The Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) Combined Competitive (Main) Examination 2023 – Paper-6 (General Studies-V) consists of nineteen compulsory questions printed in both English and Assamese. Questions 1 to 13 require answers in 150 words each, while questions 14 to 19 require 250-word responses.
This paper evaluates analytical understanding, critical reasoning, and knowledge of Assam’s socio-economic, cultural, and administrative context. On Assamino.com, you can explore the complete question paper with structured answers and explanations to enhance your APSC preparation.
GENERAL STUDIES V (Paper-6)
Full Marks: 250 Time: 3 hours
QUESTION PAPER SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting the questions.
There are TWENTY questions printed in ENGLISH and ASSAMESE. All questions are compulsory.
The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it.
Answers to Question Nos. 1 to 10 should be in 150 words each, whereas answers to Question Nos. 11 to 20 should be in 250 words each.
1. "The Gaon Pradhan are the eyes and ears of the district administration of Assam." Put forward any four arguments in support of this statement. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Four Arguments Supporting the Statement:
First, Grassroots Intelligence: Gaon Pradhans possess intimate knowledge of village dynamics, emerging issues, and community sentiments. They provide real-time information about local problems, conflicts, and development needs to district administration, enabling timely interventions.
Second, Implementation Monitoring: They serve as frontline monitors of government schemes, reporting ground-level implementation challenges, beneficiary identification issues, and fund utilization irregularities. This feedback loop helps administration ensure effective programme delivery.
Third, Communication Bridge: Gaon Pradhans translate government policies into local languages and contexts, making them comprehensible to villagers. Conversely, they communicate community grievances and aspirations upward, facilitating two-way communication between administration and citizens.
Fourth, Early Warning System: They alert administration about potential law and order situations, natural disasters, epidemics, and social tensions before escalation. During floods, erosion, or communal issues, their timely information enables preventive action.
Their strategic position at village level, combined with legitimacy derived from community leadership, makes Gaon Pradhans indispensable intelligence sources and implementation partners for district administration in Assam's diverse, geographically challenging terrain.
2. What is the 'Vistarita Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana' aimed at? Discuss the benefits available to Self Help Groups (SHGs) of Assam under this scheme. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Aim of the Scheme:
Vistarita Kanaklata Mahila Sabalikaran Yojana aims at comprehensive women empowerment through economic independence, skill development, and entrepreneurship promotion. It focuses on strengthening Self Help Groups (SHGs) as vehicles for women's socio-economic transformation in Assam.
Benefits Available to SHGs:
Financial Assistance: Interest-free loans or subsidized credit for income-generating activities, reducing dependence on exploitative moneylenders.
Capacity Building: Training in entrepreneurship, financial literacy, skill development, and business management enhancing SHG members' capabilities.
Market Linkages: Facilitation of market connections for products, participation in government procurement, and exhibition opportunities increasing income potential.
Institutional Support: Convergence with banking sector for credit access, handholding by government agencies, and mentorship programmes.
Asset Creation: Support for infrastructure like common facility centers, equipment, and raw material procurement.
Social Security: Integration with insurance schemes, health programs, and pension benefits.
The scheme recognizes women's collective strength, promoting sustainable livelihoods while building confidence, leadership, and social capital, thereby transforming rural women into economically independent entrepreneurs contributing to Assam's development.
3. Describe the course of the Brahmaputra river from its source to mouth. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Source to Mouth Journey:
Origin: The Brahmaputra originates as Tsangpo from the Chemayungdung glacier in the Kailash range of Tibet at approximately 5,150 meters elevation.
Tibet Course: Flows eastward for about 1,100 km across southern Tibet plateau as Yarlung Tsangpo, receiving numerous tributaries, creating deep gorges.
Entry into India: Takes a dramatic southward turn around Namcha Barwa peak (one of world's deepest gorges), entering Arunachal Pradesh as Siang or Dihang.
Arunachal Pradesh: Descends rapidly through mountainous terrain, joined by Dibang and Lohit rivers near Sadiya, collectively becoming Brahmaputra.
Assam Course: Flows westward through Assam valley for approximately 640 km, creating extensive floodplains and river islands (including Majuli). Receives major tributaries—Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, Sankosh from north; Dhansiri, Kopili, Kulsi from south.
Bangladesh Entry: Enters Bangladesh as Jamuna, merges with Ganga (Padma) and Meghna, forming world's largest delta—Sundarbans.
Bay of Bengal: Finally empties into Bay of Bengal after traversing approximately 2,900 km, making it one of world's major river systems.
4. Suggest steps for qualitative improvement in agriculture in Assam through cropping diversification. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Steps for Qualitative Improvement through Cropping Diversification:
Crop Selection Based on Agro-climatic Zones: Identify and promote high-value crops suited to specific regions—horticultural crops in hills, spices in suitable plains, aromatic plants in appropriate zones, reducing rice monoculture dependence.
