How to breakdown and study Geography for UPSC and other State exams by Manuj Jindal IAS AIR 53

Summary

This video offers a comprehensive guide on how to effectively study geography for UPSC and other state exams. The instructor provides an in-depth look at important resources, including NCERT and Gochi Leong books, along with supplementary sources like PMF IAS notes and Amit Sany Gupta's YouTube channel. The focus is on understanding the geography syllabus, mastering diagrams, maps, and important topics like physical geography, climate, and natural resources. The video emphasizes systematic learning techniques and practical advice on breaking down topics and revising effectively.

Takeaways

• 📚 The session focuses on how to study geography for UPSC prelims, mains, and other state exams.
• 🗺️ The speaker emphasizes the importance of systematically approaching geography, particularly through maps and diagrams.
• 📖 The NCERT Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography book is recommended as the primary source for physical geography.
• 🌍 Another optional but useful book mentioned is 'Certificate Physical and Human Geography' by Goh Cheng Leong, especially for topics like climatology and landforms.
• 🗒️ PMF IAS notes are recommended for revision, especially for covering topics like geomorphology, climatology, and oceanography.
• 🎥 Amit Sengupta's YouTube channel is suggested as a helpful resource for understanding specific geography topics through videos.
• 📝 Key topics in geography for UPSC include physical geography, resource distribution, and industrial location across the world.
• 🔍 Focus on understanding geography concepts through diagrams, maps, and answering 'why' questions, such as why certain resources or landforms are where they are.
• 🧭 An atlas, specifically the Oxford Atlas, is recommended for geographical study, particularly when breaking down continents and countries into regions.
• 🖊️ The speaker stresses the importance of practicing diagrams and map drawing for exams, even if they are rough sketches to represent key geographical features.

Q & A

What is the first recommended source for studying geography for UPSC?

The first recommended source is the Class 11th NCERT book, 'Fundamentals of Physical Geography'. This book provides a comprehensive overview of physical geography topics needed for UPSC preparation.

Why is the book by Goh Cheng Leong suggested as an additional resource?

Goh Cheng Leong's 'Certificate Physical and Human Geography' is recommended because it covers climatology and landforms in greater detail, which can clarify concepts that are only briefly covered in the NCERT books.

What is the role of an atlas in studying geography for UPSC?

An atlas is essential for geography preparation as it helps in understanding maps and visualizing locations. It is particularly useful when studying topics like physical geography, natural resources distribution, and human geography.

What makes PMF IAS notes useful for UPSC geography preparation?

PMF IAS notes are useful for revising and condensing key points across geography topics such as geomorphology, climatology, and Indian geography. These notes are recommended for quick reference and revision, especially when preparing for exams.

How can Amit Sengupta's YouTube channel help in understanding geography concepts?

Amit Sengupta's YouTube channel provides detailed explanations of complex geography topics, including the entire UPSC geography syllabus. His videos cover essential concepts, which can help in clarifying doubts and reinforcing learning through visual aids.

How should a student approach geography topics in UPSC preparation?

Students should first break down broad geography topics into smaller sub-topics, starting with fundamental concepts from the NCERT books. Gradually, they should focus on specific details and diagrams, and reinforce their learning with revision notes and videos.

What are the key topics included in UPSC's geography syllabus?

The key topics include geomorphology, climatology, oceanography, the distribution of natural resources, geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes and cyclones, and the location of various industries across the world.

Why is the study of maps and diagrams important in geography preparation?

Maps and diagrams are crucial because they allow students to visualize geographical concepts and phenomena. Geography is a subject that can be better understood through diagrams, helping in remembering key information more effectively.

How should students use mock tests and previous year question papers for geography preparation?

Students should practice a lot of previous year questions and mock tests to familiarize themselves with the exam pattern and the type of geography questions asked in UPSC. This also helps in identifying important facts and areas that require more focus.

How should the Oxford Atlas be used effectively for geography studies?

