2023 CSAT, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2023 · CSAT

Question 1: Reading Comprehension

Passage – 1 · as printed by UPSC
Passage beginning “We often hear about conflicts among…”

Which one of the following statements best reflects the most rational, practical and immediate action required to ensure fair and equitable allocation of water to different stakeholders ?

aA national, pragmatic, legal and policy framework for water allocation should be made.
bAll river systems of the country should be linked and huge aquifers created.
cWater channels between regions of water surplus and regions of water deficit should be created.
dTo mitigate water crisis, water demand of sectors such as agriculture and industry should be reduced.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

Fair allocation turns on who decides and by what criteria. The passage points to a basin-based approach in which each region and state gets a share assessed on objective criteria: the basin's features, dependent population, existing use and efficiency, future demand and the river's own needs. Water is mainly a State subject, so such a basin approach can only work through a common national legal and policy framework. That is the one step that is rational, practical and can start now.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Right: a common legal and policy framework is what lets objective, basin-wise criteria be applied to every state and stakeholder.
  • (b) Wrong: river linking and huge aquifers are costly, long-term engineering projects, not an immediate step, and say nothing about fair sharing.
  • (c) Wrong: moving water between surplus and deficit regions supplies water but does not settle who gets how much.
  • (d) Wrong: cutting demand eases stress but is one-sided and does not decide a fair split across stakeholders.

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

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2023, General Studies Paper II (CSAT), Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.