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 2018

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. (a) On the outline map of India provided to you, mark the location of all of the following. Write in your QCA Booklet the significance of these locations, whether
physical/commercial/economic/ecological/environmental/cultural, in not more than 2x10-20 30 words for each entry:
(i) Shyok River
(ii) Mawlynnong
(iii) Shravasti
(iv) Kori Creek
(v) Amarkantak
(vi) Ghatshila
(vii) Tawang
(viii) Neyyar
(ix) Dandeli
(x) Mulshi Lake
India

With Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Myanmar (Burma), Pakistan and Sri Lanka

1.(b) Explain the unusual intensity of dust storms and thunder storms across India in the pre-monsoon period of year 2018. [10]

1. (c) Why setting up of Water Management Boards is a controversial issue in India? [10]

1. (d) Keeping the recent developments in view, how can the energy crisis of India be circumvented by harnessing non-conventional energy resources? [10]

2. (a) Distinguish the geographical aspects of North-Western lava plateau and Chotanagpur plateau of peninsular India. [20]

2. (b) Explain the contemporary agricultural scenario in the context of rapid urbanization in India. [15]

2. (c) Assess the suitability of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for the sustainable economic development in India. [15]

3. (a) Examine the ongoing process of agricultural diversification and its implications for food security in India. [20]

3. (b) Account for the persisting negative trade balance of India. [15]

3. (c) Critically assess the vanishing ethnic linguistic plurality of India. [15]

4. (a) Examine the driving forces of changing urban morphology of million-plus cities of India with suitable examples. [20]

4. (b)Discuss the emerging geo-political scenario of Indian Ocean realm. [15]

4. (c) Give a critical account of region-specific constraints of sustainable tourism in India. [15]

SECTION B

5. Answer the following questions in about 150 words each: 10×5-50

5. (a) Discuss the socio-economic problems associated with the left behind families of international migrants from India. [10]

5. (b)Explain the changing river courses and their impacts on the riparian population in India with suitable example [10]

5. (c) Make a critical appraisal of the factors affecting river water quality in India. [10]

5. (d)Examine the role of people's participation in successful decentralized planning in India. [10]

5. (c) Describe the socio-spatial consequences of the recent Nipah viral encephalitis in India. [10]

6 (a) Illustrate with suitable examples the endeavors undertaken in augmenting conservation of water and vegetation in India. [20]

6. (b) Discuss the strategies of integrated development of island territories in India.[15]

6 (c) Cross-border terrorism has implications on border area development in India. Examine it with suitable examples. [15]

7. (a) Explain the pipeline network across India and its impact on regional development. [20]

7. (b) Discuss the changing composition of international trade through major seaports of India. [15]