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 →
Which of the following pairs of States of India indicates the Easternmost and Westernmost State?
Detailed Explanation:
Easternmost State: Arunachal Pradesh extends to approximately 97°25'E longitude, with Kibithu and Dong Valley marking India's eastern extremity.
Westernmost State: Gujarat extends to approximately 68°7'E longitude, with the Guhar Moti area in Kutch district marking India's western extremity.
In India, in which one of the following types of forests is teak a dominant tree species?
Detailed Explanation:
Teak (Tectona grandis) is the dominant tree species in Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests, which receive 70–200 cm annual rainfall and experience a distinct dry season (November–May) causing leaf shedding.
These forests, also called Monsoon Forests, cover largest forest area in India including regions of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, and support species like sal, shisham, sandalwood, and bamboo alongside teak.
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.
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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.
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).
| 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.
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.
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 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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.