- Which is/are characteristic(s) of Indian coal? 1. High ash content 2. Low sulphur content 3. Low ash fusion temperature
- 1 and 2
- 2 only
- 1 and 3
- All
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1 and 2
The ash of Indian coal has a high fusion temperature, so statement 3 is wrong. (UPSC 2013)
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these is NOT a goal of sustainable development?
- Repairing past environmental damage and preventing future damage
- Promoting conservation of natural resources
- Keeping social equity and justice out of the goal and limiting development chances to a few
- Meeting the needs of a growing population without harming the environment
Show answer
Answer: (C) Keeping social equity and justice out of the goal and limiting development chances to a few
Equity and inclusion are at the heart of sustainable development.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct statements about the dugong in India — 1. It is a herbivorous marine animal. 2. It is found along the whole coast of India. 3. It is in Schedule I of the Wildlife Act 1972. (IAS 2015)
- 1 and 2
- 2 only
- 1 and 3
- 3 only
Show answer
Answer: (C) 1 and 3
It is found only in Kachchh, Mannar-Palk Bay and Andaman & Nicobar.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - India's oldest sedimentary rocks belong to which system?
- Cuddapah
- Vindhyan
- Dharwar
- Gondwana
Show answer
Answer: (C) Dharwar
The Dharwars formed from Archaean erosion and are the oldest sedimentary rocks.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which is the second most populous state in Census 2011? (UPPCS 2011)
- Andhra Pradesh
- Bihar
- Maharashtra
- West Bengal
Show answer
Answer: (C) Maharashtra
Maharashtra 9.28%; Bihar is third.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which country of south-west Asia does NOT reach the Mediterranean? (IAS 2015)
- Syria
- Jordan
- Lebanon
- Israel
Show answer
Answer: (B) Jordan
Jordan’s only sea outlet is the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The correct order of climate regions when travelling from Zaire (DR Congo) to the Netherlands — 1. Equatorial 2. Mediterranean 3. Hot desert 4. West European (UPPCS 2002)
- 1, 3, 2, 4
- 1, 4, 2, 3
- 2, 3, 4, 1
- 3, 2, 1, 4
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1, 3, 2, 4
Congo forest (Af) → Sahara (BW) → Mediterranean coast (Cs) → western Europe (Cfb).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - In which ocean is the Diamantina Trench? (IAS 2006)
- Pacific
- Atlantic
- Indian
- Arctic
Show answer
Answer: (C) Indian
It lies in the Indian Ocean, south-west of Australia.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Köppen climate of the Coromandel coast of Tamil Nadu?
- Amw
- As
- Aw
- Cwg
Show answer
Answer: (B) As
Dry summer, winter rain (from the NE monsoon) — As.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Under the old numbering, which national highway passed through all three of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Odisha? (UPSC 2007)
- Old NH-4
- Old NH-5
- Old NH-6
- Old NH-7
Show answer
Answer: (C) Old NH-6
The Kolkata-Hazira route; now numbered NH-53.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- In 2025 the largest producers of bauxite and manganese respectively are —
- Australia, China
- Guinea, South Africa
- India, Gabon
- Jamaica, Brazil
Show answer
Answer: (B) Guinea, South Africa
USGS MCS 2026 — bauxite: Guinea (150 Mt); manganese: South Africa.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these seas/gulfs has the highest salinity?
- Persian Gulf
- Red Sea
- Mediterranean Sea
- Caribbean Sea
Show answer
Answer: (B) Red Sea
Strong evaporation and almost no rivers make the Red Sea the saltiest (up to about 40‰).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these is NOT a natural harbour? (based on UPPCS 2007)
- Mumbai
- Mormugao
- Kochi
- Chennai
Show answer
Answer: (D) Chennai
Chennai is artificial — walls built in the open sea.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which is the correct decreasing order of primary productivity per unit area? (IAS 2013)
- Oceans > lakes > grasslands > mangroves
- Mangroves > grasslands > lakes > oceans
- Mangroves > oceans > grasslands > lakes
- Grasslands > mangroves > lakes > oceans
Show answer
Answer: (B) Mangroves > grasslands > lakes > oceans
The open ocean, poor in nutrients, is the least productive.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Where is the daily range of temperature greatest?
- East coast
- Interior of the Chhattisgarh plain
- Andaman islands
- Desert of Rajasthan
Show answer
Answer: (D) Desert of Rajasthan
Dry air and sand — very hot days, cold nights.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct statements about Jammu & Kashmir — 1. It borders Bangladesh. 2. Jammu is its winter capital. 3. It is famous for saffron (zafran).
