ASKiIMAN™
NEXUS / 2026 / GS1
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Project Alexandria • Universal Library

UPSC 2026 GS Paper 1

Artifacts 31 through 40

31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
31

Tungurahua Volcano, which was declared a Global Geopark by UNESCO in 2025, is situated in which one among the following countries?

  1. Ecuador
  2. Peru
  3. Bolivia
  4. Colombia

Official Answer: (a) Ecuador

Mapped Realm: CONTEMPORARY GEOGRAPHY ISSUES ├─ REALM 02: Volcanic Eruptions: Processes & Impacts

Topic to Read: Ring of Fire Volcanism, UNESCO Global Geoparks, and Andean stratovolcanoes.

Concept Breakdown: Nicknamed "The Black Giant" and "The Throat of Fire," Tungurahua is an active stratovolcano soaring in the Cordillera Central of the Ecuadorian Andes. UNESCO designated the Tungurahua Geopark to honor not only its explosive geological power along the Pacific Ring of Fire, but also its unique crater lakes, geothermal hot springs, and centuries of human resilience living in its volcanic shadow.
32

With reference to Madhav National Park, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. It was declared a Tiger Reserve in India in 2025.
  2. Sakhya Sagar, which is designated as a Ramsar Site, is situated within this National Park.
  3. Its area is shared between Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only

Official Answer: (b) 1 and 2

Mapped Realm: ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY ├─ REALM 104: Tiger Conservation

Topic to Read: Project Tiger notifications, Ramsar wetlands in MP (Sakhya Sagar), and Central Indian wildlife corridors.

Concept Breakdown: Madhav National Park in Shivpuri was notified as a Tiger Reserve to restore the historic tiger corridor linking Panna, Ranthambore, and Kuno. Located entirely within Madhya Pradesh (it does not cross into Rajasthan, invalidating statement 3), it houses the celebrated Sakhya Sagar lake, an officially designated Ramsar wetland created from the Maniyar river that serves as a sanctuary for marsh crocodiles and migratory waterbirds.
33

With reference to the climate of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  1. The climate can be defined as a humid, tropical coastal climate.
  2. It receives rainfall from both South-west monsoon and North-east monsoon.
  3. Maximum precipitation is between December and May.

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only

Official Answer: (b) 1 and 2

Mapped Realm: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY INDIA ├─ REALM 50: Islands as Systems

Topic to Read: Island Biomes, Dual Monsoon mechanisms (SW & NE), and Andaman maritime climatology.

Concept Breakdown: Surrounded entirely by the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea near the equator, the archipelago enjoys a hot, equatorial, humid maritime climate. Being directly in the maritime pathway of seasonal wind reversals, it receives torrential precipitation from both the advancing South-West monsoon and the retreating North-East monsoon. However, its heavy deluge falls between May and November; the dry window is from January to April, making statement 3 clearly incorrect.
34

Which of the following geographical features or phenomena is/are associated with the Peninsular Block of India?

  1. Submergence of parts of the western coast due to tectonic activity
  2. Presence of residual mountain ranges such as the Veliconda hills and Mahendragiri hills
  3. Deep, V-shaped river valleys formed by fast-flowing rivers

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only

Official Answer: (b) 1 and 2

Mapped Realm: PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY INDIA ├─ REALM 04: The Peninsular Block

Topic to Read: Geomorphology of Peninsular Shield, Submergence coasts, and Senile relict topography.

Concept Breakdown: The Peninsular block is an ancient, rigid shield of Gondwanaland. Its western flank broke and subsided beneath the Arabian Sea during the Tertiary period (coast of submergence). Over billions of years of denudation, its eastern ghats were worn down into relict/residual mountain ranges like Veliconda and Mahendragiri. In contrast, deep V-shaped juvenile valleys belong to youthful, actively cutting Himalayan rivers, whereas Peninsular rivers flow sluggishly in shallow, graded, senile valleys.
35

Consider the following statements with reference to the Sagarmala Programme of the Government of India:
I. The Sagarmala Programme seeks to achieve port-led economic growth through cost-effective and sustainable coastal infrastructure.
II. The success of the Sagarmala Programme is reflected in significant growth in coastal and inland waterway shipping, along with improved global port rankings.
III. Sagarmala 2.0 aims to position India as a global maritime innovation hub aligned with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat 2047 visions.

Which of the following relationships among the above statements is/are correct?

  1. Statement II validates the effectiveness of the strategies envisioned in statement I.
  2. Statement III extends the objectives of statement I by embedding them into a future-oriented innovation framework.
  3. Statement I contradicts statement III by focusing only on traditional infrastructure instead of modern innovation.

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 2
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only

Official Answer: (b) 1 and 2

Mapped Realm: INFRASTRUCTURE ├─ REALM 79: Port-Led Development

Topic to Read: Sagarmala Programme, Maritime India Vision 2030, and Coastal Economic Zones.

