Mains answer practice — GS 3 : Questions on unsustainable exploitation of Earth's resources and ecosystem for deep tech innovation (Week 102)
UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. It covers essential topics of static and dynamic parts of the UPSC Civil Services syllabus covered under various GS papers. This answer-writing practice is designed to help you as a value addition to your UPSC CSE Mains. Attempt today's answer writing on questions related to topics of GS-3 to check your progress.
🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for April 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨
'There is no Planet B' is more than a slogan; it is a dire warning about the unsustainable exploitation of Earth's resources. Discuss the implications of this statement in the context of India's environmental challenges and policy responses.
India's ambition to become a global technology leader hinges on its ability to develop a robust ecosystem for deep tech innovation. Discuss the challenges and opportunities in building such an ecosystem.
Introduction
— The introduction of the answer is essential and should be restricted to 3-5 lines. Remember, a one-liner is not a standard introduction.
— It may consist of basic information by giving some definitions from the trusted source and authentic facts.
Body
— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the demand of the question to provide rich content.
— The answer must be preferably written as a mix of points and short paragraphs rather than using long paragraphs or just points.
— Using facts from authentic government sources makes your answer more comprehensive. Analysis is important based on the demand of the question, but do not over analyse.
— Underlining keywords gives you an edge over other candidates and enhances presentation of the answer.
— Using flowcharts/tree-diagram in the answers saves much time and boosts your score. However, it should be used logically and only where it is required.
Way forward/ conclusion
— The ending of the answer should be on a positive note and it should have a forward-looking approach. However, if you feel that an important problem must be highlighted, you may add it in your conclusion. Try not to repeat any point from body or introduction.
— You may use the findings of reports or surveys conducted at national and international levels, quotes etc. in your answers.
Self Evaluation
— It is the most important part of our Mains answer writing practice. UPSC Essentials will provide some guiding points or ideas as a thought process that will help you to evaluate your answers.
QUESTION 1: 'There is no Planet B' is more than a slogan; it is a dire warning about the unsustainable exploitation of Earth's resources. Discuss the implications of this statement in the context of India's environmental challenges and policy responses.
Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.
Introduction:
— Clean air, safe water, nutritious food, and access to natural resources all contribute to a dignified and meaningful life.
— Earth Day is observed on April 22 to remind humanity of its obligation to maintain the Earth's resources for future generations. It is a day to consider the planet's health, educate communities on important environmental issues, and advocate for sustainable activities.
Body:
You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:
— Since its beginning in 1970, Earth Day has shaped global environmental frameworks, facilitated international cooperation, and inspired historic agreements. However, it is frequently reduced to symbolic gestures—a social media post, a tree-planting event, a school skit. It is a powerful reminder to reflect, act, and transition from exploitation to stewardship.
— India, one of the world's fastest growing economies, is taking a critical step towards sustainability. At the 2021 COP26 Summit in Glasgow, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the Panchamrit, a five-point agenda that includes achieving net-zero emissions by 2070, meeting 50% of energy requirements from renewable sources by 2030, and lowering the economy's carbon intensity by 45%. These are ambitious targets that represent a clear change from rhetoric to duty.
— Solar energy has emerged as one of India's most effective climate solutions. The International Solar Alliance, co-led by France, is transforming global energy diplomacy. Domestically, efforts such as the National Solar Mission and PM-KUSUM are empowering farmers to adopt solar-powered irrigation, while big solar parks in Gujarat and Rajasthan are transforming how India lights its homes and industries. Solar power now accounts for more than 15% of India's renewable energy mix, and it is expanding.
— With programs such as FAME, the government is making electric vehicles more inexpensive and accessible. Indian Railways has pledged to reaching net-zero by 2030. Meanwhile, cities are extending their public transit networks and investing in cleaner fuels.
— India's biodiversity and animal protection efforts have achieved substantial results. Project Tiger and Project Elephant have resulted in population rises. India now accounts for more than 75% of the world's tiger population. Wetlands are protected by Ramsar designations. The Green India Mission is striving to improve forest cover, both in quantity and ecological quality.
