Geography of India

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Geography of India — solved practice questions

8 WBCS Geography of India questions with step-by-step solutions. Attempt each, then reveal the answer.

1. Q1easy

   Which is the highest mountain peak in India, located in the state of Sikkim close to the West Bengal (Darjeeling) border?

   • AKangchenjunga
   • BNanda Devi
   • CK2 (Godwin-Austen)
   • DMount Everest
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   Correct answer: (A) Kangchenjunga

   Kangchenjunga (about 8,586 m) is the highest peak in India, straddling the Sikkim-Nepal border and famously visible from Darjeeling in West Bengal.

2. Q2easy

   The Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove delta lying in West Bengal, is formed mainly by which river system?

   • AGanga-Brahmaputra
   • BGodavari-Krishna
   • CNarmada-Tapi
   • DMahanadi-Subarnarekha
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   Correct answer: (A) Ganga-Brahmaputra

   The Sundarbans delta is built by the combined sediments of the Ganga and Brahmaputra (with the Meghna) as they empty into the Bay of Bengal.

3. Q3easy

   Which soil type is the most widespread across the Northern Plains of India and is the most important for the country's agriculture?

   • AAlluvial soil
   • BBlack (regur) soil
   • CRed soil
   • DLaterite soil
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   Correct answer: (A) Alluvial soil

   Alluvial soil, deposited by rivers, covers most of the Northern Plains and is the most fertile and agriculturally productive soil in India.

4. Q4easy

   Which of the following is a Peninsular river that does NOT originate in the Himalayas?

   • AGodavari
   • BGanga
   • CYamuna
   • DBrahmaputra
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   Correct answer: (A) Godavari

   The Godavari rises in the Western Ghats at Trimbak (Maharashtra) and is a Peninsular river, whereas the Ganga, Yamuna and Brahmaputra are Himalayan rivers.

5. Q5medium

   The black soil (regur) of the Deccan Trap region is especially well suited for the cultivation of which crop?

   • ACotton
   • BTea
   • CRice
   • DWheat
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   Correct answer: (A) Cotton

   Black soil retains moisture well and is rich in lime and iron, making it ideal for cotton, which is why it is also called 'black cotton soil'.

6. Q6medium

   The violent pre-monsoon evening thunderstorms that strike West Bengal in April and May are locally known as?

   • AKalbaisakhi (Nor'westers)
   • BLoo
   • CMango showers
   • DCherry blossom showers
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   Correct answer: (A) Kalbaisakhi (Nor'westers)

   These north-westerly pre-monsoon squalls, called Kalbaisakhi or Nor'westers, bring heavy rain and gusty winds to West Bengal and Assam before the summer monsoon.

7. Q7medium

   The Raniganj field in West Bengal, one of India's oldest, is associated with the mining of which mineral?

   • ACoal
   • BBauxite
   • CManganese
   • DMica
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   Correct answer: (A) Coal

   Raniganj in West Bengal is one of India's oldest and largest coalfields, lying in the Damodar valley coal belt.

8. Q8medium

   The Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats meet at which group of hills in southern India?

   • ANilgiri Hills
   • BAnaimalai Hills
   • CCardamom Hills
   • DPalani Hills
   Show answer & solution

   Correct answer: (A) Nilgiri Hills

   The Nilgiri Hills mark the junction of the Western and Eastern Ghats; the Anaimalai, Cardamom and Palani hills are all parts of the Western Ghats further south.

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