APSC CCE Mains PYQ 2022, Essay Paper: The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches
Many aspirants treat the APSC Essay paper as a game of luck, hoping for a “common” topic to appear. But a deep dive into the archives tells a different story. From the philosophical depth of the 2020 papers to the tech-heavy debates of 2024, the Essay paper isn’t a test of your memory—it’s a test of your perspective. In this post, we’re moving beyond just listing old questions. We are deconstructing the recurring themes, the “Assam-specific” weightage, and how you can use the past to predict your future success in the Mains
Here is a structured, detailed look at how to approach this topic.
APSC Mains Essay Paper, 2022: The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches
Model Answer:
The surface of a river may appear calm and inviting to an onlooker, but only the swimmer struggling against the hidden currents truly understands the strength of the water. This fundamental truth of human experience is perfectly encapsulated in the age-old proverb, “The wearer best knows where the shoe pinches.” It suggests that while external observers can sympathize, analyze, or even criticize a situation, the person actually living through the experience possesses a unique, intimate knowledge of the pain, struggle, or discomfort involved. In the context of our modern society, this philosophy serves as a vital reminder of the importance of empathy, the limitations of outside judgment, and the necessity of inclusive governance. To understand why the “wearer” is the ultimate authority on their own suffering, we must examine this concept through the lenses of personal struggle, administrative failure, and the ethical “Dharma” of listening.
Historically, the most significant movements for justice have been driven by this very principle. When we look at the struggle for Indian independence or the civil rights movements across the globe, the momentum did not come from those in power who looked down with pity; it came from those who felt the “pinch” of oppression daily. In the context of Assam’s history, the bravery of figures like Kanaklata Barua or the social reforms of Srimanta Sankardeva were rooted in an intimate understanding of the social and political discomforts of their time. They did not need a theoretical lecture on freedom or equality; they felt the constriction of the “shoe” and led the way toward liberation. This historical reality teaches us that true change is almost always “bottom up” because the person at the bottom is the only one who knows exactly where the system is failing.
Psychologically, the human experience is deeply subjective. Two people can face the exact same set of circumstances, yet their internal “pinch” will be entirely different based on their past traumas, their resilience, and their social standing. A student appearing for the APSC or UPSC examinations faces a level of mental pressure that a casual observer might dismiss as “just a phase of life.” However, the student, who navigates sleepless nights, social isolation, and the weight of family expectations, is the only one who knows the true depth of that “pinch.” When we offer “generic advice” to those in distress, we often ignore their specific pain. True empathy requires us to acknowledge that we cannot fully know another’s discomfort unless we are willing to listen to the “wearer” without prejudice.
If we look through a sectoral lens, particularly in the realm of public policy and administration, the failure to recognize where the “shoe pinches” is often the root cause of “structural injustice.” Often, policies are designed in air conditioned offices in Delhi or Guwahati by experts who have never lived in a flood prone village in Dhemaji or a remote tea garden in Tinsukia. When a “one size fits all” policy is implemented, it often fails because it does not account for local realities. For instance, a digital education initiative might look perfect on paper, but only the teacher in a village with no electricity knows the practical “pinch” of such a scheme. This aligns with the Sustainable Development Goal of “Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions” (SDG 16), which demands that governance be inclusive and responsive to the actual needs of the people. The “wearer” of the policy must be the primary consultant in its design.
The socio economic dimension of this proverb highlights the “distance of privilege.” Those who wear “custom made silk shoes” often find it difficult to imagine the pain of someone walking in “tight, worn out leather.” This economic distance creates a “blind spot” in our social conscience. We see this in the way society often judges the poor for their choices without understanding the “pinch” of systemic poverty. A laborer who takes a high interest loan or a migrant worker who travels in sub human conditions is making a choice based on a pressure that the middle class can barely conceive. To bridge this gap, we must move toward a “merit based” empathy where we value the lived experience of the marginalized as much as we value the data of the expert.
Furthermore, the “Dharma” of a compassionate society is to practice the “art of listening.” In our local cultural tradition, the “Namghar” was not just a place of worship but a forum for the community to share their “pinches” and find collective solutions. It was an institution of “shared empathy.” In the modern world, we need to reclaim these spaces of dialogue. Whether it is in a corporate boardroom or a village council, the “wearer”—the worker, the farmer, the student—must be given a seat at the table. When the wearer’s voice is silenced, the shoe remains tight, and the wound eventually becomes an infection that affects the whole body of society.
Ethically, this proverb is a call for “humility.” It warns us against the arrogance of “knowing better” than the person in pain. In the medical field, a doctor may know the “biology of the disease,” but the patient knows the “experience of the illness.” A successful treatment requires the integration of both forms of knowledge. Similarly, in the journey toward a “Viksit Bharat,” we must ensure that our progress is measured by the “comfort of the citizen” rather than just the “speed of the GDP.” If the majority of the population still feels the “pinch” of inflation, unemployment, or social inequality, our economic “shoes” are not yet a perfect fit.
The “inter paragraph linkage” of this essay brings us back to the core of human dignity. To respect a person is to respect their “narrative of struggle.” When we dismiss someone’s complaint by saying “it’s not that bad,” we are effectively telling them that they do not know their own feelings. This “gaslighting” is a form of social cruelty. Instead, we must foster a “culture of validation” where we ask, “Where does it pinch?” and “How can we fix it together?” This collaborative spirit is what turns a group of individuals into a “resilient community.”
In conclusion, the wearer truly is the best judge of the shoe’s fit. This simple truth is the foundation of “participatory democracy” and “personal empathy.” It reminds us that knowledge without experience is often hollow, and judgment without understanding is always unfair. As we navigate the complexities of the twenty first century, let us commit to looking at the “feet of our fellow citizens” with compassion rather than the “heads of our fellow citizens” with judgment.
As we look toward the horizon of a more inclusive and “blessed and virtuous” future, let us ensure that the “shoes” we build as a nation are large enough and comfortable enough for everyone to walk in. We must cherish the “voices of the wearers,” for they are the ones who will lead us to the “Gyan” or knowledge of true progress. In the words of the poet, “Siro senehee mor vasa jononi”—just as we love our mother tongue because it expresses our deepest self, let us love the “truth of lived experience” in every individual. Only by acknowledging the “pinch” can we truly find the “path to prosperity” that leaves no one behind.
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