UPSC CSE Prelims
Indian Geography Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
Solved Previous Year Questions (PYQs) for Indian Geography in UPSC CSE Prelims in English & Hindi Medium.
Chapter Breakdown: Scroll →
Consider the following:
- Birds
- Dust blowing
- Rain
- Wind blowing
Which of the above spread plant diseases?
Detailed Explanation:
The correct answer is 1, 2, 3 and 4 (Option 4). Birds, dust, rain, and wind all help spread plant diseases by carrying fungi, bacteria, viruses, or other pathogens from infected plants to healthy ones.
📗 Concept
Plant disease transmission occurs through different agents called vectors or dispersal agents. Wind and rain spread fungal spores and bacteria, while birds and other animals carry pathogens through their feathers, feet, or droppings.
Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 1 — Sumatra
Sumatra is the geographically closest island to Great Nicobar, separated by the Great Channel (also known as the Six Degree Channel or Strait of Sumatra). The distance between the southernmost point of Great Nicobar and the northern tip of Sumatra (Aceh province, Indonesia) is approximately 145–150 km.
In contrast, Sri Lanka is located about 1,200 km to the west of the Nicobar Islands across the Bay of Bengal. Java is situated to the southeast of Sumatra, at a distance of over 1,500 km from Great Nicobar. Borneo is positioned much further east in the Malay Archipelago, making it the most distant among all options. Therefore, Sumatra is the correct answer.
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct?
- IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
- An IOD phenomenon can influence El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 only
The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is a climate phenomenon characterized by sea surface temperature differences between the western and eastern tropical Indian Ocean, not involving the Pacific Ocean. An IOD event can significantly modulate El Niño's impact on the Indian monsoon—a positive IOD often offsets the deficit rainfall associated with El Niño, while a negative IOD can worsen drought conditions.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: IOD is characterized by temperature differences between the tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Indian Ocean, not the Eastern Pacific Ocean (which relates to ENSO/El Niño).
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: IOD can indeed influence El Niño's impact on the monsoon by either compensating for or exacerbating El Niño-related rainfall anomalies.
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If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 7
To travel by road from Kohima (Nagaland) to Kottayam (Kerala), the minimum number of states one must pass through, including origin and destination, is 7. The most direct route is: Nagaland → Assam → West Bengal → Odisha → Andhra Pradesh → Tamil Nadu → Kerala. This route utilizes the Siliguri Corridor through West Bengal and follows the eastern coastal highway southward before reaching Kerala via Tamil Nadu.
With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements:
- The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.
- River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.
- River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 2 only
Only statement 2 is correct regarding river Teesta. Statement 1 incorrectly claims that Teesta and Brahmaputra have the same source, while statement 3 incorrectly states that Teesta flows into the Bay of Bengal at the India-Bangladesh border.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: River Teesta originates from Pahunri glacier and Tso Lhamo Lake in North Sikkim, while Brahmaputra originates from Angsi Glacier in the Kailash range of Tibet; their sources are entirely different.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: River Rangeet originates from the Rathong Glacier in West Sikkim and is the largest tributary of river Teesta, joining it at Melli near the Sikkim-West Bengal border.
❌ Statement 3 – Incorrect: River Teesta does not flow directly into the Bay of Bengal; instead, it joins the Brahmaputra River (Jamuna) at Fulchhari in Bangladesh, and then flows into the Bay of Bengal through the Brahmaputra system.
Consider the following statements:
- In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only.
- The Western Ghats are spread over five States only.
- Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — 3 only
Only Statement 3 is correct. Pulicat Lake is spread over exactly two states (Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu), while the other two statements are incorrect regarding the number of states.
❌ Statement 1 – Incorrect: The Himalayas are spread over more than five states in India. They extend across Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, and parts of Assam, West Bengal, Nagaland, Manipur, and Meghalaya.
❌ Statement 2 – Incorrect: The Western Ghats are spread over six states, not five. These states are Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Pulicat Lake, the second largest brackish water lagoon in India, is spread over only two states - Andhra Pradesh (approximately 84% in Tirupati district) and Tamil Nadu (approximately 16% in Tiruvallur district).
Consider the following pairs:
| Famous place | Region |
|---|---|
| 1. Bodhgaya | Baghelkhand |
| 2. Khajuraho | Bundelkhand |
| 3. Shirdi | Vidarbha |
| 4. Nasik (Nashik) | Malwa |
| 5. Tirupati | Rayalaseema |
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 3 — 2 and 5 only
✅ Pair 2 – Correct: Khajuraho is located in the Bundelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh, famous for its medieval Hindu and Jain temples with intricate sculptures.
❌ Pair 1 – Incorrect: Bodhgaya is situated in the Magadh region of Bihar, not Baghelkhand. Baghelkhand is a region in eastern Madhya Pradesh.
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Shirdi is located in Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) district in western Maharashtra, not in the Vidarbha region which is in eastern Maharashtra.
