Prelims · Geography · 39 questions

India: relief, rivers & drainage

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Prelims 2017 · Q30

Medium

With reference to river Teesta, consider the following statements:

1.The source of river Teesta is the same as that of Brahmaputra but it flows through Sikkim.
2.River Rangeet originates in Sikkim and it is a tributary of river Teesta.
3.River Teesta flows into Bay of Bengal on the border of India and Bangladesh.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 2 only

The Teesta rises inside Sikkim, not at the Brahmaputra's source in Tibet, and it does not reach the sea on its own: it joins the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) inside Bangladesh. The Rangeet, which has its headwaters in West Sikkim, is a right-bank tributary of the Teesta, so only statement 2 is correct.

✗ 1. The Teesta rises from the Pahunri (Teesta Kangse) glacier in north Sikkim and flows south through the Sikkim Himalaya; the Brahmaputra rises far away in the Kailash range of Tibet near the Konggyu Tsho lake.
✓ 2. The Rangit (Rangeet) has its headwaters in the glaciers of West Sikkim, such as East Rathong, and is the main tributary that meets the Teesta just before Teesta Bridge, near the Sikkim–West Bengal border.
✗ 3. The Teesta joins the Brahmaputra on its right bank inside Bangladesh, after which the river is called the Jamuna; it does not enter the Bay of Bengal on its own.

Remember · Teesta: rises in north Sikkim, tributary Rangeet (right bank), joins the Brahmaputra (Jamuna) in Bangladesh; Brahmaputra rises in the Kailash range, Tibet.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · India: Physical Environment, Chapter 3 “The Brahmaputra enters into Bangladesh near Dhubri and flows southward. In Bangladesh, the Tista joins it on its right bank from where the river is known as the Jamuna.”
India-WRIS (Ministry of Jal Shakti): Brahmaputra basin ↗ “The Brahmaputra River originates in the north from Kailash ranges of Himalayas at an elevation of 5,150 m just south of the lake called Konggyu Tsho”
Central Water Commission (Ministry of Jal Shakti), Teesta and Bhagirathi Damodar Basin Organisation: Basin Details ↗ “The Teesta River originates from the Pahunri (or Teesta Kangse) glacier above 7,068 m, and flows southward through gorges and rapids in the Sikkim Himalaya. … Just before the Teesta Bridge, where the roads from Kalimpong and Darjeeling join, the river is met by its main tributary, the Rangeet River.”
Government of Sikkim (Forests Dept), Impact of Climate Change on East-Rathong Glacier in Rangit Basin, West Sikkim ↗ “the river Rathong Chu originates from the snout region of the East-Rathong glacier which is at 4674m above mean sea level and flows in an easterly direction as the main tributary of Rangit river.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q58

Medium

Consider the following statements:

1.In India, the Himalayas are spread over five States only.
2.Western Ghats are spread over five States only.
3.Pulicat Lake is spread over two States only.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) 3 only

Only statement 3 is correct: Pulicat Lake lies in exactly two States, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. The Himalayas cover many more than five States, and the Western Ghats run through six.

✗ 1. The Indian Himalayan Region is officially counted as twelve States, taking in Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura, plus two districts of Assam and Darjeeling and Kalimpong in West Bengal.
✗ 2. The Western Ghats spread over six States: Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Gujarat is the northern end of the range and is the easiest to forget.
✓ 3. Pulicat, the second largest brackish-water lagoon in India, lies partly in Andhra Pradesh and partly in Tamil Nadu.

Remember · Western Ghats: six States (Gujarat to Tamil Nadu). Himalayas: many more than five. Pulicat Lagoon: two States, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Sources

PIB (NITI Aayog): NITI Aayog constitutes Himalayan State Regional Council ↗ “the Himalayan Region which consists of the twelve States namely Jammu &Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, two districts of Assam”
PIB (MoEFCC): States express desire to expedite early notification of Ecologically Sensitive Area of Western Ghats ↗ “identified geographical areas falling in the six States of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu may be declared as Ecologically Sensitive Areas.”
Government of Andhra Pradesh (Tirupati District): Pulicat Lake ↗ “Pulicat Lake is the second largest brackish water lagoon in India spread over the two States of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2017 · Q98

Easy

Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Sumatra

Sumatra (Indonesia) is the closest. Indira Point, the southern tip of Great Nicobar and the southernmost point of India, is only about 140 km from Sumatra. Java, Borneo and Sri Lanka lie much farther away.

