UPSC CARE Mains Practice September 30th 2026

Mains Practice Questions for the Day

Q. “Universal literacy requires not only access to education but also meaningful learning, digital inclusion and lifelong skill development.” Examine India’s progress in literacy, identify the continuing challenges and suggest suitable measures to achieve an inclusive and literate India.

Introduction:

India has made significant progress in literacy since Independence. The literacy rate increased from approximately 14% in 1947 to 81.1% in 2025, according to the Periodic Labour Force Survey. However, literacy must extend beyond basic reading and writing to include comprehension, numeracy, digital skills, financial awareness and the ability to apply knowledge in everyday life.

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India’s Progress

Improved literacy: Ten States and Union Territories declared themselves fully literate between 2024 and 2026.
Expanded school access: More than 24.72 crore students were enrolled in schools during 2025–26.
Better learning outcomes: The proportion of Class III students able to read a Class II text increased from 20.5% in 2022 to 27.1% in 2024.
Growth in higher education: Enrolment increased from 3.42 crore in 2014–15 to 4.50 crore in 2023–24.
Policy support: The RTE Act, NEP 2020, ULLAS, NIPUN Bharat, Samagra Shiksha, PM SHRI, DIKSHA and PM e-VIDYA have strengthened educational access and learning.

Continuing Challenges

Gender disparity: Rural female literacy remains at 70.3%, compared with 84.8% among rural males.
Rural–urban divide: Rural literacy stands at 77.4%, against 89% in urban areas.
Learning deficit: Enrolment and certification do not always ensure reading comprehension and numeracy.
Secondary-level attrition: Retention falls to 51.9% at the secondary stage.
Structural barriers: Poverty, child labour, early marriage, migration and inadequate infrastructure contribute to dropout.
Institutional gaps: Teacher shortages, uneven training and administrative delays affect education quality.
Digital exclusion: Unequal access to devices, electricity, connectivity and digital skills limits technology-based learning.

Way Forward

Prioritise rural women, tribal communities, migrants, persons with disabilities and low-literacy districts.
Strengthen foundational literacy and numeracy during the early years.
Improve teacher recruitment, training, motivation and classroom support.
Expand scholarships, transport facilities, hostels and counselling to improve secondary retention.
Establish affordable digital connectivity and community learning centres.
Provide flexible, livelihood-linked and local-language learning opportunities for adults.
Evaluate education through comprehension, numeracy and practical skills rather than enrolment alone.

Conclusion:

India must progress from formal literacy to functional and lifelong literacy. Effective implementation of educational programmes, supported by inclusive access, quality teaching and reliable monitoring, can build an informed, skilled and productive population. Such human-capital development is essential for achieving an inclusive and sustainable Viksit Bharat by 2047.

Q. “Cyber-fraud vulnerability in India is increasingly becoming a risk of digital connectivity rather than merely a consequence of individual carelessness.” Examine the statement and suggest measures to strengthen India’s cyber resilience.

Introduction:

India’s expanding digital ecosystem has improved access to banking, commerce and public services. However, it has also increased citizens’ exposure to cyber fraud. NCRB data show that registered cybercrime cases increased by 17.9%, from 86,420 in 2023 to 1,01,928 in 2024, even as overall registered crime declined by 6%.

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Nature of Cyber-Fraud Vulnerability

Connectivity-related exposure: More than 46% of high-internet users reported moderate or high scam exposure, compared with 19% of non-internet users.
Social engineering: Fraudsters exploit aspiration, trust, fear and urgency through investment scams, fake deliveries, bank impersonation and fraudulent police calls.
Financial targeting: Wealthier and college-educated respondents reported greater financial victimisation because of their higher digital participation, transaction frequency and perceived financial capacity.
Multidimensional vulnerability: Disadvantaged citizens are not less vulnerable; even a small financial loss may severely affect their household security.
Wider cyber harm: Among surveyed victims, 54% faced financial fraud, while others experienced device hacking, data theft, cyberbullying and online sexual harassment.
Substantial losses: More than eight in ten victims suffered financial loss, while 23% lost over ₹20,000.

Major Challenges

Chronic under-reporting and victim blaming
Rapidly changing fraud techniques
Misuse of institutional credibility
Personal-data theft and identity misuse
Limited cyber awareness and investigative capacity
Delays in freezing fraudulent transactions
Fragmented coordination among banks, platforms and enforcement agencies

Measures Required

Legal enforcement: Effectively apply the Information Technology Act, 2000, relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023.
Rapid reporting: Popularise the cyber-fraud helpline 1930 and the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
Financial safeguards: Strengthen real-time fraud detection, transaction alerts and immediate account-freezing mechanisms.
Targeted awareness: Educate frequent internet users, investors, senior citizens and disadvantaged households about social-engineering methods.
Platform accountability: Detect fraudulent advertisements, fake profiles and institutional impersonation.
Institutional capacity: Train investigators in digital evidence, financial trails, device forensics and victim assistance.

Conclusion:

Cybersecurity must combine technology, law, public awareness and institutional coordination. A victim-centred and preventive framework can protect citizens while preserving confidence in India’s growing digital economy.