UPSC Geography Syllabus

UPSC Geography Syllabus: The UPSC Geography syllabus covers a lot of topics for the prelims, mains, and optional exams. In the prelims, you need to know basic things like physical and human geography, maps, and geography terms. For the mains, you’ll study more about the Earth’s features, weather, oceans, and how people interact with their environment. You’ll also need to think about global issues from different viewpoints.

 If you choose Geography as an optional subject, you’ll go deeper into advanced theories and research methods. So, to do well, you need to understand geography concepts, and think logically.

UPSC Prelims Geography Syllabus

The UPSC Prelims Geography syllabus is vast and covers various aspects of both Indian and World Geography. Here’s a detailed overview of the topics:

Indian Geography:

Physical Features:

• The Himalayas: Geological formation, climate, vegetation, and major passes.
• The Great North Indian Plains: Geological formation, physiographic divisions, and significance.
• Peninsular Plateau: Formation, Central Highlands, Deccan Plateau, and Western and Eastern Ghats.
• Indian Desert, Coastal Plains, and Islands.

River Systems:

• Himalayan Rivers and their significance.
• Peninsular Rivers, river basins, and interlinking projects.

Climate:

• Monsoons: Mechanism, El Nino, and La Nina.
• Cyclones and their impact.

Minerals and Industries:

• Distribution of minerals, industrial policies, and major mineral-rich regions.
• Agriculture: Land use, practices, Green Revolution, soils, and irrigation.

Natural Vegetation and Fauna:

• Classification of vegetation, biodiversity hotspots, and conservation areas.
• Fauna, endangered species, and conservation efforts.

Human Geography:

• Demographics, recent census data, and population trends.
• Economic Infrastructure: Transportation, power, and energy sectors.
• Urbanization, settlements, and government schemes for regional development.

Physical Geography:

• Geomorphology: Earth’s interior, rock types, and landforms.
• Climatology: Atmospheric composition, temperature, pressure belts, winds, and precipitation.
• Oceanography: Ocean relief, currents, temperature, and salinity.

Biogeography:

• Soil types, major biomes, ecosystems, and environmental degradation.
• Conservation efforts, biodiversity, and ecological balance.

Human Geography:

• Man-environment relationship, population dynamics, and migration.
• Economic activities: Agriculture, industries, and tertiary sectors.
• Settlement patterns, urbanization, and functional classification of cities.

In addition to these topics, location-based questions pertaining to India and the world are also asked in the prelims. Understanding these concepts thoroughly is important for candidates appearing for the UPSC Prelims Geography section.

UPSC Mains Geography Syllabus

The UPSC Mains Geography syllabus covers a wide range of topics related to both physical and human geography. Here’s a detailed overview of the syllabus:

Distribution of Natural Resources:

• Analysis of key natural resources worldwide, including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
• Factors influencing the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries globally and in India.

Geophysical Phenomena:

• Study of important geophysical events such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, and cyclones.
• Changes in critical geographical features like water bodies and polar ice caps, and their impact on flora, fauna, and human habitats.

Physical Geography:

• Geomorphology: Understanding the interior of the Earth, tectonics, mountain-building processes, volcanoes, earthquakes, weathering, erosion, rocks, and landforms.
• Climatology: Examination of atmospheric phenomena, temperature distribution, pressure and wind systems, cyclones, precipitation, and climatic regions worldwide.
• Oceanography: Exploration of ocean relief, temperature distribution, currents, salinity, marine pollution, coral bleaching, and sea level changes.

Biogeography:

• Study of soil profiles, degradation, and conservation practices.
• Analysis of biotic regions, deforestation, forest conservation efforts, and environmental pollution.

UPSC Optional Geography Syllabus

Here’s a detailed overview of the Geography Paper – I and Paper – II syllabus for the UPSC exam:

Geography Paper – I (Principles of Geography):

Physical Geography:

Geomorphology:

• Study of landforms and the processes that shape them.
• Factors controlling landform development include both endogenetic (internal) and exogenetic (external) forces.
• Understanding the origin and evolution of the earth’s crusts, including concepts like continental drift, plate tectonics, and isostasy.
• Examination of mountain building processes, volcanicity, earthquakes, and tsunamis.
• Analysis of geomorphic cycles, landscape development, erosion surfaces, and slope development.

