Water & Wetland Conservation — UPSC Prelims Previous Year Questions
21 questions from UPSC CSE Prelims GS Paper 1 on Water & Wetland Conservation (Environment & Ecology). Spanning from 1995 to 2023. Practice with show/hide answers and detailed explanations.
Based on 21 questions across 16 years, UPSC has consistently tested aspirants' understanding of Water & Wetland Conservation within the broader Environment & Ecology syllabus. The questions range from factual recall to application-based analysis.
Recent trends show UPSC moving towards statement-based questions that combine multiple aspects of Water & Wetland Conservation. Aspirants should focus on understanding concepts rather than memorizing isolated facts.
Q: Consider the following statements:
Statement-I : According to the United Nations’ ‘World Water Development Report, 2022’, India extracts more than a quarter of the world’s groundwater withdrawal each year.
Statement-II : India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world’s groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world’s population living in its territory.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
(a)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
(b)Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
(c)Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
(d)Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
Q: “यदि नत्रजन और फास्फोरस पृथ्वी पर फेंके जाते हैं, तो निष्कर्ष में आंशिक अवसाद इसके भूमि पर किस प्रकार कार्य करते हैं ?” निम्नलिखित में से आंशिक अवसाद का कौन-सा कथन सर्वोत्कृष्ट रूप से प्रतिनिधित्व करता है ?
(a)आंशिक अवसाद में जल-चक्र में सतही अवसादन, अवसाद अंतःक्षरण और वाष्पन शामिल होते हैं।
(b)शैवालों के लिए पोषक आधार बनता है, जिस पर मछली, एककोशिकीय (क्रस्टेशियन), मृदुकाय (मोलस्क), पक्षी, स्तनधारी आदि फलते-फूलते हैं।
(c)आंशिक अवसाद संतुलन और मृत परिसंचरण बनाए रखने में महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाते हैं।
(d)जीवों पदार्थ धातुओं और पोषकों के अवशोषण को बढ़ा देते हैं।
Q: Consider the following statements:
1. 36% of India’s districts are classified as “overexploited” or “critical” by the Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA).
2. CGWA was formed under the Environment (Protection) Act.
3. India has the largest area under groundwater irrigation in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds?
1. Decreased salinity in the river
2. Pollution of groundwater
3. Lowering of the water-table
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Q: Which of the following are the key features of ‘National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)’?
1. River basin is the unit of planning and management.
2. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3. One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Q: With reference to a conservation organization called ‘Wetlands International’, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. It is an intergovernmental organization formed by the countries which are signatories to Ramsar Convention.
2. It works at the field level to develop and mobilize knowledge, and use the practical experience to advocate for better policies.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Q: What are the benefits of implementing the ‘Integrated Watershed Development Programme’?
1. Prevention of soil runoff
2. Linking the country’s perennial rivers with seasonal rivers
3. Rainwater harvesting and recharge of groundwater table
4. Regeneration of natural vegetation
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Q: Which of the following can be found as pollutants in the drinking water in some parts of India?
1. Arsenic
2. Sorbitol
3. Fluoride
4. Formaldehyde
5. Uranium
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Q: With reference to the wetlands of India, consider the following statements :
1. The country’s total geographical area under the category of wetlands is recorded more in Gujarat as compared to other States.
2. In India, the total geographical area of coastal wetlands is larger than that of inland wetlands.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Q: There is a concern over the increase in harmful algal blooms in the seawaters of India. What could be the causative factors for this phenomenon?
1. Discharge of nutrients from the estuaries.
2. Run-off from the land during the monsoon.
3. Upwelling in the seas.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Q: The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?
(a)The mangrove swamps separate the human settlements from the sea by a wide zone in which people neither live nor venture out
(b)The mangroves provide both food and medicines which people are in need of after any natural disaster
(c)The mangrove trees are tall with dense canopies and serve as an excellent shelter during a cyclone or tsunami
(d)The mangrove trees do not get uprooted by storms and tides because of their extensive roots
Q: Some people in Manipur live in houses built on floating islands of weeds and decaying vegetation held together by suspended silt. These islands are called
Q: Assertion (A): Mangroves are very specialised forest ecosystems of tropical and subtropical regions bordering certain sea coasts.
Reason (R): They stabilise the shoreline and act as bulwark against encroachments by sea.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of the following is correct?
(a)Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b)Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
Q: “Monoculture of commercially viable trees is destroying the unique natural profile of ……… Thoughtless exploitation of timber, deforesting vast tracts for palm cultivation, destruction of mangroves, illegal logging by tribals and poaching only compound the problem. Fresh water pockets are fast drying up due to deforestation and destruction of mangroves.” The place referred to in this quotation is
(a)Sundarbans
(b)Kerala Coast
(c)Orissa Coast
(d)Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Frequently Asked Questions
How many UPSC Prelims questions have been asked from Water & Wetland Conservation?▼
UPSC has asked 21 questions on Water & Wetland Conservation in GS Paper 1 Prelims between 1995 and 2023. This sub-topic falls under Environment & Ecology.
In which years has UPSC asked about Water & Wetland Conservation?▼
Questions on Water & Wetland Conservation have appeared in UPSC Prelims in the following years: 2023, 2022, 2020, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2009, 2005, 2004, 1998, 1996, 1995. The topic has appeared in 16 out of 31 years.
What is the difficulty level of Water & Wetland Conservation questions in UPSC Prelims?▼
Among 21 questions on Water & Wetland Conservation: 10 are easy, 11 are moderate, and 0 are difficult. Most questions test conceptual understanding of the topic.
