World Physical Geography — UPSC Questions
Salient features of world's physical geography.
Previous year questions and Mains practice questions on this exact syllabus topic, collected from every GainingSun analysis mapped to it. Each question links back to the analysis it came from, so you can read the material behind the answer.
Previous year questions (from 4 analyses)
Questions UPSC has set on this syllabus topic, as cited in our analyses.
Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree? (UPSC Mains GS1, 2014)
From El Niño 2026–27 Explained: WMO Warning, RONI and Risks for India
How far do you agree that the behavior of the Indian monsoon has been changing due to humanizing landscapes? Discuss. (UPSC Mains GS1, 2015)
From El Niño and Weak Monsoon Explained: Why Maharashtra Rainfall Has Stalled and What It Means for India
(UPSC CSE Prelims 2017) With reference to 'Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)' sometimes mentioned in the news while forecasting the Indian monsoon, which of the following statements is/are correct? The IOD phenomenon is characterised by a difference in sea surface temperature between the tropical Western Indian Ocean and the tropical Eastern Pacific Ocean. An IOD phenomenon can influence an El Niño's impact on the monsoon. Select the correct answer using the code given below: (a) 1 only (b) 2 only (c) Both 1 and 2 (d) Neither 1 nor 2 Answer: (b) 2 only
(UPSC CSE Mains 2014, GS Paper 1) Most of the unusual climatic happenings are explained as an outcome of the El-Nino effect. Do you agree?
From El Niño Emerges in Pacific: How ENSO, IOD and IMD's 2026 Forecast Shape India's Monsoon
Border management is a complex task due to difficult terrain and hostile relations with some countries. Elucidate the challenges and strategies for effective border management. (UPSC Mains GS3, 2016)
India has a long and troubled border with China and Pakistan fraught with contentious issues. Examine the conflicting issues and security challenges along the border. Also give out the development being undertaken in these areas under the Border Area Development Programme (BADP) and Border Infrastructure and Management (BIM) Scheme. (UPSC Mains GS3, 2024)
From Zojila Tunnel Breakthrough: All-Weather Kashmir–Ladakh Link & Strategic Significance
Mains practice questions (from 8 analyses)
Practice questions written for this topic, each tied to the current affairs that would answer it.
Explain how ENSO influences India’s monsoons. Why should an exceptionally strong El Niño warning lead to region-specific preparedness rather than a uniform prediction of drought? (250 words)
From El Niño 2026–27 Explained: WMO Warning, RONI and Risks for India
El Niño-induced monsoon variability can affect India’s agriculture, food inflation and water security. Discuss the institutional and policy measures needed to make India’s monsoon-dependent economy more climate-resilient.
From El Niño and Weak Monsoon Explained: Why Maharashtra Rainfall Has Stalled and What It Means for India
Explain the mechanism by which El Niño suppresses the Indian southwest monsoon, and assess why the Indian Ocean Dipole means an El Niño does not always translate into a drought year for India. (250 words, 15 marks)
From El Niño Emerges in Pacific: How ENSO, IOD and IMD's 2026 Forecast Shape India's Monsoon
All-weather road tunnels in the Himalayas such as the Zojila Tunnel are as much instruments of national security as of regional development. In this context, examine the strategic and developmental significance of border-area infrastructure for India. (250 words, 15 marks)
From Zojila Tunnel Breakthrough: All-Weather Kashmir–Ladakh Link & Strategic Significance
The recent disruption at the Strait of Hormuz has exposed the vulnerability of energy supply chains that depend on maritime chokepoints. Examine India's dependence on the Strait of Hormuz for its energy imports and discuss the measures needed to strengthen India's energy security. (15 marks, 250 words)
From Strait of Hormuz 'Dark Fleet' Explained: AIS, Energy Tankers and India's Oil Security
"A weak monsoon no longer automatically translates into an economic crisis for India, yet rainfall variability remains a critical risk." In light of the IMD's 2026 below-normal monsoon forecast, examine the factors that have improved India's resilience to monsoon shocks and suggest measures to further reduce agricultural vulnerability to climate variability. (250 words / 15 marks)
From IMD Cuts 2026 Monsoon to 90% of LPA: El Niño, IOD & "Below Normal" Rainfall Explained
"Peace and tranquillity in the border areas is the essential basis for the normalisation of India-China relations." In the light of the 35th meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination (WMCC) held in Beijing in May 2026, critically examine the evolving institutional architecture of India-China border diplomacy. Discuss the progress made since the Galwan clashes of 2020 and the challenges that remain in moving from disengagement to a final boundary settlement. (GS Paper II – International Relations; 250 words, 15 marks)
"El Niño is not destiny, but a probability." In the context of the developing 2026 El Niño and IMD's below-normal Southwest Monsoon forecast, examine the ocean-atmosphere mechanisms linking ENSO with the Indian monsoon. Discuss the role of the Indian Ocean Dipole and other moderating factors, and evaluate India's preparedness — institutional, agricultural, and economic — for a weak monsoon year. (250 words / 15 marks)