General Studies 2024 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory How

Q14

The groundwater potential of the gangetic valley is on a serious decline. How may it affect the food security of India? (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

गंगा घाटी की भूजल क्षमता में गंभीर गिरावट आ रही है। यह भारत की खाद्य-सुरक्षा को कैसे प्रभावित कर सकती है? (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2024 General Studies questions

Directive word: How

This question asks you to how. 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 'how' requires a causal-explanatory approach demonstrating mechanisms and pathways through which groundwater decline translates into food security risks. Structure: brief introduction establishing Gangetic valley's agrarian significance → body analysing multi-dimensional impacts (production, prices, livelihoods, nutrition) → conclusion with forward-looking mitigation strategies.

Key points expected

Quantified groundwater stress: mention 30-70% decline in water tables across Punjab-Haryana-Western UP belt and Central Ground Water Board 'over-exploited' categorisation
Crop-specific vulnerability: paddy-wheat monoculture dependence, MSP procurement concentration, and shift to water-intensive horticulture in eastern Gangetic plains
Food security transmission channels: farm income collapse → indebtedness → distress migration; input cost inflation → MSP-MPR divergence → consumer price spikes
Nutritional security dimension: declining millets/pulses cultivation, dietary diversification failure, and NFSA entitlement implementation gaps in drought-affected districts
Regional asymmetry: western Gangetic belt (Punjab-Haryana) versus eastern Gangetic plains (Bihar-Bengal) differential vulnerability and groundwater recharge potential
Forward linkages: thermal power plant water stress, industrial allocation conflicts, and climate change amplification through reduced soil moisture feedback

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Answer explicitly unpacks 'how' through causal chains linking hydrogeological decline to food security outcomes; distinguishes between availability, access, utilisation and stability dimensions of food security	Lists impacts without establishing clear causal mechanisms; conflates groundwater decline with general water scarcity without valley-specific analysis	Describes groundwater situation or food security separately without establishing interconnection; misunderstands directive as 'what' or 'describe'
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Incorporates specific data (CGWB assessment 2022, 78% blocks in Punjab over-exploited); distinguishes between shallow and deep aquifer depletion; references PM-KUSAN, Atal Bhujal Yojana relevance	Generic mention of 'water crisis' without valley-specific hydrogeology; conflates surface and groundwater issues; no mention of aquifer characteristics	Factually incorrect statements (e.g., Gangetic aquifer being non-renewable); irrelevant content on river pollution or Ganga rejuvenation without groundwater linkage
Structure & flow	20%	3	Logical progression from hydrogeological status → agricultural production impacts → economic access disruption → nutritional outcomes → systemic resilience; effective signposting between western and eastern valley zones	Functional structure but uneven weightage; either over-detailed on causes or repetitive on impacts; weak spatial differentiation within Gangetic valley	Disorganised listing without thematic grouping; abrupt shifts between farmer distress and consumer prices without intermediate linkages; no spatial or temporal framing
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Deploys specific evidence: Punjab's 2019 groundwater legislation, Bihar's shift to maize cultivation, FCI procurement data showing Punjab's declining contribution, NITI Aayog Composite Water Management Index rankings for Gangetic states	Vague references to 'Green Revolution states' or 'some farmers'; no specific districts, schemes, or quantitative benchmarks; generic mention of MSP without procurement volume data	No Indian examples; irrelevant international comparisons (Ogallala aquifer without analytical purpose); fabricated statistics or outdated pre-2010 data presented as current
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Synthesises with integrated perspective: crop diversification economics, aquifer recharge infrastructure, decentralised procurement, and dietary transition policy; acknowledges eastern Gangetic untapped potential as compensatory strategy	Generic prescription of 'water conservation' and 'drip irrigation'; no valley-specific institutional recommendations; restates problems without constructive resolution	No conclusion or abrupt ending; unrealistic solutions (complete paddy ban without transition economics); purely normative statements without implementation pathway

Practice this exact question

Write your answer, then get a detailed evaluation from our AI trained on UPSC's answer-writing standards. Free first evaluation — no signup needed to start.

Evaluate my answer →