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16
Sep
geographical factors towards the development of Ancient India

1. Explain the role of geographical factors towards the development of Ancient India? (150 Words) 10 Marks

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1. Explain the role of geographical factors towards the development of Ancient India? (150 Words) 10 Marks

UPSC Coaching

The physical characteristics of a nation heavily influence both its history and the way of life of its citizens. History is considered to have two eyes, one of which is chronology and the other of which is geography.

The physical characteristics of a nation heavily influence both its history and the way of life of its citizens. History is considered to have two eyes, one of which is chronology and the other of which is geography

Geographical Features that shaped our Ancient Indian History

The Mountains (Himalayas) on the North and the Northwest acted as a protective shield from the northern invaders, at the same time ensuring cultural and political stability. It also acted as a route for flourishing trade in spices and other consumables. The mountains also gave way to the explorers to come and go, thereby allowing them to mention about India in their memoirs.

While the rivers (Indus during the Pre-Ancient and Ganges from Ancient to till date) provided the source of agriculture, it also led to settlements and flourishing trade. The settlements along the Indus Valley Civilization/Ganges contributed immensely in the development of civilization along its course, which is till date known to be the oldest civilization.

The Coastal Rivers also contributed immensely towards the history of India. The ports on these lands allowed for cross cultural migrations which is visible even today in the form of Goa, Pondicherry and other island UTs along the west coast.  To name, the ancient port of Lothal/Surat/Mujiris/Machlipatnam was an important trade point to connect with the West and the East.

The deserts also paved for history to be written in golden letters. The land created a buffer zone with the world and with the rest of India, leading to development of unique cultural landscape giving growth to the Rajputana Culture that gave birth to the warrior clans.

The maximum contribution in the form of growth was provided by the Plains (especially the gangetic plains in the ancient times).

All the above mentioned geographical features contributed to the growth of Ancient India, though in varying degrees.

Best UPSC 2023 ESSAY PAPER
15
Sep
ESSAY ANSWERS - UPSC 2023 ESSAY PAPER

STRUCTUING OF ESSAYS – UPSC 2023 ESSAY PAPER

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ESSAY ANSWERS – UPSC 2023 ESSAY PAPER

Best UPSC 2023 ESSAY PAPER

UPSC 2023 ESSAY PAPER

SECTION – A

  • THINKING IS LIKE A GAME, IT DOES’T BEGIN UNLESS THERE IS AN OPPOSITE TEAM.
  • VISIONARY DECISION-MAKING HAPPENS AT THE INTERSECTION OF INTUITION AND LOGIC
  • NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST
  • INSPIRATION FOR CREATIVITY SPRINGS FROM THE EFFORT TO LOOK FOR MAGICAL IN THE MUNDANE

SECTION – B

  • GIRLS ARE WEIGHED DOWN BY RESTRICTIONS, BOYS WITH DEMANDS- TWO EQUALLY HARMFUL DISCIPLINES
  • MATHEMATICS IS THE MUSIC OF REASON
  • A SOCIETY THAT HAS MORE JUSTICE IS A SOCIETY THAT NEEDS LESS CHARITY
  • EDUCATION IS WHAT REMAINS AFTER ONE HAS FORGOTTEN WHAT ONE HAS LEARNT IN SCHOOL

SECTION – A

THINKING IS LIKE A GAME; IT DOESN’T BEGIN UNLESS THERE IS AN OPPOSITE TEAM

HOOK: QUOTE

“Our best capacity is realized only with a strong opponent”

Mohd Ali

BACKGROUND

  • We can write the story of how the Vietnamese safeguarded their country from American Assaults in the war.
  • The story of our freedom struggle can be a background (history)
  • Any current affairs dimension – solar as a solution to energy security
  • An opinion – to not align with any block and stay independent
  • An idea – Need or a desire to free ourselves from the colonial rule
  • A realization that I am not born to be a slave, but to be master of my own destiny.

THESIS STATEMENT

  1. We don’t value our adversaries in life. We look at them as obstacles, not realizing that they are the reason for our growth and rise from shadow.
  2. Everything that a man has discovered is a result of thinking in the presence of an opponent.

