UPSC Mains 2026 Geography Optional Paper I questions

28 questions from the Civil Services (Main) Examination 2026. Official UPSC paper (PDF) · All Geography Optional PYQs

1. What is 'Helical' flow? How Helical flow accounts for meander modifications?

2. Define 'pseudo monsoon' and explain its spatial distribution.

3. How are seamounts and Guyots the same and different? Comment.

   10 marks

4. How a 'Solum' as a concept different from 'Pedon'? Describe.

   10 marks

5. With suitable examples describe the hazards of flood plain settlement.

   10 marks

6. "Environmental geomorphology deals with the impact of natural landforms and processes." Elucidate with suitable examples.

   20 marks

7. Discuss the potential consequences of the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) for the world.

   5 marks

8. "Overgrazing has become an alarming situation of bioloss in many bio-geographical regions of the world." Illustrate with examples.

   5 marks

9. Describe the general characteristics and structure of a thunderstorm and suggest suitable classification of thunderstorm.

   20 marks

10. Anthropogenic impacts have caused major global and regional changes and imbalances in ecosystem. Elucidate with examples.

    15 marks

11. What is scarification? List out various impacts and examples of scarification on land.

    5 marks

12. How does the annual variations in temperature and precipitation influence plants growth, development and distribution? How do animals cope up with variations in climate?

    20 marks

13. Examine the importance of axis of dilation of airmasses in frontogenesis and the origin of Temperate cyclones.

14. Construction of large dams poses serious challenges. Describe the threats and solutions associated with it.

    5 marks

15. "Systematic Geography is essentially analytical and makes generic concepts and Universal Laws." Elucidate with examples.

16. Critically examine the significance of five functioning forms with regard to agricultural regions of the world proposed by D. Whittlesey.

    10 marks

17. "The majority of migrants go only a short distance." Explain with examples.

18. "Sustainable development requires Intergenerational and Intragenerational equity." Comment with examples.

    10 marks

19. "Under what situations Von Thunen's model of agricultural location is still rational." Justify with examples.

20. Discuss the Geometry of Land Values in Urban Community and delimiting the Central Business District (CBD) in detail.

    20 marks

21. Analyse the measuring patterns of settlement in relation to the nearest Neighbour Index and Rank-Size-Rule in detail.

    5 marks

22. Write an essay on disease and global warming according to the report of Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

    5 marks

23. What are the main concerns of radical geography? Describe the salient features and objectives of radicalism in geography.

    20 marks

24. Discuss agricultural productivity and techniques adopted for computing efficiency in the levels of agricultural productivity.

    5 marks

25. Elaborate partition of Indian subcontinent and international migration in detail.

    5 marks

26. What are the principles of urban planning? Critically analyse town planning in India in the post independence period.

    20 marks

27. What are the approaches of human development? Describe in detail the measures for computing human development index.

    15 marks

28. Explain the Rimland Theory with reference to ongoing geopolitical scenario in the world.