Geography is one of the popular subjects in the UPSC main examination. It is widely chosen by many aspirants since the syllabus less when compared to other syllabuses. Candidates can score good marks in the subject if they had prepared well.
Why many aspirants choose Geography?
The geography and environment are closed related subjects. Both the subjects covers around 30-40 per cent of objective type questions in General Studies paper-I at preliminary level. Besides, geography covers 50 per cent of geography part of GS paper-II and around 25 percent environment and disaster management section of GS paper IV at mains examination.
Many experts feel that the knowledge of geography is slowly and steady increased the students ability to answer questions related to paper IV of Economic Development which includes food security, crop pattern and infrastructure.
PAPER – I
Principles of Geography Physical Geography:
1.Geomorphology: Factors controlling landform development; endogenetic and exogenetic forces; Origin and evolution of the earth’s crust; Fundamentals of geomagnetism; Physical conditions of the earth’s interior; Geosynclines; Continental drift; Isostasy; Plate tectonics; Recent views on mountain building; Vulcanicity; Earthquakes and Tsunamis; Concepts of geomorphic cycles and Landscape development ; Denudation chronology; Channel morphology; Erosion surfaces; Slope development ; Applied Geomorphology : Geohydrology, economic geology and environment.
2.Climatology: Temperature and pressure belts of the world; Heat budget of the earth; Atmospheric circulation; atmospheric stability and instability. Planetary and local winds; Monsoons and jet streams; Air masses and fronto genesis, Temperate and tropical cyclones; Types and distribution of precipitation; Weather and Climate; Koppen’s, Thornthwaite’s and Trewartha’s classification of world climates; Hydrological cycle; Global climatic change and role and response of man in climatic changes, Applied climatology and Urban climate.
3.Oceanography: Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans; Temperature and salinity of the oceans; Heat and salt budgets, Ocean deposits; Waves, currents and tides; Marine resources: biotic, mineral and energy resources; Coral reefs, coral bleaching; sea level changes; law of the sea and marine pollution.
4.Biogeography: Genesis of soils; Classification and distribution of soils; Soil profile; Soil erosion, Degradation and conservation; Factors influencing world distribution of plants and animals; Problems of deforestation and conservation measures; Social forestry; agro-forestry; Wild life; Major gene pool centres.
5.Environmental Geography: Principle of ecology; Human ecological adaptations; Influence of man on ecology and environment; Global and regional ecological changes and imbalances; Ecosystem their management and conservation; Environmental degradation, management and conservation; Biodiversity and sustainable development; Environmental policy; Environmental hazards and remedial measures; Environmental education and legislation.
Human Geography
1.Perspectives in Human Geography: Areal differentiation; regional synthesis; Dichotomy and dualism; Environmentalism; Quantitative revolution and locational analysis; radical, behavioural, human and welfare approaches; Languages, religions and secularization; Cultural regions of the world; Human development index.
2.Economic Geography:World economic development: measurement and problems; World resources and their distribution; Energy crisis; the limits to growth; World agriculture: typology of agricultural regions; agricultural inputs and productivity; Food and nutrition problems; Food security; famine: causes, effects and remedies; World industries:locational patterns and problems; patterns of world trade.
3.Population and Settlement Geography: Growth and distribution of world population; demographic attributes; Causes and consequences of migration; concepts of over-under-and optimum population; Population theories, world population problems and policies, Social well-being and quality of life; Population as social capital. Types and patterns of rural settlements; Environmental issues in rural settlements; Hierarchy of urban settlements; Urban morphology: Concepts of primate city and rank-size rule; Functional classification of towns; Sphere of urban influence; Rural – urban fringe; Satellite towns; Problems and remedies of urbanization; Sustainable development of cities.
4.Regional Planning:Concept of a region; Types of regions and methods of regionalisation; Growth centres and growth poles; Regional imbalances; regional development strategies; environmental issues in regional planning; Planning for sustainable development.
5.Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography: Systems analysis in Human geography; Malthusian, Marxian and demographic transition models; Central Place theories of Christaller and Losch;Perroux and Boudeville; Von Thunen’s model of agricultural location; Weber’s model of industrial location; Ostov’s model of stages of growth.
PAPER – II
Geography Of India
1.Physical Setting: Space relationship of India with neighboring countries; Structure and relief; Drainage system and watersheds; Physiographic regions; Mechanism of Indian monsoons and rainfall patterns, Tropical cyclones and western disturbances; Floods and droughts; Climatic regions; Natural vegetation; Soil types and their distributions.
2.Resources: Land, surface and ground water, energy, minerals, biotic and marine resources; Forest and wild life resources and their conservation; Energy crisis.
3.Agriculture: Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power; Institutional factors: land holdings, land tenure and land reforms; Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity, agricultural intensity, crop combination, land capability; Agro and social-forestry; Green revolution and its socio- economic and ecological implications; Significance of dry farming; Livestock resources and white revolution; aqua – culture; sericulture, apiculture and poultry; agricultural regionalisation; agro-climatic zones; agroecological regions.
4.Industry: Evolution of industries: Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilizer, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and agro-based industries; Industrial houses and complexes including public sector undertakings; Industrial regionali-sation; New industrial policies; Multinationals and liberalization; Special Economic Zones; Tourism including eco – tourism.
5.Transport, Communication and Trade: Road, railway, waterway, airway and pipeline networks and their complementary roles in regional development; Growing importance of ports on national and foreign trade; Trade balance; Trade Policy; Export processing zones; Developments in communication and information technology and their impacts on economy and society; Indian space programme.
