Understanding the Role of Environment in UPSC Syllabus

Before we delve into preparation strategies, let's understand the weightage of the environment section in the UPSC exam.

As evident from the table above, the environment is a critical subject in the UPSC syllabus. Moreover, it is closely intertwined with UPSC current affairs . This is because terms like climate change, ecosystem, sustainable development, natural disaster, etc., frequently appear in the news. Environment topics can also overlap with other subjects like geography, biology, botany, zoology, and the economy. Additionally, it can also overlap with policy and governance as many government schemes aim at preserving natural resources and environment, conserving flora and fauna, and reducing pollution.

Why is the Environment Section Crucial for UPSC?

The environment section holds significant importance in the UPSC exam, both from prelims and mains perspectives.

1. In the UPSC Prelims , around 15 – 20 questions can be linked to the environment section directly or indirectly. You can learn more about the number of environment and ecology questions asked in previous years' IAS Prelims here .
2. In the UPSC Mains, you can expect 2 – 3 questions from this section. Additionally, a good understanding of environmental concepts can enhance your answers in other subjects.
3. In the IAS Interview , questions are often asked from an environmental perspective.

Effective Strategies for UPSC Environment and Ecology Preparation

One of the challenges with the environment section of UPSC is that it doesn't have a defined syllabus like history or geography. Also, it doesn't have a conventional book like other subjects. The strong link to current affairs necessitates regular reading of newspapers and making correlations with topics in the prescribed books.

A good starting point for UPSC environment preparation is to review the previous years’ question papers and analyze the environment questions. This will help you categorize the topics to be studied under the following six headings:

• International initiatives: This is the most critical section in the environment section of UPSC. It includes conventions and organizations such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ), Ramsar Convention, and others.
• National initiatives: This section encompasses all the government's environment-related initiatives, such as the National Solar Mission , National Mission for Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem, National Mission for Sustainable Habitat, etc.
• Environment theory: For this section, you should refer to a comprehensive book on the environment for UPSC and study the important concepts that frequently appear in the news. For instance, food chain, ecotone, biogeochemical cycle, biological oxygen demand, oligotrophy, etc. You can also refer to our Environment & Ecology Notes for detailed information.
• National Parks, reserves, etc.: This is also an important source of questions in the IAS exam. Try to map the most important parks to remember their locations. Additionally, make notes of important points about frequently-occurring national parks in the news.
• Species: While studying about species, remember to use a book that provides vivid images of the species as well. This will help you remember the points easily.
• Chemicals and pollutants: UPSC can ask about various pollutants emitted from different sources/industries. You should also study the chief greenhouse gases .

Recommended Books for UPSC Environment Preparation

The best resources for environment preparation in UPSC include a combination of textbooks, newspapers, magazines, and basic books like the NCERTs. You can get a list of recommended books from the link below:

Environment and Ecology Books for IAS