VISION IAS

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ANSWERS & EXPLANATION

GENERAL STUDIES (P) TEST 2107 (2017)

Q 1.C
Statement 1 is incorrect: Kashmir Valley lies between Pir Panjal range and Great Himalayan range .
Ladakh range lies further north of Great himalayan range.
Statement 2 is correct: Jhelum, one of the main tributaries of Indus flows through Kashmir valley.
Statement 3 is correct: Both Tsomoriri and Pangong Tso are salt water lakes found in Ladakh region of
Jammu and Kashmir.

Q 2.B
Statement 1 is not correct. Red soils are generally shallow but have pH values between 6.6 to 8.0, so
they are slightly alkaline.
Statement 2 is not correct as the red soils are poor in nitrogen, potash, phosphorous and organic
matter.
Statement 3 is correct because red soils are formed in poor rainfall areas. They are porous also, thus can
hold less moisture. So, they can be good in dry farming.

Q 3.D
EI-Nino is a complex weather system that appears once every three to seven years, bringing drought,
floods and other weather extremes to different parts of the world.
The system involves oceanic and atmospheric phenomena with the appearance of warm currents off the
coast of Peru in the Eastern Pacific and affects weather in many places including India. EI-Nino is merely
an extension of the warm equatorial current which gets replaced temporarily by cold Peruvian current or
Humbolt current. This current increases the temperature of water on the Peruvian coast by 10C. This
results in:
I. the distortion of equatorial atmospheric circulation;
II. irregularities in the evaporation of sea water;
III. reduction in the amount of planktons which further reduces the number of fish in the sea.
EI-Nino is used in India for forecasting long range monsoon rainfall. In 1990-91, there was a wild EI-Nino
event and the onset of southwest monsoon was delayed over most parts of the country ranging from
five to twelve days.

Q 4.B
Statement 1 is correct as the western coastal plains are an example of submerged coastal plain.
Statement 2 is not correct because of the submergence of western coastal plains, it is a narrow belt and
provides natural conditions for the development of ports and harbours. Because of emergent nature of
Eastern coastal plains, it has less number of ports and harbours. The continental shelf extends up to 500
km into the sea, which makes it difficult for the development of good ports and harbours.
Statement 3 is not correct as compared to the western coastal plain, the eastern coastal plain is broader
and is an example of an emergent coast.

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Q 5.C
Statement 1 is correct. This branch after crossing Narmada and Tapi valleys causes rainfall in
Chotanagpur Plateau. After that, it enters the Ganga plains and merges with the Bay of bengal branch.
Statement 2 is correct. This branch merges with bay of bengal branch near Punjab and Haryana plains
and then move towards Western Himalayas.

Q 6.C
The latitudinal and longitudinal extent of India, are roughly about 30 degrees, whereas the actual
distance measured from north to south extremity is 3,214 km, and that from east to west is only 2,933
km. This difference is based on the fact that the distance between two longitudes decreases towards the
poles whereas the distance between two latitudes remains almost the same everywhere.

Q 7.A
Tropical Thorn Forests: Important species found are babool, ber, and wild date palm, khair, neem, khejri,
palas, etc. Tropical thorn forests occur in the areas which receive rainfall less than 50 cm.
Tropical Evergreen and Semi Evergreen Forests: Species found in these forests include rosewood,
mahogony, aini, ebony, etc. These forests are found in the western slope of the Western Ghats, hills of
the northeastern region and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Tropical Deciduous Forests: These are the most widespread forests in India. They are also called the
monsoon forests. Teak, sal, shisham, hurra, mahua, amla, semul, kusum, and and salwood etc. are the
main species of these forests.

Q 8.D
Mangroves forest comes under littoral and swamp forests. They support saline resistant vegetation like
sundari tree. They are found in the deltas of: Ganga-brahamaputra, Mahanadi, Godavari and Krishna etc.
Apart from these deltas, they are found in Andaman and Nicobar and Gujarat.

Q 9.D
Statement 1 is correct as the Black soil is poor in nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter.
Statement 2 is not correct as Black soil is fine textured and clayey in nature.
Statement 3 is correct as the lava soil is rich in lime, iron and magnesium since it has been formed by
denudation of volcanic rocks.

Q 10.A
Statement 1 is correct. The west flowing rivers of India do not form delta because they passes through
hard rocks. This means that these are devoid of sediments which are essential for formation of delta.
Absence of meanders and non-perennial flow of water are characteristics of Peninsular rivers, including
the east flowing rivers which form deltas. Therefore, statement 2 and 3 are not correct.

Q 11.D
Except dhauladhar Range all the given ranges/peaks are situated in Nepal with Makalu and Annapurna
being part of inner Himalayas and the Mahabharata being part of the Middle Himalayas.

Q 12.B
Statement 1 is not correct. Peninsular rivers have smaller and fixed course with well-adjusted valleys,
while the Himalayan rivers have long course, flowing through the rugged mountains experiencing
headward erosion and river capturing. In plains the Himalayan rivers are known for meandering and
shifting of course.
Statement 2 is correct. Peninsular rivers are characterised by trellis, radial and rectangular drainage
patterns while Himalayan rivers are characterised by dendritic pattern in plains.
Statement 3 is not correct. Himalayan rivers have larger catchment area than the peninsular rivers.

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Q 13.A
Statement 1 is correct. The easterly jet stream steers the tropical depressions into India. These
depressions play a significant role in the distribution of monsoon rainfall over the Indian subcontinent.
The tracks of these depressions are the areas of highest rainfall in India. The frequency at which these
depressions visit India, their direction and intensity, all go a long way in determining the rainfall pattern
during the southwest monsoon period.
Statement 2 is not correct. They do not reduce the amount of monsoon rainfall in India. The tracks of
these depressions are the areas of highest rainfall in India.