DIMENSIONS

  • Importance of having an opponent in one’s life
  • Valuing the capabilities of the opponent
  • Ability to understand the strength of the opponent and countering strategy
  • When does thinking start – willingness to do or not to do? We need to make a choice.
  • Thinking starts with a belief that I can do it
  • Thinking helps us to define our plan, strategize and execute
  • Opposite team – could be a person, a challenge, a situation or even the capacity to find a reason for an action

CONCLUSION

  • Give points related to us that we thought and we did
  • Give points related to what we are thinking and are going to do

VISIONARY DECISION-MAKING HAPPENS AT THE INTERSECTION OF INTUITION AND LOGIC

HOOK:

“An effort to bring a major change in the absence of intuition and logic is like going on a road trip without a map”

BACKGROUND

  • Give the dimension of the success of Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan ‘
  • Give the idea of a visionary decision to land on the moon
  • We can Talk about our vision to rise as a voice of the south

THESIS STATEMENT

  • “Our ability to understand something instinctively, without the need for conscious reasoning, if supported by logic, can bring miracles”
  • “Many times in our life, if logic fails, intuition helps, but if both intersect at a common point then there is no looking back”
  • Every big success, if seen closely, is an intersection of intuition and logic

DIMENSIONS

  • Intuition and logic are parts of decision-making. All it entails is processing information and making judgements.
  • Intuition can help us to make quick decisions. Logic helps us to be objective.
  • How to develop intuition?
  • How to develop logic?
  • the art of balancing the both
  • It is okay if they are complementary – but what if they are conflicting?
  • recognition primed decision (rpd)
  • making others accept your intuition and logic

NOT ALL WHO WANDER ARE LOST

HOOK:

            “Half of the discoveries in the world are a work of wanderers-From America to India”

BACKGROUND

  • Story of the discovery of America and India. Some other scientific inventions can also be taken.

THESIS STATEMENT

  • All that is gold does not glitter.
  • Not all those who wander are lost;
  • The old that is strong does not wither,
  • Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

DIMENSIONS

  • Wandering need not be physical only, it can be mental and spiritual as well
  • Wandering can also mean the courage to take a path least preferred
  • Readiness to face opposition
  • The ability to accept new things, some known and some unknown
  • Holding an opposing viewpoint need not always mean being wrong
  • We can communicate to ourselves the best while wandering
  • The ability to connect with nature is best while wandering
  • Wandering may seem directionless, but it may lead to beautiful destinations
  • Wandering can also help us to disconnect from the thoughts influencing our actions
  • Wandering can also give peace of mind

SECTION – B

GIRLS ARE WEIGHED DOWN BY RESTRICTIONS, BOYS WITH DEMANDS- TWO EQUALLY HARMFUL DISCIPLINES

HOOK:

            “We kill a girl with restrictions and boys with expectations”

“The day a girl can walk without fear at midnight – India will celebrate its real independence” Gandhi

BACKGROUND

  • Different fields of restrictions and expectations
  • The iron curtains of gender biases (Field of Science/Defense)
  • A must be required?

THESIS STATEMENT

  • The fixation on the roles of a girl and a boy based on the historical construct is itself flawed and reduces society to a time clock.

DIMENSIONS

  • We are chained by our own inabilities rather than strengths
  • The boundaries of restrictions and expectations
  • The scope of these restrictions and expectations
  • The burden of history and culture
  • Even in the absence, the burden of judgement
  • The courage to face the restrictions and rise above the expectations
  • The cost of restrictions and expectations (individual/societal)
  • The audacity to not pass the same to the next generation
  • The limitations created by these expectations
  • Are these restrictions rightful?
  • The moral compass of the restrictions and the societal role in its determination
  • Is the society taken as an excuse-or it is the society to be blamed

A SOCIETY THAT HAS MORE JUSTICE IS A SOCIETY THAT NEEDS LESS CHARITY

HOOK:

            “The progress of a society can be measured more from justice than Charity”

BACKGROUND

  • Justice to the voiceless. Women Reservation Bill
  • Rights of the Minorities
  • Traditional Forest Dwellers
  • The rightful place for animals in the society
  • The right of the environment

THESIS STATEMENT

  • The idea of justice is a pre-cursor to the idea of charity
  • The requirement of charity is a reflection of injustice
  • Charity is a duty and not a favour, as society has failed to earn justice to the needy.

