Answer Writing Competition 2026

Presented by the Civil Services Forum, St. Stephen's College

The Civil Services Forum congratulates the winners of the Answer Writing Competition 2026 for their exceptional responses that demonstrated clarity of thought, structured articulation, and analytical depth.

Presenting the winning submissions that best captured the discipline and precision of answer writing in an exam-orientated format.

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🥇 Tanish Sethi—I B.A. (Hons) History

Question: ‘International aid’ is an accepted form of helping ‘resource-challenged’ nations. Comment on ethics in contemporary international aid with suitable examples.

Answer – 

International aid is widely accepted as a mechanism to support resource-challenged nations, yet its ethical dimensions remain deeply contested. In a world of 195 nations spread across seven continents, interdependence is inevitable—but it is asymmetrical. Wealthier states often possess financial, technological, and military advantages, enabling them to shape global politics through aid.

Ethically, aid should be guided by principles of humanitarianism, equity, and respect for sovereignty. Institutions like the United Nations emphasise development through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, global initiatives such as COVAX aimed to ensure vaccine access for low-income countries. Similarly, according to the World Bank, billions of dollars are disbursed annually for poverty reduction, infrastructure, and climate resilience in developing nations.

However, ethical concerns arise when aid becomes a strategic instrument of influence. China’s Belt and Road Initiative has invested over a trillion dollars globally, including in Pakistan through the China–Pakistan Economic Corridor and in Sri Lanka’s Hambantota Port project, which was leased to China for 99 years after debt repayment difficulties. Critics argue such cases illustrate “debt-trap diplomacy", where financial dependence may compromise sovereignty. Similarly, Western aid has at times been tied to political or economic conditionalities, influencing domestic policy choices in African and Latin American nations.

Thus, while international aid can alleviate poverty and build capacity, its ethics depend on transparency, mutual consent, sustainability, and the absence of coercion. Aid must empower recipient nations rather than entrench dependency or advance hegemonic ambitions. Ethical international assistance requires balancing national interests with genuine global solidarity.

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🥈Dhruv Kumar Solanki—Ex Vice President, Civil Services Forum

Question: What are the different elements of cybersecurity? Examine the extent to which India has developed a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy.

Answer – 

Cybersecurity is a practice related to defending systems, networks, and computer programs from digital attacks. A strong system would include various important aspects such as network security, application security, information security, and operational security. Besides, disaster recovery concerns the organisation's response to cyber incidents, whereas user education touches upon the most unpredictable factor, i.e., human error. 

The rapid pace of digitalisation of services in India brings with it the need for a solid national cybersecurity strategy. The primary step was the National Cyber Security Policy of 2013, which laid down the very basics for the setting up of the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) and the empowerment of the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT). The later setup of the National Cyber Coordination Centre (NCCC) has been another major step in the direction of real-time threat intelligence and situational awareness at the intersection of various sectors. 

The transformations in the international cyber environment have turned it into such a challenge that the 2013 policy has now been deemed obsolete. After finding the issue quite critical, India has been intensively working on a new and comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy that would also tackle threats of the present day. Despite the fact that India has made significant leaps institutionally, the success of the strategy largely depends on its rapid implementation, increased public and private partnerships, capacity building at the local level, and a constant adaptation to new technologies. 

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The Civil Services Forum thanks all participants for their thoughtful contributions and intellectual engagement. As we conclude this session's academic activities, we look forward to returning next academic year with more opportunities for learning and dialogue.