDP

 Image 5: Stagnation in Exports of Goods and Services as a % of GDP

  
Image 6: Skewed incentivisation through Policies pertaining to Vasectomies and Tubectomies

  Image 6: Skewed incentivisation through Policies pertaining to Vasectomies and Tubectomies

  

Image 7: Fiscal Deficit over years - Progress on implementation of FRMB Act

 Image 7: Fiscal Deficit over years - Progress on implementation of FRMB Act

  

Image 8: Skewed nature and ill targeting of Fuel Subsidies in India

  Image 8: Skewed nature and ill targeting of Fuel Subsidies in India

Image 9: Peaking of Stalled Projects during UPA 2 era

 Image 9: Peaking of Stalled Projects during UPA 2 era

  

Image 10: Why Projects are being Stalled ? - Types of Stalled Projects

  Image 10: Why Projects are being Stalled ? - Types of Stalled Projects

  

Image 11: Why Projects are being Stalled ? - Reasons

  Image 11: Why Projects are being Stalled ? - Reasons

  

Image 12: Share of NPAs as percent of total advances

  Image 12: Share of NPAs as percent of total advances

  

Image 13: Rate of growth of GFCF - Gross Fixed Capital Formation

  Image 13: Rate of growth of GFCF - Gross Fixed Capital Formation

  

Image 14: Double financial Repression of Indian (Public)Banks

  Image 14: Double financial Repression of Indian (Public)Banks

 

 

Image 15: Domestic Credit to GDP Ratio (very low in India)

  Image 15: Domestic Credit to GDP Ratio (very low in India)

  

Image 16: Investment in Railways - Comparison of India and China

  Image 16: Investment in Railways - Comparison of India and China

  

Image 17: (Non) Addition to Capacity of Indian Railways

  Image 17: (Non) Addition to Capacity of Indian Railways

  

Image 18: CPI,WPI vs growth in Passenger Rates and Freight Rates

  Image 18: CPI,WPI vs growth in Passenger Rates and Freight Rates

Image 19: (Non) Peaking of Employment contribution by Secondary Sector

  Image 19: (Non) Peaking of Employment contribution by Secondary Sector

  

Image 20: What to Make in India ? Manufacturing or Services?

  Image 20: What to Make in India ? Manufacturing or Services?

  

Image 21:Reduction in Under Recoveries to Oil Companies and Hike in Carbon Taxes

  Image 21:Reduction in Under Recoveries to Oil Companies and Hike in Carbon Taxes

  

Image 22: (Theoretical) Alternative Carbon Taxation Strategies

  Image 22: (Theoretical) Alternative Carbon Taxation Strategies

Bonus Image!: Comparison of 13th and 14th Finance Commissions

Bonus Image!: Comparison of 13th and 14th Finance Commissions

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Dont forget to come back, for the Summary of Volume 2 of Economic Survey.

And as always, click on the beclow Image for other UPSC CSE Prep related articles.

Article on CSE Preparation Journey

All the best,
Vivek R.

How to approach 'Indian Economics' paper

How to approach 'Indian Economics'  Paper*

1. *Your Handwritten Notes – Both Paper 1 and Paper 2  -- Most Important
2. *Focusing on the activity in Class, Discussions, PPTs, Q & A from Class.
3. Learning the relevant content properly from Paper 1.
   

   Concerned Textbooks:

   
   

   • Ahuja for Microeconomics
   • Jhingan for Macroeconomics
   • SB Gupta for Monetary Economics
   • Mannur for International Economics
   • Jhingan for Growth and Development
   • Bhatia for Public Finance
4. Reading Textbooks about Indian Economics:
   

   Preferred book –
   
   
   Dutt and Sundaram (Other books – Uma Kapila, PD magazine booklet on Indian Economics, Ramesh Singh – in the decreasing order of preference)
5. (Must) Economics Optional - Previous Year Question papers  – Vishal Publishers
6. If you are an aspirant of Civil Services Exam (CSE), conducted by UPSC, then you must read, digest, analyse and criticise Economic Survey of atleast past two years. Skimming is not just enough ! 
7. Blogs of Toppers with Economics Optional (Gaurav Agarwall, Harshita Singh, Neeraj Singh)
   

   
   

