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[Yearbook] India 2014: How to start? Geography preparation plan, sample MCQs
CSAT


1. Prologue
1. Rule#1: DONOT read in linear
sequence
2. Rule#2: Organizations imp. BUT
evolution is NOT
3. Rule#3: Location not important
for Misc. organization
4. Rule#4: Ignore Bolbachhan
5. Rule#5: Schemes/funds/projects what to read, what to skip?
6. Rule#6: Policies: Must maintain separate notes
2. Chapter 1: Land and People
1. Ch1: Mock MCQ Questions
3. Chapter 30: States and UT
1. Ch30: Mock MCQ Questions
Prologue
Last Month, Ministry of information & broadcasting published the book India 2014 (in
English) || Bharat 2014 (in Hindi)
Theyre Commonly known as India Yearbook among the toppers, senior players and coaching
classes for UPSC.
In this [Yearbook] article series, well see how to utilize this book effectively for preparation of UPSC
civil service exam.
Rule#1: DONOT read in linear sequence
India Yearbook has total 32 chapters + appendix. Donot read them in linear fashion (1,2,3,4,5)
instead go topic wise.

days
40

hrs
11

mi ns
37
8

sec.
59
What's New? ?
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CLICK TO ENLARGE THIS PHOTO
Area/subject/topic first finish
then read
IYB
chapter
finally,
newspaper/magz+
Geography
EnB
Sci.Tech
NCERT & NIOS
1, 4, 12,
25, 27, 30
12
th
FYP
Economy NCERT
8, 11, 17,
19, 26
12
th
FYP, budget,
economic survey
polity:
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1. Polity
2. rights issue,
3. development
Laxmikanth:English /Hindi
2, 3,
20
10,
15,
16,
21,
23,
24,
28
12
th
FYP
defense, IR
For international relation
basics: IGNOU
moduleMPSE-001
9, 18
Misc.GK nothing
5, 22, 29,
31, 32, 33

Some of the chapters will overlap in multiple topics. For example:


