1. Consider the following statements:
1. Asiatic lion naturally found in India only
2. Double-humped camel is naturally found in India only
3. One-horned rhinoceros is naturally found in India only Which one of the statement given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (a) – Two humped camel are called Bactrian camel, found in Central Asia’s cold deserts. So, B and D removed. – Javan rhinoceros is called lesser one-horned rhinoceros and found only on the island of Java in Indonesia. Indian rhinoceros is called greater onehorned rhinoceros. So that means second statement is false, we are left with Answer A: 1 only.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
2. Consider the following pairs :
Famous place: River
1. Pandharpur : Chandrabhaga
2. Tiruchirapalli : Cauvery
3. Hampi : Malaprabha Which of the pair given above are correctly matched
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (a) – The Chandrabhaga (Bhima) river flows through the Pandharpur. Tiruchirappalli, situated on the banks of the river Cauvery is the fourth largest city in Tamil Nadu. Hampi, the 14th century capital of one of the greatest empires of medieval India called the Vijayanagar Empire, lies in the state of Karnataka protected by the tempestuous river Tungabhadra.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
3. Which one of the following are Agasthyamala biosphere reserve?
(a) Neyyar, peppara and shendurney wildlife sanctuaries and kalakad mundanthurai tiger reserve
(b) Mudumalai sathayamangalam and Wayanad wildlife sanctuaries and silent valley national park
(c) Kaundinya gundla bhrameshwaram and papikonda wildlife sanctuaries and mukurthi national park
(d) Kawal and Shree Venkateshwara wildlife sanctuaries; and Nagarjunasagar-srisailam tiger reserve
Ans. (a) Agasthyamalai biosphere consists of Neyyar, Peppara and Shendurney Wildlife sanctuaries and their adjoining areas. So, A is the closest match.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
4. Consider the following states :
1. Chattisgarh
2. Madhya Pradesh
3. Maharashtra
4. Odisha With reference to the states mentioned above, in terms of percentage of forest cover to the total area of State, which one of the following is the correct ascending order?
(a) 2-3-1-4
(b) 2-3-4-1
(c) 3-2-4-1
(d) 3-2-1-4
Ans. (c) In terms of % forest cover: Madhya Pradesh: 25%, Odisha: 31%, Chattisgarh: 42%, Maharashtra: 15%. Thus Maharashtra (3) is lowest and Chattisgarh (1) is highest forest cover in % term. So, pattern should be 3-_-_-1. There is only one such option C.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
5. Consider the following Pairs :
Glacier: River
1. Bandarpunch : Yamuna
2. Bara Shigri : Chenab
3. Milam : Mandakini
4. Siachen : Nubra
5. Zemu : Manas Which of the following pairs given above are correctly matched?
(a) 1,2 and 4 (b) 1,3 and 4
(c) 2 and 5 (d) 3 and 5
Ans. (a) – Siachen Glacier, one of the world’s longest mountain glaciers, lying in the Karakoram Range system of Kashmir. It is the source for Nubra River. – River Mandakini actually originates from the springs fed by melting snow of Charabari glacier about one km above Kedarnath temple. – Bara Shigri is the largest glacier located in Lahaul Spiti region in Chandra Valley, Himachal Pradesh. It is a 30-km long glacier, the second longest glacier in the Himalayas after Gangotri. It flows northwards and feeds the Chenab river. Thus, by elimination, answer is A.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
6. Why are dewdrops not formed on a cloudy night?
(a) Clouds absorb the radiation released from the Earth’s surface.
(b) Clouds reflect back the Earth’s radiation.
(c) The Earth’s surface would have low temperature on cloudy nights.
(d) Clouds deflect the blowing wind to ground level.
Ans. (b) – The favorable weather elements for dew include clear skies, light wind, decent soil moisture. Clear skies allow for the maximum release of longwave radiation to space. Cloudy skies will reflect and absorb while reemitting longwave radiation back to the surface and that prevents as much cooling from occurring.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
7. With reference to the management of minor minerals in India, consider the following statements :
1. Sand is a ‘minor mineral’ according to the prevailing law in the country.
2. State Governments have the power to grant mining leases of minor minerals, but the powers regarding the formation of rules related to the grant of minor minerals lie with the Centre Government.
3. State Governments have the power to frame rules to prevent illegal mining of minor minerals.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 only
Ans. (a) – By and large non-metallic non-energy minerals fall under ‘Minor’ category. Section 15 of MMDR Act, 1957 empowers state governments to frame rules for regulating the grant of quarry leases, mining leases or other mineral concessions in respect of minor minerals; accordingly all state governments and some union territories have framed their own rules in this regard. So, that means 2 is false, and 3 is correct. Accordingly, A: 1 and 3 only.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
8. With reference to the cultivation of Kharif crops in India in the last five years, consider the following statements :
1. Area under rice cultivation is the highest.
2. Area under the cultivation of jowar is more than that of oilseeds.
3. Area of cotton cultivation is more than that of sugarcane.
4. Area under sugarcane cultivation has steadily decreased.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 2 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (a) Economic Survey 2017-18 Vol2 Ch.7 on Agriculture, Ref: Table 3 – Area under cultivation: Jowar: 5.1 million ha, while Oilseeds is 26.2. So, statement 2 is wrong, by elimination we arrive at answer A: 1 and 3 only.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2019]
9. Consider the following statements:
1. The Barren Island volcano is an active volcano located in the Indian territory.
2. Barren Island lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar.
3. The last time the Barren Island volcano erupted was in 1991 and it has remained inactive since then.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 only (d) 1 and 3
Ans. (a) Barren Island volcano became active again in March, 1991. A second phase of eruptions started in 1995. So it means third statement is wrong, by elimination, we’ve the answer A) only 1.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2018]
10. Among the following cities, which one lies on a longitude closest to that of Delhi?
(a) Bengaluru (b) Hyderabad
(c) Nagpur (d) Pune
Ans. (a) City’s coordinate figures will very depending on which site you refer to, so to maintain uniformity, I’ll use single site to fetch all coordinates- https:/ /www.mapsofindi(a)com/lat_long/ • Delhi is at 28°40?N (Longitude) and 77°20?E (Latitude) A. Bangalore: 12° 58′ N, 77° 38′ E. B. Hyderabad: 17° 20′ N, 78° 30′ E C. Nagpur: 21° 09′ N, 79° 09′ E D. Pune: 18° 31′ N, 73° 55′ E. • Thus, Latitude wise, Bangalore can be said to be the closest
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2018]
11. With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. IOD phenomenon is characterized by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) • The Hindu: Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) is an event which the western Indian Ocean becomes alternately warmer and then colder than the eastern part of the Indian ocean. So first statement is wrong. • A positive IOD leads to greater monsoon rainfall and more active (above normal rainfall) monsoon days while negative IOD leads to less rainfall and more monsoon break days (no rainfall). So yes, IOD can influence El Nino’s impact on Monsoon. So second statement is right.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2017]
12. 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?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1 and 3 only
Ans. (b) • If you apply commonsense that Himalaya ought to be passing through international border states only i.e. J&K, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunanchal Pradesh = total 5 states. But we’ve to count the “eastern hills” also, because they’re part of Himalayan system as per NCERT Class 11 India- Physical Geography. So that’d cover Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram et al so definitely more than five states. Hence first statement is wrong. • Western Ghats are spread over six States: Gujarat (southern part), Maharastra, Goa, Karnataka ,Kerala and Tamilnadu – so 2nd statement is wrong. • By elimination we are left with Answer “B”.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2017]
13. 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?
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) India Yearbook 2017, Chapter 1: Land and the People, subtopic River system. “Brahmaputra in Bangladesh is fed by Teesta etc.”Meaning Teesta merges into Brahmaputra itself rather than flowing into sea by its own. Hence third statement is wrong, therefore by elimination, we are left with answer “B”.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2017]
14. If you travel by road from Kohima to Kottayam, what is the minimum number of States within India through which you can travel, including the origin and the destination?
(a) 6 (b) 7
(c) 8 (d) 9
Ans. (b) Let’s count the shortest route in the map 1. Nagaland,Kohima 2. Assam 3. W.Bengal 4. Odisha 5. Andhra Pradesh 6. Karnataka (or Tamilnadu) 7. Kerala, Kottayam Total seven states.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2017]
15. At one of the places in India, if you stand on the seashore and watch the sea, you will find that the sea water recedes from the shore line a few kilometres and comes back to the shore, twice a day, and you can actually walk on the sea floor when the water recedes.
This unique phenomenon is seen at
(a) Bhavnagar (b) Bheemunipatnam
(c) Chandipur (d) Nagapattinam
Ans. (c) Odisha state Government’s tourism webpage says verbatim that Chandipur beach has a unique distinction on its own. Unlike other beaches, the sea water here recedes away from the shore line about five km twice a day, an unusual phenomenon, rarely found anywhere. Therefore answer is “C”.Yes, some candidates have been circulating youtube clips of Bhavnagar beach with similar phenomenon, but when it comes to UPSC Answerkey, Government site wins over YouTube or Personal travel diary blogs.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2017]
16. Which of the following is geographically closest to Great Nicobar ?
(a) Sumatra (b) Borneo
(c) Java (d) Sri Lanka
Ans. (a) In the map, Sumatra is quite closer to Great Nicobar than Sri Lanka. See:
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2017]
17. In India, in which one of the following types of forests is teak a dominant tree species?
(a) Tropical moist deciduous forest
(b) Tropical rain forest
(c) Tropical thorn scrub forest
(d) Temperate forest with grasslands
Ans. (a) Tropical moist deciduous forests exist mostly in the eastern part of the country – northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Odisha and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. Bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun, mulberry are other commercially important species.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
18. Consider the following States :
1. Arunachal Pradesh
2. Himachal Pradesh
3. Mizoram In which of the following states do “Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests” occur?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) These are typical rain forests which grow in areas where the annual rainfall exceeds 250 cm, the annual temperature is about 25°-27°C the average annual humidity exceeds 77 per cent and the dry season is distinctly short. The true evergreen forests are found along the western side of the Western Ghats (between 500 to 1370 metres above sea level) south of Mumbai, in a strip running from northeast to south-west direction across Arunachal Pradesh, Upper Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura upto a height of 1070 metres and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
19. Consider the following rivers :
1. Vamsadhara 2. Indravati
3. Pranahita 4. Pennar
Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 4 (d) 2 and 3 only
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
20. Which of the following pairs of States of India indicates the easternmost and Westernmost State?
(a) Assam and Rajasthan
(b) Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan
(c) Assam and Gujarat
(d) Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat
Ans. (d) Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat are the easternmost and westernmost states of India respectively.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
21. Which one of the following regions of India has a combination of mangrove forest, evergreen forest and deciduous forest?
(a) North Coastal Andhra Pradesh
(b) South-West Bengal
(c) Southern Saurashtra
(d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Ans. (d) Evergereen forest rquires high rainfall and high temperature, Mangrove requires saline waters with humid conditions on continental shelves. Decidous forests need dry continental interior type climate. All are available in Andaman Nicober Islands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2015]
22. Which of the following have coral reefs?
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. Gulf of Kachchh
3. Gulf of Mannar
4. Sunderbans
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (a) Coral reefs are not found in Sundarbans due to the fact that Sundarbans are having deltas and muddy waters. Coral reefs are found in relatively sediment free waters because the sediments jam the mouth of coral polyps resulting ultimately in death of corals. Except deltats and estuaries with considerable amount of sediments, the corals are found all along the Indian coast lines. Hence, A is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
23. In India, the problem of soil erosion is associated with which of the following?
1. Terrace cultivation 2. Deforestation
3. Tropical climate
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) Terrace cultivation is soil conservation methods that are practiced in hilly slope areas to prevent soil erosion. Tropical climate is not directly related to problem of soil erosion. Deforestation is one significant reason behind problem of soil erosion.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
24. Which one of the following pairs of islands is separated from each other by the ‘Ten Degree Channel’?
(a) Andaman and Nicobar
(b) Nicobar and Sumatra
(c) Maldives and Lakshadweep
(d) Sumatra and Java
Ans. (a) Ten degree channel separates two important islands remember that The Nine Degree Channel is a channel Kalpeni and Suheli Par, and Maliku Atoll.These two subgroups form the Indian Union Territory (UT) of Lakshadweep of India- Andaman and Nicobar island. It is also to worth channel in the Indian Ocean between the Lakshadweep Islands of subgroups of islands, together with the Amindivi Subgroup, Lakshadweep
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
25. Consider the following pairs: Hills : Region
1. Cardamom Hills : Coromandel Coast
2. Kaimur Hills : Konkan Coast
3. Mahadeo Hills : Central India
4. Mikir Hills : North-East India
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (c) Cardamom hills are not located on Coromandel Coast but on south-east Kerala alongside the border of Tamil Nadu. Kaimur ranges are located in eastern part of Vindhaya range in central India. Hence, both 1 and 2 are incorrectly matched. c is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
26. What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as ‘Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative’?
1. Seed cost is very low in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation.
2. Drip irrigation can be practiced very effectively in this.
3. There is no application of chemical/ inorganic fertilizers at all in this.
4. The scope for intercropping is more in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
(a) 1 and 3 only
(b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 2, 3 and 4 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (b) Sustainable agriculture does not ban the use of inorganic fertilizers but restrict the use within sustainable usage. Hence, 3rd statement is incorrect. Apart from this, Sustainable sugarcane initiative incorporates various practices such as low seed cost, drip and micro-drip irrigation methods, more scope of intercropping, soil conservation techniques like zero or low tillage farming techniques etc. Hence, 1st ,2nd and 4th statements are correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
27. Consider the following rivers :
1. Barak
2. Lohit
3. Subansiri
Which of the above flows / flow through Arunachal Pradesh?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) Barak River does not flow through Arunachal Pradesh. It rises in the hill country of Manipur State, where it is the biggest and the most important of the hill country rivers. After Manipur it flows through Mizoram State and into Assam, ending just after it enters Bangladesh where the Surma and Kushiyara rivers begin. Hence, B is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
28. With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statement :
1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand.
2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a fine wool.
3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) Changpa tribal community mainly lives in Jammu and Kashmir. They live in and around areas of Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir and rear the Pashmina goats that yield fine wool, called ‘Pashmina wool’. They are scheduled tribes under the union list of scheduled tribes. Hence, only the 2nd and 3rd statements are correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
29. Consider the following pairs: Region Well-known for the production of
1. Kinnaur : Areca nut
2. Mewat : Mango
3. Coromandel : Soya bean
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) None
Ans. (d) Areca Nuts are not found in Himachal Pradesh, where Kinnur district belongs. Kinnur is mainly famous for its scenic beauty and tourism since it is not much distant from hill station Shimla. Soyabean is mainly produced in central highlands of Madhya Pradesh, Andhara Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Mewat is located in southern Haryana and not famous for Mangos. Hence, none is matched correctly. d is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2014]
30. The Narmada river flows to the west, while most other large peninsular rivers flow to the east. Why?
1. It occupies a linear rift valley.
2. It flows between the Vindhyas and the Satpuras.
3. The land slopes to the west from Central India.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) None
Ans. (a) The only reason due to which Narmada flows to the west is the physiography of the drainage bed. The river flows in a rift valley between Vindhyas and Satpura. Hence, (a) is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
31. Which of the following is / are the characteristic/ characteristics of Indian coal?
1. High ash content
2. Low sulphur content
3. Low ash fusion temperature
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (c) Indian coal is infamous for high sulphur content and high ash content
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
32. Consider the following pairs National Park River flowing through the Park
1. Corbett National Park – Ganga
2. Kaziranga National Park – Manas
3. Silent Valley National Park – Kaveri
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 (d) None
Ans. (d) None of the given are matched correctly.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
33. Consider the following statements:
1. Natural gas occurs in the Gondwana beds.
2. Mica occurs in abundance in Kodarma.
3. Dharwars are famous for petroleum.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 only
(c) 2 and 3 (d) None
Ans. (c) Gondwana beds are famous for coal and not natural gas. Thus, 1st statement is incorrect. Mica occurs in abundance in Kodarma, Jharkhand. Dharwad rocks found in Dharwad region of Karnataka are famous for minerals and petroleum. Hence, 2nd and 3rd statements are correct. Hence, c is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
34. Which of the following statements regarding laterite soils of India are correct?
1. They are generally red in colour.
2. They are rich in nitrogen and potash.
3. They are well-developed in Rajasthan and UP.
4. Tapioca and cashew nuts grow well on these soils.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 2 and 3 only
Ans. (c) Laterite soil is not rich in nitrogen and potash. Infact, they are nitrogen deficient. Thus, 2nd statement is incorrect. Desert and Alluvial soils are well developed in Rajasthan. The ‘d’ statement is also incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
35. Consider the following pairs :
Tribe State
1. Limboo (Limbu) : Sikkim
2. Karbi : Himachal Pradesh
3. Dongaria : Odisha
4. Bonda : Tamil Nadu
Which of the above pairs are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
36. Consider the following crops
1. Cotton 2. Groundnut
3. Rice 4. Wheat Which of these are Kharif crops?
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (c) Wheat is not a kharif crop. It is a Rabi crop. Except wheat, all three are kharif crops. Hence, C is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2013]
37. Despite having large reserves of coal, why does India import millions of tonnes of coal?
1. It is the policy of India to save its own coal reserves for future and import it from other countries for the present use.
2. Most of the power plants in India are coal based and they are not able to get sufficient supplies of coal from within the country
3. Steel companies need large quantity of cooking coal which has to be imported.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3
Ans. (b) The 1st statement is false since there is not such government policy to save its most sought energy resource- coal. In-fact, India imports a large chunk of coal to meet its domestic demand. Steel companies need large quantity of cooking coal which is not found in India and imported from Australia, Indonesia and other foreign countries. Hence, except 1st statement, all statements are true. B is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2012]
38. A particular State in India has the following characteristics :
1. It is located on the same latitude which passes through northern Rajasthan
2. It has over 80% of its area under forest cover
3. Over 12% of the forest cover constitutes Protected Area Network in this State.
Which one among the following States has all the above characteristics?
