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

GS Paper I — Q6

Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples. (Answer in 150…

Explain briefly the ecological and economic benefits of solar energy generation in India with suitable examples. (Answer in 150 words) 10 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

उपयुक्त उदाहरणों के साथ, भारत में सौर ऊर्जा उत्पादन के पारिस्थितिक और आर्थिक लाभों की संक्षेप में व्याख्या कीजिए । (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए) 10 marks

Q6 of the 2025 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2025 General Studies paper
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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.

India’s solar expansion, driven by the target of achieving 500 GW of non-fossil capacity by 2030, yields vital ecological and economic dividends through direct structural substitution.

Ecological Benefits: Displacing coal-fired power generation directly mitigates greenhouse gas emissions and reduces hazardous air pollutants such as PM2.5 and SO2. Photovoltaic generation requires minimal operational water compared to water-intensive thermal cooling cycles, conserving scarce hydrological resources. Furthermore, land-use synergies like agrivoltaics integrate crop cultivation beneath panels, while mega-installations on barren wasteland—such as the Bhadla Solar Park in Rajasthan—prevent ecological encroachment on arable land.

Economic Benefits: A sharply declining Levelised Cost of Energy (LCOE) makes solar India’s cheapest electricity source. This transition curbs foreign exchange drain by reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels, where crude import dependence exceeds 85%. Decentralized generation under the Rooftop Solar Programme strengthens rural electrification and micro-enterprises. Supported by the Solar Parks Scheme, the sector has generated over 3 lakh jobs (MNRE), with technical capacity scaled through the Suryamitra skill development programme.

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: GS1 Geography/Economy: Mechanism > Location/Impact > Data. explain: definition/context > points in order > small example > short close Full marks: Clear distinction between ecological and economic, specific Indian examples, precise mechanism.

Key points expected

  • Ecological benefit: reduction in carbon emissions
  • Ecological benefit: reduction in water usage
  • Economic benefit: reduction in electricity costs
  • Economic benefit: job creation or rural development

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Definition of solar energy > Ecological benefits > Economic benefits > Examples > Short close 10 marks · 150 words

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

    Must cover

    • Ecological benefit: reduction in carbon emissions
    • Ecological benefit: reduction in water usage
    • Economic benefit: reduction in electricity costs
    • Economic benefit: job creation or rural development

    Loses marks

    • Generic environmentalism without specific solar mechanism
    • Ignoring the 'India' context (global examples only)
    • Narrating history of solar energy instead of benefits

    Earns more

    • Mention of specific Indian solar park (e.g., Bhadla)
    • Mention of PM-KUSUM or rooftop schemes
    • Reference to India's 500 GW renewable target
    • Comparison with thermal power plant costs

    Extra mark

    • Specific statistic on CO2 reduction (e.g., tonnes/year)
    • Specific statistic on cost reduction (e.g., Lakh/MW)

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.

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