UPSC CARE Mains Practice 9th December 2025
Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Hate speech is not merely a legal issue but a socio-cultural one. Evaluate the role of educational, social, and technological measures as complementary tools to legal frameworks in creating a resilient society against hate speech. (GS – Paper II , Government Policies & Interventions)
- Biostimulants are increasingly being viewed as a green alternative in Indian agriculture. Discuss their significance for sustainability, the challenges to their adoption, and the role of recent government regulations in ensuring their safe and effective use. (GS Paper III – Agriculture, Biotechnology, Environment)
1Q. Hate speech is not merely a legal issue but a socio-cultural one. Evaluate the role of educational, social, and technological measures as complementary tools to legal frameworks in creating a resilient society against hate speech. (GS – Paper II , Government Policies & Interventions)
Introduction:
Hate speech in India arises from social prejudices, political polarisation, and identity-based tensions. While legal frameworks—such as BNS Sections 196 and 299 or state-level laws like the Karnataka Hate Speech Bill, 2025—attempt to criminalise harmful expression, legislation alone cannot address the deeper socio-cultural roots of hatred. A comprehensive approach involving education, social reform, and technology is essential for lasting change.
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Hate speech in India arises from social prejudices, political polarisation, and identity-based tensions. While legal frameworks—such as BNS Sections 196 and 299 or state-level laws like the Karnataka Hate Speech Bill, 2025—attempt to criminalise harmful expression, legislation alone cannot address the deeper socio-cultural roots of hatred. A comprehensive approach involving education, social reform, and technology is essential for lasting change.
Educational measures
Education builds long-term cultural resilience by shaping attitudes and eliminating stereotypes.
- Digital and media literacy in schools helps individuals identify misinformation and inflammatory content.
- Value-based education promotes empathy, respect for diversity, and constitutional morality.
- Interfaith and intercultural activities in institutions foster tolerance, reducing susceptibility to divisive narratives.
Social measures
Societal institutions must counter prejudice at the community level.
- Civil society organisations can amplify marginalised voices and counter misinformation through dialogue platforms.
- Community leaders, religious institutions, and local influencers can help dismantle stereotypes and promote harmony.
- Grassroots campaigns can create social pressure against discrimination, reducing acceptance of hate speech in public discourse.
Technological measures
Technology can detect, monitor, and mitigate hate speech more efficiently.
- AI-based monitoring tools can identify harmful trends and alert authorities in real time.
- Social media platforms can be mandated to use transparent algorithms and faster takedown mechanisms.
- Anonymous reporting systems encourage victims to report hate incidents safely.
Conclusion:
Legal frameworks provide deterrence but cannot alone eliminate hate speech. Sustainable solutions require the integration of education, social mobilisation, and technology to create a culturally resilient society grounded in constitutional values of equality, dignity, and fraternity.
2Q. Biostimulants are increasingly being viewed as a green alternative in Indian agriculture. Discuss their significance for sustainability, the challenges to their adoption, and the role of recent government regulations in ensuring their safe and effective use. (GS Paper III – Agriculture, Biotechnology, Environment)
Introduction:
Indian agriculture is at a critical juncture, as decades of chemical-intensive farming have led to declining soil fertility, ecological degradation, and growing climate vulnerability. Fertiliser consumption reached 139.81 kg/ha nationally in 2023–24, with Punjab using almost twice the national average. This overdependence has pushed policymakers to search for sustainable alternatives. In this context, biostimulants — eco-friendly substances or microorganisms that enhance plant physiological processes independent of nutrient content — have emerged as a promising solution for climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture.
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1. Significance of Biostimulants for Sustainable Agriculture
Biostimulants contribute to sustainability through multiple pathways:
a) Enhancing nutrient efficiency
They improve nutrient absorption and mobilisation, reducing the need for chemical fertilisers.
b) Strengthening soil health
Biostimulants support soil carbon sequestration, improve structure, and promote beneficial microbial activity.
c) Climate resilience
They help crops tolerate drought, salinity, heat stress, and temperature fluctuations, which are increasing under climate change.
d) Supporting biodiversity and ecological balance
By improving soil microbial diversity, they restore degraded ecosystems.
e) Enabling circular bioeconomy
Many biostimulants are derived from agricultural waste, seaweed extracts, and plant residues, converting waste into value-added inputs.
f) Global market growth potential
India’s biostimulant market is projected to grow from USD 410 million in 2025 to over USD 1.1 billion by 2032, reflecting strong economic opportunity.
2. Challenges in the Adoption of Biostimulants
Despite their benefits, biostimulants face systemic challenges:
a) Limited farmer awareness
Lack of field demonstrations and weak extension services reduces trust and adoption.
b) Scientific uncertainties
Variable performance across soils and agro-climatic zones, and limited understanding of plant–biostimulant interactions.
c) Past presence of unregulated products
Nearly 30,000 untested products once flooded the market, eroding farmer confidence.
d) Complaints of forced tagging and inefficacy
Reports indicate some retailers forced farmers to buy biostimulants along with subsidised fertilisers, causing backlash and misuse.
3. Government Regulations and Policy Measures
The government has taken major steps to regulate biostimulants and ensure their quality:
a) Inclusion under the Fertiliser Control Order (FCO), 1985
In 2021, biostimulants were formally included with a dedicated Schedule VI, defining eight categories such as botanical extracts, humic acids, vitamins, antioxidants, and microbial formulations.
b) Rigorous approval requirements
Manufacturers must submit:
- Chemistry and source data
- Shelf-life details
- Multi-location bio-efficacy trials
- Heavy metal analysis
- Toxicity tests (oral, dermal, inhalation, skin, and eye irritation)
- Eco-toxicity tests on birds, fish, bees, and earthworms
c) Pesticide-free certification
Biostimulants must not contain pesticides beyond 0.01 ppm.
d) Establishment of the Central Biostimulant Committee (2021–26)
This committee advises on approvals, standards, sampling methods, laboratory requirements, and testing protocols.
e) Stricter enforcement of registrations
Provisional registrations expired on June 16, 2025; only products with proper scientific validation can now be sold.
This reduced unverified products from 30,000+ to around 650, significantly improving market credibility.
f) Crop-specific biostimulant specifications
Notified in May 2025 for tomato, chilli, paddy, onion, soybean, maize, grape, and others.
Conclusion:
Biostimulants represent a transformative opportunity for India to move towards low-chemical, climate-resilient, and environmentally sustainable agriculture. They can reduce input dependency, revitalise soils, and support a green economy. However, their success depends on robust scientific validation, strong regulatory oversight, farmer education, and industry accountability. If supported through research, extension, and quality control, biostimulants can become a central pillar of India’s transition towards sustainable and self-reliant agriculture.
