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Test is part of Rau’s IAS Test series f or Preliminary Exam 2024

Test ID
GENERAL STUDIES (PAPER–I) 0079
INDIAN GEOGRAPHY-1

Time Allowed: 1 Hour Maximum Marks: 100

INSTRUCTIONS

1. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE EXAMINATION, YOU SHOULD CHECK

THAT THIS TEST BBOOKLET DOES NOT HAVE ANY UNPRINTED OR TORN or MISSING PAGES
OR ITEMS, ETC. IF SO, GET IT REPLACED BY A COMPLETE TEST BOOKLET.

2. This Test Booklet contains 50 items (questions). Each item is printed in English Only. Each item
comprises four responses (answers). You will select the response which you want to mark on the
Answer Sheet. In case you feel that there is more than one correct response, mark the response
which you consider the best. In any case, choose ONLY ONE response for each item.

3. You have to mark all your responses ONLY on the separate Answer Sheet (OMR sheet) provided.
Read the directions in the Answer Sheet.

4. All items carry equal marks.

5. Before you proceed to mark in the Answer Sheet the response to various items in the Test booklet,
you have to fill in some particulars in the Answer Sheet as per instructions contained therein.

6. After you have completed filling in all your responses on the Answer Sheet and the examination has
concluded, you should hand over to the Invigilator only the Answer Sheet. You are permitted to
take away with you the Test Booklet.

7. Penalty for wrong answers:

THERE WILL BE PENALTY FOR WRONG ANSWERS MARKED BY A CANDIDATE IN THE
OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTION PAPERS.

(i) There are four alternatives for the answer to every question. For each question for which a
wrong answer has been given by the candidate, one-third of the marks assigned to that
question will be deducted as penalty.

(ii) If a candidate gives more than one answer, it will be treated as a wrong answer even if one of
the given answers happens to be correct and there will be same penalty as above to that
question.

(iii) If a question is left blank, i.e., no answer is given by the candidate, there will be no penalty for
that question.

This test is part of Rau’s IAS Test series for Preliminary Exam 202 4
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1. Consider the following statements 3. Large area of this belt is covered by

regarding the Archean Rock System in the Deccan Traps.
India: How many of the above statements is/are
1. These are the oldest rock systems and correct?
were the first to be formed at the time
(a) Only one
of cooling and solidification of the
upper crust of the Earth’s surface. (b) Only two

2. The most common Archean rock, (c) All three

covering most of the Peninsula, is the (d) None
gneiss and schists.
3. They generally have a well-defined 4. Consider the following statements
foliated structure.
regarding the Gondwana Rock System in
How many of the above statements is/are India:
correct?
1. It consists of sandstones with some
(a) Only one
shales and clays.
(b) Only two
2. It is mainly spread in the states of
(c) All three
Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Odisha.
(d) None
3. It has abundant deposits of coal, iron
ore, copper and uranium.
2. Consider the following statements
How many of the above statements is/are
regarding the Dharwar Rock System in
India: correct?
1. This includes the metamorphosed (a) Only one
rocks of both sedimentary and (b) Only two
igneous origin. (c) All three
2. Schists, quartzites, slate, limestone (d) None
and dolomites are some of the major
rocks of this system.
5. Consider the following statements
3. It is found in the areas of the
Aravallis, the Himalayas, as well as regarding the Deccan Traps in India:
the Meghalaya Plateau. 1. They were formed due to the
How many of the above statements is/are outpourings of extremely mobile
correct? basalt lava from fissures and cracks.
(a) Only one 2. They cover parts of Kuchchh,
(b) Only two Saurashtra, Maharashtra, the Malwa
(c) All three Plateau, Uttar Pradesh and northern
(d) None Karnataka.
3. Its thickness gradually increases from
3. Consider the following statements Kuchchh to Amarkantak.
regarding the Vindhyan Rock System in How many of the above statements is/are
India: correct?
1. It is a vast stratified formation of (a) Only one
sandstones, shales and limestones.
(b) Only two
2. This group has a large presence of
(c) All three
fossil deposits.
(d) None

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6. Consider the following statements 9. Consider the following statements

regarding the Trans-Himalayas: regarding the Meghalaya Plateau:
1. It has maximum width in the eastern 1. It forms a part of the north-eastern
part. hills.
2. The Krishnagiri Range is found in 2. It is rich in mineral resources, like
these Himalayas.
coal, iron ore, sillimanite, limestone
3. The Ladakh Plateau lies to the south- and uranium.
east of the Karakoram Range.
3. This area receives maximum rainfall
How many of the above statements is/are
from the north-east monsoon.
correct?
(a) Only one How many of the above statements is/are
correct?
(b) Only two
(c) All three (a) Only one
(d) None (b) Only two
(c) All three
7. Consider the following statements (d) None
regarding the Punjab Himalayas:
1. Its boundaries are marked by the 10. Consider the following statements
Indus and the Beas rivers. regarding the Kuchchh Peninsula:
2. Zaskar and Pir Panjal Ranges are its
1. It is a source of river Luni.
part.
2. Pachham, Khadir and Bela are found
3. It is a source of many rivers, like
in this part.
Jhelum.
How many of the above statements is/are 3. It lies in the most seismically active
correct? zone in India.
(a) Only one How many of the above statements is/are
(b) Only two correct?
(c) All three (a) Only one
(d) None (b) Only two
(c) All three
8. Consider the following statements (d) None
regarding the Assam Himalayas:
1. They are the eastern section of the
11. Consider the following statements
Lesser Himalayas, covering Sikkim,
regarding the Konkan Plains:
Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
2. They are bordered by rivers Tista and 1. They extend from Daman to Goa,
Brahmaputra. covering major portions of
3. They are the source of many rivers, Maharashtra.
like Subansiri, Manas, Barak and 2. Rivers like Ulhas, Vaitarna, Zuari and
Sankosh. Mandovi drain these plains.
How many of the above statements is/are Which of the above statements is/are
correct? correct?
(a) Only one (a) 1 only
(b) Only two (b) 2 only
(c) All three
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) None
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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12. Consider the following statements: (c) Statement-I is correct but Statement-
1. The Duncan Passage separates South II is incorrect
Andaman and Little Andaman. (d) Statement-I is incorrect but
2. The Ten Degree Channel separates Statement-II is correct
Minicoy and Maldives.
3. The Eight Degree Channel separates 15. Consider the following statements
the islands of Minicoy from main regarding the Peninsular Plateau:
Lakshadweep. 1. It is characterized by huge number of
4. The Nine Degree Channel separates Patland Plateaus.
the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar 2. The general elevation of the Plateau is
Islands. from the east to the west.
How many of the above statements is/are 3. The Central Highlands, because of
their unique physiographic features,
correct?
do not form the part of the Peninsular
(a) Only one
Plateau.
(b) Only two How many of the above statements is/are
(c) Only three correct?
(d) All four (a) Only one
(b) Only two
13. Consider the following statements: (c) All three
1. Mt. Saddle is the highest peak of the (d) None
Andaman and Nicobar Islands, lying
in the Great Nicobar. 16. Consider the following statements
2. The Lakshadweep Islands are rich in regarding the Central Highlands:
calcareous deposits. 1. They slope towards the east and the
Which of the statements given above is/ south-eastern directions.
are correct? 2. Most of the tributaries of river
(a) 1 only Yamuna originate from here.
(b) 2 only Which of the statements given above is/
are correct?
(c) Both 1 and 2
(a) 1 only
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
14. Consider the following statements:
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Statement-I: Bhabar areas are found
parallel to the Shiwalik foothills and
17. Consider the following statements
experience sudden slope break.
regarding the Indian Desert:
Statement-II: They are characterized by
1. The underlying rock structure of the
deposition of heavy materials of rocks and
desert is an extension of the
boulders.
Peninsular Plateau.
Which of the following is correct in
2. Playas are the chief characteristic
respect of the above statements? features of this region.
(a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are Which of the statements given above is/
correct and Statement-II is the correct are correct?
explanation for Statement-I (a) 1 only
(b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are (b) 2 only
correct and Statement-II is not the
(c) Both 1 and 2
correct explanation for Statement-I
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

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18. Consider the following pairs: How many of the above statements is/are
S.N. Pass Location correct?

