Geological Structure of India

Q100. Which mountain range lies immediately to the south of the Vindhyan Range, separated by the Narmada Valley?

[RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (20 June 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Aravalli Range
• (B) Eastern Ghats
• (C) Satpura Range
• (D) Western Ghats

Answer: (C) Satpura Range

Explanation: The Satpura Range lies south of the Vindhyan uplands, with the west-flowing Narmada occupying the intervening tectonic trough. This relationship is central to the structural geography of peninsular India, where ancient faults influence rivers and relief.

Q99. Which mountain range in India is one of the oldest fold mountains in the world?

[RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (15 June 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Himalayas
• (B) Aravalli Range
• (C) Karakoram Range
• (D) Eastern Ghats

Answer: (B) Aravalli Range

Explanation: The Aravallis represent an ancient orogenic belt dating to Precambrian geological history. Prolonged denudation reduced their original height. The Himalayas and Karakoram instead belong to the much younger mountain-building system created by convergence of Indian and Eurasian plates.

Q98. Which physiographic region of India is formed mainly by alluvium deposited by Himalayan river systems?

[RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (14 June 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Peninsular Plateau
• (B) Meghalaya Plateau
• (C) Western Coastal Plains
• (D) Northern Plains

Answer: (D) Northern Plains

Explanation: The Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems transported immense quantities of sediments from the rising Himalayas. Their deposition gradually filled the northern foreland basin, forming fertile alluvial plains distinctly younger than the crystalline basement of peninsular India.

Q97. Which mountain range is considered the oldest in India?

[SSC GD Constable (4 May 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Himalayas
• (B) Aravalli
• (C) Western Ghats
• (D) Eastern Ghats

Answer: (B) Aravalli

Explanation: The Aravalli mountain belt formed during very old Precambrian tectonic events and underwent extensive erosion. It is conventionally described as India’s oldest fold mountain system, unlike the geologically young Himalayas created by India’s collision with Eurasia.

Q96. Which soil is found in the Deccan Trap area of the Peninsular Plateau?

[OSSSC Forest Guard/Forester/Excise Constable (2 May 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Red and Yellow soil
• (B) Black soil
• (C) Laterite soil
• (D) Alluvial soil

Answer: (B) Black soil

Explanation: Black or regur soil develops extensively over weathered basalt of the Deccan Traps. Its clay-rich character allows substantial moisture retention, explaining its association with cotton cultivation. Alluvial soil, by contrast, is chiefly related to river deposition.

Q95. In which direction does the Aravalli Range extend?

[SSC GD Constable (30 April 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) North to South
• (B) East to West
• (C) Northeast to Southwest
• (D) Northwest to Southeast

Answer: (C) Northeast to Southwest

Explanation: The Aravalli alignment runs roughly southwestward from the Delhi region through Rajasthan toward Gujarat. This northeast–southwest structural trend reflects the orientation of the ancient mountain belt and is significant for Rajasthan’s regional geology and physiography.

Q94. Which mountain range is tectonically young and structurally unstable?

[OSSSC Forest Guard/Forester/Excise Constable (28 April 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Satpura
• (B) Himalayas
• (C) Aravalli
• (D) Eastern Ghats

Answer: (B) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayas arose from continuing convergence of the Indian and Eurasian lithospheric plates. Because uplift and deformation persist, the region experiences active faulting and earthquakes. Peninsular ranges are generally older and comparatively more stable.

Q93. What is the primary origin of the Himalayan mountains?

[NCL Assistant Foreman, Electrical (26 April 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Tectonic
• (B) Sedimentary
• (C) Metamorphic
• (D) Volcanic

Answer: (A) Tectonic

Explanation: The Himalayan system developed through tectonic convergence and continental collision. Former Tethyan sediments were compressed, folded and uplifted when the Indian continental plate encountered Eurasia. Sedimentary rocks occur there, but their presence alone does not explain mountain formation.

Q92. Which Indian mountain range is described as young, weak and flexible in geological structure?

[NCL Assistant Foreman, Mechanical (26 April 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Aravalli Range
• (B) Peninsular Block
• (C) Western Ghats
• (D) Himalayas

Answer: (D) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayas comprise strongly deformed rocks within an active collision zone. Their relatively young folded structure contrasts with the ancient crystalline Peninsular Block. Ongoing tectonic movement contributes to uplift, unstable slopes, earthquakes and frequent landslides.

Q91. According to the passage, how were the Himalayas formed?

[OSSSC Forest Guard/Forester/Excise Constable (23 April 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Volcanic eruptions beneath the ocean
• (B) Movement of ocean currents
• (C) Gradual movement of glaciers
• (D) Collision of tectonic plates

Answer: (D) Collision of tectonic plates

Explanation: The Himalayas were created as the Indian plate moved north and collided with the Eurasian plate. Crustal shortening compressed and uplifted earlier marine sediments. Glaciers later sculpted the highland landscape but did not create the mountain chain.

Q90. The Peninsular Plateau of India is divided into which two major parts?

[DSSSB MTS (19 April 2026, Shift 1)]

• (A) Eastern and Western Coastal Plains
• (B) Western and Eastern Ghats
• (C) Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau
• (D) Northern Plains and Coastal Plains

Answer: (C) Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau

Explanation: The Narmada valley broadly separates the Central Highlands to the north from the Deccan Plateau to the south. Both belong to India’s ancient peninsular landmass, characterized primarily by hard crystalline rocks and a long history of erosion.

Q89. Which mountain range is youngest in geological formation?

[DSSSB PRT (10 April 2026, Shift 1)]

• (A) Satpura Range
• (B) Himalayas
• (C) Eastern Ghats
• (D) Aravalli Hills

Answer: (B) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayas began developing in the Cenozoic as India collided with Eurasia. Aravalli, Satpura and Eastern Ghats have substantially older geological histories. Continuing crustal convergence means Himalayan uplift and seismic deformation have not completely ceased.

Q88. Which of these mountain ranges is the youngest geologically?

[DSSSB PRT (3 April 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Himalayas
• (B) Eastern Ghats
• (C) Aravalli Hills
• (D) Satpura Range

Answer: (A) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayan mountains were uplifted during the Cenozoic collision between the Indian and Eurasian continents. The other listed mountain belts are rooted in older peninsular geological history, making the Himalayas the youngest among these alternatives.

Q87. Most major peninsular rivers flow from west to east. Which pair is an exception?

