1> The Himalayas are formed of parallel fold ranges, of which the oldest range is (UPSC/IAS – 1994)
A> The Siwalik Range
B> The Lesser Himalayas
C> The Great Himalayan Range
D> The Dhaula Dhar Range
Explanation :-
In this question, you have to know how Himalayas are formed. Himalayas are formed due to collision of Eurasian and Indo-Australian tectonic plates. Due to it, three parallel ranges were formed. First plate formed will be northernmost, and last to form will be southernmost range.
The norther most range is oldest, and is known as the Great or Inner Himalayas, or the ‘Himadri’. It is most continuous range, with average height of 6000 meters. It consists of ranges such as Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar.
The second parallel range is known as Himachal or lesser Himalaya. Its altitude varies between 3,700 and 4,500 meters. Pir Panjal, Dhaula Dhar, and Mahabharat ranges are prominent.
The outer most range of Himalayas is called Shiwaliks. It is youngest.
Now, if you know that middle Himalayas contain Dhaula Dhar range, then you can easily answer this question.
Source:- NCERT Class 9th and 11th Geography textbooks.
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2>The hallmark of watershed development in the semi-arid regions of India is the (UPSC/IAS – 1994)
A> Establishment of sheds on large scale, so that water does not evaporate.
B> undertaking of earthworks, soil conservation measures and tree plantation, so as to conserve soil moisture and recharge underground water.
C> Drilling deep tube-wells so as to tap water at rock-strata level
D> Setting up a system of tanks by banking water from seasonal rivers
[expand title=”Show Answer”]B> undertaking of earthworks, soil conservation measures and tree plantation, so as to conserve soil moisture and recharge underground water.
Explanation :-
Option A suggests making sheds on large scale, which won’t be possible due to financial constrains. So, its rejected.
Option B is a viable option, as has been shown in several villages of Semi-arid Maharashtra region. This is also a long term solution.
Option C is again not practical, since tapping water at very deep level is of no use, as people won’t be able to use that water easily. Another problem is that semi-arid areas do not receive excessive rainfall, so it will be wastage of money to dig such deep-drills.
Option D Setting tanks won’t be useful, since most of the water will evaporate in such dry and semi-arid environment.
Therefore, Option B is most appropriate.
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3> Assertion (A): The monsoonal rainfall decreases as one goes towards the west and north-west in the Ganga plain.
Reason (R): The moisture-bearing monsoonal winds go higher up as one moves up in the Ganga plain.
In the context of the above two statements which one of the following is correct ? (IAS – 1994)
A> Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
B> Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
C> A is true, but R is false
D> A is false, but R is true
[expand title=”Show Answer”]B> Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A
Explaination –
As shown in the Map above, Indian Monsoons generally start from 1st of June, when they hit the Kerala coast and pass through parts of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Till 5th June, they are fully over Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh. During this time, Tamil Nadu does not get any Monsoon rains. These rains bearing winds, cross Bay of Bengal and also bring rains in North Eastern states of India.
Upto 10th of June, Monsoons reach Maharashtra, Odisha, Chattisgarh, Jharkhand and West Bengal. Upto 15th June, the Monsoons reach Gujarat, Rajasthan, MP and UP. Till 1st July, Haryana, Punjab and J&K also get South-West Monsoon rains. So, Monsoons start arriving approximately from 1st June in India, and cover the entire nation till 1st July.
Now, Option 1 is correct, since Western and North-Western parts of Ganga plain, namely parts of Western UP, Haryana etc. get rains very late in comparison to North-Eastern Ganga plains. Therefore the quantity of rainfall is also less.
Option 2 is also correct, because as you move up in Ganga plains, the Himalayan mountains come, so the monsoonal winds have to go higher up in these regions. Even from the figure of pattern of Monsoon winds, you can see that the winds turn up towards North in Ganga plains due to impasse with Himalayan Mountains.
However, Option 2 does not explain option 1, therefore the correct answer is B.
[/expand]4> The average elevation of Tibetan Plateau above sea level is (UPSC/IAS – 1994)
A> 2 km
B> 3 km
C> 4 km
D> 5 km
[expand title=”Show Answer”]C> 4 km
Explaination – 
This is a tricky question. As shown in figure above almost whole Tibetan plateau at the same level above the sea and heaving same elevation as nearby to Kailash Range. Only Himalayas are very tall, which have average elevation of up-to 6000 plus meters. So, here if you know the average height of Kailash range you could answer this question.
Also, Tibetan plateau is much higher than Shiwalik ranges, and a little higher than mid Himalayas. Shiwaliks are having average height of around 1200 + meters, and Mid Himalayas have 3000+ average height.
