How to Use This Practice Set
35 minutes for 50 questions. Map-based questions are common in Group 1 — visualise rivers, mountain ranges and physiographic regions as you answer.
Set 1 — Indian Physical Geography (15 Questions)
1. The Himalayan mountain ranges are classified as three parallel zones from north to south. Which is the CORRECT order?
- a) Greater Himalayas → Siwaliks → Lesser Himalayas
- b) Greater Himalayas → Lesser Himalayas → Trans-Himalayas
- c) Trans-Himalayas → Greater Himalayas → Lesser Himalayas → Siwaliks ✓
- d) Siwaliks → Lesser Himalayas → Greater Himalayas
2. The Deccan Plateau is: 1. A tableland bounded by Western Ghats on the west and Eastern Ghats on the east 2. Mostly volcanic in origin (Deccan Traps basalt) 3. Higher in the west and slopes towards the east — so most rivers flow eastward
All statements are:
- a) Only 1 and 3
- b) All three correct ✓
- c) Only 1 and 2
- d) Only 2 and 3
3. The Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats meet at:
- a) Palghat Gap
- b) Nilgiri Hills ✓
- c) Anaimalai Hills
- d) Cardamom Hills
4. Which of the following rivers flows WESTWARD (into the Arabian Sea)?
- a) Mahanadi
- b) Godavari
- c) Narmada ✓
- d) Krishna
Narmada and Tapi (Tapti) are the two major rivers that flow westward through rift valleys into the Arabian Sea. Most peninsular rivers flow eastward into the Bay of Bengal.
5. The Chilika Lake, Asia's largest brackish water lagoon, is in which state?
- a) West Bengal
- b) Andhra Pradesh
- c) Odisha ✓
- d) Kerala
6. The "Terai" region in India refers to:
- a) The high-altitude cold desert in Ladakh
- b) The mangrove forests of the Sundarbans
- c) The marshy, forested lowland at the foot of the Himalayas ✓
- d) The coastal plain of Western India
7. The Indo-Gangetic Plain is characterised by: 1. Bhangar — older, elevated alluvial soil 2. Khadar — newer alluvial deposited by annual floods 3. Terai — swampy forest belt at the Himalayan foothills
All three are correct:
- a) Only 1 and 2
- b) All three correct ✓
- c) Only 2 and 3
- d) Only 1 and 3
8. Which of the following is NOT a tributary of the Ganga?
- a) Yamuna
- b) Gomti
- c) Gandak
- d) Mahanadi ✓
Mahanadi is an independent river flowing through Chhattisgarh and Odisha into the Bay of Bengal. Yamuna, Gomti, Gandak all join the Ganga.
9. The Southwest Monsoon hits the Indian coast in which order?
- a) Tamil Nadu → Kerala → Gujarat
- b) Kerala (June 1) → Rest of peninsular India → Northwest India (July) ✓
- c) Gujarat → Kerala → Tamil Nadu
- d) Kolkata → Mumbai → Delhi
10. Tamil Nadu receives most of its rainfall during which monsoon?
- a) Southwest Monsoon (June–September)
- b) Northeast Monsoon (October–December) ✓
- c) Western disturbances (January–February)
- d) Both equally
TN is unique — it receives most rainfall from Northeast Monsoon (retreating monsoon) as the Bay of Bengal picks up moisture. The SW monsoon is blocked by Eastern Ghats.
11. The "Black Cotton Soil" (Regur) is formed from:
- a) Alluvial deposits of rivers
- b) Weathering of Deccan Trap volcanic basalt rock ✓
- c) Red laterite parent rock
- d) Desert sand and clay mixture
12. The Brahmaputra River enters India through which state?
- a) Meghalaya
- b) Manipur
- c) Arunachal Pradesh ✓
- d) Assam
Brahmaputra originates in Tibet (Tsangpo), enters India through Arunachal Pradesh (Dihang gorge), flows through Assam, enters Bangladesh (Jamuna).
13. Palk Strait separates India from:
- a) Maldives
- b) Myanmar
- c) Sri Lanka ✓
- d) Indonesia
Palk Strait (between India's mainland and Sri Lanka) is shallow. Gulf of Mannar is to the south. Adam's Bridge (Ram Setu) = chain of limestone shoals.
14. Which of the following is correctly matched — Indian Pass and State?
- a) Shipki La — Sikkim
- b) Rohtang Pass — Uttarakhand
- c) Zoji La — Jammu & Kashmir (Ladakh) ✓
- d) Nathu La — Himachal Pradesh
Shipki La = Himachal Pradesh; Rohtang = Himachal Pradesh; Zoji La = connects Srinagar to Leh (J&K/Ladakh); Nathu La = Sikkim.
15. India's longest coastline state is:
- a) Tamil Nadu
- b) Andhra Pradesh
- c) Gujarat ✓
- d) Maharashtra
Gujarat = 1,600 km. Andhra Pradesh = ~972 km. Tamil Nadu = 1,076 km (2nd longest after Gujarat according to some surveys). Note: figures vary by source.