[RRB NTPC (Graduate) CBT-I (24 March 2026, Shift 3)]

• (A) Godavari and Krishna
• (B) Kaveri and Krishna
• (C) Mahanadi and Kaveri
• (D) Narmada and Tapi

Answer: (D) Narmada and Tapi

Explanation: Most peninsular rivers follow the broad eastward surface slope. The Narmada and Tapi are important exceptions because tectonically controlled linear valleys direct their waters westward toward the Arabian Sea instead of the Bay of Bengal.

Q86. Which ranges run through India’s Trans-Himalayan zone?

[RRB NTPC (Graduate) CBT-I (19 March 2026, Shift 1)]

• (A) Himalayas, Aravalli and Vindhya
• (B) Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats and Satpura
• (C) Zanskar, Ladakh and Karakoram
• (D) Himalayas, Satpura and Karakoram

Answer: (C) Zanskar, Ladakh and Karakoram

Explanation: The Zanskar, Ladakh and Karakoram ranges belong to the high mountain region beyond the Greater Himalayas. Their tectonic origins and structural position connect them with the broader Himalayan collision zone rather than India’s ancient southern plateau.

Q85. Which young fold mountain system forms India’s northern, northwestern and northeastern margins?

[DSSSB MTS (8 March 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Vindhya Range
• (B) Himalayas
• (C) Western Ghats
• (D) Aravalli Hills

Answer: (B) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayas form an extensive arcuate mountain barrier across northern India. These mountains resulted from Indian–Eurasian plate collision, making them younger and more tectonically active than the Aravalli and other peninsular ranges.

Q84. Which geological system is associated with major uranium deposits in India in the given options?

[MP Police Sub-Inspector (17 January 2026, Shift 1)]

• (A) Young sedimentary basins
• (B) Recent river alluvium
• (C) Deccan Trap volcanic rocks
• (D) Dharwar rocks

Answer: (D) Dharwar rocks

Explanation: Dharwar-type Precambrian crystalline and metamorphic terrains contain significant metallic mineral occurrences and can host uranium mineralisation. Uranium in India also occurs in other geological settings, so the answer identifies the most appropriate choice among the four alternatives.

Q83. Which one of the following was part of Gondwanaland?

[UGC NET Geography (3 January 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Meghalaya Plateau
• (B) Kashmir Valley
• (C) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• (D) Ladakh

Answer: (A) Meghalaya Plateau

Explanation: The Meghalaya or Shillong Plateau is an extension of the ancient Indian peninsular basement, separated by structural depressions. Kashmir, Ladakh and the Andaman–Nicobar arc belong to younger tectonic systems connected with India’s northern or eastern plate margins.

Q82. Most of India’s coal reserves occur in which rock formations?

[Delhi Police Constable, Executive (2 January 2026, Shift 2)]

• (A) Gondwana rocks
• (B) Deccan Traps
• (C) Cuddapah system
• (D) Vindhyan system

Answer: (A) Gondwana rocks

Explanation: The Gondwana sedimentary basins preserve thick coal-bearing sequences accumulated from ancient vegetation in continental depressions. Important coalfields are located around Damodar, Mahanadi and Godavari valleys. Deccan basalt and older crystalline systems are not the principal coal hosts.

Q81. Which are evidence of continental drift: I. Similar ancient rock belts in Brazil and western Africa; II. Ghanaian gold sourced from rocks once adjoining the Brazil plateau; III. Matching Gondwana sediments in India and other Southern Hemisphere landmasses?

[UPSC CSE Prelims, General Studies Paper I (2025)]

• (A) I and III only
• (B) I and II only
• (C) I, II and III
• (D) II and III only

Answer: (C) I, II and III

Explanation: Matching rock belts, comparable gold-bearing formations and widespread Gondwana glacial sediments collectively support an earlier joining of southern continents. Each observation is consistent with continental separation and subsequent plate movement, so all three statements provide relevant evidence.

Q80. The Deccan Traps were formed by which geological event?

[SSC Selection Post, Matriculation (26 July 2025, Shift 1)]

• (A) Earthquake
• (B) Volcanic eruptions
• (C) Glacial movement
• (D) Tectonic plate collision

Answer: (B) Volcanic eruptions

Explanation: The Deccan Traps are vast accumulations of basaltic lava produced by repeated volcanic eruptions near the end of the Cretaceous. Successive flows cooled into stepped layers, creating the distinctive trap topography of western and central India.

Q79. Consider: 1. Deccan Trap black soil is derived from igneous rocks. 2. Aravalli Hills are newly formed fold mountains. Which statements are correct?

[SSC Selection Post, Graduate (24 July 2025, Shift 3)]

• (A) Only 1
• (B) Only 2
• (C) Both 1 and 2
• (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (A) Only 1

Explanation: Basalt weathering across the Deccan volcanic province contributes to widespread black soil, making statement one correct. The Aravalli system is exceptionally ancient and highly denuded, not newly formed, so the second statement is incorrect.

Q78. Which Indian plateau is primarily associated with volcanic formation?

[SSC Stenographer (7 August 2025, Shift 1)]

• (A) Malwa Plateau
• (B) Shillong Plateau
• (C) Chota Nagpur Plateau
• (D) Deccan Plateau

Answer: (D) Deccan Plateau

Explanation: The Deccan Plateau includes extensive basaltic lava provinces developed during late Cretaceous volcanism. While other plateaus may have local volcanic cover, the Deccan’s great flood-basalt sheets make it the characteristic volcanic plateau in this question.

Q77. Regarding bauxite: 1. India’s largest deposits occur in Dharwar rocks. 2. Jharkhand is India’s largest producer. 3. Much bauxite occurs in peninsular laterite rocks. Which statements are incorrect?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (24 September 2025, Shift 3)]

• (A) 1 only
• (B) 2 only
• (C) Both 1 and 2
• (D) 3 only

Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: Bauxite mainly forms through intense chemical weathering and leaching, often yielding lateritic caps on plateaus. Consequently, statement three is appropriate, while statements one and two misidentify the dominant geological occurrence and leading producing state.

Q76. Which features occur on India’s Peninsular Plateau: 1. Tors; 2. Spurs; 3. Block mountains?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (18 September 2025, Shift 3)]

• (A) 1 and 3 only
• (B) 3 only
• (C) 2 and 3 only
• (D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (D) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation: Long weathering of granitic rocks can produce isolated tors, while spurs form where dissected uplands extend into valleys. Faulting and differential uplift also create block structures. Thus all three landforms can be represented on the varied Peninsular Plateau.

Q75. Consider: 1. The Himalayan mineral belt contains copper, zinc, cobalt and lead. 2. Rajasthan supplies many building stones, including granite and marble. Which statements are correct?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (26 September 2025, Shift 2)]

• (A) 1 only
• (B) 2 only
• (C) Both 1 and 2
• (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: The Himalayan orogenic region contains varied metallic mineral occurrences linked to its complex geological evolution. Rajasthan also contains abundant building-stone resources, notably granite and marble, reflecting its ancient metamorphic and intrusive formations. Both statements match the keyed answer.