Q 14.C
Statement 1 is not correct as the alluvial soils are found in all the river plains across India including
coastal plains.
Statement 2 is correct as the alluvial soil is deficient in humus except the Ganga delta which is rich in
humus.
Statement 3 is correct as the alluvial soils are alkaline in drier areas.

Q 15.D
Special schemes like Project Tiger (1973) and Project Elephant (1992) have been launched to conserve
these species and their habitat in a sustainable manner. Apart from this, some other projects such as
Crocodile Breeding Project, Project Hangul have also been launched by the Government of India. Hence,
(d) is the correct answer.

Q 16.A
o Bureau of Indian Standard has grouped the country into four seismic zones viz. Zone-II, Zone-III, Zone-IV
and Zone-V. Of these, Zone V is seismically the most prone region with higher incidence of activities of
earthquakes and Zone II is the least prone region with lower incidents of activities of earthquakes.
o Broadly, Zone-V comprises of entire northeastern India, parts of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh,
Uttaranchal, Rann of Kutch in Gujarat, part of North Bihar and Andaman & Nicobar islands.
o Zone-IV covers remaining parts of Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, Union Territory of Delhi,
Sikkim, northern parts of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal, parts of Gujarat and small portions of
Maharashtra near the west coast and Rajasthan.
o Zone-III comprises of Kerala, Goa, Lakshadweep islands, remaining parts of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and
West Bengal, parts of Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra,
Orissa, parts of Telangana, parts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka.
o Zone-II covers remaining parts of the country.

Q 17.C
Statement 1 is correct. Laterite soild develop in the areas of high temperature and high precipitation.
Statement 2 is correct as laterite soils are coarse textured and can't retain moisture. Apart from this they
are also devoid of most of minerals and humus, so they are not fertile. Thus only special crops like tea,
coffee , tapioca, cashewnuts etc are grown.

Q 18.D
Statement 1 is correct. The western cyclonic disturbances which enter the Indian subcontinent from the
west and the northwest during the winter months, originate over the Mediterranean Sea.
Statement 2 is correct. They are brought into India by the westerly jet stream.
Statement 3 is correct. An increase in the prevailing night temperature generally indicates an advance in
the arrival of these cyclones disturbances.

Q 19.D
All the give phenomena are influenced by relief of a place. The physiography or relief affects the
temperature, air pressure, direction and speed of wind and the amount and distribution of rainfall. For

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 example. The windward sides of Western Ghats and Assam receive high rainfall during June-September
whereas the southern plateau remains dry due to its leeward situation along the Western Ghats.

Q 20.B
Statement 1 is Incorrect. A variability of less than 25 per cent exists on the western coasts, Western
Ghats, northeastern peninsula, eastern plains of Ganga, northeastern India, Uttaranchal and Himachal
Pradesh and south-western part of Jammu and Kashmir. These areas have an annual rainfall of over 100
cm.
Statement 2 is Correct. A variability of over 50 per cent exists in the western part of Rajasthan, northern
part of Jammu and Kashmir and interior parts of the Deccan plateau. These areas have an annual rainfall
of less than 50 cm. Rest of India have a variability of 25-50 per cent and these areas receive an annual
rainfall between 50 -100 cm.

Q 21.B
Statement 1 is not correct. Karewas are the thick deposits of glacial clay and other materials embedded
with moraines.
Statement 2 is correct. Karewa formations are useful for the cultivation of Zafran, a local variety of
saffron in the Kashmir Himalayas.

Q 22.C
Use of chemical fertilizers leads to problem of soil erosion. Chemical fertilizers in the absence of organic
manures are also harmful to the soil. Unless the soil gets enough humus, chemicals harden it and reduce
its fertility in the long run.
Terrace Farming and Regulated Forestry are popular methods of soil conservation. Contour bunding,
Contour terracing, regulated forestry, controlled grazing, cover cropping, mixed farming and crop
rotation are some of the remedial measures which are often adopted to reduce soil erosion.
Shifting cultivation is an agricultural system in which a person uses a piece of land, only to abandon or
alter the initial use a short time later. This system often involves clearing of a piece of land followed by
several years of wood harvesting or farming until the soil loses fertility. Once the land becomes
inadequate for crop production, it is left to be reclaimed by natural vegetation, or sometimes converted
to a different long term cyclical farming practice. Without the full period of regeneration, the land does
not recover from the loss of nutrients, soil erosion and deterioration of the soil structure took place.

Q 23.C
Type of Climate as per Koeppen's scheme of climate classification:
o Amw (Monsoon with short dry season)- West coast of India south of Goa
o As (Monsoon with dry summer) - Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu
o Aw (Tropical savannah) - Most of the Peninsular plateaus, south of the Tropic of Cancer
o Bwhw (Semi-arid steppe climate) - North-western Gujarat, some parts of western Rajasthan and
Punjab
o Bwhw (Hot desert) - Extreme western Rajasthan
o Cwg (Monsoon with dry winter) - Ganga plain, eastern Rajasthan, northern Madhya Pradesh, most of
North-east India
o Dfc (Cold humid winter with short summer) - Arunachal Pradesh
o E (Polar type) - Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttaranchal

Q 24.C
o Statement 1 is correct. The tropical areas being close to the equator experiences high temperature
throughout the year with small daily and annual range. Andaman and Nicobar Islands fall in this zone.
o Statement 2 is correct. North West India experiences very hot summers and equally harsh winters. In
fact in a single day the temperature varies a great deal. For example, in the Thar desert, if the day
temperature is around 50 degree celcius, it might drop to 15-20 degree at night.

