RankMentor Logo
Back to Optional Subjects

Geography Optional Syllabus for UPSC 2025

Complete syllabus guide for Geography Optional in UPSC Civil Services Examination. Master both papers with our comprehensive study material.

PAPER—I: Principles of Geography

1. Physical Geography

  • 1.1 Geomorphology
  • - Factors controlling landform development
  • - Endogenetic and exogenetic forces
  • - Origin and evolution of the earth's crust
  • - Fundamentals of geomagnetism
  • - Physical conditions of the earth's interior
  • - Geosynclines
  • - Continental drift
  • - Isostasy
  • - Plate tectonics
  • - Recent views on mountain building
  • - Vulcanicity
  • - Earthquakes and Tsunamis
  • - Concepts of geomorphic cycles and Landscape development
  • - Denudation chronology
  • - Channel morphology
  • - Erosion surfaces
  • - Slope development

2. Climatology

  • 2.1 Temperature and pressure belts of the world
  • 2.2 Heat budget of the earth
  • 2.3 Atmospheric circulation
  • 2.4 Atmospheric stability and instability
  • 2.5 Planetary and local winds
  • 2.6 Monsoons and jet streams
  • 2.7 Air masses and fronts
  • 2.8 Temperate and tropical cyclones
  • 2.9 Types and distribution of precipitation
  • 2.10 Weather and Climate
  • 2.11 Koppen's, Thornthwaite's and Trewartha's classification of world climates
  • 2.12 Climate change and Global warming

3. Oceanography

  • 3.1 Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans
  • 3.2 Temperature and salinity of the oceans
  • 3.3 Heat and salt budgets
  • 3.4 Ocean deposits
  • 3.5 Waves, currents and tides
  • 3.6 Marine resources: biotic, mineral and energy resources
  • 3.7 Coral reefs, coral bleaching
  • 3.8 Sea-level changes
  • 3.9 Law of the sea and marine pollution

4. Biogeography

  • 4.1 Genesis of soils
  • 4.2 Classification and distribution of soils
  • 4.3 Soil profile
  • 4.4 Soil erosion
  • 4.5 Degradation and conservation
  • 4.6 Factors influencing world distribution of plants and animals
  • 4.7 Problems of deforestation and conservation measures
  • 4.8 Social forestry
  • 4.9 Agro-forestry
  • 4.10 Wild life
  • 4.11 Major gene pool centres

5. Environmental Geography

  • 5.1 Principle of ecology
  • 5.2 Human ecological adaptations
  • 5.3 Influence of man on ecology and environment
  • 5.4 Global and regional ecological changes and imbalances
  • 5.5 Ecosystem their management and conservation
  • 5.6 Environmental degradation, management and conservation
  • 5.7 Biodiversity and sustainable development
  • 5.8 Environmental policy
  • 5.9 Environmental hazards and remedial measures
  • 5.10 Environmental education and legislation

PAPER—II: Geography of India

1. Physical Setting

  • 1.1 Space relationship of India with neighboring countries
  • 1.2 Structure and relief
  • 1.3 Drainage systems and watersheds
  • 1.4 Physiographic regions
  • 1.5 Mechanism of Indian monsoons and rainfall patterns
  • 1.6 Tropical cyclones and western disturbances
  • 1.7 Floods and droughts
  • 1.8 Climatic regions
  • 1.9 Natural vegetation
  • 1.10 Soil types and their distributions

2. Resources

  • 2.1 Land, surface and ground water
  • 2.2 Energy
  • 2.3 Minerals
  • 2.4 Biotic and marine resources
  • 2.5 Forest and wild life resources
  • 2.6 Conservation and management of resources
  • 2.7 Energy crisis

3. Agriculture

  • 3.1 Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power
  • 3.2 Institutional factors: land holdings, land tenure and land reforms
  • 3.3 Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity, agricultural intensity
  • 3.4 Crop combination, land capability
  • 3.5 Agro-climatic zones
  • 3.6 Green revolution and its socio-economic and ecological implications
  • 3.7 Significance of dry farming
  • 3.8 Livestock resources and white revolution
  • 3.9 Aqua-culture
  • 3.10 Sericulture
  • 3.11 Agriculture and WTO

4. Industry

  • 4.1 Evolution of industries
  • 4.2 Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and steel, aluminum, fertilizer, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and agro-based industries
  • 4.3 Industrial houses and complexes including PSUs
  • 4.4 Industrial regionalization
  • 4.5 New industrial policies
  • 4.6 Multinationals and liberalization
  • 4.7 Special Economic Zones
  • 4.8 Tourism including eco-tourism

5. Regional Development and Planning

  • 5.1 Experience of regional planning in India
  • 5.2 Five Year Plans
  • 5.3 Integrated rural development programmes
  • 5.4 Panchayati Raj and decentralized planning
  • 5.5 Command area development
  • 5.6 Watershed management
  • 5.7 Planning for backward area, desert, drought prone, hill, tribal area development
  • 5.8 Multi-level planning
  • 5.9 Regional planning and development of island territories

Recommended Study Resources

Essential Books

  • • Certificate Physical and Human Geography by Goh Cheng Leong
  • • Geography of India by Majid Husain
  • • Physical Geography by Savindra Singh
  • • Economic and Commercial Geography of India by Sharma and Coutinho
  • • Indian Geography by D.R. Khullar

Reference Materials

  • • India: Physical Environment by NCERT
  • • NCERT Class 11th and 12th Geography Books
  • • Models and Theories in Geography by Majid Husain
  • • Environmental Geography by Savindra Singh
  • • Fundamentals of Physical Geography by Strahler

Maps and Atlases

  • • Orient Blackswan Atlas
  • • Oxford School Atlas
  • • Times Comprehensive Atlas of the World
  • • Survey of India Topographical Sheets
  • • Digital Map Resources

Practice Materials

  • • Previous Years' UPSC Geography Papers
  • • Geography Optional Notes by Vision IAS
  • • Geography Monthly Magazines
  • • Map Practice Workbooks
  • • GIS and Remote Sensing Practice Materials