Market-Driven Diversification: Promote crops with assured market demand—vegetables, fruits (pineapple, orange, banana), medicinal plants, floriculture—ensuring remunerative returns through market linkage development.
Technology Dissemination: Provide training on improved cultivation techniques, pest management, post-harvest handling, and value addition through Krishi Vigyan Kendras and extension services.
Infrastructure Development: Establish cold storage chains, processing units, and collection centers reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing value.
Financial Support: Ensure credit availability, crop insurance, and input subsidies for diversified crops, reducing financial risks.
Research and Development: Develop climate-resilient, high-yielding varieties suited to Assam's conditions through agricultural universities and research stations.
Water Management: Improve irrigation infrastructure enabling dry-season cultivation beyond traditional paddy.
Organic Farming Promotion: Leverage Assam's natural advantage for organic produce commanding premium prices.
Diversification reduces climate vulnerability, improves soil health, enhances farmer income, and ensures nutritional security.
5. In your opinion, what should be the primary considerations while formulating an economic welfare scheme for the rural population in Assam? (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Primary Considerations for Rural Economic Welfare Schemes:
Livelihood Diversity: Recognize Assam's varied rural economy—agriculture, tea gardens, fisheries, animal husbandry, handlooms, handicrafts—designing schemes addressing specific sectoral needs rather than uniform approach.
Geographical Challenges: Account for flood-prone plains, erosion-affected areas, hill districts, and char (riverine islands) requiring differentiated interventions with climate resilience focus.
Ethnic and Cultural Sensitivity: Respect diverse tribal and community practices, ensuring schemes align with traditional livelihoods while introducing sustainable improvements.
Women and Youth Focus: Prioritize gender-sensitive interventions empowering women through SHGs, and youth-centric skill development preventing migration.
Implementation Simplicity: Design with minimal bureaucracy, local language communication, and accessible delivery mechanisms considering literacy levels and administrative capacity.
Participatory Planning: Involve Gaon Panchayats and beneficiaries in design and implementation ensuring ownership and relevance.
Convergence: Integrate with existing schemes avoiding duplication, maximizing resource utilization.
Sustainability: Ensure long-term viability beyond subsidy dependence through capacity building, market linkages, and institutional support.
Monitoring Mechanisms: Establish transparent, technology-enabled tracking systems with social audit provisions ensuring accountability and course correction.
6. How does the granting of a Geographical Indication (GI) Tag to Majuli Masks and Majuli Manuscripts impact the cultural preservation and artisan empowerment within the region? (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Impact on Cultural Preservation:
Heritage Recognition: GI Tag officially acknowledges Majuli's unique cultural heritage, particularly the centuries-old Sattras (monasteries) tradition of mask-making and manuscript writing, providing legal protection against imitation and misappropriation.
Documentation and Archiving: GI process necessitates comprehensive documentation of traditional techniques, designs, and historical significance, creating valuable cultural archives for future generations.
Revival of Dying Arts: Recognition generates renewed interest among youth in traditional crafts, encouraging apprenticeship and knowledge transmission from elderly master craftsmen, preventing extinction of these arts.
Impact on Artisan Empowerment:
Economic Benefits: GI Tag enables premium pricing due to authenticity certification and uniqueness, improving artisan income significantly.
Market Expansion: Opens national and international markets appreciating authentic cultural products, with government support for exhibitions, e-commerce platforms, and export facilitation.
Brand Identity: Creates collective brand value, reducing exploitation by middlemen and enabling direct market access.
Institutional Support: Attracts government schemes, NGO interventions, and private investment for training, infrastructure, and working capital.
Social Status: Elevates artisan community's social standing, transforming perception from marginalized craftspeople to cultural custodians, fostering pride and dignity.
7. Discuss the social and economic impacts of the Brahmaputra river erosion in Assam. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Social Impacts:
Displacement: Massive population displacement from erosion-affected areas, creating riverine refugees (char dwellers) losing homes, agricultural land, and community bonds repeatedly.
Loss of Identity: Erosion destroys villages, schools, religious places, and burial grounds, severing communities from ancestral roots and cultural heritage.
Psychosocial Trauma: Constant threat creates anxiety, uncertainty, and helplessness, particularly affecting children's education and mental health.
Social Disruption: Displaced families face integration challenges in new areas, experiencing discrimination, resource competition, and social tensions.
Infrastructure Loss: Repeated destruction of schools, health centers, and community facilities disrupts social services.
Economic Impacts:
Agricultural Land Loss: Fertile agricultural land swept away reduces productivity, food security, and farmer income, pushing families into poverty.
Asset Destruction: Houses, livestock, infrastructure vanish within hours, eliminating life savings and productive assets.
Livelihood Loss: Traditional occupations like farming, fishing become impossible, forcing distressed migration to cities for low-wage labor.
Public Expenditure: Massive resources diverted to relief, rehabilitation, and erosion control rather than development.
Infrastructure Damage: Roads, bridges, embankments require continuous reconstruction, draining state resources.
