Geography 2022 Paper II 50 marks 30 words Compulsory Explain

Q1

On the outline map of India provided to you, mark the location of all of the following. Write in your QCA Booklet the significance of these locations, whether physical / commercial / economic / ecological / environmental / cultural, in no more than 30 words for each entry : 2×10=20 (i) Tarangambadi (ii) Mahe (iii) Bomdila (iv) Dhola Sadiya Bridge (v) Talakaveri (vi) Satkosia (vii) Dholavira (viii) Sonamarg (ix) Maliku Atoll (x) Gangasagar (b) Why has extreme particulate pollution remained a festering issue in Delhi NCR region ? 10 (c) How do physiography and climate of India explain the biological diversity of the country ? 10 (d) The process of desertification leads to soil desiccation and soil loss. Explain. 10

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

आपको दिए गए भारत के रेखा मानचित्र पर निम्नलिखित सभी की स्थिति को अंकित कीजिए । अपनी क्यू.सी.ए. पुस्तिका में इन स्थानों में से प्रत्येक का भौतिक / वाणिज्यिक / आर्थिक / पारिस्थितिक / पर्यावरणीय / सांस्कृतिक महत्व अधिकतम 30 शब्दों में लिखिए : 2×10=20 (i) तरंगमबाड़ी (ii) माहे (iii) बोमडिला (iv) ढोला सदिया पुल (v) तला-कावेरी (vi) सतकोसिया (vii) ढोलावीरा (viii) सोनमर्ग (ix) मलिकु एटोल (x) गंगासागर (b) दिल्ली एन.सी.आर. क्षेत्र में चरम कणिकीय प्रदूषण एक लाइलाज विषय क्यों बना हुआ है ? 10 (c) भारत की भौम्याकृति तथा जलवायु देश की जैव-विविधता की व्याख्या कैसे करती है ? 10 (d) मरुस्थलीकरण की प्रक्रिया मृदा जल-शुष्कन तथा मृदा ह्रास को प्रेरित करती है । स्पष्ट कीजिए । 10

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Directive word: Explain

This question asks you to explain. The directive word signals the depth of analysis expected, the structure of your answer, and the weight of evidence you must bring.

See our UPSC directive words guide for a full breakdown of how to respond to each command word.

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

The directive 'explain' demands causal reasoning and structured elaboration across all parts. For part (a), allocate 15 minutes: 2 minutes for accurate map marking of 10 locations and 30 words each for significance covering physical/commercial/economic/ecological/environmental/cultural dimensions. For parts (b), (c), and (d), allocate 10 minutes each with approximately 120-150 words, ensuring balanced coverage of Delhi NCR pollution causation, physiography-climate-biodiversity linkages, and desertification mechanisms. Structure: direct map-based responses for (a), followed by analytical paragraphs for (b)-(d) with clear topic sentences, interlinked causal chains, and concluding synthesis where applicable.

Key points expected

  • Part (a): Correct map location and 30-word significance for Tarangambadi (Danish colonial heritage, Coromandel Coast), Mahe (French enclave, Malabar Coast, pepper trade), Bomdila (Arunachal Pradesh, Himalayan biodiversity, border strategic location), Dhola Sadiya Bridge (Assam-Arunachal connectivity, Brahmaputra tributary, longest river bridge in India)
  • Part (a): Correct map location and 30-word significance for Talakaveri (Kodagu, Western Ghats, origin of Kaveri, sacred riverine ecology), Satkosia (Odisha, Mahanadi gorge, tiger-satellite sanctuary, critical gorge ecosystem), Dholavira (Kutch, Harappan city, water management, UNESCO site), Sonamarg (Kashmir Himalaya, Sindh valley, meadow tourism, strategic Zoji-La proximity)
  • Part (a): Correct map location and 30-word significance for Maliku Atoll (Lakshadweep, southernmost atoll, coral ecosystem, maritime boundary), Gangasagar (Sagar Island, Hooghly mouth, Ganga Sagar Mela, deltaic religious-ecological significance)
  • Part (b): Delhi NCR particulate pollution causation—geographical trap (Indo-Gangetic Plain bowl effect), winter temperature inversion, stubble burning (Punjab-Haryana), vehicular emissions (BS-VI limitations), construction dust, industrial clusters (Faridabad-Ghaziabad), meteorological stagnation, transboundary pollution transport
  • Part (c): Physiography-climate-biodiversity nexus—ten biogeographic zones from Himalaya (altitudinal zonation) to Western Ghats (endemism hotspot) to Deccan Peninsula (gondwanaland relicts); monsoon variability creating moisture gradients; temperature regimes from alpine to tropical; riverine corridors as biological highways; insular isolation (Andaman-Nicobar, Lakshadweep)
  • Part (d): Desertification mechanism—soil desiccation via reduced soil moisture, vegetation loss, increased albedo, positive feedback loops; soil loss through wind erosion (Thar, Gujarat), water erosion (ravines of Chambal-Yamuna), salinization (canal command areas), compaction; human accelerators (overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable agriculture)

