Indian Geography: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Geography)
2 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Indian Geography (Geography). Choose an option to see the answer and explanation.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 1–2 of 2 questions
UPSC 2017Geography · Indian Geography
Q1. 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?
Explanation
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Teesta River originates from the Tso Lhamo Lake in North Sikkim, near the Khangse Glacier. The Brahmaputra River originates from the Angsi Glacier in Tibet. Thus, their sources are not the same. The Teesta River flows through Sikkim and West Bengal before entering Bangladesh.
Statement 2 is correct: River Rangeet originates from the Himalayas in West Sikkim and is the largest tributary of Teesta River. It joins the Teesta at Melli near the border of Sikkim and West Bengal.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Teesta River does not flow directly into the Bay of Bengal. It joins the Brahmaputra River (called Jamuna in Bangladesh) before flowing into the Bay of Bengal. The Teesta meets the Jamuna near Fulchhari in Bangladesh and then the combined flow reaches the Bay of Bengal.
UPSC 2017Geography · Indian Geography
Q2. At one of the place 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 seafloor when the water recedes.’ This unique phenomenon is seen at
Explanation
Chandipur, located in Balasore district, Odisha is famous for its unique vanishing sea phenomenon where the sea recedes up to 5 km during low tide and returns during high tide, occurring twice a day. This hide-and-seek of the sea comes to play twice a day and seeing the sea disappear and then return is an unforgettable experience. Thus it is also called the ‘hide-and-seek’ beach. The Bay of Bengal coast experiences semi-diur-nal tides, meaning it has two high tides and two low tides each day. Chandipur beach has a shallow gradient which amplifies the tidal effect and causes the sea to retreat significantly. The gradual slope of the sea bed allows water to move far away and return cyclically. The beach is rich in biodiversity, including horseshoe crabs and red crabs, which become visible when the water recedes. Chandipur also has the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organization) Integrated Research Range. In this range ballistic missiles are test-fired.
Option (a), (b) and (d) are incorrect:
Bhavnagar is located in Saurashtra, Gujarat near the Gulf of Khambhat, which has one of the highest tidal ranges in India (up to 11 meters), but the sea does not recede as dramatically as in Chandipur. Bheemunipatnam is a coastal town near Visakhapatnam. It is known for its historical Dutch settlements, but does not exhibit this tidal phenomenon. Nagapattinam is a port town on the Coromandel Coast in Tamil Nadu. It is known for fishing and trade, but does not have the dramatic sea retreat seen in Chandipur.
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2017
(b) 2 only
2
2017
(c) Chandipur
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Indian Geography?
This page covers 2 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Indian Geography (Geography), asked from 1996 to 2025. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Indian Geography?
Questions on Indian Geography (Geography) are available for 28 years, from 1996 to 2025. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
