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TOP 50 IMPORTANT TOPICS OF GEOGRAPHY FOR UPSC (PRELIMS + MAINS)
1. Let us start with number of questions being asked from geography every year in UPSC prelims.
YEAR NUMBER OF QUESTIONS ASKED
2011 11
2012 12
2013 09
2014 12
2015 14
2016 07
2017 07
2018 08
2019 14
From this trend we can see that the marks vary from 15-30 marks every year i.e. 15 % of the total marks i.e. 200 marks.
Now we will see about the top 50 topics of Geography and why.
TOP 50 GEOGRAPHY TOPICS
TOPIC NAME
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT?
- Origin and evolution of the earth
UPSC PRELIMS 2017 :
The terms ‘Event Horizon’, ‘Singularity’, `String Theory’ and ‘Standard Model’ are sometimes seen in the news in the context of
(a) Observation and understanding of the Universe
(b) Study of the solar and the lunar eclipses
(c) Placing satellites in the orbit of the Earth
(d) Origin and evolution of living organisms on the Earth
UPSC 2012:
- Earthquake
Recent Delhi and other earthquakes
- Volcanoes
Upsc prelims 2018:
- Continental drift theory
Recently Zealandia continent found which marks the correctness of the drift theory
UPSC 2014:
- Plate tectonics
Mountain building process : HIMALAYAN FORMATION.
- Types of Landforms
UPSC 2012:
- Soil formation
UPSC 2010:
- Solar radiation & Heat budget of the earth
Global warming
Upsc questions 2013:
- Atmospheric circulation – cyclones, westerlies, jet streams
Recent amphan cyclone
UPSC 2015:
UPSC 2015:
- Evaporation, condensation and precipitation
Thunderstorm and lightning in Bihar and up
UPSC 2019:
UPSC 2013:
- World climate and climate change
UPSC 2015:
- Relief of the oceans
- Temperature and salinity distribution in the ocean.
UPSC 2012:
- Types of ocean current
UPSC 2015:
- Ecosystem
UPSC 2011:
- Biodiversity and conservation
Upsc 2013:
UPSC 2011:
- Physiography of India – mountains, hills, plateau, plains etc.
UPSC 2017:
UPSC 2015:
- Drainage system of India
UPSC 2017:
UPSC 2016:
- Climate of India – Indian monsoon
UPSC 2014:
- Natural vegetation and soils of India – National parks, biosphere reserves, mangroves etc.
UPSC 2016:
UPSC 2015:
Upsc questions: 2018
UPSC 2011:
- Natural disasters- Floods, droughts, landslide,cyclones,earthquakes
Tsunami.
UPSC 2011: (TSUNAMI & MANGROVES)
- Indian agriculture and types
UPSC 2019 –
- Coral reefs
UPSC 2018:
Consider the following statements :
- Most of the world’s coral reefs are in tropical waters.
- More than one-third of the world’s coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.
- Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- 1 and 2 only
- 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
The above table consists of core geographical concepts, however there are some related geographical concepts also which we regularly see in current affairs:
TOPIC NAME
WHY IT IS IMPORTANT?
24.El- nino
UPSC 2010:
25.La-nina
UPSC 2011:
- Indian ocean dipole
UPSC 2017:
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)’ sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between tropical Western Indian Ocean and tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean.
2. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Nino’s impact on the monsoon.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
- Madden Julian oscillations
CURRENT AFFAIRS : As good for Indian monsoon
- Polar vortex
CURRENT AFFAIRS: ozone depletion & ozone hole
- Pacific decadal oscillations
CURRENT AFFAIRS : Affect Indian monsoon
- Heat waves
CRRENT AFFAIRS: criteria and European heat waves
- Sun spot cycles
CURRENT AFFAIRS: effects climate change
- Forest fire
CURRENT AFFAIRS: amazon fire , Australian bush fire
- Tribes of the world and India
UPSC 2019
- Heat islands
INCREASING AIR POLLUTION IN METRO CITIES
- Seismic noise
CURRENT AFFAIRS
- Environmental impact assessment
NEW EIA DRAFT BILL 2020
- Ring of fire
Volcanic eruptions in pacific ocean : Indonesian and Philippines volcanic eruption.
- Wetlands and their conservation
UPSC 2012:
- Distribution of wildlife and their conservation
Upsc 2013:
- Places in news
Upsc 2018
UPSC 2018
- Mountain passes and lakes (part of physiography of India)
UPSC 2018
- Major straits of the world
UPSC 2011:
- Major water bodies – Mediterranean sea, Caspian sea, black sea etc. (part of oceanography)
UPSC 2019:
- Population and related issues
Labour migration, sex ratio and relates schemes
UPSC 2011:
- Minerals and their distribution
Upsc 2018
- International trade
CURRENT AFFAIRS :Trade deficit of India with china
- Energy resources and crisis
UPSC 2013:
- Industrial setup
Sez, nimz (National Investment Manufacturing Zone), sagarmala
UPSC 2015: (CAN ALSO BE INCLUDED UNDER MINERALS TOPIC)
- Transport and communication
Air India nationalisation (upsc pre),AGR (Adjusted gross revenue of telecom company)
UPSC 2016:
- Water conservation
UPSC 2014:
- Some topics may seems to overlap with Environment and ecology and also with economics and current schemes but it forms and essential part of Geography.
- The human geography deals with population and related issues like migration etc is to be covered. Also there are different government schemes also for solving the population related issues like beti bachao beti padhao abhiyan etc.
- This shows that how geography is related to other subjects like economy, society and even history.
Therefore if you prepare geography very thoroughly it will also help you in the completion of other subjects also.
Some Important Links:
UPSC Prelims 2019 Question Paper pdf Article 300A
Instruments of Capital Market Capital Market Instruments
Parliamentary form of Government in India Explain the Current Trends in Inflation
Classification of Environment First Past the Post System UPSC
Environmental Clearance Process in India How to Read Spectrum Modern History
