Indian rivers are a favourite area for UPSC Prelims, usually asked through origin, tributary and location questions. This set covers the Himalayan and Peninsular drainage systems, important tributaries, deltas and dams, and the basic drainage patterns.
How to practise: read each question and tap the option you think is correct. You will see right away whether you got it, along with a short explanation, and your score is tracked at the bottom of the screen. This set has 16 questions.
Topics covered in this set
- Himalayan vs Peninsular rivers
- Ganga, Yamuna and Brahmaputra systems
- West-flowing rivers: Narmada and Tapi
- Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri and Mahanadi
- Indus Waters Treaty
- Inland drainage and drainage patterns
UPSC MCQs with answers and explanations
Q1. Which river has the largest river basin in India?
a) Indus
b) Brahmaputra
c) Godavari
d) Ganga
Q2. Which is the longest river of Peninsular India and is often called the 'Dakshin Ganga'?
a) Kaveri
b) Krishna
c) Godavari
d) Mahanadi
Q3. Which two major peninsular rivers flow west through rift valleys into the Arabian Sea?
a) Sabarmati and Mahi
b) Mahanadi and Godavari
c) Krishna and Kaveri
d) Narmada and Tapi
Q4. The Narmada river originates from:
a) Mahabaleshwar
b) Brahmagiri hills
c) Multai
d) Amarkantak
Q5. The Brahmaputra is known by which name in Tibet?
a) Tsangpo
b) Dihang
c) Jamuna
d) Siang
Q6. The Ganga is formed by the confluence of the Bhagirathi and the Alaknanda at:
a) Devprayag
b) Karnaprayag
c) Haridwar
d) Rudraprayag
Q7. Under the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, which rivers were allocated to India for unrestricted use?
a) Chenab, Sutlej and Indus
b) Jhelum, Ravi and Beas
c) Ravi, Beas and Sutlej
d) Indus, Jhelum and Chenab
Q8. Why does the Kaveri have a more regular flow than most other peninsular rivers?
a) It has the largest number of dams
b) It flows through a desert
c) It is fed by glaciers
d) Its catchment receives rain from both the south-west and the north-east monsoons
Q9. Which is the longest tributary of the Ganga?
a) Ghaghara
b) Gandak
c) Son
d) Yamuna
Q10. The Sundarbans delta, the largest delta in the world, is formed by:
a) Mahanadi and Godavari
b) Krishna and Godavari
c) Indus and Sutlej
d) Ganga and Brahmaputra
Q11. The Hirakud dam is built on which river?
a) Damodar
b) Godavari
c) Krishna
d) Mahanadi
Q12. Which river is known for its badland topography of deep ravines?
a) Son
b) Chambal
c) Ken
d) Betwa
Q13. Majuli, one of the largest river islands in the world, is located in which river?
a) Brahmaputra
b) Ganga
c) Mahanadi
d) Godavari
Q14. Which of the following is NOT a tributary of the Krishna?
a) Bhima
b) Koyna
c) Tungabhadra
d) Indravati
Q15. The Indus, Sutlej and Brahmaputra cut deep gorges through the Himalayas because they are older than the mountains. This type of drainage is called:
a) Antecedent
b) Subsequent
c) Consequent
d) Radial
Q16. Which river of Rajasthan is an example of inland drainage and ends in the Rann of Kutch?
a) Luni
b) Mahi
c) Banas
d) Chambal
Quick revision notes
- Himalayan rivers are perennial (snow and rain fed) and antecedent; peninsular rivers are mostly rain fed and seasonal.
- Origins: Ganga (Devprayag confluence), Yamuna (Yamunotri), Godavari (Trimbakeshwar), Narmada (Amarkantak), Tapi (Multai).
- Narmada and Tapi flow west through rift valleys and form estuaries.
- Indus Waters Treaty (1960): eastern rivers to India, western rivers to Pakistan.
- Dams and islands: Hirakud (Mahanadi), Majuli (Brahmaputra); Chambal is known for badlands.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Himalayan and Peninsular rivers?
Himalayan rivers are perennial, have large basins, form deep gorges and meander in the plains. Peninsular rivers are mostly seasonal, flow in older and shallower valleys and have smaller basins.
How do I remember river tributaries for UPSC?
Learn them on a map in order from source to mouth, mark which bank each tributary joins, and practise elimination questions like the Krishna and Godavari tributary question in this set.
Why do the Narmada and Tapi not form deltas?
They flow through narrow rift valleys with hard rocks, and carry relatively little sediment to the coast, so they form estuaries instead of deltas.
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