1. Aghil Pass Karakoram Range (a) Only one

2. Zoji La Zaskar Range (b) Only two

3. Khardung La Ladakh Range (c) All three
How many of the above pairs is/are (d) None
correctly matched?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two 21. Arrange the following rivers in north to
south direction:
(c) All three
(d) None 1. Sabarmati
2. Betwa
19. Consider the following pairs: 3. Penganga
S.N. Pass Features
4. Krishna
1. Nathu La Provides a way from
5. Tungabhadra
Gangtok to the
Chumbi Valley. Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
2. Diphu Located at the tri-
Pass junction of India, (a) 2 – 1 – 3 – 4 – 5
China and Myanmar.
(b) 1 – 3 – 2 – 5 – 4
3. Bomdi La Connects India to
(c) 2 – 1 – 5 – 4 – 3
Tibet.
How many of the above pairs is/are (d) 1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
correctly matched?
(a) Only one 22. With reference to the Indus river,
(b) Only two consider the following statements:
(c) All three
1. It originates from a glacier near
(d) None Bokhar Chu in the Kailash Mountain
Range.
20. With reference to the different drainage
2. The river flows in India only through
patterns, consider the following
Jammu and Kashmir.
statements:
1. The drainage pattern, resembling the 3. India constructed the Pakal Dul
branches of a tree, is known as Hydroelectric Project on the Indus
‘dendritic’. river.
2. When the rivers originate from a hill How many of the above statements is/are
and flow in all directions, the drainage correct?
pattern is known as ‘centripetal’.
(a) Only one
3. When the primary tributaries of the
river flow parallel to each other and (b) Only two
the secondary tributaries join them at (c) All three
right angles, the pattern is known as
(d) None
‘radial’.

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23. With reference to the Jhelum river, 26. With reference to the Sutlej river,
consider the following statements: consider the following statements:
1. It rises from a spring at Verinag, 1. The Sutlej river is an antecedent river.
situated in the Pir Panjal Range.
2. The river originates from the ‘Raksas
2. It is the largest tributary of the Indus Tal’ near the Mansarovar lake.
river.
3. It meets river Ravi near Harike Pattan
3. The Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project
in Punjab.
is a run-of-the-river project on the
Jhelum river. How many of the above statements is/are
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
correct? (a) Only one
(a) Only one (b) Only two
(b) Only two (c) All three
(c) All three (d) None
(d) None

27. With reference to the Ganga river,

24. With reference to the Chenab river, consider the following statements:
consider the following statements:
1. It rises in the Gangotri glacier near
1. It is formed by the union of two
Gaumukh, where it is known as the
headwaters, the Chandra and the
Bhaga, which rise in Himachal Bhagirathi.
Pradesh. 2. At Rudra Prayag, the Bhagirathi
2. It was called Asikni in the Rigvedic meets the Alaknanda to form the
period. Ganga.
3. The Marusudar is the biggest Which of the above statements is/are
tributary of the Chenab. correct?
How many of the above statements is/are (a) 1 only
correct?
(b) 2 only
(a) Only one
(c) Both 1 and 2
(b) Only two
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(c) All three
(d) None
28. With reference to the Yamuna river,
consider the following statements:
25. With reference to the Himalayan rivers,
consider the following statements: 1. It originates from the Yamunotri
1. The Ravi river rises from the Rohtang glacier on the eastern slopes on the
Pass in the Kullu hills. Kailash Range.
2. The Beas river flows through the 2. It is the western-most and the longest
states of Punjab and Himachal tributary of river Ganga.
Pradesh. 3. The Hindan, the Rind, the Ken and
3. Both the Ravi and the Beas rivers are the Betwa are its major tributaries.
transboundary rivers.
How many of the above statements is/are
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
correct?
(a) Only one
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(b) Only two
(c) All three (c) All three
(d) None (d) None

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29. With reference to the Himalayan rivers, 32. Consider the following statements:
consider the following statements: 1. Tors, block mountains, rift valleys,
1. River Gandak rises from the Nepal spurs and hummocky hills are
Himalayas and joins the Ganga at commonly found in Peninsular
Sonpur near Patna. Plateau.
2. The Karbi-Anglong Plateau is an
2. The Ghaghara originates in the
extension of the Peninsular Plateau.
glaciers of Mapchachungo.
Which of the above statements is/are
3. Both the Gandak and the Ghaghara correct?
are the right bank tributaries of the
(a) 1 only
Ganga river.
(b) 2 only
How many of the above statements is/are
(c) Both 1 and 2
correct?
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
(a) Only one
(b) Only two 33. Consider the following statements:
(c) All three 1. The Western Ghats are locally known
(d) None as Sahyadri in Maharashtra.
2. Dodabetta is the highest peak of the
Peninsular Plateau, located in the
30. Consider the following statements:
Western Ghats.
1. At Tarai belt, most of the streams and
3. The Eastern and the Western Ghats
rivers re-emerge without having any
meet each other at the Nilgiri Hills.
properly demarcated channel.
How many of the above statements is/are
2. Tarai has luxurious growth of natural correct?
vegetation. (a) Only one
Which of the statements given above (b) Only two
is/are correct? (c) All three
(a) 1 only (d) None
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 34. Arrange the following Himalayan peaks in
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 east to west direction:
1. Nanga Parbat
31. Consider the following statements: 2. Kamet
1. The Northern Plains are formed by the 3. Namcha Barwa
alluvial deposits brought by the rivers 4. Kanchenjunga
Ganga and Indus only. Select the correct answer using the code
given below:
2. The Northern Plains are one of the
(a) 3 – 2 – 4 – 1
oldest and the most stable landmass
of India. (b) 1 – 2 – 4 – 3
(c) 3 – 4 – 2 – 1
3. Haryana and Delhi form a water
(d) 2 – 3 – 4 – 1
divide between the Indus and the
Ganga river systems.
35. Arrange the following hills in west to east
How many of the above statements is/are
direction:
correct?
1. The Satmala Hills
(a) Only one
2. The Garhjat Hills
(b) Only two
3. The Rajmahal Hills
(c) All three
4. The Kaimur Hills
(d) None

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Select the correct answer using the code How many of the above statements is/are
given below: correct?
(a) 1 – 4 – 2 – 3 (a) Only one
(b) 2 – 3 – 4 – 1 (b) Only two
(c) 1 – 4 – 3 – 2 (c) All three