DIMENSIONS

  • The responsibility to ensure justice
  • Having the strength to say it is not charity but an effort to undo injustice
  • Justice as a matter of right
  • The societal idea of justice.
  • Interlinking of justice and charity – the presence of one, negates the need of other.
  • The role of historical events in coming to a common ground on what is justice
  • The willingness at least to give charity
  • Individual/familial/societal/national/international/humanitarian
  • Education/Job perspective
  • The right to choose a path of life – be it education/relationship/job etc.
  • Ethical quotient of justice

EDUCATION IS WHAT REMAINS AFTER ONE HAS FORGOTTEN WHAT ONE HAS LEARNED IN SCHOOL

HOOK:

            “Truthful/Rightful Education creates an eternal bond with the subject and the society”

BACKGROUND

  • Historical construct
  • The idea of duty

THESIS STATEMENT

  • Education, in essence, is a bridge between individual and society
  • Education empowers you to use it as a tool to interact with the society
  • It helps to improve your outlook towards society and peer group from a neutral perspective

DIMENSIONS

  • The idea of the difference between education and literacy
  • The eternity of the education
  • Ability to handle critical situations
  • Looking at it as a source for improvement rather than accomplishment
  • The acceptance of a change and its continuation even after coming out of the control button
  • The need to unlearn to learn
  • Not an End In Itself, But A Means To It

MATHEMATICS IS THE MUSIC OF REASON

HOOK:

“There is no study in the world which brings into more harmonious action all the faculties of the mind than [mathematics],”

James Joseph Sylvester

BACKGROUND

  • Importance of Mathematics in society
  • Any action not supported by mathematics – creates ripples that remain forever

THESIS STATEMENT

  • The object of pure mathematics is that of unfolding the laws of human intelligence.

DIMENSIONS

  • Be it economic, social or political – if the reasons is not based on mathematics, it is bound to fail. Give examples
  • Mathematics – supersedes all opinion
  • The chances of failure are minimal if decisions are taken based on reasoning supported by mathematics rather than just based on intuition
  • Reasoning and intuition – the magical pairing
  • Mathematics can help us prepare for any eventuality
  • One must be mindful not to be driven purely by math – but with a combination of math and logic
  • The societal norms at times precede reasoning based on math
  • The importance of timing with math – math is a failure if not timed well
  • The burden of mathematics is also fatal
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15
Sep
GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA

GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA: THE ETERNAL BOND- A GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST

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GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA: THE ETERNAL BOND- A GLIMPSE FROM THE PAST

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GURU SHISHYA PARAMPARA Probably, after the parental bonding, a child’s first friend in the Universe is his/her teacher. It is this teacher, under whose shadow, the child finds shelter.

Though this journey starts with the aim of learning from the book, apparently, this learning extends beyond the boundaries of the book. If watched closely, the most influential teachers have always influenced their pupils with their connections that go beyond the book.

We ponder, how, we as pupils, get attracted to the teacher, knowingly or unknowingly. It showcases our quest for knowledge, the desire to understand the functioning of this world, and the ability to connect and if possible contribute towards it.

All this happens at the subconscious level, without a need for our authentication or stamping. The Guru-Shishya relationship has evolved from our Upanishad times. If we etymologically deconstruct the word Upanishad, we get to the root of this relationship.

Upa – means (near), ni – means (down), sad – means (to sit). It so means, “sitting down near” a spiritual teacher to receive instruction. Here, the dimension of spirituality came because, in ancient times, the teacher not only taught regular subjects but also gave spiritual and religious instructions, character development and knowledge of martial arts.

In the contemporary world, this dimension of interconnectedness between the teacher and the disciple is missing. This could be a result of our Secular fabric. The absence of this interconnectedness has in many ways led to interpretational flaws in spiritual and religious preaching.

The erstwhile Gurukul system was largely successful in addressing this issue. In this system, the teacher and the pupil used to co-habit in the same premises. As a result of this, the teacher had complete control over the personality development of the disciple beyond the classroom walls.

We have seen how this system was successful in making the best archers, best warriors, best horsemen, best teachers, best followers, persons with high moral ground and also the best disciples.

The present education system is just designed to make literates, who are fit to work in a 9-5 work environment without any connectedness with the institute they work. This is a direct result of the gap in their personality development.

The bigger question is who is to be blamed for this. Is it the institution or the parents of the child? Probably, it is the society that needs a larger correction.

The quest for finding a job at the end of graduation drives the parents thought process. Even the society evaluates the success of a student based on his/her first salary. The components like ethical values, adherence to the value system, display of courage, and helping nature, the requirement of all these traits in a person evaporate in thin air.

It is high time, that children during their adolescent age must be exposed to this co-habitation that will help in moulding their personality that can bring necessary correction as needed.

Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Para Brahma, Tasmai Shree Guruve Namaha.

Guru is Brahma, who is the Lord of Creation, also called as Generator, Guru Vishnu means Guru is Vishnu (Vishnu is the Lord who is called organizer), Guru Devo Maheshwarah means Guru is the Maheshwara (Shiva or the destroyer), Guru Sakshat Parabrahma means Parbrahma viz. the supreme god or almighty.

