How to study Biodiversity for UPSC Prelims?

UPSC prelims questions demand an exploratory mindset. If you have such a mindset, prelims is a solved riddle for you.

Yesterday, we have taken up important species and conservation areas for the revision in our Prelims Killer Ultimate.

In the last 9 years of UPSC Prelims, at least 48 questions were from this area. You can expect at least 5-6 questions from this area.

Most of the questions from this theme inquire whether the candidate understands the geographical spread or behavioral/physical traits of a species.

You must know that Orangutan has dexterity. Indian squirrels are good diggers, elephant herds have a matriarch, and honey bees can dance! In Prelims, understanding these unique traits of animals is getting more emphasis, especially after 2021.

Moreover, You should also know where to travel to if you want to meet the dancing deer, Asiatic lions, great hornbills, dugong, and gharials. You should also know whether Masheer fishes are abundant in Cauvery or whether the rusty spotted cats can be spotted in Eastern Ghats. You should also find a national park to navigate to the Western Ghats from the Eastern Ghats. A large percentage of the questions are solved using map-based study.

Also, keep track of recent news coming under the environmental tag. The recency effect is also much higher in the subject. Connect protected areas and species via current affairs e.g., Cheetah and Kuno (reintroduction), Elephant and Wayanad WLS (man-animal conflicts). All these thinking hacks would be immensely helpful.

The questions from the biodiversity largely disappoint a bookish aspirant. PMF IAS and Shankar provide an elaborate list of species and protected areas. Though the expansive content is appreciable, they don't give much clues or framework with which this list could be comprehended or prioritised.

Here, a conscious learner should focus on those unique pieces of information scattered on pages. They must also learn how to scoop out relevant information from a body of content.

Many materials for this area are reference sources. They are not learning materials. An aspirant must be wise enough to pick learning points from a reference source. It requires a different approach to dealing with the content. You must always be in a lookout mode to find out that hidden piece of information that may be featured in your next prelims. It requires the dexterity of an orangutan and the mining ability of squirrels!

However, what is underrated, in our emphasis on a logical way of question-solving, is the need for wide reading and observations. UPSC wants to favor an explorer who sets on an endless journey to know more about the environment she is in. UPSC prelims questions demand an exploratory mindset. If you have such a mindset, prelims is a solved riddle for you.

You should be fascinated by the sloth bear carrying its cubs on their back, amazed by butterflies crossing oceans, and tardigrades overcoming the most extreme environment! Once you are driven by this child-like curiosity, half is done. Be curious. Learning is joy!