   1. UPSC / IAS Preparation: Economics Optional | Khelo India
   2. UPSC / IAS Preparation Notes: Gaurav Agrawal | Khelo India
   3. UPSC First Ranker Gaurav Agrawal gives preparation tips
   4. Strategy for Economics by Ms Harshika Singh (AIR-8) | Prince Dhawan's Blog
   5. [Toppers Interview] Neeraj Kumar Singh (AIR 11/CSE11) shares his Preparation strategy and Success Story
   6. Strategy for Economics optional in CSE - by Neeraj Kumar Singh, AIR 11 (2011).docx
   7. Raveesh Gupta 2011 16 Rank - Economics Optional

8. News Papers : 
   

   • Business Standard (Takes highly Capitalist approach, Futuristic, Public Policy articles are very pressing)
   • Business Line (Has leftist-Socialist editorials, Other opinion articles are very good)
9. IGNOU Material (MEC 105) (You can even try out their Masters Programme, if deeply interested)
10. Government Websites:

    • PIB – Sections for Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce. 

    • Make in India – very interactive website. 

    • RBI Website – Speeches of Governors of RBI and other policy directives.
11. Yojana and Kurukshetra & EPW – Economics worthy articles.
12. List of Economics related Non-fiction books, Movies, Documentaries, Online Videos.
    

    Movies -
    
    (Inside Job, Margin Call, Too Big to fail, IOUSA, All Presidents Men, Capitalism - A love story)

13. Other online websites:
    

    • Mrunal Economics Articles,

    • InsightsEconomics test series,

    • 'Civil Services Guide' aggregator of articles - on Indian Economy .

    • Jagaran Josh – for their lucid coverage of Current Affairs on Indian Economics.

14. *Writing every assignment/exam seriously and completing it responsibly.
15. *Practising previous year's - Economics questions from Mains GS papers. (Punch bag for Indian Economics Questions)

Welcome Aboard, dear economist !

And dont forget to keep a track of Current events, and your errors & doubts - however small they might be. 

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility ! 

Write back to me, in the comments box, your perspectives. Would you like to add something else to my list ?

All the best,

Regards,

Vivek Sarma R

*This article is written for 'Indian Economics'  Paper of "Economics Optional" for UPSC's Civil Services Exam. As the content is general, it may as well be applicable for pursing any other exam / course on Indian Economy.

To read my other articles, regarding UPSC preparation, click the image. 

Click here for other articles on UPSC preparation

 Aspiring Jīvanmuktha: UPSC Civil Services

Why toppers crack civils exam? (Part 1)

How do Toppers crack such an exam ? 
How do toppers do the preparation differently? 
Are there any ingrained traits that toppers seemed to have?
All of us have same books and sources right, then, how come, many fail and few succeed? 
How should I prepare, such that success in competetive exams like Civils Exam is assured? 

To answer all these questions, lets analyse what toppers have to say, about their preparation for CSE of UPSC. 

Mostly these are the statements, by previous year toppers or their parents/teachers. In this article, only kick-ass goose-bumpy statements are presented, for aspirants benefit.
 
Lets get started ...

Overcome obstacles in life. Transform yourself. Then cracking UPSC is much simpler.

Zero:

The story that Haritha V Kumar loved most as a child was the one about a defeated king who hides in a cave and a determined spider. The king looks on with open-eyed wonder as the never-say-die spider keeps trying to weave a web unmindful of the frustrating failures.

Haritha, an engineer by profession, is now an IRS official posted in Faridabad. She did not pass the examinations in the first attempt. Achieved 179th rank in the second and got selected for Indian Police Service. She but opted for IRS. In her third attempt, she fared worse, could manage only a rank of 290.

Haritha V Kumar, who dreamed of qualifying for the civil services right from kindergarten, created history in her fourth attempt. And 22 years after Raju Narayanaswamy topped the civil services, Kerala has another topper.

 Source: 1, 2, 4...Malayalis top IAS with record haul | Deccan Chronicle

One:

When Haritha V Kumar first took the civil services examination, she fell short of 18 marks in clearing the mains. But that didn't dishearten her. Rather it gave her the confidence that she can crack the exams — and realise a childhood dream — if she gave it a small push. Four years and an equal number of attempts later, the 27-year-old from Kerala on Friday became the topper of the UPSC civil services exam for 2012.

"I knew I wanted to do this".

"I believe economics is the underlying problem to all issues India is facing. So I wanted to have a deep knowledge of the subject"

In her first attempt in 2009, she fell short of 18 marks from clearing the mains. "I thought when I could come this far with such shabby preparation, I could surely do better with a little more study," said Haritha, who is fond of reading books.