1. Ch1: Census data during education, welfare etc. chapters
2. Ch4 Agro: during finance/insurance, food-civil supply, welfare.
3. Ch9 Defence: some Misc. GK, some IR/bilateral, some Sci-tech research.
4. Ch11 Energy: Part of it with EnB (renewable) and part with infrastructure (thermal)
5. Ch23: Planning chapter will overlap in other areas e.g. EnB: environment forest; Economy-
infrastructure; welfare, education and so on.
6. Ch30: state UT will also overlap- in agro, forest, water, energy, culture/tourism etc.
Anyways, well see them in detail- where and how they overlap. But point being, that if you read the
book topicwise, youll become less vulnerable to trap MCQs, you can write more comprehensive
answers and essay/mains.
Moving to the next rule:
Rule#2: Organizations imp. BUT evolution is NOT
Often the IYB will tell you evolutionary story about a ministry/department/organization. For example:
__ department was setup in ___ year under ___ ministry. In the ___ year, department was shifted
to _____ ministry. In the year ___, the ministry was renamed into ____, blah blah blah.
This type of GK/chronology/Evolution was important under Public Administration optional
subject in preliminary exams (i.e. before 2011).
But in 2011, UPSC introduced CSAT system (no more optional subjects in prelims). = such
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details are useless.
and even for Public Administration optional subject in Mains exam- such evolution details are
no longer asked/useful.
Therefore, dont bother with such details. Whenever you read any organization, only focus on three
things:
1. Nature: Constitutional/statutory/executive/attached office/society/PSU/SPV/autonomous
body/anything else?
2. Boss: Who is the boss? Under which ministry does it fall?
3. Function:
1. Whatre the functions/schemes/policies associated?
2. in Sci-tech related organizations youll find fancy terms/inventions associated. you need to
dig their feature/benefit from google- for the GS3 paper.
While youre reading IYB, try to maintain an excel spreadsheet, mindmap, or handwritten micronote
about ^this. (and continue updating it from newspapers, Pib.nic.in and yojana/kurukshetra
magazine.)
Rule#3: Location not important for Misc. organization
Do not waste time in memorizing the locations of relatively unknown organizations. for example
1. Harishchandra research institute, Allahbad
2. Institute of mathematical science , Chennai
3. Institute of physics, Bhuwaneshwar.
Match the following (Chillar) institute vs location= this type MCQs were asked in late 90s-early
2000s era. But since last three years, UPSC has stopped harassing aspirants with such trivial GK.
Besides, even if 1-2 MCQs are asked from this area, the cost:benefit is terrible (in terms of the
amount of effort required to mugup & recall the list in the exam).
Youre better off investing that much time in the Core areas of CSAT- polity, geography,
science, EnB, economy and aptitude.
Rule#4: Ignore Bolbachhan
While describing schemes/policy/functions, the IYB-writers give a lot of bolbachhan (Filler
information.) Observe:
1. Under ____ scheme, the ministry has initiated new and improved processes, improved
functionality and efficient cost effective services, network integration, human resources
development
2. The Department of ____ also has a specialized center to analyze metals, alloys, organic and
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organometallic compounds, inorganic compounds, rocks and minerals.
3. The national institute of ___ provides an integrated M.Sc.+Ph.D course in biology, chemistry,
math and physics.
4. During the year ___ , Doordarshans DTH platform was upgraded from 50 to 59 SDTV
channels and 65000 set top boxes with an Expenditure of Rs.____ crore.
Such details are useless for prelim-MCQs. such details wont even fetch any marks in descriptive
question under Mains /Essay.
In short, dates-numbers-fancy things are almost always useless. Even if one or two things help
directly/indirectly in the exam- the cost benefit is still terrible. Therefore, always focus on facts-
features relevant to the exam. Ask youself can this be asked as MCQs? can I quote this while
writing a descriptive answer? if answer is NO, then dont bother reading such data.
If youre totally new to this game, DO go through at least last three years prelims and mains papers
of UPSC. thatll give you a basic idea of what is important and what is useless from exam point of
view.
Rule#5: Schemes/funds/projects what to read, what to skip?
In the schemes related paragraphs- there is lot of bolbachchan. Example
1. During the 11
th
Five year plan, Rs._____ crore were spent. Out of this, ____ number of
beneficiaries were given ____ Cores. Under the 12
th
five year plan, the allotment has been
raised by __%.
2. Then a big table is given, showing the allocations made to each state/UT etc.
Nearly 70% of scheme related paragraphs are full of such junk. Ignore it. And extract ONLY following
five things:
1. When did the scheme start?
Absolute year is not important but you need it for Chronological type MCQ Which came first? or
what is the correct chronological order in following?
Q1. Project Tiger/elephant/crocodile?
Q2. Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan / right to education / mid-day meal?
Because ^this type of MCQs are still asked.
2. Who is the boss? [i.e. which ministry/department looks after?]
3. Where does the money come?
1. Does Union government provide 100% funding, or do the states need to contribute
something as well? 10%/20%/25% etc?]
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2. In some cases, even Private sector gives money e.g. India Inclusive Innovation Fund 100
crore by Union and 400 by banks/FI/donors etc.]
4. What are the salient features
1. Who is eligible beneficiary?
