GS-I UPSC PYQ 2022

Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade. How to approach this question Write a brief introduction setting context ( 2–3 lines ) Cover both sides if question says "critically discuss / examine / analyse" Use data, schemes, examples specific to GEOGRAPHY Conclude with a forward-looking statement ( 2–3 lines ) Practice all GS1 Mains questions Model answers + key points for every question Open App Model Answer Framework (English) Show Hide Straits (narrow water passages connecting two larger water bodies) and isthmuses (narrow strips of land joining two larger landmasses, often cut by canals) are the geographical "chokepoints" of world maritime trade, and are of immense significance. Significance of straits in international trade: They are natural shortcuts linking seas and oceans, drastically reducing sea-route distances. easemyprep.in They concentrate global shipping, becoming strategic chokepoints : The Strait of Malacca links the Indian and Pacific Oceans and carries a very large share of world trade and the bulk of East Asia's energy imports. The Strait of Hormuz is the world's most critical oil chokepoint, through which a large share of seaborne oil passes. easemyprep.in The Bab-el-Mandeb , the Bosphorus , the English Channel (the world's busiest shipping lane) and the Strait of Gibraltar are likewise vital. Their narrowness also makes them vulnerable — to blockade, piracy, conflict and accidents. Significance of isthmuses in international trade: easemyprep.in An isthmus, when cut by a canal , provides a vital trade shortcut: The Isthmus of Panama / the Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, saving the long and dangerous voyage around Cape Horn (about 15,000 km). The Isthmus of Suez / the Suez Canal links the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, saving the voyage around the Cape of Good Hope (about 7,000 km) and carrying roughly 12–13% of world trade. The 2021 *Ever Given* blockage showed how a single disruption can cost the global economy billions. easemyprep.in General significance: they cut shipping time, distance and cost; they earn transit-toll revenue for the controlling states; and they carry great geostrategic and military weight. For India , the Strait of Malacca, Hormuz and Bab-el-Mandeb are vital for its trade and energy security. Conclusion: Straits and isthmuses — and the canals that cut the isthmuses — are the arteries and gateways of world maritime trade. Their efficient and secure functioning is critical to the global economy, and their chokepoint character makes them strategically sensitive. Source: easemyprep.in Structured Mains Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View इस प्रश्न को हिंदी में पढ़ें हिंदी में पढ़ें → Structured Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View Practice All Mains GS1 — History, Society & Geography Questions Download App More GS1 Questions Ease My Prep Focused UPSC preparation. Daily current affairs, PYQ practice, trend analysis, and mentorship for serious CSE aspirants across India. Based in Gurugram, Haryana · Founded 2022 Product Features Pricing AI Copy Checking Courses Daily News Mentorship Books Blog Company About Us Community Contact Legal Privacy Policy Terms of Service Refund Policy 📱 Android App 🍎 iOS App 🌐 Web App © 2022 – 2026 Ease My Prep . All rights reserved. Made with dedication for UPSC aspirants across India.

Discuss the natural resource potentials of ‘Deccan trap’. [150 Words, 10 Marks]

Discuss the significance of the lion and bull figures in Indian mythology, art and architecture. (250 words, 15 Marks)

Elucidate the relationship between globalization and new technology in a world of scarce resources, with special reference to India. (250 words, 15 Marks)

Examine the potential of wind energy in India and explain the reasons for their limited spatial spread. [150 Words, 10 Marks]

Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. How to approach this question Write a brief introduction setting context ( 1–2 lines ) Cover both sides if question says "critically discuss / examine / analyse" Use data, schemes, examples specific to GEOGRAPHY Conclude with a forward-looking statement ( 1 line ) Practice all GS1 Mains questions Model answers + key points for every question Open App Model Answer Framework (English) Show Hide Primary rocks are the igneous rocks — the first rocks to form on the Earth, by the cooling and solidification (crystallisation) of molten magma or lava . They are the "parent" rocks from which sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are ultimately derived, and they make up the foundation of the Earth's crust. Characteristics of primary rocks: They are formed by the solidification of magma or lava and are therefore crystalline . easemyprep.in They are generally hard, compact, dense and resistant . They are non-stratified (have no layers) and contain no fossils , since they form from molten material. They typically have a texture of interlocking crystals (granular or glassy). easemyprep.in They form the bulk of the Earth's crust — both the oceanic and the continental crust — and act as the basement rocks. They are largely impervious , though joints and cracks allow some water movement; they are broken down by weathering, feeding the rock cycle. Types of primary rocks: easemyprep.in By the place of cooling: Extrusive (volcanic) rocks: lava that cools rapidly at the surface forms fine-grained or glassy rocks — for example, basalt (the Deccan Trap), obsidian and pumice. Intrusive (plutonic) rocks: magma that cools slowly deep within the crust forms coarse-grained rocks with large crystals — for example, granite ; rocks cooling at intermediate (hypabyssal) depth, such as dolerite, form dykes and sills. easemyprep.in By silica content: Acidic rocks — high silica (over 65%), light-coloured and less dense — e.g., granite. Basic rocks — low silica (about 45–55%), dark, dense and rich in iron and magnesium — e.g., basalt. easemyprep.in Significance: primary rocks are a major source of minerals and metals; weathered basalt forms fertile black soil; granite is a valuable building stone; and they preserve a record of the Earth's geological history. Conclusion: Primary (igneous) rocks — crystalline, hard, unstratified and fossil-free — are the original rocks of the Earth's crust. Classified by where they cool (extrusive versus intrusive) and by silica content (acidic versus basic), they form the foundation of the rock cycle and an important resource base. Source: easemyprep.in Structured Mains Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View इस प्रश्न को हिंदी में पढ़ें हिंदी में पढ़ें → Structured Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View Practice All Mains GS1 — History, Society & Geography Questions Download App More GS1 Questions Ease My Prep Focused UPSC preparation. Daily current affairs, PYQ practice, trend analysis, and mentorship for serious CSE aspirants across India. Based in Gurugram, Haryana · Founded 2022 Product Features Pricing AI Copy Checking Courses Daily News Mentorship Books Blog Company About Us Community Contact Legal Privacy Policy Terms of Service Refund Policy 📱 Android App 🍎 iOS App 🌐 Web App © 2022 – 2026 Ease My Prep . All rights reserved. Made with dedication for UPSC aspirants across India.

