Mountains & Passes MCQ Questions with Answers

The Himalayas were formed due to the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate, a tectonic event that began in the Caenozoic era. This era followed the Mesozoic and is known for significant mountain-building activities in the region. Options A (Palaeozoic) and B (Mesozoic) refer to earlier geologic times when major orogenies did not produce the Himalayas, and D (Azoic) is an invalid era indicating no life. Hence, the correct era for the major folding and uplift of the Himalayas is the Caenozoic (Option C).

The Satpura Range is a central Indian hill range. Its highest peak is Dhupgarh, located near Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh, with an elevation around 1,359 meters. Gurushikhar is in the Aravalli Range, Pachmarhi is a town in the Satpura region, and Mahendragiri is a peak in the southern peninsula region. Thus, Dhupgarh (Option B) is the correct highest point in the Satpura Range.

The Tropic of Cancer is the northernmost latitude where the sun can be directly overhead, located at about 23.5°N. In India, this circle of latitude passes through several states from west to east. Among the given options, the states that lie along this line are Rajasthan, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Mizoram. This helps identify the correct group when tracing the path of the Tropic of Cancer across the map. Other options include states that lie either north of or south of this latitude or lie off the Tropic’s path, so they are not correct.

Diphu Pass is a mountain pass on the Indo-Myanmar border in the Manipur region. It is considered a tri-junction point where the borders of India, Myanmar, and China are nearby, making it a reference point for the three countries. The other passes listed have different international contexts: Nathu La is an India–China (Sikkim) pass, Jelep La connects historic routes between India and Tibet, and Bomdi La is associated with Arunachal Pradesh near the India–Myanmar area but does not serve as the three-nation junction. Therefore, Diphu Pass is identified as the tri-junction point among the options provided.

Two volcanic islands under Indian territory are Narcondam and Barren. Narcondam Island lies in the Andaman Sea and is a volcanic island, part of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands union territory. Barren Island is located further north in the Andaman Sea and is India’s only confirmed active volcano. Other options refer to Lakshadweep (Kavaratti, Bitra) or Peninsular locations (Pamban) which are not volcanic islands. Therefore, the correct pair that are both volcanic is Narcondam and Barren.

The Eastern Ghats are a series of discontinuous mountain ranges along India's eastern coast, spanning from Odisha to Tamil Nadu. Of the options, Sheravoy (Shevaroy) Hills, Javadi Hills, and Nallamala Hills are associated with the Eastern Ghats. Elamalai Hills, listed as the correct answer, are not part of the Eastern Ghats; they are associated with a different hill system in Tamil Nadu. The key idea is to know which ranges lie along the eastern coast versus those outside that corridor. The other hills named in the options lie within or are linked to the Eastern Ghats or their extensions, while Elamalai Hills do not fall into this range.