Chat with us
General Studies 2024 GS Paper III 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Discuss

GS Paper III — Q12

What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government's UDAN Scheme and…

What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government's UDAN Scheme and its achievements. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत में क्षेत्रीय वायु कनेक्टिविटी के विस्तार की क्या आवश्यकता है? इस संदर्भ में, सरकार की 'उड़ान' योजना तथा इसकी उपलब्धियों की चर्चा कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q12 of the 2024 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper III, as printed
The question as printed in the 2024 General Studies paper
Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2024 General Studies questions

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.

Expanding regional air connectivity is vital for reducing spatial inequality and integrating remote geographies—such as the North East, Jammu & Kashmir, and island territories—into mainstream growth corridors. Beyond commercial transit, regional aviation serves as a catalyst for high-value tourism, rapid medical and emergency access, and broad-based economic multiplier effects through trade and employment generation.

The UDAN Framework and Mechanism Launched under the National Civil Aviation Policy 2016, the UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) scheme seeks to make flying affordable and accessible. Its core mechanism relies on:

  • Affordability: Capping airfares at approximately ₹2,500 per hour for 50% of aircraft seats.
  • Fiscal Support: Providing Viability Gap Funding (VGF) to airlines, financed via a regional connectivity levy, alongside concessions on landing and parking fees.
  • Multimodal Scope: Reviving unserved and underserved airstrips, while incorporating dedicated helicopter and seaplane routes to penetrate ecologically sensitive and remote terrains.

Key Achievements UDAN has operationalised over 500 routes and activated more than 70 previously dormant airports, heliports, and waterdromes. Having flown over 10 million passengers, it has successfully transformed tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Jharsuguda, Hubballi, and Shillong into active commercial nodes, proving the commercial viability of regional routes.

Challenges and the Way Forward Despite this progress, the scheme faces challenges. Several routes suffer from low flight frequencies and commercial unsustainability once the three-year VGF support expires, triggering airline withdrawals and financial stress for operators like SpiceJet. Moreover, infrastructure gaps in maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) and night-landing capabilities at smaller airstrips persist.

To ensure long-term sustainability, regional aviation must be integrated with the PM Gati Shakti framework. Expanding initiatives like Krishi UDAN for MSME and agricultural cargo, along with rationalising Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) taxes, will secure a commercially viable, deeply integrated regional transport network.

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.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS3 Economy: Regional Connectivity & Infrastructure. discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Clear link between regional disparity and UDAN; specific data on routes/passengers; balanced view of challenges.

Key points expected

  • Need: Access to remote/tribal areas (last-mile connectivity)
  • Need: Economic development & tourism in underdeveloped regions
  • UDAN: Mechanism (Viability Gap Funding / VGF) explained
  • Achievements: Specific stats (routes, passengers, airports)

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Justify the need for regional air connectivity and evaluate the UDAN scheme's performance. 15 marks · 250 words

    discuss— intro → 3-4 dimensions → example → balanced close

    Must cover

    • Need: Access to remote/tribal areas (last-mile connectivity)
    • Need: Economic development & tourism in underdeveloped regions
    • UDAN: Mechanism (Viability Gap Funding / VGF) explained
    • Achievements: Specific stats (routes, passengers, airports)

    Loses marks

    • Generic 'air travel is good' without regional context
    • Listing UDAN features without analyzing achievements/impact
    • Ignoring the 'need' aspect and focusing only on the scheme

    Earns more

    • Mention of 'UDAN 2.0' or 'UDAN 3.0' updates
    • Link to 'Viksit Bharat' or 'Make in India' (ATL)
    • Mention of specific challenges (e.g., low occupancy, maintenance)

    Extra mark

    • Specific statistic: e.g., '100+ routes' or '100+ airports'
    • Reference to 'Regional Connectivity Development Fund' (RCDF)

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 2024 GS Paper III