(d) 3 – 2 – 4 – 1 (d) None

39. Consider the following statements:

36. Consider the following pairs:
1. The Saryu river rises in the Milam
S.N. Mountains/Hills State Glacier.
1. The Palkonda Andhra 2. The Mahananda river joins the Ganga
Range Pradesh as its last left bank tributary in West
Bengal.
2. The Shevroy Hills Telangana
3. The Son originates in the Amarkantak
3. The Javadi Hills Tamil Nadu
Plateau.
4. The Palani Hills Karnataka How many of the above statements is/are
How many of the above pairs is/are correct?
correctly matched? (a) Only one
(a) Only one (b) Only two
(b) Only two (c) All three

(c) All three (d) None

(d) None
40. With respect to the “Brahmaputra” river,
consider the following statements:
37. Consider the following states:
1. It has its origin in the
1. Odisha Chemayungdung Glacier of the
2. Jharkhand Kailash Range near the Mansarovar
3. West Bengal Lake.
4. Rajasthan 2. The major tributaries are the Kameng,
the Subansiri and the Sankosh.
5. Madhya Pradesh
3. It enters India near Sadiya town in
The Tropic of Cancer passes through how
Arunachal Pradesh.
many of the above states?
How many of the above statements is/are
(a) Only two
correct?
(b) Only three (a) Only one
(c) Only four (b) Only two
(d) All five (c) All three
(d) None
38. Consider the following statements:
1. The Kosi is an antecedent river. 41. Which of the following geological events in
2. The Ramganga river rises in the the distant past has/have shaped the
Mukteshwar Hills in the Kumaon present drainage systems of the
Himalayas. Peninsular India?
3. The Damodar and the Barakar rivers 1. Subsidence of the eastern flank of the
trifurcate the Chotanagpur Plateau. Peninsula.

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2. Upheaval of the Himalayas. 44. Consider the following statements:

3. Slight tilting of the Peninsular block 1. The Kaveri rises in the Kudremukh
from the north-east to the south- Hills in Karnataka.
western direction. 2. The Krishna is an east-flowing
Select the correct answer using the code Peninsular river, which rises near
given below: Mahabaleshwar in Sahyadri.
(a) 1 only 3. The Koyna, the Tungbhadra and the
(b) 2 only Bhima are the major tributaries of the
(c) 2 and 3 only Kaveri.
(d) 1,2 and 3 How many of the above statements is/are
correct?
(a) Only one
42. With respect to the “Peninsular Drainage
System”, consider the following (b) Only two
statements: (c) All three
1. This system is characterised by fixed (d) None
course, absence of meanders and
non-perennial flow of water. 45. Consider the following statements:
2. This drainage system is characterised 1. The Narmada river forms estuaries.
by the deep gorges, V-shaped valleys 2. The Narmada is one of the rivers in
and rapids. India that flows in a rift valley,
Which of the statements given above bordered by the Satpura and the
is/are correct? Vindhyan Ranges.
(a) 1 only 3. The Tapi is a westward flowing river.
(b) 2 only How many of the above statements is/are
(c) Both 1 and 2 correct?
(d) Neither 1 nor 2 (a) Only one
(b) Only two
43. With respect to the “Godavari” river, (c) All three
consider the following statements: (d) None
1. It is the second largest Peninsular
river system. 46. Consider the following statements:
2. It rises in the Nasik district of 1. The Mahanadi rises near Sihawa in
Maharashtra. Raipur district of Chhattisgarh.
3. Its tributaries run through the states 2. Luni is the largest river system of
of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan.
Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra
3. The drainage basin of the Mahanadi
Pradesh.
river lies in Madhya Pradesh,
4. The Penganga, the Bhavani, the Chhattisgarh, Odisha and West
Pranhita and the Manjra are its Bengal.
principal tributaries.
How many of the above statements is/are
How many of the above statements is/are correct?
correct?
(a) Only one
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(c) Only three
(d) None
(d) All four

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47. The Kanwar lake, Asia’s largest Which of the statements given above
freshwater oxbow lake, is a residual part is/are correct?
of which of the following rivers? (a) 1 only
(a) Brahmaputra river (b) 2 only
(b) Godavari river (c) Both 1 and 2
(c) Son river (d) Neither 1 nor 2
(d) Gandak river
50. Consider the following pairs:
48. Consider the following statements: S.N. Glacier Location
1. Biligirirangan Hills is located at the
1. Siachen Nubra Valley
north-west of the Western Ghats and
westernmost edge of the Eastern 2. Biafo Shyok Valley
Ghats. 3. Yarkand Rimo Braldoh
2. Tributaries of the Penneru River drain Valley
the Seshachalam Hills. How many pairs given above is/are
Which of the statements given above correctly matched?
is/are correct? (a) Only one
(a) 1 only (b) Only two
(b) 2 only (c) All three
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) None
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

49. Consider the following statements:

1. The volcanic, clay-like soil of the
Malwa plateau owes its black colour
to the high iron content of
the basalt from which it formed.
2. Sigar and Janapav peaks are located
in the Malwa plateau.

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Answers &
Explanations
of

TEST ID: 0079

GENERAL STUDIES (PAPER – I)

Indian Geography-1
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ANSWERS & EXPLANATIONS OF

Indian Geography-1
GS Paper-I (0079)

1. Answer: (c) the bulk of the high ranges and the

Explanation: backbone of the mountain system.
The Archaean System: Gneisses and
schists are the oldest rocks and were the 2. Answer. (c)
first to be formed at the time of cooling Explanation:
and solidification of the upper crust of the The Dharwar System derives its name
Earth's surface in the pre-Cambrian era from the rocks first studied in the
(about 4,000 million years ago). They are Dharwar district of Karnataka, where
thoroughly crystalline, extremely such rocks are found in abundance. The
contorted and faulted, often formed as Dharwars include some of the highly
plutonic intrusions and generally have a metamorphosed rocks of both
well-defined foliated structure. They often sedimentary and igneous origin.
underlie the strata formed subsequently
The Dharwar System is the most ancient
and the system is generally known by
metamorphosed sedimentary rock-system
names of the ‘Fundamental Complex' or
of India, as old as, and in some cases
the 'Basement Complex'.
older than, the basement gneisses and
The most common Archaean rock, schists.
covering about two-thirds of the
The weathering of the pristine Archaean
Peninsular surface, is the gneiss. This is
gneisses and schists yielded the earliest
the rock which, in mineral composition,
sediments, which were deposited on the
may vary from granite to gabro, possesses
bed of the sea, and formed the oldest
a constant, more or less foliated or
sedimentary strata, known in the geology
banded structure. The schists, mostly
of India as the Dharwar System.
crystalline, include mica, tale,
The major rocks of the Dharwar System
hornblende, chlorite, epidote sillimanite
are hornblende, schists, quartzites,
and graphite schists.
phyllites, slates, crystalline limestones
The crystalline metamorphosed
and dolomites.
sediments and gneissic rocks cover large
The Dharwar System is very well
parts of India. The central and the
developed in the Dharwar-Bellary-Mysore
southern parts of the Peninsula are
belt of Karnataka. It also occurs in
occupied by this rock system.
Jharkhand (Ranchi, Hazaribagh); Madhya
To the north-east of the Peninsula, they
Pradesh (Balaghat, Rewa); Chhattisgarh
occupy wide areas in Odisha, Meghalaya,
(Bastar, Dantewara, Kanker); Odisha
Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and the
(Sundergarh, Keonjhar); and in the
Chotanagpur Plateau of Jharkhand.
Aravallis, between Jaipur and Palanpur.
They also cover the whole of
In the extra-Peninsular region, the
Bundelkhand in the north and to the
Dharwar System is well represented in
north-west, they are found in a number of
the Himalayas, both in the central and
isolated outcrops, extending from north of
the northern zones, as well as in the
Vadodara to a long distance along the
Meghalaya Plateau.
Aravallis.
The Dharwars are economically the most
In the extra-peninsula, these rocks are
important rocks, because they possess
exposed all along the Himalayas, forming