(a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Assam
(c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Uttarakhand
Ans. (a) Arunachal Pradesh fulfills all these conditions. It has over 85% area under forest cover and it also has over 12% of the forest cover that constitutes Protected Area. Arunachal Pradesh has two National Parks and ten wildlife Sanctuaries. Some of these famous Protected Areas in Arunachal Pradesh could be enlisted as following:
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2012]
39. Consider the following statements:
1. The duration of the monsoon decreases from southern India to northern India.
2. The amount of annual rainfall in the northern plains of India decreases from east to west.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (c) Both given statements are correct. The duration of the monsoon decreases from southern India to northern India. The amount of annual rainfall in the northern plains of India decreases from east to west. The reasons behind this pattern is that since the rainfall in the Indian subcontinent is caused by moisture bearing south-west monsoon winds, the duration of the monsoon is highest nearby coastal regions and decreases onwards once the winds start moving towards the inland regions. This happens due to fast loosening of moisture in these winds. The same could be associated with the annual rainfall distribution in northern plains from east to west.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2012]
40. Consider the following crops of India :
1. Groundnut 2. Sesamum
3. Pearl millet
Which of the above is/are predominantly rain-fed crop/crops?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 3 only (d) 1,2 and 3
Ans. (d) Rainfed crops are those crops that are raised during monsoon season. The kharif crops are all rain-fed crops.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2012]
41. When you travel in Himalayas, you will see the following :
1. Deep gorges
2. U-turn river courses
3. Parallel mountain ranges
4. steep gradients causing land-sliding
Which of the above can be said to be the evidences for the Himalayas being young fold mountains?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 1, 2 and 4 only
(c) 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) The Himalayan mountain range and Tibetan plateau have formed as a result of the collision between the Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate which began 50 million years ago and continues today. This continuous collision of two inter-continental plates caused severe strain on surface landforms forming deep gorges, U-turn river course, parallel mountain ranges and steep gradients causing land-sliding. Hence, all can be called features of young fold mountains such as Himalayas and Rockies. D is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2012]
42. Consider the following crops in India :
1. Cow pea 2. Green gram
3. Pigeon pea
Which of the above is/are used as pulse, fodder and green manure?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) Cow Pea, Green gram and Pigeon pea all are used as pulse, fodder as well as green manure. Hence, D is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2012]
43. Following are the characteristics of an area in India:
1. Hot and humid climate
2. Annual rainfall 200 cm
3. Hill slopes up to an altitude of 1100 metres
4. Annual range of temperature 15°C to 30°C 4 Which one among the following crops are you most likely to find in the area described above ?
(a) Mustard (b) Cotton
(c) Pepper (d) Virginia tobacco
Ans. (c) These are requirements of Pepper Cultivation.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
44. With reference to the mineral resources of India, consider the following pairs: Mineral 90% Natural sources in
1. Copper Jharkhand
2. Nickel Orissa
3. Tungsten Kerala
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
45. With reference to soil conservation, consider the following practices :
1. Crop rotation 2. Sand fences
3. Terracing 4. Wind breaks
Which of the above are considered appropriate methods for soil conservation in India ?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (c) Send fences are used to preserve the ‘sand dune areas’, which has very remote relevance to soil conservation and virtually no relevance in soil preservation in agronomic sense. Thus, except 2nd statement, all are correct statement. C is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
46. Tamil Nadu is a leading producer of mill-made cotton yarn in the country. What could be the reason?
1. Black cotton soil is the predominant type of soil in the State.
2. Rich pool of skilled labour is available.
Which of the above is/are the correct reasons?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1, and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) Statement 1 is wrong: Tamilnadu has mainly Red soils.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
47. In India, which type of forest among the following occupies the largest area?
(a) Montane Wet Temperate Forest
(b) Sub-tropical Dry Evergreen Forest
(c) Tropical Moist Deciduous Forest
(d) Tropical Wet Evergreen Forest
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
48. Which one of the following is the appropriate reason for considering the Gondwana rocks as most important of rock systems of India?
(a) More than 90% of limestone reserves of India are found in them
(b) More than 90% of India’s coal reserves are found in them
(c) More than 90% of fertile black cotton soils are spread over them
(d) None of the reasons given above is appropriate in this context
Ans. (b) Gondwana rocks are significant to the Indian economy in the sense that they contain more than 90% of India’s total coal reserves.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
49. Rivers that pass through Himachal Pradesh are
(a) Beas and Chenab only
(b) Beas and Ravi only
(c) Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej only
(d) Beas, Chenab, Ravi, Sutlej and Yamuna
Ans. (d) All of the rivers passes through Himachal Pradesh
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
@50. With reference to, the river Luni, which one of the following statements is correct?
(a) It flows into Gulf of Khambhat
(b) It flows into Gulf of Kuchchh
(c) It flows into Pakistan and merges with a tributary of-Indus
(d) It is lost in the marshy land of the Rann of Kuchchh
Ans. (d) Luni river is lost in the marshy land of Rann of Kachch. Luni River is located in the western side of Rajasthan state; has its origin in the Arravalli Ranges nearby the Pushkar valley.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
51. When you travel in certain parts of India, you will notice red soil. What is the main reason for this colour?
(a) Abundance of magnesium
(b) Accumulated humus
(c) Presence of ferric oxides
(d) Abundance of phosphates
Ans. (c) Presence of ferric oxides is primarily responsible for red colour of the Red soil.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
52. If there were no Himalayan ranges, what would have been the most likely geographical impact on India ?
1. Much of the country would experience the cold waves from Siberia.
2. Indo-gangetic plain would be devoid of such extensive alluvial soils.
3. The pattern of monsoon would be different from what it is at present.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 3 only
(c) 2 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) The Himalayas play a very important role in influencing the climate of India. India is a monsoon land only because of the presence of Himalayas. It traps the monsoon winds from Arabian sea and Bay of Bengal and forces them to shed their moisture content within the Indian sub-continent in the form of snow and rain. It also forbids cold air masses from the north pole from entering into Indian sub continent.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
53. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
Dam/Lake River
(a) Govind Sagar Sutlej
(b) Kolleru Lake Krishna
(c) Ukai Reservoir Tapi
(d) Wular Lake Jhelum
Ans. (d) Gobind Sagar is a man-made reservoir situated in Bilaspur District, Himachal Pradesh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
54. The approximate representation of land use classification in India is
(a) Net area sown 25%; forests 33%; other areas 42%
(b) Net area sown 58%; forests 17%; other areas 25%
(c) Net area sown 43%; forests 29%; other areas 28%
(d) Net area sown 47%; forests 23%; other areas 30%
Ans. (d) The correct option is (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
55. The latitudes that pass through Sikkim also pass through
(a) Rajasthan (b) Punjab
(c) Himachal Pradesh (d) Jammu & Kashmir
Ans. (a) The latitude which pass through Sikkim also passes through Rajasthan.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
56. In India, during the last decade the total cultivated land for which one of the following crops has remained more or less stagnant?
(a) Rice (b) Oil seeds
(c) Pulses (d) Sugarcane
Ans. (c) The production of the pulses has not gone up since the cultivated land for pulse crops has been stagnant.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2011]
57. Which one of the following states border Uttar Pradesh?
1. Punjab 2. Rajasthan
3. Chhattisgarh 4. Jharkhand
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 1 and 3
Ans. (b) Uttar Pradesh does not share its borders with Punjab Uttarakhand.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
58. According to Census 2001, which one of the following Indian States has the maximum population in India after Uttar Pradesh?
(a) West Bengal
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Bihar
(d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (b) According to census 2001, Maharahstra has the maximum population in India after Uttar Pradesh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
59. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) The Western Ghats are relatively higher in their northern (b) The Anai Mudi is the highest peak in the Western Ghats
(c) Tapi river lies to the south of Satpura.
(d) The Narmada and the Tapi river valleys are said to be Pradesh?
below:
Punjab after creation of all the five known five varieties of silk Pradesh followed by India.
included then only India northern region Ghats be old rift valleys.
Ans. (a) The Western Ghats are relatively higher in middle Western ghats and hence, the first statement is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
60. Consider the following statements :
1. India is the only country in the world producing all commercial varieties of silk.
2. India is the largest producer of sugar in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) India produces only four varieties of silk Mulberry, Eri, Tassar and Muga out of the total of five known in the world. Mulberry silk — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, A.P. Muga — North-eastern states and Bihar Tassar — Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh Eri — Assam and adjoining north-eastern states. Brazil is the largest producer of sugar in the world. It is If along with sugarcane other sweetners are also included would occupy the position one.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
61. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given hills starting from the north and going towards the south?
(a) Nallamalai Hills – Nilgiri Hills – Javadi Hills –
Anaimalai Hills
(b) Anaimalai Hills – Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills –
Nallamalai Hills
(c) Nallamalai Hills – Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills –
Anaimalai Hills
(d) Anaimalai Hills –
Nallamalai Hills – Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills
Ans. (c) Nallamalai hills – Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills – Anaimalai Hills as per their locations moving from north and going towards south.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
62. For which one of the following items, is Tirupur well-known as a huge exporter to many parts of the world?
(a) Gems and Jewellery
(b) Leather goods
(c) Knitted garments
(d) Handicrafts
Ans. (c) Tirupur is an important trade center of India which is famous for its knitted garment wears. It is situated near Coimbatore which is known as “The Manchester of South India”. Tirupur is a major source of Foreign Exchange for the country because of its exports. It is famous for exports of all Knitted garment wears such as T-Shirts, Polo-Shirts, Sweat Shirts, Banyans, Pajamas & Night Dresses on various fabrics like Single Jersey, Interlock, Fleece, Polar Fleece, Pique Jersey, Pointelle Jersey, RIB, Pointelle RIB, Drop Needle etc.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
63. Gandhi Sagar Dam is a part of which one of the following?
(a) Chambal Project
(b) Kosi Project
(c) Damodar Valley Project
(d) Bhakra Nangal Project
Ans. (a) The Gandhi Sagar Dam is one of the four major dams built on India’s Chambal River. The dam is located in the Mandsaur district of the state of Madhya Pradesh. It is 64m tall stone-work gravity dam with storage capacity of 6,920 Mm3. It also has hydroelectric power facility with five power generating division, each of capacity of 2MW.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
64. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given Indian cities in the decreasing order of their normal annual rainfall?
(a) Kochi – Kolkata – Delhi – Patna
(b) Kolkata – Kochi – Patna – Delhi
(c) Kochi – Kolkata – Patna – Delhi
(d) Kolkata – Kochi – Delhi – Patna
Ans. (c) Among given cities, Kochi receives the highest rainfall, followed by Kolkata. Patna city receives higher rainfall than Delhi and hence, c is the correct sequence.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
65. Consider the following statements :
1. India is the second country in the world to adopt a National Family Planning Programme.
2. The National Population Policy of India 2000 seeks to achieve replacement level of fertility by 2010 with a Population of 111 crores.
3. Kerala is the first State in India to achieve replacement level of fertility.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) National Population Policy 2000 had an imm ediate objective to address the issues related to (i) Health care infrastructure for RCH (Reproductive and Child Health Care) (ii) Encourage people to understand the need of contraceptive devices (iii)reduce both infant and maternal mortality rate (iv) introduction and proper implementation on of child’s immunization policy with regular and timely vaccination. (v) promote the acceptance of small family norms based on ‘Hum Do, Hamare Do’ etc.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
66. Consider the following statements :
1. Area wise Chhattisgarh is larger than West Bengal.
2. According to the Population 2001 Census population of West Bengal is larger than that of Chhattisgarh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 Only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) Area wise Chhattisgarh is 135194 km2 and West Bengal is 88752 Km2. • As per Census 2011, West Bengal has population of 9.13 Crores and population of Chhattisgarh is 2.56 Crores.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
67. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) There is no definition of the Scheduled Tribe in the Constitution of India.
(b) North-East India accounts for a little over half of the country’s tribal Population.
(c) The people known as Todas live in the Nilgiri area.
(d) Lotha is a language spoken in Nagaland.
Ans. (a) Indian constitution does define scheduled tribes. The term Scheduled Tribes first appeared in the Constitution of India. Article 366 (25) defined scheduled tribes as “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this constitution”.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2010]
68. Consider the following statements :
1. There are no east flowing rivers in Kerala
2. There are no west flowing rivers in Madhya Pradesh
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) There are three rivers which arise in Kerala and flow eastwards, These are : • Kabani – Karnataka • Bhavani – Tamil Nadu • Pambar – Tamil Nadu Narmada and Tapi, are two west flowing rivers in Madhya Pradesh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
69. Consider the following statements:
1. India does not have any deposits of Thorium
2. Kerala’s monazite sands contain Uranium
Which of the above statements is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) India has one of the largest reserves of Thorium in the world. Thorium is found in Monazites sand of coastal India, most prominently in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala coastal regions. Hence, both statements are incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
70. At which one of the following places two important rivers of India originate; while one of them flows towards north and merges with another important river flowing towards Bay of Bengal, the other one flow towards Arabian Sea?
(a) Amarkantak (b) Badrinath
(c) Mahabaleshwar (d) Nasik
Ans. (a) Amarkantak
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
71. Which one of the following rivers does not originate in India?
(a) Beas (b) Chenab
(c) Ravi (d) Sutlej
Ans. (d) The source of the Sutlej is near Lake Rakshastal in Tibet. From there, under the Tibetan name Langqên Zangbo (Elephant River), it flows at first westnorthwest for about 260 kilometres to the Shipki La pass, entering India in Himachal Pradesh state.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
72. Consider the Following statements :
1. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001, the density of the population in India has increased more than three times.
2. Between Census 1951 and Census 2001 the annual growth rate (exponential) of the population of India has doubled.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) d is the correct answer
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
73. In which one of the following places is the Shompen tribe found?
(a) Nilgiri Hills (b) Nicobar Islands
(c) Spiti Valley (d) Lakshadweep Islands
Ans. (b) The Shompen or Shom Pen are the indigenous people of the interior of Great Nicobar Island, part of the Indian union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
74. The Dul Hasti Power Station is based on which one of the following rivers?
(a) Beas (b) Chenab
(c) Ravi (d) Sutlej
Ans. (b) Dul Hasti is a 390 MW hydroelectric power plant in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir, India built by NHPC. The power plant is the water run-of-theriver type on the swift-flowing Chenab River in the Kishtwar region, a rugged, mountainous section of the Himalayas, and several hundred kilometers from larger cities.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
75. In India, the ports are categorized as major and nonmajor ports. Which one of the following is a nonmajor port?
(a) Kochi (Cochin) (b) Dahej
(c) Paradip (d) New Mangalore
Ans. (b) Dahej port is a minor port, strategically situated on international maritime routes and provides easy access to the dense industrial hubs of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2009]
76. In which one of the following states are Namchik- Namphuk located?
(a) Arunachal Pradesh (b) Meghalaya
(c) Manipur (d) Mizoram
Ans. (a) Namchik-Namphuk Coalfields is located in Arunachal Pradesh. is the predominant coal type that is extracted here.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
77. In India, How many States share the coastline?
(a) 7 (b) 8
(c) 9 (d)10
Ans. (c) Therefore the total number is nine shown below. union territory and not a state. Therefore, the total number given below.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
78. With which one of the following rivers is the Omkareshwar Project associated?
(a) Chambal (b) Narmada
(c) Tapi (d) Bhima
Ans. (b) The Omkareshwar Dam is a gravity dam on the Narmada River just upstream of Mandhata in Khandwa district, Madhya Pradesh, India. It is named after the Omkareshwar temple located just downstream.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
79. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List-I (Board) : List II (Headquarters)
A. Coffee Board : 1. Bangalore
B. Rubber Board : 2. Guntur
C. Tea Board : 3. Kotayam
D. Tobacco Board : 4. Kolkata
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1 (b) 1 3 4 2
(c) 2 3 4 1 (d) 1 4 3 2
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
80. Which one of the following rivers is the Tehri Hydropower Complex located?
(a) Alaknanda (b) Bhagirathi
(c) Dhauliganga (d) Mandakini
Ans. (b) Tehri Hydropower Complex is located on Bhagirathi river.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
81. Which of the following minerals are found in a natural way in the State of Chhattisgarh?
1. Bauxite 2. Dolomite
3. Iron ore 4. Tin
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 ,3 and 4 only (b) 3 only
(c) 2 only (d) 1 only
Ans. (a) All of the following are found in the state of Chhattisgarh in natural way: • Iron Ore • Bauxite • Limestone • Dolomite • Coal • Tin Ore • Corundum
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
82. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
Irrigation Project : State
1. Damanganga : Gujarat
2. Girma : Maharashtra
3. Pamba : Kerala
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
83. Which of the following pairs are-correctly matched?
Waterfalls : River
1. Kapildhara Falls : Godavari
2. Jog Falls : Sharavati
3. Sivasamudram Falls : Cauvery
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only
(c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (b) The correct match is following: 1. Kapildhara Falls : Narmada 2. Jog Falls : Sharavati 3. Sivasamudram Falls : Cauvery Kapildhara waterfall is located in the Amarkantak district of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. It lies at a distance of 6 kilometres from the Narmada Kund.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
84. Which two countries follow China and India in the decreasing order of their populations?
(a) Brazil and USA
(b) USA and Indonesia
(c) Canada and Malaysia
(d) Russia and Nigeria
Ans. (b) The USA and Indonesia are in 3rd and 4th positions in world population following China and India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
85. Which of the following pairs in respect to correct Power generation in India is/are correctly matched?
(Rounded Figure)
1. Installed electricity generation capacity : 100000 MW
2. Electricity generation : 660 billion kWh
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) The utility electricity sector in India had an installed capacity of 303 GW as of 2016. Renewable Power plants constitute 28% of total installed capacity and Non- Renewable Power Plants constitute the remaining 72%.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
86. Which of the following are among the million-plus cities in India on the basis of data of the Census,2001?
1. Ludhiana 2. Kochi
3. Surat 4. Nagpur
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only (b) 2, 3 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 4 only (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) According to Census 2001, all are million-plus cities in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
87. Amongst the following States, which one has the highest percentage of rural population (on the basis of the Census,2001)?
