Physiography of India — Practice Questions
UPSC Prelims-pattern practice questions on the physiography of India with full explanations — Himalayan passes, coasts, peaks, doabs and the Peninsular Plateau.
Questions
These are original UPSC-pattern practice questions. Attempt each one before revealing the answer.
Consider the following pairs:
| Pass | State/UT |
|---|---|
| 1. Shipki La | Himachal Pradesh |
| 2. Nathu La | Sikkim |
| 3. Bomdi La | Arunachal Pradesh |
| 4. Lipulekh | Sikkim |
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Solution
Shipki La is in Himachal Pradesh — the Satluj enters India near it. Nathu La is in Sikkim and Bomdi La in Arunachal Pradesh. Lipulekh is in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand, on the Kailash Mansarovar route — not in Sikkim. So three pairs are correct.
Answer: C
Consider the following statements about the Western Coastal Plain of India:
- It is an example of a submerged coastal plain.
- The rivers flowing into the Arabian Sea form large deltas.
- Kayals (backwaters) are a characteristic feature of the Malabar coast.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Solution
Statement 1 is correct — NCERT describes the western coastal plain as a submerged coast, which explains its natural harbours. Statement 3 is correct — kayals are typical of the Malabar coast (Kerala). Statement 2 is wrong — the short, swift west-flowing rivers form estuaries, not large deltas; the big deltas (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri) are on the east coast.
Answer: B
Which one of the following is the highest peak of Peninsular India?
Solution
Anai Mudi (2,695 m) in the Anaimalai hills of Kerala is the highest peak of Peninsular India. Doddabetta (2,637 m) is the highest peak of the Nilgiris — a close second, and the usual trap. Mahendragiri (1,501 m) is the highest peak of the Eastern Ghats; Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu) is the highest point of the Aravalis.
Answer: D
The Rechna Doab lies between which of the following rivers?
Solution
Rechna Doab lies between the Ravi and the Chenab. The others: Bari Doab (Beas–Ravi), Chaj Doab (Chenab–Jhelum), Bist-Jalandhar Doab (Beas–Satluj). Mnemonic, east to west: “Big Bad Rats Chew Sugar” — Bist, Bari, Rechna, Chaj, Sind Sagar.
Answer: A
Consider the following statements:
- The Narmada separates the Central Highlands from the Deccan Plateau.
- The Meghalaya plateau is an extension of the Peninsular plateau, separated from the Chotanagpur plateau by a fault.
- The Western Ghats are lower and more discontinuous than the Eastern Ghats.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Solution
Statement 1 is correct — the Central Highlands lie north of the Narmada and the Deccan Plateau south of it. Statement 2 is correct — the Meghalaya plateau is a detached part of the Peninsular block, separated by the Malda gap. Statement 3 reverses the truth — the Western Ghats are higher and continuous; the Eastern Ghats are lower and broken by the large east-flowing rivers.
Answer: C
Mains
Compare the Western and Eastern Coastal Plains of India. How do their physical differences influence port development and economic activity along the two coasts?
Solution
Introduction: India’s coastline is flanked by two plains of very different character — a narrow, submerged western plain and a broad, emergent eastern plain built by large deltas.
Body:
- Width and relief: the western plain is narrow, squeezed between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea; the eastern plain is broad and level.
- Rivers: short, swift west-flowing rivers form estuaries; the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri build fertile deltas on the east.
- Harbours: the submerged west coast offers deep natural harbours (Mumbai, Mormugao, Kochi); the east coast has fewer natural harbours, so ports such as Chennai and Visakhapatnam needed more engineering.
- Economy: deltas make the east coast a rice bowl and an aquaculture belt; the west coast supports plantations, fisheries, backwater tourism (kayals) and port-led industry.
- Hazards: the east coast faces more frequent tropical cyclones and storm surges from the Bay of Bengal.
Conclusion: Relief and river behaviour explain why the west coast leads in natural ports while the east coast leads in deltaic agriculture — and why coastal planning must differ for the two.