Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims – Geography Previous Year Questions UPSC Prelims

Geography Previous Year Questions UPSC Prelims

Candidates can download the UPSC prelims geography questions from the years 2013 to 2022 with answers in PDF format from the below-given links. They must attempt these questions to evaluate their grasp of the geography section of the UPSC Prelims Syllabus.

• Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2022
• Geography Previous Year Questions UPSC Prelims 2021
• Geography UPSC Prelims Questions 2020
• Geography Previous Year Questions UPSC 2019
• Geography PYQ UPSC Prelims 2018
• Geography Prelims Previous Year Questions 2017
• Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2016
• Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2015
• Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2014
• Geography PYQ UPSC Prelims 2013

Trends of Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims

Given below is the analysis of the number of Geography Previous Year Questions UPSC Prelims each year from 2022- 2013. Looking at the weightage, it is evident that UPSC Geography Syllabus must be covered comprehensively. Candidates can also download the UPSC Previous Year Question Paper for complete practice and revision.

Year	Geography PYQ UPSC Prelims – Number of Questions
2022	12
2021	12
2020	17
2019	14
2018	14
2017	8
2016	7
2015	14
2014	18
2013	23

Geography PYQ UPSC Prelims Topics

After the analysis of the last few years’ papers, experts made a list of topics from which the Geography questions in UPSC Prelims are generally asked. The detailed notes on each of these can be accessed using the following links:

Geography Questions UPSC Prelims Topics
Major Ports in India	Zero Budget Natural Farming
Brahmaputra River System	Ramsar Sites in India
Types of Soil in India	Disaster Management
National Parks in India	Biosphere Reserves in India
Structure of Atmosphere	Indus River System
Global Warming	Ganga River System
River System in India	Ocean Currents
Green Revolution in India	Organic Farming

Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2022

The UPSC Prelims 2022 Question Paper saw a total of 12 questions from the Geography section. The level of the questions asked was moderate, and few were based on Atlas. Some of the Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2022 are as follows:

Question: Which one of the lakes of West Africa has become dry and turned into a desert? – Lake Victoria, Lake Faguibine, Lake Oguta, Lake Volta

Answer: Lake Faguibine is the correct answer.

Question: “System of Rice Intensification” of cultivation, in which alternate wetting and drying of rice fields are practiced, results in

1. Reduced seed requirement
2. Reduced methane production
3. Reduced electricity consumption

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1. 1 and 2 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Answer: Option 4 is the correct answer.

Question: Consider the following States: Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Himachal Pradesh, Tripura

How many of the above are generally known as tea-producing States?

1. Only one State
2. Only two States
3. Only three States
4. All four States

Answer: Only three States

The remaining Geography PYQ UPSC Prelims 2022 can be downloaded using the link mentioned above.

Geography Questions in UPSC Prelims 2021

A total of 12 UPSC Prelims Geography Questions were asked that year. The questions asked were from the following topics – savannah, groundwater, black cotton soil of India, permaculture, palm oil, Indus River system, Eastern Ghats rivers, water-efficient crops, and temperate & tropical zone.

Question: The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of

1. Brown forest soil
2. Fissure volcanic rock
3. Granite and schist
4. Shale and limestone

Answer: Fissure volcanic rock

Question: With references to India, Didwana, Kuchaman, Sargol and khatu are the names of

1. Glaciers
2. Mangrove areas
3. Ramsar sites
4. Saline lakes

Answer: Saline lakes

Question: Among the following, which one is the least water-efficient crop? – Sugarcane, Sunflower, Pearl millet, Red gram

Answer: Sugarcane

Geography Previous Year Questions UPSC Prelims (2020)

Question: In the context of India, which of the following is/are considered to be of practice(s) of eco-friendly agriculture?

1. Crop diversification
2. Legume intensification
3. Tensiometer use
4. Vertical farming

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Answer: all four (1, 2, 3 and 4)

Question: Consider the following minerals: Bentonite, Chromite, Kyanite, and Sillimanite.

In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals?

(a) Bentonite and Chromite only

(b) Sillimanite only

(c) Bentonite and Kyanite only

(d) Chromite, Kyanite, and Sillimanite only

Answer: Chromite, Kyanite, and Sillimanite only

Question: Consider the following statements:

1. Coal ash contains arsenic, lead, and mercury.
2. Coal-fired power plants release sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen into the environment.
3. High ash content is observed in Indian coal.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? – 1 only, 2 and 3 only, 3 only, 1, 2 and 3

Answer: 1, 2, and 3 – all are correct

Question: With reference to pulse production in India, consider the following statements:

1. Black gram can be cultivated as both Kharif and rabi crops.
2. Green gram alone accounts for nearly half of the pulse production.
3. In the last three decades, while the production of Kharif pulses has increased, the production of rabi pulses has decreased.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? – 1 only, 2 and 3 only, 2 only, 1, 2 and 3.

Answer: 1 only

Tips to Prepare for UPSC Prelims Geography Questions

Geography is an unavoidable part of the UPSC Syllabus, and questions from this section are asked every year in General Studies paper 1. Geography can be an interesting subject, but some don’t enjoy it due to the many facts and concepts. Below we have mentioned some tips and tricks that would help the candidates ace the UPSC Geography Prelims Questions in both the Prelims and Mains exam.

• First, go through the Prelims Syllabus so that you will precisely remember what to read.
• After that, start with the NCERT Books for UPSC to build a basic foundation.
• Then, you can switch to higher-level books to sharpen your knowledge. Carefully choose the right study materials and Geography Books for UPSC.
• Go through the previous year question papers to understand the pattern. Understand how UPSC frames questions and prepare accordingly.
• Current Affairs also have a high dose of geography, so read the newspapers such as The Hindu and monthly magazines, namely Yojana and Kurukshetra, and stay updated with the latest news.
• Give as many mock tests as possible to evaluate yourself and, based on that, identify the weaknesses.

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