Q74. Which ores are identified in the Deccan Plateau region as important mineral resources?

[SSC Selection Post, Matriculation (28 July 2025, Shift 1)]

• (A) Bauxite and manganese
• (B) Iron ore and coal
• (C) Copper and zinc
• (D) Gold and diamond

Answer: (B) Iron ore and coal

Explanation: The wider Peninsular Plateau holds major iron-ore belts in ancient crystalline formations and coalfields in adjoining Gondwana sedimentary basins. Although the basaltic Deccan Traps themselves are not typical coal hosts, the question refers to the broader plateau region.

Q73. The Great Plateau of India belonged to which ancient landmass?

[RRB NTPC (Graduate) CBT-I (9 June 2025, Shift 2)]

• (A) Angaraland
• (B) Pangaea
• (C) Laurasia
• (D) Gondwanaland

Answer: (D) Gondwanaland

Explanation: Peninsular India formed part of Gondwanaland alongside Africa, Antarctica, Australia and South America. Fragmentation of that southern continental assembly eventually separated the Indian plate, which moved northward and collided with Eurasia, forming the Himalayan mountain system.

Q72. Which plateau lies between the Aravalli and Vindhya ranges?

[RRB NTPC (Graduate) CBT-I (13 June 2025, Shift 2)]

• (A) Deccan
• (B) Meghalaya
• (C) Malwa
• (D) Chota Nagpur

Answer: (C) Malwa

Explanation: The Malwa Plateau occupies western central India, chiefly across Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, between the Aravalli uplands to the northwest and Vindhyan escarpments farther south. Much of it is covered by basalt related to Deccan volcanic activity.

Q71. Which plateau lies north of the Narmada River?

[RRB NTPC (Graduate) CBT-I (24 June 2025, Shift 1)]

• (A) Deccan Plateau
• (B) Karnataka Plateau
• (C) Telangana Plateau
• (D) Malwa Plateau

Answer: (D) Malwa Plateau

Explanation: The Malwa Plateau lies predominantly north of the Narmada and forms part of India’s Central Highlands. The Deccan, Karnataka and Telangana plateau divisions mainly occupy areas farther south of this important structural and physiographic boundary.

Q70. Which Peninsular Plateau fault is known for recurring seismic activity?

[RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (2 September 2025, Shift 1)]

• (A) Vindhya Fault
• (B) Malda Fault
• (C) Bhima Fault
• (D) Narmada Fault

Answer: (D) Narmada Fault

Explanation: The Narmada fault system marks a major tectonic lineament across central India. Ancient weaknesses have experienced later movement, creating earthquakes even inside the generally stable peninsula. The associated Narmada valley follows an important structural depression.

Q69. Which plateau is not part of the Patland series?

[RRB NTPC (UG) CBT-I (9 September 2025, Shift 1)]

• (A) Ranchi Plateau
• (B) Deccan Plateau
• (C) Malwa Plateau
• (D) Hazaribagh Plateau

Answer: (B) Deccan Plateau

Explanation: The Deccan Plateau is the large southern peninsular tableland, well known for volcanic basalt cover. The Patland terminology refers to elevated plateau surfaces of the Chota Nagpur region, so Deccan is the geographically distinct alternative in this question.

Q68. Which is not on the outer boundary of the Peninsular Plateau?

[RRB NTPC (Graduate) CBT-I (10 June 2025, Shift 2)]

• (A) Rajmahal Hills
• (B) Himalayas
• (C) Delhi Ridge
• (D) Gir Range

Answer: (B) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayas constitute a younger collision-built mountain belt north of the Indo-Gangetic plains. By contrast, the Delhi Ridge, Gir and Rajmahal uplands relate to the broader edges and extensions of India’s ancient Peninsular Block.

Q67. Where do the Eastern Ghats and Western Ghats meet?

[CGPSC Preliminary Examination (9 February 2025)]

• (A) Kaimur ranges
• (B) Vindhyan ranges
• (C) Nilgiri hills
• (D) Rajmahal hills

Answer: (C) Nilgiri hills

Explanation: The Nilgiri uplands are conventionally regarded as the meeting zone of the two Ghats in southern India. Both ranges frame the peninsular highlands, though their rock histories, continuity and geomorphic expressions differ from one another.

Q66. Which mountain range is a source of marble in India?

[RPF Constable (2 March 2025, Shift 3; 2024 recruitment)]

• (A) Vindhyas
• (B) Himalayas
• (C) Satpuras
• (D) Aravallis

Answer: (D) Aravallis

Explanation: Rajasthan’s ancient Aravalli geological belt includes extensive metamorphic marble deposits. Regional limestone underwent recrystallisation under heat and pressure, yielding marble used for architecture and sculpture. The Aravalli system is also known for other economically important metallic minerals.

Q65. The Deccan Plateau is mostly composed of which materials in the given options?

[RPF Constable (17 March 2025, Shift 2; 2024 recruitment)]

• (A) Alluvial soil
• (B) Limestone and sandstone
• (C) Granite and basalt
• (D) Pumice and red soil

Answer: (C) Granite and basalt

Explanation: Basaltic lavas cover huge areas of the northwestern Deccan, while older crystalline rocks, including granitic formations, occur across parts of the peninsular tableland. This geological mixture distinguishes the plateau from the recently deposited alluvial plains.

Q64. What is the geological origin of India’s Peninsular Plateau?

[RPF Constable (10 March 2025, Shift 1; 2024 recruitment)]

• (A) Himalayan uplift
• (B) Indo-Gangetic alluvium
• (C) Gondwanaland
• (D) Tethys Sea deposits

Answer: (C) Gondwanaland

Explanation: The Peninsular Plateau is inherited from the ancient southern continental assembly known as Gondwanaland. Its predominantly Precambrian basement predates the Himalayan collision. Later rifting, volcanism and weathering modified its landscape without changing that basic geological origin.

Q63. Which is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range?

[RPF Constable (4 March 2025, Shift 3; 2024 recruitment)]

• (A) Mount Abu
• (B) Guru Shikhar
• (C) Anamudi
• (D) Doddabetta

Answer: (B) Guru Shikhar

Explanation: Guru Shikhar, near Mount Abu in Rajasthan, is the highest peak of the Aravalli range. This ancient mountain system is deeply weathered and much lower than younger fold systems. Anamudi and Doddabetta are prominent peaks farther south.

