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

Q18

Flooding in urban areas is an emerging climate-induced disaster. Discuss the causes of this disaster. Mention the features of two such major floods in the last two decades in India. Describe the policies and frameworks in India that aim at tackling such floods. (Answer in 250 words) 15

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

शहरी क्षेत्रों में बाढ़ एक उभरती हुई जलवायु-प्रेरित आपदा है। इस आपदा के कारणों की चर्चा कीजिए। पिछले दो दशकों में, भारत में आयी ऐसी दो प्रमुख बाढ़ों की विशेषताओं का उल्लेख कीजिए। भारत की उन नीतियों और ढाँचों का वर्णन कीजिए जिनका उद्देश्य ऐसी बाढ़ों से निपटना है। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Discuss

This question asks you to discuss. 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 'discuss' requires a comprehensive examination of causes, followed by specific flood examples and policy frameworks. Structure as: brief introduction linking climate change to urban flooding → causes (natural + anthropogenic) → two major floods with distinct features → policies/frameworks → conclusion with gaps/suggestions.

Key points expected

Natural causes: intense rainfall, cyclonic activity, river overflow; Anthropogenic causes: concretization, encroachment of wetlands/drainage channels, poor stormwater drainage, unplanned urbanization, solid waste clogging
Chennai floods 2015: features - 345mm rainfall in 24 hours, Adyar river encroachment, reservoir mismanagement, IT corridor impact
Mumbai floods 2005 or 2017: features - 944mm in 24 hours (2005), Mithi river encroachment, BMC failure, suburban railway paralysis; or 2017 - simultaneous high tide + rainfall
Policies: National Disaster Management Act 2005, NDMA guidelines on urban flooding, AMRUT, Smart Cities Mission, National Water Policy, NDMA's 'Guidelines for Management of Urban Flooding'
Frameworks: NDMA, SDMA, DDMA structure; Sendai Framework alignment; State-specific action plans like Kerala's post-2018 flood management
Critical gaps: implementation failure, lack of sponge city concept, weak enforcement of wetland protection, climate adaptation deficit

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	3	Covers all three components (causes, two floods, policies) with balanced weightage; distinguishes between natural and anthropogenic causes; treats 'discuss' as analytical exposition not mere listing	Covers all three components but unevenly; causes list-like without categorization; floods described without distinctive features; policies mentioned without framework-context	Misses one or more components; confuses 'discuss' with 'enumerate'; treats floods and policies as separate unrelated sections without integration
Content depth & accuracy	20%	3	Accurate technical details on flood mechanisms; precise policy names with years; correct rainfall data for chosen floods; mentions recent developments like NDMA 2019 revised guidelines or Kerala Flood Management Authority	Generally accurate but vague on specifics; generic policy references without years; approximate flood data; omits recent policy updates	Factually incorrect flood dates/policy names; conflates riverine and urban flooding; includes irrelevant disaster management content; outdated policy references
Structure & flow	20%	3	Logical progression: climate context → cause analysis (natural→anthropogenic) → comparative flood cases → policy evolution → critical conclusion; smooth transitions between sections; 250-word discipline evident	Basic structure present but mechanical; causes and floods in separate silos without linkage; policy section reads like list; abrupt conclusion	Disorganized or missing structure; no paragraph breaks; random information placement; exceeds word limit significantly or too short
Examples / case-law / data	20%	3	Two distinct floods with specific data (rainfall mm, deaths, economic loss); differentiated features (2005 Mumbai vs 2015 Chennai or 2017 Mumbai); policy examples with implementation status; possibly mentions international comparison (Sponge Cities China)	Two floods named with basic description but no comparative features; generic flood impacts; policies listed without exemplar cities/states	Only one flood or incorrect second flood (e.g., Kedarnath 2013 - not urban); no data/quantification; examples from outside India; irrelevant case laws
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	3	Synthesizes causes-policy gap; suggests way forward (urban wetlands restoration, blue-green infrastructure, climate-resilient urban planning); critical note on implementation failure; forward-looking without being generic	Generic conclusion on 'need for better coordination'; no synthesis of preceding analysis; standard 'government should' recommendations without specificity	No conclusion or abrupt ending; mere summary of points; unrealistic suggestions; contradicts own analysis; missing entirely in word crunch

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