UPSC CORE · NCERT GEOGRAPHY · UPSC PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
Glaciers of India 📌
NCERT-aligned UPSC Core Geography topic from NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar). Every item is anchored to a real location on India's map — built for boards (CBSE, ICSE, state) and UPSC aspirants.
📚 NCERT TEXTBOOK ALIGNMENT
Class UPSC Geography — NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar) — Chapter: UPSC Physical Geography.
13LOCATIONS
80QUESTIONS
UPSC CORENCERT LEVEL
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Key locations covered (13)
- Siachen Glacier — Ladakh · longest in non-polar India
- Gangotri Glacier — Uttarakhand · source of Bhagirathi
- Yamunotri Glacier — Uttarakhand · source of Yamuna
- Pindari Glacier — Uttarakhand · Kumaon
- Milam Glacier — Uttarakhand · Kumaon
- Kafni Glacier — Uttarakhand · Kumaon
- Bhagirath Kharak Glacier — Uttarakhand · Chamoli
- Sona Glacier — Uttarakhand · Chamoli
- Hispar Glacier — PoK (Gilgit-Baltistan, Indian claim)
- Biafo Glacier — PoK (Gilgit-Baltistan, Indian claim)
- Baltoro Glacier — PoK (Gilgit-Baltistan, Indian claim)
- Zemu Glacier — Sikkim · largest in Eastern Himalaya
- Drang-Drung Glacier — Ladakh (Zanskar)
Sample questions (12 of 80)
Longest glacier in non-polar India?
Siachen Glacier — about 76 km long, in the eastern Karakoram of Ladakh
Which river does Siachen feed?
Nubra River → Shyok → Indus
Strategic significance of Siachen?
World's highest militarised conflict zone; India holds the glacier and Saltoro Ridge under Operation Meghdoot (1984)
Which two passes bracket the Siachen?
Sia La and Bilafond La — held by Indian Army along Saltoro Ridge
Year and name of India's Siachen operation?
Operation Meghdoot — 13 April 1984; India pre-empted Pakistan to seize the glacier
Highest battlefield post on Siachen?
Bana Post (~6749 m), named after Naib Subedar Bana Singh (PVC)
Range hosting Siachen?
Eastern Karakoram, between Saltoro Ridge (west) and the main Karakoram divide (east)
Why is Siachen retreating?
Climate change + black-carbon deposition from military activity; retreat ~5-7 m/yr documented
Meaning of 'Siachen' in Balti?
'Place of wild roses' — sia (rose) + chun/chen (abundance)
Siachen Base Camp location?
At Siachen Base, near Partapur in Nubra Valley; only Indian Army personnel + escorted civilians can enter
Which river originates from the Gangotri Glacier?
Bhagirathi — emerges from the Gaumukh snout, headstream of the Ganga
Name of the Gangotri snout?
Gaumukh (literally 'cow's mouth') — ~18 km from Gangotri town
All 80 questions are available in the interactive map quiz.
About this topic
This topic is part of the NCERT UPSC Core Geography syllabus, specifically the textbook NCERT Class 11/12 + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar), drawn from the chapter UPSC Physical Geography. Content is cross-referenced against the latest NCERT textbook editions + standard reference works (Bipan Chandra, R.S. Sharma, Romila Thapar, Satish Chandra for history; G.C. Leong, Savindra Singh for geography; the UPSC Civil Services prelims + mains syllabus).
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