2. What benefit does he/she get?
3. How does he get benefit? (direct cash, in kind (e.g. tractor, wheelchair), indirect benefit
via subsidy to fertilizer company and so on)
5. + any other term/condition that you find worthy of a UPSC level MCQ.
Sometimes youll not get all of this data within IYB. In that case dig pib.nic.in
Hint: in google search box, type site:pib.nic.in *name of the scheme*
Rule#6: Policies: Must maintain separate notes
Usually 90% of the policy paragraph is just bolbachhan filler junk.
We only need to dig five things:
1. Year (not absolute year, but you need to be aware of chronological order, for MCQs)
2. Boss: Which ministry / Department is responsible for this policy? (e.g. Manufacturing
policy=Department of Industrial Policy & Promotion (DIPP) under Commerce Ministry.)
3. Features: What are the salient features/targets?
4. Methods: What schemes/projects have been launched to accomplish this policy?
5. Analysis: (for mains & interview): the pros/cons/suggestions.
Often, you wont find all these details in IYB (because the author got so carried away in
writing bolbachhan, he forgot to provide the essential details.) In all such cases, dig pib.nic.in for
topic 1 to 4 and; for #5- dig Hindu, Indianexpress etc.
hint: to find a policy on pib.nic.in quickly, open google search box, and type
site:pib.nic.in *name of the policy*
Dont do Ph.D while gathering content. Try to make a revision note that summarizes every policy
(and its five area) in single side A4 page (or even less.)
Im writing this article on Mar-03-2014. Meaning less than 5 months left before prelims. Its ideal
time to gather these details right now.
After mains, youll be caught up with so many other topics of GS and Optional subjects, you
wont have sufficient time to cover hte policies.
Then youll try to take shortcut by getting some coaching note/current affairs book= useless,
because most of them are just bolbachhan copy-pasted from IYB, newspapers and
government sites. Such details will not stay in long term memory. You cannot recall the points
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in examhall = bogus quality answer.
But if you prepare a self-note in your own words-revolving around those five things, and keep
revising it regularly, then you can handle pretty much any descriptive question related to xyz policy,
you can recall the answer points quickly.
Bills/Acts/laws
Approach remains similar to policy topic:
1. year
2. boss
3. features (from prsindia.org)
4. analysis (from prsindia, other newspapers)
anyways, lets start with ch1.
Chapter 1: Land and People
DONOT read entire Chapter 1 in a single sitting. Instead, approach in following manner
Read this
section from
ch1
then directly shift towards
1. Indian
Geography
Ch. 30 States and UT
2. Flora
Fauna
Ch. 12 environment (and then to 12
th
FYP)
3. Census
Donor read census right now. Instead, come
back to refer census, when youre reading
education, health, welfare related chapters.
The first four pages the first chapter of IYB are dedicated to this topic Indian (physical) Geography.
#1 Pre-requisite: NCERT Indian Geography
If you directly read the land-people chapter. Itll be a big hathodaa (hammer) on your head. So, first
make sure youve thoroughly finished with NCERTs (for Indian Geography)
TOPIC CLASS CHAPTERS
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India Basic
6 7
9 1, 2, 4
11* 1 and 2
Rivers
9 3
10 3
11* 3
12* 6
Economic Geography
10 1,5, 6, 7
12* 7 to 12
Human Geography
9 6
12* 1to 4
*For Class 11 and 12, NCERT has three books of Geography, but In above table
Class 11 Geography means India-Physical-Environment-Geography
Class 12 Geography means India People and Economy
PS: all NCERT, NIOS PDFs are available at Mrunal.org/download
#2: DO keep a school atlas
While reading these (NCERT) chapter and IYB topics, if you keep reading only text like western
Himalayan region extends from Kashmir to Kumaon. without referring to atlas, itll never go in
your long term memory. Then, despite having read the text, you wont be able to solve the MCQs.
Assuming that youre done with #1 and #2. Welcome back. Now open the chapter 1, page 1 of
IYB14.
1. First para. Quote of Mark Twain = important as Essay title.
2. Second para. well youd know this by reading NCERTs
3. From (Page1 Para3) to (Page4 Para2): finish while simultaneously referring to Atlas. This is
mostly location /mapping type GK in a compressed form.
4. Then climate-flora-fauna thing starts. ignore it at the moment (because we do it in Environment-
biodiversity section)
Lets check a few demo MCQs
Ch1: Mock MCQ Questions
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Q1. Consider following river basins
1. Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna
2. Brahmani-Baitarani
3. Luni
4. Subarnarekha
Which of them are examples of composite river basins?
1. only 1 and 2
2. only 3 and 4
3. only 1
4. only 3
Q2. Find correct statements about drainage system in Western India
1. West coast streams are short in length, have limited catchment area.
2. Streams of Western Rajasthan are ephemeral.
3. Both A and B
4. Neither A nor B
Q3. Which of the following rivers dont drain into sea? (1) Luni (2) Macchu (3) Saraswati (4)
Ghaggar
Answer choices:
1. only 1 and 3
2. only 1, 2 and 3
3. only 1 and 4
4. 1234
Correct answers
answer/hint
IYB
Page#
Trap MCQ. Composite doesnt mean composite word
as in English grammar. Composite river basin = having
area between 2k to 20k sq.kms => correct are Luni and
Subernarekha
4
Both are correct 3
None of them drains into sea 3
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So far you finished Indias physical geography: mountains and rivers from Chapter 1.Now directly
shift to Chapter 30.
Chapter 30: States and UT
Youll have to refer this chapter back and forth many times (for culture, polity, mining, infrastructure
etc.)
