UPSC Prelims 2014
Indian Geography Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Explore 7 solved UPSC Prelims 2014 Indian Geography questions with detailed step-by-step bilingual solutions, option analysis, and answer keys.
Consider these pairs -
- Cardamom Hills -- Coromandel Coast
- Kaimur Hills -- Konkan Coast
- Mahadeo Hills -- Central India
- Mikir Hills -- North-East India
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: Cardamom Hills are located in the southern Western Ghats (Kerala-Tamil Nadu border), not on the Coromandel Coast (eastern coast along Bay of Bengal).
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Kaimur Hills are situated in central India (bordering Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar), far from the Konkan Coast (western coast along Arabian Sea).
✅ Pair 3 – Correct: Mahadeo Hills are part of the Satpura Range in central India, primarily in Madhya Pradesh.
✅ Pair 4 – Correct: Mikir Hills (also known as Karbi Anglong Hills) are located in Assam, North-East India.
Consider the following rivers:
- Barak
- Lohit
- Subansiri
Which of the above flows / flow through Arunachal Pradesh?
Detailed Explanation:
Lohit River: Originates in the Mishmi Hills of eastern Arunachal Pradesh and flows through Anjaw and Lohit districts before joining the Brahmaputra.
Subansiri River: A major tributary of Brahmaputra, flows through Upper Subansiri and Lower Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh before entering Assam.
Barak River: Originates in the Manipur Hills and flows through Manipur, Mizoram, and Assam only; does not flow through Arunachal Pradesh.
Consider the following pairs :
| National Highway | Cities Connected |
|---|---|
| 1. NH 4 | Chennai and Hyderabad |
| 2. NH 6 | Mumbai and Kolkata |
| 3. NH 15 | Ahmedabad and Jodhpur |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: NH 4 (now renumbered as NH 48 in 2010) connected Mumbai-Pune-Bangalore-Chennai, not Chennai-Hyderabad. Current NH 4 is the Andaman Trunk Road (230.7 km) in Andaman Islands.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: NH 6 runs from Jorabat (Meghalaya) to Seling (Mizoram) through northeastern states, not Mumbai-Kolkata. The old Mumbai-Kolkata highway was renumbered.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: NH 15 connects Baihata (Assam) to Wakro (Arunachal Pradesh), not Ahmedabad-Jodhpur.
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| Region | Well known for the production of |
|---|---|
| 1. Kinnaur (Himachal) | Areca nut |
| 2. Mewat (Haryana) | Mango |
| 3. Coromandel (TN-Andhra) | Soya bean |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh) is renowned for apple cultivation and dry fruits, not areca nut. Areca nut (betel nut) is predominantly grown in Karnataka, Kerala, Assam, and West Bengal.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Mewat (Haryana) is known for wheat and mustard cultivation, not mango. Major mango-producing regions include Uttar Pradesh (Malihabad), Andhra Pradesh (Banganapalle), Bihar (Darbhanga), and Karnataka (Alphonso in coastal areas).
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Coromandel Coast (Tamil Nadu-Andhra Pradesh) is famous for paddy/rice cultivation and deltaic agriculture, not soya bean. Soya bean is primarily grown in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan.
Conclusion: None of the pairs is correctly matched.
Which one of the following pairs of islands are separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?
Detailed Explanation:
The Ten Degree Channel is located at approximately 10°N latitude in the Bay of Bengal and separates Little Andaman Island (southernmost of Andaman group) from Car Nicobar Island (northernmost of Nicobar group).
Other channels: Great Channel (separates Nicobar from Sumatra), Eight Degree Channel (separates Minicoy from Maldives), Nine Degree Channel (separates Minicoy from rest of Lakshadweep), and Sunda Strait (separates Sumatra from Java).
With reference to two non-conventional energy sources called ‘coal bed methane’ and ‘shale gas’, consider the following statements:
- Coal bed methane is the pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, while shale gas is a mixture of propane and butane only that can be extracted from fine-grained sedimentary rocks.
- In India abundant coal bed methane sources exist, but so far no shale gas sources have been found.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: Coal bed methane is pure methane gas extracted from coal seams, but shale gas is primarily methane (not propane and butane only) extracted from fine-grained sedimentary shale rocks.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: India has abundant coal bed methane sources in regions like Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and also has identified shale gas sources in Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, and Cauvery basins, though exploitation remains nascent.
If you travel through the Himalayas, you are likely to see which of the following plants naturally growing there?
- Oak
- Rhododendron
- Sandalwood
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Oak trees are commonly found in the temperate forests of the Himalayas at mid-altitudes (1500-3000 m), thriving in cool, moist conditions.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Rhododendron is a characteristic flowering shrub of the Himalayas, found abundantly in the alpine and sub-alpine zones with vibrant blooms.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: Sandalwood grows in tropical and sub-tropical dry regions of southern and peninsular India, not in the Himalayan climate.
UPSC Prelims 2014 - Indian Geography Chapter-wise Distribution
Physical Geography of India
3 Qs (42.9%)Soils, Natural Vegetation & Biodiversity
1 Qs (14.3%)Resources of India
1 Qs (14.3%)Agriculture in India
1 Qs (14.3%)Transport, Communication & Trade
1 Qs (14.3%)UPSC Prelims 2014 - Indian Geography Questions FAQs
Q1 How many Indian Geography questions were asked in UPSC Prelims 2014?
Q2 What is the chapter-wise question distribution for Indian Geography in UPSC Prelims 2014?
- Physical Geography of India: 3 questions (42.9%)
- Soils, Natural Vegetation & Biodiversity: 1 questions (14.3%)
- Resources of India: 1 questions (14.3%)
- Agriculture in India: 1 questions (14.3%)
- Transport, Communication & Trade: 1 questions (14.3%)