Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic…

Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in percentage. Discuss. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

गोंडवानालैंड के देशों में से एक होने के बावजूद भारत के खनन उद्योग अपने सकल घरेलू उत्पाद (जी.डी.पी.) में बहुत कम प्रतिशत का योगदान देते हैं । विवेचना कीजिए । (150 शब्दों में उत्तर दीजिए)

The question as printed in the 2021 General Studies paper

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Model answer

Drafted with AI by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key. How we build rubrics and answers.

India's Gondwana geology endows it with the fifth-largest coal reserves (Jharia, Raniganj) and large iron-ore and bauxite deposits, yet mining and quarrying add only about 2% of GVA, against roughly 10–14% of GDP in Australia.

Policy: MMDR Act complexities, delayed environmental and forest clearances, auction disruptions and weak Centre–State coordination dull investor certainty.

Structure: public-sector dominance (Coal India), low mechanisation, neglected underground mining, and detailed exploration of only a small share of the geologically prospective area.

Operations: land-acquisition hurdles, tribal rights under PESA and the Forest Rights Act, transport gaps and illegal mining (Shah Commission findings) raise costs.

Value addition: raw ore is exported rather than processed, and a services-led economy lowers mining's weight in GDP.

How this answer will be evaluated

Framework: GS1 Geography/Economy

What earns full marks: Clearly links geology to economic outcome with specific examples and policy context.

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

The answer Explain the paradox of India's Gondwanaland status vs. low mining contribution to GDP. 10 marks · 150 words

discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close
Must cover
- Link Gondwanaland geology to mineral endowment (coal, iron, bauxite).
- Identify structural reasons for low GDP share (policy, infrastructure).
- Mention specific mineral-rich regions (e.g., Jharkhand, Odisha).
- Contrast resource availability with actual industrial output.
Loses marks
- Listing minerals without explaining the GDP paradox.
- Ignoring the Gondwanaland context entirely.
- Vague generalizations without specific examples.
Earns more
- Reference to specific mining policies or reforms.
- Mention of environmental constraints on mining.
- Comparison with other resource-rich nations.
- Discussion of value addition in mining.
Extra mark
- Specific statistic on mining's GDP contribution.
- Map sketch of major mineral belts.

What "Discuss" is asking you to do

Lay the issue out from more than one side — how it arose, what is claimed for it, what is held against it, and where it now stands. UPSC attaches discuss to broad topics with several live dimensions, so coverage of the dimensions earns more than the strength of your opinion.

Structure that answers it

Set the issue up → the case as it is made → the case against → the dimension both sides leave out → where the balance now lies

Where marks are lost

Listing facts with no thread between them, or arguing one side throughout and calling it a discussion.

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