GEOGRAPHY UPSC MAINS DECODED SYLLABUS WITH PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION [2011-2022]

GEOGRAPHY UPSC MAINS DECODED SYLLABUS WITH PREVIOUS YEAR QUESTION [2011-2022]

SYLLABUS : BY UPSC

1. Geography: Physical:

   Salient features of the world’s physical geography.

2. Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, Volcanic activity, and cyclones. etc.,
3. CA: SOME GEO-TECH QUESTION [BY ME ]

4. Geography: Climate, Disaster related:

   geographical features and their location changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

5. Geography: Resources Distribution:

   Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent);

6. factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India).

7. Geography:Urbanization: problems and remedies

DECODING IT INTO SURE SHOT METHOD :

1. Geography: Physical: 

Syllabus Topic:

• 1.Salient Features of World Physical Geography;
• 2.Geographical features and location;
• 3.Important Geophysical phenomena (earthquakes, tsunami, volcanoes, cyclones);
• 4.CA: SOME GEO-TECH QUESTION [BY ME ]

FURTHER DECODING:

SYLLABUS WITH PYQ:

 

1. SALIENT FEATURES OF WORLD PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY,

2. GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES AND LOCATION…….

 

2022: Troposphere is a very significant atmospheric layer that determines weather processes. How? (Answer in 250 words)

2022:Mention the significance of straits and isthmus in international trade. (Answer in 250 words)

2022: Describe the characteristics and types of primary rocks. (Answer in 150 words)

2021: Why is India considered as a sub-continent? Elaborate your answer.

10. HOW CAN THE MOUNTAIN ECOSYSTEM BE RESTORED FROM THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND TOURISM? (2019)

11. DISCUSS THE GEOPHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CIRCUM-PACIFIC ZONE (2020)

 

2. WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND BY THE THEORY OF ‘CONTINENTAL DRIFT’? DISCUSS THE PROMINENT EVIDENCE IN ITS SUPPORT (2013)

8. EXPLAIN THE FORMATION OF THOUSANDS OF ISLANDS IN THE INDONESIAN AND PHILIPPINES ARCHIPELAGOS (2014)

2013: Bring out the causes for the formation of heat islands in the urban habitat of the world.

9. DEFINE MANTLE PLUME AND EXPLAIN ITS ROLE IN PLATE TECTONICS (2018)

3. MAJOR HOT DESERTS IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE ARE LOCATED BETWEEN 20-30 DEGREES NORTH LATITUDES AND ON THE WESTERN SIDE OF THE CONTINENTS. WHY? 2013

3. IMPORTANT GEOPHYSICAL PHENOMENA (EARTHQUAKES, TSUNAMI, VOLCANOES, CYCLONES), *LANDSLIDE-CA ISSUE

Q.1 EXAMINES THE CAUSES AND THE EXTENT OF ‘DESERTIFICATION‘ IN INDIA AND SUGGESTS REMEDIAL MEASURES (2012)

2022: Discuss the natural resource potentials of ‘Deccan Trap’. (Answer in 150 words

5. THERE IS NO FORMATION OF DELTAS BY RIVERS OF THE WESTERN GHATS. WHY? (2013)

4. BRING OUT THE CAUSES FOR THE FREQUENT OCCURRENCE OF LANDSLIDES IN THE HIMALAYAS THAN IN THE WESTERN GHATS (2013)

6. “THE HIMALAYAS ARE HIGHLY PRONE TO LANDSLIDES.” DISCUSS THE CAUSES AND SUGGEST SUITABLE MEASURES OF MITIGATION (2016)

2021: Differentiate the causes of landslides in the Himalayan region and Western Ghats

7. WHY ARE WORLD’S FOLD MOUNTAIN SYSEMS LOCATED ALONG THE MARGINS OF CONTINENTS ? BRING OUT THE DISTRIBUTION OF FOLD MOUNTAINS AND THE EARTHQUAKES AND VOLCANOES (2014)

2021: Mention the global occurrence of volcanic eruptions in 2021 and their impact on regional environment.