[/expand]5> The ideal climatic conditions for cultivation of rice are (UPSC/IAS – 1994)
A> Rainfall above 100 cm, temperature above 25 degree C.
B> Cool and moist climate for entire crop period
C> rainfall below 100 cm, temperature below 25 degree C.
D> warm and dry climate during the entire crop period.
[expand title=”Show Answer”]A> Rainfall above 100 cm, temperature above 25 degree C.
Explaination – Rice cultivation requires sufficient rainfall, and temperature above 25 degree centigrade. It is sowed during Monsoonal rains i.e. approx June, July and harvested during Autumn season i.e. (September, October). It is sown and harvested during Kharif.
Source – NCERT geography textbooks.
[/expand]6> Even though the Railways are the most pervasive mode of transport in India, it is the road transport which received the maximum impetus in most of the post-independence period.
Which of the following are the reasons for this ?
I. Railways are cheap to operate but the associated capital costs are very high.
II. Given the geographic spread of the human settlements, it is unrealistic that the railways alone can serve the needs of transport.
III. The per unit (tonne/km) cost of transport is cheaper in road compared to rail transport.
IV. Given the indivisible nature of the Railways, it is not always convenient for the population to avail of it with the same ease as private cars, buses or two-wheelers.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below
A> I, II and III
B> I, II and IV
C> I, III and IV
D> II, III and IV
[expand title=”Show Answer”]B> I, II and IV
Explaination – Points I, II and IV are self-explanatory. Point III is incorrect, because per unit (tonne/km) cost of transportation is much cheaper in railways compared to road transportation. Waterways are even more cheaper per unit. However, road transportation is more convenient in comparison to Railways. Waterways are not efficiently developed in India, due to silting problems in perennial rivers of north India, and seasonal nature of South Indian rivers.
[/expand]7> The highest milk producing breed of goat in India is (UPSC/IAS – 1994)
A> Barbari
B> Jamnapari
C> Black Bengal
D> Beetal
[expand title=”Show Answer”]B> Jamnapari
Explaination –
Barbari – The breed is a promising dairy type goat which has probably originated in the city of Barbera in British Somali land in East Africa. In India the breed is distributed at Etawah, Agra, Mathura and Aligarh districts of U.P. and Bharatpur district of Rajasthan. In addition to being a good milkier it is highly prolific and generally give birth to twin and triplets. It is dwarf breed highly suited for stall-feeding conditions and hence generally found in the cities.Produces 750 ml to 1000 ml per day. Average lactation may be 130-200 kgs of milk in a lactation length of 150 days with a fat percentage of about 5.
Jamnapari – Distribution : Its home is between Jamuna, Ganges and Chambal Rivers of U.P.Milk: Average daily yield varies from 1.5 to 2.0 kg per day with a total lactation yield of about 200 kg.
Black Bengal – The Black Bengal goat is a breed of goat found in throughout Bangladesh, West Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa regions of northeastern India. It is poor in milk production. It produces 3-4 babies everytime it gives birth and also it eats less, therefore highly popular in Bangladesh for production of meat and skin.
Beetal – The Beetal is found throughout the state of Punjab and Haryana. Milk: Average daily yield varies from 1.5 to 2.0 kg per day with a total lactation yield of about 200 kg.
Therefore, Jamnapari is the correct answer. Such type of questions are extremely factual and unless you are not sure about the answer, its better not to attempt them.
[/expand]8> Farm land tends to erode most rapidly when planted with (UPSC/IAS – 1994)
A> Sorghum
B> Potato
C> Wheat
D> Clover
[expand title=”Show Answer”]D> Clover
Explaination – Sorghum and Wheat are from grass family and they hold the soil tightly. They are also densily grown. Potato is tuberous crop, which grows inside soil cover, and therefore holds the soil tight. Clovers are of plants in the leguminous pea family. They are used as fodder crops for animals and they don’t hold soil as tight compared to grass or tubers. Therefore the answer is D.
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9> Which of the following fish are bred exclusively in the cold regions of India ?
I. Catla.
II. Tinca.
III. Bhekti.
IV. Trout.
Choose the correct answer from the codes given below.
A> I and IV
B> I and II
C> II and IV
D> III and IV
[expand title=”Show Answer”]C> II and IV
Explaination –
Catla is a freshwater breed of fish, and it is the most popular fish species in South Asia. (Nepal, NE India, Bangladesh etc.) It is breeded in polycullture environment with Rohu and Mrigal fish breeds. It is not breeded in cold-regions.
