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

Q5

The fusion energy programme in India has steadily evolved over the past few decades. Mention India's contributions to the international fusion energy project – International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). What will be the implications of the success of this project for the future of global energy ? (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत में संलयन ऊर्जा कार्यक्रम का पिछले कुछ दशकों में निरंतर क्रमिक-विकास हुआ है। अंतर्राष्ट्रीय संलयन ऊर्जा परियोजना – अंतर्राष्ट्रीय तापनाभिकीय प्रायोगिक रिएक्टर (आई टी ई आर) में भारत के योगदान का उल्लेख कीजिए। वैश्विक ऊर्जा के भविष्य के लिए इस परियोजना की सफलता के क्या निहितार्थ होंगे ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: Mention

This question asks you to mention. 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 'mention' requires concise, factual enumeration of India's ITER contributions followed by analytical implications for global energy. Structure: brief intro on fusion significance → bullet/paragraph on India's specific contributions (cryogenics, diagnostics, material testing, in-kind contributions) → implications section covering energy security, climate goals, and technological spin-offs → forward-looking conclusion.

Key points expected

India's in-kind contributions: cryogenic cooling systems (1.3 K), high-technology components for ITER's cooling and cryo-distribution
Institutional participation: Institute for Plasma Research (IPR), Gandhinagar as lead; contributions to diagnostics, heating systems, and tritium handling
India's domestic fusion programme: SST-1 tokamak at IPR as precursor experience; Aditya-U tokamak upgrades
Global energy implications: carbon-neutral baseload power, energy security for developing nations, reduced fossil fuel dependence
Strategic implications: technology transfer, indigenous capacity building, and India's positioning in global clean energy diplomacy

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Correctly interprets 'mention' as requiring concise enumeration of contributions, not elaborate description; balances both parts (India's role + global implications) within 150 words; does not conflate fusion with fission	Addresses both parts but over-elaborates on one (typically ITER basics) leaving insufficient space for implications; or confuses directive with 'discuss'	Misreads directive as requiring detailed explanation of fusion physics; misses either India's contributions or global implications entirely; confuses ITER with other projects
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Accurately identifies specific Indian contributions (cryogenics, IPR leadership, SST-1/Aditya-U linkages, in-kind worth ~$200 million); implications cover energy, climate, and geopolitical dimensions factually	Generic mention of 'scientific contribution' without specifics; implications limited to 'clean energy' platitudes; minor factual errors on tokamak names or temperatures	Factually incorrect claims (e.g., India designed ITER, or fusion is already commercial); vague statements like 'India is helping'; implications unrelated to energy (e.g., space applications)
Structure & flow	20%	2	Crisp 150-word adherence; clear demarcation between India's contributions (first half) and global implications (second half); logical progression from specific to general; effective use of connectors	Adequate structure but wordy introduction on fusion basics consumes space; implications section rushed; some repetition between points	No clear part-division; rambling structure; exceeds word limit significantly or underwrites; abrupt jumps between unrelated points
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	Specific data points: cryogenic systems at 1.3K, IPR's role, SST-1/Aditya-U as domestic precursors, India's ~9% procurement contribution; quantitative implication like 'fusion could provide 10%+ global electricity by 2100'	Names IPR generically without project specifics; mentions 'cooling systems' without temperature/technical detail; implications lack data support	No Indian institutional names; no technical specifics; implications entirely assertion-based without any grounding in projections or reports
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Forward-looking synthesis connecting ITER success to India's energy independence (net-zero 2070), technological sovereignty, and leadership in Global South energy transition; avoids mere summary	Restates implications without synthesis; generic 'hope for future' conclusion; no India-specific forward link	No conclusion or abrupt ending; purely descriptive close; conclusion contradicts body or introduces new unconnected ideas

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