UPSC PYQs: Agriculture
Review complete published questions grouped by subject: Agriculture.
Other qualifying subject groups
- Agriculture72 published questions
- Analytical Ability7 published questions
- Ancient History7 published questions
- Art & Culture28 published questions
- Art and Culture5 published questions
- Bandaya Literature3 published questions
- Basic Numeracy63 published questions
- Communication Skills6 published questions
- CSAT862 published questions
- Cultural History68 published questions
- Current Affairs18 published questions
- Dalit Literature12 published questions
- Dalit-Bandaya Literature6 published questions
- Dasa Literature26 published questions
- Data Interpretation5 published questions
- Disaster Management18 published questions
- Drama2 published questions
- Economy172 published questions
- Economy & Agriculture2 published questions
- Economy & Social Development45 published questions
- Education5 published questions
- Energy3 published questions
- Environment61 published questions
- Environment & Ecology231 published questions
- Essay5 published questions
- Ethics233 published questions
- Ethics Case Study12 published questions
- Feminist Literature2 published questions
- Folklore34 published questions
- General Studies115 published questions
- Geography239 published questions
- Geography & Agriculture16 published questions
- Governance64 published questions
- History81 published questions
- History & Art and Culture22 published questions
- History & Culture147 published questions
- Indian Economy95 published questions
- Indian Economy & Development21 published questions
- Indian Polity37 published questions
- Indian Polity & Governance116 published questions
- Indian Society10 published questions
- Infrastructure3 published questions
- Internal Security56 published questions
- International Relations115 published questions
- International Relations & Current Affairs9 published questions
- International Relations & Security9 published questions
- Kannada Linguistics37 published questions
- Kannada Literary History4 published questions
- Kannada Literature111 published questions
- Literary Criticism35 published questions
- Literary Theory4 published questions
- Logical Reasoning76 published questions
- Medieval History9 published questions
- Medieval Kannada Literature52 published questions
- Modern History8 published questions
- Modern India History7 published questions
- Modern Indian History18 published questions
- Modern Kannada Drama12 published questions
- Modern Kannada Literature39 published questions
- Modern Kannada Novel9 published questions
- Modern Kannada Poetry3 published questions
- Modern Kannada Prose8 published questions
- Modern Kannada Short Story6 published questions
- Numeracy64 published questions
- Old Kannada Literature38 published questions
- Philosophy12 published questions
- Poetics33 published questions
- Polity153 published questions
- Polity & Governance67 published questions
- Post-Independence History2 published questions
- Post-Independence India6 published questions
- Progressive Literature7 published questions
- Quantitative Aptitude62 published questions
- Reading Comprehension120 published questions
- Reasoning44 published questions
- Science & Technology251 published questions
- Social Issues8 published questions
- Social Justice45 published questions
- Society92 published questions
- Urbanization2 published questions
- Vachana Literature32 published questions
- World History11 published questions
Questions
- Describe the various Technology Missions initiated in Indian agriculture and examine their role in food security.2026 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Technology Missions and Food Security
- Explain the factors responsible for inefficiency of agri-produce marketing. How e-commerce helps to reduce inefficiency of agri-produce marketing? Explain.2026 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agri-Marketing and E-Commerce
- How Indian agriculture has been transformed from food scarcity to food surplus level? Explain the various government policies implemented for diversification of Indian agriculture.2026 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · From Food Scarcity to Surplus and Diversification
- Discuss the different types of subsidies and supports provided by the Government of India to agricultural sector. Examine the related issues pertaining to Agreement on Agriculture of World Trade Organisation (WTO).2026 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agricultural Subsidies and WTO Agreement on Agriculture
- Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India.2025 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · High Value Crops
- Elaborate the scope and significance of supply chain management of agricultural commodities in India.2025 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Supply Chain Management
- Examine the factors responsible for depleting groundwater in India. What are the steps taken by the government to mitigate such depletion?2025 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Groundwater Depletion
- Examine the scope of the food processing industries in India. Elaborate the measures taken by the government in this sector for generating employment opportunities.2025 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Food Processing Industries
- What factors enabled successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of India?2024 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Land Reforms
- Explain the role of millets in ensuring health and nutritional security in India.2024 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Millets and Nutrition
- What major challenges does India’s irrigation system face, and what measures have been taken for efficient irrigation management?2024 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Irrigation
- Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilising agricultural prices and the challenges of storage.2024 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Buffer Stocks
- How does e-technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce?2023 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · E-Technology in Agriculture
- State the objectives and measures of land reforms in India and assess land ceiling as an effective economic reform.2023 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Land Reforms
- Explain changes in Indian cropping patterns in the context of changing consumption patterns and marketing conditions.2023 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Cropping Pattern
- Discuss direct and indirect farm subsidies in India and WTO-related concerns about agricultural subsidies.2023 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agricultural Subsidies
- What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System in India? How can it be made effective and transparent?2022 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Public Distribution System
