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India: People and Economy

Class 12 · Geography

Real UPSC Prelims questions from 2016–2026, linked to this book. Try each one first, then open the answer. 2026 answers follow UPSC's provisional answer key.

Ch 3 · Land Resources and Agriculture

Prelims 2019 · Q83

With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in India in the last five years, consider the following statements:

  1. 1.Area under rice cultivation is the highest.
  2. 2.Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds.
  3. 3.Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane.
  4. 4.Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a)1 and 3 only
  2. (b)2, 3 and 4 only
  3. (c)2 and 4 only
  4. (d)1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 3 (Land Resources and Agriculture); Class 10 Contemporary India – II, Ch 4 (Agriculture).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 India: People and Economy, ch 3, puts jowar at about 5.3% of cropped area. Class 10 Contemporary India II, ch 4, puts oilseeds at about 12%. So statement 2 (more area under jowar than oilseeds) is false, and every option except (a) contains it. Note that these shares are for the whole year, not kharif alone.

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2019), question 83 ↗

Prelims 2021 · Q57

Among the following, which one is the least water-efficient crop?

  1. (a)Sugarcane
  2. (b)Sunflower
  3. (c)Pearl millet
  4. (d)Red gram
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 3 (Land Resources and Agriculture).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 India: People and Economy, ch 3, lists sugarcane with rice and jute as water-intensive crops, and bajra (pearl millet) and gram among the hardy, drought-resistant crops of dry areas. Sugarcane is the only option on the water-intensive list. Answer (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2021), question 57 ↗

Prelims 2022 · Q48

Which of the following are nitrogen-fixing plants?

  1. 1.Alfalfa
  2. 2.Amaranth
  3. 3.Chickpea
  4. 4.Clover
  5. 5.Purslane (Kulfa)
  6. 6.Spinach

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

  1. (a)1, 3 and 4 only
  2. (b)1, 3, 5 and 6 only
  3. (c)2, 4, 5 and 6 only
  4. (d)1, 2, 4, 5 and 6
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (a)

NCERT answers it: Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Ch 5 (Geomorphic Processes); Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 3 (Land Resources and Agriculture).

The one fact NCERT doesn't give: Alfalfa (lucerne) and clover (berseem) are legumes too.

Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, ch 5: Rhizobium in the root nodules of leguminous plants fixes nitrogen. Class 12 India: People and Economy, ch 3: gram (chickpea) is a pulse, a legume crop. With the fact, 1, 3 and 4 fix nitrogen, and only option (a) has all three. Answer (a).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2022), question 48 ↗

Ch 4 · Water Resources

Prelims 2018 · Q82

With reference to agricultural soils, consider the following statements:

  1. 1.A high content of organic matter in soil drastically reduces its water holding capacity.
  2. 2.Soil does not play any role in the sulphur cycle.
  3. 3.Irrigation over a period of time can contribute to the salinization of some agricultural lands.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. (a)1 and 2 only
  2. (b)3 only
  3. (c)1 and 3 only
  4. (d)1, 2 and 3
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (b)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 4 (Water Resources); Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography, Ch 5 (Geomorphic Processes).

India: People and Economy (ch 4): intensive irrigation is raising soil salinity in Punjab, Haryana and western UP (3 true). Fundamentals of Physical Geography (ch 5): organic matter helps soil retain moisture (1 false). Only (b) has 3 without 1. So (b).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2018), question 82 ↗

Prelims 2023 · Q76

Consider the following statements:

Statement–I:

According to the United Nations' 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year.

Statement–II:

India needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

  1. (a)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is the correct explanation for Statement–I
  2. (b)Both Statement–I and Statement–II are correct and Statement–II is not the correct explanation for Statement–I
  3. (c)Statement–I is correct but Statement–II is incorrect
  4. (d)Statement–I is incorrect but Statement–II is correct
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (c)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 4 (Water Resources).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 India: People and Economy, ch 4: agriculture uses 92% of India's groundwater, so India does not pump groundwater mainly for drinking and sanitation. Statement II is false. No option has both statements false, and the only option with II false is (c).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2023), question 76 ↗

Ch 5 · Mineral and Energy Resources

Prelims 2022 · Q28

With reference to India, consider the following statements:

  1. 1.Monazite is a source of rare earths.
  2. 2.Monazite contains thorium.
  3. 3.Monazite occurs naturally in the entire Indian coastal sands in India.
  4. 4.In India, Government bodies only can process or export monazite.

Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. (a)1, 2 and 3 only
  2. (b)1, 2 and 4 only
  3. (c)3 and 4 only
  4. (d)1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (b)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 5 (Mineral and Energy Resources).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 India: People and Economy, ch 5: thorium comes from monazite (statement 2), found in the beach sands along particular coasts (NCERT names Kerala and Tamil Nadu). So it does not occur along the entire coast (statement 3 is false). Only (b) leaves 3 out.

Beyond NCERT: statement 4 is true. Monazite is a 'prescribed substance' under the Atomic Energy Act, and Indian Rare Earths Limited, a government company, is the only body allowed to process and export it. Source: Department of Atomic Energy, Press Release 10/2012, 'Export of Monazite from India – Facts' (dae.gov.in)

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2022), question 28 ↗

Ch 6 · Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context

Prelims 2018 · Q48

Increase in absolute and per capita real GNP do not connote a higher level of economic development, if

  1. (a)industrial output fails to keep pace with agricultural output.
  2. (b)agricultural output fails to keep pace with industrial output.
  3. (c)poverty and unemployment increase.
  4. (d)imports grow faster than exports.
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (c)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 6 (Planning and Sustainable Development in Indian Context).

India: People and Economy (ch 6): even countries with high economic growth saw poverty rise quickly because growth was unequally shared. Growth without falling poverty is not development. So (c).

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2018), question 48 ↗

Ch 8 · International Trade

Prelims 2019 · Q84

Among the agricultural commodities imported by India, which one of the following accounts for the highest imports in terms of value in the last five years?

  1. (a)Spices
  2. (b)Fresh fruits
  3. (c)Pulses
  4. (d)Vegetable oils
Show answer

UPSC's answer: (d)

NCERT answers it: Class 12 India: People and Economy, Ch 8 (International Trade).

How to solve it with NCERT: Class 12 India: People and Economy, ch 8, names edible oil as a major item in India's import basket, and it is the only farm product named there. Spices, fruits and pulses don't appear in that list. Answer (d).

Beyond NCERT: India is the world's largest importer of vegetable oil, as its oilseed output lags behind consumption. Source: Economic Survey 2021–22 (indiabudget.gov.in), ch 7, paras 7.9–7.10

Hindi version: UPSC's official question paper (2019), question 84 ↗

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