Geography, Nature & Environment Previous Year Questions (PYQs) for XAT: 6+ Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions

    Solve 6+ Geography, Nature & Environment previous year questions for XAT with answers and detailed solutions. Free sample questions below.

    Chapter Roadmap: Geography, Nature and Environment

    Chapter Roadmap: Geography, Nature and Environment

    Your Journey Through This Chapter

    1
    Physical Geography and Indian States
    India's physical features, rivers, deltas, mountains, state-wise facts, UNESCO heritage sites, districts, and institutions like IITs and research stations.
    High frequency | Importance: 0.78 | First Topic
    2
    Flora, Fauna and Environmental Science
    Wildlife sanctuaries, national parks, animal groups, biodiversity, environmental concepts like zoonosis, and species-specific facts.
    Moderate to high frequency | Importance: 0.68

    What You Will Master

    • Identify major physical geography features of India and the world
    • Map Indian states with their UNESCO World Heritage Sites
    • Recall state-district relationships and institutional presence (IITs, research stations)
    • Understand key environmental and wildlife concepts
    • Solve match-the-following and fact-based multiple choice questions efficiently

    India's Physical Geography: The Big Picture

    India's Physical Geography: The Big Picture

    India's landform can be divided into four major physiographic divisions:

    1. The Northern Mountains

    • Young fold mountains (Himalayas)
    • Source of major river systems: Ganga, Yamuna, Brahmaputra, Indus
    • Acts as a climatic barrier, preventing cold Central Asian winds

    2. The Northern Plains

    • Formed by alluvial deposits from Himalayan rivers
    • Highly fertile, densely populated
    • Divided into Punjab Plains, Ganga Plains, and Brahmaputra Plains

    3. The Peninsular Plateau

    • Old, stable landmass composed of igneous and metamorphic rocks
    • Rich in minerals (iron ore, coal, manganese)
    • Includes: Deccan Plateau, Central Highlands, Northeastern Plateau

    4. Coastal Plains and Islands

    • Western Coastal Plain: Narrow, between Western Ghats and Arabian Sea
    • Eastern Coastal Plain: Wider, between Eastern Ghats and Bay of Bengal
    • Island Groups: Andaman and Nicobar (Bay of Bengal), Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea)
    Key Insight: Most competitive exam questions test your ability to link states with their geographical features. For example, knowing that the Sundarbans delta is in West Bengal, or that floating national parks exist in Manipur.

    Geography, Nature & Environment: Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Explanations (5 Problems)

    Question 1 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Match the following UNSECO world heritage sites with the states to which they belong.

    1. A.

      P-IV, Q-III, R-V, S-II, T-I

    2. B.

      P-V, Q-I, R-II, S-III, T-IV

    3. C.

      P-IV, Q-I, R- V, S-II, T-III

    4. D.

      P-V, Q-IV, R-I, S-III, T-II

    5. E.

      P-III, Q-V, R-I, S-II, T-IV

    Correct Answer:

    B

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a match-the-following question testing knowledge of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India and their respective states.

    Step 1: Evaluate each site and its location.

    Step 2: Khajuraho Group of Monuments is in Madhya Pradesh. So, P -> V.

    Step 3: Kakatiya Rudreshwara Temple (Ramappa Temple) is in Telangana. So, Q -> I.

    Step 4: Dholavira (Harappan site) is in Gujarat. So, R -> II.

    Step 5: Group of Monuments at Hampi is in Karnataka. So, S -> III.

    Step 6: Khangchendzonga National Park is in Sikkim. So, T -> IV.

    Step 7: Combine the matches: P-V, Q-I, R-II, S-III, T-IV.

    Answer: P-V, Q-I, R-II, S-III, T-IV.

    Question 2 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    What is Zoonosis?