Brahmaputra erosion creates vicious cycle of poverty, displacement, and underdevelopment, requiring comprehensive long-term solutions beyond temporary embankments.
8. What is "People's Biodiversity Register (PBR)"? How does it empower rural people? What process is followed in preparing a PBR? (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
People's Biodiversity Register (PBR):
PBR is a comprehensive documentation of local biological resources, associated traditional knowledge, conservation practices, and sustainable use patterns maintained by Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at Panchayat level under Biological Diversity Act, 2002.
Rural Empowerment:
Knowledge Recognition: Validates and records indigenous knowledge about medicinal plants, agricultural biodiversity, and traditional practices, preventing biopiracy and misappropriation.
Benefit Sharing: Ensures communities receive benefits when their traditional knowledge is commercialized by pharmaceutical or agricultural companies.
Conservation Participation: Empowers communities as biodiversity custodians, involving them in sustainable resource management decisions.
Economic Opportunities: Documented resources can be developed for eco-tourism, sustainable harvesting, and value-added products generating local income.
Process of Preparation:
BMC Formation: Panchayat establishes Biodiversity Management Committee with local representatives.
Participatory Documentation: Community members, especially elders, traditional healers, and farmers, share knowledge about local flora, fauna, traditional uses, and conservation practices.
Scientific Validation: Experts verify information, conduct surveys, and prepare detailed documentation.
Digital Recording: Information digitized and maintained in accessible formats.
Regular Updates: Periodic revision incorporating new information and changes.
9. "The mega Bihu dance performance by more than 11000 dancers and artists at Sarusajai Stadium, Guwahati on 13th April, 2023 not only created a Guinness World Record but also catapulted the cultural identity of Assam into the world stage." Examine the statement. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Examination of the Statement:
The statement holds substantial validity with following dimensions:
Global Recognition: Guinness World Record brought unprecedented international media coverage, introducing Bihu—Assam's quintessential harvest festival and cultural symbol—to global audiences unfamiliar with northeastern traditions.
Cultural Branding: The spectacular visual of 11,000+ synchronized dancers created powerful imagery positioning Assam distinctively in cultural tourism discourse, differentiating it from generic Indian tourism narratives.
Unity in Diversity: The massive participation demonstrated Assam's inclusive cultural ethos, transcending ethnic, linguistic, and religious divisions, presenting cohesive identity despite diversity.
Youth Engagement: Involving thousands of young performers revived interest in traditional art forms facing modernization challenges, ensuring intergenerational cultural transmission.
Economic Potential: Enhanced visibility attracts cultural tourists, creates performance opportunities, and stimulates handicraft markets linked to Bihu celebrations.
National Attention: Brought northeastern culture into mainstream national consciousness, often marginalized in dominant cultural narratives.
Community Pride: Generated immense local pride and self-confidence in Assamese identity.
However, sustainability requires continuous cultural promotion beyond one-time spectacles, developing institutional mechanisms preserving and propagating Assamese culture through education, festivals, and digital platforms ensuring lasting impact beyond momentary attention.
10. Describe how cultural exchange programmes in border areas can be helpful in maintaining peace and development in the border areas of North-Eastern Region. (Answer in 150 words) 10 Marks
Cultural Exchange Programmes: Peace and Development Catalyst:
Building Trust and Understanding: Regular cultural exchanges between communities across borders (India-Bangladesh, India-Myanmar, India-Bhutan) break stereotypes, build personal relationships, and humanize the "other," reducing suspicion and hostility.
Economic Opportunities: Cultural festivals, joint fairs, and tourism initiatives create livelihood opportunities for border populations—handicrafts, hospitality, performances—providing alternatives to smuggling and illegal activities.
Conflict Prevention: Shared cultural heritage recognition (language similarities, festivals, culinary traditions) creates common identity transcending political boundaries, making communities stakeholders in peace.
Youth Engagement: Cultural programmes involving youth channel energies constructively, reducing vulnerability to radicalization and anti-social activities.
Diplomatic Bridge: People-to-people contacts supplement formal diplomatic relations, creating grassroots support for bilateral cooperation.
Development Initiatives: Cultural exchange platforms facilitate knowledge sharing about agriculture, technology, and best practices benefiting both sides.
Security Enhancement: Culturally integrated communities provide intelligence about suspicious activities, supporting security forces.
Examples include India-Bangladesh border haats, cultural festivals in Moreh (India-Myanmar), and joint celebrations demonstrating cultural diplomacy's effectiveness in transforming borders from conflict zones to bridges of cooperation and prosperity.
11. Discuss the major factors responsible for migration of population into Assam and state its probable socio-economic consequences. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Major Factors Responsible for Migration into Assam:
Historical Colonial Policy: British encouraged immigration from Bengal (present Bangladesh) to cultivate wastelands, particularly in Brahmaputra valley, creating demographic transformation from late 19th century.