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Q 25.C
The speed of wave in the ocean depends upon the depth of water. It is more in the shallow water than in
the ocean deep. As a result of this, the impact of tsunami is less over the ocean and more near the coast
where they cause large-scale devastation. When a tsunami enters shallow water, its wave-length gets
reduced and the period remains unchanged, which increases the wave height. Sometimes, this height
can be up to 15m or more, which causes large-scale destruction along the shores. Hence, (c) is the
correct answer.

Q 26.B
Statement 1 is Incorrect. The months of October and November are known for retreating monsoons. By
the end of September, the southwest monsoon becomes weak as the low pressure trough of the Ganga
plain starts moving southward in response to the southward march of the sun. The monsoon retreats
from the western Rajasthan by the first week of September.
Statement 2 is Correct. The retreating southwest monsoon season is marked by clear skies and rise in
temperature. The land is still moist. Owing to the conditions of high temperature and humidity, the
weather becomes rather oppressive. This is commonly known as the October heat.
Statement 3 is Correct. The weather in the retreating monsoon is dry in north India but it is associated
with rain in the eastern part of the Peninsula. Here, October and November are the rainiest months of
the year.

Q 27.C
Statement 1 is correct. The pattern of flow of water in a river channel over a year is known as its regime.
Statement 2 is correct. The north Indian rivers originating from the Himalayas are perennial as they are
fed by glaciers through snow melt and also receive rainfall water during rainy season. The rivers of South
India do not originate from glaciers and their flow pattern witnesses fluctuations. The flow increases
considerably during monsoon rains. Thus, the regime of the rivers of South India is controlled by rainfall
which also varies from one part of the Peninsular plateau to the other.

Q 28.B
Rohi are the fertile tracts of land in the Rajasthan plains composed of Rajasthan Bagar, which is semi-arid
plain in the eastern side of the desert. Cultivation is done in small patches in this area with the help of
water from small streams.

Q 29.C
Statement 1 correct. Himalayas block the cold dry winds blowing from central Asia and Siberia and
prevents them from entering into Indian plains.
Statement 2 correct. Himalayas force the moisture laden southwest monsoon winds to shed rainfall in
India or else India would be a dry region.
Statement 3 incorrect. This moderating effect is caused by the effect of adjacent Indian ocean on three
sides of Indian peninsula.
Q 30.D
The correct arrangement is as follows
1. Shipki La pass Himachal Pradesh
2. Niti Pass Uttarakhand
3. Thang La Uttarakhand
4. Nathu La Sikkim
Some other passes are as follows:
Bara Lapcha La in Himachal Pradesh, Karakoram pass in Kashmir, Nathu la pass in Sikkim, Bomdi La in
Arunachal Pradesh, etc.

Q 31.C
Rivers generally form meanders in its mature stage but Jhelum, flowing through the Kashmir valley,
forms meanders in its youth stage. About 2 million years ago when the Kashmir valley, surrounded by

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 Great Himalayan Range in north-east and Pir Panjal Range in southeast, was submerged under water.
Due to tectonic upliftment of Pir Panjal range, drainage of the region was impounded and a big lake of
about 5000 sq km area was formed. Because of endogenic forces, Baramullah Gorge was created and
this vast lake was drained through this gorge leaving behind sediments and these deposits are called
Karewas. ("Karewa" in Kashmiri means "elevated table-land"). These sediments are of fluvio-lacustrine
and glacio-lacustrine in origin and composed of fine silt, clay, sand, gravel etc and also characterised with
fossils of mammals ; thickness of about 1300-1400 m. Meanders: Meanders are formed when moving
water erodes outer banks whereas inner part of river, having less intensity, deposits silt and sediments
which results in a snake-like pattern of the water stream. River Jhelum: So, meanders are formed by
Jhelum river due to these local base levels of Karewas, provided by that formerly existing large lake
which drained leaving behind finer sediments. It gets silt and sediments to deposit when it is in its upper
course or youth stage.

Q 32.A
By the end of December (22nd December), the sun shines vertically over the Tropic of Capricorn in the
southern hemisphere. The weather in this season is characterised by feeble high pressure conditions
over the northern plain.

Q 33.D
All the given five vegetation types are found in Tamil Nadu:
1. Tropical Evergreen Forests
2. Tropical Deciduous Forests
3. Littoral and Swamp forests
4. Montane forests

Q 34.C
Statement 1 is incorrect: The Jhelum, an important tributary of the Indus, rises from a spring at Verinag
situated at the foot of the Pir Panjal in the south-eastern part of the valley of Kashmir. It flows through
Srinagar and the Wular lake before entering Pakistan through a deep narrow gorge.
Statement 2 is correct: The Satluj originates in the Rakas lake near Mansarovar at an altitude of 4,555 m
in Tibet where it is known as Langchen Khambab. It flows almost parallel to the Indus for about 400 km
before entering India, and comes out of a gorge at Rupar. It passes through the Shipki La on the
Himalayan ranges and enters the Punjab plains.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Beas river originates in Himachal pradesh and enters the Punjab plains where it
meets the Satluj near Harike. Beas does not flow through Jammu and Kashmir.

Q 35.B
Luni and Sabarmati rivers originate from the Aravallis. Mahi, on the other hand, originates from
Vindhyachal Hills. Hence, (b) is the correct answer.

Q 36.C
o Cities located south of Tropic of Cancer will observe an overhead sun, twice a year.
o Udaipur and Jhansi are located north of Tropic of Cancer. Also, Jhansi can be eliminated because Tropic
of Cancer does not pass through Uttar Pradesh.
o Nagpur and Bhubneshwar are located south of Tropic of Cancer. Therefore, (c) is the correct answer.

