UPSC Civil Services Examination (Prelims) Environment & Ecology Hard Questions

According to India's National Policy on Biofuels, which of the following can be used as raw materials for the production of biofuels?

1. Cassava
2. Damaged wheat grains
3. Groundnut seeds
4. Horse gram
5. Rotten potatoes
6. Sugar beet
   Select the correct answer using the code given below:
   (a) 1, 2 and 5 only
   (b) 1, 3, 4 and 6 only
   (c) 2, 3, 4 and 6 only
   (d) 1, 2, 5 and 6 only

Consider the following:

1. Carabid beetles
2. Centipedes
3. Flies
4. Termites
5. Wasps

Parasitoid species are found in how many of the above kind of organisms?

With reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements:

1. A substantial saving in seed material is made when 'bud chip settlings' are raised in a nursery and transplanted in the main field.
2. When direct planting of setts is done, the germination percentage is better with single-budded setts as compared to setts with many buds.
3. If bad weather conditions prevail when setts are directly planted, single-budded setts are better options than large setts.
4. Sugarcane can be cultivated using micro-propagation propagules prepared from tissue culture.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   (a) 1 and 2 only
   (b) 3 and 4 only
   (c) 2 and 3 only
   (d) 1, 3 and 4 only

Consider the following statements:
Once the Central Government notifies an area as a 'Community Reserve':

1. The Chief Wildlife Warden of the State becomes the governing authority for such reserve.
2. Hunting is not allowed in such area.
3. People of such area are allowed to carry out traditional agricultural practices.
4. People of such area are allowed to collect and use the biomass found in such area.
   How many of the above statements are correct?

Consider the following statements:

1. In the last decade, the Coastal Ground Water Authority (CGWA) has constituted under the Environment (Protection) Act.
2. CGWA is the Central Government Water Authority.
3. 30% of India's districts are classified as 'overexploited' or 'critical' by the Central Ground Water Authority.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   (a) 1 only
   (b) 2 and 3 only
   (c) 2 only
   (d) 1 and 3 only

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I:
The European Parliament approved The Net-Zero Industry Act recently.

Statement-II:
The European Union intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 and therefore aims to develop all of its own clean technology by that time.

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

Which one of the following is the best example of repeated hills in sea-coastal marshlands?
(a) Marakkaanam Mangroves
(b) Raupada Swamp
(c) Coringa
(d) Bhitarkanika

Which one of the following is the first Plan Vivo certified Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) project in India?

Consider the following statements:

Statement-I: The Indian Flying Fox is placed under the 'vermin' category in the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.

Statement-II: The Indian Flying Fox feeds on the blood of other animals.

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

'R2 Code of Practices' constitutes a tool available for promoting the adoption of

Magnetite particles, suspected to cause neurodegenerative problems, are generated as environmental pollutants from which of the following?

1. Brakes of motor vehicles
2. Engines of motor vehicles
3. Microwave stoves within homes
4. Power plants
5. Telephone lines
   Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Consider the following statements:

1. Moringa (drumstick tree) is a leguminous evergreen tree.
2. Tamarind tree is endemic to South Asia.
3. In India, most of the tamarind is collected as minor forest produce.
4. India exports tamarind and seeds of moringa.
5. Seeds of moringa and tamarind can be used in the production of biofuels.
   Which of the statements given above are correct?

Which one of the following is the correct description of '100 Million Farmers'?

With reference to India's Desert National Park, consider the following statements:

1. It is spread over two districts.
2. Only some areas of the Park are protected but not all.
3. There is no human habitation inside the Park.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
   (a) 1 only
   (b) 2 and 3 only
   (c) 1 and 2 only
   (d) None of the above is correct

Consider the following three statements, namely S1, S2 and S3 :

S1. Protecting the environment is an existential exigency for humans, given the impact of environmental degradation on climate change.

S2. Scientific consensus has not been achieved with regard to the extent of the contribution of human intervention to climate change.

S3. Environmental activism includes climate alarmism and other extremist points of view that often become the focus of climate change deniers.

Which of the following relationships based on the statements given above is/are correct?

1. S3 is a counterpoint to S1

2. S3 is unconnected to S1 and S2

3. S2 could be the reason for S3

Select the answer using the code given below.

The 'Common Carbon Metric', supported by UNEP, has been developed for

With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct?

1. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025.
2. Sakhya Sagar, which is designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park.
3. Its area is shared between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
   Select the answer using the code given below:

Which of the following statements in relation to NIRANTAR (National Institute for Research and Application of Natural Resources to Transform, Adapt and Build Resilience), a platform of institutions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, is/are correct?

1. Ecosystem Survey and Analysis is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Botanical Survey of India, Kolkata.
2. Research and Management of Ecosystem Service is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Central Zoo Authority, New Delhi.
3. Capacity Development Support is a vertical under this platform, the lead institute of which is Indian Institute of Forest Management, Bhopal.

Select the answer using the code given below:

Consider the following pairs:

How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

In the context of India's preparation for Climate-Smart Agriculture, consider the following statements:

1. The 'Climate-Smart Village' approach in India is a part of a project led by the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), an international research programme.
2. The project of CCAFS is carried out under Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) headquartered in France.
3. The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) in India is one of the CGIAR's research centres.
   Which of the statements given above are correct?