✓ (a) The Andaman and Nicobar Administration puts Indira Point barely 140 km from Sumatra; its geography note gives about 91 geographical (nautical) miles to Achin Head in Sumatra.
✗ (d) Sri Lanka lies across the Bay of Bengal to the west, much farther from Great Nicobar than Sumatra is.
✗ (c) Java lies south-east of Sumatra, so it is farther from Great Nicobar than Sumatra is.
✗ (b) Borneo lies far to the east of Sumatra, so it is also farther from Great Nicobar.

Remember · Great Nicobar (Indira Point, India's southernmost point) lies only about 140 km from Sumatra, Indonesia.

Sources

Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Nicobar district: Location & Area ↗ “presently known as Indira Point which is also southern most point of India, is 310 Kms from Car Nicobar and barely 140 Kms from Sumatra Island (Indonesia)”
Andaman and Nicobar Administration, Nicobar district: Geography ↗ “The extreme southern point of Great Nicobar, previously known as Pygmalion Point and now Indira Point, is about 91 geographical miles from Pulo Brass of Achin Head of Sumatra.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2017, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q23

Easy

Which of the following are the key features of 'National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA)'?

1.River basin is the unit of planning and management.
2.It spearheads the river conservation efforts at the national level.
3.One of the Chief Ministers of the States through which the Ganga flows becomes the Chairman of NGRBA on rotation basis.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) 1 and 2 only

NGRBA, set up by a notification of 20 February 2009 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, adopted a river-basin approach to planning and management and acted as the national planning, financing and coordinating authority for cleaning the Ganga. It was chaired by the Prime Minister, not by a Chief Minister in rotation.

✓ 1. Its stated objective was to abate pollution and conserve the Ganga by adopting a river basin approach for comprehensive planning and management.
✓ 2. It was the apex body at the national level, mandated as the planning, financing, monitoring and coordinating authority for the Centre's and States' efforts to conserve the river.
✗ 3. The Prime Minister chaired the authority; the Chief Ministers of Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal were members, with no rotation of the chair.
• Since then NGRBA was dissolved with effect from 7 October 2016 and replaced by the National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (National Ganga Council), also under the EPA, 1986 (NMCG).

Remember · NGRBA (2009-2016): river-basin approach, chaired by the PM, CMs of Ganga States as members; NMCG was its implementing arm. Replaced by the National Ganga Council in October 2016.

Sources

National Mission for Clean Ganga: Function and Power of NGRBA ↗ “The authority is chaired by the Prime Minister and has as its members the Union Ministers concerned, the Chief Ministers of the States through which Ganga flows, viz., Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, among others. … NGRBA is mandated to take up regulatory and developmental functions with sustainability needs for effective abatement of pollution and conservation of the river Ganga by adopting a river basin approach for comprehensive planning and management.”
National Mission for Clean Ganga: About NMCG ↗ “NGRBA has since been dissolved with effect from the 7th October 2016, consequent to constitution of National Council for Rejuvenation, Protection and Management of River Ganga (referred as National Ganga Council)”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q28

Easy

Which of the following is/are tributary/tributaries of Brahmaputra?

1.Dibang
2.Kameng
3.Lohit

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three rivers feed the Brahmaputra. Soon after the Siang (Dihang) enters India in Arunachal Pradesh, it is joined by the Dibang and the Lohit from the left, and only then takes the name Brahmaputra; the Kameng joins it later from the right bank in the Assam valley.

✓ 1. The Dibang (also called Sikang) is one of the two main left-bank tributaries that join the Siang near Sadiya.
✓ 2. The Kameng is a right-bank tributary, alongside the Subansiri, Manas and Sankosh.
✓ 3. The Lohit joins from the left bank near Sadiya, together with the Dibang, after which the river is called the Brahmaputra.

Remember · Brahmaputra tributaries: left bank: Dibang, Lohit, Burhi Dihing, Dhansari; right bank: Subansiri, Kameng, Manas, Sankosh (Subansiri is antecedent).

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 3 (practise this chapter) · Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Sources

NCERT Class 11 · India: Physical Environment, Chapter 3 “Flowing southwest, it receives its main left bank tributaries, viz., Dibang or Sikang and Lohit; thereafter, it is known as the Brahmaputra.”
NCERT Class 11 · India: Physical Environment, Chapter 3 “whereas the important right bank tributaries are the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and Sankosh.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q45

Medium

Recently, our scientists have discovered a new and distinct species of banana plant which attains a height of about 11 metres and has orange-coloured fruit pulp. In which part of India has it been discovered?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (a) Andaman Islands

The banana is Musa indandamanensis, a wild species described by a Botanical Survey of India scientist from the forests of Little Andaman in the Andaman Islands. The plant stands about 11 metres tall and its ripe fruit pulp turns yellowish orange.

