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UPSC Prelims 2025 CSAT, question 1

Topic: Reading comprehension

Directions · Q1 to Q4

Directions for the following 4 (four) items :
Read the following two passages and answer the items that follow the passages. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only.

Passage · Q1 to Q2

Maintaining an ecosystem just to conserve biodiversity will affect its commercial potential as well as the livelihoods dependent on the ecosystem. There is also a conflict between using an ecosystem only for livelihoods, for commercial exploitation, or strictly for conservation. Deforestation caused due to commercial exploitation will lead to indirect harm like floods, siltation problems and microclimatic instability, apart from adversely affecting livelihoods dependent on forests. These conflicts are particularly acute in developing countries where the dependence of people on the ecosystem is significant, and commercial exploitation has the potential to boost national income.

Q1

Which one of the following statements best reflects the critical message conveyed by the author of the passage ?

  1. (a) Conservation of biodiversity is not an issue to be worried about when some people depend on ecosystems for their livelihoods.
  2. (b) Commercial exploitation of forests goes against the fundamental rights of the people dependent on forests for food and shelter.
  3. (c) Sustenance of livelihood and degradation of ecosystem while being together exacerbate one another, leading to conflicts and imbalance.Correct answer
  4. (d) Commercial exploitation of ecosystems should be completely stopped.

Solution.

Answer: (c) Sustenance of livelihood and degradation of ecosystem while being together exacerbate one another, leading to conflicts and imbalance.

  1. The passage highlights the acute conflict between conserving an ecosystem, relying on it for local livelihoods, and exploiting it commercially.
  2. Commercial deforestation causes floods, siltation, and microclimatic instability that in turn degrade the ecosystem and harm forest-dependent livelihoods, which is best captured by option (c).