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Topic Groundwater depletion
Asked 3 times across 2 UPSC exams over 5 years (2018–2023), peaking in 2018.
Key insights
- Most tested in CSE — 2 of 3 PYQs
- Most asked in 2018
- Recurs across 3 years (2018–2023)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 2018 → NDA 2020
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (3 of 3) are since 2016.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CSE2023
Consider the following statements
Statement IAccording to the United Nations' 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts more than a quarter of the world's groundwater withdrawal each year
Statement IIIndia needs to extract more than a quarter of the world's groundwater each year to satisfy the drinking water and sanitation needs of almost 18% of world's population living in its territory
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- A Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the correct explanation for Statement-I
- B Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is not the correct explanation for Statement-I
- C Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect ✓
- D Statement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Geography › Physical Geography of India
NDA2020
Which one of the following is NOT a cause of depletion in groundwater ?
- A Afforestation
- B Loss of forests ✓
- C Excessive pumping of groundwater
- D Construction of large scale concrete buildings
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Waste
CSE2018
Which of the following is/are the possible consequence/s of heavy sand mining in riverbeds ?
- Decreased salinity in the river
- Pollution of groundwater
- Lowering of the water-table
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A 1 only
- B 2 and 3 only ✓
- C 1 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Waste
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