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

Q3

Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत में किसानों द्वारा उच्च मूल्य वाली फसलों के चयन के निर्णय को प्रभावित करने वाले कारकों की व्याख्या कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Explain

This question asks you to explain. 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 'explain' requires causal reasoning—demonstrating why and how specific factors drive farmer decisions, not merely listing them. Structure: brief introduction defining high value crops (HVCs); body categorizing factors into economic (market prices, input costs, risk-return), agro-ecological (climate suitability, water availability), institutional (MSP, crop insurance, contract farming), and infrastructural (cold chains, processing units); conclusion on emerging trends like organic farming or export orientation.

Key points expected

Economic factors: price volatility, input-output ratio, risk appetite vs. stable income from cereals
Agro-ecological suitability: soil type, water availability, climate resilience for crops like saffron, vanilla, or exotic vegetables
Institutional support: availability of MSP, crop insurance schemes like PMFBY, and contract farming under APMC reforms
Market access: proximity to urban markets, export zones (APEDA), and cold chain infrastructure
Knowledge and capital constraints: farmer awareness, credit access through KCC, and initial investment capacity
Policy push: diversification schemes, organic mission, and crop diversification in water-stressed regions like Punjab-Haryana

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Clearly distinguishes 'explain' from 'list' by establishing causal linkages between factors and farmer behavior; shows how multiple factors interact in decision-making	Identifies factors correctly but presents them as isolated points without explaining the causal mechanism of farmer choice	Misinterprets directive as 'list' or 'enumerate'; merely names crops or states factors without explaining influence on decisions
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Covers economic, ecological, institutional, and infrastructural dimensions with accurate technical terms (e.g., C2 cost, water footprint, FPOs); balances risks and opportunities	Covers 2-3 dimensions adequately but misses either risk factors or institutional aspects; some factual inaccuracies in scheme names	Superficial coverage limited to 'high price' and 'climate'; major factual errors or irrelevant content like industrial crops vs. HVCs
Structure & flow	20%	2	Logical progression from determinants to constraints to emerging trends; smooth transitions between factor categories; maintains 150-word discipline	Basic intro-body-conclusion but categories mixed or repetitive; word count slightly off but readable	Disorganized, no paragraph breaks, or exceeds word limit significantly; abrupt jumps between unrelated points
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	Specific Indian examples: Kashmir saffron (GI tag), Karnataka vanilla, Maharashtra grapes (export), Punjab basmati shift, or mention of APEDA zones; recent data on HVC area expansion	Generic examples like 'spices in Kerala' or 'fruits in Maharashtra' without specificity; no data or scheme references	No Indian examples, or irrelevant international comparisons; examples actually contradict the factor being explained
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Forward-looking synthesis: links HVC selection to doubling farmers' income, climate resilience, or export-led growth; notes tension between food security and commercialization	Summary restatement of factors without synthesis; generic concluding line on 'government should help farmers'	No conclusion, or abrupt ending; conclusion contradicts body or introduces entirely new unsubstantiated claim

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