Q62. From which ancient supercontinent did the Indian subcontinent, including Odisha, originate?

[OSSC CGLRE Mains, General Studies (30 March 2025; 2024 recruitment)]

• (A) Pangaea
• (B) Gondwana
• (C) Laurasia
• (D) Rodinia

Answer: (B) Gondwana

Explanation: The Indian landmass formed part of Gondwana, the great southern assembly that also included Africa, Australia, Antarctica and South America. Subsequent fragmentation and northward plate movement eventually brought India into contact with Eurasia, initiating Himalayan mountain building.

Q61. The Aravalli is the name of which feature in India?

[SSC Stenographer (10 December 2024, Shift 1)]

• (A) Plateau
• (B) Lake
• (C) Valley
• (D) Mountain range

Answer: (D) Mountain range

Explanation: The Aravalli is an ancient mountain range extending across northwestern India, especially Rajasthan. It preserves rocks affected by very early orogenic activity and has been heavily lowered by erosion, giving it the appearance of a residual mountain system.

Q60. The continuous transformation of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks is called what?

[SSC MTS (8 October 2024, Shift 3)]

• (A) Lithification
• (B) Metamorphism
• (C) Rock cycle
• (D) Weathering and erosion

Answer: (C) Rock cycle

Explanation: The rock cycle links formation, weathering, deposition, burial, metamorphism and melting. The process continually converts rocks between different types. Indian landforms display evidence of these processes, from Precambrian crystalline rocks to Gondwana sediments and Deccan basalts.

Q59. In which rock type are layers of varying thickness commonly found?

[SSC MTS (22 October 2024, Shift 3)]

• (A) Igneous rock
• (B) Sedimentary rock
• (C) Metamorphic rock
• (D) Volcanic rock

Answer: (B) Sedimentary rock

Explanation: Sedimentary rocks commonly occur in beds or strata formed by successive episodes of sediment deposition. Sandstone, shale and limestone are familiar examples. Such layering characterises many Indian sedimentary successions, including Gondwana, Vindhyan and Cuddapah formations.

Q58. The Peninsular Plateau of India was formerly connected with which continent?

[SSC CHSL Tier-I (1 July 2024, Shift 1)]

• (A) South America
• (B) North America
• (C) Europe
• (D) Africa

Answer: (D) Africa

Explanation: Ancient India and Africa belonged to the southern supercontinent Gondwana before rifting and continental drift separated them. The plateau consequently preserves geological affinities with old southern continental shields rather than having originated from recent Himalayan sedimentation.

Q57. Consider: 1. Alkaline soils contain much sodium and calcium and have pH above seven. 2. Black cotton soil developed on Deccan basaltic lava. 3. Laterites result from leaching of silica. Which are correct?

[UPSC NDA General Ability Test (21 April 2024)]

• (A) 1 only
• (B) 1 and 2 only
• (C) 2 and 3 only
• (D) 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (C) 2 and 3 only

Explanation: Black soils are widespread over weathered Deccan basalt, while strong leaching under humid conditions produces iron-rich lateritic profiles. The first statement does not correctly express the diagnostic properties of alkaline soil as framed, making statements two and three the accepted combination.

Q56. Which is India’s oldest landmass?

[RPF SI CBT-I (13 December 2024, Shift 3)]

• (A) Indian islands
• (B) Peninsular Plateau
• (C) Indus–Ganga plains
• (D) Indian desert

Answer: (B) Peninsular Plateau

Explanation: The Peninsular Plateau rests largely on ancient Precambrian igneous and metamorphic basement rocks. In contrast, the northern alluvial plain was built much later from river sediments, and the Himalayan system arose during Cenozoic continental collision.

Q55. Which is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range?

[Kolkata Police Sub-Inspector Prelims (28 January 2024)]

• (A) Doddabetta
• (B) Gorgaburu
• (C) Guru Shikhar
• (D) Pachmarhi

Answer: (C) Guru Shikhar

Explanation: Guru Shikhar rises near Mount Abu in Rajasthan and is the highest point of the Aravalli mountain belt. Doddabetta belongs to the Nilgiris, while Gorgaburu is associated with West Bengal’s Ajodhya Hills, making them geographically distinct.

Q54. Arrange these ranges from north to south: 1. Vindhya; 2. Aravalli; 3. Ajanta; 4. Satpura.

[RRB JE CBT-I (16 December 2024, Shift 3)]

• (A) 2, 1, 3, 4
• (B) 1, 2, 4, 3
• (C) 2, 1, 4, 3
• (D) 1, 2, 3, 4

Answer: (C) 2, 1, 4, 3

Explanation: The approximate north–south ordering begins with the Aravalli system, followed by Vindhyan uplands, Satpura ranges and the Ajanta hills. The sequence highlights the arrangement of key structural and topographic belts across western and central India.

Q53. Which statement about the Deccan Plateau is FALSE?

[RPF SI CBT-I (9 December 2024, Shift 2)]

• (A) Eastern Ghats extend from Mahanadi valley towards Nilgiris
• (B) Mahendragiri is the highest Western Ghats peak
• (C) Western Ghats generally increase in height southwards
• (D) Western Ghats are generally higher than Eastern Ghats

Answer: (B) Mahendragiri is the highest Western Ghats peak

Explanation: Mahendragiri lies in the Eastern Ghats of Odisha, not the Western Ghats. The highest Western Ghats peak is Anamudi in Kerala. Correctly distinguishing these uplands helps explain the contrasting physiography of India’s peninsular margins.

Q52. Which is considered Earth’s earliest hypothesised supercontinent?

[UP Police Constable Re-examination (24 August 2024, Shift 1)]

• (A) Columbia
• (B) Vaalbara
• (C) Gondwana
• (D) Pangaea

Answer: (B) Vaalbara

Explanation: Vaalbara is a proposed very ancient assembly of continental crustal blocks, predating Columbia, Gondwana and Pangaea. Its existence is debated, so the description is best treated as a hypothesis rather than a settled reconstruction of Earth’s early geology.

Q51. Tertiary-period coal deposits occur in which pair of regions?

[WBPSC WBCS Mains, Paper III (18 August 2024; 2023 cycle)]

• (A) Maharashtra and Odisha
• (B) Jharkhand and Bihar
• (C) Assam and Rajasthan
• (D) Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh

Answer: (C) Assam and Rajasthan

Explanation: India’s younger Tertiary coal and lignite formations are important in northeastern basins and parts of Rajasthan. The Damodar, Son and Mahanadi valley coalfields are chiefly associated with older Gondwana formations of the peninsular geological framework.