    1. A.

      A disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals

    2. B.

      The study of Oonosis

    3. C.

      A disease which can be transmitted to humans from zoo animals

    4. D.

      A disease which can be transmitted to humans from zygotes

    5. E.

      A state of affairs where human behaviour imitates that of zoo animals

    Correct Answer:

    A

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a definitional question about the term "Zoonosis".

    Step 1: Analyze the term "Zoonosis". The prefix "zoo-" refers to animals, and "-nosis" relates to disease.

    Step 2: Recall the scientific definition: Zoonosis refers to infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans.

    Step 3: Evaluate the options. Option A matches this definition perfectly.

    Answer: A disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals.

    Question 3 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Match the following districts with the states to which they belong.

    1. A.

      P-IV, Q-III, R-V, S-II, T-I

    2. B.

      P-III, Q-V, R-I, S-II, T-IV

    3. C.

      P-IV, Q-I, R- V, S-II, T-III

    4. D.

      P-II, Q-IV, R-I, S-V, T-III

    5. E.

      P-V, Q-IV, R-I, S-III, T-II

    Correct Answer:

    C

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a match-the-following question testing knowledge of Indian districts and their respective states.

    Step 1: Identify the districts and states. P: Muktsar, Q: Rohtas, R: Nanded, S: Kamrup, T: Salem.

    Step 2: Map each district to its state. Muktsar is in Punjab (IV). Rohtas is in Bihar (I). Nanded is in Maharashtra (V). Kamrup is in Assam (II). Salem is in Tamil Nadu (III).

    Step 3: Combine the matches: P-IV, Q-I, R-V, S-II, T-III.

    Answer: P-IV, Q-I, R- V, S-II, T-III.

    Question 4 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Maitri and Bharati are the names of:

    1. A.

      Indian research stations in Arctic

    2. B.

      Indian underwater missions in the North China Sea

    3. C.

      Indian peace missions to Somalia

    4. D.

      Indian diplomatic missions to Iceland

    5. E.

      Indian research stations in Antarctica

    Correct Answer:

    E

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a factual recall question about Indian research stations.

    Step 1: Identify the names "Maitri" and "Bharati".

    Step 2: Recall that Maitri and Bharati are India's permanent research stations located in Antarctica.

    Step 3: Select the option that correctly identifies them as Indian research stations in Antarctica.

    Answer: Indian research stations in Antarctica.

    Question 5 · General Knowledge (GK) MCQ

    Which of the following is NOT true about octopuses?

    1. A.

      Their blood emits a radium-like glow under moonlight.

    2. B.

      They have three hearts.

    3. C.

      They can eject a cloud of ink which creates smoke-screen effect, to escape predators.

    4. D.

      They usually have a lifespan of around 1-5 years.

    5. E.

      They can regrow their lost arms.

    Correct Answer:

    A

    Step-by-Step Solution

    Key idea: This is a factual verification question about the biological traits of octopuses.

    Step 1: Evaluate each option based on known biological facts about octopuses.

    Step 2: Octopuses have three hearts (two branchial, one systemic), which is true.

    Step 3: They eject ink to escape predators, have a short lifespan of 1-5 years, and can regenerate lost arms. All these are true.

    Step 4: Octopus blood is copper-based (hemocyanin), making it blue, but it does not emit a radium-like glow under moonlight. This is a fabricated statement.

    Answer: Their blood emits a radium-like glow under moonlight.

    More previous year questions (pyqs) in this unit

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    Geography, Nature & Environment Previous Year Questions (PYQs) for XAT: 6+ Solved Questions with Step-by-Step Solutions

    Solve 6+ Geography, Nature & Environment previous year questions for XAT with answers and detailed solutions. Free sample questions below.

    A question from this chapter

    Question 1

    Match the following UNSECO world heritage sites with the states to which they belong.

    Question 2

    What is Zoonosis?

    Question 3

    Match the following districts with the states to which they belong.

    Question 4

    Maitri and Bharati are the names of:

    Question 5

    Which of the following is NOT true about octopuses?

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