A Must Read for Civil Services Geography Optional of UPSC

For the civil services mains examination, UPSC provides 41 optional subjects. Each aspirant should select one optional paper of their choice and appear in two papers (Paper-I and Paper-II). Among these options, for a long time, Geography has been one of the most popular optional subjects among civil services aspirants. Though the syllabus is vast, it is equally preferred by engineering, science, art, and humanities graduates.

The first step to prepare for the Geography Optional is thoroughly reading and understanding the NCERT Geography Books. Even before that understanding the contents of each of the 10 NCERT Geography Books. With that in mind, the key topics covered in each of these books are given below for a high-level understanding before you dive deep into the option.

GEOGRAPHY

CIVIL SERVICES (II) EXAME 2015

Time Allowed: Three Hours Maximum Marks: 250

QUESTION PAPER SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS

Please read each of the following instructions carefully before attempting questions.
There are EIGHT questions divided in TWO SECTIONS and printed both in HINDI and in ENGLISH. The candidate has to attempt FIVE questions in all.

Question Nos. 1 and 5 are compulsory and out of the remaining, THREE are to be attempted Choosing at least ONE question from each Section.

The number of marks carried by a question/part is indicated against it. Answers must be written in the medium authorized in the Admission Certificate which must be stated clearly on the cover of this Question-cum-Answer (QCA) Booklet in the space provided. No marks will be given for answers written in a medium other than the authorized one.

Word limit in questions, wherever specified, should be adhered to.

Illustrate your answers with suitable sketches/maps and diagrams, wherever considered necessary. These shall be drawn in the space provided for answering the question itself. Attempts of questions shall. be counted in sequential order. Unless struck off, the attempt of a question shall be counted even if attempted partly. Any page or portion of the page left blank in the Question-cum-Answer Booklet must be clearly struck off.

SECTION A

1. Answer all the following. The word limit for (b), (c), (d), (e) has been indicated in the parenthesis: 10×5=50

(a)On the outline map of India provided to you, mark the locations of all the following. Write in your QCA Booklet the significance of these locations, whether physical/commercial/economic/ecological/environmental/cultural, in not more than 30 words for each entry: 2x5=10

(i) Tarangambadi
(ii) Namcha Barwa
(iii) Narcodam
(iv) Khajjiar
(v) Chunchanakatte

(b) Why does the pharmaceutical industry concentrate largely in the western region of the country?[10]

(c) Explain the pattern of winter rainfall in India. [10]

(d) Discuss the relationship of watershed approach to village level planning. [10]

(e) How does natural vegetation affect the formation of in situ soils?[10]

2. (a) Account for the geographical distribution of groundwater resources of India. How serious is its depletion in recent decades?[20]

(b) Why is the traditional crafts industry in India on the decline?[15]

(c) Explain how modernization of Indian agriculture is affected by unfavourable institutional factors with suitable examples. [15]

3. (a) Distinguish between 'agricultural productivity' and 'agricultural efficiency', and bring out the disparity in regional distribution of agricultural efficiency. [20]

(b) With the help of a map, indicate the principal areas of dryland farming in the country and account for farmers' suicides mainly in those areas. [15]

(c) Evaluate the contribution of Communication and Information Technology to the development of economy and society, and examine the relevance of the recently launched 'Digital India' programme. [15]

4. (a) Account for the growing frequency and intensity of floods in India, and suggest short and longterm remedial measures indicating the chronically flood-prone areas. [20]

(b) How does climate change affect the process of desertification of India?[15]

(c) Discuss the scope of replication of White Revolution' in India.[15]


SECTION B

5. Answer all the following. The word limit for (b), (c), (d), (e) has been indicated in the parenthesis: 10 × 5 = 50

(a) On the outline map of India provided to you, mark the locations of all the following. Write in your QCA Booklet the significance of these locations, whethe physical/commercial/economic/ecological/environmental/cultural, in not more than 30 words for each entry: 2x5=10
(i) Nokrek
(ii) Gorakhnath Peak
(iii) Indrakiladri Peak
(iv) Polavaram
(U) Anaimudi
(b "Age-sex pyramid is representative of the history of a region." Explain. [10]
(c)"Mono-functional towns are economically vulnerable." Discuss. [10]
(d) Explain how change in land use can promote eco-development at different levels in the country.[10]
(e) Discuss the social and spatial ramifications of increasing longevity. [10]

6. (a) Decentralized planning through the strengthening of the Panchayat system is the focus of planning in India in recent times. Suggest a blueprint for an integrated regional development plan. [20]

(b) In population planning, the thrust of the Government has been 'planning the population' not 'plan for the population'. Elaborate. [15]

(c) Is planning for a cluster of villages a viable option, when planning for backward areas of the country? Discuss with suitable examples.[15]

7. (a) Reduction in regional disparities has been one of the priority goals of national planning in India. How the proposed new Smart urban centres may contribute to the process? [20]

(b)How has India's 'Look East' policy taken shape in the past two decades and how it may affect India's external trade? [15]

(c) Indian island territories are vulnerable to the sea level rise. Explain.[15]

8. (a) Discuss the concept of multi-level planning as practised in India, and explain the implications of 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments in this respect. [20]

(b) Give a reasoned account of river water disputes related to the river Krishna.[15]

(c) Outline the Government of India's strategies of conservation of the Western Ghats. [15]