General Studies 2021 GS Paper III 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Describe

Q18

Describe the various causes and the effects of landslides. Mention the important components of the National Landslide Risk Management Strategy. (Answer in 250 words)

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भू-स्खलन के विभिन्न कारणों और प्रभावों का वर्णन कीजिए । राष्ट्रीय भू-स्खलन जोखिम प्रबंधन रणनीति के महत्वपूर्ण घटकों का उल्लेख कीजिए । (250 शब्दों में उत्तर दीजिए)

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Directive word: Describe

This question asks you to describe. 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 'describe' requires a systematic exposition of causes and effects of landslides followed by enumeration of National Landslide Risk Management Strategy components. Structure as: brief introduction defining landslides → causes (natural and anthropogenic) → effects (immediate and long-term) → strategy components → concluding remark on implementation challenges.

Key points expected

Natural causes: geological (weak rock strata, fault zones), topographical (steep slopes), climatic (heavy rainfall, earthquakes, snowmelt); anthropogenic causes: deforestation, unplanned construction, mining, road cutting, dam construction
Effects: loss of life and property, infrastructure damage (roads, railways, dams), river damming/flash floods, agricultural land degradation, displacement and rehabilitation costs, ecological damage
National Landslide Risk Management Strategy (2019) components: generation of landslide hazard maps, monitoring and early warning systems, capacity building and training, awareness programmes, regulation and enforcement, research and development
Specific mention of GSI as nodal agency, Landslide Risk Mitigation Scheme, and integration with Sendai Framework and SDGs
Regional specificity: Himalayan region, Western Ghats, Northeast India as high vulnerability zones with recent examples

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Correctly interprets 'describe' as requiring detailed exposition rather than analysis; addresses both parts (causes/effects AND strategy components) in balanced proportion without conflating them; maintains descriptive tone throughout	Addresses both parts but may blur distinction between causes and effects or between strategy components; partial understanding of 'describe' directive with some analytical drift	Misinterprets directive as 'analyse' or 'evaluate'; omits one part entirely (either causes/effects or strategy); writes generic disaster management essay without question-specific focus
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Comprehensive coverage: natural causes (geological, geomorphological, climatic), anthropogenic causes; multi-dimensional effects (social, economic, infrastructural, environmental); all six strategy components accurately named with brief elaboration	Covers main categories but misses sub-classifications (e.g., only mentions rainfall, not earthquakes or human causes); lists strategy components without elaboration; minor factual errors on nodal agencies	Superficial listing without categorization; significant factual errors (wrong nodal agency, outdated schemes); omits either natural/anthropogenic distinction or key strategy components
Structure & flow	20%	3	Clear tripartite structure with visible sub-headings or paragraph breaks; logical progression from causes → effects → strategy; smooth transitions between sections; maintains 250-word discipline with proportional allocation (~80 words each section)	Recognizable structure but uneven weightage (over-emphasis on causes, rushed strategy section); some abrupt transitions; minor word limit deviation	Disorganized narrative without clear sectioning; illogical sequencing (mixing causes with effects); severe imbalance (strategy covered in one sentence) or significant word limit violation
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Specific Indian examples: 2013 Kedarnath disaster (Uttarakhand), 2018 Kerala landslides, 2021 Nanda Devi glacial burst; mentions GSI's Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM) programme; cites vulnerability statistics (15% Indian landmass prone)	Generic mention of 'Himalayan region' or 'Western Ghats' without specific incidents; vague reference to GSI without programme names; no quantitative data	No Indian examples; uses international cases only (e.g., Nepal, Japan) without Indian context; or completely example-free answer
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Brief forward-looking conclusion linking strategy to climate change adaptation, community resilience, or Sendai Framework implementation; acknowledges implementation gaps (funding, inter-state coordination) without diverting into analysis	Generic concluding statement on 'need for awareness'; no forward-looking element; or abrupt ending without conclusion	No conclusion; or lengthy analytical conclusion inappropriate for 'describe' directive; introduces new factual claims in conclusion

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