❌ Pair 4 – Incorrect: Nashik is located in the northwestern region of Maharashtra, not in Malwa. Malwa is a plateau region in western Madhya Pradesh.
✅ Pair 5 – Correct: Tirupati is situated in the Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh, known for the famous Venkateswara Temple.
Recently, linking of which of the following rivers was undertaken?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 2 — Godavari and Krishna
The Godavari-Krishna river linking project was recently undertaken through the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme in Andhra Pradesh. This project lifts flood water from the Godavari River and pumps it through the Polavaram right canal, which empties into the Krishna River near Vijayawada. This was a significant step in India's ambitious river interlinking program aimed at creating a national water grid for better water resource management and distribution.
Recently, which of the following States has explored the possibility of constructing an artificial inland port to be connected to the sea by a long navigational channel?
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — Rajasthan
Rajasthan, a landlocked state, has explored the ambitious project of constructing an artificial inland port at Jalore to be connected to the sea (Gulf of Khambhat) through a long navigational channel. The Inland Waterways Authority of India (IWAI) under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways proposed to support this initiative. The project aims to develop inland navigation facilities in western Rajasthan, enabling transportation of minerals like limestone, gypsum, lignite, and cement products, thereby promoting socio-economic development of the region.
Which of the following is/are tributary/tributaries of Brahmaputra?
- Dibang
- Kameng
- Lohit
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 1, 2 and 3
✅ Statement 1 – Correct: Dibang is a major left-bank tributary of the Brahmaputra that flows through the Mishmi Hills in Arunachal Pradesh before joining the main river near Pasighat.
✅ Statement 2 – Correct: Kameng is a significant right-bank tributary originating in the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh that flows through Assam and joins the Brahmaputra downstream of Tezpur.
✅ Statement 3 – Correct: Lohit is an important left-bank tributary originating in eastern Tibet (China) that flows through the Mishmi Hills of Arunachal Pradesh and merges with the Dibang to form the Brahmaputra in the Assam plains.
In which of the following regions of India are shale gas resources found?
- Cambay Basin
- Cauvery basin
- Krishna-Godavari Basin
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
Detailed Explanation:
Answer: Option 4 — 1, 2 and 3
Shale gas is natural gas trapped within shale rock formations, and India has identified several sedimentary basins with shale gas potential. The Cambay Basin in western India (Gujarat) is one of India's oldest petroliferous basins with proven shale gas reserves. The Cauvery Basin in southern India (Tamil Nadu-Karnataka) contains organic-rich shale formations suitable for unconventional gas extraction. The Krishna-Godavari Basin on the eastern coast is another major basin where shale gas exploration has been undertaken. All three basins mentioned are part of India's identified shale gas resource regions, making Option 4 the correct answer.
Consider the following States:
- Arunachal Pradesh
- Himachal Pradesh
- Mizoram
In which of the following states do ‘Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests’ occur?
Detailed Explanation:
Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests require high temperature (above 25°C) and high rainfall (above 200 cm annually) throughout the year.
✅ Arunachal Pradesh (Statement 1): Eastern parts receive high rainfall from monsoons and have tropical wet evergreen forests in lower elevations and foothills.
❌ Himachal Pradesh (Statement 2): Located in Western Himalayas with temperate and alpine climate; supports coniferous and temperate forests, not tropical evergreen forests.
✅ Mizoram (Statement 3): Receives heavy rainfall (200-300 cm) and has tropical wet evergreen forests covering significant areas of the state.
Consider the following rivers :
- Vamsadhara
- Indravati
- Pranahita
- Pennar
Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?
Detailed Explanation:
Indravati and Pranhita are major left-bank tributaries of the Godavari River, joining it in its middle and lower course respectively.
Vamsadhara flows independently into the Bay of Bengal along the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border, not a Godavari tributary.
Pennar River is an independent east-flowing river draining entirely within Andhra Pradesh, emptying into the Bay of Bengal south of the Godavari delta.
Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?
Detailed Explanation:
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands uniquely harbor all three forest types due to their diverse microclimates and varied topography.
Mangrove forests thrive in coastal brackish water zones, evergreen forests dominate the high-rainfall interior regions, and deciduous forests occur in areas with seasonal rainfall patterns.
Consider the following pairs:
| Place of Pilgrimage | Location |
|---|---|
| 1. Srisailam | Nallamala Hills |
| 2. Omkareshwar | Satmala Hills |
| 3. Pushkar | Mahadeo Hills |
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
Detailed Explanation:
✅ Pair 1 – Correct: Srisailam temple is located in the Nallamala Hills on the banks of Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
❌ Pair 2 – Incorrect: Omkareshwar is situated on an island in the Narmada River in Madhya Pradesh, not in Satmala Hills (which are located in Maharashtra).
❌ Pair 3 – Incorrect: Pushkar is located in the Aravalli Range in Rajasthan, famous for Brahma Temple and Pushkar Lake, not in Mahadeo Hills (which are in Madhya Pradesh).