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India: People and Economy

Class 12 · Geography

Ch 3 · Land Resources and Agriculture

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.

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 ↗

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