Plateaus
Q180. With which modern continent was India’s Peninsular Plateau once joined in Gondwanaland?
[SSC CHSL Tier-I, 1 July 2024, Shift 1 (2024)]
(A) South America
(B) North America
(C) Europe
(D) Africa
Answer: (d) Africa
Explanation: Ancient peninsular India formed part of the Gondwana landmass with regions now in Africa, Antarctica, Australia and South America. Continental breakup carried the Indian plate northward, eventually producing its collision with Eurasia and the Himalayan uplift.
Coastal Region
Q179. Which of these states has India’s longest coastline?
[OSSSC Forest Guard, 2 May 2024, Shift 1 (2024)]
(A) West Bengal
(B) Kerala
(C) Karnataka
(D) Gujarat
Answer: (d) Gujarat
Explanation: Gujarat has the country’s longest coastline among the states, featuring the Gulfs of Kachchh and Khambhat and an irregular western shore. Its tidal flats, estuaries and peninsulas create an extensive coastal outline compared with the other listed states.
Mountain Peaks
Q178. Which mountain peak is part of the Karakoram Range?
[SSC CPO Paper-I, 27 June 2024, Shift 1 (2024)]
(A) Trishul
(B) Nanda Devi
(C) K2
(D) Kamet
Answer: (c) K2
Explanation: K2 rises in the Karakoram mountain system rather than the Garhwal–Kumaon Himalayan ranges containing Trishul, Nanda Devi and Kamet. At approximately 8,611 metres, it is the second-highest mountain on Earth and is associated with major Karakoram glaciers.
Plateaus
Q177. Which physical region represents India’s oldest major landmass?
[RPF SI CBT-I, 13 December 2024, Shift 3 (2024)]
(A) Indian islands
(B) Peninsular Plateau
(C) Indus–Ganga Plains
(D) Indian Desert
Answer: (b) Peninsular Plateau
Explanation: The Peninsular Plateau contains ancient crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks and is part of the Indian shield. The Northern Plains consist mainly of younger alluvium, while coastal landforms and many islands owe their forms to later processes.
Mountain Peaks
Q176. Which peak among these is in the Himalayan mountains?
[SSC MTS, 7 October 2024, Shift 1 (2024)]
(A) Kamet
(B) Dhupgarh
(C) Kalsubai
(D) Taramati
Answer: (a) Kamet
Explanation: Kamet rises in the Garhwal Himalayas of Uttarakhand and exceeds 7,700 metres. Dhupgarh belongs to the Satpura Hills, while Kalsubai and Taramati are associated with the Western Ghats in Maharashtra. Thus only Kamet is Himalayan.
Plateaus
Q175. Which triangular plateau lies to the south of the Narmada River?
[SSC Selection Post, 25 June 2024, Shift 4 (2024)]
(A) Deccan Plateau
(B) Marwar Plateau
(C) Baghelkhand Plateau
(D) Malwa Plateau
Answer: (a) Deccan Plateau
Explanation: The Deccan Plateau occupies much of southern India and is broadly triangular in shape. It lies south of the Narmada corridor, between the Western and Eastern Ghats. Malwa, Marwar and Baghelkhand belong to other peninsular subregions.
Islands
Q174. On which Indian island group is Pitti Bird Sanctuary located?
[SSC MTS, 18 October 2024, Shift 1 (2024)]
(A) Tamil Nadu coast
(B) Lakshadweep
(C) Andaman and Nicobar
(D) Manipur
Answer: (b) Lakshadweep
Explanation: Pitti is a small, uninhabited coral islet within Lakshadweep in the Arabian Sea. It provides nesting habitat for seabirds such as terns. The sanctuary’s island setting distinguishes it from mainland coastal wetlands and the distant Andaman archipelago.
Coastal Region
Q173. Which of the following water bodies is NOT a coastal lagoon?
[SSC MTS, 7 October 2024, Shift 2 (2024)]
(A) Nainital
(B) Chilika
(C) Pulicat
(D) Kolleru
Answer: (a) Nainital
Explanation: Naini Lake lies in the Kumaon hills of Uttarakhand, far inland from coastal processes. Chilika and Pulicat are familiar coastal lagoons along the Bay of Bengal. Kolleru occupies a low-lying coastal plain between the Krishna and Godavari deltas.
Physical Divisions
Q172. Which is not counted among India’s principal physiographic divisions?
[SSC MTS, 17 October 2024, Shift 3 (2024)]
(A) Peninsular Plateau
(B) Himalayan Mountains
(C) Northern Plains
(D) Tibetan Plateau
Answer: (d) Tibetan Plateau
Explanation: The Indian physical divisions include the Himalayan mountains, Northern Plains, Peninsular Plateau, Indian Desert, Coastal Plains and Islands. The Tibetan Plateau lies largely beyond India’s northern frontier, distinct from these standard subdivisions used in school geography.
Coastal Region
Q171. Which state contains the salt marshes called the Great and Little Rann?
[SSC MTS, 28 October 2024, Shift 1 (2024)]
(A) Jharkhand
(B) Maharashtra
(C) Punjab
(D) Gujarat
Answer: (d) Gujarat
Explanation: The Great and Little Rann of Kachchh lie in Gujarat, where seasonal flooding and evaporation create extensive salt flats. These low-lying coastal-desert landscapes differ from the fertile alluvial Northern Plains and rocky slopes of the Western Ghats.
