Authentic Classroom Explanation by IAS Monk

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📍 The Question

Consider the following pairs :

Peak	Mountain Range
1. Namcha Barwa	Garhwal Himalaya
2. Nanda Devi	Kumaon Himalaya
3. Nokrek	Sikkim Himalaya

Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched ?

(a) 1 and 2
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3
(d) 3 only

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✅ Correct Answer: (b) 2 only

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🎯 Theme of the Question

Indian Geography | Himalayas | Mountain Ranges | Location-based Pairing

This is a classic UPSC Prelims trap testing precise regional classification of mountain peaks, not just familiarity with famous names.

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🧠 Classroom Explanation (Pair-wise Analysis)

Pair 1: Namcha Barwa — Garhwal Himalaya ❌

Namcha Barwa

• Namcha Barwa is located in southeastern Tibet, near the great Brahmaputra (Yarlung Tsangpo) bend.
• It belongs to the Eastern Himalayas, not the Garhwal Himalaya.
• Garhwal Himalaya lies entirely in Uttarakhand.

➡️ Incorrect match

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Pair 2: Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya ✅

Nanda Devi

• Nanda Devi (7,816 m) is India’s second-highest peak.
• It is located in Uttarakhand, within the Kumaon Himalaya (between Sutlej and Kali rivers).
• This is a textbook-correct pairing.

➡️ Correct match

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Pair 3: Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya ❌

Nokrek Peak

• Nokrek is the highest peak of the Garo Hills.
• It lies in the Meghalaya Plateau, which is geologically separate from the Himalayas.
• It has no connection with the Sikkim Himalaya.

➡️ Incorrect match

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📊 Final Assessment

Pair	Status
Namcha Barwa — Garhwal Himalaya	❌ Incorrect
Nanda Devi — Kumaon Himalaya	✅ Correct
Nokrek — Sikkim Himalaya	❌ Incorrect

👉 Only Pair 2 is correct

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🧩 Prelims Memory Hooks

• “Namcha bends with Brahmaputra” → Eastern Himalaya
• “Nanda = Kumaon crown”
• “Nokrek = Meghalaya, not Himalaya”

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🧭 IAS Monk Whisper

In UPSC geography,
one wrong mountain–range association can collapse the entire answer.
Maps reward precision, not popularity.

🧠 Prelims Trap Alert

• Famous ≠ Correctly located
• Meghalaya Plateau peaks are often wrongly tagged as Himalayan
• UPSC loves “nearby but not belonging” traps

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🧭 IAS Monk Whisper

In geography,
accuracy of location beats greatness of height.
Mountains do not forgive careless mapping.