Theme T45 · Water
Groundwater depletion & seawater intrusion
3PYQs
1GS1
2GS3
2024–20252 distinct years
3asked 2024–26
What UPSC asks
Questions ask about groundwater decline in the Gangetic plain and its effect on food security, causes of depletion, government steps, and seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers.
Prepare these
- Causes: free power, water-intensive crops, tube wells
- Food security link
- Atal Bhujal Yojana, CGWA rules, recharge
- Seawater intrusion: causes and remedies
Answer writing
- Always link depletion to cropping patterns and power subsidies
Directive words in these PYQs: Examine (1).
Linked themes
Builds on: study these first
These come earlier in the roadmap. Questions in this theme use them.
Step 93: Irrigation & water-use efficiencyStep 96: Green Revolution & food self-sufficiency: rice–wheat system, technology missions
Comes back later in
Later themes that take this one further.
Syllabus lines covered
- GS1-L12 — Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.
- GS3-L4 — Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
- GS3-L14 — Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
All 3 PYQs, newest first
- GS3202515 marks · 250 wordsGS3-AGR-01-M2025-Q13
- GS3202510 marks · 150 wordsGS3-ENV-02-M2025-Q08
- GS1202415 marks · 250 wordsGS1-GEO-07-M2024-Q14