Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India
Geography of India

Physical Divisions
Why are the Aravallis called a divide between Mewar & Marwar? (10 Marks)
Drainage
Why do rivers of west coast do not form delta? (10 Marks)
Describe the characteristics of the rivers of peninsular India? (10 Marks)
Climate & Monsoons:
Explain how the Himalayan & Tibetan Highlands play an important role in the development of the
South-West monsoon. (10 Marks)
Discuss the distribution of winds & rainfall over India in the summer monsoon season. (10 Marks)
Explain the causes of Indian monsoon. (10 Marks)
Had there been no Himalayas, what would have been the winter climate in North India? (10 Marks)
Mention the agro-climatic regions of India stating the basis of classification. (10 Marks)
Soils Soil Erosion
What is wasteland? Write a note on prospects of waste land development in India. (10 Marks)
Vegetation
What are mangroves & in what way are they useful to us? (10 Marks)
Road-Railways-Waterways-Air Transport
Technological changes have brought in a major shift in the use of roads as transport corridors in India.
How far do you agree with this view? (10 Marks)
What is Golden Quadrilateral? How will it help in the economic development of the country?
Population Geography
State four distinctive stages of Indian Demographic history. (10 Marks)
Settlements:
Explain the nature & causes of growing slum problems in metropolitan cities of India. (10 Marks)
Agriculture, Livestock & Fishery
Blue revolution has definite advantages in India but it is not free from environmental impacts. Discuss.
Give an account of the Tea Plantations of Assam & West Bengal & state the economic significance of
these plantations. (10 Marks)
Industry:
Account for the very high concentration of salt extraction in industries in the Saurasthra & South
Tamilnadu coast. (10 Marks)
Resources
Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India

Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India

What are the resource base available for the economic development of the newly created states of
Jharkhand & Uttaranchal? (10 Marks)
Examine the distribution of oil refineries in India. (10 Marks)

Tribes & Races

Explain the major racial groups of India. (10 Marks)
Energy
Bring out the prospects of development of alternative energy sources in India. (10 Marks)
Political/Regional Geography
Political boundary and regional boundaries need to be co-terminus. Do you agree? (10 Marks)
Define the concept of Growth Centres & evaluate its relevance in regional planning of India.
Miscellaneous
Elucidate the factors contributing to the growing need of water harvesting in India, both rural & urban.

2 Markers
UPSC
2007

UPSC
2006

UPSC
2005

Special Economic Zone

Inceptisols (2M)
Causes of Chambal ravines
Jarawas (2 Marks)
Indira Point
Mixed Economy
Winter rains in India
New Moore Land
National Water Grid
Hussain Sagar
Regurs
Karewas
Negative Impacts of Shifting
Cultivation
Causes of droughts in India

Significance of Chilka Lake

El Nino, La Nina & the
UPSC
Monsoon Rains
2004
The Sambhar Lake
The Sunderbans
Bombay High
Ghanshyam Thori

UPSC
2003

UPSC
2002

UPSC
2001

UPSC
2000

Terai Region
Areas of Shola Forest in India
Who are Todas & where do they live.
Four Principal Languages of Andaman &
Nicobar Island
MRTS? Where is it going on?
Petroleum Producing areas of India.
Jhum Cultivation Processes &
Consequences
Kaziranga National Park
Census definition of urban places
Khetri Copper Project
El Nino
Hirakud Project
Glacier
Two Prominet left bank tributaries of
Ganga
Equinox
Linguistic Regions of India
Nagarjunasagar Project
Mango Showers
Multi Level Planning in India
Geography of India

Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India

Sabarkantha & Banaskantha

Gonds
Bhils
Santhals
Minas
Oraons
Mundas
Khonds
Tharu
Chenchu
Todas
Lahaula
Adivasis
Badagas
Baiga
Bakkarwals
Bhotias
Bhuia
Birhors
Gaddis
Gujjars
Irula
Kanikar
Katkari
Kharia
Khasa
Lahualas
Moplahs
Sabra
Kol
Kolam
Kotas
Murias
Uralis
Varlis
Yurva
Badgis
Garasiya
Ghanshyam Thori

Indias Laterite Soils

Tribal Groups of India

Largest tribe found in M.P., Jharkhand, A.P., Orissa & Maharashtra.
M.P, Gujarat, Rajasthan, A.P., Karnataka, Tripura
West Bengal, Bihar-Jharkhand & Orissa
Rajasthan & MP. Account for 50% tribal population of Rajasthan
Bihar-Jharkhand, M.P.-Chattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal & Maharashtra. Speak
Kurukh Language
Jharkhand, Chattisgarh, Orissa, West Bengal & Tripura
Orissa is mainland. Also found in Bihar, AP, MP, West Bengal.
Uttaranchal & MP
Andhra Pradesh
Nilgiri Hills. Classic example of polyandry.
Himachal Pradesh
Bastar district, Chattisgarh
Nilgiri region, Tamil Nadu
M.P.
J&K
Uttaranchal, Sikkim & West Bengal
M.P.
M.P., Chattisgarh, Jharkhand & Orissa
Himachal Pradesh
J&K & Himachal Pradesh
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
M.P.
M.P.
Jaunsar region, Uttaranchal
Lahual region, Himachal Pradesh
Muslims of Malabar district, Kerala
M.P.
M.P. & Maharashtra
Andhra Pradesh
Nilgiri Hills
Bastar District, Chattisgarh
Kerala
Maharashtra, Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli
Tamil Nadu
Rajmahal hills, Bihar. Belong to Negrito Race
Rajasthan
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Geography of India

Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India

Nilgiri Region Badagas, Todas, Kotas

Tamil Nadu Irula, Kanikar, Yurva (YIK) (Dont Confuse with Varlis & Uralis).

