Prelims GS I · 235 questions · 2011–2026
Geography: every Prelims question, by topic
UPSC syllabus: “Indian and World Geography-Physical, Social, Economic Geography of India and the World.” Below, the topics inside it — most asked first — and how often each came up year by year.
Geography in Prelims 2020: 14 questions
All years →- Q53 · Minerals, energy & industryThe term ‘West Texas Intermediate’, sometimes found in news, refers to a grade of…
- Q68 · World: places, rivers & mappingConsider the following pairs: Mekong — Andaman Sea Thames — Irish Sea Volga — Caspian Sea Zambezi — Indian Ocean…
- Q76 · Minerals, energy & industrySteel slag can be the material for which of the following? Construction of base road Improvement of agricultural soil Production of cement…
- Q80 · Agriculture & cropsWhat is the use of biochar in farming? Biochar can be used as a part of the growing medium in vertical farming. When biochar is a part of the growing medium, it promotes the growth of nitrogen-fixing …
- Q83 · Agriculture & cropsWhat is/are the advantage/advantages of zero tillage in agriculture? Sowing of wheat is possible without burning the residue of previous crop. Without the need for nursery of rice saplings, direct pla…
- Q86 · Agriculture & cropsWith reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements: Black gram can be cultivated as both kharif and rabi crop. Green-gram alone accounts for nearly half of pulse production…
- Q87 · Agriculture & crops“The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-free days and 50 to 100 centimeters of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of…
- Q89 · Agriculture & cropsWith reference to the current trends in the cultivation of sugarcane in India, consider the following statements: A substantial saving in seed material is made when ‘bud chip settlings’ are raised in …
- Q90 · Agriculture & cropsIn the context of India, which of the following is/are considered to be practice(s) of eco-friendly agriculture? Crop diversification Legume intensification Tensiometer use Vertical farming…
- Q91 · Agriculture & cropsWhat are the advantages of fertigation in agriculture? Controlling the alkalinity of irrigation water is possible. Efficient application of Rock Phosphate and all other phosphatic fertilizers is possi…
- Q92 · Minerals, energy & industryConsider the following minerals: Bentonite Chromite Kyanite Sillimanite…
- Q93 · OceansWith reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct? OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 meters in the south-western Indian Ocean d…
- Q96 · India: relief, rivers & drainageSiachen Glacier is situated to the…
- Q99 · Climate & atmosphereConsider the following statements: Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only. Only some cyclones develop an eye. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of …
Geography in UPSC Prelims at a glance
UPSC has asked 235 questions on Geography in GS Paper I from 2011 to 2026 — about 15 a year, the most in 2023 (23). The most-asked topic is Agriculture & crops (44 questions).
| Year | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Questions | 14 | 17 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 12 | 14 | 12 | 20 | 23 | 21 | 18 | 11 |
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault, each question under its main subject · updated 8 Nov 2026.
- Agriculture & crops44 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- India: relief, rivers & drainage38 questions · asked in 15 of 16 years
- Minerals, energy & industry38 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- World: places, rivers & mapping37 questions · asked in 14 of 16 years
- Climate & atmosphere30 questions · asked in 13 of 16 years
- Earth, landforms & geomorphology15 questions · asked in 8 of 16 years
- Oceans13 questions · asked in 10 of 16 years
- India: climate, soils & vegetation13 questions · asked in 9 of 16 years
- Population, settlement & transport7 questions · asked in 6 of 16 years
Latest questions
- 2026 · Q11 · India: relief, rivers & drainageConsider the following assertion: In the Pleistocene period either the Yamuna once flowed into the Indus, or the Sutlej flowed into the Yamuna and one major tributary of …
- 2026 · Q25 · India: relief, rivers & drainageIdentify the river of the Indian sub-continent on the basis of the following information:…
- 2026 · Q26 · India: relief, rivers & drainageWhich of the following with reference to Indian States is/are not correct?…
- 2026 · Q30 · World: places, rivers & mappingShips from which of the following countries have to cross the Strait of Hormuz to reach out to the Indian Ocean?…
- 2026 · Q31 · World: places, rivers & mappingTungurahua Volcano, which was declared a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2025, is situated in which one among the following countries?…
The same ground in Mains
These official Mains syllabus lines cover Geography. Prelims facts become Mains arguments.
Geography PYQs as a PDF — free
All 48 PDFs →Every Geography question from 2011 to 2026, topic-wise, with answers and explanations — 124 pages. Free; sign up once.
Geography PYQs: quick answers
How many Geography questions has UPSC asked in Prelims from 2011 to 2026?
235 questions in GS Paper I — about 15 a year, the most in 2023 (23). Every one is on this page, under its topic, with UPSC's answer and an explanation.
Which Geography topic does UPSC ask most in Prelims?
Agriculture & crops: 44 questions between 2011 and 2026, asked in 15 of 16 years. The topics are listed above, most asked first, each with its year-by-year trend.
Are the answers UPSC's official answer keys?
From 2016, yes: every answer is from UPSC's final answer key (2016–2025); for 2011–2015, where UPSC published no key online, each answer is worked out from official sources and reviewed independently; for 2026 UPSC has so far published a provisional key, and those answers are labelled. Explanations cite official sources — NCERT and government pages first.
Can I download the Geography PYQs as a PDF?
Yes — a print-ready PDF of every Geography question with answers and explanations (124 pages, 2.5 MB), free after a one-time sign-up, from the Vault's downloads page.
Counted from UPSC's own papers in the Vault; answers are UPSC's keys.
