UPSC Prelims 2002 · General Studies

Question 29: Economy and Social Development

With reference to Indian agriculture, which one of the following statements is correct?

aAbout 90 per cent of the area under pulses in India is rainfed.

bThe share of pulses in the gross cropped area at the national level has double in the last two decades

cIndia accounts for about 15 per cent of the total area under rice in the world

dRice occupies about 34 per cent of the gross cropped area of India

AnswerThe answer is (a).

About 90 percent of the area under pulses is rainfed, with very little irrigated, which is why pulse output swings with the monsoon. The other options fail: the share of pulses in the gross cropped area has stayed roughly the same, not doubled; India has more than a quarter of the world's rice area, the largest of any country, not 15 percent; and rice covers about a quarter of India's gross cropped area, not 34 percent.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Right: about 90 percent of pulse area depends on rain.
(b) The share of pulses in gross cropped area has stayed roughly flat, not doubled.
(c) India has over a quarter of the world's rice area, not 15 percent.
(d) Rice covers about a quarter of the gross cropped area, not 34 percent.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2002, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.