Tinca is a fish found in Western Europe and Eurasia. It is also found in Lake Baikal (Siberian region of Russia) and it is therefore a cold-breeding species.
Bhekti is a popular fish in Bangladesh, and is not breeded in cold waters.
Trout – It is a fish species, most commonly associated with Salmon and Char and it is breeded in cold regions.
Therefore, the answer will be C i.e. II and IV.
[/expand]10> The Alpine vegetation in the western Himalayas is found only up to a height of 3000 metres, while in the eastern Himalayas it is found up to a height of 4000 metres,. The reason for this variation in the same mountain range is that
A> Eastern Himalayas are higher than Western Himalayas
B> Eastern Himalayas are nearer to the Equator and sea coast than Western Himalayas
C> Eastern Himalayas get more monsoon rainfall than the western Himalayas.
D> Eastern Himalayan rocks are more fertile than the Western Himalayan rocks.
[expand title=”Show Answer”]C> Eastern Himalayas get more monsoon rainfall than the western Himalayas.
Vegitation distribution depends on amount of rainfall and temperature. Plants density decreases with decrease in moisture content and decrease in temperature.
Now, we know that atmospheric temperature drops as altitude from surface of earth increases. So, naturally at higher elevations vegetation density will be low. However, since Eastern Himalayas get more rainfall compared to western Himalayas, therefore they have Alpine vegetation upto 4000 meters, in comparison to Western Himalayas which is having only upto 3000 meters. So, correct option is C.
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11> In the map given below four areas are differently shaded, three of which indicate cereal crops production areas and one indicates non-cereal crop production area. As per the index given, the non-cereal crop production area is
A> 1
B> 2
C>3
D>4
[expand title=”Show Answer”]D>4
Explaination – Cereal means grain used for making food such as Wheat, Rye, Maize, Barley, Rice etc.
Now, as given in Map above, region 1 corresponds to Wheat production, region 2 to Rice production, Region 3 to semi-arid crops such as Ragi and Millet’s. All these are cereal crops.
Region 4 corresponds to Groundnut production, which is not a cereal crop. Therefore, option D is correct answer.
Source – NCERT Textbooks
[/expand]12> “Monoculture of commercially viable trees is destroying the unique natural profile of …………Thoughtless exploitation of timber, deforesting vast tracts for palm cultivation, destruction of mangroves, illegal logging by tribals and poaching only compound the problem. Fresh water pockets are fast drying up due to deforestation and destruction of mangroves.” The place referred to in this quotation is (UPSC/IAS – 1995)
A> Sunderbans
B> Kerala Coast
C> Odisha Coast
D> Andaman and Nicobar Islands
[expand title=”Show Answer”]A> Sunderbans
Explaination –
Mangroves are shrubs or small trees that grow in coastal saline or brackish water. The term is also used for tropical coastal vegetation consisting of such species. Mangroves occur worldwide in the tropics and subtropics, mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S.
Mangroves are salt tolerant trees, also called halophytes, and are adapted to life in harsh coastal conditions. They contain a complex salt filtration system and complex root system to cope with salt water immersion and wave action. They are adapted to the low oxygen (anoxic) conditions of waterlogged mud.
India
The deltas of the Ganges, Mahanadi, Krishna, Godavari, and Kaveri rivers are known to contain mangrove forests.
The following table shows the presence of mangroves in the different states of India and the total area covered by them in square kilometres.
| Rank | States/UTs with Highest Mangrove Cover 2013 | Total Mangrove Cover in km2 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | West Bengal | 2,097 |
| 2 | Gujarat | 1,103 |
| 3 | Andaman And Nicobar Islands | 604 |
| 4 | Andhra Pradesh | 352 |
| 5 | Odisha | 213 |
| 6 | Maharashtra | 186 |
| 7 | Tamil Nadu | 39 |
| 8 | Goa | 22 |
| 9 | Kerala | 6 |
| 10 | Karnataka | 3 |
Sundarban Mangroves (India & Bangladesh)
In the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta, Sundari trees are found, which provide durable hard timber. Palm, Coconut, keora, agar, also grow in some parts of the delta. India’s mangrove forests are known to serve as a habitat for turtles, crocodiles, gharials, and snakes. This region is part of the Great Sundarbans, the largest mangroves region in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This area covers a National Park, Tiger reserve and a Biosphere Reserve.
Bhitarkanika Mangroves
Bhitarkanika Mangroves is India’s second largest forest, located in the state of Odisha. Bhitarkanika is created by the two river deltas of Brahmani and Baitarani river and one of the important Ramsar Wetland in India. It is also home of salt-water crocodiles and nesting beach olive ridley sea turtle.