Q 37.D
Valley of Flowers is famous national park situated in Uttarakhand Himalayas.
Duns are longitudinal valleys and many such Duns like Dehradun,Nalaagarh Dun, Kalka Dun are found
here.
Lesser Himalayas are called Nagtibba hills in Uttarakhand.
Q 38.C
Statement 1 is not correct. Tropical cyclones are generally smaller than temperate cyclones but are more
destructive due to very high wind speed.
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 Statement 2 is correct. Tropical cyclones only develop over seas where than can get abundant supply of
warm water while temperate cyclones mostly develop over continents
Statement 3 is not correct. While temperate cyclones does not originate in India but they are carried by
westerly Jet streams from Mediterranean region to India during winter season

Q 39.B
Statement 1 is Correct. They are multilayered forests with dense canopy. They also have a dense layer of
herbs and grasses, however due to dense canopy they do not grow much.
Statement 2 is Correct. They reach great heights of over 60m.
Statement 3 is Incorrect. They do not have fixed season to shed their leaves, to flower or fruition. That is
why they appear to be green all-year round.

Q 40.A
Statement 1 is correct. The drainage pattern resembling the branches of a tree is known as dendritic
the examples of which are the rivers of northern plain.
Statement 2 is not correct. The rivers originating from the Amarkantak range present a good example of
radial pattern.

Q 41.B
The given statement refers to Doons, found between Himachal and Shiwalik ranges. Some prominent
examples being Dehradun, Patli and Kota. Passes are narrow gateways and terai are marshy in nature so
they both don't fit to the given description.

Q 42.D
The National Commission on Agriculture (1976) has classified social forestry into three categories. These
are Urban forestry, Rural forestry and Farm forestry. Urban forestry pertains to the raising and
management of trees on public and privately owned lands in and around urban centres such as green
belts, parks, roadside avenues, industrial and commercial green belts, etc. Rural forestry lays emphasis
on promotion of agro-forestry and community-forestry. Farm forestry is a term applied to the process
under which farmers grow trees for commercial and non-commercial purposes on their farm lands.
Hence, (d) is the correct answer.

Q 43.B
Statement 1 is correct. River Krishna acts as a geographical divide between Telangana and Andhra
Pradesh.
Statement 2 is incorrect. River Krishna has its origin in the Western Ghats just to the north of
Mahabaleshwar. River Godavari rises from Trimbak.
Statement 3 is correct. The Koyna, Ghatprabha, Malprabha, Bhima and Tungabhadra are its important
tributaries.
Q 44.D
All the given are local storms associated with Hot Weather Season in India.
(i) Nor Westers : These are dreaded evening thunderstorms in Bengal and Assam. Their notorious nature
can be understood from the local nomenclature of Kalbaisakhi, a calamity of the month of Baisakh.
These showers are useful for tea, jute and rice cultivation. In Assam, these storms are known as Bardoli
Chheerha.
(ii) Mango Shower : Towards the end of summer, there are pre-monsoon showers which are a common
phenomena in Kerala and coastal
areas of Karnataka. Locally, they are known as mango showers since they help in the early ripening of
mangoes.
(iii) Blossom Shower : With this shower, coffee flowers blossom in Kerala and nearby areas.
Hence, (d) is the correct answer.

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Q 45.C
Statement 1 is correct as the Eleven degree channel divides the island into 2 parts with Amindivi islands
in the north and Cannanore in the south.
Statement 2 is incorrect as the entire island group is built of coral deposits and not volcanic deposits.
Statement 3 is correct as the Minicoy is the largest among 36 islands in the group.

Q 46.A
Areas receiving more than 200cm of rainfall annually are :
Western slopes of western ghats, Meghalaya hills, southern slopes of Eastern himalayas, Assam,
Arunachal pradesh.
Western Himalayas are arid and receive less than 100 cm of rainfall.
Northern Tamil Nadu receives a rainfall of nearly 50-100 cm annually.

Q 47.D
The McMohan Line runs from the tri-junction of India, Bhutan and China to the tri-junction of India,
China and Myanmar. It's eastern sector of the international border between India and China along the
state of Arunachal Pradesh.
o Statement 1 is incorrect: If you jump back to the Indian side, you will find yourself in Arunachal
Pradesh.
o Statement 2 is incorrect: The latitude passing from your location will cut through Rajasthan but not
Nagaland.
o Statement 3 is correct: At the end of the line there is tri-junction of India, China and Myanmar.

Q 48.D
Abor, Mishmi, Dafla, Miri are the names of tribes inhabiting in Arunachal ranges. Hills of Lesser
Himalayas present in this region are also named on the name of major tribe inhabiting this hills and thus
they are also named as Dafla, Miri, Abor,Mishmi

Q 49.B
Statement 1 is not correct. ITCZ is a low pressure zone located at the equator where trade winds
converge and so it is a zone where air tends to ascend.
Statement 2 is correct. In July, the ITCZ is located around 20N-25N latitudes (over the Gangetic
plain), sometimes called the monsoon trough. This monsoon trough encourages the development of
thermal low over north and northwest India. Due to the shift of ITCZ, the trade winds of the southern
hemisphere cross the equator between 40 and 60E longitudes and start blowing from southwest to
northeast due to the Coriolis force. It becomes southwest monsoon.
Statement 3 is not correct. In winter, the ITCZ moves southward, and so the reversal of winds from
northeast to south and southwest, takes place. They are called northeast monsoons.

