UPSC Prelims · Previous Year Questions

Master Environment & Ecology, one PYQ at a time 365 questions across 11 topics — 1995 to 2025, with answers & explanations

Environment & Ecology has grown into one of the highest-yield subjects in Prelims, especially as current-affairs-linked questions have increased. Instead of grinding through 31 years of papers in date order, revise it the way you study it — topic by topic, in step with Shankar IAS. Every topic below lists what it covers and a sample question; tap through to attempt the full set with instant answer-checking.

365Questions
11Topics
31 yrsCoverage, 1995–2025
FreeNo signup required
Start practising →

Showing all 11 topics

Sort:

Environment & Ecology has become one of the fastest-growing subjects in UPSC Prelims — it now regularly produces as many questions as Indian Polity, and its current-affairs-linked questions on treaties, species, and climate policy mean it rewards year-round attention, not just static revision.

The 11 topics below cover the full Shankar IAS syllabus, arranged roughly by how often each has been tested — from Protected Areas and core Ecology concepts through to smaller but still-recurring areas like Biogeochemical Cycles. Each topic page carries every question UPSC has asked on it since 1995, with the correct answer and a short explanation for each.

  1. Protected Areas & Wildlife UPSC PYQ — National Parks, Sanctuaries & Species

    49 Questions · High-yield

    National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Tiger Reserves, and India's protected species — one of Environment's most consistently tested areas.

    2024Consider the following pairs: Country — Animal found in its natural habitat
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  2. Ecosystems & Ecology UPSC PYQ — Food Chains, Biomes & Forest Types

    48 Questions · High-yield

    Core ecology — food chains, trophic levels, biomes, forest classification, and fundamental ecological principles.

    2024Consider the following statements:
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  3. Biodiversity & Conservation UPSC PYQ — Flora, Fauna & Hotspots

    45 Questions · High-yield

    India's flora and fauna, biodiversity hotspots, endemic and endangered species, and in-situ/ex-situ conservation methods.

    2024Consider the following:
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  4. International Environmental Treaties UPSC PYQ — UNFCCC, CBD & Summits

    39 Questions · Moderate-yield

    Global environmental governance — UNFCCC, CBD, Ramsar Convention, Montreal Protocol, Kyoto Protocol, and major international summits.

    2025Consider the following statements: Statement I: At the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), India refrained from signin...
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  5. Pollution & Waste Management UPSC PYQ — Air, Water & E-Waste

    38 Questions · Moderate-yield

    Air, water, and soil pollution, industrial pollutants, e-waste, solid waste management rules, and India's pollution-control framework.

    2025Consider the following statements: Statement I: Activated carbon is a good and an attractive tool to remove pollutants from effluent stre...
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  6. Environmental Governance UPSC PYQ — Acts, Authorities & Tribunals

    35 Questions · Moderate-yield

    India's environmental legal and institutional framework — the Environment Protection Act, NGT, statutory authorities, and forest/wildlife legislation.

    2024Consider the following statements: Statement-I: The Indian Flying Fox is placed under the "vermin" category in the Wild Life (Protection)...
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  7. Climate Change UPSC PYQ — Global Warming, Carbon Markets & Mitigation

    34 Questions · Moderate-yield

    Global warming, greenhouse gases, carbon sequestration, carbon markets, and India's climate mitigation and adaptation mechanisms.

    2025Consider the following statements:
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  8. Sustainable Agriculture & Forestry UPSC PYQ — Organic Farming & Agroforestry

    31 Questions · Moderate-yield

    Eco-friendly agricultural practices, organic farming, agroforestry, biofertilisers, and sustainable forestry initiatives.

    2022"System of Rice Intensification" of cultivation, in which alternate wetting and drying of rice fields is practised, results in:
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  9. Water & Wetland Conservation UPSC PYQ — Rivers, Groundwater & Ramsar Sites

    20 Questions · Moderate-yield

    River conservation, groundwater regulation, wetland ecosystems, and India's Ramsar Sites.

    2023Consider the following statements : Statement-I : According to the United Nations' 'World Water Development Report, 2022', India extracts...
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  10. Renewable Energy UPSC PYQ — Solar, Biofuels & Green Technologies

    18 Questions

    Solar energy, biofuels, waste-to-energy technologies, and sustainable materials and construction practices.

    2025Consider the following statements: Statement I: Circular economy reduces the emissions of greenhouse gases. Statement II: Circular econom...
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

  11. Biogeochemical Cycles UPSC PYQ — Carbon, Nitrogen & Earth Systems

    8 Questions

    The carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles, and broader Earth-system concepts like albedo and radiative balance.

    2025With reference to the planet Earth, consider the following statements:
    Solve PYQs → Timed Test

No topics match that search. Try a broader keyword like "wildlife" or "climate", or clear the search.

Frequently asked

How many questions come from Environment and Ecology in UPSC Prelims?

Environment and Ecology typically accounts for 15-20 questions in UPSC Prelims GS Paper 1 each year, and its share has grown over the last decade, making it one of the highest-yield static subjects.

Which Environment and Ecology topics are most important for UPSC Prelims?

Protected Areas and Wildlife, core Ecosystem and Ecology concepts, and Biodiversity and Conservation have produced the most questions historically, followed by International Environmental Treaties and Pollution and Waste Management.

Is Shankar IAS Environment enough to solve these PYQs?

Shankar IAS Environment covers the concepts behind nearly all of these questions. Practising the actual PYQs topic-wise helps you see how UPSC rephrases the same static facts and current-affairs hooks across years.