Since Guru leads to a path of light, Guru is that Para Brahma. Tasmai Shree Guruve Namah means we bow to that Guru the guru referred to earlier.

More than anything else, the Shishya carries the burden of upholding the value systems even after the completion of his/her education. This creates an atmosphere of control over the disciple even after the completion of education. This creates an eternal bonding, that keeps the disciple united with the guru forever.

Even in testing times in life in future, the Sishya can always fall back to the guru to find solutions to the problems he/she is facing.

Hence, an eternal bond is created in this cosmic world. 

“As the saying goes“It is easier to make strong children than to repair broken men”

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13
Sep
TIME DISCIPLINE-THE SAVIOUR IN UPSC PREPARATION

TIME DISCIPLINE-THE SAVIOUR INUPSC PREPARATION

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TIME DISCIPLINE-THE SAVIOUR IN UPSC PREPARATION

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UPSC PREPARATION : There is an old English proverb – ‘Time flies’. It connotes, time passes very quickly in times of fun and frolic. It very aptly applies to the students aspiring for   UPSC PREPARATION . At the beginning of the preparation, a student takes 3-4 months’ time to adjust to the momentum of UPSC. If this time is not managed well, it will have cascading effect on the remaining period of preparation.

One of the most important factor in managing the time well, is valuing it. Most of us get carried away in the present and forget that time comes in a limited period offer. This time must be harnessed, to convert it into a weapon, that can even win battles for us.

Having an End Date in UPSC

For a UPSC aspirant, passing the exam, is no less than winning a battle. At the beginning of the preparation, one must decide on an end date. What is this end date, you may ask? This end date is the last attempt that you plan to give. Deciding on the end date, initially, will create a positive stress to value time and strategize your preparation.

The timing of foundation classes, timely completion of Optional, Daily Revision, comprehensively covering the daily current affairs, timely Kick-starting Mains Answer Writing, all these will automatically fall in place.

If at all there is one golden rule to pass UPSC, it has to be, “TIME IT WELL-TO END IT WELL”.

A Template on how to manage time while doing Foundation Classes

For most of the candidates, the journey of UPSC preparation begins with attending foundation classes. The duration of foundation varies from institute to institute. Generally, one can count 9-11 months as the duration of foundation classes.

While a student attends his/her foundation classes, the management of the time becomes extremely important. As a benchmark index, 4-6 hrs is the per day class a student attends. Once this is over, the planning of the left-over time assumes significance.

In a day of 24 hours, 10 hours of sleep and refreshing is straightaway deducted. This leaves a student with 14 hrs of time. Out of this, 6 hrs goes for the classes. This will leave a student with 8 hrs of time to plan, prepare and execute the preparation strategy.

One should deduct 2 hrs from this to cater for the travel time to-and-fro for the classes and breakfast, lunch and dinner breaks. This eventually leaves 6 hrs of time with the student.

Importance of Revision in UPSC

Topmost priority should be given to revision of the daily class notes. This is the most important element of a student’s preparation journey. The day-to-day revision of the class notes will help the students to establish connect with the ongoing class lectures.

It will also help them to improve upon certain facts and topics not covered in the class for paucity of time. Questions if any, from these extra bits can be clarified with the teacher the next day.

You can also use this to impress upon the teacher with extra knowledge that you boast in the classroom. This task may eat up close to 2 hrs every day. This leaves you with 4 more hours.

The Right Approach to NCERTs

If you are a complete fresher, then you must dedicate 2 hours every day for reading NCERTs from class 6. This exercise may take 3-4 months depending upon your reading speed and making notes. This will give a strong foundation for your basics and will immensely help you in mains answer writing in future.

Newspaper Reading

The last leg of 2 hours can be used to read through the newspaper. A word of caution – if you are completely new to UPSC, then don’t read current affairs from the newspaper directly. Instead, rely upon the current affairs study material provided by the institute.

The time duration while the foundation classes are going on is very crucial. Students generally don’t realize the importance of this time. They tend to get casual in their approach, thinking that, once the foundation is over, they can do things on their own. In reality, when the foundation classes ending gets closer, students start feeling the heat.

Time Management after the Foundation

Once the foundation is over, a student has more time to plan things well. In real sense, the preparation starts, only after the completion of Foundation Classes.

This is the time to consolidate your learning, sit back and make a graph of your strengths and weakness. It could be about a subject or even a level of exam.

