📋 Written Ability Test (WAT)/Essay Analysis Guide
🌐 Topic: Can Universal Basic Income Replace Existing Welfare Programs?
📄 Understanding the Topic’s Importance
The debate around UBI replacing welfare systems underscores fundamental economic and social policy challenges. B-schools value this topic for its connections to public policy, fiscal responsibility, and social equity.
🕒 Effective Planning and Writing
- Time Allocation (30 minutes):
- Planning: 5 minutes
- Writing: 20 minutes
- Review: 5 minutes
- Preparation Tips:
- Identify global and local UBI examples.
- Note key statistics on welfare costs and poverty.
✨ Introduction Techniques for Essays
- Contrast Approach: “While welfare programs target the needy, UBI ensures income for all, questioning the efficiency and inclusivity of traditional systems.”
- Problem-Solution Approach: “Existing welfare schemes are plagued by inefficiencies. UBI offers a universal solution but raises questions about its feasibility.”
📚 Structuring the Essay Body
- Achievements: “Increased income security and reduced poverty rates highlight UBI’s potential to simplify welfare delivery.”
- Challenges: “However, UBI’s high fiscal cost and potential misuse remain significant barriers.”
- Future Outlook: “A hybrid model integrating UBI and targeted programs could address financial and social concerns.”
📄 Concluding Effectively
- Balanced Approach: “UBI’s promise lies in its simplicity and inclusivity, but it must be adapted to each economy’s fiscal reality.”
- Global Example Comparison: “Drawing from Alaska’s model, India could adopt a resource-funded UBI while retaining critical welfare schemes.”
💡 Recommendations for Sustainable Progress
- Pilot UBI schemes in targeted regions.
- Explore sustainable funding through taxation reforms.
- Combine UBI with skill-development initiatives.
📑 Sample Short Essays
- Balanced Perspective: “While UBI streamlines welfare, it cannot fully replace programs addressing specific vulnerabilities.”
- Solution-Oriented: “UBI could work if complemented by job guarantees and funded by progressive taxation.”
- Global Comparison: “Drawing lessons from Finland and Alaska, UBI should adapt to India’s unique socio-economic challenges.”