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General Studies 2021 GS Paper I 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Mention

GS Paper I — Q7

Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

2021 में घटित ज्वालामुखी विस्फोटों की वैश्विक घटनाओं का उल्लेख करते हुए क्षेत्रीय पर्यावरण पर उनके द्वारा पड़े प्रभाव को बताइए । (150 शब्दों में उत्तर दीजिए)

Q7 of the 2021 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2021 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written 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.

2021 recorded volcanic eruptions across the Atlantic, Africa, Asia and Europe. La Soufrière (St. Vincent, April) produced ashfall, evacuations and regional air-quality stress; Fagradalsfjall (Iceland, March) sent lava flows and SO₂/ash affecting nearby settlements. Cumbre Vieja, La Palma (Spain, Sept–Dec) destroyed about 2,988 buildings; lava reached the Atlantic, causing marine ecosystem damage from lava–ocean interaction, while toxic gases degraded air quality. Nyiragongo (DRC, May) killed 32, lava destroyed Goma suburbs, displaced over 400,000, and raised groundwater contamination and Lake Kivu gas-saturation risks. Semeru (Indonesia, Dec) killed over 50; ash covered densely populated villages in East Java, triggered lahars and disrupted agriculture. Regionally, ash caused respiratory hazards, water acidification and crop damage; SO₂ affected regional air quality. Though large stratospheric eruptions can cause temporary cooling, these mostly tropospheric events did not produce significant cooling. The pattern shows volcanism’s direct environmental footprint: land, water, air and livelihood impacts concentrated near populated coasts, lakes and farms.

What "Mention" is asking you to do

Put specific factual content on record — the names, features, targets or instances the stem asks for. Mention is usually the subordinate half of a larger question, so it must be done fully but quickly, leaving room for the part that carries the main directive.

Structure that answers it

The items named directly, without preamble → one qualifying detail against each → straight on to the part of the stem the marks actually sit in

Where marks are lost

Gesturing at the category instead of naming the particulars, or expanding it until the analytical half of the question is squeezed.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 Geography: Physical Geography (Volcanism) & Environmental Impact. highlight: name the salient points > one line of substance each > close Full marks: Names 2021 events (La Palma/Hunga Tonga) and links them to specific regional environmental changes.

Key points expected

  • Name specific 2021 eruptions (e.g., La Palma, Hunga Tonga)
  • Link eruption to specific regional environmental impact
  • Distinguish between local and regional effects
  • Mention specific environmental parameters (air, water, soil)

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Identify 2021 eruptions and their specific regional environmental consequences.  · 150 words

    highlight— name the salient points → one line of substance each → close

    Must cover

    • Name specific 2021 eruptions (e.g., La Palma, Hunga Tonga)
    • Link eruption to specific regional environmental impact
    • Distinguish between local and regional effects
    • Mention specific environmental parameters (air, water, soil)

    Loses marks

    • Generic description of volcanoes without 2021 examples
    • Narrating chronology without environmental analysis
    • Ignoring the 'regional' scope of the impact

    Earns more

    • Reference to La Palma (Canary Islands) lava flows
    • Reference to Hunga Tonga (Pacific) tsunami/ash
    • Mention of atmospheric ash dispersal
    • Reference to marine ecosystem impact

    Extra mark

    • 30-second sketch map locating the eruptions
    • One robust statistic (e.g., ash cloud height)

Practice this exact question

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