Climatology:

• Focuses on the study of climate and weather patterns across the world.
• Understanding temperature and pressure belts, atmospheric circulation, and global wind systems.
• Investigation of monsoons, jet streams, air masses, and fronts.
• Analysis of cyclones, types of precipitation, and climate classification systems.
• Examination of global climatic change and the role of human activities in influencing climate.

Oceanography:

• Study of the physical and biological aspects of the oceans.
• Analysis of ocean topography, temperature, and salinity distributions.
• Exploration of ocean currents, waves, tides, and marine resources.
• Understanding coral reefs, coral bleaching, sea-level changes, and marine pollution.
• Examination of marine ecosystems and their conservation.

Biogeography:

• Focuses on the study of the distribution of plants and animals on Earth.
• Understanding the genesis, classification, and distribution of soils.
• Analysis of soil erosion, degradation, and conservation measures.
• Exploration of factors influencing the distribution of flora and fauna, including human impact.
• Examination of biodiversity, conservation measures, and major gene pool centers.

Environmental Geography:

• Study of the relationship between humans and their environment.
• Analysis of ecological principles and human ecological adaptations.
• Understanding global and regional ecological changes, environmental degradation, and conservation.
• Exploration of ecosystem management, biodiversity conservation, and environmental policy.
• Examination of environmental hazards, remedial measures, environmental education, and legislation.

Human Geography

Perspectives in Human Geography:

• Examination of different theoretical approaches in human geography, including areal differentiation, regional synthesis, and environmentalism.
• Analysis of quantitative revolution and locational analysis, radical, behavioral, human, and welfare approaches.
• Exploration of linguistic, religious, and secularization trends, as well as cultural regions of the world.
• Understanding human development indices and their significance in assessing societal progress.

Economic Geography:

• Study of global economic development, including measurement, problems, and disparities.
• Analysis of world resources and their distribution, as well as challenges such as the energy crisis and limits to growth.
• Exploration of agricultural typologies, inputs, productivity, food security, and issues related to famine.
• Examination of world industries, location patterns, trade patterns, and their impacts on global economies.

Population and Settlement Geography:

• Examination of population growth and distribution patterns worldwide, along with demographic attributes.
• Analysis of migration patterns, causes, and consequences, as well as population theories and policies.
• Exploration of rural and urban settlement patterns, including types, morphology, and environmental issues.
• Understanding urbanization processes, hierarchy of urban settlements, and concepts like primate city and rank-size rule.
• Examination of rural-urban fringe areas, satellite towns, and sustainable development strategies for cities.

Regional Planning:

• Understanding the concept of a region and methods of regionalization.
• Analysis of growth centers, growth poles, and regional imbalances.
• Exploration of regional development strategies and environmental considerations in regional planning.
• Examination of sustainable development principles and their application in regional planning initiatives.

Models, Theories, and Laws in Human Geography:

• Study of various theoretical models in human geography, including Malthusian, Marxian, and demographic transition models.
• Examination of central place theories, models of agricultural and industrial location, and stages of growth models.
• Exploration of theories such as Heartland and Rimland theories, as well as laws governing international boundaries and frontiers.

Geography Paper – II (Geography of India):

Physical Setting:

• Analysis of India’s spatial relationship with neighboring countries.
• Examination of India’s structure, relief, and drainage systems, including watershed management.
• Study of physiographic regions, monsoons, rainfall patterns, tropical cyclones, floods, droughts, climatic regions, natural vegetation, and soil types.

Resources:

• Assessment of India’s land, surface, and groundwater resources, along with energy, mineral, biotic, and marine resources.
• Analysis of forest and wildlife resources, their conservation, and the energy crisis.

