Prelims 2020 · Q96
MediumSiachen Glacier is situated to the
Answer & explanation
Answer: (d) North of Nubra Valley
Siachen Glacier lies in the eastern Karakoram range, up the Nubra Valley of Ladakh, so it is north of the Nubra Valley. It is not east of Leh, east of Aksai Chin or north of Gilgit.
- ✓ (d) The Nubra Valley runs up towards the Siachen Glacier, which sits at its head in the eastern Karakoram; the glacier is therefore north of the valley.
- ✗ (b) Siachen is north of Leh, across the Ladakh range and the Nubra and Shyok valleys, not to its east.
- ✗ (c) Gilgit lies to the west of the Karakoram range, so Siachen is south-east of Gilgit, not north of it.
- ✗ (a) Aksai Chin is on the plateau to the east of the Karakoram, so Siachen lies west of it.
Remember · Siachen Glacier: eastern Karakoram, at the head of the Nubra Valley, Ladakh; the Nubra River begins from its snout.
Sources
- District Leh, Ladakh (leh.nic.in): Nubra Valley ↗ “Siachen Glacier lies way up in the Nubra Valley and has been thrown open for domestic tourists recently but only until the base camp.”
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2020, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·