— Urban air pollution remains a persistent threat, but initiatives such as the National Clean Air Program (NCAP) are gaining support. Cities will receive cash to monitor air quality, switch to cleaner fuels, and enhance waste management. While the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan began with a focus on sanitation, it has since expanded to include plastic waste separation and composting. Water conservation is also evolving, with major projects such as the Jal Shakti Abhiyan, Atal Bhujal Yojana, and Namami Gange.
Conclusion:
— India's agricultural industry is likewise adjusting. Organic farming is encouraged through programs like the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana. Micro-irrigation and climate-resilient farming techniques are gaining popularity.
— The implementation is inconsistent between states. Climate finance is not on the scale necessary. Development and conservation are still perceived as competing agendas, particularly in urban planning. Even if there are rules and norms in place, illegal encroachment, deforestation, and pollution continue.
— Sustainability is no longer a specialist topic. It is making inroads into mainstream governance, infrastructure development, business strategy, and public consciousness.
(Source: This Earth Day, a reminder: There is no Planet B)
Points to Ponder
How can the resources of Earth be used sustainably?
Read more about solar, wind and other renewable energy sources
Related Previous Year Questions
The adoption of electric vehicles is rapidly growing worldwide. How do electric vehicles contribute to reducing carbon emissions and what are the key benefits they offer compared to traditional combustion engine vehicles? (2023)
Each year a large amount of plant material, cellulose, is deposited on the surface of Planet Earth. What are the natural processes this cellulose undergoes before yielding carbon dioxide, water and other end products? (2022)
QUESTION 2: India's ambition to become a global technology leader hinges on its ability to develop a robust ecosystem for deep tech innovation. Discuss the challenges and opportunities in building such an ecosystem.
Note: This is not a model answer. It only provides you with thought process which you may incorporate into the answers.
Introduction:
— India is struggling to nurture innovative innovation at home, while Indian talent thrives in high-tech fields abroad.
— To become a global leader in a rapidly evolving technological landscape, India must overcome structural hurdles and shift its focus away from incremental, consumption-driven solutions. As the government's focus on Viksit Bharat in 2047 takes momentum, innovation will play a significant role.
Body:
You may incorporate some of the following points in your answer:
— According to the 2024 Global Innovation Index, China ranks 11th, while India is 39th. This highlights the huge gap in innovation ecosystems.
— India's startup boom, while spectacular in scope (over 100 unicorns and the world's third-largest startup cluster), has been powered primarily by consumer-facing enterprises rather than deep-tech innovations.
Challenges in building such an ecosystem
— The ecosystem lacks the robust support needed for high-risk, long-gestation deep-tech ventures.
— The funding gap stifles entrepreneurs that seek to solve complex challenges.
— India's educational and scientific facilities, as well as its ecosystem, fall behind. The country generates lakhs of engineers each year, but its colleges are rarely ranked among the world's best in original research.
— Deep technology necessitates a highly motivated and skilled personnel, as well as cutting-edge laboratories. India cannot compete with the United States or China in this regard. As a result, Indian talent frequently moves to Silicon Valley.
— Despite governmental initiatives such as Make in India, most corporations continue to spend little on research and development.
— India's venture capital (VC) ecosystem values quick returns above patient capital. In the United States, venture capitalists fund both decades-old companies like SpaceX and quantum startups; in India, the emphasis remains on low-risk, high-reward consumer apps.
Opportunities
— India has experienced areas of successful startup ventures. Digantara, a space startup, has begun on a very profound adventure. Similarly, Skyroot Aerospace and Agnikul Cosmos are making progress in space.
— Paytm and PhonePe, payment solution providers, have helped to usher in the country's digital payment revolution. Cybersecurity firms have also thrived, but the majority of them have been purchased too quickly to establish their own inspiring story – another hurdle.
— India's 4,000 deep-tech firms raised $1.6 billion in 2024, a 78% rise year on year.
Conclusion:
— So far, India's global leadership aspirations in technology have been based on low-end fruit. However, today, technology and innovation are the most visible symbols of global power supremacy.