Q50. Consider:
1. The Archaean system is India’s oldest rock system.
2. Gneiss is a common Archaean rock.
3. Dharwar rocks belong to later Archaean sequences.

Which statements are correct?

[HPSC Civil Services Prelims, General Studies (2023)]

• (A) 1 and 2 only
• (B) 1 and 3 only
• (C) All of the above
• (D) 1 only

Answer: (C) All of the above

Explanation: India’s ancient basement includes Archaean granite–gneiss complexes, while Dharwar greenstone and associated metasedimentary sequences represent later stages of early crustal evolution. The examination uses the conventional broad stratigraphic classification that treats all three statements as correct.

Q49. Which statement is correct?

[69th BPSC Preliminary Examination (30 September 2023)]

• (A) Natural gas is found in Dharwar rocks
• (B) Mica is found in Koderma
• (C) Cuddapah series is famous for diamonds
• (D) Petroleum reserves occur in Aravalli Hills

Answer: (B) Mica is found in Koderma

Explanation: Koderma in Jharkhand has long been associated with mica-bearing pegmatites within ancient crystalline terrains. The other alternatives incorrectly pair hydrocarbons or diamond occurrences with geological systems not chiefly recognised for those particular deposits in the question.

Q48. Consider:
I. The Peninsular Plateau formed through breakup and drift of Gondwanaland.
II. It consists mainly of old crystalline, igneous and metamorphic rocks.

Which are correct?

[IB MTS/General (20 December 2023, Shift 1)]

• (A) Only II
• (B) Only I
• (C) Neither I nor II
• (D) Both I and II

Answer: (D) Both I and II

Explanation: The plateau’s basement originated within Gondwana and preserves very old crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks. Later continental breakup altered India’s position, while local sedimentary basins and basalt eruptions modified but did not replace this ancient foundation.

Q47. Which rock forms during metamorphism?

[SSC MTS (14 September 2023, Shift 1)]

• (A) Slate
• (B) Conglomerate
• (C) Sandstone
• (D) Basalt

Answer: (A) Slate

Explanation: Slate develops when fine-grained sedimentary rocks, commonly shale, are transformed by pressure and heat. Conglomerate and sandstone are sedimentary, while basalt crystallises from lava. These distinctions help classify the many rock units composing India’s geological provinces.

Q46. Which is NOT one of the three principal types of rocks?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (14 July 2023, Shift 3)]

• (A) Igneous rock
• (B) Trace rock
• (C) Metamorphic rock
• (D) Sedimentary rock

Answer: (B) Trace rock

Explanation: The fundamental genetic rock classes are igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. ‘Trace rock’ is not a recognised fourth category. India’s geology contains examples of all three genuine classes, including Deccan basalt, Gondwana sediments and ancient metamorphic gneiss.

Q45. What was the large supercontinent that existed when the continents were joined roughly 200 million years ago?

[SSC CPO Paper I (4 October 2023, Shift 2)]

• (A) Asia
• (B) India
• (C) Pangaea
• (D) America

Answer: (C) Pangaea

Explanation: Pangaea was the great late Paleozoic–early Mesozoic continental assembly. It later split into northern and southern components, including Gondwana, from which the Indian subcontinent eventually separated before moving toward the Eurasian continental margin.

Q44. Which is an example of a sedimentary rock?

[SSC MTS (16 May 2023, Shift 2; 2022 cycle)]

• (A) Granite
• (B) Marble
• (C) Sandstone
• (D) Basalt

Answer: (C) Sandstone

Explanation: Sandstone forms when sand-sized sediment grains are deposited, compacted and cemented. Granite and basalt crystallise from magma, while marble develops through metamorphism of limestone. Sedimentary sandstones occur widely in India’s Gondwana, Vindhyan and other basins.

Q43. Which is not one of the three main rock categories?

[SSC MTS (2 May 2023, Shift 1; 2022 cycle)]

• (A) Magnetic rocks
• (B) Metamorphic rocks
• (C) Sedimentary rocks
• (D) Igneous rocks

Answer: (A) Magnetic rocks

Explanation: Although rocks may contain magnetic minerals such as magnetite, magnetism does not define a principal genetic rock category. Geologists instead classify rocks as igneous, sedimentary or metamorphic according to their processes of formation and transformation.

Q42. Which is the oldest mountain range in India?

[SSC MTS (16 June 2023, Shift 1; 2022 cycle)]

• (A) Purvanchal Range
• (B) Western Ghats
• (C) Aravalli Range
• (D) Satpura and Vindhya Range

Answer: (C) Aravalli Range

Explanation: Aravalli rocks preserve evidence of very ancient mountain building and have undergone extensive erosion. The Himalayas and Purvanchal belong to much younger tectonic systems, whereas the Aravalli belt is conventionally recognised as India’s oldest mountain range.

Q41. A seismograph is used to record what?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (17 July 2023, Shift 2)]

• (A) Rainfall
• (B) Groundwater level
• (C) Earthquakes
• (D) Underground mineral content

Answer: (C) Earthquakes

Explanation: A seismograph records ground movement produced by seismic waves, enabling analysis of earthquakes and crustal structures. Seismic observations are particularly valuable for understanding India’s active Himalayan collision belt and reactivated faults within the Peninsular Plateau.

Q40. Consider:
1. Amarkantak Hills lie at the junction of Vindhya and Sahyadri ranges.
2. Biligirirangan Hills are the easternmost Satpura.
3. Seshachalam Hills are southernmost Western Ghats.

How many statements are correct?

[UPSC CSE Prelims, General Studies Paper I (2023)]

• (A) Only one
• (B) Only two
• (C) All three
• (D) None

Answer: (D) None

Explanation: All three geographical associations are wrong: Amarkantak belongs to central Indian uplands, Biligirirangan is associated with the Eastern–Western Ghats transition, and Seshachalam is in the Eastern Ghats. Therefore none of the supplied statements is correct.

Q39. What is India’s oldest mountain range?

[RRB Group D (16 September 2022, Shift 3)]

• (A) Zanskar Range
• (B) Dhauladhar Range
• (C) Nallamala Range
• (D) Aravalli Range

Answer: (D) Aravalli Range

Explanation: The Aravalli is an ancient Precambrian orogenic system whose peaks have been greatly reduced by weathering and erosion. The Zanskar and Dhauladhar belong to the younger Himalayan realm, while Nallamala represents a different peninsular highland belt.

Q38. Which is the basaltic impact-crater lake located in India?

