Indian Civil Service Exams (CSE) Syllabus - UPSC Exams

UPSC Exams Indian Civil Services Syllabus for Main Exams: Geography

Paper-I

Principles of Geography

Section-A

Physical Geography

Geomorphology: Factors controlling landform development; endogenetic and exogenetic forces; origin and evolution of the earth’s crust; physical conditions of the earth’s interior; geosynclines; continental drift; isostasy; sea-floor spreading; plate tectonics; mountain building; volcanicity; earthquakes; concepts of geomorphic cycles; landforms associated with fluvial, arid, glacial, coastal and karst cycle; groundwater; Applied Geomorphology.
Climatology : Temperature and pressure belts of the world; heat budget of the earth; atmospheric circulation; planetary and local winds; monsoons and jet streams; air masses and fronts; temperate and tropical cyclones; types and distribution of precipitation; Koppen’s and Thornthwaite’s classification of world climate; hydrological cycle; climatic change.
Oceanography: Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans; temperature and salinity of the oceans; ocean deposits; ocean currents and tides; marine resources–biotic, mineral and energy resources; coral reefs; sea-level changes.
Biogeography: Genesis of soils; classification and distribution of soils; soil profile; soil erosion and conservation; factors influencing world distribution of plants and animals; problems of deforestation and conservation measures; social forestry, agro-forestry.
Environmental Geography: Human ecological adaptations; transformation of nature by man; environmental degradation and conservation; ecosystems and their management; global ecological imbalances–problems of pollution, global warming, reduction in bio-diversity and depletion of forests.

Section-B

Human Geography

Perspectives in Human Geography : A real differentiation; regional synthesis; dichotomy and dualism; environmentalism; quantitative revolution and locational analysis; radical, behavioural, human and welfare approaches; cultural regions of the world human and welfare approaches; cultural regions of the world; human development indicators.
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; famine–causes, effects and remedies; world industries–location patterns and problems; patterns of world trade.
Population and Settlement Geography : Growth and distribution of world population; demographic attributes; causes and consequences of migration; concepts of over–, under– and optimum population; world population problems. Types and patterns of rural settlements; hierarchy of urban settlements; concept of primate city and rank-size rule; functional classification of towns; sphere of urban influence; rural-urban fringe; satellite town; problems of urbanization.
Regional Planning : Concept of a region; types of regions and methods of rationalization; growth centres and growth poles; regional imbalances; environmental issues in regional planning; planning for sustainable development.
Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography : System analysis in Human Geography; Malthusian, Marxian and Demographic Transition models; Central Place theories of Christaller and Losch; Von Thunen’s model of agricultural location; Weber’s model of industrial location; Rostov’s model of stages of growth. Heart-land and Rimland theories; laws of international boundaries and frontiers.

Note : Candidates will be required to answer one compulsory map question pertinent to subjects covered by this paper.