Geography Optional Syllabus for UPSC Mains - Download PDFs!

Geography is one of the most popular and rewarding optional subjects in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. It is preferred because of its logical approach, connection with multiple subjects, and strong overlap with the General Studies syllabus. The Geography Optional Syllabus for UPSC 2025 is divided into two papers, each worth 250 marks. It covers a wide range of topics like physical geography, human geography, regional development, environmental issues, and the role of geography in India’s economy and society.

In the Span of last 15 years, Many toppers have credited their success to choosing Geography as their optional subject. For example, Ira Singhal (AIR 1, 2014), Awdhesh Meena (AIR 32, 2011), and Himanshu Jain (AIR 4, 2019) all had Geography as their optional.

If you're planning to appear for UPSC 2025 (scheduled for Sunday, 25th May 2025), this is the perfect time to start mastering the Geography Optional Paper.

Check the detailed UPSC IAS Mains Syllabus here.

UPSC Geography Optional Paper Overview 2025

A well-developed part of the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025, the UPSC geography optional syllabus is made to test the skills and knowledge of the candidates in the understanding of both physical as well as human geography. The syllabus provides a gigantic array of topics that examine the geographical phenomena, concepts, and many dynamics of Earth. Aspirants can find a detailed outline of the syllabus in the UPSC geography optional syllabus PDF, very crucial for an organized strategy of preparation.

There will be 2 papers for the UPSC Optional Geography Optional syllabus paper.

• Each paper of the Geography Optional syllabus UPSC would comprise 250 marks, which makes it 500 marks in total.
• The time duration to attempt the UPSC Geography Optional paper is 3 hours.
• Each paper would have objective answer-type questions.
• There is no negative marking.

UPSC Geography Optional Paper Pattern
Sl. No.	UPSC IAS Mains Papers	Subject	Marks
1.	Paper VI	Optional Subject Paper-I	250
2.	Paper VII	Optional Subject Paper-II	250
TOTAL			500
Time Duration			3 hours

Check the detailed UPSC IAS exam pattern here.

UPSC Geography Optional Syllabus PDF Download!

Geography Paper 1 Syllabus (Principles Of Geography)

Paper 1 of the UPSC geography optional subject syllabus deals with physical geography. It will cover very vast and comprehensive topics like geomorphology, climatology, oceanography, biogeography, environmental geography, and even modern environmental problems. The detailed syllabus of geography optional for UPSC paper 1 helps candidates learn earth sciences in depth as well as meteorological patterns and the intricate details of environment systems.

Physical Geography

1. Geomorphology

• Factors controlling landform development, endogenetic and exogenetic forces
• Origin and evolution of the earth’s crust, fundamentals of geomagnetism, physical conditions of the earth’s interior
• Geosynclines, continental drift, isostasy, plate tectonics, recent views on mountain building
• Vulcanicity, earthquakes and tsunamis, concepts of geomorphic cycles and landscape development, denudation chronology, channel morphology, erosion surfaces, slope development
• Geohydrology, economic geology, environment

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. What are 'truncated spurs'? Where and how are they formed? - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. Recent views on mountain building process and classification of world mountains by genesis - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q3. What is a Yazoo stream? Why are Yazoo basins prone to repeated flooding? - (Paper 1, 2024)

2. Climatology

• Temperature and pressure belts of the world, heat budget of the earth, atmospheric circulation, atmospheric stability and instability
• Planetary and local winds, monsoons and jet streams, air masses and frontogenesis, temperate and tropical cyclones
  Types and distribution of precipitation, weather and climate.
• Koppen’s classification, Thornthwaite’s classification, Trewartha’s classification
• Hydrological cycle, global climatic change and human response, applied climatology, urban climate

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Formation of temperate cyclone depends on the condition of axis dilation. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. Latitudinal distribution of Köppen's classification of world climate. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q3. Air masses and associated weather dynamics; impact on Northern Hemisphere weather. - (Paper 1, 2024)

3. Oceanography

• Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, temperature and salinity of the oceans, heat and salt budgets, ocean deposits
• Waves, currents, tides
• Marine resources (biotic, mineral, energy), coral reefs and coral bleaching, sea-level changes, law of the sea, marine pollution

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Factors causing sea level changes (with examples). - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. Bottom topography of the Indian Ocean (with sketches). - (Paper 1, 2024)

4. Biogeography

• Genesis of soils, classification and distribution of soils, soil profile, soil erosion, degradation and conservation
• Factors influencing world distribution of plants and animals, problems of deforestation and conservation measures, social forestry, agro-forestry, wildlife, major gene pool centres

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Impact of social forestry on socio-economic transformation of rural areas. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. "Soil erosion is creeping death" – explanation and conservation measures. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q3. Latitudinal gradient in species richness and biodiversity. - (Paper 1, 2024)

5. Environmental Geography

• Principles of ecology, human ecological adaptations, influence of man on ecology and environment
• Global and regional ecological changes and imbalances, ecosystem management and conservation, environmental degradation and its control, biodiversity and sustainable development
• Environmental policy, environmental hazards and remedial measures, environmental education and legislation

