Prelims · Geography · 10 questions

Population, settlement & transport

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UPSC syllabus: “Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.” See the full syllabus →

Prelims 2026 · Q24

Easy Provisional key

In what way(s) does the Vizhinjam International Seaport represent a structural shift in India's maritime trade and logistics policy?

1.By functioning exclusively as a domestic cargo hub to reduce reliance on coastal shipping and eliminate the need for foreign collaborations.
2.By focusing primarily on passenger cruise tourism and heritage shipping to increase Kerala's profile as a maritime heritage destination.
3.By leveraging its natural deep draft and strategic location to reduce dependence on foreign trans-shipment ports, enhance revenue retention, and reposition India in regional maritime trade.

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Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 3 only

Vizhinjam, near Thiruvananthapuram, is a deepwater, multipurpose international seaport that serves as a transshipment hub and a direct gateway for EXIM cargo. Deep water close to shore, minimal dredging and a site about 10 nautical miles from the East-West shipping corridor let it act as a hub in India, so cargo that would otherwise be transshipped at foreign hub ports can be handled at home.

✓ 3. Its natural depth with minimal dredging and its closeness to the international East-West route make it a transshipment hub and EXIM gateway in India, which is how it reduces reliance on foreign hub ports.
✗ 1. It is an international transshipment hub and EXIM gateway, not a purely domestic hub, and it is built on a landlord-port PPP (DBFOT) with a private operator, Adani Vizhinjam Port.
✗ 2. It is a transshipment, EXIM, multipurpose and break-bulk port; cruise tourism and heritage shipping are not its purpose.

Remember · Vizhinjam (Kerala): deepwater multipurpose international seaport, about 10 nautical miles from the East-West shipping corridor; transshipment hub and EXIM gateway; landlord model with PPP (DBFOT).

Sources

Vizhinjam International Seaport Limited (Government of Kerala), home page ↗ · reference work “Located just 10 nautical miles from the international East–West shipping corridor, Vizhinjam sits at one of the world’s busiest maritime crossroads … Deep waters close to shore, minimal dredging requirements and favourable coastal conditions create an efficient and sustainable foundation for long-term growth and world-class port operations. … the port serves as a major transshipment hub and direct gateway for EXIM cargo, alongside multipurpose and break-bulk operations. … Developed under a landlord port model with a PPP component on a DBFOT basis, the port is operated in partnership with Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited”

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2026 · Q26

Medium Provisional key

Which of the following with reference to Indian States is/are not correct?

1.Uttar Pradesh shares its boundary with the highest number of other Indian States.
2.Rajasthan shares the longest international border among all Indian States.
3.Sikkim is the only State that shares its boundary with just one other Indian State.

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Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 2 and 3

UPSC's key treats statements 2 and 3 as wrong. West Bengal's border with Bangladesh alone is 2,216.7 km (plus borders with Nepal and Bhutan), and Sikkim is not alone in touching a single State: Meghalaya borders only Assam. Uttar Pradesh touches many States (and Delhi), more than any other State.

✓ 1. Uttar Pradesh borders many States and Delhi (Britannica lists Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana and Delhi), more than any other State.
✗ 2. UPSC's official key treats this as incorrect. West Bengal's stretch of the India-Bangladesh border alone is 2,216.7 km; we could not confirm Rajasthan's own border length from an official source, so we do not state it.
✗ 3. Sikkim touches only West Bengal among Indian States, but Meghalaya likewise touches only Assam, so Sikkim is not the only such State.

Remember · Longest international border: West Bengal (Bangladesh 2,216.7 km + Nepal + Bhutan). Most neighbouring States: Uttar Pradesh. One-neighbour States: Sikkim (West Bengal), Meghalaya (Assam).

Sources

Ministry of Home Affairs, Annual Report 2023-24, Ch 3 Border Management ↗ “The Indian side of the India- Bangladesh border touches West Bengal (2216.7 km), Assam (263 km), Meghalaya (443 km), Tripura (856 km) … India shares 3323 km of its land border with Pakistan. This border runs along the States of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Uttar Pradesh ↗ · reference work “Uttar Pradesh is bordered by Uttarakhand and Nepal to the north, Bihar to the east, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh to the southeast, Madhya Pradesh to the south, and Rajasthan and Haryana and Delhi to the west.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Sikkim ↗ · reference work “Sikkim is bordered to the north and northeast by the Tibet Autonomous Region of China, to the southeast by Bhutan, to the south by the Indian state of West Bengal, and to the west by Nepal.”
Encyclopaedia Britannica, Meghalaya ↗ · reference work “It is bordered by Assam to the north and northeast and by Bangladesh to the south and southwest.”

Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper I (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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