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CSAT 2023 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2023 · Question 1 · Reading comprehension

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most rational, practical and immediate…

Directions for the following 3 (three) items: Read the following three passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.

Passage—1

We often hear about conflicts among different States in India over river waters. Of the 20 major river systems, 14 are already water-stressed; 75% of the population lives in water-stressed regions, a third of whom live in water-scarce areas. Climate change, the demands of rising population and the need for agriculture to keep pace, and increased rate of urbanization and industrialization will exacerbate water stress. According to the Constitution of India, water is a State subject and not that of the Union, except for regulation of inter-State rivers. Key to ensuring balance between competing demands of various stakeholders is a basin-based approach to allocate water amongst constituent regions and States. Allocating fair share of water to them requires assessments based on objective criteria, such as specificities of the river basin, size of dependent population, existing water use and demand, efficiency of use, projected future use, etc. while ensuring the environmental needs of the river and aquifers.

CSAT 2023 · Q1

Reading comprehension Easy

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most rational, practical and immediate action required to ensure fair and equitable allocation of water to different stakeholders?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) A national, pragmatic, legal and policy framework for water allocation should be made.

The passage says fair sharing needs a basin-based approach and shares fixed on objective criteria, which means agreed rules for allocation. A national legal and policy framework is the only option that supplies such rules; the others are engineering or demand-side ideas the passage never proposes.

  • ✓ (a) The passage's key is 'a basin-based approach' with shares assessed on 'objective criteria'. A national legal and policy framework is the practical way to apply such rules across States, especially as water is a State subject.
  • ✗ (b) Linking every river and creating huge aquifers is a vast engineering project, neither immediate nor mentioned; the passage is about sharing existing water fairly.
  • ✗ (c) Channels from surplus to deficit regions move water, but they do not settle who gets how much; the passage never suggests them.
  • ✗ (d) Cutting demand may ease stress, but the question asks how to allocate water fairly among stakeholders, which demand cuts do not decide.

Remember · For 'most rational, practical, immediate action', pick the option that puts the passage's own solution into practice; reject grand projects it never mentions.

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2023, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·

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