Set 2 — Tamil Nadu Geography (15 Questions)
16. The highest peak in Tamil Nadu is:
- a) Anaimudi (2,695 m) — in TN
- b) Kodaikanal (2,133 m)
- c) Doddabetta (2,637 m) in Nilgiris ✓
- d) Mukurthi (2,554 m)
Doddabetta = highest peak in Nilgiris and in Tamil Nadu (2,637 m). Anaimudi (2,695 m) is in Kerala (highest in South India). Mukurthi is also in TN (2,554 m).
17. The Kaveri (Cauvery) River originates from:
- a) Amarakantak, Madhya Pradesh
- b) Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu
- c) Talakaveri, Brahmagiri Hills, Karnataka (Kodagu district) ✓
- d) Anamalai Hills in Kerala
18. The Mullai Periyar Dam dispute is between Tamil Nadu and:
- a) Andhra Pradesh
- b) Karnataka
- c) Kerala ✓
- d) Telangana
Tamil Nadu operates the Mullai Periyar Dam on the Periyar River (in Kerala). Water sharing and dam safety are disputed. Currently at 142 feet storage level.
19. The Buckingham Canal in Tamil Nadu runs:
- a) From Chennai to Kanyakumari along the western coast
- b) Parallel to the eastern coast from Chennai to Kakinada (Andhra Pradesh) ✓
- c) From Chennai to Pondicherry only
- d) Connecting Cauvery and Palar rivers
20. Tamil Nadu's "Kaveri Delta" districts are known for:
- a) Tea and coffee cultivation
- b) Paddy cultivation — "Granary of Tamil Nadu" ✓
- c) Cotton and sugarcane
- d) Banana and turmeric
Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam — the Cauvery delta districts — are the major rice-growing belt. Thanjavur is called the "Rice Bowl of Tamil Nadu."
21. The Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve is the:
- a) Smallest biosphere reserve in India
- b) Largest biosphere reserve in India (5,520 sq km) ✓
- c) First biosphere reserve designated by UNESCO in India
- d) Only marine biosphere reserve in India
22. Pulicat Lake (Pulicat), a lagoon with flamingo habitat, is located:
- a) Entirely in Tamil Nadu
- b) Shared between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh ✓
- c) Entirely in Andhra Pradesh
- d) In Pondicherry
23. Tamil Nadu's major iron ore deposits are in:
- a) Salem
- b) Coimbatore
- c) Salem and Tiruvannamalai (Krishnagiri) ✓
- d) Thanjavur
24. The Vaigai River flows through which major city before joining the Palk Strait?
- a) Salem
- b) Tiruchirapalli
- c) Madurai ✓
- d) Coimbatore
25. Which of the following is NOT a district of Tamil Nadu?
- a) Tenkasi
- b) Mayiladuthurai
- c) Prakasam ✓
- d) Ranipet
Prakasam is a district in Andhra Pradesh. Tenkasi, Mayiladuthurai, Ranipet are all TN districts (created in 2020–21, bringing TN to 38 districts).
26. The Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, India's first marine national park, is located near:
- a) Chennai
- b) Rameswaram
- c) Mandapam, near Rameswaram, Ramanathapuram district ✓
- d) Tuticorin (Thoothukudi)
27. Tamil Nadu's sea coast length is approximately:
- a) 906 km
- b) 1,076 km ✓
- c) 1,200 km
- d) 840 km
28. The river Bhavani, a major tributary of Cauvery in Tamil Nadu, joins the Cauvery near:
- a) Mettur
- b) Bhavani (Bhavani Sangamam) ✓
- c) Karur
- d) Trichy
29. Kodaikanal (Hill Station) is located in which hill range?
- a) Nilgiris
- b) Anaimalai
- c) Palani Hills ✓
- d) Javadu Hills
30. The Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project, if completed, would connect:
- a) Arabian Sea to Indian Ocean
- b) Chennai Port to Tuticorin Port
- c) Palk Bay to Gulf of Mannar, creating a shipping route that bypasses Sri Lanka ✓
- d) Lakshadweep Sea to Bay of Bengal
Set 3 — World Geography & Environment (20 Questions)
31. The Amazon River basin (Amazon Rainforest) is located in:
- a) Africa
- b) South America (primarily Brazil) ✓
- c) Southeast Asia
- d) Central America
32. The "Roaring Forties" refers to:
- a) Temperature range in the Sahara Desert
- b) Strong westerly winds between latitudes 40°–50° South ✓
- c) Monsoon winds in the Indian Ocean
- d) Hurricane zone in the Caribbean
33. El Niño causes which effect on Indian monsoon?
- a) Stronger-than-normal monsoon (excess rainfall)
- b) No significant impact
- c) Weaker monsoon → drought conditions in India ✓
- d) Delayed monsoon onset but normal rainfall
34. The Suez Canal connects:
- a) Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean
- b) Red Sea and Arabian Sea
- c) Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea ✓
- d) Black Sea and Caspian Sea
35. Which of the following countries does NOT share a land border with India?
- a) Bhutan
- b) Myanmar
- c) Sri Lanka ✓
- d) Bangladesh
Sri Lanka is separated from India by the Palk Strait and Gulf of Mannar — no land border.
