General Studies 2023 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Explain

Q17

From being net food importer in 1960s, India has emerged as a net food exporter to the world. Provide reasons. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

1960 के दशक में शुद्ध खाद्य आयातक से, भारत विश्व में एक शुद्ध खाद्य निर्यातक के रूप में उभरा। कारण दीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Explain

This question asks you to explain. 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 'provide reasons' demands a causal explanation of India's transformation from food importer to exporter. Structure as: brief context of 1960s crisis → Green Revolution and technological factors → policy/institutional drivers → contemporary drivers (2000s onwards) → balanced conclusion on sustainability challenges.

Key points expected

Green Revolution (1966 onwards): High-yielding variety seeds, chemical fertilizers, irrigation expansion in Punjab, Haryana, western UP
Institutional framework: MSP regime, FCI procurement, public distribution system creating price incentives and market assurance
Diversification into high-value exports: Basmati rice (Pusa varieties), marine products, spices, buffalo meat since 1990s economic liberalization
Post-2000 structural shifts: National Food Security Mission, Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, private sector investment in processing and cold chains
Trade policy evolution: Removal of quantitative restrictions post-WTO, APEDA's role in export promotion, currency depreciation advantages
Critical nuance: Despite aggregate surplus, regional disparities persist (eastern India lags) and nutritional security remains incomplete despite caloric surplus

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Clearly identifies the 1960s baseline (PL-480 imports, ship-to-mouth existence) and treats the shift as a multi-phase process spanning technology, policy and trade dimensions rather than a single event	Mentions Green Revolution as primary cause but conflates decades or misses the distinction between self-sufficiency (1970s) and net export status (post-1990s/2000s)	Lists random agricultural schemes without establishing causal link to export transition or confuses food grains with all agricultural commodities
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Accurately distinguishes between cereals (rice, wheat) surplus and continued edible oil/pulses imports; notes temporal phases (1960s crisis → 1970s-80s self-sufficiency → post-2000 export emergence)	Covers HYV seeds and irrigation but omits institutional factors (MSP, FCI) or misses the delayed export transition despite early production gains	Factually incorrect claims (e.g., attributing shift solely to 1991 reforms, ignoring pre-existing production base) or confuses net food exporter with net agricultural exporter
Structure & flow	20%	3	Chronological or thematic progression with clear signposting: technological → institutional → trade policy → contemporary drivers; each paragraph builds logically toward export emergence	Covers main points but with jumbled sequencing (mixing 1960s and 2000s factors) or repetitive structure without clear causal hierarchy	Disorganised listing without paragraph coherence; abrupt jumps between unrelated schemes; no discernible narrative arc from import dependence to export capability
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Specific data points: 10 million tonnes wheat import under PL-480 (1966); rice exports crossing 20 million tonnes (2020-21); Basmati GI status; APEDA's establishment (1985); specific states as export hubs (Gujarat for cotton, Andhra/Telangana for rice)	Generic references to 'increased production' or 'export growth' without quantitative anchors; mentions Green Revolution states without specifying varieties or outcomes	No data or examples; vague statements like 'production increased manifold'; incorrect or anachronistic references (e.g., PM-KISAN as reason for 1960s-2000s transition)
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Critical reflection on paradox of export surplus coexisting with malnutrition (Global Hunger Index ranking); sustainability concerns (groundwater depletion in Punjab, stubble burning); future challenges (climate change, WTO disputes on subsidies)	Standard celebratory conclusion on 'success story' without critical nuance; or abrupt ending without synthesizing the causal argument	No conclusion; or irrelevant digression into unrelated topics (urbanization, industrial policy); purely descriptive summary without analytical weight

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