(a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Bihar
(c) Orissa (d) Uttar Pradesh
Ans. (b) Bihar has the highest rural population.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
88. Consider the following statements :
1. Chikmagalur is well-known for sugar production.
2. Mandya is well-known as a coffee-production region.
Which of the statements given above is/ are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(b) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) Chikmagalur is a town located in the Chikkamagaluru Indian state of Karnataka. Located in the foothills of range, the town with its favorable climate and coffee estates from around the state. Mandya is aso not a coffee producing area.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
89. Where are Tapovan and Vishnugarh Hydroelectric Projects located?
(a) Madhya Pradesh
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Uttarakhand
(d) Rajasthan
Ans. (c) The Tapovan Vishnugad power plant is a 520MW run-of-river project located on Dhauliganga River in Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
90. Which of the following hills are found where the Eastern Ghats and the Western Ghats meet?
(a) Anaimalai Hills
(b) Cardamon Hills
(c) Nilgiri Hills
(d) Shevoroy Hills
Ans. (c) Nilgiri Hills: The Nilgiri, are a range of mountains forming part of the Western Ghats as well as Eastern Ghats which is located in the western part of Tamil Nadu, at the junction of Karnataka and Kerala states in Southern India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
91. Consider the following statements :
Tributary Main River River
1. Chambal : Narmada
2. Sone : Yamuna
3. Manas : Brahmaputra
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
(a) 1,2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2 only
(b) 2 and 3 only (d) 3 only
Ans. (d) The correct match of tributary rivers is : 1. Chambal : Yamuna 2. Sone : Ganges 3. Manas : Brahmaputra
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2008]
92. Which one among the following major Indian cities is the most eastward located?
(a) Hyderabad
(b) Bhopal
(c) Lucknow
(d) Benguluru (Bangalore)
Ans. (c) Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, the state capital is the most eastwardly located among given options.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
93. Match List-I with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists :
List-I (Town) : List-II (River Nearer to it)
A. Betul : 1. Indravati
B. Jagdalpur : 2. Narmada
C. Jabalpur : 3. Shipra
D. Ujjain : 4. Tapti
(a) 1 4 2 3 (b) 4 1 2 3
(c) 4 1 3 2 (d) 1 4 3 2
Ans. (b) The correct match is: A. Betul : Tapti B. Jagdalpur : Indravati C. Jabalpur : Narmada D. Ujjain : Shipra
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
94. Which one of the following National Highways passes (a) NH 4 (b) NH 5
(c) NH 6 (d) NH 7
Ans. (c) National Highway 6 (NH 6), is a National Highway in Odisha, Jharkhand and West Bengal state in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
95. Consider the following statements :
1. Balaghat is known for its diamond mines.
2. Majhgawan is known for its manganese deposits.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) Balaghat is known for Manganese mines. Bharveli mines of Manganese are very famous in Balaghat, not only for its Manganese production but also for tourism as the Manganese mines in this district is deepest in the world and surrounded by magnificent hills. Majhgawan is located in Panna district of Madhya Pradesh, the only diamond producing district of the country. Majhgawan is located geographically almost attached with Panna Tiger Reserve causing ecological problems in the Tiger Sanctuary.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
96. In which one of the following districts, have large reserves of diamond-bearing kimberlite been discovered in the recent past?
(a) Hoshangabad (b) Raipur
(c) Sambalpur (d) Warangal
Ans. (b) In Warangal town of AP, recently diamond bearing Kimberlite pipe has been discovered. Kimberlite pipe is a strand that runs down from the surface. The diamonds discovered in these pipe are raw diamonds.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
97. Which one of the following rivers originates at Amarkantak ?
(a) Damodar (b) Mahanadi
(c) Narmada (d) Tapti
Ans. (c) The Narmada originates in Amarkantak, the highest peak of the Vindhyachal Range, it flows westward through Madhya Pradesh including Hoshangabad and Gujarat before finally ending its journey in the Gulf of Khambat.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
98. Which one among the following States of India has the lowest density of population?
(a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Meghalaya
(c) Arunachal Pradesh (d) Sikkim
Ans. (c) According to the census of 2001, the state with the lowest population density is Arunachal Pradesh and the Union Territory with the lowest density of population is Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
99. Out of the four southern States: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, which shares boundaries with the maximum number of Indian States?
(a) Andhra Pradesh Only
(b) Karnataka Only
(c) Each of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
(d) Each of Tamil Nadu and Kerala
Ans. (c) After the formation of Telangana the distribution of boundaries are as follows: • Andhra Pradesh share boundary with Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. • Karnataka share boundary with Maharashtra, Goa, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. • Kerala share boundary with Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry • Tamil Nadu share boundary with Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Puducherry
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
@100. Dalbergia species is associated with which one of the following?
(a) Cashew nut (b) Coffee
(c) Tea (d) Rosewood
Ans. (d) Indian Rosewood is popularly known as ‘Dalbergia’.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
101. Where were Shevaroy Hills located?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Karnataka
(c) Kerla (d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (d) The ‘Shevaroy Hills’, are a towering mountain range near the town of Salem, in Tamil Nadu state, southern India. It is one of the major hill stations in Tamil Nadu, in the Eastern Ghats.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
102. In which State is the Guru Shikhar Peak located?
(a) Rajasthan (b) Gujarat
(c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Maharashtra
Ans. (a) Guru Shikhar, a peak in the Arbuda Mountains of Rajasthan, is the highest point of the Aravalli Range. It rises to an elevation of 1,722 meters.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
103. Assertion (a): River Kalinadi is an east-flowing river in the southern part of India.
Reason(R): The Deccan Plateau is higher along its western edge and gently slopes towards the Bay of Bengal in the east. :
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is True but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) Kalinadi (kali) originates in the village of Kushawali and flows west through marshland to join the Arabian Sea near the town of Karwar. The Deccan Plateau is higher along its western edge and gently slopes towards the Bay of Bengal in the east. Hence, the Assertion is false but the Reason is true.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
104. Which one of the following is the correct sequence in the decreasing order of production ( in million tonnes) of the given foodgrains in India ?
(a) Wheat-Rice-Pulses-Coarse cereals
(b) Rice-Wheat-Pulses-Coarse cereals
(c) Wheat-Rice-Coarse cereals-Pulses
(d) Rice-Wheat- Coarse cereals- Pulses
Ans. (d) According to a data available with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR): Rice- 114 mt Wheat-98mt Coarse cereals- 51mt Pulses- 22mt
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2007]
105. From North towards South, which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given rivers in India?
(a) Shyok – Spiti – Zaskar – Satluj
(b) Shyok – Zaskar – Spiti – Satluj
(c) Zaskar – Shyok – Satluj – Spiti
(d) Zaskar – Satluj – Shyok – Spiti
Ans. (b) “Shyok River”, the tributary river of the Indus, is the northern of India. It originates in the Rimo Glacier and flows through Ladakh in India. If someone moves towards south from would see the given rivers in following order: • Shyok • Zaskar • Spiti • Satluj
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
106. Consider the following statements:
1. Sikkim has the minimum area among the 28 Indian States (Delhi and Pondicherry not included).
2. Chandigarh has the highest literacy rate among Pondicherry, NCT of Delhi and other Union Territories.
3. Maharashtra has the highest population after Uttar Pradesh among the 28 Indian States (Delhi and Pondicherry not included).
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 only (d) 3 only
Ans. (d) Goa is the smallest state of India having the minimum area among all 29 states. Hence, 1st statement is incorrect. Pondicherry has the greater literacy rate among all Union Territories therefore, the second statement is incorrect. The 3rd statement is correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
107. Recently Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh governments Memorandum of Understanding for the linking of two project. Which are these two rivers?
(a) Betwa and Chambal (b) Betwa and Ken
(c) Chambal and Son (d) Ken and Narmada
Ans. (b) The two rivers involved are Betwa and Ken.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
108. Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched?
Monastery : State
(a) Dhankar Monastery : Himachal Pradesh
(b) Rumtek Monastery : Sikkim
(c) Tabo Monastery : Himachal Pradesh
(d) Kye Monastery : Arunachal Pradesh
Ans. (d) Kye Gompa Monastry is a Tibetan Buddhist monastery a hill at an altitude of 4,166 meters above sea level, close in the Spiti Valley of Himachal Pradesh, Lahaul and Spiti
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
109. Consider the following statements :
1. Assam shares a border with Bhutan and Bangladesh.
2. West Bengal shares a border with Bhutan and Nepal
3. Mizoram shares a border with Bangladesh and Myanmar
Which of the statements given above are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2, only
(c) 2 and 3, only (d) 1 and 3, only
Ans. (a) If we observe the map of India closely, we find that : • Assam shares a border with Bhutan and Bangladesh. • West Bengal shares a border with Bhutan and Nepal • Mizoram also share its borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar. Hence, all statements are correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
110. Which of the following substances are found in the beach sands of many parts of Kerala?
1. Ilmenite
2. Zircon
3. Silimanite
4. Tungsten
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4 only
(d) 1 and 2 only
Ans. (b) Kerala State is endowed with a number of occurrences/ deposits of minerals such as Heavy Mineral Sands (Ilmenite, Rutile, Zircon, Monazite, Sillimanite), Gold, Iron ore, Bauxite, Graphite, China Clay, Fire Clay, Tile and Brick Clay, Silica Sand, Lignite, Limestone, Limeshell, Dimension Stone (Granite), Gemstones, Magnesite, Steatite etc. except Tungsten.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
111. Match List-1 with List-II and select the correct answer using the code given below the lists:
List – I (Valley) List-II (State)
A. Markha Valley 1. Sikkim
B. Dzukou Valley 2. Himachal Pradesh
C. Sangla Valley 3. Jammu and Kashmir
D. Yumthang Valley 4. Nagaland
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1 (b) 3 1 2 4
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 3 4 2 1
Ans. (b) The Correct Match is following: Markha Valley – Ladakah, Jammu and Kashmir Dzukou Valley – Sikkim Sangla Valley – Himachal Pradesh Yumthang Valley- Nagaland
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
112. Assertion (a): The percentage of net sown area to the total area of Andhra Pradesh is less as compared to that of West Bengal.
Reason (R): The soil of most of Andhra Pradesh is laterite. :
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is True but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) The percentage of net sown area to the total area of Andhra Pradesh is less as compared to that of West Bengal. But the reason behind is not that Andhra Pradesh has laterite soil. In –fact, AP has most kind of soil but Red Soil is predominant among others. Hence, Assertion is true but the Reason is false.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
113. Consider the following statements :
1. According to the Census 2001, Kerala has the smallest gap in male and female literacy rates among the 28 states of India (Delhi and Pondicherry not included).
2. According to the Census 2001, Rajasthan has literacy rate above the national average literacy rate
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) The 2nd statement is true as per census 2001
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2006]
114. According to Census 2001, which one of the following Indian States has the maximum population in India after Uttar Pradesh?
(a) West Bengal (b) Maharashtra
(c) Bihar (d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
115. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) The Western Ghats are relatively higher in their northern region
(b) The Anai Mudi is the highest peak in the Western Ghats
(c) Tapi river lies to the south of Satpura.
(d) The Narmada and the Tapi river valleys are said to be old rift valleys.
Ans. (a) The Western Ghats are relatively higher in middle region as compared to northern and southern region.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
116. Consider the following statements:
1. India is the only country in the world producing all the five known commercial varieties of silk.
2. India is the largest producer of sugar in the world.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) India produces four varieties of silk produced, viz. Mulberry, Eri, Tassar and Muga. After Brazil, India is the largest sugar producer in the world and it leads in sugarcane production. However, if alternative sweeteners such as khandsari (sort of raw sugar) and gur (jaggery) are included in the fold, then India would be the largest overall producer of sugar. Brazil accounts for approximately 22 percent of the global sugar production and India contributes to almost 14 percent. Therefore, both the statements are incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
117. For which one of the following items, is “Tirupur” well-known as a huge exporter to many parts of the world?
(a) Gems and Jewellery (b) Leather goods
(c) Knitted garments (d) Handicrafts
Ans. (c) Tirupur is an important trade center of India which is famous for its knitted garment wears. It is situated near Coimbatore which is known as “The Manchester of South India”. Tirupur is a major source of Foreign Exchange for the country because of its exports. It is famous for exports of all Knitted garment.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
118. Gandhi Sagar Dam is a part of which one of the following?
(a) Chambal Project
(b) Kosi Project
(c) Damodar Valley Project
(d) Bhakra Nangal Project
Ans. (a) The Gandhi Sagar Dam is one of the four major dams built on India’s Chambal River. The dam is located in the Mandsaur district of the state of Madhya Pradesh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
119. Which one of the following states border Uttar Pradesh?
1. Punjab 2. Rajasthan 3. Chhattisgarh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below (a) 1, 2, 3 and 4 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1 and 4 (d) 1 and 3
Ans. (b) Uttar Pradesh does not share its border with Punjab. Rest states of Uttar Pradesh. Hence, B is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
120. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given hills starting from the north and going towards the south?
(a) Nallamalai Hills – Nilgiri Hills – Javadi Hills –
Anaimalai Hills
(b) Anaimalai Hills – Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills –
Nallamalai Hills
(c) Nallamalai Hills Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills –
Anaimalai Hills
(d) Anaimalai Hills – Nallamalai Hills – Javadi Hills – Nilgiri Hills
Ans. (c) The correct sequence of the hills from north-to-south would Hills – Nilgiri Hills – Javadi Hills – Anaimalai Hills.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
121. Which one of the following statements is not correct?
(a) There is no definition of the Scheduled Tribe in the Constitution of India.
(b) North-East India accounts for a little over half of the country’s tribal population.
(c) The people known as Todas live in the Nilgiri area.
(d) Lotha is a language spoken in Nagaland.
Ans. (a) Article 366 (25) defines the scheduled tribes as “such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under Article 342 to be Scheduled Tribes for the purposes of this constitution”. Article 342, which is reproduced below, prescribes procedure to be followed in the matter of specification of scheduled tribes. Thus, (a) is the incorrect statement. Hence, the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
122. Consider the following statements:
1. India is the second country in the world to adopt a National Family Planning Programme.
2. The National Population Policy of India 2000 seeks to achieve replacement level of fertility by 2010 with a Population of 111 crores.
3. Kerala is the first State in India to achieve replacement level of fertility.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (d) All 1, 2 and 3 are correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
123. Consider the following statements:
1. Area wise Chhattisgarh is larger than West Bengal.
2. According to the Population 2001 Census population of West Bengal is larger than that of Chhattisgarh.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 Only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) With the available data so far, neither area wise nor population wise Chhattisgarh is bigger than West Bengal.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
124. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the given Indian cities in the decreasing order of their normal annual rainfall?
(a) Kochi – Kolkata – Delhi – Patna
(b) Kolkata – Kochi – Patna – Delhi
(c) Kochi – Kolkata – Patna – Delhi
(d) Kolkata – Kochi – Delhi – Patna
Ans. (c) Among given, Kochi receives the highest average rainfall. Kolkata stands second after Kochi. Patna receives higher average rainfall than Delhi but lesser than Kolkata. Therefore, the correct sequence is Kochi – Kolkata – Patna – Delhi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2005]
125. Consider the following crops :
1. Cotton 2. Groundnut
3. Maize 4. Mustard
Which of the above are Kharif crops?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1, 2 and 3
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (b) Mustard is not Kharif crop. It is a rabi crop. Hence, correct option is B The kharif crops include rice, maize, sorghum, pearl millet/bajra, finger millet/ragi (cereals), arhar (pulses), soyabean, groundnut (oilseeds), cotton etc. The major rabi crop in India is wheat, followed by barley, mustard, sesame and peas. Peas are harvested early, as they are ready early: Indian markets are flooded with green peas from January to March, peaking in February.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
126. Match List-I (Minerals) with List-II (Location) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists :
List-I (Minerals) List-II (Location)
A. Coal : 1. Giridih
B. Copper : 2. Jayamkondam
C. Manganese : 3. Alwar
D. Lignite : 4. Dharwar
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 4 3 2 (b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 1 3 4 2 (d) 2 4 3 1
Ans. (c) Giridih is famous for coal. Alwar is famous for copper production and Dharwar for manganese production.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
127. In which one of the following Union Territories, do the people of the Onge tribe live?
(a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(b) Dadra and Nagar Haveli
(c) Daman and Diu
(d) Lakshadweep
Ans. (a) The Onge are one of the Andamanese indigenous peoples of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
128. Which among the following National Highway routes is the longest?
(a) Agra-Mumbai
(b) Chennai-Thane
(c) Kolkata-Hajira
(d) Pune-Machilipatnam
Ans. (a) Agra- Mumbai (National Highway- 3) is the longest National Highway among all given highways.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
129. Consider the following statement : Among the Indian States
1. Andhra Pradesh has the longest coastline.
2. Gujarat has the highest number of airports.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only (b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2 (d) neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (b) Gujarat has the longest coastline among all states. Gujarat also has the highest number of commercial airports. Thus, only 2nd statement is correct whereas the 1st statement is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
130. Consider the following statements : As per 2001 Census
1. the two States with the lowest sex ratio are Haryana and Punjab.
2. the two States with the lowest population per sq km of area are Meghalaya and Mizoram.
3. Kerala has both the highest literacy rate and sex ratio.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 3 only (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 2 (d) 1 and 3
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
131. Consider the following :
1. Mahadeo Hills
2. Sahyadri Parvat
3. Satpura Range What is the correct sequence of the above from the north to the south?
(a) 1-2-3 (b) 2-1-3
(c) 1-3-2 (d) 2-3-1
Ans. (b) The Mahadeo Hills are a range of hills in Madhya Pradesh state of central India. Western Ghats hills are known as Sahayadari which runs along the western coast of India. The Satpura Range is a range of hills in central India. The range rises in eastern Gujarat state running east through the border of Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh to the east till Chhattisgarh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
132. Assertion (A): Bangalore receives much higher average annual rainfall than that of Mangalore.
Reason (R): Bangalore has the benefit of receiving rainfall both from south-west and north-east monsoons. :
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) Mangalore receives much higher rainfall than Bangalore. However, Mangalore receives rainfall only from south-west rainfall whereas Bangalore receives rainfall from both South-west as well as north-west monsoon. Therefore, only the assertion is incorrect whereas the reason is correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
133. Lake Sambhar is nearest to which one of the following cities of Rajasthan?
(a) Bharatpur (b) Jaipur
(c) Jodhpur (d) Udaipur
Ans. (b) Lake Sambhar known for saline water is located most nearly to Jaipur. It is located just 64 km away from the city.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
134. Assertion (A): India does not export natural rubber.
Reason (R): About 97% of India’s demand for natural rubber is met from domestic production.
Ans. (d) India does export a substantial amount of natural rubber to United States of America and other Asian countries such as Korea and Japan. Almost 97% of domestic rubber is met through its domestic production. Particularly from the state of Kerala at the southern most tip of India. Hence, assertion is incorrect whereas the reason is correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
135. Assertion (A) : West-flowing rivers of Peninsular India have no deltas.
Reason(R) : These rivers do not carry any alluvial sediments.