Economic Opportunities: Tea plantation expansion required massive labor, bringing workers from Bihar, Odisha, Bengal, and other regions. Post-independence industrial development, oil sector, and construction activities continued attracting migrants.
Geographical Proximity: Porous 263 km India-Bangladesh border facilitates easy, often undocumented, migration driven by economic disparities and natural disasters in Bangladesh.
Political Turmoil: Bangladesh liberation war (1971) brought refugees; subsequent political instability and religious persecution caused continued influx.
Agricultural Land Availability: Perception of available land, particularly in riverine char areas, attracted landless farmers.
Social Networks: Existing migrant communities facilitate chain migration through information, accommodation, and employment support.
Weak Border Management: Historical administrative gaps enabled unchecked migration.
Probable Socio-Economic Consequences:
Demographic Alteration: Significant changes in ethnic composition, particularly in border districts, causing indigenous communities' concern about cultural survival and political marginalization.
Land Pressure: Increased competition for agricultural land leading to encroachment on forest areas, grazing lands, and tribal belts, causing environmental degradation.
Ethnic Tensions: Perceived threat to indigenous identity triggers communal conflicts, as witnessed in Bodo-immigrant clashes and anti-foreigner movements like Assam Agitation (1979-85).
Resource Strain: Pressure on infrastructure, healthcare, education, and employment opportunities affecting service quality for existing populations.
Political Implications: Demographic changes influence electoral dynamics, causing political instrumentalization of immigration issues and polarization.
Economic Competition: Labor market saturation in agriculture and informal sectors suppressing wages, particularly affecting economically weaker indigenous sections.
Cultural Dilution: Fear of linguistic and cultural identity erosion among Assamese and tribal communities.
Security Concerns: Unregulated migration creates challenges in maintaining law and order, and potential national security vulnerabilities.
Positive Aspects: Diversified labor force, cultural plurality, and economic contributions, though often overshadowed by negative perceptions.
Addressing this requires balanced approach: humanitarian treatment of genuine refugees, strict border management preventing illegal entry, comprehensive National Register of Citizens updating, equitable development ensuring indigenous populations aren't disadvantaged, and reconciliation initiatives building social cohesion while protecting legitimate interests of all communities.
12. "Smart cities in India cannot sustain without smart villages." Examine this statement in the context of Assam. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Examination of the Statement in Assam Context:
The statement reflects fundamental reality that urban prosperity depends on rural sustainability, particularly relevant for Assam where approximately 85% population resides in villages.
Interdependence Dimensions:
Agricultural Supply Chain: Assam's smart cities like Guwahati depend on rural hinterlands for food, vegetables, fruits, and raw materials. Without productive villages ensuring food security, urban sustainability becomes impossible.
Migration Management: Underdeveloped villages push youth toward cities seeking employment, creating urban sprawl, slums, and infrastructure strain. Guwahati's rapid, unplanned expansion partly results from rural distress migration. Smart villages providing livelihood prevent unsustainable urban population concentration.
Resource Base: Villages supply water, natural resources, and ecosystem services. Environmental degradation in rural areas—deforestation, erosion, pollution—directly impacts urban water security and climate resilience.
Market for Urban Industry: Prosperous rural population constitutes significant consumer market for urban industries and services. Impoverished villages limit economic growth.
Cultural Sustainability: Villages preserve Assam's cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and languages. Cultural erosion in villages impoverishes urban cultural landscape.
Assam-Specific Context:
Tea Economy: Smart villages in tea-growing regions ensure quality production sustaining Assam's economic identity.
Flood Management: Rural infrastructure—embankments, drainage—protects urban areas from Brahmaputra flooding.
Ethnic Balance: Balanced rural development prevents ethnic tensions spilling into cities, maintaining social harmony.
Tourism Potential: Rural eco-tourism, cultural tourism in villages creates sustainable economic model reducing urban migration pressure.
Smart Village Requirements in Assam:
1. Digital Connectivity: Internet penetration enabling e-governance, e-education, and digital commerce
2. Infrastructure: Quality roads, electricity, healthcare, education reducing rural-urban disparity
3. Livelihood Diversification: Beyond agriculture—food processing, handicrafts, tourism
4. Climate Resilience: Flood-resistant infrastructure, erosion control
5. Skill Development: Preventing distressed migration through local employment
Conclusion: Assam's development strategy must prioritize simultaneous urban-rural development. Investment in smart villages isn't charity but strategic necessity ensuring ecological sustainability, social stability, economic resilience, and cultural preservation—prerequisites for genuine smart city success. Ignoring rural development while pursuing urban transformation creates unsustainable model ultimately undermining both rural and urban prosperity.
13. "Employment prospect of Assamese youth at national level is very limited without adequate knowledge of English language." Critically analyse the statement. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Critical Analysis of the Statement:
The statement contains substantial validity but requires nuanced examination considering both linguistic realities and identity concerns.