Evaluation rubric

DimensionWeightMax marksExcellentAveragePoor
Concept correctness20%10Demonstrates precise geographical knowledge: for (a) correctly identifies all 10 locations with accurate state/UT placement and appropriate significance categories; for (b) accurately explains meteorological (inversion, stagnation), anthropogenic (stubble burning, vehicular), and topographical (IGP bowl) factors; for (c) correctly links Köppen climate zones with biogeographic provinces; for (d) accurately distinguishes between desiccation (moisture loss) and soil loss (erosion) processes with correct causal chainsShows basic geographical awareness with minor errors: 7-8 correct locations in (a) with generic significance; for (b)-(d) covers main concepts but with gaps in causal explanation, conflates related processes, or misses critical linkages between variablesFundamental conceptual errors: misplaces 3+ locations in (a), confuses significance categories; for (b)-(d) shows misunderstanding of core processes (e.g., treats desertification as only sand dune expansion, ignores climate-physiography interaction)
Map / diagram20%10All 10 locations precisely marked on provided outline map with clear, legible labeling; symbols distinguish between cultural sites (Dholavira, Tarangambadi), physical features (Talakaveri, Maliku Atoll), infrastructure (Dhola Sadiya Bridge), and strategic locations (Bomdila); map complements written 30-word entries without redundancy; for (b)-(d), mental maps implied through directional references (NW India, NE monsoon corridor)7-8 locations correctly placed with minor symbol/labeling issues; some confusion between Mahe/Maliku maritime locations or Bomdila/Sonamarg Himalayan positioning; written entries compensate for minor map inaccuraciesFewer than 7 correct locations; significant errors like placing Dholavira in Rajasthan instead of Kutch, confusing Gangasagar with Gangotri, or mislocating Satkosia in Chhattisgarh; illegible or missing labels; map and written entries contradict each other
Indian regional examples20%10Rich, specific Indian exemplification: for (a) cites exact districts (Nagapattinam, Kannur, West Kameng, Upper Siang, Kodagu, Angul, Kutch, Ganderbal, Lakshadweep, South 24 Parganas); for (b) names specific monitoring stations (Anand Vihar, R.K. Puram), crop residue burning periods, and industrial zones; for (c) references specific biodiversity hotspots, biosphere reserves, and endemic species; for (d) cites Thar, Banni grasslands, Chambal ravines, and specific districts under desertification threatGeneral Indian examples without specificity: states mentioned but not districts; generic reference to 'northern plains' or 'western India' without precision; misses opportunity to cite specific policies (National Action Programme on Desertification, GRAP for Delhi)Examples absent or inappropriate: uses international comparisons where Indian specificity required; or completely fabricated locations; demonstrates poor familiarity with India's regional geography and contemporary environmental issues
Spatial analysis20%10Demonstrates sophisticated spatial thinking: for (a) explains locational advantage (Tarangambadi's protected harbor, Mahe's break-of-bulk point); for (b) analyzes pollution as spatially concentrated phenomenon with downwind transport from Punjab to Delhi; for (c) explicitly connects latitudinal extent, Himalayan orography, and peninsular configuration to biodiversity gradients; for (d) explains desertification as spatially progressive process with clear zonation (arid-semiarid-subhumid transition)Basic spatial awareness without analytical depth: mentions locations in isolation without explaining their spatial relationships; treats Delhi pollution as local rather than regional phenomenon; describes biodiversity distribution without explaining underlying spatial determinantsAspatial or confused spatial reasoning: treats all locations as random points; no sense of India's macro-regional structure; fails to recognize coastal-inland, Himalayan-peninsular, or east-west gradients that structure the phenomena under examination
Application / policy20%10Integrates policy and applied geography: for (a) notes UNESCO status (Dholavira), strategic border infrastructure (Bomdila, Dhola Sadiya), and conservation designations (Satkosia Tiger Reserve); for (b) references GRAP, CAQM, odd-even scheme, bio-decomposer for stubble, and regional cooperation needs; for (c) connects to protected area network, Biological Diversity Act, and climate adaptation; for (d) cites watershed development, MGNREGA for ravine reclamation, and sustainable land management practicesLimited policy awareness: mentions generic environmental concerns without specific interventions; or cites outdated/schemes without current relevance; understands problems but not governance responsesNo policy or application dimension: purely descriptive answer ignoring the 'significance' requirement in (a) and contemporary relevance in (b)-(d); fails to recognize geography's applied nature in civil service examination context

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