"I felt IRS would not give me the opportunity to serve the people the way IAS would do. I tried again. Moreover, IRS gives us extraordinary leave for a year to prepare for the exam. I availed that facility and cleared it this time."

"After joining IRS academy, the exposure I received and the constant discussions with friends really improved my language skills and played a vital role in my selection."

  Source: I knew I wanted to do this: IAS topper - Indian Express

Two:

“She worked very hard and there is absolutely no substitute for working methodically towards that aim,” said R. Vijayakumar, her father. Beaming, he recollected how the 27-year-old had always harboured an unwavering ambition to join the elite rank of civil service officers. She had even expressed her wish to ultimately work in the rural areas of Wayanad.

Once she set her eyes on a goal, nothing could distract her from reaching it. So it was no surprise that friends who knew her well, guessed correctly.

Her mother talked about her impressive repertoire of extra-curricular activities dismissing any assumption that she was the bookish sort, purely into academics. She passed a family album around and in where pages of photographs of a younger Haritha, clad in Bharatanatyam and Mohiniyattom costumes. “She sings beautifully as well,” said Ms. Chitra, adding that Haritha was also elected the ‘children’s president’ at the Children’s Day celebrations of the Kerala State Council for Child Welfare when she was in class VII.

Source: Well-wishers throng IAS topper’s house - The Hindu

Two (continued):

 Empathy, induced by literature’s portrayal of the realities of life, was a much-needed quality in a civil servant.

According to her, the training she received at the NACEN and her daily discussions and debates with fellow officers at NACEN gave her the much-needed confidence and the poise to face the UPSC interview. She is among those who believe that hard, systematic work and unwavering dedication — and not much by way of brilliance — is what it takes to succeed in the civil services examinations.

Source: First Keralite in over 20 years to top civil services - The Hindu

Three:

"I did not lose heart and my efforts have borne the fruits.”

“One’s life revolves around Economics so I took the subject. I took Malayalam as it is my mother tongue and also I have a special liking for the language since my childhood”.

Source: Kerala basks in IAS glory

Four:

My mother has been my greatest inspiration.

I was very happy with medicine. But when I was interning, I realised that I could only help the patients and not others. So I decided to write the examination because it would give me tremendous opportunities to engage in social service and help those in need.”

I didn’t receive any formal training, and prepared all by myself.

I am quite happy to have secured such a rank in my first attempt.

If the mantra of not giving up till you achieve your goal is anything to go by, then these UPSC aspirants are the perfect examples.One, two or even six attempts makes no difference for them as they are hell bent on achieving their goal. 

 Source: IAS dream drives them for repeat attempts  - Deccan Herald

Five:

Academic achievement is a matter of habit.

As such, patience has been ingrained in her and she feels that is what helped her crack the civil services exam. "I prepared for nearly one and a half years and owe a lot to my schooling and teachers," she said. With a glittering academic record, cracking the civil services was a cakewalk for her.

He did have his father to look up to, but what drove him to appear for the civil services exams was his experience in the private sector. For one year after graduating from IIT, Madras, him saw how shallow the private sector could be. "I realised in the first year that I did not like what I was doing and that I was making no contribution to the society.

"I have been putting in more than 10 hours of study because I want to become an instrument of change through my work".

"It was a very tough interview. I thought I would not be able to get through".

She places greater premium on consistency rather than pressure. Looks like it works.

"My family is elated at my success. It was my first attempt".

"I was balancing my PhD course work classes and IAS preparation. But now that results are out, it feels amazing".

"I relied on self study".

I owe a lot to my parents for their support.

He says he always knew he would crack the test, even if he had to wait.

Source:  They made it to IAS & how - The Times of India

Six:

"One should learn the art of identifing what is important and needed. There should be a qualitative approach towards preparing for any examination. If one is sincere and puts in six to seven hours of hard work a day, then such exams can easily be cracked."

Hard work and consistency is required to crack such tests.

"I had earlier topped the Indian Economic Services examination. Now, I have cleared the civil services exam in the first attempt. Almighty's blessings, support of family members, hard work and consistency is required to be successful in any exam." 

Source:  Civils: Panchkula doc bags 17th rank in first attempt - Indian Express 


More on the way. Part 2 coming soon.

Till then, you can read more articles on UPSC Civils exam preparation here. (Click on the image)

Articles on UPSC Preparation

Aspiring Jīvanmuktha: UPSC Civil Services Preparation articles 

Economic Survey 2014-15 is out !