Ans. (c) West flowing rivers such as Narmada, Tapi do not form delta. There are many reasons behind it like the rivers flow through rocky terrain and do not carry enough alluvial sediments to form deltas. However, it would be incorrect to say that these rivers do not carry any alluvials soil. They carry alluvial soil but not in sufficient amount so that deltas could be formed. Hence, only the assertion is correct whereas the reason is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
136. Amongst the following Indian States which one has the minimum total forest cover?
(a) Sikkim (b) Goa
(c) Haryana (d) Kerala
Ans. (c) According to Indian Forest Survey Report- 2015 released from Bhopal, Haryana has the lowest 3.58% total forest cover. It is the lowest among given options.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
137. Match List-I (Beaches in India) with List-II (States) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists :
List-I List-II
(Beaches in India) (States)
A. Gopnath Beach 1. Andhra Pradesh
B. Lawsons Bay Beach 2. Kerala
C. Devbagh Beach 3. Gujarat
D. Sinquerim Beach 4. Goa
5. Karnataka
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 5 4 2 1 (b) 3 1 5 4
(c) 5 1 2 4 (d) 3 4 5 1
Ans. (b) Gopnath Beach is a beach situated in the Talaja Taluka of Bhavnagar district of Gujarat state of India. Lawson’s Bay Beach in Visakhapatnam is popular amongst tourists for its crystal clear water and calm waves. Devbagh Beach is known for Goa, one of the major tourist place.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
138. In a particular region in India, the local people train the roots of living tree into robust bridges across the streams. As the time passes these bridges become stronger. These unique ‘Living Root Bridges’ are found in
(a) Meghalaya (b) Himachal Pradesh
(c) Jharkhand (d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (a) Meghalaya’s double-decker and single-decker root bridges are unique in the world and are a sight to behold. The bridges are tangles of massive thick roots, which have been intermingled to form a bridge that can hold several people at a time.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2004]
139. What is the correct sequence of the rivers – Godavari, Mahanadi, Narmada and Tapi in the descending order of their lengths?
(a) Godavari-Mahanadi-Narmada-Tapi
(b) Godavari-Narmada-Mahanadi-Tapi
(c) Narmada-Godavari-Tapi-Mahanadi
(d) Narmada-Tapi-Godavari-Mahanadi
Ans. (b) Length of some important Indian Rivers Sl. No. River Length (km) 1. Indus 2,900 2. Brahmaputra 2,900 3. Ganga 2,510 4. Godavari 1,450 5. Narmada 1,290 6. Krishna 1,290 7. Mahanadi 890 8. Kaveri 760
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
140. Consider the following statements:
1. India is the original home of the cotton plant
2. India is the first country in the world to develop hybrid cotton variety leading to increased production Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1
(b) Only 2
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (a) Along with ancient Egypt, India is the original home of the cotton plant but it is not the first country to develop hybrid cotton variety Bt. cotton leading to increased production. Hence, 1st statement is correct whereas the second statement is not correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
141. Nanda Devi peak forms a part of:
(a) Assam Himalayas (b) Kumaon Himalayas
(c) Nepal Himalayas (d) Punjab Himalayas
Ans. (b) Nanda Devi is a part of Kumaon or Garhwal Himalayas. Nanda Devi is the second highest mountain in India, and the highest located entirely within the country. (Kangchenjunga, which is higher, is on the border of India and Nepal.)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
142. Among the following cities, which one is at the highest altitude above mean sea level?
(a) Bangalore (b) Delhi
(c) Jodhpur (d) Nagpur
Ans. (a) Bangalore has the highest altitude among given options
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
143. Consider the following statements:
1. Longitude of Jabalpur’s location is between those of Indore and Bhopal
2. Latitude of Aurangabad’s location is between those of Vadodara and Pune
3. Bangalore is situated more southward than Chennai.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) 1 and 3 (b) Only 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2 and 3
Ans. (a) Aurangabad District, is bordered by the districts of Nashik to the west, Jalgaon to the north, Jalna to the east, and Ahmednagar to the south. The latitude of Aurangabad is located between the latitude of Nasik and Jalna.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
144. The thermal power plant of Bokaro is located in:
(a) Bihar (b) Chhattisgarh
(c) Jharkhand (d) Orissa
Ans. (c) The thermal power plant of Bokaro, which is famously known as “Bokaro Thermal” is located in the state of Jharkhand.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
145. Which one among the following States is smallest in area?
(a) Andhra Pradesh (b) Gujarat
(c) Karnataka (d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (c) Karnataka is the smallest in area among the given options.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
146. Consider the following statements:
1. India ranks first in the world in fruit production.
2. India ranks second in the world in the export of tobacco.
Which of these statements is/are correct?
(a) Only 1 (b) Only 2
(c) both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2
Ans. (d) India ranks second in fruit production only after China. India ranks third in terms of production of tobacco and in exports, after Brazil and the US. Thus, both the statements are incorrect. Hence, (d) is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
147. Among the following cities, which one is nearest to the Tropic of Cancer?
(a) Delhi (b) Kolkata
(c) Jodhpur (d) Nagpur
Ans. (b) Kolkata is the closest location to Tropic of cancer while tropic of cancer passes through Nagpur.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
148. Assertion (A): The eastern coast of India produces more rice than the western coast.
Reason (R): The eastern coast receives more rainfall than the western coast.
(a) Both A and R are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are individually true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (c) The eastern coast of India receivers more rainfall than the western coast because of effectivity of summer monsoon in the region and above that due to Gangetic plains but that is not because of rainfall. Western coast of India receives five times more rainfall than the eastern coast. Hence, 1st statement is correct whereas the 2nd statement is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2003]
149. Open stunted forests with bushes and small trees having long roots and sharp thorns or spines are commonly found in
(a) Eastern Orissa
(b) North-Eastern Tamil Nadu
(c) Siwaliks and Terai region
(d) Western Andhra Pradesh
Ans. (d) Western part of Andhra Pradesh is relatively dry area rainfall. Because of these geographical reasons, open found in thus region.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
@150. For short-term climate prediction, which one of the following detected in the last decade, is associated with occasional rains in the India subcontinent?
(a) La Nina
(b) Movement of Jet Streams
(c) El Nino and Southern Oscillations
(d) Greenhouse effects on global level
Ans. (c) El-nino and southern oscillations, detected only in last decade, is associated with occasional weak summer monsoon in Indian subcontinent. La-nine, in contrast, strengthens the monsoon climate in the country.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
151.
The correct sequence of the eastward flowing rivers India from north to south is
(a) Subranarekha, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishana, Pennar, Vagai
(b) Subranarekha, Mahanadi, Godavari, Cauvery, Vagai (c) Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, vagai
(d) Mahanadi, Subarnarekha, Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery, Pennar
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
152. With reference to India, which one the following statements is incorrect?
(a) About one-third of the area of the country records more than 750 millimeters of annual rainfall
(b) The dominant source of irrigation in the country is wells
(c) Alluvial soil is the predominant type of soil in the northern plans of the country
(d) The mountain areas accounts for about thirty percent of the surface area of the country
Ans. (b) According to Agricultural Census 2010-11, India’s total area under irrigation is 64.7 million hectares. Of this maximum 45% is shared by tube wells followed by Canals and wells.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
153. Which one of the following is a lagoon?
(a) Ashtamudi lake
(b) Chilka lake
(c) Preiyar lake
(d) Pulicat lake
Ans. (b) Chilka lake is a brackish water lagoon, spread over the Puri, Khurda and Ganjam districts of Odisha state on the east coast of India, at the mouth of the Daya River, flowing into the Bay of Bengal, covering a vast area.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
154. The average annual temperature of a meteorological station is 26°C, its average annual rainfall is 63 cm and the annual range of temperature is 9°C. The station in
(a) Allahabad (b) Chennai
(c) Cherrapunji (d) Kolkata
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
155. With reference to Indian transport systems, consider the following statements:
1. Indian railways system is the largest in the world.
2. National Highways cater to 45 per cent of the total road transport demand.
3. Among the states, Kerala has the highest density of surface road.
4. National Highway No. 7 is the longest in the country.
Which of these statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 1 and 3
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (d) Indian railways system is the second largest network in the world. National highway- 7 is renamed as NH-44. National Highway 44 (NH 44), (previously National Highway 7), is the longest running major North-South National Highway in India that starts from Srinagar and terminates in Kanyakumari, the highway passes through the states of Jammu & Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Statewise, Mizoram has the highest surface road density among all states.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
156. Match List I (Mangrove) with List II (State) and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :
List I (Mangrove) : List II (State)
A. Achra Ratnagiri : 1. Karnataka
B. Coondapur : 2. Kerala
C. Pichavaram : 3. Andhra Pradesh
D. Vembanad : 4. Maharashtra
5. Tamil Naidu
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 2 1 5 4 (b) 4 5 3 2
(c) 2 5 3 4 (d) 4 1 5 2
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2002]
157. The above map is the Union Territory of
(a) Chandigarh
(b) Daman and Diu
(c) Dadra and Nagar Haveli
(d) Pondicherry
Ans. (c) The given map is of union territory of Dadar and Nagar Haveli that lies below Gujarat and above Maharashtra as shown below.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
158. Identify the correct order of the processes of soilerosion from the following:
(a) Splash erosion, Sheet erosion, Rill erosion, Gully erosion
(b) Sheet erosion, Splash erosion, Gully erosion, Rill erosion
(c) Rill erosion, Gully erosion, Sheet erosion, Splash erosion
(d) Gully erosion, Rill erosion, Sheet erosion, Splash erosion
Ans. (a) Splash erosion is the first to take place in erosion process after which, sheet erosion happens to continue with soil erosion. This continues until the conversion of once fertile lands into barren lands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
159.
In the above map, the black marks show the distribution of
(a) Asbestos (b) Gypsum
(c) Limestone (d) Mica
Ans. (c) All dark spots represents the location of Limestone reserves starting from Gulf of Mannar to the Bay of Bengal and surrounding areas.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
160. The approximate age of the Aravallis range is
(a) 370 million years (b) 470 million years
(c) 570 million years (d) 670 million years
Ans. (c) The Aravalli range are the oldest fold mountains in India. It is thought to be 570 million years old. The northern end of the range continues as isolated hills and rocky ridges into Haryana state, ending in Delhi.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2001]
161. Along which one of the following meridians did India experience the first light of the sunrise of the new millennium?
(a) 82° 30′ W (b) 82° 30′ E
(c) 92° 30′ W (d) 92° 30′ E
Ans. (d) Along 92°30’T India experience the first light of millennium.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
162. Which one of the following statements is not true?
(a) Ghaggar’s water is utilised in the Indira Gandhi Canal
(b) Narmada rises from Amarkantak region
(c) Nizam Sagar is situated on the Manjra river
(d) Penganga is a tributary of the Godavari
Ans. (a) Indira Gandhi Canal, which is India’s one of the largest water canals, draws its water from Sutlej and Beas rivers.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
163. Consider the following statements:
1. Tides are of great help in navigation and fishing.
2. High tide enables big ships to enter or leave the harbour safely.
3. Tide prevents siltation in the harbours.
4. Kandla and Diamond Harbour are tidal ports.
Which of these statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d) All are correct statements.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
164. Match the cities labelled as 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in the given map with the names of the institutes located in these cities and select the correct answer using the codes given below the names of the institutes:
Names of Institutes
(a) Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute
(b) Central Sheep Breeding Farm
(c) National Dairy Research Institute
(d) National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 5 1 3 2 (b) 5 2 1 4
(c) 4 2 1 3 (d) 1 2 3 4
Ans. (b) The Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute is a marine fisheries research institute located at Kochi, India. The Central Sheep Breeding Farm, Hisar was established in 1968-70 in collaboration with the Government of Australia under Colombo Plan. The National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, is India’s premier institute for dairy research.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
165. The correct sequence in decreasing order of the four sugarcane producing States in India is
(a) Maharashtra, U.P., Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
(b) U.P., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh
(c) Maharashtra, U.P., Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
(d) U.P., Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu
Ans. (b) The correct sequence of states producing sugarcane in decreasing manner goes as follows: Uttar Pradesh < Maharashtra < Tamil Nadu < Andhra Pradesh
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
166. Consider the following statements:
(a) Maharashtra has the highest acreage under jawar in India.
(b) Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut in India.
(c) Rajasthan has the largest area of cultivable wastelands in India.
(d) Andhra Pradesh has the highest per hectare yield of maize in India.
Which of these statements are correct?
(a) 1 and 4 (b) 2 and 3
(c) 1 and 3 (d) 2 and 4
Ans. (b) Gujarat is the largest producer of groundnut in India. Rajasthan has the largest area of cultivable wasteland.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
167. Consider the following statements about the megacities of India :
1. Population of each megacity is more than 5 million.
2. All the megacities are important sea ports.
3. Megacities are either national or State capitals.
Which of these statements are correct?
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3 (d) 1 and 3
Ans. (d) Many megacities of India do not have any sea port. For example: Delhi. Hence, the 2nd statement is incorrect and (d) is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
168. Which one of the following pairs of primitive tribes and places of their inhabitation is not correctly matched?
(a) Buksa : Pauri-Garhwal
(b) Kol : Jabalpur
(c) Munda : Chhotanagpur
(d) Korba : Kodagu
Ans. (d) Korba people are one of the scheduled tribes of India. They live in hills and forest of Chhotanagpur; the bordering area of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
169. Which one of the following ports of India handles the highest tonnage of import cargo?
(a) Calcutta
(b) Kandla
(c) Mumbai
(d) Visakhapatnam
Ans. (b) Kandla port handles the highest tonnage of import cargo.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
170. Which one of the following statements is true according to 1991 Census data?
(a) U.P. has the highest density of population in India
(b) Himachal Pradesh has the highest female to male sex ratio in India
(c) West Bengal has the highest growth rate of population in India
(d) Bihar has the lowest literacy rate in India
Ans. (d) Bihar has the lowest literacy rate while Mizoram and Kerala have the highest literacy rate. As per 2011 Census, Kerala has the highest literacy rate while Bihar has the lowest literacy rate.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
171. Match the different ports of Union Territory of Pondicherry labelled as A, B, C and D in the given map with their respective names and select the correct answer using the codes given below the list of ports : List (Ports of Pondicherry)
1) Karaikal 2) Mahe 3) Pondicherry 4) Yanam
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 2 1 3 4 (b) 1 2 3 4
(c) 2 1 4 3 (d) 1 2 4 3
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
172. Assertion (A): Ganga Plain is the most denselypopulated part of India.
Reason (R): Ganga is the most harnessed river of India.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (a) Both assertion and reasons are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A. The river banks of the Gangas are rich in alluvial soil that support the cultivation of rice and other cereals including pulses. The increased feasibility of cultivation support the areas to become populated.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
173. Assertion (A): The frequency of floods in North Indian plains has increased during the last couple of decades.
Reason (R): There has been reduction in the depth of river valleys due to deposition of silt.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (a) Both assertion and reasons are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A. The deposition of silt of the river bottom because of many reasons including the pollution make the river shallower than before promoting easy flooding of the near by areas.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [2000]
174. The Ravva offshore block, with great potential for oil, is located in
(a) Krishna-Godavari basin
(b) Cauvery basin
(c) Mahanadi basin
(d) Palar-Pennar basin
Ans. (a) Ravva oil and gas field is located in the shallow offshore area of the Krishna-Godavari basin on the eastern coast of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
175. If it is 10.00 a.m. I.S.T., then what would be the local time at Shillong on 92°E longitude?
(a) 9.38 a.m. (b) 10.38 a.m.
(c) 10.22 a.m. (d) 9.22 a.m.
Ans. (c) If it is 10.00 a.m. I.S.T., then the local time at Shillong on 92°E longitude would be around 10.38 a.m.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
176. The given figure shows a portion of Southern India. The proposed site (Koodankulam) for the construction of two 1000 MW nuclear power plants has been labelled in the map as
(a) A (b) B
(c) C (d) D
Ans. (b) B is the correct location for Koodankulam, where a nuclear power plant has been built by the Government of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
177. Which one of the following statements is not true of the Konkan Railway?
(a) The total length is about 760 km
(b) It runs through the states of Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Kerala
(c) It is the only rail route that cuts across the Western Ghats
(d) The Konkan Railway Construction Company which came into being raised money through Public Issues
Ans. (b) The Konkan railways does not extend to Kerala.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
178. Match the areas shown as A, B, C and D on the given map showing with the largest religious minorities.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below the list of minorities.
1. Buddhists 2. Christians
3. Jains 4. Muslims
5. Sikhs
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 5 1 3 2 (b) 4 3 2 1
(c) 5 3 1 2 (d) 4 2 1 3
Ans. (c) Sikh community is largely concentrated in the northwestern region of the country. Jains are largely inhabitated the north-western part of Madhya Pradesh. The southern Andhra Pradesh is inhabitated by the muslim community. Hence, (c) is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
179. In the given figure, the site of the Tehri dam has been labeled as
(a) A (b) B
(c) C (d) D
Ans. (c) The Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in India and one of the tallest in the world. It is a multi-purpose rock and earth-fill embankment dam on the Bhagirathi River near Tehri in Uttarakhand.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
180. In the rough outline map of a part of Jammu and Kashmir shown in the figure, places marked A, B, C and D represent respectively
(a) Anantnag, Baramula, Srinagar and Kargil
(b) Baramula, Srinagar, Kargil and Anantnag
(c) Baramula, Srinagar, Anantnag and Kargil
(d) Srinagar, Baramula, Kargil and Anantnag
Ans. (c) c is the correct
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
181. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List-I (Rivers) List-II (Dams)
A. Cauvery : 1. Almatti
B. Krishna : 2. Mettur
C. Narmada : 3. Gandhi Sagar
D. Chambal : 4. Sardar Sarovar
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 4 2 3 (b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 1 3 4 2
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
182. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List-I (Resorts) : List-II (States)
A. Chakrata : 1. Assam
B. Haflong : 2. West Bengal
C. Kalimpong : 3. Uttarakhand
D. Kufri : 4. Himachal Pradesh
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 4 (b) 3 1 4 2
(c) 3 1 2 4 (d) 1 3 4 2
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1999]
183. What is the correct sequence of the following Indian states order of their length of surface roads per 100 km2 of their 1. Haryana 2. Maharashtra
3. Punjab 4. Tamil Nadu
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Codes:
A B C D
(a) 4 2 3 1 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 3 4 1 2 (d) 3 4 2 1 3, 4 on the rough states in descending their area?
below:
Ans. (a) Tamil Nadu has the largest length of surface roads per 100 km2 of their area among the list of given states. The correct sequence is: Tamil Nadu > Maharashtra > Punjab > Haryana
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
184. The four railway junctions shown by numerals 1, 2, outline map of Gujarat are respectively
(a) Palanpur, Mahesana, Ahmedabad and Vadodara
(b) Mahesana, Surendranagar, Rajkot and Junagarh
(c) Palanpur, Khnda, Bhuj and Okha
(d) Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Bhavnagar and Bharkch
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
185. Which one of the following is the correct sequence of the states (labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4) of India shown on the map in descending order in terms of their available ground water resources for irrigation?
