INDIA: AGRICULTURE -COURSE MANAGEMENT AND ADVISORY

Indian Agriculture as part of Indian Geography expects the students to follow geographical and ecological approach but almost always combining it with economics approach. The study of Indian agriculture forms the core of the study of Indian Geography and GS as well.

Focus Areas

The soul of the syllabus of Indian Agriculture lies in understanding the core area of Indian agriculture like infrastructure, Institutional factors, Issues with agricultural developments and new and recent developments linking it with Indian Economy. The students have to be specially prepared with the recent developments of the subject. 

The whole section has to be divided into four broad sections-Infrastructure, Institutions, Agricultural development concepts and recent developments, besides having a fifth component in the form of agricultural division. Moreover all the chapters have a GS extension as well. This involves a parallel study of Indian Economy in India; and recent policy intervention of India. Knowing these can actually save ones time and develop their understanding better. 

In fact it is better to make it a rule to think of all the concepts in ecological economics perspective in Indian context. UPSC ask and expects students to answer most questions in ecological and economics perspective.

The entire section is a bit analytical particularly in topics of infrastructure, Institutional factors, topics associated with Green Revolution, Dry land, Social forestry, etc.and the other associated with recent revolution that is completely conceptual and analytical.

The Syllabus as it is 

Agriculture: Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power; Institutional factors: land holdings, land tenure and land reforms; Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity, agricultural intensity, crop combination, land capability; Agro and social-forestry; Green revolution and its socio- economic and ecological implications; Significance of dry farming; Livestock resources and white revolution; aqua - culture; sericulture, apiculture and poultry; agricultural regionalisation; agro-climatic zones; agroecological regions.

Relations with GS PT

GS PT preparation does get easy with Indian Agriculture as there are many concepts and facts out of which regular questions are asked. Agriculture may not help answer too many questions directly but does help in answering questions.

Relations with GS Mains

There is a complete section in GS on Agricultural Issues in the third paper.  Geographical Features & location.

1. Major crops   cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and irrigation systems  storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related constraints;
2. Land reforms in India.

What the students Get

Short Smart Study Booklet on Indian Agriculture 

Additional material that the students can go for

India Year Book and Economic Survey

Learning Sequencing as it should be in order to understand the topic

The course sequencing is not per the syllabus. This is done to provide concept to the candidates. If the candidates follow the topic after another as per the syllabus they will never follow the concept. Hence the sequencing and reordering has been done to students benefit so that students are able to connect the dots and connect their concepts.

How best to utilise it

Pre Online Learning 

Before Indian Agricultureto study, the candidate must have studied NCERT Indian Geography at the 10^th standard level.

Online Learning sequence.

1. First read the topics
2. Listen to the explanation
3. Now use the summary
4. You have some model answers. Use only questions from model answers to write
5. Now compare your answers with the model
6. ENSEMBLE will keep you updating on current affairs regularly on this topic
7. Keep an eye on updates.

Indian Agriculture (The syllabus as it should be studied)