- Elaborate the scope and significance of the food processing industry in India.2022 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Food Processing
- What are the main bottlenecks in upstream and downstream process of marketing agricultural products in India?2022 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agricultural Marketing
- What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India?2022 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Integrated Farming System
- How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers?2021 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Land Reforms
- How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis?2021 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Micro Irrigation
- What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India?2021 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · National Food Security Act 2013
- What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification?2021 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Crop Diversification
- What are the main constraints in transport and marketing of agricultural produce in India?2020 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agricultural Marketing Constraints
- What are the challenges and opportunities of food processing sector in the country? How can the income of the farmers be substantially increased by encouraging food processing?2020 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Food Processing
- What are the major factors responsible for making rice-wheat system a success? In spite of this success, how has this system become bane in India?2020 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Rice-Wheat Cropping System
- Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario.2020 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Water Storage & Irrigation Efficiency
- Which are advantages of fertigation? (1) irrigation-water alkalinity can be managed; (2) rock phosphate and every phosphatic fertilizer can be applied efficiently through the system; (3) nutrient availability to plants can improve; (4) nutrient leaching can be reduced.2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Fertigation & Nutrient Management
- Regarding chemical fertilizers in India, consider: (1) all fertilizer retail prices are fully market-determined; (2) ammonia used for urea production is commonly made using natural gas; (3) sulphur used in phosphatic-fertilizer production is obtained as a refinery/by-product stream. Which are correct?2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Fertilizer Industry & Inputs
- Which are advantages or compatible outcomes of zero-tillage agriculture? (1) wheat can be sown without burning the previous crop residue; (2) direct seeding of rice can avoid a transplanted nursery stage; (3) soil carbon sequestration can be enhanced.2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Zero Tillage & Conservation Agriculture
- Regarding pulse production in India, consider: (1) black gram can be grown in both kharif and rabi seasons; (2) green gram alone contributes nearly half of India’s pulse output; (3) over recent decades kharif pulse production rose while rabi pulse production declined. Which is correct?2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Pulses & Cropping Seasons
- A subtropical crop is damaged by hard frost, needs roughly 210 frost-free days and 50–100 cm rainfall, and grows best in light, well-drained, moisture-retentive soil. Which crop is described?2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Crop Geography - Cotton
- Regarding solar-powered irrigation pumps, consider: (1) solar power can run surface pumps but not submersible pumps; (2) it can operate centrifugal pumps but not piston/positive-displacement pumps. Which is correct?2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Solar Irrigation & Farm Energy
- Regarding modern sugarcane planting, consider: (1) raising bud-chip seedlings in a nursery can substantially save seed material; (2) single-bud setts always germinate better than multi-bud setts in direct planting; (3) single-bud setts always survive adverse weather better than larger setts; (4) tissue-culture-derived planting material can be used. Which are correct?2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Sugarcane Propagation & Tissue Culture
- Which are treated as eco-friendly agricultural practices in the 2020 question? (1) crop diversification; (2) legume intensification; (3) use of tensiometers for irrigation management; (4) vertical farming.2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Sustainable & Eco-friendly Agriculture
- Which items count most directly as public investment in agriculture? (1) fixing minimum prices for all crops; (2) computerising Primary Agricultural Credit Societies; (3) building social capital; (4) free electricity subsidies; (5) agricultural loan waivers by banks; (6) government construction of cold-storage facilities.2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Public Investment in Agriculture
- Under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, which needs are covered by short-term credit? (1) working capital for maintaining farm assets/activities; (2) purchase of major machinery such as combines, tractors and mini-trucks; (3) consumption needs of the farm household; (4) post-harvest expenses; (5) house construction and village cold-storage establishment.2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Kisan Credit Card & Farm Credit
- Regarding Minimum Support Price procurement, consider: (1) procurement of every cereal, pulse and oilseed at MSP is unlimited in every State/UT; (2) MSP for cereals and pulses is fixed at a level that market prices can never exceed. Which is correct?2020 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · MSP & Procurement
- How far is the Integrated Farming System helpful in sustaining agricultural production?2019 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Integrated Farming
- Elaborate on the impact of the National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas.2019 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Watershed
- What are the reformative steps taken by the government to make the food grain distribution system more effective?2019 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Food Security
- Elaborate on the policy taken by the Government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector.2019 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Food Processing
- Sikkim is the first Organic State in India. What are the ecological and economic benefits of an Organic State?2018 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Organic State
- How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in the recent past? Elaborate on the emphasis on millet production and consumption.2018 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Millets
