GS 3 Agriculture orientation

 Syllabus
 Importance of the subject
 PYQ analysis
 Important themes
 How to make notes
 Sources
 Syllabus
 Major crops and cropping pattern in different
parts of the country.
 Different types of irrigation and irrigation
systems storage.
 Transport and marketing of agricultural
produce
 Issues related to transport and marketing of
agricultural produce
 E- technology in the aid of farmers
 Issues related to direct and indirect farm
subsidies
 Issues related to Minimum Support Prices
 syllabus
 Public Distribution System
 Objectives
 Functioning
 Limitations
 Revamp
 Issues related to buffer stocks and food
security
 Technology missions
 Economics of Animal rearing
 Food processing and related industries in
India
 Scope and significance
 Location
 Upstream and downstream requirements
 Supply chain management
 Land reforms in India
Importance of the subject

• Relatively less syllabus

• Constant themes from where questions are coming
• Easy availability of material
• Assured at least 4 questions worth 50 marks every year
• Easy to present the content.
 2022 - Agriculture Questions in UPSC Mains
• Qn3. What are the major challenges of Public Distribution System (PDS) in
India? How can it be made effective and transparent? 10m

• Qn4. Elaborate the scope and significance of the food processing industry in
India. 10m
• Qn13. What are the main bottlenecks in upstream and downstream process
of marketing of agricultural products in India? (Answer in 250 words) 15
marks

• Qn14. What is Integrated Farming System? How is it helpful to small and

marginal farmers in India? (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks
 Land reforms

• Status
• Small and marginal farmers
• Digitalization
• Issues and solutions
• Bills/ acts controversy
• LR and agri development and poverty
• Factors affecting LR.
 Irrigation / water management
• Micro irrigation
• PMKSY
• Issues in different irrigation methods
• Water use efficiency
• Improve water storage and irrigation system
• Watershed management
• Cropping pattern and water management.
 PDS

• Its functioning
• Objectives
• Challenges and solutions
• PDS and WTO
• revamp
 Food processing and food security
• Scope and significance
• Major FP locations
• Mega food park
• Challenges and opportunities
• FP and farmer’s income
• FP and small and marginal farmer’s development and poverty
• Govt policies to address challenges.
 Farming systems
• ZBNF
• Precision agriculture
• Conservation agriculture
• Sustainable agriculture
• Organic farming
• Contract farming
• IFS
 Cropping pattern and system
• Crop diversification
• R-W Cropping system
• Subsidy impact on cropping pattern
• Millet production and consumption
 Agri marketing and agri price policy
• Status
• Issues and solutions
• Cooperative marketing
• APMCs
• Main constraints in transport and marketing
• Policies
• Market linkages.
• Agri subsidy regime – issues and solutions
• Agri price policy – MSP, FRP
 Agri finance and crop insurance
• In general need, issues and solutions.
• Cooperative society and credit
• NABARD agri finance
• Various funds
• CI – small and marginal farmers.
 miscellaneous

• Scientist/ organistaion contribution

• NHM
• Various revolutions.
• Allelopathy
• Livestock rearing.
 Potential/expected areas.
• e- tech in agriculture
• Technology missions
• Animal rearing
• Supply chain management.
How to make notes
 sources

• ICAR website
• Kurukshetra
magazine
• Daily newspaper
• Ministry of
agriculture
• India @75
• Agriculture census
• Economic survey