Q 50.A
Statement 1 is correct: Alluvial soils are widespread in the northern plains and the river valleys. These
soils cover about 40 per cent of the total area of the country. They are depositional soils, transported
and deposited by rivers and streams. The alluvial soils vary in nature from sandy loam to clay.
Statement 2 is correct: Khadar is the new alluvium and is deposited by floods annually, which enriches
the soil by depositing fine silts. Bhangar represents a system of older alluvium, deposited away from the
flood plains.
Statement 3 is incorrect: It's the other way rounds i.e., the sand content in the soil decreases from west
to east.

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Q 51.D
Statement 1 is correct. Rainfall received from the southwest monsoons is seasonal in character, which
occurs between June and September.
Statement 2 is correct. The monsoon rains occur in wet spells of few days duration at a time. The wet
spells are interspersed with rainless interval known as breaks. These breaks in rainfall are related to the
cyclonic depressions mainly formed at the head of the Bay of Bengal and their crossing into the
mainland. This suggests intra-seasonal variation of rainfall.
Statement 3 is correct. Monsoonal rainfall is largely governed by relief or topography. For instance the
windward side of the Western Ghats register a rainfall of over 250 cm. Again, the heavy rainfall in the
northeastern states can be attributed to their hill ranges and the Eastern Himalayas.
Statement 4 is correct. The pre-monsoon showers such as Mango showers, Kal-baisakhi, Blossom
showers etc are examples of convective rainfall.

Q 52.B
Nanga Parbat is the peak in Kashmir. Nanda Devi is in Uttarakhand, the Mt Everest is located in Nepal
and Kanchenjunga is located in Sikkim.
Arranging them from west to east the order comes as follows
Nanga Parbat----Nanda Devi------ Mt Everest-----Kanchenjunga

Q 53.B
o There are a number of rivers which flow through the state. Some of the rivers which are majorly part of
the country of Bangladesh but passes through the state of Mizoram also are Thega River and the Surma-
Meghna river system (Barak River).
o Tiau River, Tlawng, Barak, Kaladan, Karnaphuli are some major rivers of Mizoram. Other rivers and
tributaries which flow through the state of Mizoram include Tuichong River, Chhimtuipui River,
Ngengpui River, Chawngte River, Tuiphal River, Mat River and Kawrthingdeng River.The Subansiri River is
a tributary of the Brahmaputra River in the Indian states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The Manas
River is a transboundary river in the Himalayan foothills between southern Bhutan and India.

Q 54.C
o Statement 1 is correct as leaching involves desilication of soil. In this process, the lime and silica from soil
percolates below leaving behind aluminium compounds at the top.As the process of leaching involves
washing away of nutrients from top soil.The nutrients are percolated below the soil.
o Statement 2 is correct as the laterite soils are formed in regions of heavy seasonal rainfall resulting into
weathering of rocks followed by leaching.

Q 55.B
o Statement 1 is correct because red soil is found all over the peninsular plateau, forming a circle around
the black soil regions.
o Statement 2 is not correct because red soil gets its red colour from iron oxides.
o Statement 3 is correct because the red soil looks yellowish on being wet due to hydration of the salts
present in it.

Q 56.C
'Bugyals' are the summer glasslands in the higher reaches of the Uttarakhand Himalayas. Nomadic
groups such as Bhotias migrate to 'Bugyals' during summer months.

Q 57.D
La Nina - Occurrence of La Nina and El Nino affects the South west monsoon and rainfall pattern across
India.
Westerly jet streams - They are prevalent over north India during winters and are also responsible for
winter rains in North west region.

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 Tibetan plateau - Tibetan plateau is the main reason for change of pressure system across India and it
influences the occurrence of monsoon as well.
Indian Ocean - India is surrounded by Indian ocean, bay of bengal and arabian sea. This acts as the major
source of moisture for south west and north east monsoon.

Q 58.B
Statement 1 is correct as at the time of Himalayan formation, the north-eastward movement of the
Indian plate caused a huge fault between the Rajmahal hills and the Meghalaya plateau. Thus the north
eastern plateau comprising the Meghalaya plateau and the Karbi-Anglong hills got separated.
Statement 2 is correct as the composition of rocks in the Meghalaya plateau is similar to the
Chhotanagpur plateau. Thus, they are also rich in minerals like coal, iron ore, uranium, silimanite etc.
Statement 3 is not correct as the Meghalaya Plateau receives rainfall from the Bay of bengal branch of
South west monsoon.

Q 59.C
Statement 1 is correct as Eastern Himalayas receive around 200 cm of rainfall compared to western
Himalayas. As matter of fact we know that North eastern regions receive greater rainfall than western
regions
Statement 2 is incorrect and it's the opposite, i.e.; Western Himalayas have thick coniferous forests
while Eastern Himalayas are covered with evergreen forests . It can also be deduced form rainfall and
snowfall patterns.
Statement 3 is correct. In case of western Himalayas, there 3 different ranges of Himadri, Himachal and
Shiwalik. The Himachal and shiwalik ranges merge into single range in eastern Himalayas.

Q 60.C
Both are correct because these two branches, Arabian Sea branch and Bay of Bengal branch, merge near
Punjab and Haryana plains and subsequently move towards Himalayas, thus causing orographic rainfall
in western Himalayas.

Q 61.B
At 1,500 m above the sea level, vegetation is temperate in the higher regions, and subtropical on the
lower regions of the Western Ghats, specially in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The temperate
forests are called Sholas in the Nilgiris, Anaimalai and Palani hills. Some of the other trees of this forest
of economic significance include, magnolia, laurel, cinchona and wattle.
They are not found in Andaman and Nicobar Islands where Tropical evergreen forests and mangroves
are found.

Q 62.D
Statement 1 is correct as the black soil being rich in clay (50%) swells when wet, making ploughing
difficult. In dry season they expand and develop cracks to help in air circulation.
Statement 2 is correct as the moisture retention capacity is high in black soil due to high clay content.
Statement 3 is correct as the black soil supports crops like sugarcane, cotton, jowar etc.