12. THE INTERLINKING OF RIVERS CAN PROVIDE VIABLE SOLUTIONS TO THE MULTI-DIMENSIONAL INTER-RELATED PROBLEMS OF DROUGHTS, FLOODS, AND INTERRUPTING NAVIGATION. CRITICALLY EXAMINE. (2020)

2014 : Tropical cyclones are largely confined to South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and Gulf of Mexico. Why?

2013: The recent cyclone on the east coast of India was called “Phailin”. How are the tropical cyclones named across the world?

2022:Discuss the meaning of colour-coded weather warnings for cyclone prone areas given by India Meteorological Department. (Answer in 150 words)

4. CA: SOME GEO-TECH QUESTION ARE COMING LIKE :

How does the Juno Mission of NASA help to understand the origin and evolution of the Earth? 2017

2018:Why is the Indian Regional Navigational Satellite System (IRNSS) needed? How does it help in navigation?

Geography: Climate, Disaster related :

geographical features and their location changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

 

2021: what are the environmental implications of the reclamation of the water bodies into urban land use? Explain with examples.

2020:How will the meeting of Himalayan glaciers have a far-reaching impact on the water resources of India?

2019:Assess the impact of global warming on coral life system with examples.

2019: How do ocean currents and water masses differ in their impacts on marine life and the coastal environment? Give suitable examples?

2019: Discuss the causes of depletion of mangroves and explain their importance in maintaining coastal ecology.

2019: How can the mountain ecosystem be restored from the negative impact of development initiatives and tourism?

2019 : What is water stress? How and why does it differ regionally in India?

2018: What are the consequences of spreading of ‘Dead Zones’ on marine ecosystem?

2017; In spite of adverse environmental impact, coal mining is still inevitable for development.” Discuss.

2017 : Mention the advantages of the cultivation of pulse because of which the year 2016 was declared as the International Year of Pulses by the United Nations.

2017: How does the cryosphere affect global climate?

2017: Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multi-dimensional effects?

2017: In what way can flood be converted into a sustainable source of irrigation and all-weather inland navigation in India?

2017: What characteristics can be assigned to monsoon climate that succeeds in feeding more than 50 percent of the won population residing in Monsoon Asia?

2016: Discuss the concept of air mass and explain its role in macro-climatic changes.

2015: Explain the factors responsible for the origin of ocean currents. How do they influence regional climates, fishing and navigation?

2022: What are the forces that influence ocean currents? Describe their role in fishing industry of the world. (Answer in 250 words)

2015: How far do you agree that the behavior of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscapes? Discuss.

2014: Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree?

2014: Bring out the relationship between the shrinking Himalayan glaciers and the symptoms of climate change in the Indian sub-continent.

2021: Briefly mention the alignment of major mountain ranges of the world and explain their impact on local weather conditions, with examples.

2013: What do you understand by the phenomenon of temperature inversion in meteorology? How does it affect the weather and the habitants of the place?

 

5.Geography: Resources Distribution: 

Syllabus Topic: Distribution of key Natural Resources (world, S. Asia, Indian subcontinent)

2022: Examine the potential of wind energy in India and explain the reasons for their limited spatial spread. (Answer in 150 words)

2020: The interlinking of rivers can provide viable solutions to the multi-dimensional inter-related problems of droughts, floods and interrupted navigation. Critically examine

2020: India has immense potential of solar energy though there are regional variations in its development. Elaborate.

2020:Examine the status of forest resources of India and its resultant impact on climate change.

2019: Can the strategy of regional-resource based manufacturing help in promoting employment in India?

2018: Why is India taking keen interest in resources of Arctic Region?

2021:How do the melting of the Arctic ice and glaciers of the Antarctic differently affect the weather patterns and human activities on the Earth? Explain.