If you are an aspirant of Civil Services Exam (CSE), conducted by UPSC, then you must read, digest, analyse and criticise Economic Survey of atleast past two years. Skimming is not just enough.

Today, the most awaited Economic Survey 2014-15 is out!

Economic Survey is a flagship annual document of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India. The document outlines the broad direction of the budget and the economic performance of the country.

Economic Survey reviews the developments in the Indian economy over the previous 12 months. This document is presented to both houses of Parliament during the Budget Session. The document would be useful for policymakers, economists, policy analysts, business practitioners, government agencies, students, researchers, the media, and all those interested in the development in the Indian economy. 

Get the Full PDF from here.

Volume 1 PDF

Volume 2 PDF

Else, you can browse this page and get seperate PDF copies, for individual chapters.

Here is the analysis/summary of it, from various media houses.

1. FE

2. BS

3. FP

4.IIFL

5. Zee

6. Reuters

When you read it, dont read with blank brain. Keep some questions in your brain, like for example, 'how has Fiscal deficit evolved over the years, pre American 2007-09 crisis and post crisis' etc and then analyse it for better grip and grasp over it.

Go ahead, Enlighten yourself !

Lessons from IFos Topper - Anshika Agrawal

Indian Flag

 UPSC declared Indian Forest Service Exam results towards the end of February. Anshika Agrawal Topped it. 

Here are few excerpts from India Today article: 

• With a second attempt, she was expecting her name to be in the list but not on top. 
• She dedicated herself to self study, in order to crack the exam.

After finishing my post graduation I took some time off to reflect on my career path. I always knew I wanted to do something with real, grass-roots impact. Of course there is nothing better than serving your country. 

Since this was your second attempt, what went wrong the first time?

In my first attempt I had not prepared well for my second optional. In the second attempt I had more clarity of the subjects and consequently could plan my preparation better. Since I was completely focused on the examination, quitting was never an option. I kept telling myself try, try and try again and you will definitely succeed.

Is Self Study more benefial ? 

For my optionals, I used my notes and textbooks from college. There is no substitute for self study. Coaching may provide a direction to one's preparation but even then it's the consistent hard work which pays off. 

Many students appearing for board exams remain nervous. What would you suggest for coping with exam fear?
It's natural to be stressed before an exam and in moderation it may enhance one's performance. However, one should learn to manage the anxiety. Planned and timely preparation will help in coping with exam blues.

Source Here

(Images are from internet, not my  own)

Path to Jivanmukthi

सत्सङ्गत्वे निस्सङ्गत्वं 

निस्सङ्गत्वे निर्मोहत्वम् ।

निर्मोहत्वे निश्चलतत्त्वं 

निश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मुक्तिः ॥

From Satsanga, company of good people, comes non-attachment, from non-attachment comes freedom from delusion, which leads to self - settledness । From self-settledness comes JIvan muktI.

— Sri Sankaracharya, BhajaGovinda Stotram.

"A jivanmukta (one who experiences jivanmukti) is a person who is absolutely free from egoism, doubt, fear, and grief. The absence of these four emotions is considered a sign that a person has achieved jivanmukti. He is at complete peace and knows he has double consciousness. He has the bliss of Brahman(God) but he also is conscious of this world**."

** Source - URL.

Civil Service Vacancies since 2009

Thanks to ITCSA, for Sharing the following !

Regards,
Vivek R.

Civil Service Vacancies since 2009:

Service wise - Category wise Vacancies (CSE-2009)
Sl. No.	Service	General	O.B.C.	S.C.	S.T.	Total
1	Indian Administrative Service	66	38	18	9	131
2	Indian Foreign Service	15	10	1	4	30
3	Indian Police Service	77	39	21	13	150
4	Indian P&T Accounts & Finance Service, Group 'A'	3	2	1	1	7
5	Indian Audit & Accounts Service, Group 'A'	11	5	3	1	20
6	Indian Customs & Central Excise Service, Group 'A'	90	48	27	13	178
7	Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group 'A'	19	10	6	3	38
8	Indian Revenue Service, Group 'A'	77	40	22	11	150
9	Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group 'A'	1	1	0	0	2
10	Indian Postal Service, Group 'A'	9	4	2	2	17
11	Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group 'A'	3	4	0	0	7
12	Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group 'A'	28	15	5	4	52
13	Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'	14	7	3	2	26
14	Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group 'A'	12	5	3	2	22
15	Posts of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force, Group 'A'	5	3	1	1	10
16	Indian Defence Estates Service, Group 'A'	12	7	2	1	22
17	Indian Information Service, (Junior Grade), Group 'A'	4	2	3	2	11
18	Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group 'B'	35	13	0	2	50
19	Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, D D & NH Civil Service, Group 'B'	6	3	2	1	12
20	Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, D D & NH Police Service, Group 'B'	10	5	3	2	20
21	Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'	2	5	0	1	8
22	Pondicherry Police Service, Group 'B'	4	1	1	0	6
23	Indian Corporate Law Service, Group 'A'	10	6	3	1	20
Total		513	273	127	76	989