[RRB Group D (8 September 2022, Shift 1)]

• (A) Pulicat Lake
• (B) Wular Lake
• (C) Lonar Lake
• (D) Loktak Lake

Answer: (C) Lonar Lake

Explanation: Lonar Lake fills an impact crater in Maharashtra’s Deccan basalt. A meteorite, not a volcanic explosion, created the depression within pre-existing lava rocks. This makes it an important geological site linking impact processes with Deccan Trap bedrock.

Q37. Which statement describes petrology correctly?

[RRB Group D (13 September 2022, Shift 1)]

• (A) A Latin term for brick
• (B) Study of petroleum composition
• (C) Study of the origin, structure and composition of rocks
• (D) A glacial sedimentary rock

Answer: (C) Study of the origin, structure and composition of rocks

Explanation: Petrology is the scientific study of rocks, including their origin, textures, mineral constituents and formation processes. It provides methods for distinguishing Indian geological units such as Dharwar metamorphics, Gondwana sediments and Deccan volcanic basalt.

Q36. In which state is most of the Chota Nagpur Plateau located?

[RRB Group D (22 August 2022, Shift 1)]

• (A) Karnataka
• (B) Assam
• (C) Rajasthan
• (D) Jharkhand

Answer: (D) Jharkhand

Explanation: The Chota Nagpur Plateau is centred in Jharkhand with extensions into neighbouring states. It exposes old crystalline basement and contains important Gondwana sedimentary basins, helping account for the region’s concentration of coal, iron ore and other minerals.

Q35. Monazite-bearing coastal sands are especially associated with which Indian state?

[RRB Group D (22 August 2022, Shift 3)]

• (A) Odisha
• (B) Rajasthan
• (C) Punjab
• (D) Kerala

Answer: (D) Kerala

Explanation: Kerala’s beaches contain heavy-mineral placer deposits including monazite, a source of rare-earth elements and thorium. Concentration results from coastal erosion, transport and sorting of minerals weathered from source rocks, making it a notable geological resource.

Q34. Black soil over the Deccan Traps is especially suitable for growing which crop?

[RRB NTPC CBT-II Level 2 (16 June 2022, Shift 1)]

• (A) Tea
• (B) Cotton
• (C) Wheat
• (D) Coffee

Answer: (B) Cotton

Explanation: Black regur soil develops in many areas from weathered basaltic lava and holds water effectively because of its high clay content. These properties make it particularly suitable for cotton, explaining the phrase black cotton soil.

Q33. Black soil predominates in which physical division?

[RRB NTPC CBT-II Level 6 (9 May 2022, Shift 2)]

• (A) Deccan Traps
• (B) Indo-Gangetic plains
• (C) Himalayas
• (D) Thar Desert

Answer: (A) Deccan Traps

Explanation: Much of the Deccan volcanic province has black soils derived from basaltic parent material. In contrast, the Indo-Gangetic plains consist predominantly of river alluvium, while Himalayan and desert soils formed under different rocks, climates and surface processes.

Q32. In which range is Mount Abu situated?

[RRB NTPC CBT-II Level 2 (13 June 2022, Shift 1)]

• (A) Vindhya
• (B) Satpura
• (C) Maikal
• (D) Aravalli

Answer: (D) Aravalli

Explanation: Mount Abu occupies the ancient Aravalli uplands of Rajasthan. The Aravalli system consists of deeply denuded Precambrian mountain rocks and includes Guru Shikhar, its highest peak. Vindhya, Satpura and Maikal are separate central Indian upland belts.

Q31. Which can be classified as a biological sedimentary rock?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (5 December 2022, Shift 3)]

• (A) Bauxite
• (B) Marble
• (C) Granite
• (D) Limestone

Answer: (D) Limestone

Explanation: Limestone can accumulate from the skeletal remains and shells of marine organisms, making it a biological sedimentary rock in many settings. Marble is metamorphosed limestone, granite is igneous, and bauxite is a weathering-derived aluminium ore.

Q30. Which process is characteristic of the formation of sedimentary rocks?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (7 December 2022, Shift 4)]

• (A) Lineation
• (B) Banded texture
• (C) Foliation
• (D) Lithification

Answer: (D) Lithification

Explanation: Lithification converts loose sediment into coherent rock through compaction and cementation. Such processes formed many sandstone and shale beds in Indian basins. Foliation and strong banding are instead often associated with metamorphic deformation and mineral alignment.

Q29. Which rocks may preserve fossils of earlier plants and animals?

[SSC CGL Tier-I (12 December 2022, Shift 3)]

• (A) Metamorphic rocks
• (B) Intrusive igneous rocks
• (C) Sedimentary rocks
• (D) Extrusive igneous rocks

Answer: (C) Sedimentary rocks

Explanation: Sedimentary strata can bury and preserve organisms before their remains decay completely. Heat and melting during igneous or intense metamorphic processes usually destroy fossil evidence. This makes sedimentary Indian formations important for reconstructing ancient environments and life.

Q28. Which is a metamorphic rock?

[SSC MTS (5 July 2022, Shift 2)]

• (A) Halite
• (B) Marble
• (C) Limestone
• (D) Shale

Answer: (B) Marble

Explanation: Marble forms when limestone recrystallises under heat and pressure. Halite commonly precipitates as a chemical sediment, while shale and many limestones are sedimentary. Marble-rich belts in Rajasthan illustrate metamorphism within India’s ancient continental crust.

Q27. Which rock has been transformed by intense heat and pressure from a pre-existing rock?

[SSC CHSL (25 May 2022, Shift 2; 2021 cycle)]

• (A) Granite
• (B) Quartzite
• (C) Sandstone
• (D) Basalt

Answer: (B) Quartzite

Explanation: Quartzite is a hard metamorphic rock produced mainly from quartz-rich sandstone. Heat and pressure recrystallise its grains into a dense texture. Granite and basalt are igneous, while unaltered sandstone remains a sedimentary rock.

Q26. Consider: 1. Rocks can be transformed from their original forms. 2. Weathering, erosion and metamorphic action contribute to rock transformation. Which statements are correct?

[UPSC NDA General Ability Test (10 April 2022)]

• (A) 1 only
• (B) 2 only
• (C) Both 1 and 2
• (D) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2

Explanation: The rock cycle continually alters Earth’s materials. Weathering and erosion supply sediments for new sedimentary rocks, while heat and pressure generate metamorphic rocks. Both statements correctly recognise processes controlling the geological evolution of rocks.

Q25. The Thar or Marusthali region is believed to have been beneath the sea during which era?

[UPSC CDS (II) General Knowledge (4 September 2022)]

• (A) Cenozoic
• (B) Palaeozoic
• (C) Mesozoic
• (D) Archaean and Precambrian

Answer: (C) Mesozoic

Explanation: Parts of western Rajasthan preserve marine sediments and fossils indicating earlier marine conditions, notably in Mesozoic times. Although the present region is arid, its rocks record changing shorelines, deposition and tectonic evolution across long geological intervals.