Are tolerance, assimilation and pluralism the key elements in the making of an Indian form of secularism? Justify your answer. (250 words, 15 Marks)

Troposphere is a very significant atmosphere layer that determines weather processes. How? ( 250 words, 15 marks)

Why was there a sudden spurt in famines in colonial India since the mid-eighteenth century? Give reasons. (150 words, 10 marks)

How will you explain the medieval Indian temple sculptures represent the social life of those days? (150 words, 10 Marks)

Explore and evaluate the impact of ‘Work from Home’ on family relationships. (150 words, 10 Marks)

How is the growth of Tier 2 cities related to the rise of a new middle class with an emphasis on the culture of consumption? (150 words, 10 Marks)

Describing the distribution of rubber producing countries, indicate the major environmental issues faced by them. [250 Words, 15 Marks]

Discuss the main contributions of Gupta period and Chola period to Indian heritage and culture. (250 words, 15 Marks)

Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade. [250 Words, 15 Marks]

The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century. Discuss with examples. (250 words, 15 marks)

Given the diversities among the tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category? (150 words, 10 Marks)

Analyze the salience of ‘sect’ in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion. (250 words, 15 Marks)

Why did the armies of the British East India Company – mostly comprising of Indian Soldiers – win consistently against the more numerous and better equipped armies of the then Indian rulers? Give reasons.

Discuss the meaning of color-coded weather warnings for cyclone prone areas given by India Meteorological department. [150 Words, 10 Marks]

What are the forces that influence ocean currents? Describe their role in the fishing industry of the world. [250 Words, 15 Marks]

Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. [150 Words, 10 Marks]

Analyse the salience of Sect in Indian society vis-a-vis caste, region and religion. How to approach this question Write a brief introduction setting context ( 2–3 lines ) Cover both sides if question says "critically discuss / examine / analyse" Use data, schemes, examples specific to SOCIETY & SOCIAL ISSUES Conclude with a forward-looking statement ( 2–3 lines ) Practice all GS1 Mains questions Model answers + key points for every question Open App Model Answer Framework (English) Show Hide A sect (panth or sampradaya) is a sub-group within a broad religion, organised around a particular teacher, doctrine, deity or set of practices - the Shaiva and Vaishnava traditions, the Lingayats, the Kabir Panth, the Radha Soami movement, the Arya Samaj, the modern "deras", and the Sufi silsilas. Its salience must be assessed against the other great axes of Indian identity - caste, region and religion. The salience of sect Sect shapes the religious identity, ritual life and everyday practice of millions, often more immediately than the broad religious label. Many sects historically offered an egalitarian alternative to caste - the Bhakti sects, the Lingayats and the Kabir Panth challenged caste hierarchy, and modern deras draw large followings among Dalits. Sects also provide community, welfare, education and social capital, and their leaders - "godmen" and dera heads - have become powerful socio-political actors and even vote banks. Some sects have hardened into quasi-castes or seek a separate religious identity, as with the Lingayats' demand for recognition as a distinct religion. easemyprep.in Sect vis-a-vis caste Caste remains the most pervasive of all - it is ascriptive, governs marriage through endogamy, and is transmitted by birth. Sect, by contrast, is often affiliative and chosen , and can cut across caste; yet caste frequently reasserts itself even within sects. Caste is therefore deeper; sect is more flexible. Sect vis-a-vis region easemyprep.in Region shapes language and culture. Many sects have a strong regional base - the Lingayats in Karnataka, the Warkari tradition in Maharashtra - though some, like the Radha Soami movement, are pan-Indian. Sect and region often reinforce each other. Sect vis-a-vis religion A sect is a sub-unit of a religion, but for the individual the sectarian identity is often more salient in daily worship and belonging than the broad religious category. Religion, however, retains the greatest force in communal mobilisation and majority-minority politics. easemyprep.in Analysis On balance, caste remains the most salient axis because of its depth, its hold over marriage and its link to inequality; religion is most salient in communal-political mobilisation, and region in linguistic-political identity. Sect is significant and rising - as organised deras and sects become socio-political forces - but it generally operates as a sub-stratum that intersects all three rather than displacing them. Conclusion easemyprep.in Sect is an important and growing axis of identity in Indian society, but it works within, and intersects with, caste, region and religion. Caste remains the deepest of these identities; sect, the most fluid and chosen. Value addition (EMP · 2024–26) Salience: A sect (Lingayats, Kabir Panth, deras, Sufi silsilas) governs everyday ritual and offers an anti-caste, egalitarian route — dignity, welfare and social capital, especially for Dalits. Both edges: Historically integrative, but dera clashes and godman politics can sharpen cleavages; sect salience overlaps with caste, region and religion and must be channelled within principled-distance secularism. easemyprep.in Source: easemyprep.in Structured Mains Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View इस प्रश्न को हिंदी में पढ़ें हिंदी में पढ़ें → Structured Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View Practice All Mains GS1 — History, Society & Geography Questions Download App More GS1 Questions Ease My Prep Focused UPSC preparation. Daily current affairs, PYQ practice, trend analysis, and mentorship for serious CSE aspirants across India. Based in Gurugram, Haryana · Founded 2022 Product Features Pricing AI Copy Checking Courses Daily News Mentorship Books Blog Company About Us Community Contact Legal Privacy Policy Terms of Service Refund Policy 📱 Android App 🍎 iOS App 🌐 Web App © 2022 – 2026 Ease My Prep . All rights reserved. Made with dedication for UPSC aspirants across India.

