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CSAT 2023 paper

UPSC CSE CSAT 2023 · Question 51 · Reading comprehension

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

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

Sourcing food from non-agricultural lands (uncultivated systems such as forests, wetlands, pastures, etc) in addition to agricultural lands enables a systemic approach to food consumption. It allows rural and tribal communities to sustain themselves for the whole year and steer clear of natural disasters and season-induced shortfalls of agricultural food. Since the productivity of trees is often more resilient to adverse weather conditions than annual crops, forest foods often provide a safety net during periods of food shortages caused by crop failure; forest foods also make important contributions during seasonal crop production gaps.

CSAT 2023 · Q51

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: (d) Agroecosystems should be developed in addition to or along with conventional agriculture.

The passage recommends sourcing food from forests, wetlands and pastures in addition to farmland, because such foods are resilient and fill gaps when crops fail or between seasons. So these food systems should be developed alongside conventional agriculture, not in place of it.

  • ✗ (a) Replacing other trees with food-yielding trees is not proposed.
  • ✗ (b) 'Cannot be ensured' is too strong; the passage offers a supplement to agriculture, not a verdict against it.
  • ✗ (c) Converting wastelands is not discussed; the passage speaks of existing uncultivated systems such as forests and wetlands.
  • ✓ (d) The key phrase is 'in addition to agricultural lands': uncultivated food systems act as a safety net alongside conventional farming.

Remember · Watch small phrases like 'in addition to': they rule out options that replace rather than supplement.

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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