Mains answer practice — GS 1 : Questions on Maratha Military Landscapes and National Education Policy (Week 111)

Indian Express

18-07-2025

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-1 to check your progress.
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The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has introduced multiple measures to bridge the gender gap in education. However, societal norms, infrastructure deficits, and implementation gaps continue to hinder its full potential. Discuss.
The recent inscription of the Maratha Military Landscapes—twelve Maratha forts spanning Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu—as a UNESCO World Heritage Site highlights India's assertion of its civilisational identity on the global stage. Discuss.
Introduction
— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.
— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.
Body
— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.
— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.
— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.
— Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer.
— Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required.
Way forward/ conclusion
— The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction.
— You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers.
Self Evaluation
— It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers.
QUESTION 1: The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 has introduced multiple measures to bridge the gender gap in education. However, societal norms, infrastructure deficits, and implementation gaps continue to hinder its full potential. Discuss.
Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.
Introduction:
— July 12 is celebrated as Malala Day, which honours the bravery of Malala Yousafzai, who has become a symbol of the fight for girls' education. Her story continues to inspire global efforts to ensure equitable and inclusive education.
— The NEP, which replaced the National Education Policy of 1986, gives a comprehensive framework for both school and higher education. The objective is to make India's education more inclusive, equitable, holistic, multidisciplinary and flexible.
Body:
— The NEP underlines India's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and encourage lifelong learning opportunities for all.
— It also seeks to rectify existing gender disparities through its measures. This is consistent with SDG 5, which seeks to promote gender equality and empower all women and girls.
— The key priority areas of NEP 2020 in terms of gender are access and equity, curriculum and infrastructure development, and gender sensitisation.
— When it comes to school education, India has achieved tremendous progress in females' enrolment since the passage of the Right to Education Act in 2009. According to the publication The Indian Economy: A Review, which was released by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in January 2024, the female gross enrolment ratio (GER) in higher education climbed from 6.7% in 2000-01 to 27.9% in 2020-21. According to the same survey, more girls than boys are currently pursuing higher education.
— However, school dropout rates remain a worry. According to the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE), in 2021-22, 12.6% of students dropped out of secondary (9-10 class), 3% from upper primary (6-8 class), and 1.5% from elementary education (1-5 class). Notably, the average dropout rate for girls in primary education is 1.4%, followed by 3.3% in upper primary and 12.3% in secondary school.
— The NEP 2020 intends to reduce dropout rates by achieving a 100% Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) in school education by 2030. As part of this endeavour, the government intends to establish a Gender Inclusion Fund (GIF), which will be accessible to states to build inclusive, safe, and sanitary facilities in schools, such as hostels and bathrooms.
Conclusion:
— The NEP acknowledges gender sensitivity as a necessary ability for all students and promotes gender equality as an inherent aspect of the curriculum. However, measures such as putting more emphasis on developing a gender-sensitive curriculum, incorporating sex education and menstrual health into school education, and raising awareness among girls, particularly in rural areas, about their legal, financial, and digital rights are critical for empowering them to be self-sufficient.
— The NEP also urges governments to take initiatives to improve gender balance in admissions to higher education institutions. To facilitate this, professional social workers, counsellors, and teachers will need to mediate between parents and HEIs, allowing women to continue their education at higher levels.
— Gender equality is viewed as a cross-cutting concern to be addressed in the NEP 2020. However, structural resistance to gender equity originates in families and society. As a result, effective implementation of the NEP on the ground would necessitate ongoing collaboration with non-governmental organisations and communities.
To read more: Malala Day 2025: How India's NEP seeks to bridge gender gap in education
Points to Ponder
Read more about NEP
Who was Malala Yousafzai?
Related Previous Year Questions
Discuss the main objectives of Population Education and point out the measures to achieve them in India in detail. (2021)
How have digital initiatives in India contributed to the functioning of the education system in the country? Elaborate your answer. (2019)
QUESTION 2: The recent inscription of the Maratha Military Landscapes—twelve Maratha forts spanning Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu—as a UNESCO World Heritage Site highlights India's assertion of its civilisational identity on the global stage. Discuss.
Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.
Introduction:
— Maratha military landscapes of India have been recently included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. UNESCO described the inscription as including 12 major fortifications, 11 of which are in Maharashtra, and one in Tamil Nadu.
— These forts were built, adapted, or expanded by the Marathas between the late 17th and early 19th centuries. The forts are strategically located on coastal and mountainous terrain which formed a complex defence system supporting Maratha military dominance, trade protection, and territorial control.
Body:
Maratha military landscapes of India
1. Raigad Fort
— Raigad fort was formerly the capital of the Maratha Empire due to its strategic location and massive size. It is located in Maharashtra's north Konkan area. The fort is surrounded by deep valleys, and access is only via a steep approach in front.
— The fort is significant in Marathi history since it was here in 1674 CE that Shivaji Maharaj was crowned and given the title of Chhatrapati. The Mughals took control of the fort in 1689 CE, followed by the Ahmadnagar Sultanate in 1707 CE, before returning to the Marathas about 1727 CE. The British eventually took over the fort in 1818 CE.
2. Pratapgad Fort
— Pratapgad Fort, built by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1656, is located in the harsh environment of the Western Ghats, 24 kilometres from Mahabaleshwar.
— The fort is well-known for its defensive architecture, which is regarded as a symbol of strategic ingenuity. The Upper Fort at Pratapgad served as an observation point, with strong, tall walls. The Lower Fort, built down the hillside, was critical to defending the fort's buildings.
3. Panhala Fort
— Panhala Fort near Kolhapur was designed to be a self-sustaining settlement. Originally built in the 12th century CE by the Shilaharas, a feudatory dynasty of the Rashtrakutas who ultimately founded their independent kingdom, the fort was occupied by the Yadavas of the Deccan, the Bahmani sultanate, the Adil Shahi kingdom of Bijapur, and finally the Marathas.
4. Shivneri Fort
— Shivneri Fort, located near Junnar in Pune district, is the birthplace of Shivaji Maharaj. The antiquity of the fort, triangular in shape and surrounded by cliffs, dates back to the 6th century CE, when it was built as a strategic military outpost.
5. Lohagad Fort
— The 'Iron Fort' near Lonavala was originally built by the Lohtamia dynasty in the 10th century CE and later passed into the possession of the Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Yadavas, Bahmanis, Nizam Shahis, Mughals, and eventually the Marathas.
— Shivaji Maharaj captured the fort in 1648, but was compelled to surrender it to the Mughals in 1665. In 1670, the Marathas recovered the fort, which was then utilised as a storage facility for the booty from the Surat expedition.
6. Salher Fort
— Salher Fort is located in Satana taluka of Nashik district, near the village of Salher. It is a significant landmark of the Sahayadri mountain range, the highest fort in Maharashtra and one of the highest in the Western Ghats, located at a height 1,567 metres (5,141 feet).
7. Sindhudurg Fort
— The fort stands on the island of Khurte in the Arabian Sea, off the Konkan coast. It was constructed in 1664-67 by Hiroji Indulkar, the chief military engineer of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, to provide a secure base for maritime operations against the Portuguese, the British, and the local Siddis.
8. Suvarnadurg Fort
— The 'Golden Fortress' is another island fortification erected by Shivaji Maharaj near Harnai port in Ratnagiri district. Suvarnadurg has a sibling stronghold on the mainland called Kanakadurga; the two constructions were once joined by a tunnel, which is no longer operational.
— Suvarnadurg, originally established by the Adil Shahi dynasty, was conquered and renovated by Shivaji in 1660. As a key base for the Maratha fleet, it served as both a fortification and a shipbuilding yard.
9. Vijaydurg Fort
— One of the oldest of the Maratha forts, the 'Fort of Victory' on the Arabian Sea coast in present-day Sindhudurg district was originally built by the Shilahar dynasty in the late 12th century. It was then known as Gheria.
10. Khanderi Fort
— Khanderi, a small island off the coast of Alibaug, was fortified by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in 1679 to secure Maratha control over the coastal waters.
11. Rajgad Fort
— The young Shivaji Maharaj took the 'King of Forts' in 1647 and used it as his capital for 26 years before establishing Raigad. This is where Shivaji Maharaj's son, Rajaram I, was born and his first wife, Saibai, died. It was also the fort where Shivaji Maharaj planned several of his military battles and kept the treasure from the Surat war of 1664.
12. Gingee Fort
— Gingee Fort, located in Tamil Nadu's Villupuram district, is regarded as one of Peninsular India's most powerful fortresses. Gingee, like many other forts, has served as a bastion for various dynasties, including the Vijayanagar Nayaks, Bijapur Sultans, Mughals, Marathas, French, and English.
(Source: From the Sahyadris to the sea: The 12 Maratha fortresses in UNESCO World Heritage List)
To read more: Knowledge Nugget: Why are the Maratha Military Landscapes relevant for the UPSC exam?
Points to Ponder
Read about other important forts in Maharashtra
Read in detail about each of the 12 forts
Related Previous Year Question
Safeguarding the Indian art heritage is the need of the moment. Discuss. (2018)
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