TOPIC
GS3
2013–2026
Agriculture, Cropping and Irrigation — PYQ Trend Intelligence
MATCHES
63
mapped PYQs
What the data shows
In the mapped 2013–2026 GS 3 dataset, 63 questions connect to agriculture, cropping and irrigation across 14 exam years. The highest observed count is 6 in 2025, 2018. These counts describe historical coverage, not the probability of a future exam question.
Method: topic hierarchy adapted from the supplied GS1–GS4 topic-map PDFs (2013–2025); questions are linked using MainsBuddy metadata term matching, restricted to GS3. Overlapping themes may include the same question. 2026 questions are mapped as a separate extension beyond the PDFs. Cross-topic matches may occur; these are provisional classifications, not verified question-level PDF mappings.
Questions by year
2026
5
2025
6
2024
4
2023
4
2022
4
2021
4
2020
5
2019
5
2018
6
2017
4
2016
4
2015
5
2014
3
2013
4
Answer-writing intelligence
Directives recorded for mapped questions include Describe, Explain, Discuss, Elaborate, Examine. Compare how the demand changes across years: identify the directive, split the question into its components, and practise within the stated mark allocation.
Mapped previous year questions
- Describe the various Technology Missions initiated in Indian agriculture and examine their role in food security.
- Explain the factors responsible for inefficiency of agri-produce marketing. How e-commerce helps to reduce inefficiency of agri-produce marketing? Explain.
- Explain by giving two examples, how biotechnology has helped the Indian farmers in processing their perishable crops.
- How Indian agriculture has been transformed from food scarcity to food surplus level? Explain the various government policies implemented for diversification of Indian agriculture.
- Discuss the different types of subsidies and supports provided by the Government of India to agricultural sector. Examine the related issues pertaining to Agreement on Agriculture of World Trade Organisation (WTO).
- What are the challenges before the Indian economy when the world is moving away from free trade and multilateralism to protectionism and bilateralism? How can these challenges be met?
- Explain the factors influencing the decision of the farmers on the selection of high value crops in India.
- Elaborate the scope and significance of supply chain management of agricultural commodities in India.
- Discuss the rationale of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. What are its achievements? In what way can the functioning and outcomes of the scheme be improved?
- Examine the scope of the food processing industries in India. Elaborate the measures taken by the government in the food processing industries for generating employment opportunities.
- How does nanotechnology offer significant advancements in the field of agriculture? How can this technology help to uplift the socio-economic status of farmers?
- What were the factors responsible for the successful implementation of land reforms in some parts of the country? Elaborate.
- Explain the role of millets for ensuring health and nutritional security in India.
- What are the major challenges faced by Indian irrigation system in recent times? State the measures taken by the government for efficient irrigation management.
- Elucidate the importance of buffer stocks for stabilizing agricultural prices in India. What are the challenges associated with the storage of buffer stock? Discuss.
- Faster economic growth requires increased share of the manufacturing sector in GDP, particularly of MSMEs. Comment on the present policies of the government in this regard.
- How does e-Technology help farmers in production and marketing of agricultural produce? Explain it.
- State the objectives and measures of land reforms in India. Discuss how land ceiling policy on landholding can be considered as an effective reform under economic criteria.
- Explain the changes in cropping patterns in India in the context of changes in consumption patterns and marketing conditions.
- What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in India? How can it be made effective and transparent?
- Elaborate the scope and significance of the food processing industry in India
- What are the main bottlenecks in upstream and downstream process of marketing of agricultural products in India?
- What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and marginal farmers in India?
- How did land reforms in some parts of the country help to improve the socio-economic conditions of marginal and small farmers?
- How and to what extent would micro-irrigation help in solving India’s water crisis?
- What are the salient features of the National Food Security Act, 2013? How has the Food Security Bill helped in eliminating hunger and malnutrition in India?
- What are the present challenges before crop diversification? How do emerging technologies provide an opportunity for crop diversification?
- What are the main constraints in transport and marketing of agricultural produce in India?
- What are the challenges and opportunities of food processing sector in the country? How can income of the farmers be substantially increased by encouraging food processing?
