Prelims GS I · 245 questions · 2011–2026
Environment & ecology: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “General issues on Environmental ecology, Bio-diversity and Climate Change - that do not require subject specialization.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Environment & ecology in Prelims 2023: 13 questions
All years →- Q12 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsConsider the following statements: Marsupials are not naturally found in India. Marsupials can thrive only in montane grasslands with no predators.…
- Q13 · Environmental laws, bodies & conventions‘Invasive Species Specialist Group’ (that develops Global Invasive Species Database) belongs to which one of the following organizations?…
- Q14 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsConsider the following fauna: Lion-tailed Macaque Malabar Civet Sambar Deer…
- Q15 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsWhich of the following organisms perform waggle dance for others of their kin to indicate the direction and the distance to a source of their food?…
- Q16 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsConsider the following statements: Some mushrooms have medicinal properties. Some mushrooms have psychoactive properties. Some mushrooms have insecticidal properties. Some mushrooms have bioluminescen…
- Q17 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsConsider the following statements regarding the Indian squirrels: They build nests by making burrows in the ground. They store their food materials like nuts and seeds in the ground. They are omnivoro…
- Q19 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsWhich one of the following makes a tool with a stick to scrape insects from a hole in a tree or a log of wood?…
- Q20 · Pollution & wasteConsider the following: Aerosols Foam agents Fire retardants Lubricants…
- Q23 · Climate change & agreementsConsider the following statements: Carbon markets are likely to be one of the most widespread tools in the fight against climate change. Carbon markets transfer resources from the private sector to th…
- Q38 · Protected areas & conservationConsider the following statements: Once the Central Government notifies an area as a ‘Community Reserve’ the Chief Wildlife Warden of the State becomes the governing authority of such forest hunting i…
- Q59 · Pollution & wasteConsider the following statements regarding mercury pollution: Gold mining activity is a source of mercury pollution in the world. Coal-based thermal power plants cause mercury pollution. There is no …
- Q68 · Climate change & agreementsConsider the following activities: Spreading finely ground basalt rock on farmlands extensively Increasing the alkalinity of oceans by adding lime Capturing carbon dioxide released by various industri…
- Q79 · Environmental laws, bodies & conventionsConsider the following statements: In India, the Biodiversity Management Committees are key to the realization of the objectives of the Nagoya Protocol. The Biodiversity Management Committees have imp…
Environment & ecology in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 245 questions on Environment & ecology in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 15 a year, the most in 2014 (23). The most-asked topic is Biodiversity, plants & animals (62 questions).
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 16 | 18 | 17 | 23 | 15 | 17 | 13 | 11 | 18 | 12 | 20 | 16 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 9 |
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- Biodiversity, plants & animals62 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- Pollution & waste43 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- Climate change & agreements40 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- Environmental laws, bodies & conventions40 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- Ecology & ecosystems33 questions · asked in 11 of 16 years
- Protected areas & conservation27 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q21 · Climate change & agreementsConsider the following statements with reference to India's response to climate change: I. India's Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) is a crucial tool…
- 2026 · Q22 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsWith respect to the Western Hoolock Gibbons, which of the following statements is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q23 · Ecology & ecosystemsWhich of the following best explain(s) the rationale for protecting mangrove ecosystems in the context of climate resilience?…
- 2026 · Q27 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsWhich of the following statements with regard to the arrival of Amur Falcons at Doyang Lake in Nagaland each year from Mongolia is/are correct?…
- 2026 · Q32 · Protected areas & conservationWith reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct?…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Environment & ecology. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
Environment & ecology PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Environment & ecology question from 2011 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 120 pages. Free; sign up once.
Environment & ecology PYQs: quick answers
How many Environment & ecology questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2011 to 2026?
245 questions in GS Paper I — about 15 a year, the most in 2014 (23). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Environment & ecology topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
Biodiversity, plants & animals: 62 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 15 of 16 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
From 2016, yes: every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2011–2015, where UPSC published no key online, each answer is worked out from official sources and reviewed independently; for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Environment & ecology PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Environment & ecology question with answers and explanations (120 pages, 2.4 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.
