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

Q8

Seawater intrusion in the coastal aquifers is a major concern in India. What are the causes of seawater intrusion and the remedial measures to combat this hazard ? (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत में तटीय जलभृत में समुद्री जल घुसपैठ एक मुख्य चिंता का विषय है। समुद्री जल घुसपैठ के क्या कारण हैं तथा ऐसी आपदा का सामना करने के उपचारात्मक उपाय क्या हैं ? (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

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Directive word: What

This question asks you to what. 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 'what' requires a factual, informative response identifying causes and remedies. Structure as: brief definition of seawater intrusion → causes (natural and anthropogenic) → remedial measures (structural and non-structural) → concluding remark on sustainable groundwater management.

Key points expected

Natural causes: sea level rise, tidal effects, storm surges, reduced freshwater discharge from rivers
Anthropogenic causes: excessive groundwater extraction, reduced recharge due to urbanization, deforestation of mangroves
Physical barriers: subsurface dams, injection wells, trenching with impermeable materials
Management measures: regulated groundwater abstraction, artificial recharge, rainwater harvesting, coastal aquifer monitoring
Policy interventions: Coastal Regulation Zone norms, National Water Mission objectives, community-based aquifer management

Evaluation rubric

Dimension	Weight	Max marks	Excellent	Average	Poor
Demand-directive understanding	20%	2	Clearly identifies both components demanded—causes (natural + anthropogenic) and remedial measures (structural + management)—without mixing or omitting either category	Addresses both causes and remedies but conflates categories or misses sub-classification (natural/anthropogenic)	Only addresses causes or only remedies, or provides generic water scarcity discussion without specific seawater intrusion focus
Content depth & accuracy	20%	2	Accurately explains Ghyben-Herzberg principle or density difference mechanism; mentions specific techniques like subsurface dams, injection barriers; includes climate change-sea level rise linkage	Lists valid causes and remedies but lacks mechanistic explanation; no mention of density-driven flow or specific technical interventions	Factually incorrect content (e.g., confusing surface water salinity with aquifer intrusion) or vague statements like 'stop pollution'
Structure & flow	20%	2	Logical two-part structure with clear visual separation (bullets/paragraphs) between causes and remedies; maintains 150-word economy without abrupt jumps	Coherent flow but causes and remedies intermixed; word count slightly exceeded or underutilized	Disorganized listing without thematic grouping; abrupt ending; significantly over/under word limit
Examples / case-law / data	20%	2	Cites specific Indian cases: Minjur aquifer (Tamil Nadu), Thoothukudi coast, Kerala's Alappuzha, or Gujarat's coastal Saurashtra; references CMFRI/NGRI studies or state groundwater department data	Mentions 'coastal Tamil Nadu/Kerala' without specificity; or generic 'Indian coastal areas' reference	No Indian examples; only foreign cases (Florida, Netherlands) or no examples at all
Conclusion & analytical edge	20%	2	Concludes with integrated approach linking demand management (Atal Bhujal Yojana) with climate adaptation; or notes participatory groundwater governance as key to sustainability	Generic conclusion on 'sustainable use' without program/institutional linkage; no forward-looking element	No conclusion; or abrupt stop after listing remedies; or irrelevant closing on unrelated water topic

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