UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Statements B, C and D are correct because they show how environmental management and rural development are linked. Watershed projects support conservation and productivity, agroforestry offers multiple benefits while protecting resources and ignoring sustainability can degrade land and water in the long run. Statement A is incorrect as watershed programmes are not confined to infrastructure building but emphasise conservation and resource management. Hence, the combination containing B, C and D only is the correct answer.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because it includes only B and C and omits D, even though D is a true statement about the risks of environmentally insensitive rural development strategies. Leaving out a correct statement results in an incomplete representation of the topic.

Option B:
Option B is correct because it captures all the true statements—B, C and D—and excludes the false claim in A. It acknowledges conservation benefits, agroforestry’s role and the need for sustainability in rural development planning, which together reflect the integrated approach promoted in the syllabus.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect because it includes statement A, which mischaracterises the objectives of watershed development. While B and C are correct, adding A means the option no longer represents only correct statements.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it asserts that all four statements are correct. Accepting A as correct would imply that watershed development is restricted to roads and markets, which contradicts its actual conservation focus. Therefore, the entire combination cannot be chosen.

Watershed management treats the entire drainage area as a unit and uses measures like contour bunds, check dams and afforestation to slow runoff. This increases infiltration, improves groundwater recharge and reduces soil erosion, helping to stabilise water availability and protect land productivity.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because good watershed practices aim to decrease surface runoff and erosion, not increase them; high runoff tends to wash away fertile topsoil.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it highlights the twin environmental benefits of better groundwater recharge and reduced soil loss, which are core objectives of watershed programmes.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since urban road construction is not the main focus of watershed management and can actually increase impervious surfaces and runoff if poorly planned.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because replacing vegetation with concrete would undermine infiltration, increase runoff and worsen land degradation—the opposite of watershed goals.

Watershed management treats a drainage basin as a single ecological and hydrological unit. It aims to conserve soil and water, improve vegetative cover and enhance livelihoods through coordinated actions in that area. The approach considers upstream and downstream linkages so that interventions are environmentally sound and socially beneficial. Therefore, an integrated view of land and water resources within a watershed, as expressed in option C, correctly defines watershed management.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because focusing only on groundwater overlooks the interactions between rainfall, surface runoff, soil erosion and vegetation. Sustainable management requires attention to both surface and subsurface components of the hydrological cycle.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect since watershed programmes usually emphasise smaller structures like contour bunds, check dams and farm ponds rather than only large dams. The goal is to manage land and water at local scales, not just to build big projects on major rivers.

Option C:
Option C is correct as it integrates conservation and development goals. It recognises that soil conservation, water harvesting and vegetation restoration together can support agriculture, reduce drought vulnerability and improve rural incomes.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because marine fisheries belong to coastal and ocean ecosystems, which are outside the usual scope of inland watershed projects. Different management frameworks are used for marine resources.

Watershed management focuses on the holistic development of a drainage basin by coordinating land use,water conservation and vegetation cover. Its objectives include reducing soil erosion,improving water availability and supporting livelihoods. The stem clearly describes this integrated management within a defined drainage area. Therefore watershed management is the correct term.

Option A:
Watershed management treats the entire catchment as a single ecological and socio economic unit. By aligning interventions across land,water and vegetation,it enhances long term productivity. This matches precisely the integrated approach mentioned in the question.

Option B:
Monoculture farming is the practice of growing only one crop species over a large area. It can degrade soils and reduce resilience if not managed carefully. It is not an integrated land water vegetation management strategy in a drainage basin.

Option C:
Overgrazing occurs when livestock consume vegetation faster than it can regenerate. It is a cause of land degradation rather than a positive management approach. Hence it does not correspond to the sustainable planning described in the stem.

Option D:
Strip mining is a surface mining technique that removes soil and rock in strips to access minerals. It often causes severe environmental damage,which is the opposite of the conservation oriented idea in the question.

Statements A, B, C, E and F are correct and jointly describe objectives, measures and co-benefits of watershed management. They show how soil and water are conserved, how rainwater harvesting aids recharge, how community participation improves outcomes and how biodiversity can recover in treated areas. Statement D is wrong because watershed development is widely used for drought mitigation and livelihood support. Therefore, the correct answer is the combination A, B, C, E and F only.

Option A:
Option A is correct since it includes all true statements and excludes D, which denies key benefits of watershed development. It reflects the integrated ecological and livelihood focus of watershed programmes.

Option B:
Option B is incorrect because it omits F and thereby ignores the potential for biodiversity regeneration in treated watersheds. It also still excludes D but gives an incomplete picture of environmental benefits.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect as it excludes A and thus fails to mention the basic aim of watershed management. Without A, the central resource-conservation objective is lost.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect since it omits B, leaving out typical measures such as contour bunding and check dams, which are crucial to understanding how watershed activities are implemented.