UPSC Essentials Practice Questions – GS 3
UPSC Essentials has released a practice question set focused on GS 3, specifically addressing food security and India’s technological self-reliance. This initiative, part of its ongoing efforts to aid aspirants in Mains preparation, offers valuable insights into key themes within the syllabus.
Question 1: Food Security and Nutritional Challenges
The first question centers on the idea that food security cannot be achieved simply by ensuring access to food grains. It prompts a discussion within the context of India’s nutritional challenges.
According to the material, India has made significant progress in food grain production and distribution through initiatives like the Green Revolution and the Public Distribution System (PDS). However, persistent malnutrition despite this improved availability indicates a need for a shift towards comprehensive nutritional security.
The PDS primarily distributes rice and wheat, which provide sufficient calories but often lack essential protein, vitamins, and minerals. This contributes to “hidden hunger” due to deficiencies in iron, zinc, and vitamins.
Consumption of nutrient-rich foods like pulses, millets, fruits, vegetables, eggs, and dairy products is limited, exacerbating nutritional issues. Challenges include stunting, wasting, and underweight among children, alongside inadequate newborn and young child feeding practices. India is also grappling with issues of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and rising obesity linked to unhealthy diets.
Furthermore, soil degradation and nutrient depletion negatively impact crop quality, linking agricultural sustainability to human nutrition. The material suggests incorporating millets, lentils, and other nutritious foods alongside cereals, encouraging nutrient-dense staple crops, and exploring nutrition-sensitive food coupons and diverse food delivery options.
Question 2: Technological Self-Reliance
The second question focuses on the need for India to move beyond domestic manufacturing towards indigenous research, development, and ownership of intellectual property to achieve technological self-reliance.
Currently, domestic manufacturing frequently relies on imported designs, materials, components, and process know-how, limiting true technological independence. Owning patents, designs, and intellectual property allows Indian companies to capture more value within global supply networks.
Indigenous technological skills mitigate vulnerability to technology denial, geopolitical constraints, and supply chain disruptions. Investment in research and development (R&D) enables Indian firms to create sophisticated goods, increase productivity, and compete in technologically demanding industries.
Specifically, the material highlights opportunities in areas like green hydrogen, energy storage, carbon capture, and innovative materials, which could contribute to India’s Net Zero goals. However, the material notes that private industry’s participation in research and innovation is limited, and translating laboratory findings into commercially viable technologies presents a significant hurdle. Lack of patient financing for pilot initiatives and industrial-scale trials also poses a challenge. Collaboration between researchers, producers, and industrial users needs improvement.
The conclusion emphasizes the need for India to evolve from a manufacturing hub to a creator and owner of globally competitive technologies, stressing the importance of strengthening the research-to-commercialization ecosystem for achieving true technical self-sufficiency and supporting the Viksit Bharat agenda.
Next Steps
According to the source material, UPSC Essentials encourages readers to attempt the questions and check their progress. They invite feedback and suggestions via comment box or email at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com.
Source: The Indian Express. Featured image credit: The Indian Express.
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