Arguments Supporting the Statement:
Corporate Sector Dominance: Most private sector jobs, particularly in IT, finance, management, marketing, and professional services at national level require English proficiency for communication, documentation, and client interaction.
Competitive Examinations: UPSC, SSC, banking, and other national examinations conducted primarily in English and Hindi. English proficiency significantly advantages candidates in comprehension, expression, and interview stages.
Higher Education: Premier national institutions—IITs, IIMs, AIIMS, central universities—predominantly use English as instruction medium. Limited English constrains access to quality higher education affecting career prospects.
Professional Mobility: Inter-state transfers, national projects, and multinational opportunities require English communication skills.
Digital Economy: Emerging sectors like e-commerce, digital marketing, content creation, and technology startups predominantly operate in English.
Current Scenario in Assam: English education quality in rural and semi-urban Assam remains inadequate—insufficient trained teachers, poor infrastructure, examination-focused rather than communication-focused teaching—handicapping youth against counterparts from metros and English-medium backgrounds.
Counter Arguments:
Language Hierarchy Perpetuation: Overemphasis on English perpetuates colonial linguistic hierarchy, marginalizing regional languages and creating class divisions.
Regional Opportunities: Significant employment exists in state government, regional industries, local entrepreneurship, agriculture, and services not requiring English proficiency.
Skill Over Language: Technical skills, creativity, and competence matter more than linguistic abilities in many sectors. Translation technology reduces language barriers progressively.
Identity and Confidence: Excessive English focus creates inferiority complex regarding mother tongue, affecting cultural pride and self-confidence.
Balanced Perspective:
Pragmatic Necessity: In globalized economy, English proficiency undeniably expands opportunities without diminishing regional language importance.
Bilingual Competence: Solution lies in strengthening English education while preserving Assamese language pride—functional bilingualism rather than linguistic replacement.
Quality Education: Focus should be on improving English teaching quality in government schools through trained teachers, infrastructure, and communicative methodology rather than elite private school monopoly.
Regional Language Development: Simultaneously, Assamese must be developed as medium for technical and professional education creating opportunities in mother tongue.
Alternative Pathways: Promote entrepreneurship, skill-based vocations, and regional economic development creating employment not dependent solely on English proficiency.
Conclusion: While English proficiency significantly enhances national-level employment prospects for Assamese youth—a pragmatic reality—the solution isn't abandoning regional linguistic identity but achieving bilingual competence through improved education while simultaneously developing Assamese language's functional capabilities and creating diverse economic opportunities beyond English-dependent sectors.
14. Is climate change a disaster risk? How is disaster risk magnified by climate change? Discuss with reference to disasters in Assam. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Climate Change as Disaster Risk:
Yes, climate change constitutes both direct and indirect disaster risk. It doesn't merely cause disasters but fundamentally alters frequency, intensity, and unpredictability of natural hazards, transforming manageable events into catastrophes.
Magnification of Disaster Risk by Climate Change:
Increased Frequency: Extreme weather events—floods, droughts, storms—occur more frequently, reducing recovery time between disasters.
Enhanced Intensity: Warming temperatures intensify rainfall patterns, creating devastating floods; prolonged dry spells cause severe droughts.
Unpredictability: Traditional seasonal patterns disrupted, making disaster preparedness challenging as historical data becomes unreliable.
Cascading Effects: Climate change triggers multiple interconnected disasters—glacial melt causing floods, erosion intensifying land loss, affecting livelihoods.
Vulnerability Amplification: Affects agriculture, water resources, and ecosystems, increasing community vulnerability to disasters.
Reference to Assam Disasters:
Brahmaputra Flooding: Climate change intensifies monsoon rainfall and accelerates Himalayan glacial melt, increasing river discharge. Traditional flood management systems designed for historical patterns prove inadequate. Recent years witnessed unprecedented floods (2020, 2022) inundating vast areas, displacing millions.
Riverbank Erosion: Enhanced rainfall and river discharge accelerate erosion. Brahmaputra annually devours approximately 8,000 hectares, displacing thousands. Climate change magnifies this crisis, making rehabilitation increasingly challenging.
Flash Floods in Hills: Erratic, intense rainfall in hill districts causes flash floods and landslides, as witnessed in Dima Hasao district disrupting connectivity.
Changing Agricultural Patterns: Unseasonal rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and temperature variations disrupt traditional rice cultivation, tea production, affecting livelihoods and food security.
Wildlife Impact: Floods increasingly affect Kaziranga National Park, threatening one-horned rhinoceros survival.
Health Disasters: Climate change expands vector-borne disease transmission zones, increasing malaria, dengue incidence.
Mitigation Requirements:
1. Climate-resilient infrastructure—flood-resistant housing, elevated structures
2. Early warning systems with improved meteorological forecasting
3. Ecosystem-based adaptation—wetland restoration, afforestation
4. Diversified, climate-resilient agriculture
5. Comprehensive disaster preparedness and community-based adaptation
6. Long-term solutions addressing Brahmaputra management through international cooperation
Climate change transforms Assam's disaster landscape from periodic, manageable events to chronic, existential threats requiring paradigm shift from disaster response to climate adaptation and resilience building.