Tribes of the North East & Andaman Nicobar

Meghalaya & Tripura
Assam
Manipur, Assam, Nagaland & Tripura
Nagaland
Nagaland
Arunachal Pradesh
Assam
Meghalaya & Assam
Meghalaya & Assam
Nagaland
Mizoram & Tripura
Original Tribals of Sikkim
Arunachal Pradesh
Tripura
A Naga tribe
Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh

1.
2.
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Khasis
Mikirs
Kukis
Angami
Ao
Apatani
Chutra
Garos
Jaintia
Sema
Lushai
Lepchas
Abors
Chakma
Chang
Gallong

17.
18.
19.

Jarawas
Onges
Shompens

20.
21.

Sentinelese
Great
Andamanese

Command Area
Development (CAD)

Ghanshyam Thori

Andaman & Nicobar. Negrito

Andaman & Nicobar. Negritos racial stock.
Andaman & Nicobar. Belong to mongoloid stock like nicobarese
& inhabit Great Nicobar.
Andaman & Nicobar. Inhabit sentinel island. Negrito
Negrito

The Command Area Development Programme (CADP) started in 1974-75 as a

Centrally Sponsored Scheme, envisaged execution of on-farm development works
like field channels, land levelling, field drains and conjunctive use of ground and
surface water; the introduction of Warabandi, or the rotational system of water
distribution to ensure equitable and timely supply of water to each holding; and
evolving and propagating crop patterns and water management practices
appropriate to each command area. Other ancilliary activities like construction of
link roads, godowns and market centres, arrangements for supply of inputs and
credits, agricultural extension and development of ground water for conjunctive use
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Geography of India

Ghanshyam Thori
Social Forestry

Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India
are also taken up as part of the relevant sectoral programmes in the State Plan
The National Commission on Agriculture, Government of India, first used the term
social forestry in 1976. It was then that India embarked upon a social forestry
project with the aim of taking the pressure off the forests and making use of all
unused and fallow land. Government forest areas that are close to human settlement
and have been degraded over the years due to human activities needed to be
afforested. Trees were to be planted in and around agricultural fields. Plantation of
trees along railway lines and roadsides, and river and canal banks were carried out.
They were planted in village common land, Government wasteland and Panchayat
land.
Social forestry scheme can be categorized into groups: farm forestry, community
forestry, extension forestry and agro-forestry.
1. Farm forestry
At present in almost all the countries where social forestry programmes have been
taken up, both commercial and non commercial farm forestry is being promoted in
one form or the other. Individual farmers are being encouraged to plant trees on
their own farmland to meet the domestic needs of the family. In many areas this
tradition of growing trees on the farmland already exists. Non-commercial farm
forestry is the main thrust of most of the social forestry projects in the country
today. It is not always necessary that the farmer grows trees for fuel wood, but very
often they are interested in growing trees without any economic motive. They may
want it to provide shade for the agricultural crops; as wind shelters; soil
conservation or to use wasteland.
2. Community forestry
Another scheme taken up under the social forestry programme, is the raising of
trees on community land and not on private land as in farm forestry. All these
programmes aim to provide for the entire community and not for any individual.
The government has the responsibility of providing seedlings, fertilizer but the
community has to take responsibility of protecting the trees. Some communities
manage the plantations sensibly and in a sustainable manner so that the village
continues to benefit. Some others took advantage and sold the timber for a shortterm individual profit. Common land being everyones land is very easy to exploit.
Over the last 20 years, large-scale planting of Eucalyptus, as a fast growing exotic,
has occurred in India, making it a part of the drive to reforest the subcontinent, and
create an adequate supply of timber for rural communities under the augur of
social forestry.
3. Extension forestry
Planting of trees on the sides of roads, canals and railways, along with planting on
wastelands is known as extension forestry, increasing the boundaries of forests.
Under this project there has been creation a of wood lots in the village common
lands, government wastelands and panchayat lands.
Schemes for afforesting degraded government forests that are close to villages are
being carried out all over the country.
4. Agro- forestry
Planting of trees on and around agricultural boundaries, and on marginal, private
lands, in combination with agricultural crops is known as agro-forestry.
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Geography of India

Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India
Social forestry, schemes that have been started all over the country have made a
considerable difference in overall forest cover in a short time.

Ghanshyam Thori

Geography of India