Drainage System — Himalayan & Peninsular Rivers, River Projects

What should you study in Drainage System?

• Himalayan rivers — Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra systems
• Peninsular rivers — east-flowing (Krishna, Godavari) vs west-flowing (Narmada, Tapi)
• River interlinking projects & controversies
• Floods, droughts & water stress regions

How often is Drainage System asked in UPSC Prelims?

Asked in 6 of 10 years, including 4 of the last 5. Highlighted years below are the ones it appeared in.

1. 2016: not asked
2. 2017: asked
3. 2018: not asked
4. 2019: asked
5. 2020: not asked
6. 2021: asked
7. 2022: not asked
8. 2023: asked
9. 2024: asked
10. 2025: asked

About the Prelims GS Paper I paper

General Studies Paper I is the Prelims paper that decides the cut-off: 100 multiple-choice questions for 200 marks, with negative marking for wrong answers. See all 88 Prelims GS Paper I topics.

Related topics to study next

• Physiography of India — Himalayas, Plains, Peninsular Plateau, IslandsHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
• Climate of India — Monsoon Seasons, Regional Variations & WeatherHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
• Soils of India — Classification, Degradation & ConservationHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
• Natural Vegetation — Forest Types, Deforestation & ConservationHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
• Mineral & Energy Resources — Distribution & Critical MineralsHigh-yieldasked 4/10 yrs
• Agriculture — Crops, Agro-climatic Zones & Food Security GeographyHigh-yieldasked 3/10 yrs
• Industries — Iron/Steel, Textile, Chemical, Industrial Location TheoryHigh-yieldasked 5/10 yrs
• Transport Networks — Railways, Roads, DFCs, Waterways & Economic CorridorsHigh-yieldasked 6/10 yrs