Islands
Q250. Barren Island, home to an active volcano, belongs to which Indian island group?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, 16 March 2026, Shift 2 (2026)]
(A) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
(B) Lakshadweep Islands
(C) Minicoy Islands
(D) Rameswaram Islands
Answer: (a) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Explanation: Barren Island lies east of the Andaman chain in the Andaman Sea. It belongs administratively to the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and hosts India’s active volcanic system, unlike the low coral atolls that characterise Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea.
Valleys
Q249. Which mountain range lies south of the Vindhyas, with the Narmada Valley between them?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, 20 June 2026, Shift 2 (2026)]
(A) Aravalli Range
(B) Eastern Ghats
(C) Satpura Range
(D) Western Ghats
Answer: (c) Satpura Range
Explanation: The Narmada flows west in a tectonic rift valley separating the Vindhyan uplands in the north from the Satpura Range in the south. This structural valley helps define the transition between the central Indian highlands and the Deccan region.
Coastal Region
Q248. Which monsoon branch supplies substantial rainfall to India’s west coast?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, 14 June 2026, Shift 1 (2026)]
(A) Western disturbances
(B) Southwest monsoon, Arabian Sea branch
(C) Southwest monsoon, Bay of Bengal branch
(D) Northeast monsoon
Answer: (b) Southwest monsoon, Arabian Sea branch
Explanation: Moist winds of the Arabian Sea branch of the southwest monsoon strike the windward face of the Western Ghats. Forced ascent generates heavy orographic rainfall along many western coastal districts, particularly during the June–September monsoon season.
Physical Divisions
Q247. Which Indian natural region contains saline basins and salt lakes locally called playas?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, 20 June 2026, Shift 1 (2026)]
(A) Thar Desert
(B) Deccan Plateau
(C) Western Ghats
(D) Malabar Coast
Answer: (a) Thar Desert
Explanation: Playas are temporary or intermittently wet salt-lake basins common in the arid landscapes of western Rajasthan. Poor drainage and high evaporation concentrate salts, giving rise to inland saline depressions such as those associated with the Thar Desert.
Northern Mountains
Q246. Why does the Kosi River frequently shift its course across the northern plains?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, 13 June 2026, Shift 2 (2026)]
(A) It crosses a long tectonic rift valley
(B) It carries very large sediment loads from the Himalayas
(C) Large dams constantly redirect its natural channel
(D) It receives water only from seasonal monsoon rain
Answer: (b) It carries very large sediment loads from the Himalayas
Explanation: The Kosi descends from the steep, actively eroding Himalayas carrying enormous quantities of sand and silt. On reaching the low-gradient plains, sediment deposition can obstruct channels and trigger avulsions, making its course notoriously changeable.
Mountain Peaks
Q245. In which state is Anamudi, the highest summit of the Western Ghats, located?
[RRB Technician Grade III, 9 March 2026, Shift 3 (2026)]
(A) Tamil Nadu
(B) Kerala
(C) Maharashtra
(D) Karnataka
Answer: (b) Kerala
Explanation: Anamudi stands in Kerala’s Idukki district, within the high Western Ghats near Eravikulam National Park. At approximately 2,695 metres it is the highest peak of southern India, and significantly taller than the familiar summit Dodda Betta in the Nilgiris.
Southern and Central Hills
Q244. Which statement about India’s Eastern and Western Ghats is incorrect?
[DSSSB PRT, 18 February 2026, Shift 2 (2026)]
(A) Eastern Ghats are broken and dissected by rivers
(B) Western Ghats average roughly 900–1,600 metres in elevation
(C) Eastern Ghats extend from the Mahanadi Valley toward the Nilgiris
(D) Eastern Ghats generally rise higher than Western Ghats
Answer: (d) Eastern Ghats generally rise higher than Western Ghats
Explanation: The Western Ghats are generally taller and more continuous than the Eastern Ghats. Numerous east-flowing rivers break the Eastern Ghats into discontinuous hill masses. The Western Ghats form a major western escarpment of the Peninsular Plateau.
Northern Mountains
Q243. Which pair of Indian regions is associated especially with biodiversity hotspots?
[RRB Group D, 5 February 2026, Shift 3 (2026)]
(A) Central India and Deccan Plateau
(B) Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas
(C) Cold desert of Ladakh only
(D) Mediterranean islands
Answer: (b) Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas
Explanation: The Western Ghats and eastern Himalayan region support exceptionally diverse biological communities with many endemic plants and animals. Their varied altitudes and heavy rainfall create many habitats, while land-use pressure makes conservation across these mountain landscapes particularly important.
Physical Divisions
Q242. Which physiographic region consists mainly of alluvium carried by Himalayan rivers?
[RRB NTPC UG CBT-I, 14 June 2026, Shift 3 (2026)]
(A) Peninsular Plateau
(B) Meghalaya Plateau
(C) Western Coastal Plain
(D) Northern Plains
Answer: (d) Northern Plains
Explanation: The northern plains accumulated through long periods of deposition by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems. Sand, silt and clay washed down from the Himalayan ranges built extensive low-lying fertile tracts between the mountains and peninsular uplands.
Physical Divisions
Q241. What is another name for the Thar Desert?
[RRB NTPC Graduate CBT-I, 27 March 2026, Shift 3 (2026)]
(A) Great Salt Desert
(B) Great Indian Desert
(C) Great Deccan Desert
(D) Great White Desert
Answer: (b) Great Indian Desert
Explanation: The Great Indian Desert is the conventional alternative name for the Thar, a hot arid region concentrated in western Rajasthan and extending across the international border. Sand dunes, saline basins and sparse vegetation reflect low rainfall and high evaporation.