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Mountain regions are more fragile to ecological changes. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. PAVE (Perception, Attitude, Value, Emotion) and their role in biodiversity and conservation. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q3. Carbon neutrality and environmental conservation efforts. - (Paper 1, 2024)

Human Geography:

1. Perspectives in Human Geography

• Areal differentiation, regional synthesis, dichotomy and dualism, environmentalism
• Quantitative revolution and locational analysis, radical, behavioural, human, and welfare approaches
• Languages, religions and secularisation, cultural regions of the world
• Human Development Index (HDI)

2. Economic Geography

• World economic development: measurement and problems
• World resources and their distribution, energy crisis, the limits to growth
• Typology of agricultural regions, agricultural inputs and productivity, food and nutrition problems, food security, famine (causes, effects and remedies)
• World industries: locational patterns and problems, patterns of world trade

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. D. Whittlesey's classification of agricultural regions. - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. Spatial changes and emerging patterns in global semiconductor manufacturing.  (Paper 1, 2024)-

3. Population and Settlement Geography

• Growth and distribution of world population, demographic attributes, causes and consequences of migration, concepts of over-, under-, and optimum population
• Population theories, world population problems and policies, population as social capital
  Social well-being and quality of life
• Types and patterns of rural settlements, environmental issues in rural settlements
• Hierarchy of urban settlements, urban morphology, concepts of primate city and rank-size rule, functional classification of towns, sphere of urban influence, rural-urban fringe, satellite towns
• Problems and remedies of urbanization, sustainable development of cities

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Transnationalism and rise of diaspora linkages  - (Paper 1, 2024)
• Q2. Migration vs fertility in future population dynamics of developed countries  - (Paper 1, 2024)

4. Regional Planning

• Concept of a region, types of regions, methods of regionalisation
• Growth centres and growth poles, regional imbalances, regional development strategies
• Environmental issues in regional planning, planning for sustainable development

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Criteria for selecting regions for developmental planning  - (Paper 1, 2024)

5. Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography

• Systems analysis in Human Geography
• Malthusian, Marxian and demographic transition models
• Central Place Theories (Christaller and Losch), Von Thünen’s model of agricultural location, Weber’s model of industrial location
• Ostov’s model of stages of growth, Perroux and Boudeville’s growth pole theory
• Heartland and Rimland theories
• Laws of international boundaries and frontiers

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 1 2024

• Q1. Complementary regions and Christaller’s theory in the context of settlement hierarchy  - (Paper 1, 2024)

Check the UPSC Mains Geography Syllabus here!

Geography Paper 2 Syllabus

UPSC Geography Optional Paper Syllabus paper 2 mainly deals with human geography and the geographical aspects of India. The areas which are important for this paper include economic geography, population and settlement geography, regional planning, agricultural geography, and urbanization. Therefore, the geography optional for UPSC syllabus paper 2 mainly tests the knowledge of spatial relationships, human settlement as well as regional development patterns within the context of India.

Geography Of India

1. Physical Setting

• Space relationship of India with neighboring countries
• Structure and relief
• Drainage system and watersheds
• Physiographic regions
• Mechanism of Indian monsoons and rainfall patterns
• Tropical cyclones and western disturbances
• Floods and droughts
• Climatic regions
• Natural vegetation
• Soil types and their distributions

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q1 (b): Discuss the basis of various explanations for the formation of Shiwalik.  - (Paper 2, 2024)
• Q3 (b): Discuss the variations in nature of glaciers in India and the emerging issues due to climate change.  - (Paper 2, 2024)

2. Resources

• Land, surface and ground water
• Energy, minerals, biotic and marine resources
• Forest and wildlife resources and their conservation
• Energy crisis

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q1 (c): Conservation and breeding centres are important components of the Action Plan for Vulture Conservation, 2020–2025. Why?  - (Paper 2, 2024)

3. Agriculture

• Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power
• Institutional factors: land holdings, land tenure and land reforms
• Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity, agricultural intensity, crop combination, land capability
• Agro and social-forestry
• Green revolution and its socio-economic and ecological implications
• Significance of dry farming
• Livestock resources and white revolution
• Aqua-culture, sericulture, apiculture and poultry
• Agricultural regionalisation
• Agro-climatic zones
• Agro-ecological regions

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q2 (a): Institutional factors are playing a dominant role in controlling the agricultural prosperity in India. Justify with evidences.  - (Paper 2, 2024)

4. Industry

• Evolution of industries
• Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilizer, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and agro-based industries
• Industrial houses and complexes including public sector undertakings
• Industrial regionalisation
• New industrial policies
• Multinationals and liberalization
• Special Economic Zones
• Tourism including eco-tourism

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q2 (b): The Indian Space Policy, 2023 supports the commercial presence in space. In what ways will it benefit the socio-economic development and security of India? - (Paper 2, 2024)

5. Transport, Communication and Trade

• Road, railway, waterway, airway and pipeline networks and their complementary roles in regional development
• Growing importance of ports on national and foreign trade
• Trade balance
• Trade policy
• Export processing zones
• Developments in communication and information technology and their impacts on economy and society
• Indian space programme