— It will need a tectonic shift, including enormous government investment, education reform, a cultural embracing of risk, and prolonged hand-holding.
(Source: India needs an ecosystem that better enables deep-tech innovation)
Points to Ponder
Read about Make in India
Read about private sector enterprises related to space technology
Related Previous Year Questions
What is the need for expanding the regional air connectivity in India? In this context, discuss the government's UDAN Scheme and its achievements. (2024)
Faster economic growth requires increased share of the manufacturing sector in GDP, particularly of MSMEs. Comment on the present policies of the Government in this regard (2023)
UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 100)
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Therefore, every plane, when it flies for the first time, is a nerve-wracking experience for the engineers, designers, and technicians behind it because of the many things that could go wrong. It's inevitable that a runway and a surrounding vista, far from a bustling city, be built into a facility made to make planes. In one of these buildings is a cavernous workshop. There is a smattering of plane-parts: fuselage, wings, cockpit, propeller in various degrees of assembly, with none having reached their denouement. Like the baking moulds used to create cookies or cakes in assorted shapes, the fuselage — or the main spindle-shaped body of the plane where passengers and pilot are seated — is made by layering multiple layers of 'composites' like glass fibre, carbon fibre, and aluminium over spindle-shaped moulds. Depending on whether the plane will be a two-seater or a five-seater, the placing of the plane's engines, the positions where the wings will be, different fuselage is employed. There are large 'layup' machines housed in various locations of the workshop. Like the handlooms that spin out fabric, these machines can spin out the 'composites' used to make wings or any other parts. 'You can have up to 70 layers of composite depending on which part of the plane is involved and how they must be attached to the fuselage,' explains Abbani Rinku, Chief Scientist and the person in charge of CSIR-NAL's flagship Hansa (Swan) category of planes. First flight On May 11, 1998, three nuclear tests were conducted deep in Rajasthan's Pokhran desert, the first time such bombs had gone off since 1974, in a move by India to 'announce' its status as a nuclear power. It's the reason that India annually commemorates this day as Technology Day. Nearly 2,000 km away in Bengaluru, another tech event took place: the inaugural test flight of the Light Trainer Aircraft Hansa-3 Prototype II. Speaking in Parliament on June 8, 1998, then Education and Science Minister Murli Manohar Joshi said, 'This aircraft is a prototype designed, developed, and manufactured by National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore.' The production of the aircraft was to be taken up towards the end of 1998 by a private sector company in Bengaluru. The expected cost of production was ₹30 lakh per aircraft. NAL had entered into an agreement with Taneja Aerospace and Aviation (TAA), which had a manufacturing base in Hosur, Karnataka, to make the plane. Out of the 14 Hansa planes that were manufactured, one was made by TAA, says Rinku. However, he doesn't explain why more planes weren't manufactured by the company. They have all been given to flying clubs used by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and were being used as trainer-aircraft for pilots in training. The upgraded version of the Hansa-3 that will be made by Pioneer is a far more evolved variant of the one from Joshi's time. The aircraft offers a digital display (glass cockpit) system and is powered by an advanced fuel-efficient Rotax 912 iSc3 Sports engine and bubble canopy with a cabin width of 43 inches. It is equipped with electrically operated flaps to meet the user's requirements. It can fly up to 620 nautical miles and has 7-hour endurance and maximum cruise speed of 98 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS). All of this also translates to the Hansa costing around ₹3 crore, a 10-fold spike. Pashilkar says it is still half the cost of an equivalent imported plane, and with the manufacturing and repairs expected to be handled locally, have a lower 'down-time' than comparable ones. Moreover, he added, the real draw of the plane is that many more pilots can be trained within India (today, several must go abroad for their licences). It will meet what Naidu projected as an 'explosive' demand for planes and pilots in India. The country will need 30,000 pilots in the next 15-20 years, with 1,700 planes to be added to the fleet, he had said. Manufacturing blues The CSIR-NAL is a research agency. Its mandate is in designing new planes. This means experimenting with every component of the aircraft — wings, fuselage, tail, propeller — and figuring out new ways of making planes lighter and more durable. They are also expected to design planes for a range of