MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS
Q1. Which significant advances in technology were made during the Sultanate era? What effects did those technological advancements have on Indian society?
GS I – Indian Culture
Introduction:
- Muhammad bin Tughluq brought the Delhi Sultanate, a 320-year-old Islamic dynasty centred in Delhi (1206–1526), to its pinnacle and extended its dominance across most of the Indian subcontinent. Several significant technological developments occurred during this time, drastically altering many aspects of Indian civilization.
Significant advancements in technology made during the Sultanate era:
- Agriculture and Irrigation: Advanced agricultural cultivation and water management were made possible by water-lifting devices like the Persian wheel and sophisticated irrigation systems like Hauz-i-Shamsi.
- Architecture and Construction: Indo-Islamic architecture is the result of the fusion of Islamic and Indian architectural forms. The Qutub Minar is one instance.
- Trade and Commerce: Trade was made easier by standardised currency such as Copper Jital and Silver Tanka.
- Military Technology: Tughlaqabad Fort and other fortified cities enhanced defence capability. They displayed cutting-edge military engineering architecture.
- Intelligence Network: The “Barid-i-Mumlikat” was the covert intelligence network operated by Sultan Alauddin Khilji.
Indian society was impacted by these changes in a number of ways, including:
- Agrarian Expansion: As a result of better irrigation systems, agricultural fields grew, spurring the development of rural settlements.
- Cultural syncretism was fostered by the merging of Islamic and Indian architectural forms and styles.
- Numismatic Identity: A common numismatic identity between regions was established by standardised coinage.
- Military Infrastructure Legacy: A long-lasting legacy of strategic planning and engineering know-how was left by the architectural breakthroughs in military engineering.
- Intellectual Development: The creation of manuscripts and the sharing of knowledge were essential to society’s intellectual development.
- Intelligence Heritage: A legacy of espionage and information collecting was established by the covert intelligence network.
Way Forward:
- The Indian economy, defence, and culture were all altered by the technological advancements of the Sultanate era. They left an enduring legacy of creativity and adaptation while promoting resilience and prosperity.
Q2. Explain the political and legal reasons behind the Union Governments’ decreased use of Article 356 from the mid-1990s.
GS II – Indian Constitution
Introduction:
- It has been used more than a hundred times in the past, despite the belief that it is a “dead letter” that is rarely utilised. But because of a number of political and legal issues, its use has significantly decreased recently.
Reasons for the decreased frequency:
- The S.R. Bommai Case: This well-known case increased the difficulty of applying Article 356.
- It established “material evidence necessary” to support the President’s rule and subjected the decision to judicial review.
- Lastly, it gave the Court the authority to reinstate the state legislature in the event that it disagrees with the justification for the Article’s application in a particular state.
- Inter-State Councils: Their establishment improved ties between the centre and the states.
- Coalition Politics: As it arose, the center-right parties needed to be more accommodating to the regional parties that were giving the other center-right parties more clout.
- Growth of Regional Parties: It got harder for the union government to abuse Article 356 when powerful regional political parties grew in number.
Way Forward:
- India is now a healthier, more federal democracy as a result of the decreased use of Article 356 in the application of many political and legal issues.
