IAS Main Geology Question Paper I 2010

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) holds the Civil Services Examination every year in two parts, i.e. Preliminary Test and Main Examination; the Main Examination comprises a written Test and a Personality Test. The Question paper of the IAS Main Geology Paper I - 2010 is given as below:

GEOLOGY

Paper-I

Time Allowed: Three Hourse

Maximum Marks: 300

Each question is printed both in Hindi and in English.

Answer must be written in the medium specified in the Admission Certificate issued to you, which must be stated clearly on the cover of the answer-book in the space provided for the purpose. No marks will be given for the answers written in a medium other than specified  in the Admission Certicate.

Candidates should attempt Question Nos. 1 and 5 which are compulsory, and any three of the remaining questions selecting at lest one question from each Section.'

The number of marks  carried by each question is indicated at the end of the question.

Draw diagrams wherever necessary.

Section -A

1. Write critical notes, in around 150 words each, on the following:     15×4=60

(a) Apparent Polar-wandering path

(b) Mylonites

(c) Indexing of topographic map of India

(d) Application of microfossiles in stratigraphic correlation, palaeoclimatic and palaeographic analyses 

2. Explain the following:   15×4=60

(a) The relation between depth and age of the oceanic crust near midoceanic ridges

(b) Overthrust, Klippe and Fenster with the help of labelled diagrams

3. Discuss the following:   30×2=60

(a) Geometrical parameters of joints measured during a survey of rock joints

(b) Morphotectonic elements, seismicity, heat flow and gravity anomaly patterns of an island-arc type subduction boundary

4. Give accounts of :

(a) The present status of the theory of Continental Drift in the light of geological and geophysical evidence

(b) Geological significance of

(i) radial drainage.

(ii) rectangular drainage and

(iii) sinkholes

Section-B

5. Write critical notes, in around 150 words each, on the follwoing:   30×2=60

(a) Coiling direction(s) in planktonic foraminifers and their climatic significance

(b) Precanmbrian banded iron formations

(c) Lower Gondwana flora

(d) Soil groups of India

6. Describe the following:    30×2=60

(a) Evolution of Proboscidea and their record in the Siwalik Group

(b) The methods of separation of foraminifers and calcareous nanno-planktons from calcareous rocks

7. Comment on the following:  30×2=60

(a) The lithostratigraphy, flora, fauna and economic importance of a sedimentary basin of India which has palaeozoic glacial unit

(b) The cause, effect and petrology of Cretaceous igneous activity in Peninsular India

8. Write short notes, of around 200 words each, on the following:  30×2=60

(a) The salient features of groundwater exploration in gneissic terrains

(b) Data products of remote-sensing satellites

(c) Different methods of morphometric analysis of river basins