✓ (a) The species was collected during floristic exploration of Little Andaman and published in 2014 as new to science. The author says the species is named after the Andaman Islands.
✗ (b) The Anaimalai (Western Ghats) forests are not where this species was found; its description records it from Little Andaman only.
✗ (c) The Maikala Hills in Chhattisgarh are not the discovery site.
✗ (d) The north-eastern rain forests hold other wild bananas, but this new species was described from the Bay Islands.

Remember · Musa indandamanensis, a new wild banana (about 11 m tall, orange pulp), was described from Little Andaman in 2014 by a Botanical Survey of India scientist.

Sources

Andaman & Nicobar Administration, Daily Telegrams, 5 October 2015: BSI Scientist discovers new species of banana from A&N Islands ↗ “The Scientists of Botanical Survey of India claim to have discovered a new banana species in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.The discovery by BSI Scientist is the result of plant exploration in the Little Andaman Island.”
L. J. Singh (Botanical Survey of India, Andaman & Nicobar Regional Centre), Taiwania 59(1): 26–36, 2014: Musa indandamanensis, a new species from the Bay Islands, India ↗ · reference work “Musa indandamanensis L. J. Singh is described and illustrated as a new species from Little Andaman, the Bay Islands, India. … robust stature of 11–11.30 m height with cylindrical inflorescence having green bract”
Botanical Survey of India, Annual Report 2020-21 ↗ “M. indandamanensis L.J. Singh, M. paramjithiana L.J. Singh, M. sabuana K. Prasad et al. and M. balbisiana Colla var. andamanica Singh et al. from Andaman and Nicobar Islands.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q74

Medium

In which of the following regions of India are shale gas resources found?

1.Cambay Basin
2.Cauvery Basin
3.Krishna-Godavari Basin

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

Answer & explanation

Answer: (d) 1, 2 and 3

All three basins are assessed to hold shale gas. The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas told Parliament in July 2015 that Cambay, Krishna-Godavari and Cauvery are among the basins where agencies have estimated shale gas resources.

✓ 1. The Cambay Basin (Gujarat) appears in every agency's list of shale gas basins quoted by the Ministry, including the US Geological Survey assessment.
✓ 2. The Cauvery Basin (Tamil Nadu coast) is listed alongside Cambay and Krishna-Godavari in the assessments given to the Rajya Sabha.
✓ 3. The Krishna-Godavari Basin (Andhra Pradesh coast) is also listed; the USGS put recoverable shale gas in these three basins at 6.1 trillion cubic feet.

Remember · Shale gas basins named in official lists: Cambay, Krishna-Godavari, Cauvery (plus Assam-Arakan, Damodar and Ganga valley in some estimates).

Sources

Exploration of Shale Gas (Press Information Bureau, Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, 31 July 2015) ↗ “United States Geological Survey (USGS) has also estimated technically recoverable shale gas resources of 6.1 TCF in 3 basins (Cambay Onland, Krishna Godavari Onland & Cauvery Onland).”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q85

Medium

Recently, linking of which of the following rivers was undertaken?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (b) Godavari and Krishna

The link taken up was between the Godavari and the Krishna. In September 2015 Godavari water was carried into the Krishna delta through the Polavaram right canal, a link executed by the Andhra Pradesh Government.

✓ (b) The Godavari (Polavaram)-Krishna (Vijayawada) link was taken over by the State of Andhra Pradesh under the Indirasagar Polavaram Project, and water connectivity in the link canal has since been established. Godavari water reached the Krishna delta through this canal on 9 September 2015.
✗ (d) The Par-Tapi-Narmada link, the Narmada-Tapti proposal in the Ministry's list, was only at detailed-project-report stage; no such link was executed.
✗ (c) The Ministry's list has no Mahanadi-Sone link; the Mahanadi is proposed to be linked with the Godavari, and only a feasibility report exists for that.

Remember · The link executed in 2015 was Godavari-Krishna, through the Polavaram right canal in Andhra Pradesh.

