State PSC (e.g. BPSC / UPPSC / MPSC) Geography of India and the World Syllabus

What is biogeography?

The study of the distribution of plants and animals (biodiversity) across space and time, and the factors—climate, soil, relief, evolution—that control these patterns.

What are the major terrestrial biomes of the world?

Tropical rainforest, tropical savanna (grassland), desert, temperate grassland, temperate (deciduous) forest, Mediterranean, taiga (boreal/coniferous forest), and tundra.

What is humus and why is it important for soil?

Humus is the dark, decomposed organic matter in soil; it improves fertility, water-holding capacity, and structure, and supplies nutrients to plants.

Which is the most widespread soil type in India and its key features?

Alluvial soil; found in the northern plains and river deltas, it is fertile, rich in potash and lime but poor in nitrogen and humus, and ideal for cereals like rice and wheat.

What are the agricultural features of black (regur) soil in India?

Black soil forms from weathered Deccan lava (basalt), is rich in lime, iron, magnesia and calcium, retains moisture well, develops cracks in summer, and is ideal for cotton.

What are the main physiographic divisions of India?

The Northern (Himalayan) Mountains, the Northern (Indo-Gangetic) Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert (Thar), the Coastal Plains, and the Islands.

Name the three parallel ranges of the Himalayas from north to south.

The Greater Himalayas (Himadri), the Lesser/Middle Himalayas (Himachal), and the Outer Himalayas (Shiwaliks).

What are the Shiwaliks and what are their longitudinal valleys called?

The Shiwaliks are the southernmost, lowest Himalayan range made of unconsolidated sediments; the longitudinal valleys between the Shiwaliks and the Lesser Himalayas are called 'Duns' (e.g., Dehradun).

What is the difference between Bhabar and Tarai in the Northern Plains?

Bhabar is a narrow porous belt of pebbles at the Shiwalik foothills where streams disappear underground; Tarai lies just south of it, where those streams re-emerge, creating a marshy, swampy, wildlife-rich zone.

Distinguish Khadar and Bhangar in the Indo-Gangetic plain.

Khadar is the newer alluvium of floodplains, renewed each flood and very fertile; Bhangar is the older alluvium of terraces above the floodplain, often containing calcareous nodules called 'kankar'.

What are the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats, and how do they differ?

They border the Deccan Plateau; the Western Ghats (Sahyadri) are continuous, higher, and run parallel to the west coast, while the Eastern Ghats are discontinuous, lower, and dissected by rivers draining to the Bay of Bengal.

What is the highest peak in Peninsular India?

Anamudi (about 2,695 m) in the Anaimalai Hills of the Western Ghats, Kerala.

How are Himalayan rivers and Peninsular rivers classified by origin?

Himalayan rivers are mostly perennial (snow- and rain-fed) with large basins; Peninsular rivers are largely seasonal/rain-fed (non-perennial) and flow through older, stable valleys.

Name the three main Himalayan river systems of India.

The Indus system, the Ganga system, and the Brahmaputra system.

Which major Peninsular rivers flow westward into the Arabian Sea?

The Narmada and the Tapi (Tapti), which flow through rift valleys (faults/grabens) and therefore form estuaries rather than deltas.

What is a watershed (drainage divide)?

An elevated boundary (such as a ridge or upland) that separates two adjacent drainage basins, directing their waters to different rivers or seas.

Distinguish dendritic and trellis drainage patterns.

Dendritic patterns resemble tree branches and form on uniform/homogeneous rock; trellis patterns have tributaries joining the main stream at right angles, forming where hard and soft rock alternate (folded terrain).

What is the origin of the word 'monsoon' and what does it mean?

From the Arabic word 'mausim' meaning season; it refers to the seasonal reversal of wind direction over the Indian subcontinent.

Explain the basic mechanism of the southwest summer monsoon.

Intense summer heating creates low pressure over northwest India; moisture-laden southeast trade winds from the southern Indian Ocean cross the equator, are deflected to the right, and blow as the southwest monsoon bringing rain (June–September).

What are the two branches of the southwest monsoon?

The Arabian Sea branch (striking the Western Ghats and west coast) and the Bay of Bengal branch (advancing over the Ganga plains and Northeast India).

Why does Mawsynram/Cherrapunji receive the highest rainfall in the world?

The funnel-shaped Khasi Hills trap the Bay of Bengal monsoon branch and force the moist air to rise sharply (orographic lift), producing extremely heavy rainfall.

What is the 'break' in the monsoon and what causes 'October heat'?

A 'break' is a dry spell during the rainy season; 'October heat' is the hot, humid, oppressive weather during the retreating monsoon (Oct–Nov) caused by high temperatures and humidity.

What role does the Tibetan Plateau and the easterly jet stream play in the Indian monsoon?

Intense heating of the Tibetan Plateau strengthens the upper-air circulation; the Tropical Easterly Jet stream helps establish the monsoon, while the withdrawal of the Subtropical Westerly Jet from north India triggers its onset.

What is El Niño and how does it affect the Indian monsoon?

El Niño is the abnormal warming of the central/eastern Pacific Ocean; it generally weakens the Indian summer monsoon and is associated with drought conditions in India.

Name the major types of natural vegetation in India.

Tropical evergreen (rainforest), tropical deciduous (monsoon) forests, tropical thorn forests and scrubs, montane (mountain) forests, and mangrove (littoral/tidal) forests.

What are mangrove forests and where are India's largest mangroves found?

Mangroves are salt-tolerant tidal forests with stilt/breathing roots growing in coastal deltas; India's largest are the Sundarbans in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta of West Bengal.

What is the difference between a National Park and a Biosphere Reserve?

A National Park is a strictly protected area for wildlife and habitat with no human activity; a Biosphere Reserve is a larger multi-zoned area (core, buffer, transition) that conserves biodiversity while permitting sustainable human use.

Differentiate Kharif and Rabi cropping seasons in India.

Kharif crops are sown with the southwest monsoon (June–July) and harvested in autumn (e.g., rice, cotton, maize, jowar); Rabi crops are sown in winter (Oct–Dec) and harvested in spring (e.g., wheat, gram, mustard, barley).

What is the difference between shifting cultivation and intensive subsistence farming?

Shifting cultivation (jhum) clears and burns a forest patch, cultivates it briefly, then abandons it; intensive subsistence farming uses small landholdings, high labour, and multiple cropping to maximize yield for the farmer's own consumption.

How does India's population distribution and density vary, and where is it highest/lowest?

Population is unevenly distributed—dense in the fertile northern plains and coastal/deltaic areas, sparse in deserts, hilly, and forested regions; density is highest in states like Bihar and West Bengal and lowest in Arunachal Pradesh (Delhi being highest among UTs).

How do push and pull factors drive migration?

Push factors force people to leave an area (unemployment, poverty, drought, conflict); pull factors attract people to a destination (jobs, better wages, education, security, amenities).