(a) 3, 4, 1, 2 (b) 3, 4, 2, 1
(c) 4, 3, 1, 2 (d) 4, 3, 2, 1
Ans. (c) The western UP has the least amount of groundwater strored in its aquifers. Western UP is followed by Maharastra. Thus, C is the correct sequence. Region-1 of Assam in known for under reserves of crude oil than water.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
186. Which one of the following sets of states stands to benefit the most from the Konkan Railway?
(a) Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala
(b) Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
(c) Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Goa, Maharashtra
(d) Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Tamil Nadu
Ans. (a) Goa, Karnataka Maharastra and Kerala would get benfited most from the Konkon railways.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
187. Which one of the following pairs of cities has recently been connected through a 6-lane express way?
(a) Ahmedabad : Vadodara
(b) Dhaka : Chittagong
(c) Islamabad : Lahore
(d) Mumbai : Pune
Ans. (a) Ahmedabad and Vadodara have been connected through 6 lanes express way.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
188. Which one of the following languages belongs to the Austric group?
(a) Marathi (b) Ladakhi
(c) Khasi (d) Tamil
Ans. (c) Khasi belongs to the Austric group of language. Austric: The Austric languages of India belong to the Austro-Asiatic sub-family, represented by languages of the Munda or Kol Group, spoken in the central, eastern and north-eastern India and languages of the Mon-Khmer group like Khasi and Nicobarese. These are very ancient languages which have been in existence much before the advent of Aryans and were referred in ancient Sanskrit literature as Nisadas. The most important language of the Austric group is Santhali, spoken by over 5 million Santhals and is the largest spoken among the Adivasi languages. Mundari, spoken by about a million Mundas, is another important language of this group.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
189. Forest areas have been labelled as 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the rough outline map given :
Among these, those which were threatened in 1997 by a serious epidemic include :
(a) teak forests of 3 and 4
(b) oak forests of 1 and sal forests of 2
(c) sal forests of 3
(d) sandal wood forests of 4
Ans. (c) Sal forests of 3 were threatened by a disease that led to their fast decline in number.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
190. Which one of the following east flowing rivers of India has rift valley due to down warping?
(a) Damodar (b) Mahanadi
(c) Sone (d) Yamuna
Ans. (a) Damodar river makes a rift valley.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
191. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List I : List II
(Places) (Industries)
A. Jamnagar : 1. Aluminium
B. Hospet : 2. Woollen Textile
C. Korba : 3. Fertilizers
D. Haldia : 4. Cement : 5. Iron and Steel
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 4 3 1 2 (b) 2 5 1 3
(c) 4 5 2 1 (d) 2 1 4 3
Ans. (b) ‘Bandhani’ (tie and dye fabric) of Jamnagar, Mandvi and Bhuj are famous for their intricate designs and patterns, which are used, in wedding outfits called as ‘gharchola, odhni’ and sarees. Haldia is a major riverport and industrial belt located approximately 125 kilometres southwest of Calcutta near the mouth of the Hooghly River.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
192. The discovery of Oak flora in 1966 added a new chapter to the history of Indian Sericulture. Which one of the following states is the leading producer of Oak tasar silk?
(a) Assam (b) Bihar
(c) Manipur (d) Orissa
Ans. (b) Much of Tassar silk is produced in the Bhagalpur (where it is called Bhagalpur silk) in Bihar and Malda district of West Bengal. Sericulture is the rearing and management of silk moth for silk fibre. Initially, it was done on leaves of mulberry tree but later the knowledge of equal capability of worm to survive on oak tree leaves, the silk fiber and fabric production underwent a huge production. The silk produced using oak tree leaves is called Tassar silk.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
193. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists :
List I : List II
(Minerals) (Mining are(a)
A. Graphite : 1. Bellary
B. Lead : 2. Didwana
C. Salt : 3. Rampa
D. Silver : 4. Zawar
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 3 4 1 2 (b) 1 4 2 3
(c) 3 1 4 2 (d) 2 3 1 4
Ans. (c) Bellary district in Karnataka is famous for lead. Graphite is found abundantly in Rampa. Didwana is known for silver and Zawar for salt production.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
194. Commercial production of mineral oil has started recently in which one of the areas of India, labelled 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the rough map given below : (a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4
Ans. (c) KG-basin in south India which is depicted as number 3 in the map is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
195. In the vicinity of Mumbai, a number of specialised towns have been developed. Match the lists of specialisation with towns and select the correct answer using the codes given below lists:
List I (Towns) : List II (Specialisation)
A. Alibag : 1. Fishing Centre
B. Balapur : 2. Holiday Resort
C. Nhava Sheva : 3. Petro-Chemical Complex
D. Ratnagiri : 4. Port
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 4 (b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 3 4 2 1 (d) 2 1 4 3
Ans. (a) Ratnâgiri is a port city on the Arabian Sea coast in Ratnagiri District. It is in the southwestern part of Maharashtra, India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
196. Which one of the following ports shown on the rough outline map of India is a riverine port?
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4
Ans. (d) Haldia port in West Bengal is a riverine port.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1998]
197. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the lists:
List I : List II
A. Deccan Traps : 1. Late Cenozoic
B. Western Ghats : 2. Pre-cambrian
C. Aravalli : 3. Cretaceous Eocene
D. Narmada-Tapi : 4. Pleistocene alluvial deposits
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 3 5 1 4 (b) 3 1 2 5
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 1 4 2 5
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
198. The January isotherm taken as a basis for dividing India into tropical and sub-tropical zones is
(a) 21°C (b) 18°C
(c) 12°C (d) 15°C
Ans. (b) Stamp used 18°C isotherm of mean monthly temperature for January to divide the country into two broad climatic regions.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
199. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List I (Climatic Conditions)
A. Chennai is warmer than Calcutta
B. Snowfall in Himalayas
C. Rainfall decreases from West Bengal to Punjab
D. Sutlej-Ganga Plain gets some rain in winter List II (Reasons)
1. North-East Monsoon
2. Altitude
3. Western depressions
4. Distance from sea latitude Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 2 4 5 (b) 4 5 1 3
(c) 5 2 4 3 (d) 5 1 3 4
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
@200. According to the latest census figures sex ratio in India is
(a) declining (b) stable
(c) increasing (d) fluctuating
Ans. (a) According to the 2011 census, In India sex ratio is declining with increasing percentage of female foeticide at an alarming rate in rural India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
201. What is the correct sequence of the descending order of the following States in respect of female literacy rates as per the 1991 Census?
1. Mizoram
2. Kerala
3. Goa
4. Nagaland
Choose the correct answer using the codes given below :
(a) 2, 3, 1, 4 (b) 2, 1, 3, 4
(c) 2, 3, 4, 1 (d) 1, 2, 4, 3
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
202. The Almatti Dam is on the river
(a) Godavari (b) Cauvery
(c) Krishna (d) Mahanadi
Ans. (c) The Almatti Dam is a hydroelectric project on the Krishna River in North Karnataka.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
203. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List I : List II
(Minerals) : (Typical areas of Occurrence)
A. Coal : 1. Bhandara
B. Gold : 2. Karanpura
C. Mica : 3. Hutti
D. Manganese : 4. Nellore Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 4 (b) 2 3 4 1
(c) 3 4 2 1 (d) 2 1 4 3
Ans. (b) North Karanpura Coalfield is located in Hazaribagh, Ramgarh and Chatra districts in the Indian state of Jharkhand. The coalfield spreads over to Palamu district. Hutti Gold Mines is a town in Raichur district in the Indian state of Karnataka.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
204. Which one of the following factors is responsible for the change in the regular direction of the ocean currents in the Indian Ocean?
(a) Indian Ocean is ‘half an ocean’
(b) Indian Ocean has monsoon drift
(c) Indian Ocean is a land locked ocean
(d) Indian Ocean has greater variation in salinity
Ans. (b) Indian ocean has greater monsoon drift being neither too warm nor too cold. The monsoon drift causes regular pattern of its currents.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
205. Consider the map given below : The predominant languages spoken in the areas marked A, B, C and D respectively are :
(a) Brajbhasha, Bhojpuri, Maithili and Awadhi
(b) Awadhi, Maithili, Bhojpuri and Brajbhasha
(c) Brajbhasha, Awadhi, Bhojpuri and Maithili
(d) Maithili, Bhojpuri, Brajbhasha and Awadhi
Ans. (c) Brajbhasa is spoken prominently in western Uttar Pradesh, Awadhi is spoken in central Uttar Pradesh and Awadh region. Bhojpuri is spoken in northern Bihar and north-western Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Maithili is popular in north-eastern Bihar.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
206. Which one of the following pairs is correctly matched?
(a) Teak : Jammu and Kashmir
(b) Deodar : Madhya Pradesh
(c) Sandalwood : Kerala
(d) Sundari : West Bengal
Ans. (d) Teak is not found in Jammu and Kashmir. Deodar is found primarily in forests of Himachal Pradesh. Sundari trees are found in Sundarban forests of West Bengal and hence, only fourth match is correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
207. The canal-carrying capacity of Farakka is
(a) 75,000 cusecs
(b) 70,000 cusecs
(c) 40,000 cusecs
(d) 35,000 cusecs
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
208. Which of the following places are known for paper manufacturing industry?
1. Yamuna nagar 2. Guwahati
3. Shahabad 4. Ballarpur
Choose the correct answer using the codes given below :
Codes :
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
209. Consider the map given below : The places marked A, B, C and D in the map are respectively
(a) Rift valley region, Chattisgarh plain, Rain shadow region and Chotanagpur plateau
(b) Chattisgarh plain, Chotanagpur plateau, Rift valley region and Rain shadow region
(c) Rift valley region, Chattisgarh plain, Chotanagpur plateau and Rain shadow region
(d) Chattisgarh plain, Rain shadow region, Chotanagpur plateau and Rift valley region
Ans. (c) The location A depicts the Narmada rift valley. Location B is the location of Chottanagpur plateau. Location C is the Damodar rift valley. And D is the rain shadow region of western ghats of south-west coastal region of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
210. The tribal population in Andaman and Nicobar Islands belongs to the
(a) Australoid race
(b) Caucasoid race
(c) Mongoloid race
(d) Negroid race
Ans. (d) The tribal population Negroid.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
211. Consider the map given below: The places marked A, B, C and D in the map are respectively known for the cultivation of
(a) groundnut, ragi, tobacco and sugarcane
(b) groundnut, sugarcane, ragi and tobacco
(c) ragi, sugarcane, groundnut and tobacco
(d) ragi, groundnut, sugarcane and tobacco
Ans. (b) Gujarat is the major producer of groundnut. Maharashtra is the producer of sugarcane. Karnataka is the producer region of ragi whereas Andhra Pradesh is major producer of tobacco.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
212. In the map shown respectively
(a) Kosi, Gomati, (b) Kosi, Ganga, (c) Gandak, (d) Teesta, Gomati,
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
213. The following 1. Sesame 3. Groundnut Which one of order of the quantity (a) 1, 2, 3, 4 (c) 2, 4, 3, 1
Ans. (c) Of these mustard needs.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1997]
214. Which one of the following rivers thrice forks into two streams and reunites a few miles further on, thus forming the islands of Srirangappattanam, Sivasamudram and Srirangam?
(a) Cauvery (b) Tungabhadra
(c) Krishna (d) Godavari
Ans. (a) River Cauvery has formed three big islands on her journey from Talacauvery to join the Bay of Bengal Sea. The islands formed are Srirangapatna, Shivanasamudra in Karnataka and Srirangam in Tamil Nadu. All the three islands are pilgrimage centers with temples dedicated to Lord Ranganatha.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
215. As per the 1991 Census, which one of the following states has a lower population density than the other three?
(a) Sikkim (b) Nagaland
(c) Meghalaya (d) Manipur
Ans. (a) Sikkim has the lowest population density. Arunachal Pradesh is the state with lowest population density in India. According to 2011 census, Arunachal Pradesh has a population density of 17. Total population of Arunachal Pradesh (as per 2011 census) is 1,382,611 and its area is 83,743 sq km.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
216. Which of the following pairs of states and their important crops are correctly matched?
1. Kerala : Tapioca
2. Maharashtra : Cotton
3. W. Bengal : Jute
4. Gujarat : Groundnut
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 (b) 1, 2 and 4
(c) 1, 3 and 4 (d) 2, 3 and4
Ans. (d) Tapioca is not the important crop of Kerala. Kerala is the single largest producer of a number of crops like Cashew, Ginger, Turmeric and localized rubber plantation. Rest of all are correctly matched.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
217. As per the 1991 Census, the average size of households in terms of number of persons per household in respect of the given states follows the sequence (highest first, lowest last).
(a) Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
(b) Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Gujarat, Kerala
(c) Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
(d) Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Ans. (d) (d) is the correct sequence. Uttar Pradesh is well known for its combined family structure. It’s only recently because of migration under urbanization, the nuclear family structure has started developing in the major cities of the states.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
218. In the Indian context, the term De-notified tribes’ refers to
(a) tribes which are aboriginals
(b) nomadic tribes
(c) tribes practising shifting cultivation
(d) tribes which were earlier classified as criminal tribes
Ans. (d) Denotified Tribes (DNTs), also known as Vimukta Jati. These are the tribes that were originally listed under the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871, as “Criminal Tribes” and “addicted to the systematic commission of non-bailable offences.” The Criminal Tribes Act of 1952 repealed the notification, i.e. ‘de-notified’ the tribal communities. This act, however, was replaced by a series of Habitual Offenders Acts, that asked police to investigate a “suspect’s” “criminal tendencies” and whether their occupation is “conducive to settled way of life.” The denotified tribes were reclassified as “habitual offenders” in 1959.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
219. Assertion (A): Mangroves are very specialised forest tropical and subtropical regions bordering certain sea Reason (R): They stabilise the shoreline and act as encroachments by sea.
In the context of the above two statements, which one of correct?
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation (b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation (c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
220. High temperature and low pressure over the Indian Sub Continent during the summer season, draws air from the Indian Ocean leading to the in-blowing of the
(a) Southeast monsoon
(b) Southwest monsoon
(c) Trade winds
(d) Westerlies
Ans. (b) The traditional theory portrays the monsoon as a large-scale sea breeze. It states that during the hot subtropical summers, the massive landmass of the Indian Peninsula heats up at a different rate than the surrounding seas, resulting in a pressure gradient from south to north. This causes the flow of moistureladen winds from sea to land known as Southwest Monsoon.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
221. Which one of the following areas of India produces largest cotton?
(a) North-western India and Gangetic West Bengal
(b) North-western and Western India
(c) Western and Southern India
(d) Plains of Northern India
Ans. (c) Western and Southern India produces cotton in largest the best topographic conditions available there with black is considered the most conducive to the growth of cotton
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
222. Saddle Peak’, the highest peak of Andaman and Nicobar islands, is located in
(a) Great Nicobar
(b) Middle Andaman
(c) Little Andaman
(d) North Andaman
Ans. (d) Saddle Peak the highest point of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. is located near Diglipur, a town in North Andaman Island in India’s. At 732 m, it is the highest point of the archipelago in the Bay of Bengal. It is surrounded by Saddle Peak National Park.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
223. Which one of the following sets of conditions is necessary for a good cultivation of wheat?
(a) Moderate temperature and moderate rainfall
(b) High temperature and heavy rainfall
(c) High temperature and moderate rainfall
(d) Low temperature and low rainfall
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
224. Which of the following pairs are correctly matched?
1. Idukki : Thermal power station
2. Sabarigiri : Hydro-electric project
3. Ghatprabha : Irrigation project
4. Ramganga : Multipurpose project
Select the correct answer by using the codes given below (a) 2, 3 and 4 (b) 1, 2, 3 and 4
(c) 3 and 4 (d) 1 and 2 largest amount of amount because of black soil. Black soil cotton crop in a field.
below :
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
225. “You might see a few curious Danes around, but that is because used to be Danish outpost. This quaint town with its fort and a beautiful church, the New Jerusalem, empty streets and deserted beach front is a quaint gem.” The place referred to in this quotation lies on the
(a) Tamil Nadu coast
(b) Kerala coast
(c) Karnataka coast
(d) Goa coast
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
226. Local supply of coal is not available to
(a) TISCO, Jamshedpur
(b) VSL, Bhadravati
(c) HSL, Durgapur
(d) HSL, Bhilai
Ans. (a) TISCO, Jamshedpur is not availed local coal.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
227. Which one of the following is an important crop of the Barak valley?
(a) Jute (b) Tea
(c) Sugarcane (d) Cotton
Ans. (c) Sugarcane is an important crop of Barak Valley in north-east India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
228. Consider the 1. Kishenganga 3. Wainganga
The correct sequence direction is
(a) 1, 2, 3, 4 (c) 2, 1, 4, 3
Ans. (a) Kishenganga Kashmir, thus is located in Seoni Penganga.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
229. Match List I (Ores) with List II (States where they are mines) and select the correct answer by using the codes given below the lists:
List I List II
A. Manganese : 1. Madhya Pradesh
B. Nickel : 2. Orissa
C. Lead-zinc : 3. Rajasthan
D. Asbestos : 4. Andhra Pradesh
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 4 (b) 4 3 2 1
(c) 1 2 3 4 (d) 4 2 3 1
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1996]
230. Consider the map given below : The divisions along India’s coastal region indicate
(a) coastal pollution zones
(b) salinity density isopleths
(c) the areas upto which sovereignty extend
(d) underwater relief contours
Ans. (a) The shown map reflects the different pollution level in Indian coastal region. There is not much difference in salinity in Indian coastal region and hence there cannot be multiple layer around the coastal region.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
231. The Alpine vegetation in the western Himalayas is found only up to a height of 3000 metres, while in the eastern Himalayas it is found up to a height of 4000 metres. The reason for this variation in the same mountain range is that
(a) eastern Himalayas are higher than western Himalayas
(b) eastern Himalayas are nearer to the Equator and sea coast than western Himalayas
(c) eastern Himalayas get more monsoon rainfall than the western Himalayas
(d) eastern Himalayan rocks are more fertile than the western Himalayan rocks
Ans. (b) The vegetation density is higher in eastern Himalayas compared to western Himalayas. There are many reasons behind it. However, the most important is geographical proximity. Eastern Himalayas near Assam and adjoining states and districts are more close to equator and sea resulting more conducing environment(optimal temperature and humidity) for vegetation to grow as compared to Western Himalayas knwon for Ladak region.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
232. In the map given below, three out of the four places marked indicates places where a thermal power station is located :
The place where there is no thermal power station is marked
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4
Ans. (c) In the depicted location 3, there is no thermal power plant despite its close vicinity to coal fields of the country.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
233. According to the 1991 Census, the highest percentage of population in India is to be found in the age-group of
(a) 60 years and above (b) 35 to 55 years
(c) 25 to 34 years (d) 5 to 14 years
Ans. (c) According to the 1991 census, the highest percentage of population in India is found in the age group of 25-34 years. It represents future expanding curve of population.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
234. The Indian subcontinent was originally part of a huge (a) Jurassic Land Mass (b) Aryavarta
(c) Indiana (d) Gondwana Continent
Ans. (d) The Indian subcontinent was originally part of a huge producing five continents separated by ocean (seas) as huge land mass called huge land mass- Gondwana land. It had later split into parts as shown below.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
235. The national highway from Delhi to Calcutta via Mathura and Varanasi is numbered
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 4 (d) 8
Ans. (b) The National highway 2 connects national capital Delhi with Kolkata as well as important cities Faridabad, Mathura, Agra, Kanpur, Allahabad, Varanasi and Durgapur. The road is the part of National Highway network of India, and it is officially listed as running over 1,465 km from Delhi to Kolkata.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
236. In the map given below four areas are differently shaded, indicate cereal crops production areas and one indicates production.