Q24. Who proposed the concept of the rock cycle?

[UPPSC GIC Lecturer Geography (2021)]

• (A) W. M. Davis
• (B) G. K. Gilbert
• (C) James Hutton
• (D) J. W. Powell

Answer: (C) James Hutton

Explanation: James Hutton helped establish the idea of continuously changing rocks and geological recycling. Weathering, deposition, compaction, metamorphism, melting and crystallisation together form the rock cycle, a foundational idea for interpreting the geological development of Indian terrains.

Q23. Which of these is NOT considered a fundamental basis of plate-tectonic theory?

[UPPSC GIC Lecturer Geography (2021)]

• (A) Palaeomagnetism
• (B) Sea-floor spreading
• (C) Prehistoric climatic evidence
• (D) Rotation of poles

Answer: (D) Rotation of poles

Explanation: Palaeomagnetic records, sea-floor spreading and climatic indicators help reconstruct the movement of lithospheric plates and former continental positions. Simple ‘rotation of poles’ is not presented as a foundational line of evidence in the choices supplied by this examination.

Q22. Which is the only confirmed active volcano in India?

[SSC JE Electrical Engineering (24 March 2021, Evening)]

• (A) Deccan Traps
• (B) Barren Island
• (C) Baratang Island
• (D) Narcondam Island

Answer: (B) Barren Island

Explanation: Barren Island in the Andaman Sea contains India’s confirmed historically active volcano. Deccan Traps represent ancient, extensive lava flows rather than an active volcano, while the other named Andaman islands do not share Barren Island’s current eruptive status.

Q21. Which rocks form through lithification?

[SSC CHSL (4 August 2021, Shift 2; 2020 cycle)]

• (A) Igneous rocks
• (B) Metamorphic rocks
• (C) Sedimentary rocks
• (D) Primary rocks

Answer: (C) Sedimentary rocks

Explanation: Lithification consolidates loose sediment into rock by compaction and cementation. It explains the development of sandstone, shale and many other beds in India’s sedimentary basins. Igneous rocks solidify from melt, while metamorphic rocks change under heat and pressure.

Q20. Which rock system provides the largest quantity of coal in India?

[UPPSC RO/ARO General Studies (20 September 2020)]

• (A) Dharwar system
• (B) Gondwana system
• (C) Vindhyan system
• (D) Tertiary system

Answer: (B) Gondwana system

Explanation: The Gondwana basins contain most of India’s major coal-bearing sedimentary sequences. Plant matter accumulated in ancient continental depressions and later underwent coalification. Tertiary coal also exists, especially in northeastern India, but represents a smaller share.

Q19. India’s major iron-ore reserves are associated with which rock system?

[UPPSC Block Education Officer (16 August 2020)]

• (A) Dharwar
• (B) Cuddapah
• (C) Vindhyan
• (D) Gondwana

Answer: (A) Dharwar

Explanation: Precambrian Dharwar and related ancient metamorphic belts host economically important iron formations, along with other metallic mineral deposits. Gondwana basins are more closely identified with coal, while Vindhyan and Cuddapah successions contain widespread sedimentary rocks.

Q18. Which group of rocks occurs in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district?

[CGPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (2020)]

• (A) Cuddapah group
• (B) Gondwana group
• (C) Dharwar group
• (D) Vindhyan group

Answer: (C) Dharwar group

Explanation: The southern Chhattisgarh region around Bijapur includes ancient crystalline and metamorphic formations grouped with the Dharwar system in conventional regional classifications. Such old peninsular rocks differ from later coal-bearing Gondwana sediments and younger volcanic formations.

Q17. Match Dharwar series with areas:
a. Champion;
b. Chilpi;
c. Rialo;
d. Iron-ore.

Areas:
i. Singhbhum–Bonai;
ii. Delhi–Alwar;
iii. Kolar–Raichur;
iv. Balaghat–Jabalpur.

[MPSC State Services Preliminary Examination (2020)]

• (A) a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i
• (B) a-iv, b-iii, c-ii, d-i
• (C) a-ii, b-i, c-iii, d-iv
• (D) a-i, b-ii, c-iv, d-iii

Answer: (A) a-iii, b-iv, c-ii, d-i

Explanation: Champion is linked to the Kolar–Raichur gold belt, Chilpi to the Balaghat region, Rialo to Delhi–Alwar and the iron-ore series to Singhbhum–Bonai. The pairings illustrate the broad geographic spread of ancient Indian metalliferous rock belts.

Q16. Which ancient sea separated the Indian subcontinent from the northern mainland millions of years ago?

[SSC CHSL (14 October 2020, Shift 1)]

• (A) Tethys
• (B) Typhon
• (C) Prometheus
• (D) Aegina

Answer: (A) Tethys

Explanation: The Tethys Ocean lay between northern Eurasian-related landmasses and the drifting Indian continent. As India converged with Eurasia, its sedimentary deposits were folded, faulted and raised, contributing to formation of the Himalayas and adjoining mountain belts.

Q15. Which is India’s youngest mountain range?

[UPPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (2020)]

• (A) Himalayas
• (B) Aravalli Range
• (C) Western Ghats
• (D) Vindhya Range

Answer: (A) Himalayas

Explanation: The Himalayas formed during Cenozoic continental collision, much later than the principal mountain-building events of the peninsular Aravalli, Vindhya and Western Ghats regions. Their active uplift, sharp relief and earthquake hazard reflect a continuing tectonic process.

Q14. Which rock type mainly forms the Maharashtra Plateau?

[MPSC State Services Mains, General Studies Paper I (2019)]

• (A) Dharwar
• (B) Cuddapah
• (C) Basalt
• (D) Granite

Answer: (C) Basalt

Explanation: Maharashtra contains a large expanse of Deccan Trap basalt formed by successive volcanic lava outpourings. The nearly horizontal flows produce characteristic step-like topography and weather into black soils across substantial parts of the plateau.

Q13. Which movements are relevant to the formation of fold mountains: a. Lateral movements; b. Vertical movements; c. Two continental blocks moving parallel in the same direction?

[MPSC State Services Mains, General Studies Paper I (2019)]

• (A) Only a
• (B) a and b
• (C) b and c
• (D) All three

Answer: (B) a and b

Explanation: Crustal shortening associated with horizontal convergence is central to folding, and vertical uplift may accompany mountain building. Two blocks merely moving parallel in the same direction need not undergo compressive convergence, so statement c is excluded.