The Oxford Atlas should be studied in blocks, starting with continents, followed by countries, and then regions within those countries. This approach helps students grasp the geographical layout, key resources, and physical features efficiently.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to Geography Study Techniques

In this introduction, the speaker outlines the focus of the session, which is how to study geography for UPSC mains, prelims, and state exams. The video will cover topics such as maps, diagrams, and systematic study methods rather than just memorizing facts. The speaker emphasizes the importance of watching the video till the end to gain a comprehensive understanding of geography study techniques and promises to share useful tips for breaking down the syllabus and managing vast content.

05:00

📖 Key Books for Geography Preparation

The speaker introduces the first essential source for geography preparation: the Class 11 NCERT book 'Fundamentals of Physical Geography.' They highlight that it covers all the key topics for physical geography in around 150 pages. An optional book recommended is the 'Certificate Physical and Human Geography' by Goh Cheng Leong, which offers more detail on topics like climatology and landforms. The speaker also suggests using an atlas and refers to PMF IAS notes for revisions. Lastly, Amit Shain Gupta's YouTube channel is recommended for concept clarity.

10:02

🌍 Understanding the Geography Syllabus

The speaker dives into the UPSC syllabus, pointing out that it broadly covers topics like world physical geography, natural resource distribution, and factors affecting industry location. Specific topics include resources like iron, copper, and rare metals, and their industrial uses, such as aluminum and steel industries. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of geophysical phenomena like earthquakes and tsunamis, as well as geographical features and environmental changes. Maps and diagrams are stressed as crucial for understanding geography concepts.

15:02

🗺️ Breaking Down the Geography Topics

The speaker explains how to approach studying geography by breaking down large topics into smaller parts. For instance, when studying resources, one can divide it into natural and artificial resources. Similarly, phenomena such as climate, atmosphere, and biodiversity are dissected into smaller, manageable topics. The speaker advises studying each concept step-by-step, referring to foundational sources like NCERTs, and using diagrams as a key method to memorize and understand geography.

20:03

📝 Study Strategy and Resources for Geography

The speaker describes their study strategy, starting with the NCERT geography book and using Amit Shain Gupta’s YouTube videos for better concept clarity. They recommend revising with PMF IAS notes and studying an atlas by breaking down continents, countries, and regions. Instead of reading page by page, the speaker suggests focusing on key areas, like landforms and resources in a region. They also emphasize practicing past year questions, mock tests, and learning to draw rough maps.

Keywords

💡UPSC Geography Preparation

UPSC Geography Preparation refers to the approach and study methods needed to effectively cover geography for the UPSC exams, including prelims, mains, and state-level exams. The video discusses comprehensive strategies, such as breaking down topics, using maps, and selecting the right sources, to help students master the geography syllabus systematically.

💡NCERT Books

NCERT Books, particularly the Class 11th Fundamentals of Physical Geography, are highlighted as foundational texts for studying geography. These books cover critical topics like physical geography, climate, and landforms, providing a solid base for students to begin their geography preparation for UPSC and other competitive exams.

💡Maps and Diagrams

Maps and Diagrams are essential tools in geography study, allowing students to visualize concepts and enhance their understanding of various physical and human geography topics. The video emphasizes using maps to study landforms, climates, and geographical distributions, making complex topics more accessible.

💡Climatology

Climatology is the study of climates, including their patterns, causes, and effects on different regions. In the video, it is highlighted as a key area of focus within geography, with the suggestion to use specific books, like Goh Cheng Leong’s 'Certificate Physical and Human Geography,' to gain a deeper understanding of global climate phenomena.

💡Geophysical Phenomena

Geophysical Phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic activity, and cyclones are critical topics covered in the geography syllabus. The video underscores the importance of understanding these natural events, their causes, and their impacts on the Earth's surface, which is essential for UPSC preparation.

💡Resource Distribution

Resource Distribution refers to the geographical spread of natural resources like iron, copper, and rare metals. The video stresses the importance of understanding where these resources are found and the factors influencing their locations, which are often tested in exams like UPSC.

