Minimalist IAS
CSAT 2023 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2023 · Question 3 · Reading comprehension

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational message conveyed…

Passage—3

In India, a majority of farmers are marginal and small, less educated and possess low adaptive capabilities to climate change, perhaps because of credit and other constraints. So, one cannot expect autonomous adaptation to climate change. Even if it was possible, it would not be sufficient to offset losses from climate change. To deal with this, adaptation to climate change is paramount, alongside a fast mitigation response. Another solution is to have a planned or policy-driven adaptation, which would require the government to come up with policy recommendations. Perception is a necessary pre-requisite for adaptation. Whether farmers are adapting agricultural practices to climate change depends on whether they perceive it or not. However, this is not always enough for adaptation. It is important how a farmer perceives the risks associated with climate change.

CSAT 2023 · Q3

Reading comprehension Easy

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most logical and rational message conveyed by the author of the passage?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) Risk perceptions of farmers are important for motivating them for taking adaptation decisions.

The passage builds up to the point that perception is a pre-requisite for adaptation and that what matters is how a farmer perceives the risks of climate change. So farmers' risk perception drives their decision to adapt.

  • ✗ (a) Policy-driven adaptation is called 'another solution'; the passage never makes adaptation and mitigation basically the government's job.
  • ✗ (b) Land-use policies are not mentioned at all.
  • ✓ (c) 'Perception is a necessary pre-requisite for adaptation' and 'It is important how a farmer perceives the risks' say exactly this.
  • ✗ (d) The passage wants adaptation 'alongside a fast mitigation response'; it never says mitigation is not possible.

Remember · The author's message usually sits where the argument ends; test extreme words such as 'basically', 'only' and 'not possible' against the text.

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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