Q1. [4]
CONSERVATION OF ENERGY RESOURCES
Energy is a basic requirement for economic development. Every sector of the national economy – agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic – needs inputs of energy. The economic development plans implemented since independence necessarily required increasing amounts of energy to remain operational. As a result, consumption of energy in all forms has been steadily rising all over the country. In this background, there is an urgent need to develop a sustainable path of energy development. Promotion of energy conservation and increased use of renewable energy sources are the twin planks of sustainable energy. India is presently one of the least energy efficient countries in the world. We have to adopt a cautious approach for the judicious use of our limited energy resources. For example, as concerned citizens we can do our bit by using public transport systems instead of individual vehicles; switching off electricity when not in use, using power-saving devices and using non-conventional sources of energy. At last "Energy Saved is energy produced"
Read the given case and answer the questions that follow :
- (35.1) Why is sustainable energy a key to sustainable development ? [1]
- (35.2) Why is consumption of energy rising in all over India? [1]
- (35.3) Explain 'Energy saved is energy produced'. [2]
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2023 32/1/1 Q35
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:03 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
(35.1) Sustainable energy — through energy conservation and increased use of renewable sources — ensures continuous energy supply without depleting resources, which is essential for long-term economic development and hence sustainable development.
(35.2) Since independence, economic development plans in all sectors — agriculture, industry, transport, commercial and domestic — have required increasing amounts of energy to remain operational, causing energy consumption to rise steadily across India.
(35.3) Every unit of energy we save reduces the demand on existing limited energy resources, making that saved energy equivalent to producing new energy. By using public transport, switching off unused lights, using power-saving devices and non-conventional energy sources, we conserve energy — effectively "producing" it without any additional generation.
Source: Contemporary India II, Chapter 5 – Minerals and Energy Resources
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Explanation
- (35.1) Link energy conservation + renewables directly to long-term development — that's the examiner's key phrase from the passage ("twin planks of sustainable energy").
- (35.2) The reason is explicitly stated in the passage: economic development plans across all sectors needed increasing energy inputs. Mention sectors for full marks.
- (35.3) This is a 2-mark explanation — give the concept (saved energy = new energy produced) AND support with at least two examples from the passage (public transport, power-saving devices, etc.). Don't just quote the slogan; explain it.
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