- 1 only
- 1 and 3
- 2 and 3
- All three
Show answer
Answer: (C) 2 and 3
J&K does not border Bangladesh.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Choose the correct statements — 1. Fresh water available for use is less than about 1% of all water on Earth. 2. 95% of all fresh water is in polar ice and glaciers. (IAS 2010)
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1 only
Ice and glaciers hold about 68.7% of fresh water (USGS), not 95%.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Statements — 1. India’s density is about five times the world average. 2. From 1901 to 2011 India’s density grew about five times. Correct —
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 2
- Neither
Show answer
Answer: (B) 2 only
India (382) is over 7 times the world average (≈ 51); 77 in 1901 → 382 is ≈ 5 times.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Choose the correct statements on biomagnification — 1. Poisons such as DDT enter the chain and accumulate at every trophic level. 2. Their amount is greater at higher trophic levels.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither
Show answer
Answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Fish-eating birds can carry DDT at concentrations millions of times that of the water.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct statements about Suess's scheme — 1. It divides the interior into three layers by chemical composition. 2. It was given by Eduard Suess. 3. Sial is the middle layer.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 2
- 3 only
Show answer
Answer: (C) 1 and 2
Sial is the top layer; sima is in the middle.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Which of these capitals lie north of the Tropic of Cancer? 1. Kolkata 2. Agartala 3. Bhopal 4. Aizawl 5. Ranchi
- 1, 2 and 4
- 2 and 4
- 1, 3 and 5
- All
Show answer
Answer: (B) 2 and 4
Agartala (≈ 23.8° N) and Aizawl (≈ 23.7° N) are north; Bhopal (≈ 23.26°) and Ranchi (≈ 23.34°) lie just south of the Tropic (≈ 23.44°).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The threatened marine animal dugong belongs to which group? (IAS 2009)
- Amphibian
- Bony fish
- Shark
- Mammal
Show answer
Answer: (D) Mammal
Called the "sea cow" — a herbivorous marine mammal.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which region is marked by warm dry summers, mild wet winters and evergreen oaks? (UPSC 2010)
- Mediterranean region
- Eastern China
- Central Asia
- Atlantic coast of North America
Show answer
Answer: (A) Mediterranean region
Dry summer, wet winter — the Cs climate.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct statements on the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission — 1. It began in 2010. 2. The original target was 20,000 MW of solar power by 2022. 3. In 2015 the target was raised to 1,00,000 MW.
- 1 only
- 1 and 2
- 2 and 3
- All
Show answer
Answer: (D) All
The target went from 20 GW to 100 GW.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these states / UTs share an international border with three countries? 1. Arunachal Pradesh 2. Sikkim 3. West Bengal 4. Tripura 5. Ladakh (as per the official map)
- 1, 2 and 4
- 1, 2, 3 and 5
- 1, 3 and 5
- All
Show answer
Answer: (B) 1, 2, 3 and 5
Tripura borders only Bangladesh. (Before 2019 this question was asked for the state of Jammu & Kashmir.)
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - What are the targets of India's NDC 2035 (2026)?
- Intensity down 45%, 50% non-fossil capacity
- Intensity down 47%, ~60% non-fossil capacity
- Total emissions to fall from 2030
- Net zero by 2050
Show answer
Answer: (B) Intensity down 47%, ~60% non-fossil capacity
45% / 50% were the 2030 targets (2022); net zero is 2070.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of the pairs is/are correctly matched? 1. Similipal — Sikkim 2. Dehang-Dibang — Odisha 3. Nokrek — Arunachal Pradesh 4. Khangchendzonga — Meghalaya
- 1 and 2
- 2 and 3
- 1, 2 and 3
- None
Show answer
Answer: (D) None
Correct: Similipal — Odisha, Dehang-Dibang — Arunachal, Nokrek — Meghalaya, Khangchendzonga — Sikkim.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Choose the correct statements — 1. IWAI develops, maintains and regulates national waterways. 2. IWAI was set up on 27 October 1986.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither 1 nor 2
- Which are major sources of methane? 1. Rice fields 2. Coal mining 3. Domestic animals 4. Wetlands (IAS 2008)
- 1 and 4
- 2 and 3
- 1, 2 and 3
- All four
Show answer
Answer: (D) All four
All four release methane through oxygen-free decay or leakage.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these lakes was formed by a meteorite impact?
- Dal
- Lonar
- Jaisamand
- Tana
Show answer
Answer: (B) Lonar
Jaisamand is artificial, Tana is a lava-dammed lake.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Which planet rotates on its axis the other way (east to west)?