Q12. Which of these is an igneous rock?

[SSC CHSL (11 July 2019, Shift 2)]

• (A) Granite
• (B) Marble
• (C) Limestone
• (D) Slate

Answer: (A) Granite

Explanation: Granite forms by slow crystallisation of magma beneath Earth’s surface and is an intrusive igneous rock. Marble and slate are metamorphic, while limestone is sedimentary. Ancient granitic bodies are widespread across India’s Peninsular Block.

Q11. What is the study of rocks’ composition, texture, structure, origin and distribution called?

[SSC CGL (12 June 2019, Shift 3)]

• (A) Lithology
• (B) Geology
• (C) Geomorphology
• (D) Petrology

Answer: (D) Petrology

Explanation: Petrology investigates how rocks form, their constituent minerals and the textures recording geological processes. It is more specific than broad geology or surface-focused geomorphology. Petrological analysis helps distinguish India’s ancient shield rocks from sedimentary and volcanic units.

Q10. The Chota Nagpur Plateau is primarily composed of which rocks?

[WBCS Preliminary Examination (2018)]

• (A) Sandstone, limestone and shale
• (B) Granite, limestone and dolomite
• (C) Ancient granite and gneiss
• (D) Gondwana coal, sandstone and limestone

Answer: (C) Ancient granite and gneiss

Explanation: The Chota Nagpur basement chiefly consists of ancient crystalline rocks, including granite and gneiss, although younger Gondwana sedimentary basins also occur. This distinction explains why the region contains both long-exposed Precambrian uplands and major coal-bearing valleys.

Q9. Which Rajasthan hills are an extension of the Vindhyan ranges?

[RPSC RAS Preliminary Examination (2018)]

• (A) Mukandara Hills
• (B) Dora mountain
• (C) Alwar Hills
• (D) Girwa Hills

Answer: (A) Mukandara Hills

Explanation: The Mukandara Hills belong to the southeastern Rajasthan upland belt associated with the Vindhyan system. Their location in the Hadoti region distinguishes them from the Aravalli-related Alwar uplands and other locally named hill groups.

Q8. Which rock system supplies more than 90 percent of India’s coal?

[UPPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (2017)]

• (A) Vindhyan system
• (B) Dharwar system
• (C) Tertiary system
• (D) Gondwana system

Answer: (D) Gondwana system

Explanation: Gondwana rocks contain India’s principal coal-bearing formations, notably within the Damodar, Son, Mahanadi and Godavari basins. Their plant-rich sedimentary successions formed long after much of India’s crystalline basement and provide the bulk of conventional coal deposits.

Q7. The Deccan Traps of western India mainly consist of which materials?

[SSC Stenographer (12 September 2017, Shift 2)]

• (A) Volcanic rocks including basaltic lava
• (B) Loose sand and pebbles
• (C) Deep-seated granite and gabbro only
• (D) None of these

Answer: (A) Volcanic rocks including basaltic lava

Explanation: Repeated eruptions of low-viscosity basaltic lava created extensive nearly horizontal sheets in western India. Cooling of successive flows produced the Deccan Traps and their stair-step relief, which contrasts with loose sediment deposits or exclusively intrusive granite.

Q6. Which of these Indian rock systems is the youngest?

[UPPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (2016)]

• (A) Vindhyan
• (B) Cuddapah
• (C) Dharwar
• (D) Gondwana

Answer: (D) Gondwana

Explanation: Gondwana sediments are substantially younger than the ancient Dharwar, Cuddapah and Vindhyan systems. They accumulated in continental basins during late Paleozoic and Mesozoic intervals and became particularly important because of their coal-bearing layers.

Q5. Which is the correct geological-system sequence from oldest to youngest in the given choices?

[UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandants (26 June 2016)]

• (A) Dharwar–Aravalli–Vindhyan–Cuddapah
• (B) Aravalli–Dharwar–Cuddapah–Vindhyan
• (C) Vindhyan–Dharwar–Aravalli–Cuddapah
• (D) Cuddapah–Vindhyan–Dharwar–Aravalli

Answer: (B) Aravalli–Dharwar–Cuddapah–Vindhyan

Explanation: The examination’s keyed traditional ordering is Aravalli, Dharwar, Cuddapah and Vindhyan. Geological ages can overlap within these broad historical labels, but the question tests the conventional sequence as expressed in the supplied options.

Q4. Which river flows through a rift valley?

[CGPSC Preliminary Examination, General Studies (2016)]

• (A) Kaveri
• (B) Yamuna
• (C) Son
• (D) Tapi

Answer: (D) Tapi

Explanation: The Tapi flows westward through a structurally controlled valley associated with faulting in central India. Along with the Narmada, it contrasts with the eastward drainage of most large peninsular rivers, showing how tectonic lineaments guide drainage patterns.

Q3. Which rock is least likely to contain fossils?

[Jharkhand Civil Services Preliminary Examination (2015)]

• (A) Conglomerate
• (B) Granite
• (C) Shale
• (D) Sandstone

Answer: (B) Granite

Explanation: Granite crystallises from hot magma, making preservation of original organic remains highly unlikely. Conglomerate, shale and sandstone are sedimentary rocks that can bury and preserve fossils, allowing reconstruction of ancient organisms and geological environments.

Q2. Which statements about India’s Peninsular Plateau are correct? 1. Southern plateau mainly granite and gneiss. 2. Deccan lava plateau has horizontal lava sheets. 3. Malwa forms the eastern flank. 4. Narmada–Tapi trough system lies in central India.

[UPSC CAPF Assistant Commandants (13 July 2014)]

• (A) 1, 2, 3 and 4
• (B) 1, 2 and 4
• (C) 1 and 2 only
• (D) 4 only

Answer: (B) 1, 2 and 4

Explanation: Ancient granite and gneiss underlie much of the southern plateau, and Deccan flows are broadly layered. The Narmada–Tapi structural trough system is important; Malwa, however, lies on the western rather than eastern side of the Central Highlands.

Q1. Why are the Gondwana rocks considered among India’s most important rock systems?

[UPSC CSE Preliminary Examination (2010)]

• (A) They hold over 90 percent of limestone reserves
• (B) They hold over 90 percent of coal reserves
• (C) They underlie over 90 percent of black cotton soils
• (D) None of these

Answer: (B) They hold over 90 percent of coal reserves

Explanation: Gondwana sedimentary basins host the great majority of India’s major coal reserves. Buried ancient vegetation accumulated in tectonic depressions and underwent coalification. By comparison, black soil is closely associated with weathered Deccan basalt rather than Gondwana strata.