Geography is an important subject for the UPSC Civil Services Exams aspirants, with the subject being a core component of the Prelims and Mains, as well as an Optional subject in the Mains. The subject focuses on India and the world’s physical features and atmosphere and human effect on the same, while discussing the distribution of resources, population, and economics. Geography is often considered as the most scoring subject, as the nature of questions pertaining to the subject are mainly application and analytical.
Geography Syllabus Prelims
The UPSC Civil Services Exams Prelims General Studies Paper-1 carries 15-20% questions from Geography alone, thus, making it an important subject for the aspirants. The Geography syllabus deals with the physical, economic and social Geography of India and the world. In recent years, it has been observed that majority of questions pertaining to the Geography section have covered Indian Geography but that does not take away the importance of World Geography as it is a key aspect of the subject.
Geography Syllabus for Prelims
Indian Geography
General idea about India
a) Latitude, Longitude, Location, and Time Zone
b) Neighbouring States
c) Territory of Indian States and States adjacent to International Borders
d) Straits
Physical Features of India
a) The Himalayan Range
- Geological Formation
- Physiographic divisions
- Climate, Vegetation, Soil and Biodiversity
- Major passes
- Significance
- Recent issues
b) The Great Plains of Northern India
- Geological Formation
- Physiographic divisions
- Climate, Vegetation, Soil and Biodiversity
- Significance
c) Peninsular Plateau
- Geological formation
- Deccan plateau
- Central highlands
- Western and Eastern Ghats
- Socio-economy
d)The Great Indian Deserts
e)Coastal Plains and Islands
Indian Riverine System
- Himalayan Rivers
- Peninsular Rivers
- River Basins
- Hydro-Power projects, Power plants and Major Dams
- Regional development and planning
- West flowing and east flowing rivers
- Interlinking of rivers
Climate of India
Monsoon
- Driving mechanism
- Effects of El-Nino and La-Nino
- Recent research and theories
Seasons in India
Natural Calamities
Mineral and industries
i. Distribution of minerals
ii. Industrial policies
iii. Location and factors
iv. Issues and challenges of the industries
v. Industrial clutters
Agriculture and Allied-characteristics and Problems
i. Land utilisation
ii. Types of agriculture practices
iii. Soils and Crops
iv. Agricultural Trends (Green Revolution)
v. Irrigation
vi. Major irrigation projects
vii. Land reforms
viii. Government policies and schemes
ix. Animal husbandry (livestock resources)
Natural vegetation and fauna- Characteristics, importance, comparison and significance
i. Classification of natural vegetation
ii. Rainfall distribution
iii. Wildlife sanctuaries
iv. National Forest Policy
v. Biosphere reserve
vi. National Parks
vii. Environmental concerns
viii. Endangered species
Economic infrastructure
i. Transportation, Road (National Highways)- Railways- Airways- Waterways and its Significance
ii. Energy and Power sector
iii. Conventional and non-conventional sources of energy
iv. Energy crisis and conservation
v. Recent developments
Human Geography
i. All the attributes Population
ii. Recent census- 2011
World Geography
Geography is an important subject for the UPSC Civil Services Exams aspirants, with the subject being a core component of the Prelims and Mains, as well as an Optional subject in the Mains. The subject focuses on India and the world’s physical features and atmosphere and human effect on the same, while discussing the distribution of resources, population, and economics. Geography is often considered as the most scoring subject, as the nature of questions pertaining to the subject are mainly application and analytical.
Geography Syllabus Prelims
The UPSC Civil Services Exams Prelims General Studies Paper-1 carries 15-20% questions from Geography alone, thus, making it an important subject for the aspirants. The Geography syllabus deals with the physical, economic and social Geography of India and the world. In recent years, it has been observed that majority of questions pertaining to the Geography section have covered Indian Geography but that does not take away the importance of World Geography as it is a key aspect of the subject.
