Q1
Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: (a) Classify natural resources. Discuss the natural resource management with reference to ecological conservation. (10 marks) (b) Differentiate between cropping system and cropping pattern, and describe the principles of cropping system. (10 marks) (c) Differentiate between agrisilviculture and agrisilvipasture system. Give suitable examples of component crops. (10 marks) (d) Elucidate different forest policies and their aims. (10 marks) (e) Explain weed control efficiency (WCE). Work out WCE from the given data and offer your critical comment: | Sl. No. | Treatment | Weed Population/m² | | 1 | T₁—Unweeded check | 90 | | 2 | T₂—Hand weeding | 55 | | 3 | T₃—Herbicide A | 45 | | 4 | T₄—Herbicide B | 40 | | 5 | T₅—Herbicide C | 50 | (10 marks)
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
निम्नलिखित में से प्रत्येक प्रश्न का उत्तर लगभग 150 शब्दों में दीजिए : (a) प्राकृतिक संसाधनों का वर्गीकरण कीजिए। परिस्थितिकी संरक्षण के संदर्भ में प्राकृतिक संसाधन प्रबंधन पर चर्चा कीजिए। (10 अंक) (b) फसल प्रणाली (क्रॉपिंग सिस्टम) एवं सस्यक्रम (क्रॉपिंग पैटर्न) के बीच अंतर स्पष्ट कीजिए तथा फसल प्रणाली के सिद्धांतों का वर्णन कीजिए। (10 अंक) (c) कृषि-वनसंवर्धन एवं कृषि-वनचरागाह प्रणाली के बीच अंतर स्पष्ट कीजिए। घटक फसलों के उपयुक्त उदाहरण दीजिए। (10 अंक) (d) विभिन्न वन नीतियों और उनके लक्ष्यों को स्पष्ट कीजिए। (10 अंक) (e) खरपतवार नियंत्रण दक्षता (डब्ल्यू. सी. ई.) की व्याख्या कीजिए। दिए गए आँकड़ों से खरपतवार नियंत्रण दक्षता की गणना कीजिए और अपनी समीक्षात्मक टिप्पणी दीजिए : | क्र. सं. | उपचार | खरपतवारों की संख्या/वर्ग मी. | | 1 | T₁—खरपतवार नियंत्रण नहीं | 90 | | 2 | T₂—हाथ से निराई करना | 55 | | 3 | T₃—शाकनाशी A | 45 | | 4 | T₄—शाकनाशी B | 40 | | 5 | T₅—शाकनाशी C | 50 | (10 अंक)
Directive word: Differentiate
This question asks you to differentiate. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.
See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.
How this answer will be evaluated
Approach
The directive 'differentiate' demands clear distinctions between paired concepts in parts (b) and (c), while 'discuss' in (a), 'elucidate' in (d), and 'explain/calculate' in (e) require analytical depth. Allocate ~30 words each to (a), (b), (c), (d) and ~30 words to (e) including calculation. Structure: define→classify/differentiate→principles/examples→calculation with critical interpretation for (e).
Key points expected
- (a) Classification: renewable vs non-renewable, biotic vs abiotic; NRM principles: watershed approach, sustainable use, community participation; ecological conservation link through carrying capacity and ecosystem services
- (b) Cropping system (interactions between crops, soil, environment over time/space) vs cropping pattern (temporal arrangement); principles: compatibility, resource use efficiency, sustainability, profitability, stability
- (c) Agrisilviculture (crops + trees, e.g., wheat + poplar) vs agrisilvipasture (crops + trees + livestock, e.g., sorghum + acacia + sheep); component specificity matters
- (d) Forest policies: 1894 (state control), 1952 (national needs), 1988 (conservation-centric), 2018 (community participation); aims: ecological security, livelihood, industrial raw material, climate mitigation
- (e) WCE formula: (Weed in unweeded - Weed in treatment)/Weed in unweeded × 100; calculations for T₂-T₅; critical comment on herbicide efficacy vs cost, environmental trade-offs, resistance risk
Evaluation rubric
| Dimension | Weight | Max marks | Excellent | Average | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concept correctness | 25% | 12.5 | Precise definitions distinguishing renewable/non-renewable resources in (a); accurate differentiation of system vs pattern in (b); correct identification of three-component vs two-component agroforestry in (c); accurate policy chronology and 1988 vs 2018 shift in (d); correct WCE formula application in (e) | Broadly correct definitions with minor confusions (e.g., mixing cropping system with pattern); incomplete policy timeline; correct formula but arithmetic errors in WCE calculation | Fundamental conceptual errors: treating cropping system and pattern as synonyms; missing livestock component in agrisilvipasture; wrong formula (e.g., inverted subtraction) or no calculation in (e) |
| Quantitative reasoning | 15% | 7.5 | All five WCE values calculated correctly: T₂=38.9%, T₃=50%, T₄=55.6%, T₅=44.4%; ranking of treatments; interpretation of 55.6% as highest efficiency with cost-benefit nuance | Correct formula but 1-2 calculation errors; correct ranking despite arithmetic mistakes; some interpretation offered | No calculation, wrong formula, or calculation without interpretation; failure to compare treatments or identify best performer |
| Indian context examples | 20% | 10 | Specific Indian examples: Joint Forest Management for NRM in (a); rice-wheat system, cotton-wheat rotation for cropping patterns in (b); poplar-based agroforestry in Punjab, silvipasture in Gujarat/Deccan in (c); Chipko movement influence on 1988 policy, Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers Act 2006 in (d) | Generic examples or one relevant Indian instance across parts; Western examples dominating (e.g., mentioning US agroforestry) | No Indian examples; entirely theoretical treatment; inappropriate foreign case studies |
| Diagram / process | 15% | 7.5 | Clear tabular comparison for (b) and (c); schematic representation of resource flow in NRM; structured policy timeline table for (d); systematic calculation presentation for (e) | Attempted tables with incomplete information; bullet points substituting for structured comparison; messy calculation layout | No visual organization; continuous prose where tabular form is essential; illegible or irrelevant diagrams |
| Policy / extension angle | 25% | 12.5 | Critical analysis of policy evolution from extraction to conservation to community rights; 1988 policy's watershed moment; extension relevance of WCE for IPM decisions, herbicide resistance management; sustainable intensification link across all parts | Descriptive policy listing without analytical depth; superficial mention of sustainability without integration; generic extension comment in (e) | No policy analysis; failure to connect 1988 policy with contemporary forest rights conflicts; no critical comment in (e) or purely descriptive calculation |
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