UPSC Mains 2015 GS1 Q20 — Arctic Oil Discovery
What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences ? (Answer in not more than 200 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- What are
- Scope keywords
- economic significancesdiscovery of oilArctic Seaenvironmental consequences
- Implicit sub-parts
- The geopolitical impact of energy security and shifts in global trade routes (e.g., Northern Sea Route).
- The specific vulnerability of the Arctic ecosystem compared to tropical or temperate regions.
- The 'feedback loop' mechanism where oil extraction accelerates permafrost thawing and climate change.
- Common pitfalls
- Spending too much time on general Arctic melting without linking it specifically to the oil discovery and extraction process.
- Failing to mention the high cost of extraction and 'stranded assets' risk in a transitioning green economy.
- Ignoring the territorial disputes (UNCLOS) and the 'Arctic Race' between Russia, USA, and Nordic countries.
- Omitting the impact on indigenous Arctic communities and local biodiversity (e.g., polar bears, migratory birds).
- Dimensions required
- Economic/FiscalGeopoliticalEcological/ClimatologicalTechnological/Operational challenges
- Marks allocation hint
Spend approximately 80-90 words on the economic side, covering energy security and trade. Devote another 80-90 words to environmental consequences, focusing on oil spills and methane release. Use the remaining 20-30 words for a balanced conclusion on sustainable development or the transition to renewables.
Unlock the full analysis for this question
You've seen the question and its examiner-intent decoding. Subscribers also get:
- 🔗 Similar Previous Year Questions — cross-year, cross-paper matches so you study the topic, not the question
- 📚 Source Map — verified citations from Laxmikanth, NCERT, PRS, Yojana, Economic Survey, Spectrum
- 🌱 How this topic is evolving — current-affairs bridge anchored to live TARS news clustering
- 🧭 Examiner's Pattern — how the topic has been framed across every year UPSC has tested it
- ✍️ Answer Skeleton — a structured outline (intro → body → conclusion) you can flesh out
- 🎯 AI evaluation — write your answer, get rubric-based scoring from gs-eval
Or browse 132+ free preview questions across all years and papers — the first 3 questions of every paper are unlocked.
Ready to practice?
Subscribers can attempt this question in 200 words and get an instant, rubric-based evaluation showing where they stand.
Subscribe to evaluate your answer →