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General Studies 2026 GS Paper I 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Analyse

GS Paper I — Q15

Analyze the role of satellite-based technologies in achieving climate-smart agriculture and food security in India. (Answer in…

Analyze the role of satellite-based technologies in achieving climate-smart agriculture and food security in India. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

भारत में जलवायु-अनुकूल (क्लाइमेट-स्मार्ट) कृषि एवं खाद्य सुरक्षा को हासिल करने में उपग्रह-आधारित तकनीकियों की भूमिका का विश्लेषण कीजिए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q15 of the 2026 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2026 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

Satellite-based earth observation and meteorological systems provide the technological foundation for climate-smart agriculture in India, addressing the intertwined imperatives of productivity, climate adaptation, and resource conservation.

Crop Monitoring and Yield Estimation: Remote sensing payloads on ISRO’s Resourcesat and radar-imaging RISAT satellites provide multi-spectral and all-weather imagery. Under the FASAL (Forecasting Agricultural Output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land-based Observations) programme, this enables pre-harvest crop acreage estimation and yield forecasting, reducing market and supply-side uncertainties.

Weather Advisories and Early Warning: Payloads on INSAT-series satellites feed real-time atmospheric data into India Meteorological Department (IMD) models, facilitating location-specific, weather-based agro-advisories that help farmers time sowing and harvesting. Concurrently, the National Agricultural Drought Assessment and Monitoring System (NADAMS) utilizes satellite indices to provide early warnings for drought and flood vulnerabilities, enabling proactive mitigation.

Precision Inputs and Resource Management: Spatial mapping platforms like ISRO’s Bhuvan evaluate soil moisture dynamics and groundwater prospects, promoting precision irrigation. Furthermore, satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data gauges vegetative vigor to guide variable-rate application of fertilizers and pesticides, curbing input costs and lowering agricultural emissions.

Food Security Linkages: Accurate yield forecasting and stress mapping directly reinforce national food security by enabling data-driven procurement planning for the Public Distribution System (PDS), optimizing buffer stock management, and identifying zones suited for climate-resilient crop diversification.

Scaling these technologies requires bridging the last-mile gap through hyper-local digital extension platforms and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), converting space analytics into actionable, field-level climate resilience.

What "Analyse" is asking you to do

Break the subject into its working parts and show how they act on each other. The marks are in the interconnections — which factor drives which, and what the resulting structure explains — not in the inventory of factors.

Structure that answers it

Define the whole → separate it into its parts → show which part drives which → what that interaction produces → what the structure implies

Where marks are lost

A flat list of causes with no account of which drives which. An answer of neatly separated headings, each self-contained, scores as description.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 Geography/Environment. analyse: intro > causes > effects > stakeholders/linkages > way forward Full marks: Detailed mechanism of specific satellite tech (e.g., NDVI, SAR) linked to food security outcomes.

Key points expected

  • Remote sensing for crop health and soil moisture
  • Weather forecasting and early warning systems
  • Precision agriculture (variable rate application)
  • Linkage to food security (yield stability)

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Explain the mechanism of satellite tech in climate-smart agriculture and food security. 15 marks · 250 words

    analyse— intro → causes → effects → stakeholders/linkages → way forward

    Must cover

    • Remote sensing for crop health and soil moisture
    • Weather forecasting and early warning systems
    • Precision agriculture (variable rate application)
    • Linkage to food security (yield stability)

    Loses marks

    • Generic description of satellites without agricultural application
    • Ignoring the 'climate-smart' aspect (adaptation/mitigation)
    • Narrating history of ISRO instead of analyzing role

    Earns more

    • Mention of specific ISRO missions (e.g., Cartosat, Resourcesat)
    • Reference to government schemes (e.g., PM-KISAN, e-NAM)
    • Discussion of data integration (e.g., Bhuvan, Agmarknet)

    Extra mark

    • Specific statistic on yield improvement or area coverage
    • Mention of specific satellite sensor (e.g., LISS-III, OLI)

Practice this exact question

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