Kunal Angrish (Rank 2, IFoS) on Environment Preparation

Note: These are his words. I am merely hosting it.

Prelim, 2014 is over. The exam had quite a few surprises up its sleeve. As far as paper-1 is
concerned, emphasis on environment, ecology and bio-diversity was clearly evident. Over the
years this topic has figured prominently in paper-1 but now it seems to have gathered as much
importance as the conventional areas. There were about 18 questions from environment, ecology
and related topics in this years prelim. It seems that there is still not much clarity on how to go
about this area of syllabus atleast not as much as the conventional areas of history, polity etc.
Many of us either leave this topic or do it vaguely. Following is an effort to dissect this area of
the syllabus and work out a strategy. Also mentioned in italics, are the sources from which
different topics can be studied.
If you see the UPSC notification, this topic can be divided under four broad headings. These are:
1.

Environment

2.

Ecology

3.

Biodiversity

4.

Climate-change

It is easy to infer that these topics are inter-related. Lets just take up each of them one by one;
1.

ENVIRONMENT- very broad subject but if u see questions from last few years, they
basically come from the following areas:
1.

Natural Resources renewable and non-renewable (questions on nonconventional energy resources have become a surety in last few years, so it should be done
rather comprehensively)
* Two questions in prelim, 2014; relating to solar energy and shale gas &
coal-bed-methane.
(Source Erach Bharuchas Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses)

2.

Pollution a thorough understanding of Air, water, noise, soil, nuclear, thermal,ewaste.

*one question in prelim, 2014; relating to pollutants of steel industry.
(Source Erach Bharuchas Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses)

3.

International Efforts just basic ideas about:

United Nations Environment Program (UNEP),

International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),

Global Environment facility

*question asked in this prelim, 2014).

World Wildlife fund for nature (WWF).

*question about WWFs earth hour appeared in prelim, 2014.

NGOs like Conservation International, Greenpeace etc.

(Source- all these organizations have their own web-pages, can google-search
and read).

1. Indias Efforts get basic ideas of:

Environment protection act-1986

*question on eco-sensitive zones figured in prelim, 2014. Ecosensitive zones come under Environment protection Act.

Various pollution related acts (Air pollution Act-1981, water pollution act1974 etc.),

Environment Impact Assessment.

Indian institutions and organizations like BNHS, Animal Welfare Board of

India, NGRBA (*all three figured in a question this year), Centre
for Science and Environment, TERI, Central Pollution Control Boards etc.
(Source- Google search and read them, best option)

1. Current happenings reports, issues, discoveries.

(Keeping an eye on The Hindus Thursday science page can take care of most things
here. Dont go for every small piece of information coming from various research
groups, just some important ones coming from national, international platforms).

1.

ECOLOGY- questions here are easy pickings if you just go through the basic ecology.
Areas one can cover here are:
1.

Structure of
decomposer concept),

ecosystem

(biotic-abiotic

components,

Producer-consumer-

2.

Types of ecosystems (grasslands, mangroves, estuaries,

3.

Food chains and food web (*question asked in prelim,2014),

4.

Ecological pyramids,

5.

Biogeochemical cycles,(*question asked on carbon cycle, prelim

2014)

6.

Ecological succession,

7.

Biological interactions (mutualism, parasitism etc.)

8.

A glossary of ecological terms.

(Source http://mrunal.org/2013/02/food-chain-food-web-trophic-levels-biotic-potentialbio-magnification-ignou-download.html#download, any basic book on ecology will do the
needful).

2.

BIO-DIVERSITY- here one can go for a mix of theory and the present International and
Indias efforts:
1.

Theory

concept of bio-diversity (genetic, species, ecosystem diversity),

threats to bio-diversity (habitat fragmentation, desertification, poaching),

Conservation of biodiversity (in-situ and ex-situ conservation),

Bio-diversity in India (hot-spots, world heritage sites of natural importance).

(Source ICSE board books on environmental studies, class-IX, X ; Erach
Bharuchas Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses).

1. International Efforts get basic ideas about;

Convention on bio-diversity (CBD)-history and current events/decisions.

Cartagena Protocol,

Nagoya protocol (and Aichi targets),

IUCN Red list (its various categories, important additions to it in last year,
especially from India),

Various conventions like Convention on migratory species (CMS),

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora
and Fauna (CITES), Ramsar convention (* 2 questions in this years prelim)
etc.
(Sources- Basically just go to Convention on biological diversity page on
Wikipedia, read both the article as well as the links at the end of the page,
given under See Also heading).

1. Indias Efforts basic idea of;

Wild-life protection act,

Forest conservation act,

Bio-diversity Act, 2002 (and National Biodiversity Authority),

Protected areas (biosphere reserves, National parks, wildlife sanctuaries

names and states in which they are located, protected areas known for
particular animals {e.g. Kaziranga for rhino}, protected areas that have been
in news, protected areas notified recently)
* two questions were asked this year.
(questions on protected areas is a certainty every year,; there is no alternative
to memorizing them; repeated revision and use of maps can help).

Conservation efforts (project tiger, project elephant, rhino vision-2020 etc.)

Concept of Genetically Modified Organisms (or Transgenic organisms),

current debate on it, institutional mechanisms in India.

Environmental clearance, National Green Tribunal.

(all the above topics are easily available on google search)

1.

CLIMATE CHANGE- again can be divided into theory, International Efforts and Indias
Efforts;
1.

Theory basic understanding of

Global warming; ozone layer and its depletion; Acid Rain.

Implication of these events on climate

*one question figured in prelim, 2014.
(questions from this area are common)
(Source- Erach Bharuchas Environmental Studies for Undergraduate
Couses).

1. International Efforts

UNFCC- history (the convention, Kyoto protocol, Bali Road map, Cancun
Agreement, Durban Outcomes, Doha climate gateway, Warsaw outcomes),
current happenings/decisions (COP deliberations).
(Sourcehttp://unfccc.int/essential background/items/6031.php)

IPCC- crux of its recent reports.

(Source-http://www.ipcc.ch/organization/organization.shtml)

Vienna Convention, Montreal protocol.

1. Indias Efforts

National Action Plan for climate change, its various sub-planes.

Indias stand at international platforms.

Various policies/projects/schemes.
(SourceEconomic Survey Chapter ; India Year Book chapters)

As is clear there is a greater use of internet in studying various topics since nothing is available at
one particular place. You can compile your notes/material in the manner described above and
keep adding on to it as and when you find or read something. Also, there is greater scope of
using common-sense in environment related questions. Many times an intelligent guess backed
by logic can make up for lack of precise knowledge. It goes without saying that at the end its
about retaining what you read and applying it during the exam.