As per the index given, the non-cereal crop production the one indicating a shaded, three of which indicates non-cereal crop production area is
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4
Ans. (d) Location 4 is mainly cotton producing areas, which is a noncereal crop.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
237. Of the four places marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the map, the tidal port is
(a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 3 (d) 4
Ans. (d) Kandla at location 4 is a major tidal port of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
238. Examine the map of Jammu and Kashmir given below : The mountain ranges marked 1, 2, 3 and 4 are respectively
(a) Ladakh, Zanskar, Karakoram and Pir Panjal
(b) Karakoram, Ladakh, Zanskar and Pir Panjal
(c) Karakoram, Zanskar, Pir Panjal and Ladakh
(d) Ladakh, Pir Panjal, Karakoram and Zanskar
Ans. (b) Karakarom is the northernmost Himalayan range for India. After Karakarom, the Ladakh is the second northernmost. Pirpanjal, located in the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand is the southernmost Himalayan ranges.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
239. The palaeomagnetic results obtained from India indicate that in the past, the Indian land mass has moved
(a) northward
(b) southward
(c) eastward
(d) westward
Ans. (a) The palaeomagnetic results obtained from India indicate that in the past, the Indian land mass has moved northward.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
240. Which one of the following mountain ranges is spread over only one State in India?
(a) Aravalli (b) Satpura
(c) Ajanta (d) Sahyadri
Ans. (c) Ajanta range is spread only through one state i.e Maharashtra.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1995]
241. Which among the following pairs of places have most marked difference in total rainfall per annum even though located approximately along the same latitude?
(a) Bangalore and Madras
(b) Bombay and Visakhapatnam
(c) Ajmer and Shillong
(d) Nagpur and Calcutta
Ans. (c) Ajmer and Shillong has the starkest difference in terms of average annual rainfall even if they are located roughly on same latitude. The reason lies in the topography. Since Shillong is located in northeast where monsoon winds are trapped and thereby causes heavy rainfall, on the other hand, Ajmer lies in rain shadowed area of Rajasthan and thus receives very less rainfall.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
242. The hallmark of watershed development in the semiarid regions of India is the
(a) establishment of sheds on large scale, so that the rain water does not evaporate
(b) undertaking of earthworks, soil conservation measures and tree plantation, so as to conserve soil moisture and recharge underground water
(c) drilling deep tubewells so as to tap water at the rock-strata level
(d) setting up a system of tanks by banking water from seasonal rivers
Ans. (b) Undertaking of earthworks, soil conservation measures and tree plantation, so as to conserve soil moisture and recharge underground water is the hallmark of watershed development in the semi-arid regions of India under sustainable development. It also involves steps on rain water harvesting for lean dry periods of the year.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
243. The Himalayas are formed of parallel fold ranges, of which the oldest range is
(a) the Siwalik Range
(b) the Lesser Himalayas
(c) the Great Himalayan Range
(d) the Dhaula Dhar Range
Ans. (a) The Siwalik range of Himalayas is the oldest range of Himalayas.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
244. Assertion (A): The monsoonal rainfall decreases as one goes towards the west and north-west in the Ganga plain.
Reason (R): The moisture-bearing monsoonal winds go dried up as one moves up in the Ganga plain.
In the context of the above two statements which one of the following is correct?
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true, but R is false
(d) A is false, but R is true
Ans. (a) Both assertion and reason are true and R is the correct explanation of A. The amount of rainfall decreases as we move from east to west or north-western part of the country, because the moisture laden monsoon winds dry up rapidly upon advancing towards lands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
245. Which one of the following is the most important reason for the establishment of the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre at Thumba?
(a) The sea is near to the place in the East, West and South directions
(b) It is a place near to a city in India, which is nearest to the Geographic Equator
(c) It is situated on the Geomagnetic Equator
(d) Outer space near Thumba exhibits queer atmospheric phenomena
Ans. (c) The single most important reason behind establishing Vikram Sarabhai Space centre near Thumba is its nearness to geomagnetic equator.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
246. Consider the map of India given below :
The map, read with the index provided, refers to the distribution of
(a) winter rains (b) pressure
(c) annual rainy days (d) mean temperature
Ans. (c) The depicted map of India shows the average number of rainy days in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
247. Which one of the following types of erosion is responsible for the formation of Chambal Ravines?
(a) Splash (b) Sheet
(c) Rill (d) Gully
Ans. (d) Gully erosion is the last phase of erosion process and causes significant damage to soil. It is the gully erosion that converts a land into badland. The Chambal ravines are also caused by the gully erosion.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
248. The average elevation of Tibetan Plateau above sea level is
(a) 2 km (b) 3 km
(c) 4 km (d) 5 km
Ans. (c) With an average elevation exceeding 4,500 metres (14,800 ft), the Tibetan Plateau is sometimes called “the Roof of the World” and is the world’s highest and largest plateau.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
249. The density of cattle population per 100 hectares of gross cropped area is the highest in
(a) Bihar (b) Haryana
(c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Uttar Pradesh
Ans. (b) The density of the cattle population per 100 hectare is highest in Haryana also known for farming of high milk yielding breeds of cattle.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
@250. Consider the map of India given below :
The map shows :
(a) an ischyet
(b) all-India water divide
(c) a combination of national highways
(d) a combination of major railway routes
Ans. (b) The line depicted inside the Indian map represents the great Indian water divide that divides basins of India based on their draining destination. The eastern part of the line represent drainage systems that drain their water in Bay of Bengal whereas the western side of the line drains their water in Arabian sea.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
251. Which one of the following soil types of India is rendered infertile by the presence of excess iron?
(a) Desert sand (b) Alluvial
(c) Podzolic (d) Lateritic
Ans. (c) In presence of iron oxides, podzolic soils become infertile. Podzolic soils are forested soils found primarily on sandy deposits in ecozones (or parts of ecozones) where the mean annual precipitation is above 700 mm. Coniferous-dominated plant communities are the major vegetation type found on Podzolic soils.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1994]
252. According to the ancient Indian geographical concept, ‘Bharatvarsha’ was a part of
(a) Pushkaradweepa (b) Jambudweepa
(c) Kraunchadweepa (d) Kushdweepa
Ans. (d) According to the scriptural description of the Brahmand the entire earth planet is called Bharatvarsh, but particularly the area of the continent that lies south of the Himalayas is called Bharatvarsh. It is also called Aryavart. The inhabitants of Aryavart were called the Aryans as referred to in the Rigved. Thus, the words Bhartiya or Aryans were both used for the inhabitants of Bharatvarsh or Aryavart, however, the words Bhartiya and Bharatvarsh were more popular.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
253. Which one of the following shows the descending order of the four metropolitan cities in the Indian, subcontinent in so far as their population strength is concerned?
(a) Bombay, Calcutta, Dhaka, New Delhi
(b) Bombay, Calcutta, New Delhi, Karachi
(c) Bombay, Calcutta, Karachi, New Delhi
(d) Calcutta, Bombay, Dhaka, Karachi
Ans. (b) As per 2011 census most populated cities in India are 1. Mumbai 2. Delhi 3. Kolkata 4. Chennai 5. Bangalore 6. Hyderabad 7. Ahmedabad 8. Pune 9. Surat 10. Jaipur
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
254. Consider the map given below : The mean annual rainfall in the shaded parts of India varies from
(a) 100 to 150 cm (b) 150 to 200 cm
(c) 200 to 250 cm (d) 250 to 300 cm
Ans. (b) The shaded area in the map is of relatively moderate rainfall. The average rainfall in this region varies from 150-200 cm.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
255. Which one of the following provides the correct sequence of occurence of four towns/cities as one proceeds from west to east?
(a) Rajkot, Baroda, Kharagpur, Bilaspur
(b) Bikaner, Aligarh, Darbhanga, Nowgong
(c) Indore, Rourkela, Agartala, Jamshedpur
(d) Nasik, Aurangabad, Berhampur, Nanded
Ans. (b) Bikaner is a city in the northwest of the state of Rajasthan in northern India. • Aligarh is a city in the Northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. • Darbhanga is a sub metropolitan city of north Bihar. • Nowgong is a city in Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
256. Consider a specific point on the surface of the earth
( say, the city of Delhi). The Temperature at a given time of day (say, 12.00 noon) will in general be higher in summer than in winter. This is because
(a) the earth is closer to the sun in summer than in winter
(b) sun-rays falling on the earth are inclined more towards the surface of the earth in winter
(c) evaporation of water from atmospheric precipitation occurring in winter alone
(d) the axis of the earth is inclined more towards the sun in winter
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
257. A rainy day, as defined by the Indian Meteorological department, is a day when the rainfall at a point received is
(a) 0.5 mm to 1 mm in 24 hours
(b) 1.1 mm to 1.5 mm in 24 hours
(c) 1.6 mm to 2 mm in 24 hours
(d) above 2.5 mm in 24 hours
Ans. (c) According to IMD, when a day receive rainfall of 1.6 mm to 2 mm in following 24 hours it could be said or called a rainy day.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
258. In Mizoram, the settlement pattern is mostly of ‘linear type’ along the ridges, because
(a) the valleys are cooler than the ridges
(b) accessibility is easier on the ridge tops
(c) the ridges are cooler than the valleys
(d) the valleys are densely forested
Ans. (a) Under “normal” circumstances, temperatures decrease at a known rate, the “lapse rate”, with elevation. During an inversion, air temperatures are cooler than expected near the surface. Due to mountain breezes, temperature inversion occurs ad so valleys are cooler than the ridges.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
259. The Neyveli thermal power plant is fed by
(a) Gondwana coal (b) Tertiary coal
(c) Quarternary coal (d) Cambrian Coal
Ans. (a) The Neyveli thermal plant is fed by lignite coal, which is also known as tertiary or secondary coal.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
260. Soils of Western Rajasthan have a high content of
(a) Aluminium (b) Calcium
(c) Nitrogen (d) Phosphorus
Ans. (b) The soils of Rajasthan has higher content of Calcium.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
261. Consider the map given below:
Two tourists, one travelling from Delhi to Karachi and the other to Bhuj, wanted company. The railway Junction up to which they can travel together as shown in the map is :
(a) Phulera (b) Jodhpur
(c) Luni (d) Balotra
Ans. (b) Balotra railway junction is depicted in the map.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1993]
262. Dry Farming in India is extensively practised in
(a) Kanara plains
(b) Deccan Region
(c) Coromandel plains
(d) Punjab plains
Ans. (b) Dry Areas receive an annual rainfall of 750 mm or less and there is no irrigation facility for raising crops. Most of the rivers of the Deccan Plateau are seasonal and the rainfall received from retreating monsoon winds is also moderate. So Dry Farming in India is extensively practised in Deccan Plateau.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
263. Which one of the following shows the correct sequence of occurrence of four towns/ cities as one proceeds from west to east?
(a) Ajmer, Darbhanga, Kohima, Silchar
(b) Surat, Wardha, Rourkela, Bharuch
(c) Pandharpur, Gulbarga, Kottagudam, Visakhapatnam
(d) Anand, Rajkot, Dhanbad, Aizawl
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
264. Which one of the following is the group of states that rise in population during 1981-91 according to the 1991 (a) Punjab, Gujarat and Rajasthan
(b) Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Gujarat
(c) Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala
(d) Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Punjab
Ans. (c) During 1981-91, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala have population.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
265. The Jharkhand region is spread over
(a) Bihar and Madhya Pradesh only
(b) Bihar and Orissa only
(c) Bihar, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal
(d) Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal only
Ans. (b) Jharkhand State is spread through Bihar, Odisha and does not share its border with Madhya Pradesh. Hence, answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
266. The original inhabitants of India are believed to be of the ethnic type known as
(a) Negrito
(b) Proto-Australoids
(c) Mongoloids
(d) Dravidians
Ans. (d) The original inhabitants of India are believed to be of the ethnic type known as ‘Dravidians’.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
267. With 2.4 per cent of the world’s area, how much of the world’s does India support?
(a) 12% (b) 9%
(c) 16% (d) 7%
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
268. Of the total population of India, Christians comprise about
(a) Four per cent
(b) Two-and-a-half per cent
(c) Five per cent
(d) Six per cent
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
269. Consider the graph given below:
The above graph represents the temperature and rainfall regime at
(a) Madras
(b) Bhopal
(c) Guwahati
(d) Chandigarh
Ans. (c) Since in the map, the highest rainfall is lesser than 40cm, which is abysmally low. The correct place is having such rainfall pattern is – Chandigarh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
270. The Garhwal Earthquake of 1991 was the result of
(a) Folding
(b) Warping
(c) Landslides
(d) Friction of Indian plate with Chinese plate
Ans. (d) Garhwal Earthquake of 1991 was caused by the huge energy released by friction of Indian geological plate with that of Chinese one. The earthquake measured 6.8 on the ritcher scale and occurred within the main thrust system of the Himalayas.1294 villages and more than 300,000 people were affected with the quake and 42,400 houses were damaged.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1992]
271. In which of the following States the Jharkhand Movement is active?
1. Bihar 2. Madhya Pradesh
3. Orissa 4. Uttar Pradesh
Choose the correct answer from the codes given below :
(a) 1 and 2 (b) 2 and 4
(c) 1, 2 and 3 (d) 2, 3 and 4
Ans. (c) Jharkhand movement, which ultimately culminated as the born of new state Jharkhand, was active in Bihar, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
272. Match items in List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists :
List I : List II
(Metal Extracted) : (Location of Site)
A. Copper : 1. Jaduguda
B. Uranium : 2. Jawar
C. Nickel : 3. Malanjkhand
D. Lead : 4. Sukhinda
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 2 4 1 3 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 3 1 2 4 (d) 3 1 4 2
Ans. (d) Uranium is found in Jaduguda mines of Jharkhand. Malanjkhand in Madhya Pradesh is famous for its copper project. Nickel is found in Sukhinda mines while Jawar is known lead extraction and production.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
273. Which of the following metals is extracted from the Monazite sand found in plenty in India?
(a) Gold (b) Uranium
(c) Thorium (d) Copper
Ans. (c) Monazite sand in India possesses significant reserves of Thorium. Monazite is an important ore for thorium, but also of lanthanum, and cerium too in small extent only. It is often found in placer deposits. India, Madagascar and South Africa have large deposits of monazite sands.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
274. Which of the following rivers is the source of water for the Rajasthan canal?
(a) Yamuna (b) Chambal
(c) Sutlej (d) Ghaggar
Ans. (c) The Indira Gandhi Canal is one of the largest canal projects in India. It starts from the Harike Barrage at Firozpur, a few kilometers below the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers in the Indian state of Punjab and terminates in irrigation facilities in the Thar Desert in the north west of Rajasthan state.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
275. The continental shelf surrounding the Indian Coast is widest off the
(a) Hooghly Coast (b) Coromandel Coast
(c) Konkan Coast (d) South Gujarat Coast
Ans. (c) The continental shelf surrounding the Indian Coast is widest off the Konkon coast.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
276. Rainfall on the east coast of Tamil Nadu occurs during October to November due to
(a) Winter monsoon
(b) Retreating south-west monsoon
(c) North-west monsoon
(d) Local winds
Ans. (c) During the winter season, North-East trade winds prevail over India. They blow from land to sea and that is why that for most part of the country, it is a dry season. A part of North-East trade winds blow over Bay of Bengal. They gather moisture which causes rainfall in the Coromandal coast while the rest of the country remains dry.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
277. In India diamonds are quarried from
(a) Golconda (b) Jaipur
(c) Ratnagiri (d) Panna
Ans. (d) Panna in Madhya Pradesh is the largest producer of Diamond in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
278. The fifth district that achieved hundred per cent literacy in India is
(a) Satara in Maharashtra
(b) Shimoga in Karnataka
(c) Burdwan in West Bengal
(d) Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu
Ans. (d) Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu became the fifth district to achieve 100% literacy in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
279. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists:
List I : List II
A. Fodder : 1. Manure
B. Compost : 2. Jowar
C. Food crop : 3. Linseed oil
D. Edible oil : 4. Straw : 5. Groundnut oil
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 2 4 3 1 (b) 2 1 5 3
(c) 4 3 2 5 (d) 4 1 2 5
Ans. (b) Jowar is a food crop. Straw, which is predominantly obtained from paddy crop and wheat crops, is used mainly as fodder. Groundnut oil is one of the edible oils used in India. Manure is a compost used for increasing land productivity.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
280. Angora wool is obtained from a breed of
(a) Rabbit (b) Sheep
(c) Goat (d) Fox
Ans. (a) Angora wool is obtained from a angora rabbit’s hair or fur.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
281. Which of the following groups is opposed to the plantation of Eucalyptus trees?
(a) Environmentalists
(b) Wildlife Protection group
(c) Paper manufacturers
(d) Matches manufacturers
Ans. (a) Environmentalist and ecological activits oppose plantation of Euclayptus trees because, these trees consume huge volume of water exacerbating the water crisis problem even bigger.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
282. Which of the following statements about the monsoon in India is incorrect?
(a) South-West monsoon are on-shore winds
(b) North-East monsoon are off-shore winds
(c) The monsoons retreat gradually
(d) The onset of the monsoon is from West Bengal only
Ans. (d) The onset of monsoon in Indian subcontinent starts from Kerala when the on-shore monsoon winds hit the Indian coast of kerala and causing rainfall. Hence, the fourth statement is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
283. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below the Lists :
List I : List II
A. Fissure eruption : 1. Alluvial soils
B. Anticlinorium belt : 2. Black soils
C. Sea of Tethys : 3. Himalayan mountain chain
D. Tsangpo : 4. Brahmaputra : 5. Ganga
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 2 1 5 4 (b) 2 1 4 3
(c) 2 1 3 4 (d) 3 2 4 1
Ans. (c) Sea of Tethys is associated with the formation of the great Himalayas. Brahmaputra river is known as ‘Tsangpo’ in China. Anticlinorium belt is associated with alluvial soils found along the river side ways.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1991]