Geography Syllabus for Prelims
Indian Geography
General idea about India
a) Latitude, Longitude, Location, and Time Zone
b) Neighbouring States
c) Territory of Indian States and States adjacent to International Borders
d) Straits
Physical Features of India
a) The Himalayan Range
- Geological Formation
- Physiographic divisions
- Climate, Vegetation, Soil and Biodiversity
- Major passes
- Significance
- Recent issues
b) The Great Plains of Northern India - Geological Formation
- Physiographic divisions
- Climate, Vegetation, Soil and Biodiversity
- Significance
c) Peninsular Plateau
- Geological formation
- Deccan plateau
- Central highlands
- Western and Eastern Ghats
- Socio-economy
d)The Great Indian Deserts
e)Coastal Plains and Islands
Indian Riverine System
- Himalayan Rivers
- Peninsular Rivers
- River Basins
- Hydro-Power projects, Power plants and Major Dams
- Regional development and planning
- West flowing and east flowing rivers
- Interlinking of rivers
Climate of India
Monsoon
- Driving mechanism
- Effects of El-Nino and La-Nino
- Recent research and theories
Seasons in India
Natural Calamities
Mineral and industries
i. Distribution of minerals
ii. Industrial policies
iii. Location and factors
iv. Issues and challenges of the industries
v. Industrial clutters
Agriculture and Allied-characteristics and Problems
i. Land utilisation
ii. Types of agriculture practices
iii. Soils and Crops
iv. Agricultural Trends (Green Revolution)
v. Irrigation
vi. Major irrigation projects
vii. Land reforms
viii. Government policies and schemes
ix. Animal husbandry (livestock resources)
Natural vegetation and fauna- Characteristics, importance, comparison and significance
i. Classification of natural vegetation
ii. Rainfall distribution
iii. Wildlife sanctuaries
iv. National Forest Policy
v. Biosphere reserve
vi. National Parks
vii. Environmental concerns
viii. Endangered species
Economic infrastructure
i. Transportation, Road (National Highways)- Railways- Airways- Waterways and its Significance
ii. Energy and Power sector
iii. Conventional and non-conventional sources of energy
iv. Energy crisis and conservation
v. Recent developments
Human Geography
i. All the attributes Population
ii. Recent census- 2011
World Geography
Universe
i.Theories of Solar System
ii.Theories on formation of Universe
iii.Recent updates
Basic Understanding of Earth
i.Motion of Earth-Revolution and Rotation
ii.Longitudes and Latitudes
iii.Earth’s Axis and its effect on Indian seasons
iv.Solar and Lunar Eclipse
Geomorphalogy
i.Exo-Genetic and Endo-Genetic Movement of Earth
ii.Volcanic activities and earthquakes
iii.Continental Drift Theory, Tectonic Plate theory, Sea-bed stretching
iv.Earth’s Interior
v.Lithosphere
vi.Lithosphere’s interaction with other spheres
vii.Mass Land movement, erosion, and deposit
viii.Basic information about geographical landforms and their significance
ix. Rock system and Classification of Rocks
Climatology
i.Structure and composition of atmosphere
ii.Factors controlling temperature distribution
iii.Insolation and terrestrial radiation
iv.Heat budget
v.Global warming and ozone layer
vi.Humidity and condensation
vii.Clouds
Classification of clouds
viii. Precipitation
Precipitation mechanism
Different types and forms of precipitation
ix Pressure belts
x. Atmospheric circulation
Winds
i. Planetary Winds
ii. Seasonal and local Winds
Cyclones Tropical and Temperate cyclone
Formation of cyclone, characteristics and impact
Jet streams
Various atmospheric phenomenon
The Hydrosphere
i.Bottom relief of ocean
ii.Salinity and temperature variation
iii.Ocean currents
iv.Ocean deposit
v.Ocean resources
vi.Recent issues and development with reference to oceanography- Eg: UNCLOS
Biosphere
i.Major Biomes
ii.Flora and fauna
iii.International organisation for biodiversity
iv.Conservation of Biodiversity
v.Recent problems
Economic geography
Map work
Places in news
Geography Syllabus Mains
Geography is also an integral in Mains as the subject is part of the General Studies Paper-1 as well as an Optional Subject. Here is the Geography syllabus for General Studies Paper-1:
- Factors responsible for the geographical location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in several parts of the world including India; distribution of key natural resources across the world including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent.
- Geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features including water-bodies and ice-caps, and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes. Important Geophysical occurrences such as Tsunami, earthquakes, cyclone, volcanic activity, etc.
- Geomorphology – interior of the earth, physical phenomenon, tectonics, mountain building, volcanoes, weathering & erosion, rocks, earthquakes, landforms
- Climatology – atmosphere, temperature distribution, precipitation, cyclones, pressure & wind systems, jet streams, air-masses, fronts, humidity, climatic regions of the world, geographical phenomenon
- Oceanography – ocean currents , temperature distribution, ocean relief, salinity, coral bleaching, sea level change, marine pollution, UN laws, etc.
- Biography – soil profile, conservation, degradation, biotic regions, changes in critical geographical features, deforestation and conservation of forests, environmental pollution.