- How is science interwoven deeply with our lives? What are the striking changes in agriculture triggered off by the science-based technologies?
- What are the major factors responsible for making rice-wheat system a success? In spite of this success how has this system become bane in India?
- Suggest measures to improve water storage and irrigation system to make its judicious use under depleting scenario.
- How far is Integrated Farming System (IFS) helpful in sustaining agricultural production?
- Elaborate the impact of National Watershed Project in increasing agricultural production from water-stressed areas.
- What are the reformative steps taken by the Government to make food grain distribution system more effective?
- Elaborate the policy taken by the Government of India to meet the challenges of the food processing sector.
- How can biotechnology help to improve the living standards of farmers?
- What do you mean by Minimum Support Price (MSP)? How will MSP rescue the farmers from the low income trap?
- Examine the role of supermarkets in supply chain management of fruits, vegetables and food items. How do they eliminate number of intermediaries?
- Sikkim is the first ‘Organic State’ in India. What are the ecological and economic benefits of an Organic State?
- How would the recent phenomena of protectionism and currency manipulations in world trade affect macroeconomic stability of India?
- Assess the role of National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in boosting the production, productivity and income of horticulture farms. How far has it succeeded in increasing the income of farmers?
- How has the emphasis on certain crops brought about changes in cropping patterns in recent past? Elaborate the emphasis on millets production and consumption.
- Explain various types of revolutions, took place in Agriculture after independence in India. How these revolutions have helped in poverty alleviation and food security in India?
- What are the reasons for poor acceptance of cost-effective small processing unit? How the food processing unit will be helpful to uplift the socio-economic status of poor farmers?
- What are the major reasons for declining rice and wheat yield in the cropping system? How crop diversification is helpful to stabilise the yield of the crops in the system?
- How do subsidies affect the cropping pattern, crop diversity and economy of farmers? What is the significance of crop insurance, minimum support price and food processing for small and marginal farmers?
- What is water-use efficiency? Describe the role of micro-irrigation in increasing water-use efficiency.
- What is allelopathy? Discuss its role in major cropping systems of irrigated agriculture.
- Given the vulnerability of Indian agriculture to vagaries of nature, discuss the need for crop insurance and bring out the salient features of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).
- Discuss the role of land reforms in agricultural development. Identify the factors that were responsible for the success of land reforms in India.
- In view of the declining average size of land holdings in India which has made agriculture non-viable for a majority of farmers, should contract farming and land leasing be promoted in agriculture? Critically evaluate the pros and cons.
- Livestock rearing has a big potential for providing non-farm employment and income in rural areas. Discuss, suggesting suitable measures to promote this sector in India.
- How can the Digital India programme help farmers to improve farm productivity and income? What steps has the Government taken in this regard?
- In what way could replacement of price subsidy with Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) change the scenario of subsidies in India? Discuss.
- What are the impediments in marketing and supply chain management in developing the food processing industry in India? Can e-commerce help in overcoming these bottlenecks?
- There is a point of view that Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) set up under State Acts have not only impeded development of agriculture but also caused food inflation in India. Critically examine.
- ‘In the villages itself no form of credit organization will be suitable except the cooperative society.’ — All India Rural Credit Survey. Discuss this statement in the background of agricultural finance in India. What constraints and challenges do financial institutions supplying agricultural finance face? How can technology be used to better reach and serve rural clients?
- The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 has come into effect from 1 January 2014. What key issues would get addressed with the Act in place? What implications would it have on industrialization and agriculture in India?
- Food Security Bill is expected to eliminate hunger and malnutrition in India. Critically discuss various apprehensions in its effective implementation along with concerns it has generated in WTO.
- What are the different types of agricultural subsidies given to farmers at national and state levels? Critically analyse the agricultural subsidy regime with reference to distortions created by it.
- India needs to strengthen measures to promote the pink revolution in food industry for ensuring better nutrition and health. Critically elucidate the statement.
- Establish relationship between land reforms, agricultural productivity and elimination of poverty in the Indian economy. Discuss difficulties in designing and implementing agriculture-friendly land reforms in India.
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