UPSC Prelims 2020 Geography questions: topic-wise weightage
UPSC Prelims 2020 asked 6 geography questions in GS Paper I, spread over 4 topics. See the geography weightage for 2020 below, then attempt each question with the official answer and an explanation.
Geography 2020: questions by topic
- Climate and oceans1
- India: relief, rivers, lakes and monsoon2
- India: soils, vegetation, agriculture, minerals, energy, industry, population2
- World geography and places in the news (mapping)1
Counted from the 6 questions on this page, tagged by topic in the Battle IAS PYQ bank.
Seeing 6 Geography questions spread over 4 topics can feel overwhelming. That's exactly why the Battle IAS PYQ Book maps every question topic by topic, so you know what to study first. Download free sample
Climate and oceans 1
Consider the following statements :
- 1. Jet streams occur in the Northern Hemisphere only.
- 2. Only some cyclones develop an eye.
- 3. The temperature inside the eye of a cyclone is nearly 10°C lesser than that of the surroundings.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
Answer (c) & explanation
Only statement 2 is correct (c). Statement 1 is wrong: jet streams blow in both hemispheres; the subtropical and polar-front jets circle each pole. Statement 2 is right: only mature, strong tropical cyclones develop a clear eye; weaker storms and temperate cyclones do not. Statement 3 is wrong: sinking air in the eye warms as it compresses, so the eye is warmer than its surroundings, by up to about 10 °C, not colder. The eye is calm, with light winds and clear skies, ringed by the violent eyewall.
Notice that the sub-tropical westerly jet shifting north of the Himalayas helps the Indian monsoon set in, and the tropical easterly jet blows over India in summer.
The 10 °C figure is real. Statement 3 is wrong because it says lesser instead of warmer.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
India: relief, rivers, lakes and monsoon 2
With reference to Ocean Mean Temperature (OMT), which of the following statements is/are correct ?
- 1. OMT is measured up to a depth of 26°C isotherm which is 129 meters in the south-western Indian Ocean during January – March.
- 2. OMT collected during January – March can be used in assessing whether the amount of rainfall in monsoon will be less or more than a certain long-term mean.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
Answer (b) & explanation
Only statement 2 is correct (b). Ocean Mean Temperature is the average sea temperature from the surface down to the depth of the 26 °C isotherm. Statement 1 is wrong per the key: in the south-western Indian Ocean in January–March, the 26 °C isotherm does not lie at the 129 metres the statement claims. Statement 2 is right: studies found that OMT in January–March predicts whether the monsoon will be above or below the long-term mean better than sea surface temperature does, because it captures the ocean's stored heat.
Notice the other monsoon drivers: El Niño, the Indian Ocean Dipole and the MJO. The IMD issues its first monsoon forecast in April, against a long-period average of about 87 cm.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Siachen Glacier is situated to the
Answer (d) & explanation
Siachen lies north of the Nubra Valley (d). The Siachen Glacier lies in the eastern Karakoram, between the Saltoro Ridge to the west and the Chinese-held Shaksgam area to the east. Its meltwater feeds the Nubra River, which flows south into the Shyok, so the glacier is north of the Nubra valley. Option (a) is wrong: Aksai Chin lies to the east. Option (b) is wrong: Leh lies to the south-east. Option (c) is wrong: Gilgit lies far to the west.
Notice Operation Meghdoot (1984), when India took control of Siachen. It is called the world's highest battlefield. At about 76 km, it is among the longest glaciers outside the polar regions.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
India: soils, vegetation, agriculture, minerals, energy, industry, population 2
“The crop is subtropical in nature. A hard frost is injurious to it. It requires at least 210 frost-free days and 50 to 100 centimeters of rainfall for its growth. A light well-drained soil capable of retaining moisture is ideally suited for the cultivation of the crop.” Which one of the following is that crop ?
Answer (a) & explanation
The crop is cotton (a). Cotton is a subtropical crop that needs high temperatures, at least 210 frost-free days, moderate rain of 50–100 cm, and bright, sunny weather at picking time. A hard frost damages it. It grows best on light, well-drained soil that holds moisture, such as the black (regur) soil of the Deccan. Jute (b) needs hot, humid weather and over 150 cm of rain in the deltas. Sugarcane (c) needs 75–150 cm of rain or irrigation. Tea (d) needs over 150 cm of rain on well-drained hill slopes.
Notice the top cotton States: Gujarat and Maharashtra. Bt cotton is India's only approved GM crop. Cotton is a kharif crop.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
Consider the following minerals :
- 1. Bentonite
- 2. Chromite
- 3. Kyanite
- 4. Sillimanite
In India, which of the above is/are officially designated as major minerals ?
Answer (d) & explanation
Chromite, kyanite and sillimanite are major minerals (d). Under the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, the Union regulates major minerals, while States make rules for minor minerals. Item 1 is wrong: bentonite, a clay used in drilling and foundries, was notified as a minor mineral in 2015 along with others such as building stone, sand and limestone used in kilns. Item 2 is right: chromite is a major mineral, mined mostly in Odisha (Sukinda valley). Items 3 and 4 are right: kyanite and sillimanite are major minerals used in refractories that resist high heat.
Notice the 2023 amendment to the MMDR Act, which let the Union auction critical minerals such as lithium.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
World geography and places in the news (mapping) 1
Consider the following pairs :
| River | Flows into
| 1. Mekong | Andaman Sea
| 2. Thames | Irish Sea
| 3. Volga | Caspian Sea
| 4. Zambezi | Indian Ocean
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?
Answer (c) & explanation
Only pairs 3 and 4 are correct (c). Pair 1 is wrong because the Mekong, which rises in Tibet, reaches the South China Sea through its delta in Vietnam, not the Andaman Sea. Pair 2 is wrong because the Thames flows east past London into the North Sea, not the Irish Sea. Pair 3 is right because the Volga, Europe's longest river, ends in the Caspian Sea. Pair 4 is right because the Zambezi crosses Mozambique to the Indian Ocean, passing Victoria Falls on the way.
Notice the rivers that do reach the Andaman Sea: the Irrawaddy and Salween of Myanmar. The Caspian is the world's largest inland water body, with no outlet to the ocean.
Answer as per the official UPSC answer key.
All years by topic
Every question from 2011 to 2026, grouped by syllabus topic, with year-wise trends.