GS Paper I — Q6
Discuss the natural resource potentials of 'Deccan Trap'. (Answer in 150 words)
हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें
'दक्कन ट्रैप' की प्राकृतिक संसाधन-संभावनाओं की चर्चा कीजिए। (150 शब्दों में उत्तर दें)
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.
The Deccan Trap, formed by basaltic lava flows erupted around the Cretaceous–Palaeogene boundary (about 66 million years ago), underlies much of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Its fine-grained basalt weathers into fertile black cotton (regur) soil in Vidarbha, Marathwada and Saurashtra, supporting cotton and sugarcane. The basalt itself is poor in metallic ores, but laterite cappings on the trap yield bauxite (Kolhapur, Amarkantak plateau) and its quarries supply building stone and aggregate, while older rocks at the trap margins hold manganese and limestone. Vesicular, amygdaloidal basalt hosts groundwater aquifers, though hard-rock over-exploitation is a concern. The trap also offers geothermal energy prospects and, through sub-trappean Mesozoic sediments of the Deccan Syneclise, hydrocarbon exploration leads. Its geoheritage value is high: Ajanta-Ellora caves, Lonar crater (National Geo-Monument/Ramsar) and geological monuments can sustain eco-tourism. Thus, the Trap is a multi-resource landscape where agriculture, minerals, water and geoheritage must be planned together for long-term sustainable development.
How this answer will be evaluated
Framework: Geography: explain the mechanism, then location follows
What earns full marks: Links basaltic geology to specific soil/mineral/energy potentials with examples.
Evaluation rubric
Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.
- The answer Analytical overview of Deccan Trap's resource base (soil, minerals, water, energy). 10 marks · 150 words
discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close
Must cover
- Basaltic soil fertility and black cotton (regur) potential
- Mineral potential: laterite bauxite on the trap, basalt building stone; metallic ores mainly in older rocks at the margins
- Groundwater potential via porous basalt aquifers
- Energy potential: geothermal springs, wind/solar on the semi-arid plateau, hydrocarbon leads beneath the trap
Loses marks
- Narrating geological history instead of resources
- Listing resources without explaining their potential
- Ignoring the 'Trap' (basalt) specific characteristics
Earns more
- Mention of specific states (Maharashtra, MP, Karnataka)
- Linkage of soil type to specific crops (cotton)
- Reference to specific trap locations (e.g., Kolhapur bauxite, Lonar crater, Koyna)
- Mention of water scarcity as a limiting factor
Extra mark
- 30-second sketch map of Deccan Trap extent
- One robust statistic on mineral reserves or soil depth
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.
Practice this exact question
Write your answer and it is marked point by point against the model answer above — what you covered, what you missed, what you got wrong.
Evaluate my answer →More from General Studies 2022 GS Paper I
- Q3 Why was there a sudden spurt in famines in colonial India since the mid-eighteenth centur…
- Q4 Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. (Answer in 150 words)
- Q5 Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone prone areas given by Ind…
- Q6 Discuss the natural resource potentials of 'Deccan Trap'. (Answer in 150 words)
- Q7 Examine the potential of wind energy in India and explain the reasons for their limited s…
- Q8 Explore and evaluate the impact of 'Work From Home' on family relationships. (Answer in 1…
- Q9 How is the growth of Tier 2 cities related to the rise of a new middle class with an emph…