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General Studies 2024 GS Paper III 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Explain

GS Paper III — Q8

What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major…

What role do environmental NGOs and activists play in influencing Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) outcomes for major projects in India? Cite four examples with all important details. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत में प्रमुख परियोजनाओं के लिए पर्यावरणीय प्रभाव आकलन (ई० आई० ए०) परिणामों को प्रभावित करने में पर्यावरणीय गैर-सरकारी संगठन और कार्यकर्ता क्या भूमिका निभाते हैं? सभी महत्त्वपूर्ण विवरणों सहित चार उदाहरण दीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q8 of the 2024 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper III, as printed
The question as printed in the 2024 General Studies paper
Model answer coming soon See all 2024 General Studies questions

What "Explain" is asking you to do

Make the working of something clear — what sets it off, what follows from what, and what it produces. Explain is the Commission's mechanism word: it dominates the technical papers and the “explain why” stems, where the marks sit in the causal chain and not in the label.

Structure that answers it

State what it is → the initiating condition → the chain of cause, step by step → an instance where it plays out → what the chain produces

Where marks are lost

Describing what something looks like instead of why it works that way. Naming the stages without linking them reads as description too.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS3 Environment: threat, causes, impact, mitigation. explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close Full marks: Clear role definition + 4 detailed examples with specific project names and outcomes.

Key points expected

  • Define the specific role of NGOs in the EIA process
  • Cite four distinct examples of major projects
  • Provide important details for each of the four examples
  • Link the NGO action to the specific EIA outcome

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Explain the role of NGOs/activists in EIA outcomes and cite four specific examples. 10 marks · 150 words

    explain— definition/context → points in order → small example → short close

    Must cover

    • Define the specific role of NGOs in the EIA process
    • Cite four distinct examples of major projects
    • Provide important details for each of the four examples
    • Link the NGO action to the specific EIA outcome

    Loses marks

    • Listing examples without explaining the NGO's specific role
    • Vague generalities about 'saving the environment' without project details
    • Failing to cite four distinct examples as requested

    Earns more

    • Mention specific legal mechanisms used (RTI, PIL, public hearings)
    • Identify specific NGOs (e.g., Friends of Earth, CSE)
    • Mention specific project types (dams, mining, highways)
    • Reference the EIA Notification 2006 or 2003

    Extra mark

    • Cite a specific Supreme Court judgment (e.g., Narmada Bachao Andolan)
    • Mention a specific environmental parameter (e.g., biodiversity, displacement)

Model answer coming soon

Every evaluation on this site is marked against a verified model answer. This question's answer is still being written; evaluation opens the moment it lands.

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