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 2016: 17 questions
All years →- Q6 · Climate change & agreementsThe term 'Intended Nationally Determined Contributions' is sometimes seen in the news in the context of…
- Q13 · Environmental laws, bodies & conventionsWhat is/are the importance/importances of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification? It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive internation…
- Q22 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsIn which of the following regions of India are you most likely to come across the 'Great Indian Hornbill' in its natural habitat?…
- Q23 · Environmental laws, bodies & conventionsWhich of the following are the key features of 'National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)'? River basin is the unit of planning and management. It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the n…
- Q30 · Climate change & agreementsConsider the following pairs: Annex–I Countries — Cartagena Protocol Certified Emissions Reductions — Nagoya Protocol Clean Development Mechanism — Kyoto Protocol…
- Q33 · Climate change & agreementsWhich of the following best describes/describe the aim of 'Green India Mission' of the Government of India? Incorporating environmental benefits and costs into the Union and State Budgets thereby impl…
- Q44 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsWhat is/are unique about ‘Kharai camel’, a breed found in India? It is capable of swimming up to three kilometres in seawater. It survives by grazing on mangroves. It lives in the wild and cannot be d…
- Q45 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsRecently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been dis…
- Q52 · Environmental laws, bodies & conventionsWith reference to an initiative called 'The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)', which of the following statements is/are correct? It is an initiative hosted by UNEP, IMF and World Econom…
- Q53 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsWith reference to 'Red Sanders', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements: It is a tree species found in a part of South India. It is one of the most important trees in the tropic…
- Q54 · Climate change & agreementsWhich of the following statements is/are correct? Proper design and effective implementation of UN-REDD+ Programme can significantly contribute to protection of biodiversity resilience of forest ecosy…
- Q55 · Climate change & agreementsWhat is 'Greenhouse Gas Protocol'?…
- Q57 · Environmental laws, bodies & conventionsWith reference to 'Agenda 21', sometimes seen in the news, consider the following statements: It is a global action plan for sustainable development. It originated in the World Summit on Sustainable D…
- Q68 · Protected areas & conservation'Gadgil Committee Report' and 'Kasturirangan Committee Report', sometimes seen in the news, are related to…
- Q86 · Pollution & wasteIn the cities of our country, which among the following atmospheric gases are normally considered in calculating the value of Air Quality Index? Carbon dioxide Carbon monoxide Nitrogen dioxide Sulfur …
- Q90 · Biodiversity, plants & animalsRecently, for the first time in our country, which of the following States has declared a particular butterfly as 'State Butterfly'?…
- Q97 · Climate change & agreementsWith reference to the Agreement at the UNFCCC Meeting in Paris in 2015, which of the following statements is/are correct? The Agreement was signed by all the member countries of the UN and it will go …
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.