Before starting the preparation after the foundation, one must make a deliberate attempt to peep through the past year question papers and try to understand the level of questions being asked, both in prelims and mains.

This knowledge will help a student to come on common grounds with UPSC. This will reduce the shock effect on the day of examination.

Use this period to go through the Standard Textbooks, enrich the class notes and get into the habit of writing answers every single day.

Taking Help of a Mentor

Taking help of a mentor can also reduce the time to prepare. A mentor can articulate your strengths and weakness to your advantage. He can contribute immensely to time management, revision structuring and progress evaluation. All this reduces the time to clear the exam.

Blog Writing

Blog writing on issues happening around, can be used as a strategy to enhance your thinking capacity and answer writing skills. This will help to develop a perspective of your own, that can be dovetailed to the needs of UPSC.

Topics of mains like Society, Social Justice, Governance will get a face lift in answer writing with the habit of blog writing.

“The bad news is time flies- the good news is you are the Pilot”

Jai Hind Credits Major SPS Oberoi Academic Adviser Ekam IAS Academy, Hyderabad

IAS for Best coaching in india
13
Sep
5 GOLDEN RULES WHILE CHOOSING AN OPTIONAL

5 GOLDEN RULES WHILE CHOOSING AN OPTIONAL

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5 GOLDEN RULES WHILE CHOOSING AN OPTIONAL

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GOLDEN RULES WHILE CHOOSING AN OPTIONAL : In the entire journey of UPSC preparation, the only choice a student gets to make is the choice of his/her optional. While some choose it wisely, many fall prey either to the market forces or wrong advice.

Why is there an optional in UPSC ?

Is there any yardstick to choose an optional?

Yes. There are yardsticks in choosing an Optional. Every student who is serious in his/her preparation can use the under mentioned yardsticks in wisely choosing an Optional that is best suited for him/her.

  1. The Past Performance of that Optional: The best yardstick while choosing an Optional is its past performance. Do see the UPSC annual report to learn how many students passed the mains examinations with a particular Optional. Every Optional goes through a peak period, where students opting for a particular Optional have a fair chance over the others. Don’t miss this opportunity.
  2. The Availability of Good Faculty: The second most important yardstick is the availability of a good faculty. Good faculty in Optional is a little different from GS. While in GS, a good faculty denotes one who can convey the message written in the book, when it comes to Optional, a good faculty should assist the student in going beyond the book and connecting the student with the perspective of the author/philosopher. Here, a deep understanding of the subject is a prerequisite to qualify as a faculty member.
  3. The Availability of Good Study Material: While the availability of a good faculty member is essential, the availability of good study material augments the faculty teaching. Good study material will immensely help a student in revising, structuring and streamlining his/her preparation as per the needs of UPSC.
  4. Choice of Your own Graduation/Post-Graduation subject. While it is prudent to choose an Optional of your academic understanding, in UPSC this rule may not always apply. The standard of questions asked in the UPSC especially in the technical subjects is of very high standard. Ironically, no good faculty or study material is available in the market. As a result, it is wise to choose an optional easy to learn with all the support elements available, be it faculty or study material.
  5. Interest: Last but not the least. The interest of a student in a particular subject is also an important factor of consideration. But one statutory warning. Don’t choose a difficult subject purely based on your interest. If all the above factors are present, then the interest can be a factor for decision making in choosing an Optional.

There are 3 iron curtains in UPSC. These include, Optional, Essay and Ethics. It is strongly recommended not to commit any mistake in any of these, especially Optional.

If you are struggling with your Optional, do get in touch with us. Our mentors will guide you in your selection process.

Jai Hind Credits Major SPS Oberoi Academic Advisor & Faculty Ekam IAS Academy, Hyderabad

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11
Sep
APPLE PARADISE TURNS TOXIC

APPLE PARADISE TURNS TOXIC: HIMACHAL GOES THE CANNABIS WAY

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APPLE PARADISE TURNS TOXIC: HIMACHAL GOES THE CANNABIS WAY While the world was busy celebrating India’s spectacular closing ceremony of the G 20 Presidentship, one state silently slipped into darkness. In Himachal Pradesh a committee comprising lawmakers that explored the possibility of legal cultivation of cannabis, recently recommended cultivation of cannabis for “non-narcotic use of cannabis for medicinal, industrial, and scientific use”.

The bigger fear is looming large. Will the state be  able to control its growth as per the permissions granted. Will it be efficient enough to not allow any slippage of the banned drug into the market.

What is the government stand on this decision?