Godavari-Krishna Mangroves
The Godavari-Krishna mangroves lies in the delta of the Godavari and Krishna rivers in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Mangroves ecoregion is under protection for Calimere Wildlife and Pulicat Lake Bird Sanctuary.
Pichavaram Mangroves
Pichavaram mangrove is one of the largest mangrove in India, situated at Pichavaram near Chidambaram in the state of Tamil Nadu. Pichavaram ranks amongs one of the most exquisite scenic spots in Tamil Nadu and home of many species of aquatic birds.
So, as can be seen above, Sunderbans are India’s largest Mangroove forest facing continuous exploitation and extinction due to population pressure. Palm trees are also grown there. Therefore, correct answer is option A.
[/expand]13> Of the four places marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the map, the one indicating a tidal port is (UPSC/IAS – 1995)
A> 1
B> 2
C> 3
D> 4
[expand title=”Show Answer”]
D> 4
Explanation – This question is related to major ports of India. There are 13 such major ports and their features have been given in class 10th NCERT, page 81 as follows –
With a long coastline of 7,516.6 km, India is dotted with 13 major and 200+ medium and minor ports. These major ports handle 95 percent of India’s foreign trade.
Kandla in Kuchchh was the first port developed soon after Independence to ease the volume of trade on the Mumbai port, in the wake of loss of Karachi port to Pakistan after the Partition. Kandla is a tidal port. It caters to the convenient handling of exports and imports of highly productive granary and industrial belt stretching across the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat.
Mumbai is the biggest port with a spacious natural and well-sheltered harbour. The Jawaharlal Nehru port was planned with a view to decongest the Mumbai port and serve as a hub port for this region. Marmagao port (Goa) is the premier iron ore exporting port of the country. This port accounts for about fifty percent of India’s iron ore export. New Mangalore port, located in Karnataka caters to the export of iron ore concetrates from Kudremukh mines. Kochi is the extreme south-western port, located at the entrance of a lagoon with a natural harbour.
Moving along the east coast, you would see the extreme south-eastern port of Tuticorin, in Tamil Nadu. This port has a natural harbour and rich hinterland. Thus, it has a flourishing trade handling of a large variety of cargoes to even our neighbouring countries like Sri Lanka, Maldives, etc. and the coastal regions of India. Chennai is one of the oldest artificial ports of the country. It is ranked next to Mumbai in terms of the volume of trade and cargo. Vishakhapatnam is the deepest landlocked and well-protected port. This port was, originally conceived as an outlet for iron ore exports. Paradip port located in Odisha, specialises in export of iron ore. Kolkata is an inland riverine port. This port serves a very large and rich hinterland of Ganga-Brahmaputra basin. Being a tidal port, it requires constant dredging of Hoogly. Haldia port was developed as a subsidiary port, in order to relieve growing pressure on Kolkata port.
Port Blair was declared as a Major port in 2010. (13th Major port)
Since, Maritime Transport is in concurrent list, therefore the distinction is made between major and minor ports. Union Shipping Ministry administers the major ports, the minor and intermediate ports are administered by the relevant departments or ministries in the nine coastal states viz. West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat
So, as show in figure above, Port no. 1 is Haldia, which is a direct sea-linked port. (Kolkata is a tidal port, not Haldia). Port 2 is Paradip port in Odisha. Port 3 is Kochi port, and Port-4 is Kandla port, which is a tidal port.
Therefore D>4 is the correct answer.
[/expand]14> Which one of the following does not belong to biosphere reserves set-up so far?
A> Great Nicobar
B> Sunderbans
C> Nanda Devi
D> Gulf of Kuchchh
[expand title=”Show Answer”]D> Gulf of Kuchchh
Rann of Kuchchh is a notified Biosphere reserve, and not Gulf of Kuchchh. Indian wild ass is the major fauna found in this region.
The Indian government has established 18 Biosphere Reserves in India, which protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary), and often include one or more National Parks and/or Sanctuaries, along with buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. Protection is granted not only to the flora and fauna of the protected region, but also to the human communities who inhabit these regions, and their ways of life. Animals are protected and saved here.