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valuable minerals, like high grade iron-
ore, manganese, copper, lead, gold,
quartzites, slates, mica, etc.
3. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
The Vindhyan System (1,300-600
million years): This System derives its
name from the Great Vindhyan
Mountains.
The System comprises ancient
sedimentary rocks, super-imposed on the
Archaean base. It is a vast stratified
formation of sandstones, shales and
limestones, often over 4,000 m thick.
Except a few traces of animal and
vegetable life, this group is devoid of
any recognizable fossils.
Occupying a large area of over 1,00,000
sq km., the Vindhyan System stretches
from Sasaram and Rohtas in western
Bihar to Chittaurgarh in Rajasthan, with
the exception of a central tract in
Bundelkhand, which makes a gap in this
belt.
Large area of this belt is covered by the
Deccan Trap. These rocks are also found
in Chhattisgarh, the Bhima valley of
Karnataka and Kurnool district of Andhra
Pradesh.
The Vindhyan System has been found to
continue to the north under the Gangetic
alluvium and they are perhaps buckled
down underneath the Himalaya.
The Lower Vindhyan (1,300-1,100 million
years) is marine in origin, mostly
calcareous in nature and shows tectonic
deformation by folding movements.
This System is well placed in the Son
valley, in Chhattisgarh, in the valley of
the Bhima and in a separate basin in
Mewar.
The Upper Vindhyan beds enclose two
diamond bearing horizons, from which
Panna and Golconda diamonds have been
mined.
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The Vindhyan System, on the whole, is
devoid of metalliferous minerals, but
provides large quantities of excellent and
durable free stones, flagstones,
ornamental stones, limestone, pure glass
making sand and some coal.
4. Answer. (c)
Explanation:
The Gondwana System derives its name
from the kingdom of the Gonds, the most
primitive people living in Andhra Pradesh.
It has relevance with the Gond region of
Madhya Pradesh also, where these rocks
were first discovered.
The Gondwanas consist of sandstones
with some shales and clays. They are of
continental origin, fluviatile and
lacustrine deposits laid down in geo-
synclinal troughs on ancient plateau
surface. As the sediments accumulated,
the loaded troughs subsided, which led to
thick deposits of fresh water and sub-
aerial sediments into which were
embedded the terrestrial plants and
animals.
The main areas of Gondwana rocks in the
Peninsula are along the Damodar valley
in Jharkhand, along the Mahanadi river
valley in Chhattisgarh and Odisha, in the
southern part of Madhya Pradesh and a
series of troughs along the Godavari from
Nagpur to the delta.
In the extra peninsular region, these
rocks are found in Kashmir, Darjeeling
and Sikkim. Here, they are so much
deformed, that they have lost their
original identity and are entirely different
from the peninsular rocks.
Economically, the Gondwana rocks are
the most important in India, containing
about 98 per cent of her coal reserves.
They have rich deposits of iron ore,
copper, uranium and antimony.
Sandstones, slates and conglomerates are
used as building materials.
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5. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
The Deccan Trap: From the end of the
Cretaceous, till the beginning of the
Eocene, stupendous volcanic outburst
overwhelmed a vast area of the
Peninsular India, like the one which is
seldom known anywhere else in the world
geological history. A vast area of about
ten lakh sq km., was flooded by the
outpourings of extremely mobile basalt
lava from fissures and cracks covering
fully the pre-existing topography. These
volcanic deposits have flat top and steep
sides, so that they appear as gigantic
steps from a distance, and therefore,
called ‘Trap’, the name derived from the
Swedish word meaning a 'stair’ or 'step'.
The process of denudation over a long
period has reduced the Deccan Trap to
almost half of its original size and the
present Deccan Trap covers about 5 lakh
sq km., mainly in parts of Kuchchh,
Saurashtra, Maharashtra, the Malwa
Plateau and northern Karnataka. Parts of
Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and
Uttar Pradesh also have some outliers of
the Deccan Trap. The thickness of the
Deccan Traps is not uniform
everywhere.
It is as much as 3,000 metres along
the coast of Mumbai, which is reduced
to 600-800 metres towards the
southern limit, 800 metres in Kuchchh
and only 150 metres at Amarkantak,
near its eastern limit.
The Deccan Trap has been divided into
the following groups:
Basalt is the main rock, but dolorite,
rhyolite, gabro and many other rocks are
also found. These rocks are a great
source of quartz, agate, calcite, building
stones and road building material. The
weathering of these rocks, for a long time,
has given birth to the black cotton soil,
known as 'regur'.
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6. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
The Trans-Himalayas: This part of the
Himalayan Ranges is also called the
Tibetan Himalaya, because most of it lies
in Tibet.
The Zaskar, the Ladakh, the Kailas and
the Karakoram are the main ranges of the
Trans-Himalayan system. It stretches for
a distance of about 1,000 km in east-west
direction and its average elevation is
3,000 m above the mean sea level. The
average width of this region is 40 km
at the eastern and western extremities,
and about 225 km in the central part.
The Zaskar Range branches off from the
Great Himalayan Range near 80" E
longitude, and runs more or less parallel
to it. The Nanga Parbat (8,126 m) forms
its culmination in the north-west, but the
adjoining Deosai mountain may also be
included in it. North of the Zaskar Range
and running parallel to it is the Ladakh
Range. It is about 300 km long and its
average elevation is 5,800 metre above
the sea level. Only a few peaks of this
Range attain heights of over 6,000
metres. The Rakaposhi-Haramosh Ranges
beyond the Indus may be treated as the
extensions of the Ladakh Range to the
north-west.
The Kailas Range (Gangdise in Chinese)
in western Tibet is an offshoot of the
Ladakh Range. Its average elevation is
5,500-6,000 m above the sea level and its
average width is 30 km. The highest peak
is Mount Kailas (6,714 m). River Indus
originates from the northern slopes of the
Kailas Range.
The northern most range of the Trans-
Himalayan Ranges in India is the Great
Karakoram Range, also known as the
Krishnagiri Range. It forms India's
frontier with Afghanistan and China. It is
the abode of some of the greatest glaciers
of the world outside the Polar regions. K2
(8,611 m) is the second highest peak in
the world and the highest peak in the
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Indian Union (excluding the auxiliary
peaks of the Great Himalayas) and rises
majestically like a cone. It has been
named as Godwin Austen by the British
and Qogir by the Chinese.
The Ladakh Plateau lies to the north-
east of the Karakoram Range. With an
average elevation of over five thousand
metres above the sea level, it is the
highest plateau of the Indian Union.
7. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
The Western Himalayas, also called the
Punjab Himalayas, are the western-most
section of the vast Himalayas Mountain
Range. It lies mainly in the Kashmir
region of the northern Indian sub-
continent and also in the north-western
part of Himachal Pradesh state, India.
In all, the Western Himalayas extend
south-east for some 350 miles (560
km) from the bend of the Indus river
(north-west) to the Sutlej river (south-
east). The Upper Indus separates them
from the Karakoram Range to the north.
Included within the Western Himalayas
are the Zaskar Range, the Pir Panjal
Range, and parts of the Siwalik Range
and the Great Himalayas.
The Jhelum river rises in the Pir Panjal
Range in Jammu and Kashmir, India,
and flows north-westward through the
valley of Kashmir, before entering the
Pakistani-administered sector. The
highest point is the Nanga Parbat, at the
north-western end of the region.
Dalhousie, in Himachal Pradesh in the
foothills of the range, is a noted hill
station (mountain resort).
8. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
The Assam Himalayas, the eastern
section of the Great Himalayas,
extending eastward across Sikkim
state (India) and Bhutan, into northern
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Assam and Arunachal Pradesh states
(India), and along the border with the
Tibet Autonomous Region (China).
The mountains run eastward for 450
miles (720 km) from the Upper Tista river
in the west, to the great southward bend
of the Brahmaputra river (there called the
Tsangpo river) in the east. Important
peaks include Kula, Chomo and Kangto;
the highest is Namjagbarwa in Tibet.
The Subansiri, Manas, Sankosh, Raidak
and Jaldhaka rivers rise in the
mountains and flow southward to join
the Brahmaputra. Main settlements in
the region include Gangtok and
Kalimpang in India; and Punakha and
Paro in Bhutan. Important mountain
passes include Natu, Jelep and Tang.
The Barak river rises from the Manipur
hills, south of Mao in Senapati district of
Manipur. It flows then along the
Nagaland-Manipur border through hilly
terrains and enters Assam.
9. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
The Meghalaya Plateau is a highland
region in eastern Meghalaya. It is a
rolling tableland and the highest portion
of the hill mass that comprises most of
Meghalaya. The Plateau’s western,
northern and southern escarpments are
called the Garo, Khasi and Jaintia hills,
respectively.
It is an outlier of the plateau of the
Peninsular India and is composed
primarily of ancient rocks.
In fact, it is an extension of the main
Peninsular Plateau. It is believed that
due to the force exerted by the north-
eastward movement of the Indian Plate at
the time of the Himalayan origin, a huge
fault was created between the Rajmahal
hills and the Meghalaya Plateau. Later,
this depression got filled up by the
deposition activity of numerous rivers.
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An extension of this is also seen in the
Karbi Anglong hills of Assam. Similar to
the Chotanagpur Plateau, the Meghalaya
Plateau is also rich in mineral
resources, like coal, iron ore,
sillimanite, limestone and uranium.
This area receives maximum rainfall
from the south-west monsoon. As a
result, the Meghalaya plateau has a
highly eroded surface. Cherrapunji
displays a bare rocky surface, devoid of
any permanent vegetation cover.
10. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
The Kuchchh Peninsula was an island
surrounded by seas and lagoons. These
seas and lagoons were later filled by
sediment brought by the Indus river,
which used to flow through this area.
Thus, the island became a part of the
mainland and comparatively a broad
plain was formed. Some scholars do not
consider it as a part of the west coastal
plains and treat it as a separate identity.
There are other geographers who consider
Kuchchh and Kathiawar as part of the
Peninsular Plateau, because Kathiawar is
made of the Deccan lava and there are
tertiary rocks in the Kuchchh area. The
true west coastal plain, according to
them, lies between Surat and
Kanniyakumari, for a distance of 1,600
km. But the ground reality is that it is,
more or less, a plain area and lies near
the west coast of India. Hence, it should
be treated as an integral part of the West
Coastal Plains.
Pachham, Khadir and Bela are found in
this part.
Kuchchh falls in the seismically active
Zone-V of the Indian sub- continent,
outside the Himalayan seismic belt.
The Luni river originates in the
Pushkar valley of the Aravalli range,
near Ajmer.
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11. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
Konkan is the coastal plain of western
India, lying between the Arabian Sea
(west) and the Western Ghats (east).
The plain stretches from the Daman
Ganga river, north of Mumbai (Bombay)
to the Terekhol river between
Maharashtra and Goa states, and Daman
and Diu Union Territory in the south.
The Konkan includes the regions of
Thane, Greater Mumbai, Raigarh and
Ratnagiri.
The region is traversed by seasonal rivers
that drain the heavy monsoonal rainfall
from the crest of the Sahyadri hills.
Rivers like Ulhas, Vaitarna, Zuari and
Mandovi drain these plains.
The generally uneven terrain is composed
of eroded remnant ranges of the Ghats
that form low lateritic plateaus in the
west and terminate in a coastline of
alternating bays and headlands.
Only about one-third of the land is
cultivable, and the population lives
mainly in the relatively fertile river valleys
near the coast and in the newly developed
industrial belts around Mumbai, Thane,
Khopali and Panvel.
The barren hills are occupied by the
pastoral Bhil, Kathkari and Kokana
people. The main crops are rice, pulses
(legumes), vegetables, fruits and
coconuts; fishing and salt manufacture
are also important.
12. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
● The Duncan Passage
separates South
The Andaman and Little
Andaman Andaman.
and Nicobar ● The Ten Degree
Islands Channel separates
the Andaman
Islands and the
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Nicobar Islands 14. Answer: (a)