Service wise - Category wise Vacancies (CSE-2010)
Sl. No.	Service	General	O.B.C.	S.C.	S.T.	Total
1	Indian Administrative Service	76	41	23	11	151
2	Indian Foreign Service	18	8	3	6	35
3	Indian Police Service	77	40	22	11	150
4	Indian P&T Accounts & Finance Service, Group 'A'	9	2	1	0	12
5	Indian Audit & Accounts Service, Group 'A'	10	5	3	2	20
6	Indian Customs & Central Excise Service, Group 'A'	68	36	20	10	134
7	Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group 'A'	19	10	6	3	38
8	Indian Revenue Service, Group 'A'	77	40	22	11	150
9	Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group 'A'	3	1	1	1	6
10	Indian Postal Service, Group 'A'	10	4	2	1	17
11	Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group 'A'	6	4	2	2	14
12	Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group 'A'	36	17	9	4	66
13	Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'	15	6	7	3	31
14	Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group 'A'	15	6	5	2	28
15	Posts of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force, Group 'A'	5	3	3	0	11
16	Indian Defence Estates Service, Group 'A'	12	8	3	0	23
17	Indian Information Service, (Junior Grade), Group 'A'	19	10	6	3	38
18	Indian Trade Service, Group 'A'	10	4	1	0	15
19	Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group 'B'	33	12	0	0	45
20	Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, D D & NH Civil Service, Group 'B'	7	3	2	0	12
21	Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, D D & NH Police Service, Group 'B'	10	5	3	2	20
22	Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'	1	0	0	0	1
23	Pondicherry Police Service, Group 'B'	4	1	1	0	6
24	Indian Corporate Law Service, Group 'A'	10	5	3	2	20
Total		550	271	148	74	1043

Servicewise Categorywise Vacancies (CSE-2011)
Sl. No.	Service	General	O.B.C.	S.C.	S.T.	Total
1	Indian Administrative Service	85	46	26	13	170
2	Indian Foreign Service	23	9	5	3	40
3	Indian Police Service	78	37	21	14	150
4	Indian P&T Accounts & Finance Service, Group 'A'	6	3	2	1	12
5	Indian Audit & Accounts Service, Group 'A'	13	6	4	2	25
6	Indian Customs & Central Excise Service, Group 'A'	44	24	13	7	88
7	Indian Defence Accounts Service, Group 'A'	19	10	6	3	38
8	Indian Revenue Service, Group 'A'	51	27	15	7	100
9	Indian Ordnance Factories Service, Group 'A'	5	3	1	1	10
10	Indian Postal Service, Group 'A'	7	5	3	2	17
11	Indian Civil Accounts Service, Group 'A'	7	2	1	1	11
12	Indian Railway Traffic Service, Group 'A'	33	19	12	4	68
13	Indian Railway Accounts Service, Group 'A'	16	9	3	2	30
14	Indian Railway Personnel Service, Group 'A'	14	8	5	2	29
15	Posts of Assistant Security Officer in Railway Protection Force, Group 'A'	7	1	1	1	10
16	Indian Defence Estates Service, Group 'A'	10	7	2	1	20
17	Indian Information Service, (Junior Grade), Group 'A'	28	15	8	4	55
18	Indian Trade Service, Group 'A'	1	4	2	2	9
19	Armed Forces Headquarters Civil Service, Group 'B'	31	5	17	6	59
20	Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, D D & NH Civil Service, Group 'B'	7	3	2	0	12
21	Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, D D & NH Police Service, Group 'B'	10	5	3	1	19
22	Pondicherry Civil Service, Group 'B'	2	1	1	0	4
23	Pondicherry Police Service, Group 'B'	2	1	1	0	4
24	Indian Corporate Law Service, Group 'A'	12	5	3	1	21
Total		511	255	157	78	1001