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Topic Plant adaptation
Asked 4 times across 3 UPSC exams over 6 years (2019–2025), peaking in 2024.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 2 of 4 PYQs
- Most asked in 2024
- Recurs across 3 years (2019–2025)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CAPF 2019 → CDS 2024 → GEO 2025
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (4 of 4) are since 2016.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
GEO2025
Xerophytic plants adapt to the hot arid regions by
- A developing thick cuticle on their leaf surfaces ✓
- B opening stomata only during the day
- C having photosynthetic roots
- D growing leaves only during the winter
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Science & Technology › Biology & Health
CDS2024
Which one among the following is not a feature of Xerophytes ?
- A Smaller leaves
- B Large number of stomata ✓
- C Waxy cuticle
- D Stomata in pits
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Science & Technology › Biology & Health
CDS2024
Halophytes are the plants that grow on which one, among the following categories of soil ?
- A Acidic soil
- B Saline soil ✓
- C Black soil
- D Sandy soil
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Science & Technology › Biology & Health
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