UPSC Optional Subject Syllabus: Geography | Geography Optional for UPSC (Notes) PDF Download

The Geography Optional for UPSC CSE is a popular choice due to its scientific approach, overlap with General Studies, and scoring potential. This document provides the detailed syllabus for Paper 1 and Paper 2, along with preparation strategies to help aspirants excel.

Paper - I

Physical Geography

Geomorphology

• Factors controlling landform development
• Endogenetic and exogenetic forces
• Origin and evolution of the earth’s crusts
• Fundamentals of geomagnetism
• Physical conditions of the earth’s interior
• Geosynclines
• Continental drift
• Isostasy
• Plate tectonics
• Recent views on mountain building
• Volcanicity
• Earthquakes and Tsunamis
• Concepts of geomorphic cycles and Landscape development
• Denudation chronology
• Channel morphology
• Erosion surfaces
• Slope development
• Applied Geomorphology
• Geomorphology, economic geology and environment

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
• Temperate and tropical cyclones
• Types and distribution of precipitation
• Weather and Climate
• Koppen’s Thornthwaite’s and Trewar Tha’s classification of world climate
• Hydrological cycle
• Global climatic change
• Applied climatology and Urban climate

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

Biogeography

• Genesis of soils
• Classification and distribution of soils
• Soil profile
• Soil erosion
• Soil 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

Environmental Geography

• Principle 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

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 secularisation
• Cultural regions of the world
• Human development index

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 nutritions problems
• Food security
• 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
• Population theories, world population problems and policies
• Population as social capital
• Social well-being and quality of life
• Types and patterns of rural settlements
• Environmental issues in rural settlements
• Hierarchy of urban settlements
• Urban morphology
• Concept 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

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

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
• Perroux and Boudeville
• Von Thunen’s model of agricultural location
• Weber’s model of industrial location
• Ostov’s model of stages of growth
• Heart-land and Rimland theories
• Laws of international boundaries and frontiers

Paper - II

Physical Setting

• Space relationship of India with neighbouring 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

Resources

• Land, surface and ground water
• Energy, minerals, biotic and marine resources, Forest and wild life resources and their conservation
• Energy crisis

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, Agriculture and poultry
• Agricultural regionalisation
• Agro-climatic zones
• Agro-ecological regions

Industry

• Evolution of industries
• Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and steel, aluminium
• Fertiliser, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and ago-based industries
• Industrial houses and complexes including public sector underkings
• Industrial regionalisation
• New industrial policy
• Multinationals and liberalisation
• Special Economic Zones
• Tourism including ecotourism

Transport, Communication and Trade

• Road, railway, waterway, airway and pipeline net works 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

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, interaregional and international) and associated problems
• Population problems and policies
• Health indicators

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 urbanisation and remedies

Regional Development and Planning

• Experience of regional planning in India; Five Year Plans
• Integrated rural development programmes
• Panchayati Raj and decentralised planning
• Command area development
• Watershed management
• Planning for backward area, desert, drought-prone, hill tribal area development
• Multi-level planning
• Regional planning and development of island territories

Political Aspects

• Geographical basis of Indian federalism
• State reorganisation
• Emergence of new states
• Regional consciousness and inter-state issues
• International boundary of India and related issues
• Cross-border terrorism
• India’s role in world affairs
• Geopolitics of South Asia and Indian Ocean realm

Contemporary Issues

• Ecological issues: Environmental hazards: landslides, earthquakes, Tsunamis, floods and droughts
• Epidemics
• Issues related 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

Preparation Strategy for Geography Optional

To excel in Geography Optional, follow these structured steps:

• Understand the Syllabus: Thoroughly review the syllabus for Paper 1 and Paper 2. Categorize topics into Physical, Human, and Indian Geography for better organization.
• Standard Books:Refer to core texts like:
  • Physical Geography by Savindra Singh
  • Human Geography by Majid Husain
  • Certificate Physical and Human Geography by G.C. Leong
• NCERTs: Start with NCERTs (Class 11 and 12) for a strong foundation in both physical and human geography.
• Map Work: Practice map-based questions, especially for Paper 2 (India). Focus on rivers, mountains, cities, and resource locations.
• Current Affairs: Link topics like climate change, urbanization, and environmental issues with current events using newspapers and magazines like Yojana.
• Answer Writing: Practice writing answers with diagrams, maps, and flowcharts. Join a test series to improve structure and time management.
• Diagrams and Maps: Geography answers are incomplete without diagrams. Practice sketching cross-sections, climatic graphs, and regional maps.
• Revision: Create concise notes for quick revision. Focus on models, theories, and key data points.