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Topic Water Pollution
Asked 5 times across 4 UPSC exams over 27 years (1998–2025), peaking in 2017.
Key insights
- Most tested in CSE — 2 of 5 PYQs
- Most asked in 2017
- Recurs across 4 years (1998–2025)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 1998 → CAPF 2017 → EPFO 2023 → ESE 2025
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (4 of 5) are since 2016.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
ESE2025
Nitrate when present in excess in drinking water causes
- A Fluorosis
- B Minamata
- C Blue baby syndrome
- D Itai-itai
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Waste
EPFO2023
The effluents of which among the following industries are considered to be the main cause for lowering the pH value of river water?
- A Alcohol distillery industries
- B Plastic cup manufacturing industries
- C Soap and detergent industries
- D Lead battery manufacturing industries ✓
✓ Correct answer: (D)
Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Waste
CSE2017
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) is a standard criterion for
- A Measuring oxygen levels in blood
- B Computing oxygen levels in forest ecosystems ✓
- C Pollution assay in aquatic ecosystems
- D Assessing oxygen levels in high altitude regions
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Environment & Ecology › Pollution & Waste
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