Some Tips And Strategy For IAS (Geography)

Hi, Here are some tips and strategies to handle your Geography paper in the mains exams for the IAS.
First heres how you should write your answers. You should first understand the question and only then
attempt to answer it. The question could be discussion-based or analytical or you need to elaborate or
elucidate. As a result you are needed to answer according what the question wants. Whatever the query
is, you are required to give an orderly and logical presentation of information.

There should not be any contradiction within or between the answers. What the examiner is looking for
in your answers is concept and how organized your thinking is.

• Thinking pattern is best reflected in the structure of an answer.

• There should not be any extreme views when you are debating an issue.
• There is no need to quote anyone.
• Answers should be well balanced. Every component of the question should be given equal
weightage.
• The idea is that you might know about all topics but you should develop your own language to
write them.

Focus should be on memorizing facts and then back up with your language. Your expression does not
require you to write difficult English words. It should be as simple as possible.

Listed below are some of the main topics that should be covered. Since some sections come only on
alternate years, please follow the trend and exclude a topic if it has been majorly covered in the
previous year and choose another in the same category. This does not mean short question may not
come.

Paper I

• Geomorphology
Plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanism are significant sections in Geomorphology. The
Union Public Service Commission keeps on alternating queries between endogenic and
exogenic forces every year.

• Climatology
In this section, you can expect significant number of questions from tropical cyclones and
climatic changes.

• Oceanography
Marine resources, which include biotic, mineral and energy resources and ocean currents are
few of the important areas in Oceanography.

• Perspectives in Human Geography

Environmentalism

• Economic Geography
Energy crisis

• Population and Settlement Geography

Distribution of world population Causes and consequences of migration Functional
classification of towns

• Regional Planning
Growth centers and growth poles

• Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography

Systems analysis in Human Geography Central Places theories of Christaller and Losch Laws
of international boundaries and frontiers

Paper II
• Physical setting
Structure and relief Natural vegetation

• Resources
Energy crisis

• Agriculture
Agricultural intensity Agro and social forestry Livestock resources and white revolution

• Industry
Location factor of cottage industry

• Transport, Communication and Trade

Growing importance of ports on national and foreign trade, trade balance Developments in
communication technology and its impact on economy and society

• Settlements
Morphology of Indian cities Conurbations and metropolitan regions Urban sprawl Slums and
associated problems

• Regional Development and Planning

Decentralised planning Multi-level planning Geography and regional planning

• Political Aspects
Geographical basis of Indian federalism India and geopolitics of the Indian ocean

• Contemporary Issues
Environmental hazard like landslide Changes in pattern of land use Principles of environmental
impact assessment and environmental management.