115 previous year UPSC Prelims questions on Indian geography make this the largest Geography chapter, from 1996 to 2025, across 28 exam years. UPSC asks about rivers and basins, lakes, forests and trees, mountain peaks and reservoirs, islands and volcanoes. The explanations give the state and basin for each feature.
Explanations state facts as of the year each question was asked; words like “recently” refer to that year.
Showing 11–20 of 115 questions
Aliyar, Isapur and Kangsabati are geographically dispersed across different states, but they share the common characteristic of being sites of significant water reservoirs. These reservoirs are crucial for irrigation, drinking water supply, and sometimes hydroelectric power generation in their respective regions.
Kodaikanal Lake, also known as Kodai Lake is a man-made lake (artificial) located in the Kodaikanal city in Dindigul district in Tamil Nadu, India. The lake was built in 1863, in the middle of Kodaikanal town. Sir Vere Henry Levinge, the then Collector of Madurai, had a key role in its construction. The lake is star-shaped, centrally located in the town of Kodaikanal and is surrounded by lush green hills of the northwestern Palani Hills range. It is fed by several small streams from the Palani Hills.
Option (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect:
Kolleru Lake is a large, natural, shallow freshwater lake located in the northeastern part of Andhra Pradesh, between the Krishna and Godavari deltas. It is designated as a Ramsar Wetland Site due to its ecological importance. It is a natural lake formed by the accumulation of river waters and is a major habitat for migratory birds. Nainital lake is a natural lake and was formed due to tectonic movements. It is a natural, kidney-shaped, tectonic lake formed due to geological movements. It is part of the Kumaon Lake Region and is a popular tourist destination. The Renuka Lake is located in Himachal Pradesh and holds cultural and spiritual significance. It is regarded as the embodiment of Renukaji, the wife of sage Jamadagini and mother of Parshuram. This placid stretch of water is fed by underground springs and the surrounding hills are padded by lush forests that support a large variety of plant and animal life.
Statement 1 is correct: Barren Island is India’s only active volcano and is located in the Andaman Sea, within the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It belongs to the volcanic arc of the Sunda Trench and is part of the Andaman Subduction Zone which makes it seismically active.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Barren Island is located about 140 km northeast of Port Blair (the capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands), not Great Nicobar. Great Nicobar is located far south of the Andaman Islands, whereas Barren Island is in the northern Andaman Sea.
Statement 3 is incorrect: The Barren Island volcano has erupted multiple times after 1991. Significant eruptions were recorded in 1994-1995, 2005, 2009, and most recently in 2017-2018. Thus, it has not remained inactive since 1991.
When S1 says its active volcano and S3 says its inactive since approx 27 years, that means both statements clearly contradicts. Its a active volcano is a well known fact as being the "only" active one in India, thus S3 is more likely false, giving
option A as correct.
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.
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.
Teak(Tectona grandis) is a dominant tree species of Tropical moist deciduous forest. Tropical moist deciduous forests are found in the states of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, West Odisha, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Also known as Monsoon Forests, annual rainfall in these forests is in the range of 100 to 200 cm Characteristics of Tropical Moist Deciduous Forests Rainfall: 1000-2000 mm annually Temperature: 24-32°C Seasonality: Distinct wet and dry seasons, leading to partial shedding of leaves during dry months Soil: Deep, fertile, well-drained alluvial and lateritic soils Main Trees are Teak (Tectona grandis), Sal (Shorea robusta), Sandalwood, Rosewood, Indian Laurel, Mahua, etc.
The Godavari is India’s second longest and third-biggest river, after the Ganga. Through a vast network of tributaries, the river eventually drains into the Bay of Bengal. The Godavari is the greatest river in peninsular India in terms of length, catchment area, and flow, and has been nicknamed the Dakshina Ganga, or "Southern Ganga." It originates from Trimbakeshwar in Maharashtra. Options 2 and 3 are correct:
Indravati River is one of the most significant tributaries of the Godavari, originating from the Dandakaranya Plateau in Kalahandi district, Odisha. It flows westward through Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra before joining the Godavari near Bhadrachalam, Telangana. It plays a crucial role in the region’s hydrology by supporting the Indravati Hydroelectric Project, one of India’s largest hydroelectric power projects. Pranahita River is another major tributary of the Godavari formed by the confluence of the Wardha and Wainganga rivers in Maharashtra. It flows southward through Maharashtra and Telangana and eventually merges into the Godavari. Pranahita is considered one of the largest tributaries of Godavari in terms of water volume and significantly contributes to the river’s flow, especially during the monsoon. Other tributaries of Godavari include Manjra, Pravara, Purna, and Kinnerasani. Options 1 and 4 are incorrect:
The Vamsadhara River rises in the Durgakangar Hills of the Eastern Ghats in the Kalahandi district of Odisha. It flows through Odisha and Andhra Pradesh before draining into the Bay of Bengal. The Pennar rises in the Chennakesava hill of the Nandidurga range, in Chikkaballapura district of Karnataka and flows eastward eventually draining into the Bay of Bengal.