from each other in Explanation:
the Bay of Bengal.
Bhabar is a narrow belt ranging between
● The Eight Degree 8-10 km parallel to the Shiwalik foothills
Channel separates at the break-up of the slope. As a result
the island of of this, the streams and rivers coming
Minicoy and from the mountains deposit heavy
Maldives. materials of rocks and boulders, and at
● The Nine Degree times, disappear in this
Lakshadweep
Channel separates
Islands zone. South of the Bhabar is the Tarai
the island of
belt, with an approximate width of 10-20
Minicoy from the
km, where most of the streams and rivers
main Lakshadweep
re-emerge without having any properly
archipelago.
demarcated channel, thereby, creating
● Minicoy is the largest
marshy and swampy conditions, known
island.
as the Tarai.
This has a luxurious growth of natural
13. Answer: (b)
vegetation and houses a varied wildlife.
Explanation:
The south of Tarai is a belt consisting of
● They are the old and new alluvial deposits, known as
protruded parts of the Bhangar and the Khadar,
the Oceanic respectively. These plains have
mountains. characteristic features of mature stage of
● Some smaller fluvial erosional and depositional
islands are volcanic landforms, such as sand bars, meanders,
in origin also, like
oxbow lakes and braided channels.
The the Barren Island.
The Brahmaputra plains are known for
Andaman ● Out of 350 islands,
their riverine islands and sand bars. Most
and Nicobar only 38 are
of these areas are subjected to periodic
Islands inhabited.
floods and shifting river courses, forming
● Highest Peak: The
braided streams.
Saddle Peak (lies in
the North
Andaman). 15. Answer: (a)
● 2nd Highest Peak: Explanation:
Mt. Thullier (lies in The Peninsular Plateau is an irregular
the Great Nicobar). triangle, known as the Peninsular
● They are formed due Plateau. Delhi Ridge in the north-west
to deposition of (extension of the Aravallis), the Rajmahal
The corals. 10/36 hills in the east, Gir Range in the west
Lakshadweep islands are and the Cardamom hills in the south,
Islands inhabited. constitute the outer extent of the
● Minicoy is the Peninsular Plateau. However, an
largest island . extension of this is also seen in the north-