36. India's Census 2011 recorded the population density as approximately:
- a) 325 persons/sq km
- b) 382 persons/sq km ✓
- c) 407 persons/sq km
- d) 289 persons/sq km
37. According to Census 2011, Tamil Nadu's sex ratio (females per 1,000 males) is:
- a) 945
- b) 965
- c) 996 ✓
- d) 1,028
TN sex ratio = 996 (above national average of 940). Kerala = 1,084 (highest). Haryana = 879 (lowest).
38. The Paris Agreement (2015) on Climate Change entered into force on:
- a) December 12, 2015 (COP21 adoption)
- b) January 1, 2016
- c) November 4, 2016 ✓
- d) April 22, 2016 (Earth Day signing)
39. India's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under Paris Agreement commits to Net Zero emissions by:
- a) 2030
- b) 2047
- c) 2070 ✓
- d) 2050
India committed to Net Zero by 2070 (announced at COP26, Glasgow, 2021). Also: 50% electricity from non-fossil sources by 2030; reduce GDP emission intensity by 45% by 2030.
40. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) is a joint body of:
- a) UN Environment Programme only
- b) UN General Assembly
- c) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) + UN Environment Programme (UNEP) ✓
- d) UNESCO and WHO
41. Project Tiger (1973) was launched when how many tigers remained in India?
- a) About 100
- b) About 1,827 (1972 census) ✓
- c) About 500
- d) About 3,000
1972 census showed 1,827 tigers → alarmed the government → Project Tiger launched 1973 with Jim Corbett NP as first reserve. Current count: 3,167 (2022 census).
42. The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) is enforced through:
- a) UN General Assembly resolutions
- b) National wildlife protection laws of signatory countries ✓
- c) International Criminal Court
- d) World Trade Organization
43. India has how many Ramsar Wetland Sites (as of 2024)?
- a) 54
- b) 64
- c) 80 ✓
- d) 72
India has 80 Ramsar sites (as of 2024) — most in the world. Tamil Nadu has 7 Ramsar sites including Pallikaranai marsh, Pichavaram, Point Calimere.
44. The National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC) of India has how many national missions?
- a) 6
- b) 8 ✓
- c) 10
- d) 12
8 missions: National Solar Mission, Enhanced Energy Efficiency, Sustainable Habitat, Water, Sustaining Himalayan Ecosystem, Green India, Sustainable Agriculture, Strategic Knowledge for Climate Change.
45. Which of the following is a "Biodiversity Hotspot" that covers Tamil Nadu?
- a) Indo-Burma Hotspot
- b) Sundaland Hotspot
- c) Western Ghats and Sri Lanka Hotspot ✓
- d) Himalaya Hotspot
46. The "Ozone Layer" in the atmosphere is found in which layer?
- a) Troposphere (0–12 km)
- b) Stratosphere (15–40 km) ✓
- c) Mesosphere (50–85 km)
- d) Thermosphere (85–600 km)
47. The Montreal Protocol (1987) aims to protect the ozone layer by phasing out:
- a) Carbon dioxide emissions
- b) Methane from agriculture
- c) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ozone-depleting substances ✓
- d) Nitrogen oxides from factories
48. The "Ecological Footprint" measures:
- a) Amount of carbon emitted by a country
- b) Area of productive land and sea required to support a population's consumption and waste ✓
- c) Total land degraded by human activity
- d) Biodiversity loss in a region
49. India's first "Dark Sky Reserve" was designated at:
- a) Hanle, Ladakh
- b) Hanle, Ladakh ✓
- c) Kodaikanal, Tamil Nadu
- d) Coorg, Karnataka
India's first dark sky reserve (for astronomical observation without light pollution) designated at Hanle in Ladakh (2022).
50. The Great Indian Bustard (Ardeotis nigriceps), a critically endangered bird, is found mainly in:
- a) Assam wetlands
- b) Sundarbans mangroves
- c) Grasslands of Rajasthan and Gujarat ✓
- d) Nilgiri shola forests
Board Exam Tips — Geography & Environment
- TN Monsoon = Northeast (not Southwest) — TN is on the leeward side of SW monsoon
- Tamil Nadu coastline = 1,076 km (2nd after Gujarat); TN highest peak = Doddabetta (2,637 m)
- Narmada flows WEST (into Arabian Sea); most peninsular rivers flow EAST (Bay of Bengal)
- Brahmaputra = enters India through Arunachal Pradesh (not Assam)
- Ramsar sites in India = 80; TN Ramsar sites = 7 (Pallikaranai, Pichavaram, Point Calimere, etc.)
- El Niño = weaker Indian monsoon; La Niña = stronger monsoon
- India NDC: Net Zero 2070; COP26 Glasgow (2021)
- Project Tiger 1973 = first reserve Jim Corbett NP; current tiger count 3,167 (2022)
- Western Ghats + Sri Lanka = biodiversity hotspot; covers TN Western Ghats
- Census 2011: India density = 382/sq km; TN sex ratio = 996; Kerala sex ratio = 1,084