💡Industry Location Factors

Industry Location Factors involve the reasons behind the placement of industries in specific regions, such as proximity to raw materials or favorable climate conditions. The video points out that understanding these factors is crucial for grasping the economic geography components of the UPSC syllabus.

💡Atlas Use

Atlas Use involves regularly consulting an atlas to understand the geographical context of various concepts, especially when studying maps and physical locations. The video advises students to systematically explore continents, countries, and regions within an atlas to better grasp spatial relationships in geography.

💡PMF IAS Notes

PMF IAS Notes are detailed, revision-oriented resources for topics such as geomorphology, climatology, and Indian geography. The video recommends these notes for their concise format, which helps in quick revision and reinforces understanding of key facts after studying from primary textbooks.

💡Amit Sengupta YouTube Channel

Amit Sengupta's YouTube Channel is recommended as an excellent resource for visual and easy-to-understand explanations of various geography topics. The video suggests using this channel for clarifying doubts and learning difficult concepts, offering a dynamic way to complement traditional study materials.

Highlights

Comprehensive guide on how to study geography for UPSC mains and prelims, focusing on various exams including state exams.

Breakdown of how to study geography systematically rather than memorizing facts.

NCERT Class 11 Fundamentals of Physical Geography book is the essential starting point for geography preparation.

Lyon Goichi Long’s 'A Certificate in Physical and Human Geography' is a helpful, though optional, resource to clarify advanced concepts.

The importance of having an Atlas for referring to maps when studying geographic concepts, especially maps and diagrams.

PMF IAS notes are recommended for revising topics in geography, with easy access to diagrams and points for memorization.

For more challenging topics, YouTube channels like Amit Sen Gupta’s provide a visual and simplified explanation of complex geography concepts.

Breaking down the broad UPSC geography syllabus into smaller, more manageable topics is crucial for understanding and retaining information.

Study resources and industries by understanding the geographic distribution of natural resources and their impact on industry locations.

Key geography topics include geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity and their locations and effects.

Understanding geography through diagrams and maps is essential; geography allows visualization of nearly every concept.

The first pass through the material should focus on understanding the big picture; the details will come in subsequent readings.

Revising through mock tests and solving previous year’s question papers is critical for UPSC exam preparation.

The importance of learning how to sketch simple maps quickly for exam use, even if they are rough approximations.

Studying resources such as the Oxford Atlas by focusing on regions and countries and understanding the location of physical and cultural features.