- Mars
- Venus
- Jupiter
- Mercury
- Choose the false statement(s) — 1. An island has water on only three sides. 2. Madagascar is an island formed by faulting. 3. Iceland was built mainly by volcanic activity on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 2 and 3
- All
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1 only
Land with water on three sides is a peninsula.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which raw material does India’s steel industry mainly have to import? (IAS 2015)
- Saltpetre
- Rock phosphate
- Coking coal
- All of these
Show answer
Answer: (C) Coking coal
Indian coal has high ash; good coking coal must be brought from Australia and elsewhere.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Choose the correct statements — 1. A neap tide occurs when the Moon, Earth and Sun are in a line. 2. If a strong storm passes near the coast during a spring tide, destructive waves rise at high tide.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- Both 1 and 2
- Neither
Show answer
Answer: (B) 2 only
Alignment gives a spring tide, not a neap tide.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which statement about the "Bhabar" is correct?
- Rivers form marshes here
- Rivers disappear into the pebbles and boulders here
- It is new alluvium flooded every year
- It is high, old alluvium
Show answer
Answer: (B) Rivers disappear into the pebbles and boulders here
Marsh — Terai; new alluvium — Khadar; old — Bhangar.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - True statements about weathering — 1. Rocks weakening and breaking where they lie is weathering. 2. It is of three kinds — physical, chemical and biological. 3. It supplies material for erosion.
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 1 and 3
- All three
- Which of these is considered the newest (most modern) human?
- Heidelberg Man
- Cro-Magnon Man
- Piltdown Man
- Neanderthal Man
Show answer
Answer: (B) Cro-Magnon Man
Cro-Magnons were early Homo sapiens of Europe; Piltdown turned out to be a forged fossil.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The Itaipu dam on the Paraná is a joint project of which two countries? (IAS 2005)
- Brazil and Peru
- Paraguay and Ecuador
- Brazil and Paraguay
- Colombia and Paraguay
Show answer
Answer: (C) Brazil and Paraguay
Itaipu is one of the world’s largest hydroelectric dams.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Correct west-to-east order of the passes — 1. Shipki La 2. Nathu La 3. Bomdi La 4. Lipulekh
- 1, 2, 3, 4
- 2, 3, 4, 1
- 1, 4, 2, 3
- 3, 2, 1, 4
Show answer
Answer: (C) 1, 4, 2, 3
Himachal → Uttarakhand → Sikkim → Arunachal.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which of these has the largest catchment area? (UPPCS 2009)
- Narmada
- Mahanadi
- Godavari
- Krishna
Show answer
Answer: (C) Godavari
Godavari ≈ 3.13 lakh sq km.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes →
- Which term describes not only the space an organism occupies but also its functional role in the community? (IAS 2013)
- Ecotone
- Ecological niche
- Habitat
- Home range
Show answer
Answer: (B) Ecological niche
Niche = address + profession; the term was used by Grinnell (1917).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The state with the largest forest area and the state with the highest forest percentage (ISFR 2023) are, respectively:
- Arunachal, Manipur
- Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram
- Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya
- Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal
Show answer
Answer: (B) Madhya Pradesh, Mizoram
Madhya Pradesh 77,073 sq km; Mizoram 85.34%.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Shortage of which two elements in Indian soils usually lowers yield per hectare?
- Nitrogen only
- Phosphorus and nitrogen
- Potassium and sulphur
- Aluminium and iron
Show answer
Answer: (B) Phosphorus and nitrogen
Most Indian soils are poor in nitrogen, phosphorus and humus.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which state has the largest number of Scheduled Tribes?
- Assam
- Odisha
- Madhya Pradesh
- Chhattisgarh
Show answer
Answer: (C) Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh (≈ 1.53 crore), then Maharashtra and Odisha.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - On which scale is an earthquake's magnitude — the energy released — expressed?
- Mercalli scale
- Richter scale
- Beaufort scale
- Mohs scale
Show answer
Answer: (B) Richter scale
The Mercalli scale measures local effects (intensity).
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - The world's highest peaks are found in which type of mountains?
- Old fold mountains
- Young fold mountains
- Residual mountains
- Block mountains
Show answer
Answer: (B) Young fold mountains
Himalaya, Andes — young fold.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which state has India’s largest area of alkaline (sodic) soil?
- Gujarat
- Haryana
- Punjab
- Uttar Pradesh
Show answer
Answer: (D) Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh leads in alkaline soil; Gujarat in saline soil.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - 1. The sliding of snow masses down a slope is an avalanche 2. It occurs mainly in Haridwar, Chandigarh and Jammu 3. An avalanche was the main cause of the Kedarnath disaster. Correct?
- 1 only
- 2 only
- 2 and 3
- 3 only
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1 only
At Kedarnath the main causes were heavy rain/cloudbursts and the Chorabari Lake burst.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Where does the equatorial region extend? 1. Northern South America 2. Central Africa 3. South Asia 4. South-East Asia
- 1, 2 and 4
- 2, 3 and 4
- 3 and 4
- All
Show answer
Answer: (A) 1, 2 and 4
South Asia (India etc.) is a monsoon region.
Read the full chapter in mind-map notes → - Which seismic wave travels like a sound wave?
- P wave
- S wave
- L wave
- P and L waves
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