UPSC CARE Mains Practice 1st December 2025
Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Despite major advances in treatment and prevention, HIV remains an incurable infection.” Examine the scientific, medical, and policy-related challenges that make HIV difficult to eliminate. Also discuss India’s response under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). (GS PAPER-II Health)
- Indoor air pollution has emerged as a major but often overlooked public health crisis in India. Discuss the role that air-purifying indoor plants can play in addressing this challenge. Also examine the limitations of relying solely on plant-based solutions. (GS-III – Environment)
1Q. Despite major advances in treatment and prevention, HIV remains an incurable infection.” Examine the scientific, medical, and policy-related challenges that make HIV difficult to eliminate. Also discuss India’s response under the National AIDS Control Programme (NACP). (GS PAPER-II Health)
Introduction:
HIV continues to be one of the world’s most challenging infections. Although Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) has transformed HIV into a chronic manageable disease, scientific features of the virus and systemic barriers make complete cure and elimination difficult.
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1.Scientific Challenges in Eliminating HIV
Viral Integration (Retrovirus Nature)
- HIV converts its RNA into DNA and permanently integrates it into human chromosomes.
- Infected cells become indistinguishable from normal cells → impossible to eliminate without destroying the host cells.
Viral Latency (Silent Reservoirs)
- After integration, HIV enters dormancy inside long-lived CD4+ cells.
- Latent cells do not produce virus; hence ART cannot detect or kill them.
- When ART stops → virus “rebounds”.
High Mutation Rate
- Rapid mutations create multiple strains inside the same patient.
- Makes vaccine development extremely difficult.
Attacks the Immune System Itself
- HIV destroys CD4 T-cells which are essential for immunity.
- Weakens the body’s ability to fight infections and respond to vaccines.
2. Medical and Public Health Challenges
Lifelong Treatment Requirement
- ART must be taken daily for life.
- Non-adherence → viral rebound + drug resistance.
No Vaccine
- Mutation + latency → no stable antigen target for vaccine.
Stigma & Social Barriers
- Fear of discrimination limits testing and early diagnosis.
- Women, adolescents, and key populations underreport symptoms.
Emerging Co-infections
- TB, Hepatitis B/C, cryptococcal meningitis worsen morbidity.
India’s Response – National AIDS Control Programme (NACP)
NACP Achievements
- HIV prevalence reduced from 0.33% (2010) → 0.20% (2024).
- India supplies 70% of global ART medicines.
- ART coverage expanded to 1.8 million patients.
- Viral suppression rate ~97%.
Key Interventions
- Test & Treat Policy: ART for all diagnosed cases.
- Targeted Interventions (TIs): HRGs like sex workers, MSM, IDUs.
- Early infant diagnosis for babies born to HIV-positive mothers.
- Mission Sampark to trace & re-engage lost-to-follow-up cases.
- Integration with NHM for mother-to-child transmission prevention.
Legal & Rights-Based Framework
- HIV/AIDS (Prevention & Control) Act, 2017 prohibits discrimination.
- Ombudsmen appointed in 34 states/UTs.
Conclusion:
HIV persists due to unique biological features and public health limitations. India’s robust NACP and legal protections have reduced new infections significantly. However, eliminating HIV requires sustained investment, stigma reduction, and accelerated research on vaccines and cure strategies.
2Q. Indoor air pollution has emerged as a major but often overlooked public health crisis in India. Discuss the role that air-purifying indoor plants can play in addressing this challenge. Also examine the limitations of relying solely on plant-based solutions. (GS-III – Environment)
Introduction:
Indoor air pollution—often 2.5 times higher than outdoor pollution and sometimes 100 times worse—has become a “silent killer”, contributing to 4.1% of global deaths annually. In India, emissions from cooking fuels, wall paints, furnishings, mosquito repellents, VOCs, and poor ventilation significantly degrade Indoor Air Quality (IAQ). With the absence of national IAQ standards, low-cost and sustainable alternatives such as indoor air-purifying plants have gained prominence.
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Role of Air-Purifying Plants
Indoor plants filter pollutants through stomatal uptake, adsorption, absorption, and phytoremediation.
• Stomatal uptake: Leaves absorb gases like NO₂, SO₂, and ozone through pores.
• Phytoremediation: Plants break down harmful VOCs such as benzene, toluene and xylene.
• Adsorption & absorption: PM₂.₅, microbes and pollutants stick to leaf surfaces and are metabolised in roots.
Studies reinforce their utility:
– Yoneyama et al. (2002): Shade-loving plants effectively absorb NO₂ and NH₃ indoors.
– Sadek (2012): Spider plant, Syngonium and Peace Lily reduce SOx and NOx significantly.
Low-maintenance species like Areca Palm, Weeping Fig, Spider Plant, Peace Lily and Bamboo Palm improve IAQ, add humidity, and enhance psychological well-being—especially important as people spend most of their time indoors.
Limitations
However, plants alone cannot counter high pollutant loads generated by biomass fuels, kerosene, or construction materials.
• Air filtration, activated carbon, ventilation and safe cooking fuels remain essential.
• IAQ improvement requires structural interventions—ventilation design, low-emission paints, clean household energy, and regulatory standards.
• Plants have limited capacity for pollutant removal per unit time; multiple plants are required for meaningful impact.
Conclusion:
Indoor plants offer a natural, affordable and complementary tool for improving IAQ, but they cannot replace clean fuel access, ventilation and regulatory reforms. A holistic strategy integrating plant-based solutions with clean energy, behavioural changes and IAQ standards is essential to tackle India’s indoor pollution crisis.
