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Practice UPSC New previous year questions on Anantam IAS: 0 Prelims MCQs and 596 Mains Q&A with answer keys, explanations and topic-wise links.
Prelims MCQs 0
No Prelims MCQs from New yet.
Mains Q&A 596
Green mobility in India is continuously promoted these days. Critically examine which pathways are most suited to India’s developmental context and identify the structural challenges that limit their adoption.
India’s revised Seismic Zonation Map (BIS, 2025) introduces a new Zone VI covering the entire Himalayan arc for the first time. Examine the significance of this revision and its implications for infrastructure planning and disaster governance.
The cryosphere of the Hindu Kush Himalayan region is approaching irreversible tipping points. Examine the ecological implications of glacial retreat for India’s water security, disaster vulnerability, and downstream river ecosystems.
The CRZ Notification, 2019 has been criticised for progressively diluting coastal environmental safeguards in favour of development. Examine the major challenges in India’s coastal regulatory framework and assess whether Integrated Coastal Zone Management offers a more effective alternative.
CBDR-RC is not merely a principle of emission responsibility — it is equally a principle of financial and technological obligation. Examine the extent to which developed countries have fulfilled their CBDR-RC obligations on climate finance and technology transfer, and the implications of this failure for developing countries.
Mangrove restoration in India has gained policy momentum through the MISHTI scheme, but plantation-based approaches may not replicate the ecological value of natural mangroves. Critically examine.
“India’s conservation story is one of impressive institutional architecture and inadequate ecological outcomes — more committees than corridors, more registers than results.” Critically examine this statement.
Waste management and energy security are often treated as separate policy domains in India. Examine how an integrated Waste-to-Energy framework can simultaneously advance environmental sustainability, resource efficiency and energy security.
Extended Producer Responsibility is increasingly the centrepiece of India’s waste management strategy across municipal, plastic, e-waste, and battery streams. Examine its merits, challenges, and whether certificate trading mechanisms undermine its core purpose.
The Forest Rights Act, 2006, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, reflect fundamentally different visions of conservation — one rooted in ecological integrity, the other in social justice. Discuss with recent examples.
PM-KUSUM was designed to address three simultaneous goals — farmer income, energy transition, and diesel displacement. Evaluate how far the scheme has succeeded across its three components and identify the structural reforms needed to realise its untapped potential.
India’s transition towards a circular economy is central to both resource security and sustainable development. Discuss.
Marine pollution is increasingly difficult to tackle because it is transboundary in origin, cumulative in impact, and fragmented in governance. Discuss the major sources and implications of marine pollution for India, and suggest an integrated approach for addressing it.
Groundwater contamination in India exhibits a distinct spatial pattern driven by both geogenic and anthropogenic factors. Analyse the spatial variation in groundwater contamination across India and evaluate why this has remained a governance challenge despite being a public health emergency.
India’s EV policy has evolved from FAME-I through FAME-II to PM E-DRIVE (2024). Examine how each successive scheme has shifted focus, and whether India’s current policy architecture is adequate to achieve 30% EV penetration by 2030.
India’s installed renewable energy capacity has crossed 50% mark, yet the energy transition remains fragile. Critically examine the structural bottlenecks in India’s renewable energy ecosystem, with specific reference to grid integration, storage, and the role of critical minerals.
Nuclear energy is often called ‘clean energy,’ but this label applies only to reactor operation and not to the full lifecycle from uranium mining to radioactive waste disposal. Critically examine India’s ecological readiness to manage this full lifecycle as it scales nuclear capacity to 100 GW by 2047 under the SHANTI Act, 2025.
“An independent and empowered social audit mechanism is an absolute must in every sphere of public service, including judiciary, to ensure performance, accountability and ethical conduct.” Elaborate.
“Corruption is the manifestation of the failure of core values in the society.” In your opinion, what measures can be adopted to uplift the core values in the society?