Pratidin

UPSC Mains GS4 previous-year questions

3 Mains GS4 questions from 2014 to 2025 that connect to recent current affairs, each linked to the news stories that help answer it. This is the part of each paper our stories cover, not the complete paper; every question was checked against a published copy.

2025

  1. 2025 · GS4 · 20 marksMains

    Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Program, MGNREGA was earlier known as National Rural Employment Scheme, NREGA. It is an Indian Social Welfare Program that aimed at fulfilling the 'Right to Work' provisions made in the Constitution. MGNREGA was launched in 2006 under Rural Employment Sector by the Ministry of Rural Development. Main objective of the program is to give legal guarantee of wage employment to the adult members of rural households who are willing to do unskilled manual labour work subject to a maximum of 100 days per year for every household. Every rural household has the right to register under the scheme, job card is issued to the registered, Job Card holder can seek employment; State Government shall pay 25% of minimum wage for the first 30 days as compensatory daily unemployment allowance to the families and of wage for remaining period of the year. MGNREGA work was undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You have been appointed as an Administrator Incharge of the District. You have been given the responsibility of monitoring MGNREGA work undertaken by various Gram Panchayats. You are also given the authority to give technical sanctions to all MGNREGA works. In one of the Panchayats in your jurisdiction, you notice that your predecessor has mismanaged the Program in terms of: (i) Money not disbursed to actual job-seekers. (ii) Muster Rolls of the Labourers not properly maintained. (iii) Mismatch between the work done and payments made. (iv) Payments made to fictitious persons. (v) Job Cards were given without looking into the need of person. (vi) Mismanagement of funds and to the extent of siphoning of funds. (vii) Approved works that never existed. (a) What is your reaction to the above situation and how do you restore the proper functioning of MGNREGA Program in this regard? (b) What actions would you initiate, to solve the various issues listed above? (c) How would you deal with the above situation?

    1 news story helps answer this

2018

  1. 2018 · GS4 · 10 marksMains

    The Right to Information Act is not all about citizens' empowerment alone, it essentially redefines the concept of accountability. Discuss.

    3 news stories help answer this

2014

  1. 2014 · GS4 · 10 marksMains

    We are witnessing increasing instances of sexual violence against women in the country. Despite existing legal provisions against it, the number of such incidences is on the rise. Suggest some innovative measures to tackle this menace.

    Cabinet extends fast-track courts for rape and POCSO cases to 2031 with ₹3,788 crore · 5 November 2026 · covers one part; use it in the body

    Use the scheme to argue that certainty and speed of trial, not only harsher laws, deter sexual violence, and to suggest victim-centred court measures.

    • 779 Fast Track Special Courts, 399 of them exclusive POCSO courts, have disposed of 4,02,457 cases since October 2019.
    • Vulnerable witness deposition centres let victims testify without facing the accused.
    • The Cabinet extended the scheme to 2031 with ₹3,788.04 crore, partly from the Nirbhaya Fund.