Sources

Interlinking of Rivers: progress, clearances and funding (Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India) ↗ “This link was subsequently taken over by the State of Andhra Pradesh under the Indirasagar Polavaram Project. Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the project came under the jurisdiction of the Polavaram Project Authority as part of the Polavaram Irrigation National Project, declared under the Andhra Pradesh Re-organization Act, 2014. Water connectivity in the link canal has since been established.”
Comptroller and Auditor General of India: Report No. 4 of 2017 (Andhra Pradesh), Economic Sector, on the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme ↗ “Pattiseema and Pushkara LISs were proposed for deriving early benefits from Polavaram irrigation project (an ongoing project) by lifting water from Godavari river. The water lifted would be routed to the Right Main Canal of the Polavaram Project”
Godavari, Krishna rivers are interlinked (India Water Portal, 14 September 2015) ↗ · reference work “On September 9, 2015, now a historic date for Andhra Pradesh, the Godavari water reached the Polavaram canal in the Krishna Delta region after flowing for 124 km.”
Interlinking of Rivers: details and status of links under the National Perspective Plan (Central Water Commission, Ministry of Jal Shakti) ↗ “Godavari (Polavaram) – Krishna (Vijayawada) link – The project has been taken up by Government of Andhra Pradesh.”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

Prelims 2016 · Q94

Medium

Consider the following pairs:

	Famous place	Region
1.	Bodhgaya	Baghelkhand
2.	Khajuraho	Bundelkhand
3.	Shirdi	Vidarbha
4.	Nasik (Nashik)	Malwa
5.	Tirupati	Rayalaseema

Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Answer & explanation

Answer: (c) 2 and 5 only

Only pairs 2 and 5 are correct: Khajuraho lies in Bundelkhand and Tirupati in Rayalaseema. Bodh Gaya is in Bihar, Shirdi is in Ahmednagar district (not in Vidarbha), and Nashik is in Maharashtra, so pairs 1, 3 and 4 name the wrong region.

✗ 1. Bodh Gaya is in Gaya district of Bihar, about 115 km south of Patna (UNESCO). Baghelkhand is a region of Madhya Pradesh, which includes the Rewa division.
✓ 2. The Madhya Pradesh government's Bundelkhand tourism portal lists the temples of Khajuraho among the Bundela and Chandela attractions of Bundelkhand.
✗ 3. Shirdi is a village in Ahmednagar (now Ahilyanagar) district of Maharashtra. The Government of Maharashtra describes Vidarbha as the Amravati and Nagpur divisions, whose districts are Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Washim, Yavatmal, Nagpur, Wardha, Bhandara, Gondia, Chandrapur and Gadchiroli; Ahmednagar is not among them.
✗ 4. Nashik is in Maharashtra (the Amravati division page lists a Nashik Division of the State). Malwa is a plateau region of Madhya Pradesh, as NCERT's mention of the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh shows.
✓ 5. An expert committee report published by the Ministry of Home Affairs describes the Rayalaseema arc as made up of Kurnool, Anantapur, Tirupathi, Kadapa and Chittoor, so Tirupati belongs to Rayalaseema.

Remember · Khajuraho = Bundelkhand; Tirupati = Rayalaseema. Bodh Gaya is in Bihar, Shirdi (Ahmednagar) and Nashik are in Maharashtra, outside Vidarbha and Malwa.

📘 Read it in NCERT: Class 11 India: Physical Environment, Ch 3 (practise this chapter)

Sources

UNESCO World Heritage Centre: Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya ↗ “The Mahabodhi Temple Complex, Bodh Gaya lies 115 km south of the state capital of Bihar, Patna and 16 km from the district headquarters at Gaya, in Eastern India.”
Rewa Division, Government of Madhya Pradesh ↗ “The division forms a part of the Baghelkhand region of Madhya Pradesh.”
Bundelkhand's Heritage, Culture and Tourism (Government of Madhya Pradesh), About Us ↗ “Enriched with various Bundela and Chandela tourist attractions like UNESCO World Heritage Site- the temples of Khajuraho”
Ahilyanagar (Ahmednagar) District, Government of Maharashtra: Shirdi ↗ “A small village in Ahmedanagar district Shirdi ,has acquired a lot of fame & followers for Sant Shree Sai Baba.”
Amravati Division, Government of Maharashtra: Introduction (Vidarbha) ↗ “Amravati and Nagpur divisions constitute the ancient Vidarbha region. … Districts : Akola, Amravati, Buldhana, Washim, Yavatmal”
Nagpur Division, Government of Maharashtra: Administrative Setup ↗ “Nagpur Division comprises six districts: Nagpur Wardha Bhandara Gondia Chandrapur Gadchiroli”
NCERT Class 11 · India: Physical Environment, Chapter 3 “The Chambal rises near Mhow in the Malwa plateau of Madhya Pradesh”
Report of the Expert Committee to study alternatives for the new capital of the successor State of Andhra Pradesh (Ministry of Home Affairs) ↗ “Rayalaseema Arc comprising Kurnool, Anantapur, Tirupathi, Kadapa and Chittoor”

Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper I (2016, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 1 Oct 2026 (how we verify). Permalink ·

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