UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice

UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 34)

UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative for the practice of Mains answer writing. Mains Answer Writing covers essential topics under 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.

How was hybridisation achieved in mustard? Discuss concerns associated with the crop.

Discuss how megacities are tackling air pollution? Highlight the impact of air pollution on economic growth.

Introduction

— An introduction 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 a trusted source and include authenticated facts.

Body

— It is the central part of the answer and one should understand the import of the question to provide rich content.

— The answer must preferably be 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: How was hybridisation achieved in mustard? Discuss concerns associated with the crop.

Introduction:

— Hybridisation involves crossing two genetically dissimilar plant varieties that can even be from the same species. The first-generation (F1) offspring from such crosses tend to have higher yields than what either parent can individually give.

— Hybridisation is not easy in mustards, as its flowers have both female (pistil) and male (stamen) reproductive organs, making the plants largely self-pollinating. Since the eggs of one plant cannot be fertilised by the pollen grains from another, it limits the scope for developing hybrids — unlike in cotton, maize or tomato, where this can be done through simple emasculation or physical removal of anthers.

Body:

— As a result of genetic modification (GM). The hybrid mustard DMH-11 was developed by scientists at Delhi University’s Centre for Genetic Manipulation of Crop Plants (CGMCP) and contains two alien genes taken from a soil bacteria called Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.

— The first gene (‘barnase’) codes for a protein that impairs pollen production and renders the plant into which it is incorporated male-sterile.

— This plant is then crossed with a fertile parental line containing, in turn, the second ‘barstar’ gene that blocks the action of the barnase gene.

— The resultant F1 progeny is both high-yielding and also capable of producing seed/ grain.

Concerns associated with the Crop

— Genetically Modified (GM) crop broadly rests on the ‘precautionary principle’, which argues that in the absence of scientific consensus and adequate information, new innovations likely to have severe adverse impacts on human or environmental health must be treated with extreme caution.

— The sole reliance on this principle for decision-making is often seen as a hurdle to scientific progress, or a justification for inaction.

Conclusion:

— The GEAC functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) and has been tasked with the appraisal of proposals relating to the “release” of GM organisms and products (ordinarily considered hazardous) into the environment.

— In India, Bt cotton, the only GM crop to have been allowed in the country, has been under cultivation for the last 20 years.

— A substantial portion of imported edible oils, as well as some other crops, are of genetically modified varieties.

(Source: How GM mustard was developed, why the question of its approval has now reached Supreme Court, The GM mustard debate by Amitabh Sinha)

Points to Ponder

Bt Cotton

Why is the Supreme Court (SC) examining the matter of GM crops?