2016 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2016 · GS Paper I

Question 13: Environment and Ecology

What is/are the importance/importances of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification?

  1. 1.It aims to promote effective action through innovative national programmes and supportive international partnerships.
  2. 2.It has a special/particular focus on South Asia and North Africa regions, and its Secretariat facilitates the allocation of major portion of financial resources to these regions.
  3. 3.It is committed to bottom-up approach, encouraging the participation of local people in combating the desertification.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

a1 only
b2 and 3 only
c1 and 3 only
d1, 2 and 3

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (c).

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification (1994) is a legally binding agreement that works through national action programmes backed by international partnerships, and it insists on a bottom-up approach in which local communities take part in planning and action. Its special attention goes to Africa, not to South Asia and North Africa, and its Secretariat does not allocate major financial resources to particular regions. Only statements 1 and 3 hold.

  • 1. It promotes action through national programmes and international partnerships.
  • 2. Its special focus is Africa, and the Secretariat does not allocate major funds to regions.
  • 3. It follows a bottom-up approach with local people participating.

How you could have got this

  1. If you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) and (d) go: each of them includes 2.

    What you needed to know: Its special focus is Africa, and the Secretariat does not allocate major funds to regions.

  2. Then, if you were sure statement 3 is correct, (a) goes: it leaves 3 out.

    What you needed to know: It follows a bottom-up approach with local people participating.

Only (c) is left. You didn’t need statement 1.

Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Statement 3, the bottom-up approach, is also correct.
  • (b) Statement 2 is wrong: the Convention's special focus is Africa.
  • (c) Right: statements 1 and 3 are correct, statement 2 is not.
  • (d) Statement 2 is wrong, so 'all three' fails.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

Practise this paper timedPrevious questionNext question

Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2016, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.