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General Studies 2023 GS Paper III 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Comment

GS Paper III — Q17

Comment on the National Wetland Conservation Programme initiated by the Government of India and name a few India's wetlands of…

Comment on the National Wetland Conservation Programme initiated by the Government of India and name a few India's wetlands of international importance included in the Ramsar Sites. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत सरकार द्वारा शुरू किए गए राष्ट्रीय आर्द्रभूमि संरक्षण कार्यक्रम पर टिप्पणी कीजिए और रामसर स्थलों में शामिल अंतर्राष्ट्रीय महत्व की भारत की कुछ आर्द्रभूमियों के नाम लिखिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q17 of the 2023 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper III, as printed
The question as printed in the 2023 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Wetlands—transitional ecosystems offering vital services such as biodiversity support, flood attenuation, water purification, and carbon sequestration—are critical to India’s ecological security. To arrest their degradation, the Government of India launched the National Wetland Conservation Programme (NWCP) in 1985–86 (now integrated into the National Plan for Conservation of Aquatic Eco-systems), operationalised through the MoEFCC and the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

Evaluation of the Programme The NWCP established the principle of "wise use" and decentralized governance through State Wetland Authorities (SWAs). Its major success lies in mainstreaming conservation and expanding India’s network of Ramsar Sites from 26 to over 80, fostering global recognition and targeted funding.

However, the programme’s efficacy is constrained by institutional and enforcement deficits. Most SWAs remain under-resourced, and comprehensive digital inventories for non-notified wetlands are lacking. Key sites suffer from acute urban encroachment and real-estate pressure (notably in the East Kolkata Wetlands), agricultural runoff, solid waste pollution, and altered hydrological regimes exacerbated by climate change.

Key Ramsar Sites in India India’s representative wetlands of international importance span diverse biogeographical zones:

  • Chilika Lake (Odisha) – Asia’s largest brackish lagoon.
  • Keoladeo National Park (Rajasthan) – A critical avian habitat.
  • Sundarbans Wetland (West Bengal) – The world's largest contiguous mangrove ecosystem.
  • Loktak Lake (Manipur) – Famous for its unique floating phumdis.
  • Vembanad-Kol (Kerala) – India's largest estuarine wetland system.
  • Wular Lake (Jammu & Kashmir) – One of the largest freshwater lakes in Asia.

While the NWCP provided a vital foundational framework, realizing its potential requires empowering SWAs with statutory teeth, integrating wetlands into urban planning schemes like AMRUT, and fostering community-led stewardship.

What "Comment" is asking you to do

Take a position on the statement and support it. Comment usually attaches to a quoted line in the short slots, so the reasoning must be compressed — an opening view, a few load-bearing reasons, and the limit of the claim.

Structure that answers it

Unpack what the statement asserts → your stance → two or three supporting reasons → the qualification that limits it

Where marks are lost

Neutral summary; a comment without a stance has not answered. Equally costly is accepting the quoted line wholesale and never testing where it fails.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS3 Environment: threat, causes, impact, mitigation. comment: context > arguments both sides > judgment > close Full marks: Clear context, balanced arguments, specific judgment, and accurate Ramsar site names.

Key points expected

  • Context of National Wetland Conservation Programme
  • Arguments for/against the programme
  • Judgment on the programme's effectiveness
  • Names of India's Ramsar sites

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Contextualize the National Wetland Conservation Programme and list Ramsar sites. 15 marks · 250 words

    comment— context → arguments both sides → judgment → close

    Must cover

    • Context of National Wetland Conservation Programme
    • Arguments for/against the programme
    • Judgment on the programme's effectiveness
    • Names of India's Ramsar sites

    Loses marks

    • Listing Ramsar sites without context
    • Vague generalities about wetland conservation
    • Ignoring the 'comment' aspect (judgment)

    Earns more

    • Mention of specific Ramsar site features
    • Reference to Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Act, 2017
    • Mention of National Wetlands Authority (NWA)
    • Linkage to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

    Extra mark

    • Specific statistic on wetland loss in India
    • Mention of a specific Ramsar site's unique ecosystem

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