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General Studies 2025 GS Paper I 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Discuss

GS Paper I — Q5

What are non-farm primary activities ? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India ? Discuss with…

What are non-farm primary activities ? How are these activities related to physiographic features in India ? Discuss with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

गैर-कृषि प्राथमिक गतिविधियाँ क्या हैं ? ये गतिविधियाँ भारत में भौगोलिक विशेषताओं से किस प्रकार संबंधित हैं ? उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ चर्चा कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 10 marks

Q5 of the 2025 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2025 General Studies paper
Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2025 General Studies questions

Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 150-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Non-farm primary activities comprise economic pursuits that directly harvest or extract natural resources outside crop cultivation, including forestry, fishing, mining, quarrying, and animal husbandry. In India, their distribution is intrinsically shaped by physiographic diversity:

Peninsular Plateau: Ancient crystalline formations support extensive mineral extraction, notably coal in the Damodar Valley, iron ore across the Odisha-Jharkhand belt, and bauxite in the Eastern Ghats.

Himalayan Region: Diverse altitudinal zones sustain timber logging and medicinal plant collection in temperate forests, while alpine meadows enable pastoralism, including yak and sheep rearing in Ladakh and Sikkim.

Coastal Plains and Islands: Extensive shorelines foster marine fishing in Gujarat and Kerala, alongside brackish-water aquaculture, especially commercial shrimp farming in Andhra Pradesh.

Thar Desert: Arid topography limits extraction primarily to salt harvesting from inland playas like Sambhar Lake, gypsum mining, and pastoral rearing of camels and goats.

Indo-Gangetic Plains: Despite agricultural dominance, alluvial river basins support freshwater fisheries in oxbow lakes and widespread riverbed sand mining.

Harnessing these physiographic advantages through sustainable resource extraction and value-addition is vital for diversifying rural livelihoods and achieving balanced regional development.

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: GS1 Geography: Physical-Human Linkage. discuss: intro > 3-4 dimensions > example > balanced close Full marks: Clear definition, precise physiographic linkage, specific Indian examples, and mechanism explained.

Key points expected

  • Define non-farm primary activities (e.g., fishing, forestry, mining).
  • Link activities to physiographic features (e.g., coasts, plateaus, mountains).
  • Provide specific Indian examples (e.g., Kerala fishing, Jharkhand mining).
  • Explain the mechanism of the physical-human relationship.

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Define non-farm primary activities and link them to specific Indian physiographic features with examples. 10 marks · 150 words

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

    Must cover

    • Define non-farm primary activities (e.g., fishing, forestry, mining).
    • Link activities to physiographic features (e.g., coasts, plateaus, mountains).
    • Provide specific Indian examples (e.g., Kerala fishing, Jharkhand mining).
    • Explain the mechanism of the physical-human relationship.

    Loses marks

    • Confusing non-farm primary with secondary/tertiary activities.
    • Listing activities without linking to physiography.
    • Vague examples without specific Indian locations.

    Earns more

    • Mention specific regions (e.g., Western Ghats, Deccan Plateau).
    • Distinguish between primary and secondary activities clearly.
    • Reference specific physiographic zones (e.g., alluvial plains, peninsular ghat).
    • Use precise geographical terminology.

    Extra mark

    • 30-second sketch map showing activity distribution.
    • One robust statistic on employment or output.

Practice this exact question

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