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Topic Cropping pattern
Asked 2 times across 2 UPSC exams over 5 years (2014–2019), peaking in 2019.
Key insights
- Most tested in CSE — 1 of 2 PYQs
- First appeared in CDS 2014 — 5 years before CSE 2019 (allied exams preview CSE)
- Most asked in 2019
- Recurs across 2 years (2014–2019)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2014 → CSE 2019
How the concept evolved
Long-running — most appearances (1 of 2) predate 2016, and it still returns.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CSE2019
With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in India in the last five years, consider the following statements
- Area under rice cultivation is the highest
- Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds
- Area under cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane
- Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A 1 and 3 only ✓
- B 2, 3 and 4 only
- C 2 and 4 only
- D 1, 2, 3 and 4
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Agriculture › Crops & Cropping Systems
CDS2014
Which of the following statements relating to Indian agriculture is/are correct?
- India has the World's largest cropped area
- Cropping pattern is dominated by cereal crop
- The average size of an Indian farm holding is too small for several agricultural operations
- A 1 only
- B 1 and 2 only
- C 2 and 3 only ✓
- D 1 and 3
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Agriculture › Agri Economy & Marketing
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