UPSC Essentials | Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 15)

QUESTION 2

What is the significance of ozone? Discuss the reasons behind the ozone hole.

General points on the structure of the answers

Introduction

— The introduction of the answer 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 the trusted source and authentic facts.

Body

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

— The answer must be preferably 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.

THOUGHT PROCESS

You may enrich your answers by some of the following points

QUESTION 1: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are more vulnerable among the tribal groups. What are the characteristics of PVTGs and how they are identified?

Introduction:

A simple introduction to this answer can revolve around a general statement about PVTGs.

— Tribal groups are frequently defined by certain characteristics such as primitive qualities, particular culture, geographical isolation, reluctance to contact with the larger population, and backwardness.

— Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) have some specific features such as dependency on hunting, gathering for food, having pre-agriculture level of technology, zero or negative growth of population and extremely low level of literacy.

— According to a Tribal Affairs Ministry letter to various states in 2015, “PVTGs constitute the most vulnerable section among tribals and inhabit isolated, remote and difficult areas in small and scattered hamlets/ habitats.”

(Source: What measures have been announced for tribal welfare, vikaspedia.in)

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

Characteristics of PVTGs

— PVTGs have some basic characteristics -they are mostly homogenous, with a small population, relatively physically isolated, social institutes cast in a simple mould, absence of written language, relatively simple technology and a slower rate of change etc.

— According to the 2001 census, there are 12 PVTGs having a population above 50,000 and the remaining groups have a population of 1000 or less. The PVTG of Sahariyas has the highest population of 4,50,217, while the PVTGs of Sentinelets and Andamanese has a very small population of 39 and 43, respectively.

— PVTG cultural practises, systems, self-government, and livelihood practises vary greatly according on the group and location.

The level of inequalities in social and economical conditions is very high amongst PVTGs.

The growth of PVTGs’ population is either stagnating or declining.

— PVTGs depend on various livelihoods such as food gathering,Non Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), hunting, livestock rearing, shifting cultivation and artisan works.Most of their livelihoods depend on the forest.

— PVTGs’ health is in terrible shape due to a variety of factors such as poverty, illiteracy, a lack of safe drinking water, poor sanitary conditions, difficult terrain, malnutrition, poor maternal and child health services, a lack of health and nutritional services, superstition, and deforestation.

How they are identified?

Government of India follows the following criteria for identification of PVTGs:

— Pre-agricultural level of technology

— Low level of literacy

— Economic backwardness

— A declining or stagnant population.

(Source: vikaspedia.in)

Conclusion:

Your conclusion should be short. You may include:

— To improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs), Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission will be launched.

— This will saturate PVTG families and habitations with basic facilities such as safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition, road and telecom connectivity, and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

— The Finance Minister said in her Budget speech, “A Mission to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by 2047 will be launched. It will entail awareness creation, universal screening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas, and counselling through collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.”

(Source: Budget 2023: What measures have been announced for tribal welfare)

Points to Ponder

Different Tribes in News

National Commission for Scheduled Tribes

Related Previous Year Questions

Examine the uniqueness of tribal knowledge systems when compared with mainstream knowledge and cultural systems. (2021)

Why are the tribals in India referred to as ‘the Scheduled Tribes’? Indicate the major provisions enshrined in the Constitution of India for their upliftment. (2016)

Given the diversities among tribal communities in India, in which specific contexts should they be considered as a single category? (2022)

QUESTION 2: What is the significance of ozone? Discuss the reasons behind the ozone hole.

Introduction:

A simple introduction to this answer can revolve around a general statement about Ozone.

— Ozone (chemically, a molecule of three oxygen atoms) is found mainly in the upper atmosphere, an area called stratosphere, between 10 and 50 km from the earth’s surface.

— Ozone is present in the atmosphere in low concentrations and at places where this layer is thickest, there are not more than a few molecules of ozone for every million air molecules.

Why it is important?

— The ozone layer protects life on Earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays.

— The ozone molecules eliminate a big threat to life forms on Earth. UV rays can cause skin cancer and other diseases and deformities, in plants and animals.

(Source: What to read in ozone hole size by Amitabh Sinha, A rapidly growing rocket industry could undo decades of work to save the ozone layer – unless we act now)

Body:

You may incorporate some of the following points in the body of your answer:

— During experiments in Antarctica in the early 1980s, scientists noticed that during September-November, the concentration of ozone fell considerably lower than what was recorded in the 1950s.

— The destruction of the ozone layer became a major international issue in 1985 when the “ozone hole” was discovered over Antarctica.

— The ‘ozone hole’ is not really a hole. It is a region in the stratosphere, directly above Antarctica, where the concentration of ozone has been measured to become extremely low in certain months.

Causes

— The depletion of the ozone layer is not limited to that area and has happened in other regions of the stratosphere as well, but a set of special meteorological and chemical conditions that arise over Antarctica in the months of September, October and November.

— The 1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (the only universally ratified treaty in United Nations’ history), began the phase-out of CFCs in 1993. By 2005 the consumption of ozone-depleting chemicals controlled by the agreement had fallen by 90–95 percent in the 197 countries that were parties to the protocol.

There are 96 chemicals are presently controlled by the Montreal Protocol, including:

— Halo-carbons (Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Halons): These were considered wonder gases because they are long-lived, non-toxic, non-corrosive, and non-flammable.

CFC-11 remains in the atmosphere for 50 years, CFC-12 for 102 years, and CFC-115 for 1,700.

Halon 1301 is used primarily in fire extinguishers and has an atmospheric lifetime of 65 years.

— Carbon tetrachloride: It is used as a solvent and takes about 42 years to break down in the atmosphere.

— Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs): These were developed as the first major replacement for CFCs. While much less destructive than CFCs, HCFCs also contribute to ozone depletion. They have an atmospheric lifetime of about 1.4 to 19.5 years.

— There are various other chemicals that can be mentioned like Methyl chloroform, Hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs), Methyl bromide, Bromochloromethane (BCM), etc.

(Sources: A science teacher explains: Know the ozone, the safety net over our planet, pib.gov.in)

Conclusion:

Your conclusion should be short. You may include:

— The elimination of ozone-depleting substances has an important climate change co-benefit as well.

— These substances also happen to be powerful greenhouse gases, several of them hundreds or even thousands of times more dangerous than carbon dioxide, the most abundant greenhouse gas and the main driver of global warming.

Points to Ponder

Kigali Agreement

India’s effort

Related Previous Year Question

Troposphere is a very significant atmosphere layer that determines weather processes. How? (2022)

New on the list: Society & Social Justice — Literacy and associated issues (Part 1)

Previous Mains Answer Practice

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 14)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 1 (Week 12)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 15)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 2 (Week 14)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 15)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 3 (Week 14)

UPSC Essentials: Mains answer practice — GS 4 (Week 9)

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