Environment & Ecology is one of the important topics covered in the UPSC (IAS) Prelims exam & has become one of the most essential topics for the civil services examination. This section here embraces everything about the intact ecosystem & all the other perspectives associated with it.
Reading this article will help you gain a lot of knowledge about the different facts along with preparing some quality notes on Environment and Ecology for the Civil Services Examinations.
So, now let’s quickly move forward to learn more about this.
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How to Prepare Environment & Ecology for UPSC?
Environment & Ecology are the two topics that have been annexed as chief questions in the GS III paper in UPSC CS (Main) & in General Studies in Prelims. The weightage of the Environment topic is increased for the fact that the Prelims for Indian Forest Services is combined with the UPSC Civil Services examinations.
The other important reason for this is that issues like global warming and climate change have been added to this. Global Warming & Climate Change are problems that have become some of the most major issues of the 21st century; hence, an individual needs to have excellent expertise in these fields.
But, one important question that arises here is “how can you prepare for your Civil Services Examinations without even knowing the subjects?”
Don’t worry, because, like always, we are here to help you out.
Syllabus for UPSC Environment & Ecology
Well, if one sees it, there are a lot of different subjects included in the preparation of Civil Services Examinations, i.e., UPSC.
But, because today we are talking all about Environment & Ecology, so let’s get to know what all subjects are added in their preparation. There are some focus areas in Environment & Ecology for UPSC prelims & IAS mains.
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UPSC Environment & Ecology Syllabus
There are various Environment and Ecology books that one can refer to while studying for the exam. But before that one needs to learn about the syllabus that they have to refer to. So, the UPSC Environment & Ecology syllabus includes:
- Biodiversity
Biodiversity is one of the major & important topics of the Environment syllabus. There are a few important topics to be covered under the same and these are:
- Biodiversity at Global, National, and Local Stages
- Major Hotspots of Biodiversity
- Endangered and Endemic Species
- Social Issues and Environment
All the topics related to environmental conservation & biodiversity conservation are extremely important from the examination perspective. And, the aspirants need to revise the contents under the same during the preparation of their Civil Services examination.
There are a few topics that come under this subject & these are:
- Water Conservation
- Animal Rights
- Climate Change
- Pollution
The contaminants or toxic elements into the natural surroundings are known as Pollutants & the awakening of such harmful materials into the environment is known as Pollution. Pollutants can be natural, or man-made, like volcanic ash, trash, or runoff produced by factories that help in damaging the quality of air, water, as well as land.
Pollution is one of the most important topics and the biggest concern in the world. And the problem never ceases but keeps on increasing day by day & thus it is one topic which is highly important for your UPSC exam preparation.
Various questions are asked in the UPSC IAS Prelims Exams related to Pollution & these are:
- Types and Cause of Pollution
- Soil Degradation
So, these were some important areas that must be covered during the preparation of the Civil Services Examinations. But, have you decided yet on how to strategically prepare Environment & Ecology for the UPSC Prelims?
Don’t worry, like always, we’re here to help you out.
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Strategy for Preparation
It is a well-known fact that the UPSC Civil Services Exam is one of the most difficult yet prestigious exams in India.
And, don’t you think, preparing for such an exam should be done strategically so that all the hard work & efforts put in by you don’t get wasted?
There is one important thing that one needs to learn before starting their preparation & that is, “this exam cannot just be cracked by being a bookworm”. One needs to work on all the other aspects along with working extremely hard for the exam.
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Prepare Yourself
The first and foremost step for the preparation of any exam includes you understanding yourself completely.
Before trying to understand how to prepare for the UPSC exam, prepare yourself for the difficult yet exciting journey.
Understand the UPSC exam guide fully, and plan your IAS preparation accordingly. The UPSC exam has three stages – Prelims, Mains, and the Interview round; each round requires dedication at a different level.
Analyze how you can devote time for the studies and chart a plan to balance your other works with the preparation.
- Make a Time Table
It is highly important for somebody who’s going to be the next IAS officer to have a well-organized daily routine. And for this, one needs to prepare a well-planned timetable & stick to it.
A well-planned timetable makes it easy for one to work better, complete the syllabus along within the desired timelines.
- Know the Syllabus
Another important step for the strategic preparation of the Civil Services Examination requires one to know the entire syllabus.
Knowing the syllabus helps you to choose the relevant study materials along with prioritizing the subjects according to their weightage in the exam.
So, before going through those piles of books, make yourself completely familiar with the syllabus provided by the UPSC.
- Newspapers
Are you preparing for the next Civil Services Exams but haven’t started reading the newspapers yet? It’s high time you should start doing it.
Newspapers are the most important aspect of the IAS exam & if you haven’t started reading them yet, you cannot hope to get your luck through this exam.
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Solving Previous Years’ UPSC Question Papers & Mock Tests
Previous years’ question papers are the most reliable source of some great information related to any examination. So, having a look at the previous years’ papers helps you to get a clear picture of all the important areas on which you need to focus more.
You can also self-assess your progress related to the examination by solving a few mock test papers. These papers help the aspirants in learning from their mistakes & successfully knowing their strengths and weaknesses.
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Revision
Revision is a crucial step while preparing for any examination. And when you’re going to face such a difficult exam as the UPSC, it becomes even more important for you to do it.
There are a lot of different sections in the syllabus which makes it vast & diverse, therefore it is normal for anyone to easily forget what they’ve read till now. Revision helps in reminding things at a greater level. So, try to do it as many times as you can.
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Stay Positive & Take Care of Your Health
Working hard for your exams is a must when you’re preparing for an exam as tough as UPSC but equally important taking care of your health is.
There might be times when you’ll feel like giving up when it’ll all seem difficult, you’ll be depressed but all your hard work will pay off once you’ve cleared the exam.
Also Read: UPSC Lateral Entry Notification 2021: What is Lateral Entry? Here’s What You Need to Know
Conclusion
Reading all the facts and information related to UPSC & the different levels of preparation one requires for the same, might look difficult but once you put your heart into it, it’ll all seem fun & interesting.
And the above article presents you with all the information related to this. So, tighten your seat belts and start with this amazing ride that will help you achieve heights in future.
Hope you find this article informative & are motivated enough to start working on your goals. For more such information, have a look at our other blogs & if you have any doubts regarding the same, feel free to comment down below.
