Bihar Police Constable General Knowledge & Current Affairs: Geography of India — Concept Guide + MCQs

Geography of India — Key Concepts

Indian Geography for competitive exams covers physical features, rivers, climate, soils, agriculture, and important places. For Bihar Police, Bihar-specific geography is especially important.

Physical Divisions of India

DivisionKey Features
Himalayan MountainsHimadri (Greater), Himachal (Lesser), Shivalik (Outer); highest peak: Kangchenjunga (in India)
Northern PlainsIndo-Gangetic plain; most fertile; formed by Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra rivers
Peninsular PlateauDeccan Plateau; oldest rocks; bounded by Western and Eastern Ghats
Coastal PlainsWestern coast (narrower, Konkan+Malabar), Eastern coast (wider, Coromandel+Northern Circars)
IslandsAndaman & Nicobar (Bay of Bengal), Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea)

Major Rivers of India

Himalayan Rivers (perennial): Indus, Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Kosi, Gandak
Peninsular Rivers (seasonal): Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Mahanadi, Narmada, Tapti
Bihar Rivers: Ganga flows through Bihar. Kosi = 'Sorrow of Bihar'. Gandak forms boundary with Nepal/UP. Son joins Ganga at Patna.

Important Bihar Geography

  • Bihar lies in the eastern part of India — bordered by Nepal (N), West Bengal (E), Jharkhand (S), UP (W)
  • Patna (Pat Patna = Pataliputra) is the capital on the south bank of the Ganga
  • Bihar has no sea coast (landlocked state)
  • Major crops: Paddy, Wheat, Maize, Sugarcane, Litchi (Muzaffarpur is famous for litchi)
  • Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodh Gaya are UNESCO heritage sites in Bihar

Practice MCQs

Q1. The southernmost point of India is:

  • A) Kanyakumari
  • B) Indira Point
  • C) Rameshwaram
  • D) Cape Comorin

Answer: B — Indira Point in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands is the southernmost point of India.

Q2. The Tropic of Cancer passes through how many Indian states?

  • A) 6
  • B) 7
  • C) 8
  • D) 9

Answer: C — The Tropic of Cancer passes through 8 Indian states: Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram.

Q3. Which river is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar'?

  • A) Ganga
  • B) Son
  • C) Kosi
  • D) Gandak

Answer: C — The Kosi River is called the 'Sorrow of Bihar' due to its frequent flooding and course changes.

Q4. The Brahmaputra River originates from:

  • A) The Himalayas in China (Tibet)
  • B) Gangotri glacier
  • C) Manasarovar lake
  • D) Siachen glacier

Answer: A — The Brahmaputra originates from the Chemayungdung glacier in the Kailash range of Tibet.

Q5. Which state has the largest area in India?

  • A) Maharashtra
  • B) Madhya Pradesh
  • C) Rajasthan
  • D) Uttar Pradesh

Answer: C — Rajasthan is the largest state of India by area.

Q6. The Western Ghats are also known as:

  • A) Vindhyas
  • B) Sahyadri
  • C) Aravalli
  • D) Satpura

Answer: B — The Western Ghats are traditionally known as Sahyadri mountains.

Q7. Which is the longest river in India?

  • A) Godavari
  • B) Ganga
  • C) Indus
  • D) Yamuna

Answer: B — The Ganga is the longest river flowing entirely within India (approximately 2525 km).

Q8. The Deccan Plateau is bounded by:

  • A) Vindhyas in North, Western Ghats in West, Eastern Ghats in East
  • B) Himalayas in North
  • C) Aravalli in West
  • D) Satpura in South

Answer: A — The Deccan Plateau is bounded by the Vindhyas to the north, Western Ghats to the west, and Eastern Ghats to the east.

Q9. Which city is known as the 'City of Joy'?

  • A) Mumbai
  • B) Kolkata
  • C) Chennai
  • D) Delhi

Answer: B — Kolkata (Calcutta) is known as the 'City of Joy'.

Q10. The Sundarbans delta is formed by which rivers?

  • A) Ganga and Brahmaputra
  • B) Godavari and Krishna
  • C) Mahanadi and Brahmani
  • D) Cauvery and Palar

Answer: A — The Sundarbans is formed by the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta system.