Q 63.D
Statement 1 is correct. It is a strange terrain, an area consisting of marshy underground seepage. It is
formed when water from the Bhabhar areas seep down in the soil and suddenly appear, when the flat
plains begin. It thus creates a swampy area.
Statement 2 is correct as the region is heavily forested and covered with thick vegetation.
Statement 3 is correct as Terai region is more widespread in the east as compared to the west because
eastern Himalayas get more rainfall than the Western Himalayas.

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Q 64.D
Some of the important reasons of the declining of wildlife are as follows: (i) Industrial and technological
advancement brought about a rapid increase in the exploitation of forest resources. (ii) More and more
lands were cleared for agriculture, human settlement, roads, mining, reservoirs, etc. (iii) Pressure on
forests mounted due to lopping for fodder and fuelwood and removal of small timber by the local
people. (iv) Grazing by domestic cattle caused an adverse effect on wildlife and its habitat. (v) Hunting
was taken up as a sport by the elite and hundreds of wild animals were killed in a single hunt. Now
commercial poaching is rampant. (vi) Incidence of forest fire.

Q 65.B
The correct sequence is: Littoral and swamp forests- Tropical Evergreen forests- Tropical Deciduous
forest

Q 66.A
Rising from the height of 150 m above the river plains up to an elevation of 600-900 m is the irregular
triangle known as the Peninsular plateau. Delhi ridge in the northwest, (extension of Aravalis), the
Rajmahal hills in the east, Gir range in the west and the Cardamom hills in the south constitute the outer
extent of the Peninsular plateau. However, an extension of this is also seen in the northeast, in the form
of Meghalaya and Karbi-Anglong plateau. Patkai Bum forms part of the Eastern Hills and Mountains and
not Peninsular Block. Hence, (a) is the correct answer.

Q 67.B
Typically, descending air gets warmer because of adiabatic compression down the leeward side of the
mountain, which increases the moisture carrying capacity of the air and hence reduces the humidity.

Q 68.D
The central-western parts of India, particularly Gujarat (in 1819, 1956 and 2001) and Maharashtra (in
1967 and 1993) have also experienced some severe earthquakes. Earth scientists have found it difficult
to explain the occurrence of earthquakes in one of the oldest, most stable and mature landmass of
peninsular block for a long time. Recently, some earth scientists have come up with a theory of
emergence of a fault line and energy build-up along the fault line represented by the river Bhima
(Krishna) near Latur and Osmanabad (Maharashtra) and the possible breaking down of the Indian plate.
None of the statements given above are correct statements.

Q 69.D
Statement 1 is not correct. Kayals are a distinguishing feature of Malabar coast (Kerala) and not
Kathiawad coast (Gujarat).
Statement 2 is not correct. Kayals are used for fishing and inland navigation. Every year the famous
Nehru Trophy Vallamkali (boat race) is held in Punnamada Kayal in Kerala.

Q 70.C
The Ganga river is shared by :
Uttaranchal (110 km)
Uttar Pradesh (1,450 km),
Bihar (445 km)
West Bengal (520 km).
However it touches the border of Jharkhand as well.

Q 71.C
Statement 1 is correct. The deccan plateau receives low rainfall when compared to western parts of
western ghats due to the rain shadow effect of western ghats.
Statement 2 is correct because Aravali range is parallel to the direction of southwest monsoon. Hence no
orographic rainfall.

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Q 72.C
Majuli, one of the largest riverine island in the world, is located on the Brahmaputra River, Assam.

Q 73.A
The black soil is very deep. These soils are also known as the Regur Soil or the Black Cotton Soil. The
black soils are generally clayey, deep and impermeable. They swell and become sticky when wet and
shrink when dried. So, during the dry season, these soil develop wide cracks. Thus, there occurs a kind
of self-ploughing.
Because of this character of slow absorption and loss of moisture, the black soil retains the moisture for
a very long time, which helps the crops, especially, the rain fed ones, to sustain even during the dry
season.
Black soils are formed by the denudation of volcanic rocks. Chemically, the black soils are rich in lime,
iron, magnesia and alumina. They also contain potash. But they lack in phosphorous, nitrogen and
organic matter. The colour of the soil ranges from deep black to grey.

Q 74.C
Statement 1 is not correct. The south-west monsoon starts retreating from northern india in early
October. Hence, the months of October and November are known for retreating monsoon. The reason
for this retreat is that the monsoon trough of low pressure over the Ganga plains becomes weaker due
to the apparent movement of the sun. The low pressure trough is gradually replaced by high pressure.
Statement 2 is correct. The low pressure conditions from Ganga plains are transferred to the centre of
Bay of Bengal by early November. This shift of low pressure area is marked by cyclonic depressions
which originate over the Andaman Sea. Some of the cyclonic depressions manage to cross the eastern
coasts of southern peninsula resulting in heavy and widespread rains on the coast of Tamil Nadu and
Orissa.
Statement 3 is correct. The retreat of monsoon is marked by clear skies and drop in night temperature.
The land remains moist. The combination of high temperature and humidity gives rise to an oppressive
weather. This is commonly known as 'October heat'

Q 75.B
Pair 1 is correctly matched. The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve covers an area of 105,000 hectares on
the southeast coast of India. Among the Gulfs 3,600 plant and animal species are the globally
endangered sea cow (Dugong dugon) and six mangrove species, endemic to Peninsular India.
Pair 2 is not correctly matched. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve includes the largest known population of
two endangered animal species, namely the Nilgiri Tahr and the Lion-tailed macaque. The largest south
Indian population of elephant, tiger, gaur, sambar and chital as well as a good number of endemic and
endangered plants are also found in this reserve.
Pair 3 is correctly matched. Sunderbans Biosphere Reserve is home to chital deer, barking deer and
macaques.