APPROACH #1 APPROACH #2
You finish everything at once
e.g. picked Andhra, then
read everything about
Andhra: history, geography,
agro, irrigation, power,
industries, transport,
tourismeverything.
Only move topic wise PER state.
example
History, tourism, festivals:
Andra, Assam, Bihar
Agriculture: Andra, Assam,
Bihar
Forest wildlife: Andra,
Assam, Bihar
and so on
use this approach for:
1. first sitting.
2. state service exam (only
your state)
3. UPSC interview (all the
states where youve
been in terms of birth,
school, college and job).
use this approach for
Subsequent revisions in
second, third, fourth sittings.
UPSC prelims (because
often they ask comparative
type MCQs, match the
following: state vs tribe, state
vs festival, state vs. wildlife
sanctuary etc. so you need to
prepare in parallel manner.)
Note: in the market, many GK books deal with such data: state vs festival, tourism, river etc. those
things will work fine for SSC, Bank type exam. But they often ignore non-popular, non-clichd data
such as
1. Sualkuchi, Assam = silk;
2. Hajo, Assam= Meeting point of Buddhism ,Hinduism and Islam
But youll find these things in IYB. So, do prepare Ch30 religiously.
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Important: IYB 2014 doesnt contain information on the newly formed State of Telengana. But do dig
the similar details via google. (Power plants, tourist attraction, sanctuaries, rivers etc.)
Ch30: Mock MCQ Questions
these are only meant to test your recalling power. otherwise, UPSC MCQs will be way tougher
than this chillar stuff.
Q1. Which of the following dynasties have ruled over Andhra/Telugu region?
1. Satvahan
2. Ahom
3. Sakas
4. Ikshvakus
Answer choice
1. 123
2. 13
3. 134
4. 1234
Q2. Consider following caves: Ajanta, Elllora, Elephanta, Kanheri, Karla.
Which of them are located in Maharahstra?
1. all except Kanheri, Karla
2. all except Karla
3. all except Elephanta
4. All of them
Q3. Consider following data
State name in the ancient texts
1. Odisha
Utkal
2. W.Bengal
Gangaridai
3. Assam
Kamrupa
Which of them are correctly matched?
1. only 1 and 3
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2. only 2 and 3
3. only 1 and 3
4. all of them
Q4. Match the following
1. Meghalaya
2. Mizoram
3. Nagaland
4. Assam
1. Nongkrem Dance
2. Cheraw Dance
3. Hornbill festival
4. Bhaona
Correct match
code I II III IV
a 4 3 2 1
b 2 1 4 3
c 3 2 1 4
d 1 2 3 4
Q5. which of the following is correct about Vijayanagar Kings?
1. They had helped Goas king to fight against Alfonso de Albuquerque.
2. Their empire crumbled after the humiliating defeat in the battle of Talikota.
3. Both A and B
4. Neither A nor B
Q6. Consider following rivers: Rabi, Chenab, Beas, Sutluj, Yamuna. Which of them pass through
Himachal pradesh?
1. All except Beas
2. All except Yamuna
3. All except Chenab
4. All of them
Q7. Consider following fruits: Apples, pear, peach, guava, and litchi. Which of them are temperate
fruits?
1. all except guava and litchi
2. all except pear and peach
3. all except pear and litchi
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4. all of them
Q8. Consider following statements about Lakshadweep
1. its capital is Minicoy
2. its coconuts have highest oil content in the world
3. its per capita fish availability is highest in India
4. its administrator is called Lt.governor
Incorrect statements are
1. only 2 and 4
2. only 3 and 4
3. only 1
4. only 1 and 4
Q9. Consider following
1. Harvalem falls
Goa
2. Elephant falls
Meghalaya
3. Vantawng Falls
Mizoram
Which of them are correctly matched?
1. only 1 and 3
2. only 2 and 3
3. only 1 and 3
4. all of them
Q10. Match the following
1. Sikkim
2. Tripura
3. Himachal
4. Uttarakhand
1. Garhwali
2. Pahari
3. Kokborak
4. Lepcha
Correct match
code I II III IV
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a 3 4 1 2
b 4 3 1 2
c 3 4 2 1
d 4 3 2 1
Q11. Consider following
1. Wollastonite
Rajasthan
2. pyrophyllite
UP
3. chyrsolite asbestos
Andra
Which of them are correctly matched?
1. only 1 and 3
2. only 2 and 3
3. only 1 and 3
4. all of them
Q12. Consider following statements about the tribes of Andaman Nicobar?
1. Negrito tribes live in Andaman group of islands
2. Mongoloid tribes live in Nicobar group of islands
3. The Shompen are an example of Negrito tribes.
Which of them are correct?
1. only 1 and 3
2. only 2 and 3
3. only 1 and 2
4. only 1 and 3
Q13. Which of the following statements are correct about Onge, Jarawa and Sentinalese tribes?
1. all of them live in Andaman group of Islands
2. all of them are Negrito tribes
3. Both A and B
4. Neither A nor B
Q14. Correct statements about Diu-Daman vs Dadra-Nagar Haveli?
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1. Majority population of population in Diu-Daman is tribal
2. Majority of area in Dadra and Nagar Haveli is under forest cover.
3. Both UT are administrated by the same chief commissioner.
Answer choice
1. only 1 and 2
2. only 1
3. only 2
4. all of them
Chapter 30: Correct Answers
1. C. Ahom = Assam. remaining are correct
2. D. all of them.
3. D. all of them
4. D. 1234 all given in correct sequence in the table itself.
5. B.only second statement correct
6. D. all of them pass through HP
7. A. Guava, litchi = subtropical fruits (hint: read Kashmir section of Ch30)
8. D. incorrect statement=only 1 and 4. Capital Kavaratti and Administrator is called administrator.
9. D. all falls are correctly matched
10. D. 4321
11. D all match
12. C. because Shompen are Mongoloid.
13. C. both right
14. B. only first statement right Diu Daman majority tribal

So far youre done with


1. chapter 1 (minus flora, fauna and census)
2. chapter 30
Next article, we see how to handle Ch.7 Environment (+12
th
Five year plan). Click me
visit Mrunal.org/yearbook For more on Yearbook related topics/articles.

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