6.Cultural Setting: Historical Perspective of Indian Society:Racial, linguistic and ethnic diversities; religious minorities; major tribes, tribal areas and their problems; cultural regions; Growth, distribution and density of population; Demographic attributes: sex-ratio, age structure, literacy rate, work-force, dependency ratio, longevity; migration (inter-regional, intra- regional and international) and associated problems; Population problems and policies; Health indicators.
7.Settlements:Types, patterns and morphology of rural settlements; Urban developments; Morphology of Indian cities; Functional classification of Indian cities; Conurbations and metropolitan regions; urban sprawl; Slums and associated problems; town planning; Problems of urbanization and remedies.
8.Contemporary Issues: Ecological issues: Environmental hazards: landslides, earthquakes, Tsunamis, floods and droughts, epidemics; Issues relating to environmental pollution; Changes in patterns of land use; Principles of environmental impact assessment and environmental management; Population explosion and food security; Environmental degradation; Deforestation, desertification and soil erosion; Problems of agrarian and industrial unrest; Regional disparities in economic development; Concept of sustainable growth and development; Environmental awareness; Linkage of rivers; Globalisation and Indian economy.
NOTE: Candidates will be required to answer one compulsory map question pertinent to subjects covered by this paper.
Strategy
GEOGRAPHY OPTIONAL STRATEGY PLAN Geography is a good optional subject from the civil services point of view. During last few years it comes out to be one of the most favorite choices of Civil Services Aspirants.
Why to choose Geography as an optional subject? (Benefits of taking Geography as optional).a
· It is highly appreciated among Science, Engineering and Medical graduates as the basics in Geography are in close proximity with the basic science.
· It is also immensely important for mains exam as it is substantially covered directly in GS Paper- 1 and also indirectly in many areas of GS Paper-3 like Land Reforms, Infrastructure, Food Processing Industries, etc.
· This subject can help you to bring exactness in your Essay paper.
· Sufficient reference material is available in the form of books by Indian and international Authors as well as other study materials.
· In PRELIMS too it will be an added advantage to you, as it covers some basic aspects of topics like Geography, Environment & Ecology and basic science.
· With proper understanding of the concepts and developing inter disciplinary approach; one can score outstanding marks in this optional subject.
Approach (MAKE ATLAS YOUR FULL TIME BEST FRIEND)
The most important approach of studying geography is through Maps. You will study weather, rainfall, soils, vegetation, agriculture etc. in Geography. Make sure you study and understand these concepts through maps. Try to overlap them and understand how they are all interrelated. Put up huge maps in your room and whatever you study, mark them on it. This approach will help you understand geography in a much better way.
Initiating your journey with Geography
Start preparation 7-8 months before the prelims. Make a strategy to complete the syllabus topic wise. The basic concepts of each topic should be clearly understood so that one can write in his own language in the examination. Try to incorporate figures, diagrams and maps in your answers. Geography is the subject where one can make answers crisp and attractive by adding figures. Between two questions of choice in exam, attempt the question in which chances of drawing figure are more. The most important fact which one should keep in mind is time management. Each aspirant feels difficulty in attempting all questions in Geography. The best way to tackle it is Consistent Writing Practice.
How to read Geography?
[Begin your preparation with NCERT Geography books, Goh Cheng Leong (Certificate Physical and Human Geography) and then move on to more advanced sources]. Once a basic idea of the subject has been obtained, the reading of the subject should be done as follows:
· Paper 1 Part A: This is the most time-consuming portion. It is also the portion from which the examiners are exploring new areas. Thus this portion has to be read in detail.
· For this part, reading a little extra than what is required (i.e. going beyond past year questions) would help in answering new questions emerging from this portion. “Rupa Made Simple Series- Physical Geography” is a book that gives a little information about a wide range of concepts. It can be extremely helpful in getting a little idea about everything in physical geography thus helping answer the questions from new areas.
· Before a chapter is started, one must look at past years questions on that chapter. Identify the questions that are asked for each sub point under a chapter and prepare that sub topic in the manner to be able to answer those questions.
· Paper 2 is totally based on Geography of India and the questions are generally open ended. Hardly any questions would be direct. There is no single material which can be referred to as source. Since they are application oriented, understanding of concepts is most important. Reading extensively will help for this paper. Everybody will know the answer to these questions, but do keep in mind that to answer particularly for geography, drawing maps, diagrams and referring to specific locations is important. Magazines like Geography and You, Yojana and Kurukshetra may help. That will differentiate between a normal answer and a Geography answer.
Book List and Suggested Readings
Paper 1
· Physical Geography by Savindra Singh.
· Climatology by D. S. Lal.
· Oceanography by Vatal and Sharma.
· Economic Geography by K. Siddhartha.
· Rupa Made Simple Series – Economic and Social Geography.
· Rupa Made Simple Series – Physical Geography.
· Human Geography by Majid Husain.
· Human and Economic Geography by Leong and Morgan.
· Models and Theories in Geography by K. Siddhartha.
Paper 2
· Geography of India by Majid Husain.
· India: A Comprehensive Geography by Khullar. GET SET GO!!! (Final Tips)
· Cover the whole syllabus properly
· Don’t go for number of books
· Use limited number of books and read it again and again
· Stuck to one proper source
· Practice answer writing
· Maps should be done properly (It helps in Mains as well as prelims exam).