Agriculture:

• Evaluation of agricultural infrastructure, including irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, and power.
• Examination of institutional factors, land tenure, cropping patterns, agricultural productivity, and intensity.
• Study of the Green Revolution, dry farming, livestock resources, aquaculture, sericulture, and poultry.
• Assessment of agricultural regionalization, agro-climatic zones, and agroecological regions.

Industry:

• Exploration of the evolution of industries in India and locational factors affecting various industries.
• Analysis of industrial houses, public sector undertakings, industrial regionalization, and the new industrial policy.
• Study of multinationals, liberalization, special economic zones, and tourism, including ecotourism.

Transport, Communication, and Trade:

• Evaluation of India’s transportation networks, including road, railway, waterway, airway, and pipeline systems.
• Examination of the role of ports in national and foreign trade, trade policies, export processing zones, and developments in communication technology.
• Analysis of India’s space program and its impact on economy and society.

Cultural Setting:

• Understanding India’s historical perspective, linguistic, religious, and ethnic diversities, and major tribes and tribal areas.
• Examination of cultural regions, population growth, demographic attributes, migration patterns, and associated problems.
• Assessment of health indicators and population policies.

Settlements:

• Study of rural settlement types, patterns, and morphology, along with urban developments and the morphology of Indian cities.
• Examination of urban sprawl, slums, town planning, problems of urbanization, and potential remedies.

Regional Development and Planning:

• Analysis of regional planning experiences in India, including Five Year Plans, integrated rural development programs, and decentralized planning.
• Examination of command area development, watershed management, and planning for backward areas, deserts, drought-prone, and hill tribal areas.
• Assessment of multi-level planning and regional planning for island territories.

Political Aspects:

• Understanding the geographical basis of Indian federalism, state reorganization, and the emergence of new states.
• Analysis of regional consciousness, inter-state issues, international boundaries, and India’s role in world affairs.
• Examination of cross-border terrorism, geopolitics of South Asia, and the Indian Ocean realm.

Contemporary Issues:

• Assessment of ecological issues, environmental hazards, environmental pollution, changes in land use, and environmental management.
• Examination of population explosion, food security, environmental degradation, agrarian and industrial unrest, and regional disparities in economic development.
• Analysis of sustainable growth and development, environmental awareness, river linkage, globalization, and India’s economy.

Significance of Choosing Geography Optional Subject

Choosing Geography as an optional subject for the UPSC Civil Services Exam holds significant importance for several reasons:

Interdisciplinary Approach: Geography consists of various disciplines such as physical sciences, social sciences, economics, and environmental studies. As a result, studying Geography offers a multidisciplinary approach to understanding complex issues, providing candidates with a comprehensive knowledge base.

Relevance in Current Affairs: Geography is highly relevant in understanding contemporary issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, resource management, urbanization, and geopolitics. By choosing Geography, candidates develop a nuanced understanding of these issues, which is crucial for addressing them effectively in the civil services.

Overlap with General Studies: Geography has substantial overlap with both the Prelims and Mains General Studies papers. This reduces the need for separate preparation and allows candidates to focus on mastering key concepts and topics that are common across various papers.

Scoring Potential: Geography is considered a scoring optional subject due to its objective nature and minimal scope for interpretation. Well-prepared candidates can score consistently high marks by presenting factual information, diagrams, and maps effectively.

Enhances Analytical Skills: Studying Geography enhances candidates’ analytical and problem-solving skills by requiring them to interpret maps, analyze spatial data, and understand complex geographical phenomena. These skills are valuable not only for the exam but also for a career in public administration.

Utilization in Essay Paper: Concepts learned in Geography can be effectively utilized in the essay paper to provide examples, case studies, and analytical perspectives on a wide range of topics. This integration of geographical knowledge adds depth and credibility to candidates’ essays.

Personal Interest and Background: Many candidates choose Geography as an optional subject due to their personal interest, educational background, or professional experience in related fields. This familiarity and passion for the subject often translate into better performance and a deeper understanding of geographical concepts.

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