I'll provide comprehensive answers to questions 15-20 in the specified 250-word format, ready for copy-pasting.
15. Discuss the events leading to the signing of the Yandabo Treaty on 24th February, 1826. (Answer in 250 words)
Events Leading to the Yandabo Treaty:
Burmese Invasion of Assam (1817-1826): The Ahom kingdom, weakened by internal conflicts and Moamoria Rebellion, faced Burmese invasion in 1817. Burma occupied Assam, imposing brutal rule causing widespread suffering, depopulation, and economic devastation. The oppressive occupation destabilized the entire region.
British-Burmese Tensions: Burma's expansionist ambitions extended beyond Assam into Manipur, Cachar, and Jaintia Hills, approaching British territories in Bengal. Border violations, refugee influx, and Burmese aggression toward British-protected territories created direct confrontation.
First Anglo-Burmese War (1824-1826): British declared war against Burma in March 1824, responding to territorial aggression and strategic security concerns. The war witnessed multiple fronts—Assam, Arakan, Manipur, and Burma proper.
Military Campaigns in Assam: British forces under Captain Welsh entered Assam from Bengal, liberating territories from Burmese occupation. Despite initial resistance, superior British military organization and local support from oppressed Assamese population facilitated victories. Simultaneously, British forces advanced in Burma, capturing strategic positions including Rangoon.
Burmese Defeats: Continuous military defeats, economic exhaustion, and internal pressures forced Burma to seek peace. British military superiority in organization, artillery, and naval power proved decisive.
Peace Negotiations: As British forces approached Burmese capital Ava, Burma initiated peace negotiations. The treaty discussions occurred at Yandabo village.
Treaty Signing (24th February 1826): The Treaty of Yandabo was signed, formally ending the war. Under the treaty:
- Burma ceded Assam, Manipur, Cachar, Jaintia Hills, Arakan, and Tenasserim to British
- Agreed to pay one crore rupees as war indemnity
- Accepted British Resident at Burmese court
- Recognized British sovereignty over ceded territories
The treaty marked Assam's formal integration into British India, ending Burmese occupation but beginning colonial rule that fundamentally transformed Assamese society, economy, and political structure for the next 120 years.
16. What do you mean by extreme weather events? Have you observed any such event in recent years in Assam? What could be the impacts of such events? Discuss with examples. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Extreme Weather Events:
Extreme weather events are rare, severe meteorological occurrences significantly deviating from normal patterns—unprecedented intensity rainfall, prolonged droughts, unseasonable temperatures, devastating storms, and flash floods. These events occur with increasing frequency due to climate change, causing substantial socio-economic and environmental damage.
Recent Extreme Weather Events in Assam:
Unseasonal Heavy Rainfall (Pre-monsoon 2022): Assam experienced exceptionally intense pre-monsoon rainfall in April-May 2022, causing devastating floods before traditional monsoon season. Landslides in Dima Hasao district killed dozens, disrupted railway connectivity for months.
Catastrophic Floods (2020): Multiple flood waves affected over 55 lakh people across 30+ districts simultaneously—unprecedented scale. Kaziranga National Park submerged, causing wildlife casualties including endangered rhinos.
Extreme Heat (2023): Several districts recorded temperatures exceeding 40°C—unusual for Assam's typically moderate climate—causing heat stress, health emergencies, and agricultural impact.
Erratic Rainfall Patterns: Traditional monsoon patterns disrupted with concentrated intense rainfall followed by prolonged dry spells, affecting agriculture and water availability.
Impacts of Extreme Weather Events:
Human Casualties: Flash floods, landslides, and heat waves cause deaths, injuries, and health emergencies.
Infrastructure Destruction: Roads, bridges, embankments, schools, hospitals damaged, requiring massive reconstruction investments.
Agricultural Devastation: Crops destroyed by floods or droughts, threatening food security and farmer livelihoods. Tea gardens suffer production losses.
Displacement: Millions temporarily displaced during floods; riverbank erosion causes permanent displacement.
Economic Losses: Annual flood damage costs thousands of crores, straining state resources and hindering development.
Ecosystem Disruption: Wildlife habitats flooded, species threatened, biodiversity affected.
Health Crises: Water-borne diseases, vector-borne disease spread, mental health impacts.
Development Setback: Resources diverted from development to disaster management, perpetuating underdevelopment cycle.
Addressing extreme weather requires climate adaptation strategies, early warning systems, resilient infrastructure, and community preparedness alongside global climate mitigation efforts.
17. Give your comments on the need of fusion in Assamese music for the sake of wider acceptability. (Answer in 250 words) ) 15 Marks
Comments on Fusion in Assamese Music:
Arguments Favoring Fusion:
Wider Reach: Fusion blending traditional Assamese folk elements with contemporary genres—rock, jazz, electronic, hip-hop—makes Assamese music accessible to younger generations and audiences beyond Assam. Artists like Papon successfully introduced Assamese music to national mainstream through fusion, performing at major platforms and Bollywood.
