🧷 Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

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📌 The Question

With reference to “Software as a Service (SaaS)”, consider the following statements:

1. SaaS buyers can customise the user interface and can change data fields.
2. SaaS users can access their data through their mobile devices.
3. Outlook, Hotmail and Yahoo! Mail are forms of SaaS.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3

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✅ Answer

(d) 1, 2 and 3

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🧑‍🏫 Classroom Explanation

Software as a Service (SaaS) is a cloud-based software delivery model in which applications are hosted on remote servers and accessed via the internet, usually on a subscription basis.

Let us examine each statement:

• Statement 1 is correct
  Modern SaaS platforms are designed to be configurable. Buyers can customise the user interface, dashboards, workflows, and even modify data fields according to organisational or individual requirements, without altering the core software.
• Statement 2 is correct
  Since SaaS applications are accessed via the internet, users can log in from any device—desktop, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone—using a browser or app, enabling anytime-anywhere access.
• Statement 3 is correct
  Web-based email services such as Outlook, Hotmail, and Yahoo! Mail are classic examples of SaaS. The software is not installed locally; instead, users access the service online while the provider manages infrastructure, updates, and security.

Since all three statements are correct, the correct answer is (d).

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🔍 Curiosity Raiser

If governments increasingly adopt SaaS platforms, how should data sovereignty and national security concerns be addressed?

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📚 Enrichment Notes

• SaaS vs Other Cloud Models:
  • SaaS: Software delivered over the internet (e.g., Gmail, Google Docs)
  • PaaS: Platform for developers (e.g., Google App Engine)
  • IaaS: Infrastructure as service (e.g., AWS EC2)
• Key advantages of SaaS:
  • No installation or maintenance
  • Automatic updates
  • Scalability
• UPSC relevance:
  • Digital governance
  • Cloud policy
  • Data protection laws

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🪔 IAS Monk Whisper

“SaaS shifts ownership from machines to access—and power from hardware to networks.”