284. Which one of the following is the main cause of the low productivity of rice in India?
(a) Low yielding varieties
(b) High incidence of pests
(c) Low fertility of soils
(d) Low market price
Ans. (a) Lack of high yielding varieties is the main cause behind low rice productivity in India. Other than this, the productivity of rice varies very much from one region to another region, from one season to another season etc. due to various other reasons such as annual Precipitation, imbalance use of fertilizers, soil moisture stress, incidence of insect pests and diseases etc.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
285. Matriarchcal system still exists among the
(a) Nagas, Nairs and Meenas
(b) Nairs and Khasis
(c) Bhils, Nairs and Khasis
(d) Nagas and Khasis
Ans. (c) Matriarchal system is found most prominently in Bhils, Nairs and Khasis.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
286. Important oil fields of the Brahmaputra Valley include
(a) Digboi and Kilboi
(b) Lunej and Ankhleshwar
(c) Badarpur and Masimpur
(d) Naharkatia and Moran
Ans. (a) Digboi and Kilboi are two important oil fields located in the Brahmaputra valley.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
287. The coal mining areas of the Damodar Valley region include
(a) Korba, Sonhat and Raigarh
(b) Singareni, Tandur and Sasti
(c) Raniganj, Jharia and Giridih
(d) Talcher, Ghanda and Sambalour
Ans. (c) The coal mining areas of the Damodar Valley region includes Raniganj, Jharia and Giridih. The region mainly spread in the state of Jharkhand and West Bengal.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
288. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer using the codes given below them :
List I : List II
A. Udaipur : 1. Lead
B. Gondwanaland : 2. Tin
C. Kerala : 3. Coal
D. Kadarma : 4. Ilmenite : 5. Mica
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 1 3 4 2 (b) 1 3 4 5
(c) 3 2 4 1 (d) 3 4 2 5
Ans. (b) Gondwanaland is mainly famous for its rich reserves of Coal. Udaipur in Rajasthan has significant reserves of Lead. Ilemnite is found in coasts of Kerala whereas Mica is found in Kadarma, Jharkhand.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
289. Mohair is obtained from
(a) Angora goat (b) Beetal goat
(c) Karakul sheep (d) Lincoln sheep
Ans. (a) Mohair is usually a silk-like fabric or yarn made from the hair of the Angora goat. Both durable and resilient, mohair is notable for its high luster and sheen, which has helped give it the nickname the “Diamond Fiber”, and is often used in fiber blends to add these qualities to a textile. Mohair takes dye exceptionally well.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
290. Assertion (A): India is one of the leading fishing countries in the world.
Reason (R): India has a long coastline and a large fish-eating population.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) India is one of the leading fishing countries in the world and presently ranks at third position after China and Peru. The reason behind it could be attributed to : • India does have a long coastline with significant marine biodiversity. • A significant part of Indian population eats fish as their main food culture. Hence, both assertion and reasons are correct. A is the correct option.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
291. Zoji La is a Pass between
(a) Kashmir valley and Ladakh
(b) Lahul valley and Spiti
(c) Chumbi valley and Sikkim
(d) Arunanchal Pradesh and Tibet
Ans. (a) Zoji La is a high mountain pass in India, Kashmir, located on the Indian National Highway 1D between Srinagar and Leh in the western section of the Himalayan mountain range.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
292. The size of the Muslim community in India is
(a) The largest in the world
(b) Next only to that of Bangladesh
(c) The second largest in the world
(d) Is as large as that in Pakistan
Ans. (c) The size of the Indian Musilm community is second largest in the non-muslim countries of world.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
293. What is the correct sequence in order of size of the following States in India (from largest to smallest)?
1. Uttar Pradesh
2. Madhya Pradesh
3. Maharashtra
4. Andhra Pradesh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 2 3 1 4 (b) 1 2 3 4
(c) 3 2 1 4 (d) 2 3 4 1
Ans. (b) Uttar Pradesh > Madhya Pradesh > Maharashtra > Andhra Pradesh
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
294. Out of the total area, the ‘cultivable plains’ in India constitutes about
(a) 23 per cent
(b) 36 per cent
(c) 41 per cent
(d) 51 per cent
Ans. (d) According to World Bank data, 51% land in India constitutes as ‘cultivable plains’.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
295. The Palghat gap providing easy access between the west and the east coasts of India lies between
(a) The Nilgiris and the Cardamom Hills
(b) The Nilgiris and the Anamalai Hills
(c) The Anamalai Hills and the CardamomHills
(d) The Cardamom Hills and the Palni Hills
Ans. (b) Palakkad Gap or Palghat Gap, located in Kerala that provides an easy access between the west and the east coasts of India lies between Nilgiris and Annamalai hills. The gap serves as a major communication route between two states- Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Highways and rail lines through the gap connect Palghat in Kerala with Coimbatore and Pollachi in Tamil Nadu. Palghat Gap also influences southern India’s climate; the wet southwest monsoons as well as storms from the Bay of Bengal cross the mountains through its opening.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
296. Assertion (A): Floods are a recurring feature in the Indo-Gangetic Plain.
Reason (R): The Indo-Gangetic Plain is built of porous and soft alluvium.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (a) Floods are recurring feature of Indo-Gangetic plain. There are many reasons such as : Geographical terrain: Unlike peninsular India, the plain is made of silted alluvial remains and these remains more vulnerable to floods. It is made up of fresh newer alluvium which is deposited by the rivers flowing down the plain. Hence, assertion and reasons both are individually true and R is the correct explanation of A.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
297. Assertion (A): The southern half of India lies within the tropics and the northern half belongs to the warm temperate zone.
Reason (R): The tropic of cancer runs almost halfway through India.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not a correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.
Ans. (a) Both are individually correct and R is the correct explanation of R. The tropic of cancer passes through Nagpur.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1990]
298. The primitive tribes of Andaman are descendants of
(a) Negroids (b) Australoids
(c) Mongoloids (d) Caucasoids
Ans. (b) The primitive tribes of Andaman are descendants of Negroids. There are five indigenous tribes of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. (a) Jharwas (Jarawas) (b) Shompens (c) Onges (d) The Great Andamanese (e) Sentenelese
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
299. Which of the following States lies partly to the north of the Himalayas?
(a) Himachal Pradesh (b) Arunachal Pradesh
(c) Jammu & Kashmir (d) Sikkim
Ans. (c) Jammu and Kashmir is the only Indian state that partly lies to the north of Himalayas.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
@300. Punjab and Haryana receive rainfall from
(a) Westerly disturbances
(b) Cyclones in Bay of Bengal
(c) Both of the above
(d) None of the above
Ans. (c) The geographical location of Punjab and Haryana is so distant from the coastline of Indian ocean that most of monsoon winds cannot reach here to cause substantial rainfall. The region witnesses rainfall mainly because of western disturbance carried by Jet streams in winter. However, both accounts rainfall in these two states.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
301. In India the diamonds are quarried from
(a) Golconda (b) Jaipur
(c) Patnagiri (d) Panna
Ans. (d) Panna (Madhya Pradesh) is the place from where diamonds are quarried in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
302. Brahmaputra is an example of _______ drainage.
(a) Annular (b) Antecedent
(c) Superimposed (d) Radial
Ans. (d) The Brahmputra river system makes radial drainage system.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
303. Angora wool is obtained from a breed of
(a) Sheep (b) Rabbit
(c) Fox (d) Cat
Ans. (b) Angora hair or Angora fibre refers to the downy coat produced by the Angora rabbit and Phasmina wool from goats.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
304. Shifting cultivators normally grow
(a) A single crop which is mainly consumed
(b) The major crop along with cereals
(c) Cash crops along with fodder
(d) Grains, vegetables and tubers in rotation
Ans. (a) Shifting cultivation mainly is of subsistence nature i.e., under shifting cultivation, farmer grows only those crops which are essential for survival of his family such as food crops, etc. Cash crop is not raised under shifting cultivation.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
305. Which of the following stream systems dissects Aravalli range?
(a) Narmada, Son (b) Banas, Luni
(c) Betwa, Koina (d) Ganga, Saraswati
Ans. (b) Banas and Luni dissect the Aravali ranges.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
306. Which of the following is not true about Gujarat?
(a) It is the largest producer of salt
(b) It is the largest producer of milk products
(c) it is the largest producer of tobacco
(d) It is the largest producer of groundnut.
Ans. (c) Andhra Pradesh is the largest producer of Tobacco not Gujarat.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
307. Copper deposits in India are found in
(a) Singhbhum (b) Kolar
(c) Salem (d) Karanpura
Ans. (a) The largest copper reserve in India is found in Singhbhum. Apart from Singhbhum, the copper reserves have also been found in Khetri (Rajasthan), Udaipur (Rajasthan) etc.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
308. Deforestation results in
1. Flora destruction
2. Fauna destruction
3. Ecological disbalance The correct options are
(a) 1, 2 & 3 (b) 1 & 2
(c) 1 & 3 (d) 2 & 3
Ans. (a) Deforestation results in all of the given consequences. Any form of flora or fauna destruction leads to other causing ecological imbalance even upto to an extent of the desertification of once flourished land mass.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
309. The largest reserve of ‘Sal’ forests is found in
(a) Nilgiri hills
(b) Dehradun valley
(c) The Aravallis
(d) Eastern Peninsula
Ans. (d) The Eastern peninsular region has the largest reserve of ‘Sal’ forests.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
310. Match the following :
A. Jharia : 1. Copper
B. Ankleshwar : 2. Iron
C. Bailadilla : 3. Coal
D. Mulkigunj : 4. Oil
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 3 5 2 1 (b) 1 2 3 4
(c) 4 3 2 1 (d) 1 3 4 2
Ans. (a) Jharia (Dhanbad) is worldwide known for its coal production. Ankelshwar oil field is situated in Bharoch, Gujarat. Bailadilla (Chhattisgarh) is known for its world-class iron ore production.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
311. Match the following :
A. Doddabetta : 1. Nilgiri
B. Makalu : 2. Himalaya
C. Dhupgarh : 3. Aravali
D. Guru Shikhar : 4. Satpura
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 2 1 3 4 (b) 3 2 1 4
(c) 1 2 4 3 (d) 4 1 2 3
Ans. (c) Doddabetta is the highest mountain in the Nilgiri Hills at 2,637 metres. Makalu is the fifth highest mountain in the world at 8,485 metres. It is located in the Mahalangur Himalayas 19 km southeast of Mount Everest, on the border between Nepal and China. Mount Dhupgarh or Dhoopgarh is the highest point in the Satpura Range and in Madhya Pradesh, Guru Shikhar, a peak in the Arbuda Mountains of Rajasthan, is the highest point of the Aravalli Range.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
312. The climate of India is of which of the following types?
(a) Monsoonal
(b) Mediterranean
(c) Tropical
(d) Savanna
Ans. (a) The climate of India primarily is type of Monsoonal, i.e annual reversal of winds.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
313. Assertion (A): A Rainfall is scanty on the east of Western Ghats.
Reason (R): The east of Western Ghats is on the lee side.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
Ans. (d) Western Ghats is one of the highest rainfall receiving places on the earth. The eastern region of the Western Ghats which lie in the rain shadow, receive far less rainfall of about 100 centimetres (39 in) resulting in an average rainfall of 250 centimetres (98 in) across regions. Thus, the Assertion is correct whereas the reason is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1989]
314. Indian Standard Time (I.S.T.) is determined according to the local time of which one of the following longitudes?
(a) 82.5° east longitude
(b) 0° longitude or Greenwich meridian
(c) 180° east or west longitude
(d) 70° east longitude
Ans. (a) Indian Standard Time is calculated on the basis of 82.58° E longitude, in Shankargarh Fort, Mirzapur (25.15°N 82.58°(5) (in Mirzapur district in the state of Uttar Pradesh) which is nearly on the corresponding longitude reference line.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
315. Dakshin Gangotri is a/an
(a) River-valley project in Andhra Pradesh
(b) Unmanned station located in Antarctica for continuous weather and scientific recordings.
(c) Second source of the river Ganga
(d) Island in the Indian Ocean near Antarctica
Ans. (b) Dakshin Gangotri was the first unmanned scientific base station of India situated in Antarctica, part of the Indian Antarctic Program. It is located at a distance of 2,500 kilometres from the South Pole.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
316. Apart from Tamil Nadu (Neyveli), lignite is found at
(a) Gujarat (b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) West Bengal (d) Orissa
Ans. (a) Lignite coal is mainly produced in two states – Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. Small lignite coal fields are also found in Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir. Neyveli is the lignite field in Tamil Nadu which is located in South Arcol district. Neyveli is the largest lignite coal mine of India. This field supplies fuel for thermal power generation in Tamil Nadu.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
317. Gujarat has experienced drought for four consecutive years because of
(a) Subsiding air masses
(b) Successive monsoon failure
(c) Change in the direction of trade winds
(d) Western disturbances
Ans. (b) Gujarat had and is facing severe drought conditions because of successive monsoon failure since last few years.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
318. Which one of the following States doesn’t produce a substantial quantity of cardamom?
(a) Assam (b) Karnataka
(c) Tamil Nadu (d) Kerala
Ans. (a) Assam is not a major cardamom producing states of India. Kerala is the maximum contributor of cardamom to the country having a share of around 70% in the total production. Karnataka shares around 20% production and Tamil Nadu shares the rest. Kerala includes cardamom-growing districts like Udumbanchola taluka, Peeremedu taluka, Devikulam taluka. Shimoga constitutes the major district, which grows this spice in Karnataka.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
319. The principal cause of soil damage in Punjab and Haryana is
(a) Salinity and water-logging
(b) Deforestation
(c) Ravine erosion
(d) Overgrazing
Ans. (a) The principal cause of soil damage in Punjab and Haryana is high salinity and water logging. Both states are overwhelmingly dependent of groundwater for irrigation. Notably, these states have better irrigation facilities compared to the rest of the country and hence, they exploit groundwater irresponsibly. This excessive exploitation of underground water has caused high salinity and water logging in entire states.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
320. The places Alwaye, Koyna and Korba have
(a) Thermal Stations (b) Oil Refineries
(c) Hydro Stations
(d) Aluminium Industries
Ans. (d) Alwaye, Koyna and Korba have aluminium industries.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
321. Match the columns:
List 1 : List 2
(Lakes) : (States)
A. Wular : 1. Rajasthan
B. Chilka : 2. Orissa
C. Loktak : 3. Manipur
D. Nakki : 4. Jammu and Kashmir : 5. Madhya Pradesh
Select the correct answer from the codes given below : A B C D
(a) 5 2 3 4 (b) 3 5 2 1
(c) 4 2 3 1 (d) 4 3 5 2
Ans. (c) Wular Lake is one of the largest fresh water lakes in Asia. It is sited in Bandipora district in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. Loktak Lake is the largest freshwater lake in Northeast India in Manipur, and is famous for the phumdis floating over it.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
322. River Luni drains into
(a) Ganga delta (b) Kerala coast
(c) Rann of Kutchh (d) Godavari delta
Ans. (c) The Luni is an endorheic river of western Rajasthan state, India. It originates in the Pushkar valley of the Aravalli Range, near Ajmer, passes through the southeastern portion of the Thar Desert, and ends in the marshy lands of Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, after covering a distance of 495 km.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
323. Match the columns:
List 1 : List 2
A. Maharashtra : 1. Alluvial
B. Karnataka : 2. Lateritic
C. Uttar Pradesh : 3. Red
D. Assam : 4. Black
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 4 2 1 3 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 3 1 4 2 (d) 2 3 4 1
Ans. (b) Assam has also a significant percentage of alluvial soil carried in by the Brahmaputra river. Thus, (b) is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1988]
324. ‘Khasi’ and ‘Garo’ tribes mainly live in
(a) Kerala (b) Meghalaya
(c) Chota Nagpur (d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (b) ‘Khasi’ and ‘Garo’ tribes mainly live in Meghalaya.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
325. Oil Refinery located near the oil field is
(a) Mathura (b) Barauni
(c) Visakhapatnam (d) Nunmati
Ans. (c) In Visakhapatnam, oil refinery is located near the oil field.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
326. Match the columns:
A. West Bengal : 1. Alpana
B. Maharashtra : 2. Rangoli
C. Tamil Nadu : 3. Pahari
D. Rajasthan : 4. Kolam
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A B C D
(a) 1 2 3 4 (b) 4 3 2 1
(c) 1 2 4 3 (d) 2 1 4 3
Ans. (c)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
327. The shaded portion in the following map represents:
(a) Deciduous forests
(b) Tropical evergreen forests
(c) Subtropical evergreen forests
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
328. ‘Lushai’ is the name given to tribal population living in
(a) Nagaland (b) Manipur
(c) Tripura (d) Meghalaya
Ans. (a) Lushai people are people who live along the Lushai hills found spread through Mizoram and Nagaland. Thus, people living in above two states are called Lushai. Since, Mizoram is not in the option, Nagaland is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
329. The type of vegetation found in shaded region of map is of India’s :
(a) Tropical wet evergreen forests
(b) Deciduous forests
(c) Wet temperate forests
(d) Mangrove forests
Ans. (a) The shaded area in the map largely depicts the Western Ghats of India. The Ghats are regarded as zone of intense waterfall throughout the year; hence the vegetation type in such region must be ‘Tropical wet and evergreen forests’.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1987]
330. The southernmost part of India lies in
(a) Tamil Nadu
(b) Kerala
(c) Lakshadweep
(d) Andaman and Nicobar island
Ans. (d) ‘Indira Point’ is the name of the southernmost point of Republic of India. It is situated on Great Nicobar Island in the Nicobar Islands, located in the eastern Indian Ocean. This is not on the Indian mainland, but within the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, part of the Republic of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
331. Which of the following States has the largest population of Scheduled Tribes?
(a) Assam (b) Madhya Pradesh
(c) Bihar (d) West Bengal
Ans. (b) Madhya Pradesh has the largest tribal population in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
332. The shaded area shown in the map of India is
(a) Tropical wet evergreen forests
(b) Deciduous forests
(c) Wet temperate forests
(d) Mangrove forests
Ans. (a) The shaded region in the map falls under the Western Ghats which witness significant rainfall and sunlight availability and therefore, tropical wet evergreen forests are very common here.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
333. Which of the following crops is a tropical monsoon crop?
(a) Rice (b) Wheat
(c) Ragi (d) Jowar
Ans. (a) Rice is widely regarded as tropical monsoon crop as planted at the time of onset of monsoon.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1986]
334. Which of the following States produces maximum quantity of lignite?
(a) Gujarat (b) Rajasthan
(c) Jammu & Kashmir (d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
335. The great Indian bustard is a/an
(a) Animal (b) Reptile
(c) Bird (d) Mammal
Ans. (c) The ‘Great Indian Bustard’ is a bird that is found in Rajasthan and the marshy lands of Gujarat.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
336. Study the following map carefully and answer these questions.
Which of the following types of soils is indicated by the portion marked with ‘A”?
