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General Studies 2026 GS Paper I 10 marks 150 words Compulsory Critically examine

GS Paper I — Q5

"Tundra regions are ecologically fragile but economically important." Examine this statement critically. (Answer in 150 words) 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

“टुन्ड्रा प्रदेश पारिस्थितिक दृष्टि से नाजुक लेकिन आर्थिक दृष्टि से महत्वपूर्ण हैं।” इस कथन का आलोचनात्मक परीक्षण कीजिए। (उत्तर 150 शब्दों में दीजिए)

Q5 of the 2026 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper I, as printed
The question as printed in the 2026 General Studies paper
Evaluate your answer to this question → See all 2026 General Studies questions

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.

Tundra ecosystems exhibit acute ecological fragility, characterised by permafrost, short growing seasons, and sluggish recovery rates of lichens, mosses, and dwarf shrubs. Under Arctic amplification, the region warms at twice the global average rate, where permafrost thaw releases potent methane and carbon dioxide feedbacks, accelerating planetary warming.

Conversely, tundra holds strategic economic importance. It contains major hydrocarbon reserves, notably Russia’s Yamal gas fields and Alaska’s North Slope, alongside newly emerging Arctic shipping routes. It also sustains indigenous economies, including Nenets and Sami reindeer herding and subsistence fishing.

Critically, economic expansion directly threatens this fragile base. Infrastructure like pipelines and roads fragments permafrost and disrupts migratory corridors. Furthermore, this fragility boomerangs to undermine economic value itself: ground thaw destabilises industrial foundations and disrupts indigenous livelihoods. Therefore, tundra’s economic utility cannot be detached from its ecological limits; unchecked exploitation degrades the very stability required for sustainable economic activity.

What "Critically examine" is asking you to do

Test the proposition the question puts to you and return a finding on how far it holds. Examine stems carry a claim, or ask whether something has happened, and expect evidence weighed both ways before the extent is stated — often with remedial measures attached. “Critically” is not a section added at the end: name the yardstick you are judging by — the evidence, the stated objective, a constitutional principle, a rival explanation — and let a verdict close each part of the body. Where the question quotes a claim, that verdict must land on the claim itself, accepted, qualified or rejected, and not on the theme in general.

Structure that answers it

Restate the claim as the question frames it → evidence that supports it → evidence that undercuts it → the conditions under which it holds → verdict on how far it stands

Where marks are lost

Merits in one paragraph, demerits in the next, and a conclusion calling for a balanced and holistic approach. That is a survey with the judgement left out and it holds the answer in the middle band. The opposite error is reading “critically” as permission to attack — and with the odd pairings, critically describe or critically explain, the exposition still carries most of the marks, the judgement being a layer on it rather than a substitute for it.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS1 Geography: Physical-Human Linkage. examine: intro > how/why with reasoning > evidence > conclusion Full marks: Balanced analysis of fragility vs. economy with specific examples and mechanisms.

Key points expected

  • Define ecological fragility (permafrost, slow recovery)
  • Identify economic resources (minerals, hydrocarbons, grazing)
  • Explain the mechanism of climate change impact
  • Provide a specific regional example (e.g., Siberia, Alaska)

Evaluation rubric

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

  1. The answer Critically evaluate the paradox of tundra's ecological vulnerability versus its economic utility. 10 marks · 150 words

    examine— intro → how/why with reasoning → evidence → conclusion

    Must cover

    • Define ecological fragility (permafrost, slow recovery)
    • Identify economic resources (minerals, hydrocarbons, grazing)
    • Explain the mechanism of climate change impact
    • Provide a specific regional example (e.g., Siberia, Alaska)

    Loses marks

    • Narrating general geography without critical analysis
    • Ignoring the 'fragile' aspect of the statement
    • Vague generalizations without specific examples

    Earns more

    • Mention specific minerals (oil, gas, diamonds)
    • Reference indigenous livelihoods (reindeer herding)
    • Discuss infrastructure challenges (permafrost melting)

    Extra mark

    • 30-second sketch map of tundra belt
    • Specific statistic on permafrost extent

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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