IAS Prelims Geography Q.12 – 2024 | Indian Physical Geography: Waterfalls
Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk
📍 The Question
Consider the following information:
| Waterfall | Region | River |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Dhuandhar | Malwa | Narmada |
| 2. Hundru | Chota Nagpur | Subarnarekha |
| 3. Gersoppa | Western Ghats | Netravati |
In how many of the above rows is the given information correctly matched?
(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None
Correct Answer: (a) Only one
🎯 Theme of the Question
Indian Geography | Waterfalls | Physiographic Regions | River Systems
This is a location–region–river correlation question, testing precision of Indian physiographic knowledge.
🧠 Classroom Explanation
Let us verify each row carefully.
🔹 Row 1: Dhuandhar – Malwa – Narmada ❌
- Dhuandhar Falls:
- Located near Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh
- Formed by the Narmada River
- However:
- Jabalpur lies in the Mahakoshal region
- Not in the Malwa Plateau
- Malwa lies north-west of Vindhya Range
- Mahakoshal lies south of Vindhya Range
✔️ River is correct
❌ Region is incorrect
✘ Row 1 is incorrectly matched
🔹 Row 2: Hundru – Chota Nagpur – Subarnarekha ✅
- Hundru Falls:
- Located near Ranchi, Jharkhand
- Lies on the Subarnarekha River
- Ranchi is part of the Chota Nagpur Plateau
- Hundru is the highest waterfall in Jharkhand
✔️ Region correct
✔️ River correct
✅ Row 2 is correctly matched
🔹 Row 3: Gersoppa – Western Ghats – Netravati ❌
- Gersoppa (Jog) Falls:
- Formed by the Sharavathi River
- Located in Shimoga district, Karnataka
- Lies in the Western Ghats
- The river mentioned (Netravati) is incorrect
- Netravati flows further south near Mangaluru
✔️ Region correct
❌ River incorrect
✘ Row 3 is incorrectly matched
📊 Final Assessment
| Row | Status |
|---|---|
| Dhuandhar – Malwa – Narmada | ❌ |
| Hundru – Chota Nagpur – Subarnarekha | ✅ |
| Gersoppa – Western Ghats – Netravati | ❌ |
👉 Only one row is correctly matched
❌ UPSC Elimination Logic
- UPSC exploits:
- Physiographic region confusion (Malwa vs Mahakoshal)
- River–waterfall mismatch (Sharavathi vs Netravati)
- Partial correctness is not accepted
🧩 Memory Hook
“Jog falls with Sharavathi, Hundru rides Subarnarekha — Malwa stays away.”
🧠 Prelims Strategy Insight
For waterfall questions:
- Always remember:
- Region first
- River second
- Western Ghats waterfalls are short, steep, west-flowing
- Plateau waterfalls are older and broader
🧭 IAS Monk Whisper
Names mislead, regions betray — maps alone remain faithful.
