UPSC Prelims 2015 · Question 36 of 98
UPSC Prelims 2015 question on Godavari Tributaries
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2015
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectGeography
- TopicIndian Geography
- DifficultyHard
- TypeStatement
Consider the following rivers:
1. Vamsadhara
2. Indravati
3. Pranhita
4. Pennar
Which of the above are tributaries of Godavari?
Show answer
Answer: D. 2 and 3 only
Verdict
The answer is 2 and 3 only. The Indravati and the Pranhita are tributaries of the Godavari; the Vamsadhara and the Pennar are independent rivers.
Analysis
Statements 2 and 3 are CORRECT. The Penganga, Indravati, Pranhita and Manjra are among the principal tributaries of the Godavari, with the Pranhita itself formed by the Wardha, Wainganga and Penganga. Statement 1 is INCORRECT. The Vamsadhara is a separate east flowing river that rises in Odisha and reaches the Bay of Bengal on its own. Statement 4 is INCORRECT. The Pennar is another independent east flowing peninsular river, draining Andhra Pradesh and reaching the sea south of the Godavari basin.
Source
NCERT Class XI, India: Physical Environment, page 27.
How to crack it
Peninsular drainage divides into a few large systems and a set of smaller independent east flowing rivers, and UPSC builds these questions by mixing the two categories. Learn the Godavari tributaries as a named cluster, and separately learn the independent east flowing list of Subarnarekha, Brahmani, Baitarani, Vamsadhara, Pennar and Palar. Once a river is placed in the independent list it cannot be a tributary, and that single classification answers the question.