Global Competitiveness: In globalized music industry, fusion enables Assamese artists to compete internationally. Traditional Bihu songs with modern arrangements attract global audiences appreciating world music.
Economic Viability: Fusion creates commercial opportunities—concerts, streaming revenues, brand collaborations—providing sustainable livelihoods for artists, encouraging youth to pursue music professionally.
Innovation and Creativity: Fusion stimulates artistic innovation, preventing musical stagnation. Experimenting with Tokari, Pepa, Gogona alongside modern instruments creates exciting sonic landscapes.
Youth Engagement: Modern arrangements resonate with youth otherwise disconnected from traditional forms, ensuring cultural transmission through contemporary relevance.
Arguments for Caution:
Authenticity Preservation: Excessive fusion risks diluting unique Assamese musical identity, traditional ragas, folk lyrics, and cultural context becoming mere exotic flavoring in generic compositions.
Cultural Integrity: Traditional music carries historical, ritualistic, and community significance beyond entertainment. Decontextualized fusion may trivialize sacred or socially meaningful art forms.
Market-Driven Compromise: Commercial pressures may force artists toward formulaic fusion sacrificing artistic depth for mainstream appeal.
Balanced Perspective:
Fusion is neither inherently good nor bad—quality and intent matter. Respectful fusion honoring traditional roots while exploring contemporary expressions enriches Assamese music. However, parallel ecosystem preserving pure classical and folk forms must thrive—government patronage, educational institutions teaching traditional music, documentation projects, and performance platforms.
Conclusion: Fusion should complement, not replace, traditional Assamese music. Dual approach—encouraging innovative fusion for wider acceptability while protecting traditional forms' authenticity—ensures cultural preservation with contemporary relevance, allowing Assamese music to flourish both locally and globally without losing its soul.
18. "Assam has the potential to accelerate development of tourism through innovative presentation of various indigenous festivals, cuisine and music of the State." Substantiate the statement with reasons. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Substantiating Assam's Tourism Potential:
Rich Festival Calendar:
Assam boasts diverse indigenous festivals—Bihu (three types celebrating agricultural cycles), Baikho, Ali-Ai-Ligang, Bwisagu, Baishagu representing various ethnic communities. These festivals offer authentic cultural experiences increasingly sought by experiential travelers. Innovative presentation through:
- Multi-day festival packages with community homestays
- Interactive participation (Bihu dance workshops, traditional games)
- Narrative-driven guided experiences explaining cultural significance
- Technology-enhanced presentations (AR apps explaining rituals)
Culinary Diversity:
Assamese cuisine's uniqueness—minimal spices, fermented items (kharoli, tenga), bamboo shoot preparations, duck meat dishes, pithas, exotic herbs, Assam tea rituals—differentiates it from mainstream Indian cuisine. Tourism potential through:
- Curated food trails across districts showcasing regional variations
- Cooking classes with traditional cooks in village settings
- Tea tourism combining plantation visits with culinary experiences
- Food festivals featuring tribal and community-specific cuisines
- Farm-to-table experiences connecting tourists with organic producers
Musical Heritage:
Assam's musical traditions—Borgeet, Tokari Geet, folk songs of different communities, Zikir-Zari, traditional instruments (Pepa, Gogona, Tokari, Dhol)—offer unique cultural capital. Tourism development through:
- Evening cultural programs in heritage venues
- Music festivals in scenic locations (river banks, tea gardens)
- Interactive sessions with traditional musicians
- Integration with adventure tourism (trekking with folk music performances)
Competitive Advantages:
Authenticity: Unlike commercialized tourist destinations, Assam offers genuine cultural immersion with communities actively practicing traditions.
Diversity: Over 200 ethnic groups provide vast cultural variety within single state.
Scenic Integration: Festivals, cuisine, music can be experienced in stunning natural settings—tea gardens, river islands, hill stations.
Year-round Opportunities: Different festivals throughout year ensure continuous tourist flow.
Implementation Requirements:
Professional packaging and marketing, infrastructure development (homestays, connectivity), skill training for hosts, quality control maintaining authenticity, digital presence, and community benefit-sharing ensuring sustainable tourism.
Conclusion: Assam possesses exceptional cultural tourism potential. Strategic innovative presentation transforming indigenous festivals, cuisine, and music into compelling tourist products can establish Assam as premier cultural destination generating employment and preserving heritage.
19. Illustrate with suitable examples how the Government of Assam has encouraged young generation to opt for a career in sports. (Answer in 250 words) 15 Marks
Government of Assam's Initiatives Encouraging Youth in Sports:
Sports Policy and Infrastructure:
State Sports Policy: Assam implemented comprehensive sports policy focusing on talent identification, training infrastructure, and athlete welfare. The policy prioritizes sports development at grassroots level.
