Rivers of India MCQ Questions with Answers

Question: What is the characteristic feature of Narmada Valley?

• Correct option: B - Structural origin

Reason: The Narmada Valley is a rift/structural valley formed by tectonic faulting (grabben) between the Satpura and Vindhya ranges, dating to the Tertiary period. It is not due to volcanic, glacial, or aeolian processes.

• Other options:
  • A (Volcanic): No volcanic activity formed this valley.
  • C (Glacial): India’s glaciers did not carve this valley.
  • D (Aeolian): Wind erosion did not create it.

Exam fact: Narmada Valley lies along a major rift system, often described as a structural/geotectonic valley.

The correct answer is A. - Why: In the Ganga basin, rainfall generally decreases as you move from west to east and from north to south. Western parts and northern fringe receive relatively more monsoon rain due to moisture supply and orographic effects; eastern and southern parts receive comparatively less. - Exam fact: Ganga basin rainfall peak often aligns with the central-northern stretch, showing a west-to-east decline. - Why others are wrong: - B implies increasing rainfall eastward and southward, which contradicts observed gradients. - C and D reverse the directional trend (west-to-east vs east-to-west or north-to-south vs south-to-north).

• Correct answer: Kerala and Tamil Nadu
• The Cardamom Hills are a part of the Western Ghats running along the border of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, especially in Idukki and Palakkad regions.
• Why others are wrong:
  • A) Karnataka and Tamil Nadu – not the main border for Cardamom Hills.
  • B) Karnataka and Kerala – stretches of Cardamom Hills lie near Tamil Nadu border, not Karnataka here.
  • D) Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh – no, these hills are coastal-ward in Kerala–TN belt.
• Exam fact: They are part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO-listed biodiversity hotspot important for spice cultivation.

Correct answer: A. Coromandel Coast

• The Coromandel Coast lies on the eastern coast of India, stretching from the Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh to Cape Comorin (Kanyakumari) in Tamil Nadu, i.e., between Krishna delta and Cape Comorin.
• Other options are incorrect: North Circar is part of the eastern coast further north; Malabar Coast lies on the western coast; Konkan Coast is the western coastal belt between Mumbai and Goa.

Exam fact: The Coromandel Coast forms the dominant eastern littoral and hosts major ports like Chennai, a key UPSC/SSC factoid often tested.

Correct order: III, II, I and IV

• III (Godavari) is the longest river wholly in Peninsular India.
• II (Krishna) is longer than Narmada and Mahanadi, hence second.
• I (Narmada) is longer than Mahanadi, hence third.
• IV (Mahanadi) is the shortest among these in the peninsula.

Exam fact: Godavari is the longest river in Peninsular India; Krishna is typically second in length, followed by Narmada and Mahanadi.

Mettur Dam, which forms Stanley Reservoir, is constructed across the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu.

The river Keleghai joins the river Kansai at Tangrakhali in Tamluk subdivision. The combined stream is called Haldi River.

Mizoram which is also known as the "Molassis basin" which is made up of soft unconsolidated deposits.