Table of Contents

APSC CCE Mains PYQ Solved | APSC CCE 2023 Model Answer

Preparing for the APSC CCE Mains Examination requires much more than just reading books and making notes. One of the most effective ways to understand the actual demand of the examination is by practicing and analyzing Previous Year Questions (PYQs).

To help aspirants prepare in a smarter and more strategic way, SuchitraACS brings you APSC CCE Mains PYQs with Detailed Model Answers. These answers are written in a structured, exam-oriented, and high-scoring format based on the latest APSC trend.

APSC Mains GS Paper 2: 2023: “The social value of COVID-19 vaccine exceeds its market value.” Critically analyze the statement. (10 marks, 150 Words)

Model Answer:

The COVID-19 vaccine embodies a classic global public good characterized by massive positive externalities, where its life-saving impact directly upholds Article 21 (Right to Life) and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) far beyond its commercial pricing.

How Social Value Exceeds Market Value

Macroeconomic Revival: The market price of a dose fails to capture the trillions of dollars saved globally by preventing lockdowns; the IMF aptly termed vaccines as the ultimate economic stimulus.
Healthcare Resilience: By preventing severe morbidity, vaccines averted the collapse of health infrastructure, freeing up ICU beds for non-COVID emergencies like maternal care and trauma.
Herd Immunity (Positive Externality): An individual purchasing a vaccine not only protects themselves but indirectly shields vulnerable populations (elderly, immunocompromised), a collective benefit not reflected in market pricing.
Human Capital Preservation: Widespread vaccination facilitated the reopening of schools and universities, arresting the severe learning poverty exacerbated during the pandemic (as noted by ASER reports).

Critical Analysis: When Market Imperatives Undermined Social Value

‘Vaccine Apartheid’ and Inequity: Patent monopolies under the TRIPS agreement artificially inflated market value, prioritizing corporate profits over equitable access for the Global South.
Misallocation of Resources: Market-driven motives led to Big Pharma prioritizing booster doses for affluent nations over primary vaccinations in developing countries, prolonging the pandemic.
Affordability vs. Right to Health: Initial differential pricing mechanisms in India threatened equitable access, prompting Supreme Court intervention to ensure a free, centralized procurement policy prioritizing social welfare over state-level market competition.

Bridging the Gap: India and Assam’s Human-Centric Approach

Global Solidarity: India’s Vaccine Maitri initiative disrupted profit monopolies by supplying millions of affordable doses globally, treating vaccines as a humanitarian necessity rather than a market commodity.
Last-Mile Equity in Assam: The Assam government bypassed market barriers by launching the ‘Har Ghar Dastak’ campaign and deploying boat clinics, treating vaccines as a free social entitlement to reach marginalized populations in the remote Char-Chaporis (riverine areas) and tea gardens.

Realigning global health architecture through a robust WHO Pandemic Treaty and technology transfers is crucial to uphold the DPSP mandate of public health (Article 47), ensuring that in times of crisis, human life always supersedes corporate monopolies.

✨ Looking for top-quality APSC Mains Guidance with Personalised Mentor?

🔔 Join Our WhatsApp Study Group!

For exclusive access to premium quality content, including study materials, current affairs, MCQs, and model answers for APSC CCE and other Assam competitive exams.

Click here to join: SuchitraACS Study WhatsApp Group