Q 76.A
Statement 1 is correct. Bay of bengal branch is deflected towards India from Arakan hills of Mayanmar
which are part of Purvanchal ranges. Great Himalayas are only found till diphu pass of Arunachal
pradesh.
Statement 2 is not correct. Coromandal cost i.e. Tamilnadu coast is parallel to Bay of bengal branch of
monsoon, hence it does not receive rainfall from it. It receives rainfall from the north east monsoon.
Q 77.A
Types of trees found in Moist Decidous forests: sal, teak, shisham, sandalwood, mahua, mulberry, palas,
semul etc.
Types of trees found in Dry Decidous forests: sal, teak, tendu, palas, amaltas, khair etc.
Types of trees found in Tropical Evergreen Forests are: rosewood, ebony, toon, bamboos, chapla, gurjan,
telsur, sissoo etc.
Types of trees found in Tropical Desert Forests: ber, babool, neem, dates etc.

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Q 78.C
Statement 1 is correct: Arunachal Himlayas hava large number of perennial rivers like kameng, Subansiri,
Dihang, Dibang, Lohit etc. and have high rate of fall. Thus they have highest hydroelectrc potential in
India.
Statement 2 is correct: The general direction of the mountain range is from southwest to northeast.
Some of the important mountain peaks of the region are Kangtu and Namcha Barwa. These ranges are
dissected by fast-flowing rivers from the north to the south, forming deep gorges. Bhramaputra flows
through a deep gorge after crossing Namcha Barwa.

Q 79.D
The term drought is applied to an extended period when there is a shortage of water availability due to
inadequate precipitation, excessive rate of evaporation and over-utilisation of water from the reservoirs
and other storage, including the ground water. Hence, (d) is the correct answer.

Q 80.A
There are three main reasons for the excessive cold in north India during Cold weather season: (i) States
like Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan being far away from the moderating influence of sea experience
continental climate. (ii) The snowfall in the nearby Himalayan ranges creates cold wave situation; and
(iii) Around February, the cold winds coming from the Caspian Sea and Turkmenistan bring cold wave
along with frost and fog over the northwestern parts of India. Cold winds from Siberia are blocked by
Himalayas, hence do not cause any effect on Indian subcontinent.

Q 81.D
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve possesses different habitat types with various vegetations such as:
o dry and moist deciduous forests
o semi evergreen and wet evergreen forests
o evergreen sholas (temperate forests)
o grasslands and swamps

Q 82.D
Agricultural Drought - It is also known as soil moisture drought, characterised by low soil moisture that is
necessary to support the crops, thereby resulting in crop failures.
Meteorological Drought - It is a situation when there is a prolonged period of inadequate rainfall marked
with mal-distribution of the same over time and space.
Hydrological Drought - It results when the availability of water in different storages and reservoirs like
aquifers, lakes, reservoirs, etc. falls below what the precipitation can replenish.

Q 83.B
Statement 1 is incorrect: General Alignment of Purvanchal ranges are from North to South. These are
Patkai Bum Naga hills , Mizo hills.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Barak, Dhansari, Dhikhu are important rivers which originate from Purvanchal
range. Lohit originates from Tibet hImalayas
Statement 3 is correct: Loktak lake is located in Manipur which is part of Purvanchal ranges.

Q 84.D
The Indus also known as the Sindhu, is the westernmost of the Himalayan rivers in India. It originates
from a glacier near Bokhar Chu (3115' N latitude and 8140'E longitude) in the Tibetan region at an
altitude of 4,164 m in the Kailash Mountain range. In Tibet, it is known as Singi Khamban; or Lion mouth.
After flowing in the northwest direction between the Ladakh and Zaskar ranges, it passes through
Ladakh and Baltistan. It cuts across the Ladakh range, forming a spectacular gorge near Gilgit in Jammu
and Kashmir.

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Q 85.B
Statement 1 is correct. A characteristic feature of the cold weather season is the inflow of depressions
from the west and the north-west. These low pressure systems originate in West Asia and the regions
near the Mediterranean Sea.
Statement 2 is correct. During this season, North east trade winds prevail over the country . These winds
blow from land to sea and hence, for most parts of the country it is dry season. .However when these
winds pass over Bay of Bengal they pick up moisture and cause rainfall over Tamilnadu coast.
Statement 3 is not correct. The central parts of India receive only occasional rainfall in winter. The
rainfall in winter is high over Tamil Nadu Coast and southern tip of Andhra Pradesh.

Q 86.A
Statement 1 is correct. Saddle peak is the highest point of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Statement 2 is correct as the Barren Island which is situated in the Nicobar islands, is India's only active
volcano.
Statement 3 is not correct it is the ten degree channel which separates the Andaman in the north and
Nicobar in the south. Nine degree channel is a channel in the Indian ocean which separates Minicoy
island from Lakshadweep island group.

Q 87.D
The energy of the tropical cyclone comes from the latent heat released by the warm moist air. Hence,
with the increase in distance from the sea, the force of the cyclone decreases. So, the coastal areas are
often struck by severe cyclonic storms. Hence, (d) is the correct answer.

Q 88.C
Subarnarekha River flows through the states of Jharkhand, West Bengal and Odisha. It drains into Bay of
Bengal.
The Periyar is the second largest river of Kerala. It drains into Arabian Sea.
The longest river of Kerala, Bharathapuzha rises near Annamalai hills. It is also known as Ponnani. It
drains into Arabian Sea.