2016: The effective management of land and water resources will drastically reduce the human miseries. Explain

2016 : South China Sea has assumed great geopolitical significance in the present context. Comment

2016 : Present an account of the Indus Water Treaty and examine its ecological, economic and political implications in the context of changing bilateral relations

2016: Enumerate the problems and prospects of inland water transport in India?

2016: In what way micro-watershed Development projects help in water conservation in drought prone and semi-arid regions of India.

2015: What are the economic significances of discovery of oil in Arctic Sea and its possible environmental consequences?

2015: India is well endowed with fresh water resources. Critically examine why it still suffers from water scarcity

2015: The states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand reaching the limits of their ecological carrying capacity due to tourism. Critically evaluate

2014: Critically evaluate the various resources of the oceans which can be harnessed to meet the resource crisis in the world.

2014: How does India see its place in the economic space of rising natural resource rich Africa?

2013: With growing scarcity of fossil fuels, the atomic energy is gaining more and more significance in India. Discuss the availability of raw material required for the generation of atomic energy in India and in the world.

2013: It is said the India has substantial reserves of shale oil and gas, which can feed the needs of country for quarter century. However, tapping of the resources doesn’t appear to be high on the agenda. Discuss critically the availability and issues involved.

2021:Discuss the multi-dimensional implications of uneven distribution of mineral oil in the world.

 

Geography: factors affecting industrial locations:

Syllabus Topic: Factors responsible for location of Industries (primary, secondary, tertiary; India, world):

2021: What are the main socio-economic implications arising out of the development of IT industries in major cities of India?

2022:Describing the distribution of rubber producing countries, indicate the major environmental issues faced by them. (Answer in 250 words)

2021: Despite India being one of the countries of the Gondwanaland, its mining industry contributes much less to its Gross Domestic Product(GDP) in percentage. Discuss

2020: Account for the present location of iron and steel industries away from the source of raw material, by giving examples.

2019: Discuss the factors for localization of agro-based food processing industries of North-West India

2018: Define blue revolution, explain the problems and strategies for pisciculture development in India.

2018: What is the significance of Industrial Corridors in India? Identify industrial corridors, explain their main characteristics

2017: Petroleum refineries are not necessarily located nearer to crude oil producing areas, particularly in many of the developing countries. Explain its implications.

2014: Whereas the British planters had developed tea gardens all along the Shivaliks and Lesser Himalayas from Assam to Himachal Pradesh, in effect they did not succeed beyond the Darjeeling area. Explain.

2014: Account for the change in the spatial pattern of the Iron and Steel industry in the world.

2014: Why did the Green Revolution in India virtually by-pass the eastern region despite fertile soil and good availability of water?

2013: Do you agree that there is a growing trend of opening new sugar mills in the Southern states of India? Discuss with justification

2013: Analyze the factors for highly decentralized cotton textile industry in India

 

Geography: Urbanization

Syllabus Topic: Urbanization: problems and remedies

2020: Account for the huge flooding of million cities in India including the smart ones like Hyderabad and Pune. Suggest lasting remedial measures.

2019: How is efficient and affordable urban mass transport key to the rapid economic development of India?

2018: The ideal solution of depleting ground water resources in India is water harvesting system.” How can it be made effective in urban areas?

2017: The growth of cities as I.T. hubs has opened up new avenues employment but has also created new problems. Substantiate this statement with examples. Urbanization

2016:With a brief background of quality of urban life in India, introduce the objectives and strategy of the ‘Smart City Programme’.

2016: Major cities of India are becoming more vulnerable to flood conditions. Discuss.

2015: Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata are the three mega cities of the country but the air pollution is much more serious problem in Delhi as compared to the other two. Why is this so?

2015: Smart cities in India cannot sustain without smart villages. Discuss this statement in the backdrop of rural urban integration.

2013:Discussion the various social problems which originated out of the speedy process of urbanization in India.