Sports Authority of Assam: Dedicated institutional framework coordinates sports development activities, infrastructure creation, and athlete support programs.
Infrastructure Development:
- Sarusajai Sports Complex, Guwahati: International-standard stadium hosting national events
- Indoor Stadium complexes across districts
- Synthetic athletic tracks in multiple locations
- District Sports Associations strengthened with facilities
Financial Support Schemes:
Cash Awards and Incentives: Substantial cash rewards for medal winners at national and international competitions. Olympic, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games medalists receive significant financial recognition beyond national schemes.
Athlete Pension Scheme: Retired sportspersons receive pension ensuring post-retirement security, making sports financially viable career.
Training Support: Financial assistance for coaching, equipment, nutrition, and travel to competitions.
Talent Identification and Training:
Sports Schools: Establishment of residential sports schools identifying and nurturing young talent with quality coaching and academic education.
Khelo India Program Implementation: Active participation in central government's Khelo India scheme identifying grassroots talent.
District-Level Competitions: Regular competitions creating competitive pathways from village to national level.
Employment Opportunities:
Sports Quota in Government Jobs: Reserved positions in police, civil services, and public sector undertakings for accomplished athletes ensuring career stability.
Coaching Opportunities: Training programs creating certified coaches, providing employment opportunities.
Success Examples:
Hima Das: The "Dhing Express" received comprehensive government support—training facilities, foreign coaching exposure, financial assistance. Her success as Asian Games gold medalist and multiple international medals inspired thousands of Assamese youth toward athletics.
Lovlina Borgohain: Olympic bronze medalist boxer received state support throughout career. Government's recognition, financial rewards, and promotional ambassador roles demonstrated sports as viable career.
Shiva Thapa: Boxer receiving continuous state support alongside national programs.
Ankushita Boro: Footballer benefitting from state football development programs.
These initiatives collectively demonstrate that sports careers receive institutional support, financial viability, and social recognition, encouraging young generation to pursue sporting excellence professionally rather than merely recreational activity.
20. "Rural life of Assam is beautifully depicted in Assamese films." Analyze the statement with examples. How is Assamese rural life reflected in the movies of Jahnu Barua or Rima Das? (Answer in 250 words) ) 15 Marks
Analysis of Rural Life Depiction in Assamese Cinema:
Assamese cinema, particularly parallel/art cinema tradition, authentically portrays rural life's complexities, beauty, struggles, and cultural richness, distinguishing it from Bollywood's often romanticized or stereotypical village representations.
Jahnu Barua's Rural Portraiture:
"Halodhia Choraye Baodhan Khai" (1987): Masterfully depicts post-Independence rural Assam's socio-political transformation. Shows village life's authenticity—agricultural practices, community bonds, traditional occupations, and emerging class conflicts. The protagonist's struggles represent common man's challenges navigating changing socio-economic landscape.
"Firingoti" (1992): Set in tea garden community, portrays laborers' lives, exploitation, cultural identity struggles, and aspirations. Authentic representation of tea tribe culture—language, festivals, living conditions—rarely depicted in mainstream cinema.
"Hagorole Bohu Door" (1995): Explores childhood in rural setting, community relationships, and traditional values. The film captures quotidian rural life—riverbank activities, agricultural cycles, folk traditions—without exoticization.
Barua's Approach: Focuses on social realism, highlighting economic disparities, exploitation, and human dignity within rural context. His characters speak authentic dialects, perform genuine occupations, and face real-world problems, creating ethnographic value alongside artistic merit.
Rima Das's Rural Narratives:
"Village Rockstars" (2017): Unprecedented authentic depiction of contemporary rural Assam. Shot entirely in her native village with non-professional actors, captures rural childhood's texture—monsoon floods, makeshift playgrounds, bamboo houses, community gatherings, and agricultural life.
Authenticity Elements:
- Natural settings without artificial beautification
- Real villagers as actors bringing lived experiences
- Assamese dialects and communication patterns
- Daily routines—cattle rearing, fishing, paddy cultivation
- Social structures and gender dynamics
- Dreams and aspirations within constraints
"Bulbul Can Sing" (2018): Explores adolescence, identity, sexuality in rural context, challenging stereotypes about rural conservatism while maintaining authentic setting and cultural specificity.
Das's Approach: Minimalist, observational style allowing rural life to unfold naturally. Avoids urban gaze exoticizing or pitying rural existence; instead presents with dignity, complexity, and universality.
Conclusion: Assamese cinema, especially through directors like Barua and Das, provides nuanced, authentic rural life representations—celebrating cultural richness while honestly depicting challenges, preserving ethnographic documentation, and asserting rural narratives' artistic and human significance against mainstream cinema's urban-centrism.
Disclaimer*: The questions and answers provided here are for educational and practice purposes only. While we have made every effort to ensure accuracy, candidates are advised to cross-check answers with authentic sources, textbooks, or official notifications for complete validity.