Option (a) is correct: Living root bridges (Jing Kieng Jri) in Meghalaya are crafted by the Khasi and Jaintia tribes using aerial roots of Ficus elastica (Indian rubber tree). These eco-friend-ly, self-sustaining bridges grow stronger over time, resist floods, and support heavy loads. The Umshiang Double-Decker Root Bridge is a famous example of this sustainable engineering. Living root bridges require high humidity, evergreen forests, and tree species like Ficus elastica (Indian rubber tree) which thrive in tropical climates.
Tropical Wet Evergreen Forests are characterized by high rainfall (typically over 2500 mm annually), high humidity(over 77 perecent) and warm temperatures(over 25°C) throughout the year. They are dense, multi-layered forests with a great diversity of plant and animal life. The trees in these forests are evergreen, meaning they do not shed their leaves simultaneously due to the high heat and humidity. The important species of these forests are mahogany, mesua, white cedar, jamun, canes, bamboo, etc.
Option 1 and 3 are correct: In India, tropical wet evergreen forests are found on the eastern and western slopes of the Western Ghats in such states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala and Maharashtra. They are also found in Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, Mizoram, West Bengal and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Option 2 is incorrect: Himachal Pradesh comes under the Montane type of forest. The Montane Forests are characterized by the decrease in temperature with increasing altitude that leads to a corresponding change in natural vegetation. As such, there is a succession of natural vegetation belts in the same order as observed from the tropical to the tundra region.
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands uniquely house a combination of mangrove, evergreen, and deciduous forests, making them one of India’s most ecologically diverse regions. The Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a tropical rainforest canopy. The Middle Andamans harbours mostly moist deciduous forests. North Andamans is characterised by the wet ever-green type, with plenty of woody climbers. The coastal regions of Andaman and Nicobar Islands have mangrove forests.
Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees thriving along tropical coastlines, providing crucial habitats for marine life. In India, they are found in West Bengal, Gujarat, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. These forests withstand saline conditions and frequent submersion. Evergreen forests which retain their leaves year-round. They are highly biodiverse and occur in the Western Ghats, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, and Northeast India. Semi-evergreen forests exist in transitional zones, while dry evergreen forests are located in the Shivalik Hills and coastal Andhra Pradesh. Deciduous forests, characterized by trees shedding leaves seasonally, dominate Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Maharashtra. These forests include edible fruit-bearing trees like mangoes and bananas, alongside valuable hardwood species like teak and sal. The Andaman & Nicobar Islands uniquely house a combination of mangrove, evergreen, and deciduous forests, making them one of India’s most ecologically diverse regions.
| Q | UPSC year | Correct answer |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | 2019 | (d) Water reservoirs |
| 12 | 2018 | (a) Kodaikanal (Tamil Nadu) |
| 13 | 2018 | (a) 1 only |
| 14 | 2017 | (b) 2 only |
| 15 | 2017 | (c) Chandipur |
| 16 | 2015 | (a) Tropical moist deciduous forest |
| 17 | 2015 | (d) 2 and 3 only |
| 18 | 2015 | (a) Meghalaya |
| 19 | 2015 | (c) 1 and 3 only |
| 20 | 2015 | (d) Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
This page covers 115 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.
The Pennar river, which has cut a gorge through the Erramala hills in Andhra Pradesh. The canyon is often called the Grand Canyon of India and has the Gandikota fort on its rim.
Barren Island in the Andaman Sea, part of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is India’s only confirmed active volcano. It has erupted several times in recent decades and is an uninhabited island.
Saline lakes in Rajasthan. They lie in the arid western and central part of the state, with Didwana and Kuchaman in Nagaur district, and yield salt, which is why questions ask them as examples of saline lakes.
