📋 Written Ability Test (WAT) / Essay Analysis Guide: Should the Death Penalty Be Abolished in India?

🌐 Understanding the Topic’s Importance

The death penalty debate encapsulates broader themes of justice, ethics, and governance, making it a critical issue for future leaders to understand and articulate.

📝 Effective Planning and Writing

• Time Allocation:
  • Planning: 5 minutes
  • Writing: 20 minutes
  • Reviewing: 5 minutes
• Structure:
  • Introduction: 60-70 words
  • Body: 350-375 words
  • Conclusion: 60-70 words

🎯 Introduction Techniques

• Contrast Approach: “While the death penalty seeks to deter heinous crimes, its application in India often raises questions about justice and human rights.”
• Solution-Based Approach: “As global trends favor abolition, India faces a crucial choice: reform its criminal justice system or uphold a contested form of punishment.”
• Timeline Approach: “From the Bachan Singh judgment in 1980 to recent debates in 2023, India’s approach to the death penalty reflects ongoing tensions.”

📊 Structuring the Essay Body

• Achievements:
  • Supports justice in extreme cases; e.g., Nirbhaya case sentencing.
  • Public sentiment aligns with its retention for certain crimes.
• Challenges:
  • Risk of wrongful execution; e.g., SC reversal rates.
  • Ethical concerns about state authority over life.
• Future Outlook:
  • Promote judicial reforms, alternatives like life imprisonment.
  • Learn from global abolition trends, like Norway and Germany.

📄 Concluding Effectively

• Balanced Perspective: “The death penalty’s utility must be weighed against its risks. Reforms in criminal justice can offer alternatives that uphold justice and dignity.”
• Global Comparison: “As India debates the death penalty, adopting lessons from Norway’s rehabilitation model or the USA’s pitfalls can shape a just future.”

📈 Analyzing Successes and Shortcomings

• Key Achievements: Acts as a deterrent; satisfies public demand for justice.
• Ongoing Challenges: Judicial bias, ethical issues, ineffective deterrence.
• Global Context: India can draw lessons from abolitionist countries.

🔑 Recommendations for Sustainable Progress

• Establish transparent judicial review processes.
• Promote life imprisonment as a strong alternative.
• Raise public awareness about human rights implications.

✨ Sample Short Essays

• Balanced Perspective: “While the death penalty may address extreme crimes, its application risks injustice. Alternatives like life imprisonment can ensure both deterrence and dignity.”
• Solution-Oriented: “India must reform its criminal justice system to reduce reliance on the death penalty, focusing on rehabilitation and systemic equity.”
• Global Comparison: “Learning from abolitionist countries like Norway, India can uphold justice without resorting to capital punishment.”