Ironically, the government took the stand of supporting farmers. It said, allowing cannabis cultivation would also reaffirm the government’s commitment  to safeguarding the interests of the farmers, who have been long demanding to lift the ban on cultivation.

Those in favour of its cultivation point out that hemp has multiple uses ranging from phytoremediation, fibre-cloth manufacturing, medicinal use, and use in the pulp and paper industry.

Himachal has been an Apple paradise. The efforts should have been  directed towards cultivating export quality apples and giving all possible policy, financial and operational support to augment the income of the farmers.

A State to Worry for

We already have a State (Punjab) that has fallen to the evil designs of our neighbour in inculcating a culture of drug among the youth. The Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSC) of the early 1980s in the state of Punjab, forced many youths into the vicious network of drug and drug abuse. With great difficulty the nation could get back these Bravehearts on track. If you happen to travel to Punjab, one can spot drug rehab centres as a spanning business.

The Bollywood and the fan base of many pop stars the state has produced got their hands dirty in glorifying the drug culture. With Himachal close to Punjab, will it end up being another supplier of the banned drug. Many questions rise in the horizon.

With the Himachal Pradesh government taking steps to legalise cannabis (hemp) cultivation in the State, growers are upbeat and optimistic about getting an economic boost. Hemp is a botanical class of Cannabis sativa cultivars grown specifically for industrial or medicinal use.

Himachal and its history of Cannabis

It is produced in parts of Himachal Pradesh, though it is illegal under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985.

The NDPS Act of 1985, imposes a ban on extracting the resin and flowers from the plant, but the law determines the method and extent of its cultivation for medicinal and scientific purposes.

Section 10 (a) (iii) of the Act empowers the States to make rules regarding the cultivation of any cannabis  plant,  production,  possession,  transport,  consumption, use and purchase and sale, and consumption of cannabis (except charas).

The States are empowered to permit, by general or special order, the cultivation of hemp only for obtaining fibre or seeds or for horticultural purposes.

Which is the First State to legalise cannabis cultivation ?

Uttarakhand was the first state to allow commercial cultivation of hemp in 2018, followed by Uttar Pradesh, India’s most populous state. A few other states are allowing cannabis for industrial and medical purposes. As per an estimated about half of India’s 28 states are at some stage of considering legalization of cannabis cultivation.

What is prompting this trend ?

In countries around the world, cannabis is rapidly becoming a booming business: After long, futile attempts at prohibition, governments are finally realizing its medical and economic potential.

Countries where it is legal ?

Countries like Canada and South Africa have legalized cannabis for many uses, including recreational. Others, like most nations in Latin America, and parts of Australia have decriminalized it—cannabis isn’t legal, but the use and limited possession of it aren’t persecuted.

In the US, some states have legalized cannabis for recreational use, and others have decriminalized it.

Now Indian entrepreneurs, sensing boundless  opportunities,  are  pushing  for similar reforms and working with individual states to update old laws.

Using the US as a template, states have allowed for production of cannabis with a maximum of 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) (the  main  psychoactive compound in cannabis) content. This is controlled  cultivation  for  medicinal, scientific and industrial purpose.

Is Cannabis growing wildly in India ?

Yes. However, most of the cannabis growing wildly  in  India contains  higher  levels, and so far research, including several projects in partnership with the government, has focused on developing a hybrid that would be able to produce lower levels of THC irrespective of the environmental conditions it is being grown in.

Does it really have that medicinal value ?

The medicinal powers of cannabis, too, have been known to India for millennia. Its calming properties, for instance, are described in detail in the Vedas, and used in traditional medicine, or ayurveda.

The Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy) allows licensed practitioners as well as medical doctors to prescribe cannabis extract. However, the fruit and flower of cannabis (ganja) remain illegal.

However, it must be administered in compounds including other elements, as cannabis by itself is classified as a toxic, though medically important, substance.

Conclusion

There are social concerns, especially of adolescents and youth being drawn towards the use and abuse of cannabis, the nexus between illegal producers and suppliers of cannabis getting stronger, the risk of pilferage, and the occurrence of amotivational syndrome.

The youth are already undergoing tremendous stress in matters related to education, job, health, managing relations etc. The easy availability of this drug shouldn’t open another pandoras box that cannot be shut without paying a heavy price for it.

We have seen how a country like Tibet, USSR paid a heavy price with institutionalised drug abuse targeting the youth for vested interests.

Jai Hind Credits

Major SPS Oberoi Academic Advisor

Ekam IAS Academy, Hyderabad