Their list is given on Wikipedia with details about each and every biosphere. You should go and check where these biospheres are located, what are major fauna’s found in these regions, and which of these Biospheres are included in UNESCO’s MAB list (Man and Biosphere List)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere_reserves_of_India
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15> Arakan Yoma is the extension of the Himalayas located in
A> Baluchistan
B> Myanmar
C> Nepal
D> Kashmir
[expand title=”Show Answer”]B> Myanmar
The Arakan Mountains is a mountain range in western Burma (Myanmar), between the coast of Rakhine State and the Central Burma Basin, in which flows the Irrawaddy River. It is the most prominent of a series of parallel ridges that arc through Assam, Nagaland, Mizoram and Burma. The Arakan Mountains run from Cape Negrais in the south in to the Manipur State of India in the north. They include the Naga Hills, the Chin Hills, and the Patkai range which includes the Lushai Hills. These mountains are submerged in the Bay of Bengal for a sufficiently long stretch and emerges again in the form of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Thus, these mountains are extremely important, situated mainly in Myanmar. Therefore, the correct answer is option – B.
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16> Examine the map of Jammu and Kashmir given below : The mountain ranges marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 are respectively
A> Ladakh, Zanskar, Karakoram and Pir Panjal
B> Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar and Pir Panjal
C> Karakoram, Zanskar, Pir Panjal and Ladakh
D> Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Karakoram, and Zanskar
[expand title=”Show Answer”]B> Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar and Pir Panjal
Explaination – We have already given figure of mountain ranges of Western Himalayan area in Question 1 solution.
Another trick to solve this question is to remember following syllogism –
Ka La Za m in PDS
Where Ka stands for Karakoram
La stands for Ladakh
Za stands for Zanskar
P stands for – Pir Panjal
D stands for – Dhaola Dhar
and S stands for Shiwalik hills
These are the major mountain ranges from North to South in chronological order.
Therefore, answer is Option B.
[/expand]17> Which of the following pairs of states and their important crops are correctly matched ?
I. Kerala : Tapioca
II. Maharashtra : Cotton
III. W. Bengal : Jute
IV. Gujarat : Groundnut
Select the correct answer using the codes given below : Codes :
A> I, II and III
B> I, II and IV
C> I, III and IV
D> II, III and IV
[expand title=”Show Answer”]D> II, III and IV
Explanation – This is a simple question if you know that Tapioca is mainly grown in Africa not India. Therefore, correct answer should be D.
Also, West Bengal is famous for Jute production, along with Assam, Bihar, Odisha etc. Maharashtra has good acreage under cotton production and Gujarat is famous for groundnut production. Kerala is famous for spices. So, you could deduct the answer from this information.
[/expand]18> Which one of the following rivers thrice forks into two streams and reunites a few miles farther on, thus forming the islands of Srirangappattanam, Sivasamudram and Srirangam ?
A> Cauvery
B> Tungabhadra
C> Krishna
D> Godavari
[expand title=”Show Answer”]A> Cauvery
Explaination – You would have heard about battle of Srirangappattanam (between British forces and Tipu’s army), which was capital of Tipu Sultan. Tipu ruled over Mysore state, which comes in modern day Karnataka.
You also know that Cauvery river flows through Karnataka, because Karnataka has huge dispute with Tamil Nadu over water sharing of Cauvery river.
From these 2 information’s, you can deduce that correct answer should be Option -A.
[/expand]19> In the Indian context the term De-notified tribes’ refers to
A> Tribes which are aboriginals
B> Nomadic tribes
C> Tribes practicing shifting cultivation
D> Tribes which were earlier classified as criminal tribes
[expand title=”Show Answer”]D> Tribes which were earlier classified as criminal tribes
Explanation –
Denotified Tribes (DNTs), also known as Vimukta Jati, are the tribes that were originally listed under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, as “Criminal Tribes” and “addicted to the systematic commission of non-bailable offences.” Once a tribe became “notified” as criminal, all its members were required to register with the local magistrate, failing which they would be charged with a “crime” under the Indian Penal Code. The Criminal Tribes Act of 1952 repealed the notification, i.e. ‘de-notified’ the tribal communities. This Act, however, was replaced by a series of Habitual Offenders Acts, that asked police to investigate a “suspect’s” “criminal tendencies” and whether their occupation is “conducive to settled way of life.” The denotified tribes were reclassified as “habitual offenders” in 1959.
The name “Criminal Tribes” is itself a misnomer as no definition of tribe denotes occupation, but they were identified as tribes “performing” their primary occupation. The first census was in 1871 and at that time there was no consensus nor any definition of what constitutes a “tribe”. The terms “tribe” and “caste” were used interchangeably for these communities.
[/expand]20> The river most mentioned in early Vedic literature is
A> Sindhu
B> Sutudri
C> Sarasvati
D> Ganga
[expand title=”Show Answer”]A> Sindhu
Explanation – This is a factual question. Care should be taken not to tick Ganga or Sarasvati, since they are more famous.
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