Mountain Ranges
Q110. Match states Kerala, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Tamil Nadu to peaks Anamudi, Saramati, Nanda Devi, Dodda Betta. Choose the correct sequence.
[UPPCS Prelims (2018)]
(A) Dodda Betta–Nanda Devi–Saramati–Anamudi
(B) Nanda Devi–Saramati–Anamudi–Dodda Betta
(C) Anamudi–Saramati–Nanda Devi–Dodda Betta
(D) Anamudi–Nanda Devi–Saramati–Dodda Betta
Answer: (c) Anamudi–Saramati–Nanda Devi–Dodda Betta
Explanation: Anamudi belongs to Kerala’s Western Ghats; Saramati rises in Nagaland; Nanda Devi is in the Uttarakhand Himalaya; and Dodda Betta crowns Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiri Hills. Distinguishing states and physiographic belts resolves this matching question.
Islands
Q109. About Barren Island: 1. It contains an active Indian volcano. 2. It lies about 140 km east of Great Nicobar. 3. It has been inactive since 1991. Which is correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims (2018)]
(A) 1 only
(B) 2 and 3 only
(C) 3 only
(D) 1 and 3 only
Answer: (a) 1 only
Explanation: Barren Island is an active volcanic island in the Andaman Sea, substantially north of Great Nicobar. It has erupted after 1991, so inactivity since that year is incorrect. Only the statement identifying its active volcano is correct.
Southern and Central Hills
Q108. Which is the southernmost of these Indian hill ranges?
[MPPSC Prelims (2018)]
(A) Nilgiri
(B) Anamalai
(C) Cardamom Hills
(D) Nallamalai
Answer: (c) Cardamom Hills
Explanation: The Cardamom Hills form part of the extreme southern Western Ghats close to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Nilgiri and Anamalai lie farther north, while Nallamalai belongs to the Eastern Ghats system in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Southern and Central Hills
Q107. Among Aravalli, Vindhyachal, Himalaya and Eastern Ghats, which range is youngest?
[Chhattisgarh PSC Prelims (2018)]
(A) Aravalli
(B) Vindhyachal
(C) Himalaya
(D) Eastern Ghats
Answer: (c) Himalaya
Explanation: The Himalayan fold belt grew largely during the Cenozoic as India converged with Eurasia. By contrast, the Aravalli and other peninsular ranges are ancient. They were shaped by long erosion and tectonic processes over far older geological periods.
Physical Divisions
Q106. The Thar Desert consists chiefly of deposits from which geological intervals?
[UPPCS Prelims (2018)]
(A) Pliocene
(B) Paleocene
(C) Pleistocene and Recent
(D) Oligocene
Answer: (c) Pleistocene and Recent
Explanation: Much of the Thar Desert’s surface comprises Quaternary sands and associated Pleistocene-to-Recent deposits. Reworking by wind created extensive dunes. Its surface materials therefore contrast with the older crystalline bedrock exposed across much of Peninsular India.
Physical Divisions
Q105. Which listed region is predominantly desert-like?
[MPPSC Prelims (2018)]
(A) Sindhu region
(B) Middle Ganga region
(C) Assam region
(D) Central Indian region
Answer: (a) Sindhu region
Explanation: The Indus basin includes extensive arid landscapes in northwestern South Asia, in contrast to the humid Assam valley and fertile Ganga plains. The question distinguishes broad natural regions by climate, vegetation and surface conditions rather than administrative divisions.
Coastal Region
Q104. Which coastal region does not belong to the western coastline?
[SSC CHSL, 5 March 2018, Shift 3 (2018)]
(A) Kathiawar Coast
(B) Konkan Coast
(C) Malabar Coast
(D) Coromandel Coast
Answer: (d) Coromandel Coast
Explanation: The Coromandel Coast borders the Bay of Bengal, particularly along southeastern India. Kathiawar, Konkan and Malabar all lie on or are associated with the Arabian Sea side. The western coastline generally has more estuaries than major river deltas.
Islands
Q103. Which island lies nearest to Great Nicobar?
[UPSC CSE Prelims (2017)]
(A) Sumatra
(B) Borneo
(C) Java
(D) Sri Lanka
Answer: (a) Sumatra
Explanation: Sumatra, part of Indonesia, lies just southeast of Great Nicobar across the Six Degree Channel region. Borneo, Java and Sri Lanka are farther away. Proximity to Indonesia is an important feature of the Nicobar island chain’s location.
Mountain Passes
Q102. Which pass-and-region pairing is wrong?
[UPPCS Prelims (2017)]
(A) Shipki La–Himachal Pradesh
(B) Bomdi La–Arunachal Pradesh
(C) Nathu La–Meghalaya
(D) Zoji La–Jammu and Kashmir
Answer: (c) Nathu La–Meghalaya
Explanation: Nathu La lies in Sikkim and connects the Gangtok area with Tibet’s Chumbi Valley. Shipki La is in Himachal Pradesh and Bomdi La in Arunachal Pradesh. Zoji La historically connected Kashmir with Ladakh.
Coastal Region
Q101. How many Indian states possess a coastline?
[UPPCS Prelims (2017)]
(A) Six
(B) Seven
(C) Eight
(D) Nine
Answer: (d) Nine
Explanation: Nine Indian states touch the sea: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal. India’s coastal union territories are counted separately, so including them would incorrectly increase the number of coastal states.
