PSIR Paper 2 UPSC 2021 - Question Paper with Solutions 

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SECTION-A

1. Answer the following in about 150 words each:

PSIR 1a Discuss the political economy approach to the comparative analysis of politics. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 1b "Political parties and pressure groups are sine qua non of democracy." Comment. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 1c "Marxist approach to the study of international relations has lost its relevance in the post-cold war era." Comment. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 1d What measures have been undertaken by the United Nations for its reforms? UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 1e Discuss the five proposals made by India in the recent COP-26 conference held in Glasgow. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 2a "The post-colonial state was thought of an entity that stood outside and above society as an autonomous agency." Explain. UPSC 2021, 20 Marks

PSIR 2b Discuss the emergence of neo-realism and its basic tenets. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 2c What is 'complex interdependence'? Discuss the role of transnational actors in the international system. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 3a Explain the impact of electoral systems and cleavages in shaping party systems with reference to developing countries. UPSC 2021, 20 Marks

PSIR 3b What is globalisation? Why is there an intense debate about globalisation and its consequences? UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 3c Critically examine the decline of the United States of America as a hegemon and its implications for the changing international political order. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 4a The modernization thesis asserts that affluence breeds stable democracy. How do you explain the success of India being the world's largest democracy as an exceptional case? UPSC 2021, 20 Marks

PSIR 4b Explain the success of ASEAN as a regional organisation. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 4c Explain India's relations with the European Union in the context of Brexit. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

SECTION-B

5. Answer the following in about 150 words each:

PSIR 5a Discuss the strategic implications of India's 'Look East Policy' transforming into 'Act East Policy'. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 5b Explain the philosophical foundations of India's foreign policy. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 5c Explain India's position on the waiver of intellectual property rights on COVID-19 vaccines in WTO. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 5d Write about the growing significance of QUAD. UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 5e How does the recent takeover of Afghanistan by Taliban impact India's strategic interests? UPSC 2021, 10 Marks

PSIR 6a "Non-alignment was little more than a rational strategy on the part of a materially weak India to maximise its interests with a bipolar distribution of global power." Comment. UPSC 2021, 20 Marks

PSIR 6b Examine the Geo-strategic points of contention in the bilateral relationship between India and China. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 6c Write a brief analysis of the ethnic conflicts and cross-border migrations along India-Myanmar and India-Bangladesh borders. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 7a Why South Asia is considered as the world's politically and economically least integrated region? Explain. UPSC 2021, 20 Marks

PSIR 7b How do the constituent states influence the foreign policy making process in India? UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 7c Examine the evolution of India's role in the global nuclear order. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 8a 'Relations between India and Russia are rooted in history, mutual trust and mutually beneficial cooperation.' Discuss. UPSC 2021, 20 Marks

PSIR 8b Discuss the 'Sustainable Development Goals' as set by the United Nations. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks

PSIR 8c Identify the drivers of India's new interest in Africa. UPSC 2021, 15 Marks