Discuss the natural resource potentials of Deccan Trap’. How to approach this question Write a brief introduction setting context ( 1–2 lines ) Cover both sides if question says "critically discuss / examine / analyse" Use data, schemes, examples specific to GEOGRAPHY Conclude with a forward-looking statement ( 1 line ) Practice all GS1 Mains questions Model answers + key points for every question Open App Model Answer Framework (English) Show Hide The Deccan Trap is a vast plateau of basaltic lava flows in west-central India, formed about 66 million years ago by massive volcanic eruptions and covering roughly 500,000 sq km. It holds significant — though distinctive — natural-resource potential. Natural resource potential of the Deccan Trap: Black (regur) soil — the chief resource: the weathering of basalt yields fertile, moisture-retentive black cotton soil , ideal for cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds, pulses and citrus — a major agricultural resource and the base of the region's cotton-textile and sugar industries. easemyprep.in Building and road material: basalt is hard and durable, widely quarried as construction stone, road metal and aggregate. Bauxite: the laterite that caps the basalt at higher elevations is a source of bauxite (aluminium ore) — for example, in the Maikala range and parts of Maharashtra. Secondary minerals: the vesicles (gas cavities) in the basalt are filled with zeolites, agate, chalcedony and other semi-precious stones . easemyprep.in Groundwater: solid basalt is a poor aquifer, but its weathered, jointed and vesicular zones store usable groundwater locally. Renewable energy: the open plateau and good wind regime of the western Deccan give it considerable wind and solar energy potential. Limitations: the Deccan basalt is poor in metallic ores and fossil fuels; black soil is sticky when wet, hard when dry and prone to cracking; and groundwater availability is limited. easemyprep.in Conclusion: The Deccan Trap's pre-eminent resource is its fertile black soil , which supports commercial agriculture and agro-industry, supplemented by basalt building stone, bauxite, semi-precious minerals and renewable-energy potential — making the region agriculturally rich though comparatively mineral-poor. Source: easemyprep.in Structured Mains Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View इस प्रश्न को हिंदी में पढ़ें हिंदी में पढ़ें → Structured Preparation Mains Mastery Programme Master Every GS Theme — GS1 to GS4 Theme-first. PYQ-anchored. You write every answer. All themes + all PYQs covered 2-Month or 4-Month track Starting ₹4,999 View GS4 Ethics Mastery · Now Live Ethics Mastery — 2 Questions Daily All GS4 PYQs · Part A + Part B Ethical lens built through daily practice Concept clarity + case study method Starting ₹1,999 View Practice All Mains GS1 — History, Society & Geography Questions Download App More GS1 Questions Ease My Prep Focused UPSC preparation. Daily current affairs, PYQ practice, trend analysis, and mentorship for serious CSE aspirants across India. Based in Gurugram, Haryana · Founded 2022 Product Features Pricing AI Copy Checking Courses Daily News Mentorship Books Blog Company About Us Community Contact Legal Privacy Policy Terms of Service Refund Policy 📱 Android App 🍎 iOS App 🌐 Web App © 2022 – 2026 Ease My Prep . All rights reserved. Made with dedication for UPSC aspirants across India.