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q4 (c): What are the major regional rapid transit systems developed in India? How are urban problems being addressed by them?  - (Paper 2, 2024)

6. Cultural Setting

• Historical perspective of Indian society
• Racial, linguistic and ethnic diversities
• Religious minorities
• Major tribes, tribal areas and their problems
• Cultural regions
• Growth, distribution and density of population
• Demographic attributes: sex-ratio, age structure, literacy rate, work-force, dependency ratio, longevity
• Migration (inter-regional, intra-regional and international) and associated problems
• Population problems and policies
• Health indicators

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q1 (d): North-Eastern States of India are geopolitically sensitive and strategically significant. Explain.  - (Paper 2, 2024)
• (Also overlaps with Political Aspects)
• Q4 (b): Health is the outcome of interaction between physical setting, cultural traits and ecological connection. Explain.  - (Paper 2, 2024)

7. Settlements

• Types, patterns and morphology of rural settlements
• Urban developments
• Morphology of Indian cities
• Functional classification of Indian cities
• Conurbations and metropolitan regions
• Urban sprawl
• Slums and associated problems
• Town planning
• Problems of urbanization and remedies

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q2 (c): Discuss the process of formation of conurbations in India and describe their problems.  - (Paper 2, 2024)

8. Regional Development and Planning

• Experience of regional planning in India
• Five Year Plans
• Integrated rural development programmes
• Panchayati Raj and decentralised planning
• Command area development
• Watershed management
• Planning for backward area, desert, drought-prone, hill, tribal area development
• Multi-level planning
• Regional planning and development of island territories

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q3 (a): India has wide-ranging regional disparities in economic development. Explain the patterns, implications and challenges.  - (Paper 2, 2024)

9. Political Aspects

• Geographical basis of Indian federalism
• State reorganisation
• Emergence of new states
• Regional consciousness and inter-state issues
• International boundary of India and related issues
• Cross-border terrorism
• India’s role in world affairs
• Geopolitics of South Asia and Indian Ocean realm

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q1 (d): North-Eastern States of India are geopolitically sensitive and strategically significant.  - (Paper 2, 2024)

10. Contemporary Issues

• Ecological issues
• Environmental hazards: landslides, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and droughts, epidemics
• Issues relating to environmental pollution
• Changes in patterns of land use
• Principles of environmental impact assessment and environmental management
• Population explosion and food security
• Environmental degradation
• Deforestation, desertification and soil erosion
• Problems of agrarian and industrial unrest
• Regional disparities in economic development
• Concept of sustainable growth and development
• Environmental awareness, Linkage of rivers
• Globalisation and Indian economy

Related Questions from UPSC Geography Paper 2 2024

• Q1 (c): Vulture conservation and breeding centres  - (Paper 2, 2024)
• Q3 (b): Glacial variations and climate change-related issues  - (Paper 2, 2024)
• Q4 (b): Health and its ecological, physical, and cultural context  - (Paper 2, 2024)

NOTE: Candidates will be required to answer one compulsory map question pertinent to subjects covered by Paper 2 (Geography Of India) paper. 

How to Prepare for Geography Optional Syllabus UPSC?

The preparation of the optional geography syllabus UPSC needs step-by-step and all-around strategy. Just consider the following:

• Understanding of the Syllabus: As your initial step, carefully go through the UPSC geography optional syllabus PDF so that you get an idea about all the topics and sub-topics.
• Study Plan: Prepare a real study plan where you allot sufficient time for each section of your UPSC CSE geography optional syllabus.
• Use Standard Reference Books: Use authenticated books for the building of a strong conceptual base and to cover the geography optional subject syllabus for UPSC.
• Recurrent Revision: As frequently as you can, to reinforce your understanding, revise topics and concepts from the geography optional syllabus pdf UPSC.
• Practice Previous Year Papers: Solve previous year question papers to have an idea of the pattern of exams and also for knowing the questions that are recurring from the UPSC geography optional paper syllabus.

Geography Optional Previous Year Question Papers

Solving previous year question papers is one of the brilliant strategies for cracking up the UPSC geography optional subject syllabus. The question papers prepare the students for the format, the general level of difficulty, and the type of questions asked in the examination. Regular practice can definitely upgrade one's capacity to handle intricate questions, and also make time management efficient at the time of exams.

Geography Optional Previous Year Question Papers
Year	Paper	Download Link
2021	Geography Optional Paper I	Click Here
	Geography Optional Paper II	Click Here
2022	Geography Optional Paper I	Click Here
	Geography Optional Paper II	Click Here
2023	Geography Optional Paper I	Click Here
	Geography Optional Paper II	Click Here
2024	Geography Optional Paper I	Click Here
	Geography Optional Paper II	Click Here

Check some more UPSC IAS Previous Year’s Question Papers for other subjects here!

This was a detailed article about the UPSC Geography Optional Syllabus. To start the preparation for your examination, download the Testbook App and get access to world-class educations, mock tests, etc.