Concept Breakdown: Sagarmala was launched to unlock the potential of India's 7,500 km coastline through port modernization and port-linked industrialization. Real-world gains in coastal cargo turnover and port turnaround efficiency directly prove that statement I was executed successfully (validating statement II). Sagarmala 2.0 builds upon this baseline by transitioning from physical concrete berths to digital innovation, smart green ports, and automated logistics hubs. Thus, statement III naturally extends statement I rather than contradicting it.
36

Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid):

  1. It is an epiphytic orchid.
  2. The species is endemic to North-east India.
  3. It is the State flower of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3
  3. 2 and 3
  4. 3 only

Official Answer: (b) 1 and 3

Mapped Realm: ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY ├─ REALM 67: Endemic Species

Topic to Read: Epiphytic Flora, State Symbols of NE India, and Orchidaceae distribution.

Concept Breakdown: Known as Kopou Phool in Assam and worn during Rongali Bihu celebrations, the Foxtail Orchid is an epiphyte—it perches harmoniously upon tree bark without parasitizing the host tree. It is officially the state flower of both Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. However, it is widespread across the Western Ghats, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indochina, meaning it is definitely not strictly endemic to Northeast India, disproving statement 2.
37

Which one of the following statements with regard to the Moidams, built by the Tai-Ahom kingdom and inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, is/are correct?

  1. They acted as army fortresses.
  2. They were recreation centres of the Royals and Nobles.
  3. They were burial grounds of the Royals and Nobles.
  4. They were battle drill centres of the Royals and Nobles.

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3
  3. 3 only
  4. 2 and 4

Official Answer: (c) 3 only

Mapped Realm: CONTEMPORARY INDIAN CULTURE ISSUES ├─ REALM 39: UNESCO & Global Recognition

Topic to Read: Charaideo Moidams, Ahom funerary architecture, and UNESCO World Heritage in Assam.

Concept Breakdown: Often referred to as the "Pyramids of Assam," the Moidams of Charaideo are the sacred vaulted earthen tumuli (mound-burials) of the Tai-Ahom kings and nobility. Deep underground vaulted brick chambers held the royal sarcophagus alongside funerary items, food, and royal insignia, encased under a domed hemispherical earthen hillock topped with an octagonal temple structure (Chow-Chali).
38

At the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) held in June, 2025 in France, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations demonstrated its leading voice on marine and ocean issues, especially on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture for resilient livelihood and "Blue Transformation".

Which of the following combinations about the "Four Betters" proposed by FAO for "Blue Transformation" is correct?

  1. Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better ocean
  2. Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life
  3. Better coral reefs, better nutrition, better environment and better life
  4. Better estuaries, better nutrition, better environment and better mangrove vegetation

Official Answer: (b) Better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life

Mapped Realm: INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ├─ REALM 176: Food & Agriculture Organization

Topic to Read: FAO Strategic Framework 2022-31, Blue Transformation, and UNOC France.

Concept Breakdown: Under the overarching FAO Strategic Framework, all development initiatives—including the aquatic Blue Transformation roadmap—are anchored to the global mandate of the "Four Betters": Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment, and a Better Life. These four pillars guide the transformation toward more efficient, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable agrifood systems, leaving no one behind.
39

Which of the following statements with reference to Lake Turkana is/are correct?

  1. It is the largest desert lake in the world.
  2. The lake is situated in South Sudan along the eastern fringe of the Sahara desert.
  3. The lake is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is also referred to as the 'Jade Sea'.

Select the answer using the code given below:

  1. 1 only
  2. 1 and 3 only
  3. 2 and 3 only
  4. 1, 2 and 3

Official Answer: (b) 1 and 3 only

Mapped Realm: CONTEMPORARY GEOGRAPHY ISSUES ├─ REALM 09: Africa's Rift Valley

Topic to Read: East African Rift System lakes, Endorheic desert basins, and Omo River dams.

Concept Breakdown: Shimmering like a brilliant green jewel amidst the parched northern desert of Kenya (its northern tip just crossing into Ethiopia, not South Sudan or the Sahara), Lake Turkana is the world's largest permanent desert lake and largest alkaline lake. Celebrated as the "Jade Sea" due to its dazzling algae blooms, its national parks are UNESCO World Heritage sites famous for yielding revolutionary hominid fossils that chronicle human evolution.
40

Which one of the following is the first Plan Vivo certified Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) project in India?

  1. Uttarakhand REDD+ project
  2. ICFRE-ICIMOD Transboundary REDD+ project in North-Eastern Himalayas
  3. Khasi Hills Community REDD+ project
  4. Sikkim Mamley Kamrang Community REDD+ project

Official Answer: (c) Khasi Hills Community REDD+ project

Mapped Realm: ENVIRONMENTAL ECOLOGY ├─ REALM 138: Participatory Forest Governance

Topic to Read: REDD+ implementation in India, Plan Vivo carbon certification, and Khasi sacred groves.

Concept Breakdown: Nestled around the sacred Umiam sub-watershed in Meghalaya, the Khasi Hills Community REDD+ Project was established by indigenous Khasi tribal communities to combat forest fires, charcoal burning, and deforestation. It became the pioneering project in India to receive international Plan Vivo certification, directly monetizing carbon credits to fund local schools, water conservation, and the restoration of ancient sacred groves.