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east, in the form of Shillong and the Kaimur ranges (The Central Highlands).
Karbi-Anglong Plateau. Banas is the only significant tributary of
The Peninsular India is made up of a river Chambal, that originates from the
series of Patland Plateaus, such as the Aravallis in the west. An eastern
Hazaribagh Plateau, the Palamu Plateau, extension of the Central Highlands is
the Ranchi Plateau, the Malwa Plateau, formed by the Rajmahal hills, to the
the Coimbatore Plateau and the south of which lies a large reserve of
Karnataka Plateau, etc. mineral resources in the Chotanagpur
The general elevation of the Plateau is Plateau.
from the west to the east, which is also
proved by the pattern of the flow of 17. Answer: (c)
the rivers. Explanation:
Some of the important physiographic To the north-west of the Aravallis hills
features of this region are tors, block lies the Great Indian Desert. It is a land of
mountains, rift valleys, spurs, bare rocky undulating topography, dotted with
structures, series of hummocky hills and longitudinal dunes and barchans. This
wall-like quartzite dykes, offering natural region receives low rainfall below 150 mm
sites for water storage. The western and per year; hence, it has arid climate with
north-western parts of the plateau have low vegetation cover.
an emphatic presence of black soil. Though the underlying rock structure of
The north-western part of the Plateau the desert is an extension of the
has a complex relief of ravines and Peninsular Plateau, yet, due to extreme
gorges. The ravines of Chambal, Bhind arid conditions, its surface features have
and Morena (The Central Highlands) been carved by physical weathering and
are some of the well-known examples. wind actions.
Some of the well pronounced desert land
16. Answer: (b) features present here are mushroom
Explanation: rocks, shifting dunes and oasis (mostly in
The general elevation of the Central its southern part). Most of the rivers in
Highlands ranges between 700-1,000 m this region are ephemeral.
above the mean sea level and they The Luni river, flowing in the southern
slope towards the north and the north- part of the desert, is of some significance.
eastern directions. The lakes and the playas have brackish
Most of the tributaries of river Yamuna water, which is the main source of
have their origin in the Vindhyan and the obtaining salt.

18. Answer: (c)

Explanation:
Name Range Important Notes
Aghil Pass Karakoram Range
Karakoram Pass Karakoram Range
Burzil Pass Great Himalayan Connects Srinagar to Gilgit, and connects India to
Range Central Asia.

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Banihal Pass Pir Panjal Range Connects Jammu and Kashmir Valley. The
Jawahar Tunnel and NH-44 pass through this.
Zoji La Zaskar Range NH-1 passes through this, which connects
Srinagar and Leh.
Khardung La Ladakh Range Connects Shyok and Nubra Valley.
Chang La Ladakh Range

19. Answer: (c)

Explanation:
Name Range Important Notes
Nathu La The Great Himalayas Provides a way from Gangtok to the Chumbi Valley.
A lot of trade between India and China happens
through this Pass. It also provides a way for
Kailash-Mansarovar.
Jelep La The Great Himalayas
Bomdi La Arunachal Pradesh Connects India to Tibet.
Diphu Pass Arunachal Pradesh Located at the tri-junction of India, China and
Myanmar.
Lekhapani Pass Assam
Tuju Pass Manipur Connects India to ASEAN countries

20. Answer: (a)

Explanation:
 The drainage pattern, resembling the branches of a tree, is known as ‘dendritic’, the
examples of which are the rivers of the northern plains.
 When the rivers originate from a hill and flow in all directions, the drainage pattern is
known as ‘radial’. The rivers originating from the Amarkantak Range present good
examples of it.
 When the primary tributaries of the river flow parallel to each other and the secondary
tributaries join them at right angles, the pattern is known as ‘trellis’.
 When the rivers discharge their waters from all directions in a lake or depression, the
pattern is known as ‘centripetal’.

21. Answer: (d)

Explanation:

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22. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
 The Indus, also known as the Sindhu,
is the western-most of the Himalayan
rivers in India.
 It originates from a glacier near
Bokhar Chu in the Tibetan region in
the Kailash Mountain Range.
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 In Tibet, it is known as ‘Singi
Khamban’, or ‘The Lion’s Mouth’.
 It enters Pakistan near Chilas in the
Dardistan region.
 The Indus receives a number of
Himalayan tributaries, such as the
Shyok, the Gilgit, the Zaskar, the
Hunza, the Nubra, the Shigar, the
Gasting and the Dras.
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 The other important tributaries
joining the right bank of the Indus are
the Khurram, the Tochi, the Gomal,
the Viboa and the Sangar.
 The Indus flows in India only through
Jammu and Kashmir.
 India constructed the Pakal Dul
Hydroelectric Project on the
Chenab river.
23. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
 The Jhelum, an important tributary of
the Indus, rises from a spring at
Verinag, situated at the foot of the Pir
Panjal in the south-eastern part of the
valley of Kashmir.
 It flows through Srinagar and the
Wular Lake, before entering Pakistan
through a deep narrow gorge.
 It joins the Chenab near Jhang in
Pakistan.
 The Kishanganga Hydroelectric Project
is a run-of-the-river project on the
Kishanganga tributary of the Jhelum
river.
 The Jhelum river is the western-most
tributary of the Indus river.
Note: The Chenab is the largest tributary
of the Indus river.
24. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
 The Chenab is the largest tributary of
the Indus.
 It is formed by two streams, the
Chandra and the Bhaga, which join at
Tandi near Keylong in Himachal
Pradesh. Hence, it is also known as
the Chandrabhaga.
 The river flows for 1,180 km before
entering Pakistan.
 In India, the watershed of the Chenab
basin covers part of one state, viz.,
Himachal Pradesh and one Union
Territory, viz., Jammu and Kashmir.
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 It was called Asikni in the Rigvedic
period.
 The Marusudar is the biggest
tributary of the Chenab and meets the
Chenab at Bhandalkot.
25. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
 The Ravi river is another important
tributary of the Indus. It rises west of
the Rohtang Pass in the Kullu hills of
Himachal Pradesh and flows through
the Chamba valley of the state.
 The Beas river is another important
tributary of the Indus, originating
from the Beas Kund near the Rohtang
Pass at an elevation of 4,000 m above
the mean sea level. It enters the
Punjab plains, where it meets the
Sutlej near Harike. It passes through
the states of Punjab and Himachal
Pradesh.
 The Ravi river is transboundary,
but not the Beas river.
26. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
 The Sutlej originates in the ‘Raksas
Tal’ near Mansarovar at an altitude of
4,555 m in Tibet, where it is known as
the Langchen Khambab.
 It flows almost parallel to the Indus
for about 400 km, before entering
India and comes out of a gorge at
Rupar.
 It passes through the Shipki La on the
Himalayan Ranges and enters the
Punjab plains.
 It is an antecedent river.
 It is a very important tributary, as it
feeds the canal system of the Bhakra
Nangal Project.
 It meets river Beas near Harike
Pattan in Punjab.
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27. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
 The Ganga river rises in the Gangotri
glacier near Gaumukh (3,900 m) in
the Uttarkashi district of
Uttarakhand. Here, it is known as the
Bhagirathi.
 At Dev Prayag, the Bhagirathi
meets the Alaknanda. Hereafter, it
is known as the Ganga. The
Alaknanda has its source in the
Satopanth glacier above Badrinath.
The Alaknanda consists of the Dhauli
and the Vishnu Ganga, which meet at
Joshimath, or Vishnu Prayag.
 The other tributaries of the
Alaknanda, such as the Pindar, join it
at Karna Prayag, while the Mandakini
or the Kali Ganga meets it at Rudra
Prayag.
 The Son is its major right bank
tributary.
 The important left bank tributaries
are the Ramganga, the Gomati, the
Ghaghara, the Gandak, the Kosi and
the Mahananda.
 The river finally discharges itself into
the Bay of Bengal near the Sagar
Island.
 The Ganga basin is the largest river
basin in India in terms of catchment
area. It covers 10 states, viz.,
Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya
Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana,
Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal,
and one Union Territory of Delhi.
28. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
 The Yamuna, the western-most and
the longest tributary of the Ganga,
has its source in the Yamunotri
glacier on the western slopes of the
Banderpunch Range (6,316 m).
 It joins the Ganga at Prayag
(Allahabad). It is joined by the
RAUSIAS-0079
Chambal, the Sind, the Betwa and the
Ken on its right bank, which originate
from the Peninsular Plateau, while the
Hindan, the Rind, the Sengar, the
Varuna, etc., join it on its left bank.
29. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
 The Gandak river comprises two
streams, namely the Kaligandak and
the Trishulganga.
 It rises in the Nepal Himalayas,
between the Dhaulagiri and Mount
Everest, and drains the central part of
Nepal.
 It enters the Ganga plain in
Champaran district of Bihar and joins
the Ganga at Sonpur near Patna.
 The Ghaghara originates in the
glaciers of Mapchachungo. After
collecting the waters of its tributaries
– the Tila, the Seti and the Beri, it
comes out of the mountain, cutting a
deep gorge at Shishapani.
 The Sarda river (Kali or Kali Ganga)
joins it in the plain before it finally
meets the Ganga at Chhapra.
 Both the Gandak and the Ghaghara
are the left bank tributaries of the
Ganga river.
30. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
 The Northern Plains, from the north to
the south, can be divided into three
major zones: the Bhabar, the Tarai
and the alluvial plains.
 South of the Bhabar is the Tarai belt,
with an approximate width of 10-20
km, where most of the streams and
rivers re-emerge without having any
properly demarcated channel,
thereby, creating marshy and swampy
conditions, known as the Tarai. This
has a luxurious growth of natural
vegetation and houses a varied
wildlife.
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 The south of Tarai is a belt
consisting of old and new alluvial
deposits, known as the Bhangar and
the Khadar, respectively.
31. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
The Northern Plains are formed by the
alluvial deposits brought by the rivers
– the Indus, the Ganga and the
Brahmaputra.
The states of Haryana and Delhi form
a water divide between the Indus and the
Ganga river systems.
Note: The Peninsular Plateau is one of
the oldest and most stable landmass of
India.
32. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
 Rising from the height of 150 m above
the river plains, upto an elevation of
600-900 m, is the irregular triangle,
known as the Peninsular Plateau.
 Delhi Ridge in the north-west,
(extension of the Aravalli), the
Rajmahal Hills in the east, the Gir
Range in the west and the Cardamom
Hills in the south, constitute the outer
extent of the Peninsular Plateau.
 However, an extension of this is also
seen in the north-east, in the form of
Shillong and the Karbi-Anglong
Plateau.
 This is one of the oldest and the most
stable landmass of India.
 The general elevation of the Plateau
is from the west to the east, which
is also proved by the pattern of the
flow of the rivers.
 Some of the important physiographic
features of this region are tors, block
mountains, rift valleys, spurs, bare
rocky structures, series of hummocky
hills and wall-like quartzite dykes,
offering natural sites for water
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storage. The western and the north-
western part of the Plateau has an
emphatic presence of black soil.
33. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
The Deccan Plateau:
 It is bordered by the Western Ghats in
the west, the Eastern Ghats in the
east and the Satpura, Maikal Range
and the Mahadeo Hills in the north.
 The Western Ghats are locally known
by different names, such as Sahyadri
in Maharashtra, the Nilgiri Hills in
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, and the
Anaimalai Hills and the Cardamom
Hills in Kerala.
 The Western Ghats are comparatively
higher in elevation and more
continuous than the Eastern Ghats.
 ‘Anaimudi’ (2,695 m), the highest
peak of the Peninsular Plateau, is
located on the Anaimalai Hills of
the Western Ghats, followed by
Dodabetta (2,637 m) on the Nilgiri
Hills.
 Most of the Peninsular rivers have
their origin in the Western Ghats.
 The Eastern Ghats, comprising
discontinuous and low hills, are
highly eroded by the rivers, such as
the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the
Krishna, the Kaveri, etc.
 The Eastern and the Western Ghats
meet each other at the Nilgiri Hills.
34. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
From east to west direction:
Namcha Barwa – Kanchenjunga – Kamet
– Nanga Parbat
35. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
From west to east direction:
Satmala – Kaimur – Garhjat – Rajmahal
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36. Answer: (b) where it flows through a rift valley and

Explanation: finally joins the Hugli. The Barakar is its
main tributary. Once known as the
S.N. Mountains/Hills State
‘Sorrow of Bengal’, the Damodar has been
1. The Palkonda Andhra now tamed by the Damodar Valley
Range Pradesh Corporation, a multi-purpose project.
2. The Shevroy Hills Tamil Nadu The Damodar and the Barakar trifurcate
3. The Javadi Hills Tamil Nadu the Chotanagpur Plateau.

4. The Palani Hills Kerala and

Tamil Nadu 39. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
The Sarda, or Saryu river rises in the
37. Answer: (c)
Milam Glacier in the Nepal Himalayas,
Explanation:
where it is known as the Goriganga.
The Tropic of Cancer passes through Along the Indo-Nepal border, it is called
the following states: Kali or Chauk, where it joins the
1. Gujarat Ghaghara.
2. Rajasthan The Mahananda is another important
3. Madhya Pradesh tributary of the Ganga, rising in the
4. Chhattisgarh Darjeeling Hills. It joins the Ganga as its
5. Jharkhand last left bank tributary in West Bengal.
6. West Bengal The Son is a large south bank tributary of
the Ganga, originating in the Amarkantak
7. Tripura
Plateau. After forming a series of
8. Mizoram
waterfalls at the edge of the Plateau, it
Note: The Tropic of Cancer does not pass
reaches Arrah, west of Patna, to join the
through the state of Odisha.
Ganga.

38. Answer: (b)

40. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
The Kosi is an antecedent river with its
source to the north of Mount Everest in
Tibet, where its main stream Arun rises.
After crossing the Central Himalayas in
Nepal, it is joined by the Son Kosi from
the west and the Tamur Kosi from the
east. It forms the Sapt Kosi after uniting
with river Arun.
The Ramganga is comparatively a
small river rising in the Garhwal Hills
near Gairsain. It changes its course to
the south-west direction after crossing
the Shiwalik and enters the plains of
Uttar Pradesh near Najibabad. Finally, it
joins the Ganga near Kannauj.
The Damodar occupies the eastern
margins of the Chotanagpur Plateau,
Explanation:
The Brahmaputra river, one of the largest
rivers of the world, has its origin in the
Chemayungdung Glacier of the Kailash
Range near the Mansarovar Lake. From
here, it traverses eastward longitudinally
for a distance of nearly 1,200 km in a dry
and flat region of southern Tibet, where it
is known as the Tsangpo, which means
‘The Purifier.’ The Rango Tsangpo is the
major right bank tributary of this river in
Tibet. It emerges as a turbulent and
dynamic river after carving out a deep
gorge in the Central Himalayas near
Namcha Barwa (7,755 m).
The river emerges from the foothills under
the name of Siang or Dihang. It enters
India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal

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Pradesh. Flowing south-west, it receives 42. Answer: (a)

its main left bank tributaries, viz., the Explanation:
Dibang or Sikang and the Lohit; Most of the major Peninsular rivers,
thereafter, it is known as the except the Narmada and the Tapi, flow
Brahmaputra. from west to east. The Chambal, the Sind,
The Brahmaputra receives numerous the Betwa, the Ken and the Son,
originating in the northern part of the
tributaries in its 750 km long journey
Peninsula, belong to the Ganga river
through the Assam valley. Its major left
system. The other major river systems of
bank tributaries are the Burhi Dihing and
the Peninsular drainage are – the
the Dhansari (South), whereas the
Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and
important right bank tributaries are the the Kaveri. Peninsular rivers are
Subansiri, the Kameng, the Manas and characterised by fixed course, absence of
the Sankosh. The Subansiri, which has meanders and non-perennial flow of
its origin in Tibet, is an antecedent river. water. The Narmada and the Tapi, which
The Brahmaputra enters Bangladesh flow through the rift valley are, however,
near Dhubri and flows southward. exceptions.
The Peninsular drainage system is older
than the Himalayan one. This is evident
41. Answer: (b)
from the broad, largely-graded shallow
Explanation:
valleys, and the maturity of the rivers.
Three major geological events in the Whereas, the rivers in the Himalayan
distant past have shaped the present drainage pass through the giant gorges
drainage systems of the Peninsular India: carved out by the erosional activity
(i) Subsidence of the western flank of carried on simultaneously with the uplift
the Peninsula, leading to its of the Himalayas. Besides deep gorges,
these rivers also form V-shaped
submergence below the sea during
valleys, rapids and waterfalls in their
the early tertiary period. Generally,
mountainous course.
it has disturbed the symmetrical
plan of the river on either side of the
43. Answer: (b)
original watershed.
Explanation:
(ii) Upheaval of the Himalayas, when
The Godavari is the largest Peninsular
the northern flank of the Peninsular
river system. It is also called the
block was subjected to subsidence
Dakshin Ganga. It rises in the Nasik
and the consequent trough faulting.
district of Maharashtra and discharges its
The Narmada and the Tapi flow in
water into the Bay of Bengal. Its
trough faults and fill the original
tributaries run through the states of
cracks with their detritus materials. Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh,
Hence, there is a lack of alluvial and Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra
deltaic deposits in these rivers. Pradesh. It is 1,465 km long with a
(iii) Slight tilting of the Peninsular catchment area spreading over 3.13 lakh
block from the north-west to the sq. km. 49 per cent of this lies in
south-eastern direction gave Maharashtra, 20 per cent in Madhya
orientation to the entire drainage Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and the rest
system towards the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. The Penganga, the
during the same period. Indravati, the Pranhita and the Manjra

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are its principal tributaries. The
Godavari is subjected to heavy floods in
its lower reaches to the south of
Polavaram, where it forms a picturesque
gorge. It is navigable only in the deltaic
stretch. The river after Rajamundri splits
into several branches, forming a large
delta.
The Bhavani is an important tributary
of the Kaveri.
44. Answer: (a)
Explanation:
The Krishna is the second largest east-
flowing Peninsular river, which rises near
Mahabaleshwar in Sahyadri. Its total
length is 1,401 km. The Koyna, the
Tungbhadra and the Bhima are its
major tributaries. Of the total catchment
area of the Krishna, 27 per cent lies in
Maharashtra, 44 per cent in Karnataka
and 29 per cent in Andhra Pradesh and
Telangana.
The Kaveri rises in the Brahmagiri
Hills (1,341m) of Kogadu district in
Karnataka. Its length is 800 km and it
drains an area of 81,155 sq. km. Since
the upper catchment area receives
rainfall during the south-west monsoon
season (summer) and the lower part
during the north-east monsoon season
(winter), the river carries water
throughout the year with comparatively
less fluctuation than the other Peninsular
rivers. About 3 per cent of the Kaveri
basin falls in Kerala, 41 per cent in
Karnataka and 56 per cent in Tamil
Nadu. Its important tributaries are the
Kabini, the Bhavani and the Amravati.
45. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
The Narmada originates on the western
flank of the Amarkantak Plateau. Flowing
in a rift valley between the Satpura Range
in the south and the Vindhyan Range in
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the north, it forms a picturesque gorge in
marble rocks and Dhuandhar waterfall
near Jabalpur. The Sardar Sarovar
Project has been constructed on this
river.
It is one of only two major rivers in the
Peninsular India that runs from east to
west (longest west-flowing river), along
with the Tapti river. It is one of the rivers
in India that flows in a rift valley,
bordered by the Satpura and the
Vindhyan Ranges. As a rift valley river,
the Narmada does not form a delta. The
rift valley rivers form estuaries.
The Tapi is the other important westward
flowing river. It originates from Multai in
the Betul district of Madhya Pradesh. It is
724 km long and drains an area of
65,145 sq. km. Nearly 79 per cent of its
basin lies in Maharashtra, 15 per cent in
Madhya Pradesh and the remaining 6 per
cent in Gujarat.
46. Answer: (b)
Explanation:
The Mahanadi rises near Sihawa in
Raipur district of Chhattisgarh, and runs
through Odisha to discharge its water
into the Bay of Bengal. It is 851 km long
and its catchment area spreads over 1.42
lakh sq. km. Fifty-three per cent of the
drainage basin of this river lies in
Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh,
while 47 per cent lies in Odisha.
Luni is the largest river system of
Rajasthan, west of the Aravalli. It
originates near Pushkar in two branches,
viz., the Saraswati and the Sabarmati,
which join with each other at Govindgarh.
From here, the river comes out of the
Aravalli and is known as Luni. It flows
towards the west till Telwara and then
takes a south-west direction to join the
Rann of Kuchchh. The entire river system
is ephemeral.
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47. Answer: (d) The volcanic, clay-like soil of the region

Explanation: owes its black colour to the
The Kanwar lake in Bihar, Asia’s largest high iron content of the basalt from
freshwater oxbow lake. which it formed. The soil requires less
irrigation because of its high capacity for
It is a residual oxbow lake, formed due to
moisture retention. The other two soil
meandering of Gandak river, a tributary
types are lighter and have a higher
of Ganga, in the geological past.
proportion of sand.
It was declared a notified area under the
The average elevation of the plateau is
Wildlife (Protection) Act of 1972.
500 m. Some of the peaks Sigar,
Janapav and Ghajari.
48. Answer: (c)
Explanation:
50. Answer: (a)
Biligirirangan Hills is located at the
Explanation:
north-west of the Western Ghats and
westernmost edge of the Eastern Ghats, it S.N. Glacier Location
supports a diverse flora and fauna in view (Karakoram range)
of the various habitats present. 1. Siachen Nubra Valley
Seshachalam Hills- It is a hill ranges of 2. Biafo Braldoh Valley
the Eastern Ghats, southern Andhra
3. Yarkand Shyok Valley
Pradesh state, southeastern India. The
Rimo
ranges contain sandstone and shale
interbedded with limestone and are
highly dissected, with many longitudinal
valleys. Tributaries of the Penneru River
drain the region.

49. Answer: (c)

Explanation:
The plateau is an extension of the Deccan
Traps, formed at the end of
the Cretaceous period. In this region the
main classes of soil are black, brown
and bhatori (stony) soil.

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