purposes, for instance as air-ambulances, or transporting cargo, or chartered planes, or fuselage of varying lengths to run smaller planes that can be used in towns and cities, sans full-sized airports. These new designs can then be taken up by private manufacturing companies that can make these planes in bulk, service them, find new markets, export, and most importantly establish the complex chain of intermediary manufacturers and suppliers of the complex hardware that must all be integrated into the manufacture of an aircraft. Despite successfully designing two-seater planes such as the Hansa and a 14-seater plane, Saras, the NAL hasn't yet been able to successfully rope in an Indian company that will manufacture its planes. In 2018, the CSIR-NAL made significant upgrades to the Hansa-3, including integrating a glass-cockpit as well as significantly improved avionics and instrumentation. It announced a partnership with Mesco Aerospace Pvt Ltd to design and manufacture the Hansa-3 NG. The 'targeted' cost of manufacturing the plane would be ₹80 lakh-₹100 lakh, an accompanying press release had said then. Rinku says while Mesco showed interest in producing the NG plane, the firm couldn't continue beyond one year. 'There were reportedly some internal issues (with the company) but nothing to do with the aircraft or its design. While we had signed an agreement to be involved right from the stage of designing the aircraft, we didn't progress to the stage of production,' he adds. This forced NAL to look for a new partner to design the Hansa-3 NG, and after four years of search found a partner in Pioneer. It isn't because the manufacturing of plane parts, assembling them, or establishing workshops is technically daunting that only research institutions like the CSIR-NAL or the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (which makes defence aeronautical systems) are capable of. In America, Pashilkar says, the Hansa category of planes would come under the 'home-built' category. The Hansa has its origins in a category of planes called the Light Canard Research Aircraft (LCRA), a Long-EZ aircraft developed by pioneering American aerospace engineer and designer Burt Rutan and put together in 1985 at NAL by a team led by Rustom Damania. Over the 300 hours that the plane was flown in its lifetime, engineers and scientists discovered practical challenges, including the use of composites. 'We simply imported it as a knock-down kit, assembled it ourselves, then flew it. Even today, these are categorised as home-built planes and so in theory can be built by anyone. Despite all the know-how and potential, it is challenging to get a private manufacturer,' says Pashilkar. Among the concerns that potential manufacturers raised were the availability of trained and skilled manpower. 'There's huge attrition in this industry. Yes, setting up the facilities to manufacture plane parts aren't that challenging, but it requires extremely skilful people.' For a plane like Hansa, it is essential that every component be made to the exact weight specifications. 'We can now make it to within a kg of the required weight. Few organisations in India can do that. Take welding. While it sounds simple, only a few organisations — like HAL — have been approved by aviation regulators to be able to weld components. Aviation is a highly regulated sector, and you can't go to a corner shop,' explains Pashilkar. 'A car, if it malfunctions on the road, can be taken to the roadside for fixing. You can't do that for an aircraft. Hence, the making and manufacture — given the risks — of even the smallest part is tightly regulated. This deters private sector participation.' Then there's the challenge of importing the raw material to make the composites. 'With so few manufacturers, nobody produces these materials in India. And because nobody makes enough of this, there are few manufacturers, necessitating imports. You add up all the demand for civilian planes — an existing fleet of about 800 with 1,200 in the next five years — and it still doesn't make commercial sense for a private manufacturer to set up a foundry (to make raw materials) in India,' Pashilkar reckons. Another challenge is finding pilots. The NAL does not have pilots of its own, and given that these are test planes, it depends on pilots from the Indian Air Force. 'Whether it is Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, or us, there is always a shortage of pilots. Because there are different certification requirements for civil and military aircraft, we face delays in flying our test aircraft,' rues Pashilkar. By the rules under which NAL works, any private manufacturer has to first replicate NAL's manufacturing facilities. 'Following this, they can come to our facilities and get help with making the first prototype; then we can go to theirs for the next one,' explains Pashilkar. 'This time, we've reduced technology transfer fees and given them two-year access to our facilities. Aircraft manufacturing is full of challenges in India, but we persevere.' Edited by Sunalini Mathew