Q 89.C
Lepcha tribe is present in upper reaches of Sikkim Himalayas
Bhotiyas are present in valleys of Great Himalayan range in Uttarakhand and Himachal. They migrate to
bugyals during summer and return to valley during winter
Monpa tribes are found near Monpa hills in Arunachal Pradesh

Q 90.B
There are 18 biosphere reserves in India out of which only 10 are included in the UNESCO's World
Network of Biosphere Reserves.
These are Nilgiris, Nanda Devi, Nokrek, Gulf of Mannar, Sundarbans, and the Great Nicobar, Simplipal,
Achanakmar-Amarkanthak and Pachmarhi. Agasthyamalai biosphere reserve is the latest and the 10th to
be added into the network.
Manas and Dihang Dibang biosphere reserves are not included in the UNESCO's World Network of
Biosphere Reserves.

Q 91.A
Except 3rd statement, both are natural reasons. Floods can also be caused due to a storm surge (in the
coastal areas), high intensity rainfall for a considerably longer time period, melting of ice and snow,
reduction in the infiltration rate and presence of eroded material in the water due to higher rate of soil
erosion.

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 Indiscriminate deforestation, unscientific agricultural practices, disturbances along the natural drainage
channels and colonisation of flood-plains and river-beds are reasons for flooding caused by human
beings.

Q 92.C
Statement 1 is correct. One branch of the Arabian sea monsoon (the Arabian sea branch divides into
three parts) strikes the coast north of Mumbai. Moving along the Narmada and Tapi river valleys, these
winds cause rainfall in extensive areas of central India. The Chotanagpur plateau gets 15 cm rainfall from
this part of the branch. Thereafter, they enter the Ganga plains and mingle with the Bay of Bengal
branch.
Statement 2 is Correct. Another branch of this monsoon wind strikes the Saurashtra Peninsula and the
Kachchh. It then passes over west Rajasthan and along the Aravallis, causing only a scanty rainfall. In
Punjab and Haryana, it too joins the Bay of Bengal branch. These two branches, reinforced by each
other, cause rains in the western Himalayas.

Q 93.B
Barak river is part of Surma Meghna river system and originates in Manipur hills and flows through
Manipur, Mizoram and Assam.
Dihang, Dibang, Dhansiri, Tista, Lohit and Manas are the tributaries of Brahmputra in India

Q 94.B
Correct sequence is: Manas>Nokrek >Simlipal>Gulf of Mannar.
Manas biosphere reserve is in the state of Assam. It extends from Sankosh river in the west to Dhansiri
river in the east
The Nokrek Biosphere Reserve is located Meghalaya, on the Tura Range, which forms part of the
Meghalaya Plateau.
Similipal Biosphere Reserve situated in the northern part of Orissas Mayurbhanj district.
The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is the first marine biosphere reserve in Asia, located in the
Southern part of the Bay of Bengal.

Q 95.C
Statement 1 is not correct. The total forest cover of the country is 21.34 per cent of the total
geographical area of the country.
Statement 2 is correct. The northeastern states have more than 30 per cent of the land under forest.
Hilly topography and heavy rainfall are good for forest growth.
Statement 3 is correct. The forest area is the area notified and recorded as the forest land irrespective of
the existence of trees. Lakshadweep has zero per cent forest area.

Q 96.B
Bomdi La is a pass on Dafla hills which connects Tawang to Assam valley
Banihal pass is on PirPanjal range and connect Kashmir valley to Jammu and south plains
Zoji La is on Great Himalayas and connect Srinagar to Leh
Khardung La is a pass on Ladakh range which is a gateway to Shyok and Nubra Valleys above which there
is Sachen Glacier
Other famous passes are Photu La and Namika La on Zaskar ranges which connect Leh and Kargil

Q 97.A
Kalbaisakhi They bring rainfall in West Bengal, Assam and Orissa before monsoon season and are
beneficial for jute and rice cultivation.
Loo they are strong and dusty summer winds in north India. They are not beneficial for any crop
cultivation.

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 Cherry blossom They cause rainfall along Kerela and Karnataka coast during pre-monsoon period and
hence are beneficial for coffee cultivation in this area.
Mango showers - They cause rainfall along Karnataka coast during pre-monsoon period and hence are
beneficial for early ripening of mangoes.
Loo they are strong and dusty summer winds in north India. They are not beneficial for any crop
cultivation.
Cherry blossom They cause rainfall along Kerela and Karnataka coast during pre-monsoon period and
hence are beneficial for Coffee cultivation in this area.

Q 98.B
o Central highlands form the northernmost boundary of the Deccan plateau. They are bounded to the
west by the Aravali range. An eastern extension of the Central Highland is formed by the Rajmahal hills,
to the south of which lies the Chotanagpur plateau.
o Statement 1 is incorrect as the general elevation of the Central Highlands ranges between 700-1,000 m
above the mean sea level and it slopes towards the north and northeastern directions.
o Statement 2 is correct as this region has undergone metamorphic processes in its geological history,
which can be corroborated by the presence of metamorphic rocks such as marble, slate, gneiss, etc.
o Statement 3 is correct as most tributaries of the river Yamuna is from Vindhyas and Kaimur ranges.

Q 99.D
Features of social forestry:
1. Raising plantation by local peoples participation.
2. Making use of un-used and fallow land while taking pressure off the forests.
3. Making use of technology which is simple and implementable.
4. Equal distribution of benefits derived from forestry.
5. Ensuring quick benefits, sustainable forestry along with short crop rotation.
6. Letting local socio-economic conditions govern the structure and function of forestry.

Q 100.B
Tropic of Cancer does not pass through Bihar. It passes through Mizoram, Tripura, West Bengal, Jharkhand,
Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Gujarat.

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