UPSC Prelims 2025 CSAT Paper II · Q73 of 78 Comprehension medium

Passage

Passage – 2 In only 50 years, the world's consumption of raw materials has nearly quadrupled, to more than 100 billion tons. Less than 9% of this is reused. Batteries of old vehicles contain materials such as lithium, cobalt, manganese and nickel that are pricey and can be hard to obtain. Supply chains are long and complicated. Buyers' risks are being aggravated by their suppliers' poor environmental and labour standards. Reusing materials makes sense. Once batteries reach the ends of their lives, they should go back to a factory where their ingredients can be recovered and put into new batteries.

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical, rational and pragmatic message conveyed by the passage ?

  1. (a) Green economy is not possible without reusing critical minerals.
  2. (b) Every sector of economy should adapt the reuse of material resources immediately.
  3. (c) Circular economy can be beneficial for sustainable growth. ✓ UPSC's answer
  4. (d) Circular use of material resources is the only option for some industries for their survival.

Why the answer is (c)

• The passage highlights that global raw material consumption has quadrupled to over 100 billion tons, with less than 9% being reused, indicating a significant inefficiency in current linear models.

• It specifically cites the automotive battery sector, noting that critical minerals like lithium and cobalt are expensive, hard to obtain, and involve complex supply chains with associated environmental and labor risks.

• The text argues that reusing materials from end-of-life batteries to recover ingredients for new batteries is a logical and pragmatic solution to mitigate these supply chain risks and costs.

• This process of recovering and reusing materials aligns with the definition of a circular economy, which aims to minimize waste and maximize resource efficiency.

• Therefore, the passage conveys that adopting circular economic principles, such as material reuse, is beneficial for achieving sustainable growth by reducing dependency on volatile raw material markets.

Why the other options are wrong

(a) Green economy is not possible without reusing critical minerals.
The passage does not claim that a green economy is impossible without reusing critical minerals, but rather suggests that reuse is a sensible and beneficial practice.
(b) Every sector of economy should adapt the reuse of material resources immediately.
The passage focuses on the specific benefits of reusing materials in industries with complex supply chains like batteries, not on mandating immediate adaptation across every sector of the economy.
(d) Circular use of material resources is the only option for some industries for their…
The passage presents reuse as a logical and pragmatic solution to reduce risk and cost, not as the 'only option' for the survival of specific industries.

Asked in the CSAT Paper II of the UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination 2025, held on 25 May 2025. Question and answer key: Union Public Service Commission. Explanation: UPSC Answer Check.

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