(a) Red soil (b) Alluvial soil
(c) Laterite soil (d) Black soil
Ans. (b) Laterite soil is found in high rainfall and high temperature zones. In India, laterite soil is primarily found in Western Ghats and North-eastern regions. In the figure, ‘A’ locations shows laterite soils distribution on the map of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
337. Which of the following tribes is not found in Central India?
(a) Todas (b) Gonds
(c) Mundas (d) Bhils
Ans. (a) The Toda people are a small pastoral tribal community who live on the isolated Nilgiri plateau in hill country of Southern India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
338. Study the following map carefully and answer these questions.
Match the type of soil found in regions represented by dots, 1-4.
1 2 3 4
(a) Alluvial Alluvial Laterite Sandy saline light black dark black
(b) Alluvial Alluvial Alluvial Laterite dark black light black
(c) Alluvial Laterite Alluvial Alluvial light black dark black
(d) Sandy saline Laterite Alluvial Alluvial light light black dark black black
Ans. (b) Western ghats are known for dark black soil, the most suited for cotton cultivation in the region.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
339. Study the following map carefully and answer these questions.
Which of the following is indicated by the portions marked with ‘B’?
(a) Coal fields
(b) Atomic power plants
(c) Fertiliser complexes
(d) Oil refineries
Ans. (c) The locations marked with ‘B’ show the fertilizer complex facilities in the country.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
340. Match the following :
A. Korba : 1. Atomic Power plant
B. Raniganj : 2. Heavy Electricals
C. Kalpakkam : 3. Coal Mines
D. Haridwar : 4. Aluminium : 5. Iron and Steel
Codes :
A B C D
(a) 1 3 2 5 (b) 4 3 1 2
(c) 2 4 1 5 (d) 2 4 1 3
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
341. The National Highway No. 1 connects
(a) Bombay to Calcutta
(b) Delhi to Calcutta
(c) Bombay to Delhi
(d) Delhi to Amritsar
Ans. (d) National Highway 1 or NH 1 is a National Highway in Northern India that links the national capital New Delhi to the town of Attari in Punjab near the India–Pakistan border. In way, it also connects Delhi with Amritsar.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1985]
342. In the following map; the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 stand respectively for
(a) Goa Daman Pondicherry Dadar and and Diu Nagar Haveli
(b) Pondicherry Goa Mizoram Dadar and Nagar Haveli
(c) Goa Mizoram Pondicherry Dadar and Nagar Haveli
(d) Daman and Dadar and Goa Pondicherry Diu Nagar Haveli
Ans. (b) Goa is located between Maharashtra and Karnataka in Konkan region, Pondicherry is located in the neighbourhood of Tamil Nadu state. Dadar and Nagar Haveli is on right side of Gujarat while Mizoram is past of north-eastern States.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
343. Match the following :
A. Lignite : 1. Jharia
B. Coal : 2. Hazaribagh
C. Mica : 3. Neyveli
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
A B C
(a) 3 1 2
(b) 1 2 3
(c) 3 2 1
(d) 1 3 2
Ans. (a) Lignite coal, a type of coal which is also known as secondary coal type is mainly found in Neyveli, Andhra Pradesh. Jharia, Jharkhand is mainly known for its coal production. Mica is found in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
344. The most indigenous atomic power plant is situated at
(a) Kota (b) Trombay
(c) Tarapur (d) Kalpakkam
Ans. (d) Among given options, Kalpakkam power plant is the most indigenous atomic power plant of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
345. Iron ore mines are located in which of the following group of places?
(a) Bokaro, Balaghat, Hazaribagh
(b) Singhbhum, Monghyr, Singareni
(c) Jharia, Raniganj, Wardha
(d) Singhbhum, Mayurbhani, Keonihar
Ans. (d) Singhbhum, Mayurbhani and Keonihar are three famous places for production iron ore.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
346. The States shaded in the given map account for above 75 percent of the total cropped area and about 75 percent of the total production of which of the following :
(a) Wheat (b) Sugarcane
(c) Tea (d) Rice
Ans. (d) The shaded area contributes to more than 75% of the total Rice production in India with Bihar dominating the others.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
347. Which of the following pairs is incorrect?
(a) Nagarjuna sagar — Andhra Pradesh
(b) Tungabhadra — Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka
(c) Farakka — West Bengal
(d) Kosi — Gujarat
Ans. (c) Kosi passes through Bihar and NOR Gujarat. Hence, incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1984]
348. In which part of India do tea and coffee plantations overlap?
(a) South India (b) East India
(c) South East India (d) South West India
Ans. (d) In south-west India, tea and coffee plantation overlap. States in south-west India such as Karnataka, Southern Andhra Pradesh are known for both simultaneous cultivation of tea and coffee even on same farm.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
349. Match the following:
A. Gonds : 1. Central India
B. Eskimos : 2. Canada
C. Lapps : 3. Norway
D. Moplas : 4. Kerala
The correct answer is A B C D
(a) 4 3 1 2 (b) 2 3 1 4
(c) 2 4 2 3 (d) 3 2 1 4
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
@350. Indian agriculture largely depends for its water supply on
(a) Rivers (b) Wells
(c) Monsoon rains
(d) Desalinised marine water
Ans. (c) Indian agriculture in lack of properly developed irrigation facilities largely depends upon monsoon rains to meet its most of water requirements.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
351. Lucerne is a
(a) Foliage crop (b) Cereal crop
(c) Fruit crop (d) Fibre crop
Ans. (a) Lucerne or alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a deep-rooted, temperate, perennial pasture legume which is well adapted to mixed farming systems.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
352. Which of the following rivers flows westward?
(a) Krishna (b) Cauvery
(c) Mahanadi (d) Narmada
Ans. (d) Narmada and Tapi are two large rivers that flow westward.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
353. To check the expansion of Thar desert which of the following measures should be vied?
(a) Construction of dams
(b) Afforestation
(c) Construction of canals
(d) Artificial rain
Ans. (b) Afforestation could be the most effective way to prevent the expansion of the Thar Desert. Afforestation would reduce the erosion rate and to be particular wind erosion rate which would prevent the expansion of the desert. The construction of dams, canals or artificial rain would not be effective with soil being sandy and highly porous.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
354. In which of the following city one can never see the sun shine overhead at noon?
(a) Delhi
(b) Visakhapatnam
(c) Trivandrum
(d) Bangalore
Ans. (a) Delhi would never see the sun right at top of the city because it lies in extra-tropical region. It’s when the Sun does not move. The rest of cities would see at least once, see that the Sun is on top of the city.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
355. The shortest route from New Delhi to Vancouver is
(a) New Delhi—Bangkok—Tokyo—Vancouver
(b) New Delhi—London—New York—Vancouver
(c) New Delhi—Paris—New York—Vancouver
(d) New Delhi—Moscow—New York—Vancouver
Ans. (c) New Delhi- Paris-New York- Vancouver is the shortest route.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
356. Which of the following is not correct?
(a) Doldrums —Equatorial low pressure zone
(b) Hurricane —A wind having a mean velocity of less than 100 km per hour
(c) New Moore Island —India
(d) Alluvium —Rann of Kutch
Ans. (b) Hurricane are tropical cyclones that occurr along the coast of northern American continent. The winds have average speed atleast more than 100 km/h and hence, the 2nd statement is incorrect.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
357. The country scene is one of desolation, with dry, deep and narrow gullies. There is little vegetation and that too thorny shrub variety. Human settlements are scarce. The scene may belong to
(a) West Rajasthan (b) Bundelkhand region
(c) Malwa region (d) Chambal valley
Ans. (a) West Rajasthan is the part of the Thar desert where population and vegetation is scarce and living conditions are harsh.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
358. In which State of India is coconut grown extensively?
(a) Karnataka (b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Kerala (d) Assam
Ans. (c) Kerala is known for coconut plantation. Coconut is grown here extensively. Top 10 largest Coconut producing states in India 1. Tamil Nadu 2. Kerala 3. Karnataka 4. Andhra Pradesh 5. West Bengal 6. Odisha 7. Gujarat 8. Maharashtra 9. Bihar 10. Assam
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
359. Distribution of which mineral is shown in the map of India?
(a) Gold (b) Iron ore
(c) Coal (d) Petroleum
Ans. (b) The shown depiction of Indian map reflects the distribution of Iron-ore in the country.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1983]
360. Which is the most urbanised State in India?
(a) Punjab
(b) Maharashtra
(c) Gujarat
(d) Tamil Nadu
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
361. Which of the following States has the largest coastal area in India?
(a) Kerala (b) Tamil Nadu
(c) Karnataka (d) Andhra Pradesh
Ans. (d) Gujarat has the largest coastal area in India with total length of 1214.7 km. Andhra Pradesh has coast lines of 973.7 km and Tamil Nadu was coastal line of 906.9 km.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
362. To visit Tuticorin, Mangalore and Paradip, one does not require to go to
(a) Tamil Nadu (b) Kerala
(c) Karnataka (d) Orissa
Ans. (b) One does not need to go Kerala in order to visit Tuticorin, Mangalore and Paradip. Because, Tuticorin is in Tamil Nadu, Mangalore is in Karnataka and Paradip is in Odisha. None of the mentioned places is in Kerala hence, there is no need to go there.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
363. 200 cm of rainfall, 20°C of temperature and well drained land is ideal for the cultivation of
(a) Rice (b) Tea
(c) Coffee (d) Rubber
Ans. (b) For Tea, the ideal climatic conditions are : • 200 cm of rainfall • 20°C of temperature • Well drained land with inclined plains. Hence, (b) is the correct.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
364. Chambal river flows through the States of
(a) Maharashtra, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh
(b) Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa
(c) Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
(d) Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar
Ans. (c) The Chambal River is a tributary of the Yamuna River. The river flows north-northeast through Madhya Pradesh, running for a time through Rajasthan, then forming the boundary between Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh before turning southeast to join the Yamuna in Uttar Pradesh state.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
365. Khetri, Kolar, Sindri and Jharia are associated with
(a) Copper, gold, fertilisers and coal
(b) Copper, gold, coal and iron
(c) Copper, gold, coal and gypsum
(d) Iron, gold, coal and copper
Ans. (a) Khetri is famous for its copper mines. Kolar mines in Karnataka are famous for Gold. Sindri is recognized for its fertilizers industry and Jharia is famous for its coal mines.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
366. The largest producer of tea in the world is
(a) China
(b) Sri Lanka
(c) India
(d) Malaysia
Ans. (a) China is the largest tea producer in the world, followed by India and Kenya. Based on UN Food And Agriculture Organization statistics for global production from 1993-2013, here are the 10 top tea-producing nations in the world: 1. China 2. India 3. Kenya 4. Sri Lankan 5. Turkey 6. Indonesia 7. Vietnam 8. Japan 9. Iran 10. Argentina
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
367. North India gets rainfall due to
(a) Northern cold winds
(b) South-West monsoons
(c) North-East monsoons
(d) Western disturbances
Ans. (b) Heavy rainfall in North-Eastern region of India is caused by South-West monsoon winds. The southwest monsoon is responsible for 90% of the annual rainfall of the region.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
368. The river which flows between Vindhya and Satpura ranges is
(a) Narmada (b) Tapti
(c) Mahanadi (d) Godavari
Ans. (b) Tapti flows between Vindhya and Satpura range.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
369. Duncan pass is located between
(a) North Andaman and South Andaman
(b) North Andaman and Car Nicobar
(c) South Andaman and Car Nicobar
(d) South Andaman and Little Andaman
Ans. (c) Duncan Pass is located between South Andaman and Little Andaman. Duncan Passage is about 48 km wide strait in the Indian Ocean.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
370. Bhakra Nangal, Hirakud and Kosi projects are situated on the rivers
(a) Sutlej, Mahanadi and Kosi
(b) Sutlej, Mahanadi and Purna
(c) Mahanadi, Beas, Godavari
(d) Beas, Mahanadi, Sutlej
Ans. (a) Bhakra Nangal project is located on Sutlej river, Hirakud is located on Mahanadi river in Odisha and Koshi project is on Koshi river.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1982]
371. Which of the following States is landlocked?
(a) Maharashtra (b) West Bengal
(c) Andhra Pradesh (d) Bihar
Ans. (d)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
372. Maximum production of paddy per unit water consumption can be best achieved in a
(a) Nonporous soil
(b) Porous soil
(c) Impervious soil
(d) Soil that allows slow percolation
Ans. (d) Maximum production of paddy per unit water consumption can be achieved best if the soil is such kind that allows slow seepage or percolation.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
373. Why the Indian farmers plough their fields during the time interval between two crops ?
(a) In order to keep the soil loose for further cultivation
(b) To increase the porosity of the soil
(c)To escape drought
(d) To prevent clodding
Ans. (c) Indian farmers are heavily relied on rainwater and ground water for irrigation purpose. There is hardly any irrigation facility in the country sides. Therefore, Indian farmers resort on various practices that help them to reap the benefits of rainwater to maximum extent.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
374. Which of the following statements about the cultivation (a) Tea grows at a higher altitude than coffee
(b) Coffee grows at a higher altitude than tea
(c) Both grow at about the same altitude
(d) There is no climatic relationship between the two
Ans. (a) Tea grows at higher altitude than coffee. The difference leaves while in coffee, it is the seeds.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1981]
375. Bustard King is found in
(a) Assam (b) Himalayan Range
(c) Rajasthan (d) Madhya Pradesh
Ans. (c) The ‘Great Indian Bustard’, also known as ‘Bustard King’ is found mostly in Rajasthan and Gujarat. Hence, C is the correct answer.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1980]
376. Recent discovery of method of reducing salination of soil is
(a) Spreading of husk on the soil
(b) Extensive use of fertilisers
(c) Intensive use of fertilisers
(d) None of the above
Ans. (a) Recently, it was discovered that dense crop husks like rice husks could effectively be employed to encounter increasing salination of soils.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
377. The crop which grows in alluvial soil and needs 150 cm rainfall is
(a) Wheat (b) Rice
(c) Groundnut (d) Sugarcane
Ans. (b) Alluvial soil, mixture of clayey and loamy soil in adequate proportion with 150cm rainfall is ideal for cultivation of rice. Rice (Paddy) is grown well in hot and moist climate.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
378. What factors changed the landscape of India the most in last century?
(a) Irrigation
(b) Movement of people from rural to urban areas
(c) Industrialisation
(d) Deforestation
Ans. (d) In last few decades, human activities have increased rapidly, which have caused more and more deforestation and changed the physical landscapes. Deforestation an indiscriminate cutting down of trees that make up a forest for reasons having little to do with the health or quality of the trees in question.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
379. The oldest mountains are
(a) Himalayas (b) Aravallis
(c) Satpura (d) Vindhyas
Ans. (b) The Aravalli range is the oldest fold mountains in India. Other mountain ranges of India :
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
380. Which of the following projects is administered by more than one State?
(a) Nagarjuna Sagar Project
(b) Kosi Project
(c) Hirakud Project
(d) Tungbhadra Project
Ans. (a) Nagarjuna Sagar Dam was built across the Krishna river at Nagarjuna Sagar where the river is forming boundary between Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh state and Nalgonda district of Telangana state in India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
381. Which of the following crops helps in nitrogen fixation?
(a) Rice (b) Wheat
(c) Maize (d) Beans
Ans. (d) Beans are leguminous crops which help in Nitrogen Fixation as they carry the nitrogen fixing bacteria of species Rhizobium in their root nodules. A legume is a plant in the family Fabaceae (or Leguminosae), or the fruit or seed of such a plant. Legumes are grown agriculturally, primarily for their grain seed called pulse, for livestock forage and silage, and as soil-enhancing green manure. Well-known legumes include alfalfa, clover, peas, beans, lentils, lupin bean, mesquite, carob, soybeans, peanuts, and tamarind.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
382. “Laterite Soil” is found in India in
(a) Western Ghats
(b) Eastern Ghats
(c) Deccan Plateau
(d) Satpura region in Madhya Pradesh
Ans. (a) Laterite soil is mainly found in Western Ghats and the North-eastern region of the country.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
383. The sea territory of India extends up to
(a) 4 nautical miles
(b) 12 nautical miles
(c) 200 nautical miles
(d) None of these
Ans. (b) Territorial waters or a territorial sea as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, as a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mile) from the baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state. Therefore, India’s sea territory extends up to 12 nautical miles from its shorelines.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
384. The winter rain in Madras is caused by
(a) South-West Monsoons
(b) North-East Monsoons
(c) Intense land and sea breezes
(d) Cyclonic winds in the Bay of Bengal
Ans. (b) The winter rain in Madras and some other parts of Tamil Nadu is caused by North-east monsoon.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
385. Which among the following States possesses oil resources based on geographical location?
(a) Kerala (b) Nagaland
(c) Assam (d) Meghalaya
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
386. India’s population (a) 50 crores (b) 54 crores (c) 62 crores
(d) 70 crores
Ans. (b)
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
387. Gondwana hills are located in
(a) Punjab (b) Jammu and Kashmir
(c) Madhya Pradesh (d) Nagaland
Ans. (c) Gondwana hills are spread through the central Indian states such as Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, etc. Gondwana is a region of India. named after the Gondi people who live there (though they can also be found in other parts of India). The name of the ancient continent of Gondwanaland was derived from Gondwana because some of the earliest rock formations of this continent were first investigated in this part of region, in modern Odisha.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
388. The maximum percentage of the tribal population in India constitutes :
(a) Bhils (b) Santhals
(c) Mundas (d) Nagas
Ans. (b) Santhals have the maximum percentage of the tribal population in India. The Santhal or Saontal are a scheduled tribe of people indigenous to Terai of Nepal and India, who live mainly in Nepal and the Indian States of Jharkhand, West Bengal, Bihar, Odisha, Assam.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
389. It has been found recently that the acidity of the soil increases because of
(a) Leaching away of bases
(b) Increased use of ammonia
(c) Increased use of urea
(d) Increased use of rock phosphate
Ans. (b) Ammonium based fertilisers are major contributors to soil acidification. converted to nitrate and hydrogen ions in the soil.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]
390. ‘Jhum Cultivation’ is connected with
(a) Tribal people (b) Delta cultivation
(c) Dry farming (d) Hilly people
Ans. (d) Jhum cultivation is mainly practiced by hilly people where there is lack of productive land. Jhum cultivation, also known as the slash and burn agriculture, is the process of growing crops by first clearing the land of trees and vegetation by burning them. The burnt soil contains potash by that increases the nutrient content of the soil. Jhum cultivation is practiced in large scale in north-eastern states of India.
UPSC Previous Year Paper [1979]