UPSC Prelims 2013
Indian Geography Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Explore 6 solved UPSC Prelims 2013 Indian Geography questions with detailed step-by-step bilingual solutions, option analysis, and answer keys.
Which of the following is/are the characteristic/ characteristics of Indian coal?
- High ash content
- Low sulphur content
- The low ash fusion temperature
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Indian coal has high ash content (35-45%), significantly higher than global average of ~15%, making it a defining characteristic.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Indian coal has low sulphur content (~0.5%), which is environmentally advantageous compared to many international coals.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Indian coal has high ash fusion temperature (~1,500°C), not low, making it unsuitable for entrained gasifiers in IGCC plants.
Consider the following statements:
- Natural gas occurs in the Gondwana beds.
- Mica occurs in abundance in Kodarma.
- Dharwars are famous for petroleum.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Gondwana beds are primarily coal-bearing formations formed during the Carboniferous to Jurassic period; natural gas in India is found in tertiary sedimentary rocks of Assam, Gujarat, and offshore Mumbai High, not in Gondwana beds.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Koderma district in Jharkhand is known as the "Mica Capital of India" and has abundant deposits of high-quality ruby mica (muscovite).
✅ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Dharwar rocks are ancient Precambrian metamorphic formations in Karnataka rich in gold, iron ore, and manganese; petroleum occurs in younger sedimentary basins, not in metamorphic Dharwar formations.
Which of the following statements regarding laterite soils of India are correct?
- They are generally red in colour.
- They are rich in nitrogen and potash.
- They are well-developed in Rajasthan and UP.
- Tapioca and cashew nuts grow well on these soils.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Laterite soils are characterized by their distinctive rusty-red colour due to high iron oxide content formed through leaching in tropical conditions.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: Laterite soils are deficient in nitrogen, potash, potassium, phosphorus, and lime, though rich in iron and aluminium oxides; humus content is also very low.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Laterite soils are well-developed in high rainfall areas of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra), Odisha, Assam, and Meghalaya — not in semi-arid Rajasthan or UP.
✅ Statement 4 – Correct: Despite low fertility, tapioca, cashew nuts, tea, coffee, and rubber grow well on laterite soils with adequate fertilization and irrigation.
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The Narmada river flows to the west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow to the east. Why?
- It occupies a linear rift valley.
- It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras.
- The land slopes to the west from Central India.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: The Narmada River flows through a linear rift valley formed by faulting and tectonic subsidence between the Vindhya Range (north) and Satpura Range (south). This east-west oriented rift structure directs the river's flow westward into the Arabian Sea, making it an exception among peninsular rivers.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: While the Narmada does flow between the Vindhyas and Satpuras, merely being confined between two ranges does not explain the westward direction. Confinement alone could allow flow in either direction; it is the rift valley orientation that determines the westward flow.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: The Peninsular Plateau has a general slope from west to east, which is why most peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Mahanadi) flow eastward to the Bay of Bengal. The Narmada's westward flow contradicts this regional slope and is explained by its structural control through the rift valley, not by land slope.
Consider the following crops
- Cotton
- Groundnut
- Rice
- Wheat
Which of these are Kharif crops?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Cotton is a major Kharif crop sown with the onset of monsoon (June-July) requiring high temperature and 210 frost-free days.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Groundnut is a Kharif oilseed crop grown during the monsoon season in India.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Rice is the principal Kharif crop requiring high temperature (above 25°C), high humidity, and annual rainfall above 100 cm.
❌ Statement 4 – Incorrect: Wheat is a Rabi crop sown in winter (October-December) and harvested in spring (April-June), requiring cool growing conditions.
Consider the following pairs :
- Limboo (Limbu): Sikkim
- Karbi: Himachal Pradesh
- Dongaria: Odisha
- Bonda: Tamil Nadu
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Limboo (Limbu) are indigenous Kiranti people residing primarily in Sikkim, West Bengal, and Assam in India, and eastern Nepal.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Karbi tribe primarily inhabits the Karbi Anglong district of Assam and parts of Meghalaya, not Himachal Pradesh.
✅ Pair 3 – Correct: Dongaria Kondh is a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) residing in the Niyamgiri Hills of Odisha, known for their opposition to mining activities.
❌ Pair 4 – Incorrect: Bonda (Bondo) tribe is found in the Malkangiri district of Odisha, not Tamil Nadu; they are also a PVTG.
UPSC Prelims 2013 - Indian Geography Chapter-wise Distribution
Resources of India
2 Qs (33.3%)Political Geography of India
1 Qs (16.7%)Agriculture in India
1 Qs (16.7%)Physical Geography of India
1 Qs (16.7%)Soils, Natural Vegetation & Biodiversity
1 Qs (16.7%)UPSC Prelims 2013 - Indian Geography Questions FAQs
Q1 How many Indian Geography questions were asked in UPSC Prelims 2013?
Q2 What is the chapter-wise question distribution for Indian Geography in UPSC Prelims 2013?
- Resources of India: 2 questions (33.3%)
- Political Geography of India: 1 questions (16.7%)
- Agriculture in India: 1 questions (16.7%)
- Physical Geography of India: 1 questions (16.7%)
- Soils, Natural Vegetation & Biodiversity: 1 questions (16.7%)