- Defining Blue Revolution, explain the problems and strategies for pisciculture development in India.2018 · Mains GS1 · Agriculture · Blue Revolution
- Explain various types of revolutions that took place in agriculture after Independence in India. How have these revolutions helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India?2017 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agricultural Revolutions
- What are the reasons for poor acceptance of cost-effective small processing units? How will food processing units be helpful to uplift the socio-economic status of poor farmers?2017 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Food Processing
- What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system? How is crop diversification helpful to stabilize yield in the system?2017 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Crop Diversification
- What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing water-use efficiency.2016 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Water-use Efficiency
- What is allelopathy? Discuss its role in major cropping systems of irrigated agriculture.2016 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Allelopathy
- Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land reforms in India.2016 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Land Reforms
- Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.2016 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Crop Insurance
- Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss suggesting suitable measures to promote this sector in India.2015 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Livestock Rearing
- In view of the declining average size of land holdings in India, which has made agriculture non-viable for a majority of farmers, should contract farming and land leasing be promoted in agriculture? Critically evaluate the pros and cons.2015 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Contract Farming and Land Leasing
- How can the Digital India programme help farmers to improve farm productivity and income? What steps has the government taken in this regard?2015 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Digital India and Farmers
- What can be the impact of excessive/inappropriate use of nitrogenous fertilizers in agriculture? 1. Proliferation of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in soil can occur. 2. Increase in acidity of soil can take place. 3. Leaching of nitrate to groundwater can occur.2015 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Nitrogen Fertilizers
- The Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) of sugarcane is approved by the2015 · Prelims GS1 · General Studies, Agriculture · UPSC Prelims 2015 GS Paper I, Sugarcane Pricing
- In India, markets in agricultural products are regulated under the2015 · Prelims GS1 · General Studies, Agriculture · UPSC Prelims 2015 GS Paper I, APMC
- Consider the following statements: 1. Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme was launched during 1996-97 to provide loan assistance to poor farmers. 2. Command Area Development Programme was launched in 1974-75 for development of water-use efficiency. Which is/are correct?2015 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Irrigation Programmes
- Which one of the following best describes the main objective of “Seed Village Concept”?2015 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Seed Village Concept
- There is also a point of view that Agricultural Produce Market Committees set up under State Acts have not only impeded the development of agriculture but also have been the cause of food inflation in India. Critically examine.2014 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · APMC and Food Inflation
- In the villages itself no form of credit organization will be suitable except the cooperative society. Discuss this statement in the background of agricultural finance in India. What constraints and challenges do financial institutions supplying agricultural finance face? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients?2014 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agricultural Finance
- In the context of food and nutritional security of India, enhancing the Seed Replacement Rates of various crops helps in achieving future food production targets. What is/are the constraint/constraints in its wider implementation? 1. There is no National Seeds Policy in place. 2. There is no participation of private-sector seed companies in quality seeds of vegetables and horticultural planting material. 3. There is a demand-supply gap regarding quality seeds in low-value and high-volume crops.2014 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Seed Replacement Rate
- In India, cluster bean (guar) is traditionally used as a vegetable or animal feed, but its cultivation recently assumed significance because2014 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Guar and Shale Gas
- Consider the following pairs: 1. Kinnaur — Areca nut 2. Mewat — Mango 3. Coromandel — Soya bean. Which is/are correctly matched?2014 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Crop Geography
- Consider the following statements: 1. Maize can be used for production of starch. 2. Oil extracted from maize can be a feedstock for biodiesel. 3. Alcoholic beverages can be produced using maize. Which are correct?2014 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Uses of Maize
- What are the significances of the Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative? 1. Seed cost is very low compared with conventional cultivation. 2. Drip irrigation can be practiced effectively. 3. There is no application of chemical/inorganic fertilizers at all. 4. Scope for intercropping is greater than in conventional cultivation.2014 · Prelims GS1 · Agriculture · Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative
- What are the different types of agriculture subsidies given to farmers at the national and at state levels? Critically analyse the agricultural subsidy regime with reference to the distortions created by it.2013 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Agriculture Subsidies
- India needs to strengthen measures to promote the pink revolution in food industry for ensuring better nutrition and health. Critically elucidate the statement.2013 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Pink Revolution
- Establish the relationship between land reforms, agriculture productivity and elimination of poverty in the Indian economy. Discuss the difficulties in designing and implementation of agriculture-friendly land reforms in India.2013 · Mains GS3 · Agriculture · Land Reforms
- Consider the following crops: 1. Cotton 2. Groundnut 3. Rice 4. Wheat. Which of these are Kharif crops?2013 · Prelims GS1 · Economy & Agriculture, Agriculture · Cropping Seasons, Kharif Crops