Transcripts

hi everyone i hope all of you guys are

doing well so today in this particular

class this particular session i'm going

to cover how to study geography for upsc

mains for upsc prelims and also for

obviously other state exams where

geography is part of the syllabus

and in this particular class we will get

a very deep understanding good

understanding of how to actually break

down various topics of geography

syllabus

how to learn maps how to learn diagrams

and how to systematically approach

studying geography instead of just going

right into the facts so watch this video

till the end because you will get an

idea complete idea about various aspects

of studying geography so take care and

let's go ahead and deep dive into the

geography studying techniques this video

i will cover comprehensively all the

sources that you need to study geography

what are the topics that are important

that are given in upsc syllabus

how you can actually go ahead and break

down all these topics because this is

one skill that a lot of you don't know

and i am going to teach you this in this

particular class today

and i'm going to tell you specific ways

in which you can easily remember easily

study a lot of

things from geography which otherwise

can be a very hectic subject because it

has so many details

so let's go ahead and dive into it i

today only have these two big books with

me so i will be obviously going

uh and telling you about these two books

but there are some other books also that

you can refer to which i will tell you

about

so what is the first source that the

most important source that you need to

study for upsc's geography portion or

for state phd geography portion is

the class 11th fundamentals of physical

geography book this book is a classic

this is an ncit book

around 250 pages no not even that much

just around

150 pages and this book covers all the

possible topics

when it comes to physical geography the

topics you need to study for physical

geography alright so this is the first

book this is the book you should start

your geography preparation from

the second book that is optional but i

personally really like this book is the

lyon

gochi long book

a certificate physical and human

geography book this is a classic book

and this book

basically goes more into details of

climate land forms

from a from a broader perspective and it

clarifies a lot of concepts which

otherwise you might not be sure about

being covered in this book and this book

also covers climatology which is not

covered that well in this particular

book

so those topics also you can cover so

here you can see this covers a lot of

climatology you know different kind of

climates across the world which i found

to be very useful even though they have

not been appearing in upsc for the last

few years but they can appear anytime

and it covers a lot of land forms

earth's land forms

various phenomena such as volcanism

earthquakes glaciation etc really well i

like the language i like the ease

through which you can study this book

and also the use of great diagrams in

this book so i you really used to like

this book this is also probably around

200 pages

around 180 190 pages so this book is

also something that is optional

obviously but i particularly liked it to

clarify my

doubts on

various topics

the number third source that i really

like obviously an atlas you should

definitely definitely definitely have an

atlas with you and you should refer to

this atlas all the time when you study

any concepts especially when you're

studying maps

the fourth is

pmfias notes this is a

institute which provides notes on

various topics of geography

geomorphology climatology oceanography

economics of geography indian geography

base and also basic current affairs from

geography now the reason i like their

notes is because you can revise from

them really well i don't think you

should be reading these notes to study

and understand geography for that you

should be using this particular book

and the book other books that i'm

suggesting you but when you when it

comes to revising when it comes to going

through this entire material once again

when it comes to points various points

and diagrams that you need to remember

for this particular subject i think pmf

is a good choice and you can download

all these

from their website and you can use them

that is one other source that i

recommend and finally

whenever you are in doubt whenever not

understanding any particular topic i

would recommend go to amit shane gupta's

channel on youtube and you can on his

channel search for those particular

concepts he has pretty much covered

entire geography syllabus and you can

easily understand from his videos

various concept of geography it's a

great channel it did not exist when i

was appearing for exam but it has now

been there for a while and it is a

fantastic source for geography for

geography you can also google various

topics that you are not understanding or

youtube them you can easily easily

geography such a subject which has

a wide amount of huge amount of material

available online so these are the

sources and apart from that

i would also study ncrt's human ncit

book which covers human geography and

indian

geography uh ncit book which i will show

you the

i will share the link in this particular

description in the comment below so you

can download from there from the ncrt

website so this is the overall sources

that you need to study for upsc but how

to study that sources and how to cover

the topics various topics that are given

in the upsc syllabus that is the most

important topic

of today obviously because i don't want

to just give you sources i want to also

teach you how to study them because that

is more important format

from point of view of a particular

aspect all right so

let's look into the topics

if you look into the topics that upsc is

given

it is very broad and it is not as

comprehensive as you think

it would be it is simply salient

features of world's physical geography

so this covers pretty much everything

this covers geomorphology climatology

oceanography everything that comes in

world geography is covered for upsc then

it provides distribution of natural

resources across the world

so whatever the natural resources are

there in the world the distribution of

that and factors

responsible for the location of various

industries in various parts of the world

so this topic is talking about two

particular things

resources

and industries all right how are various

industries kind of located around the

world and why

so these particular two topics are

covered well

in pmf is also i think and they're also

covered well in youtube videos but there

is this is these two are not really

covered very well in ncrt so i will

share my notes also where i covered

these particular parts so in this what

will come is like for example iron iron

is a resource gold is a resource

copper is a resource

similarly rare metals nowadays are big

resources important resources so where

are these resources

distributed across the world that is

part of the syllabus and industries is

various industries let's say

aluminum

where is aluminum industry located why

is it located there or where is

steel industry located

where is iron industry located to

process all this iron that is coming

from these resources so those topics are

also important for ups perspective all

right then

next topic given is geophysical

phenomena such as earthquake tsunami

volcanic activity cyclones

geographical features so one is

phenomena

phenomena is basically various things

that happen in on the earth

because of climate because of

geomorphology etcetera then

various geographical features this is

another thing

and their location then changes in

critical geographical factors features

including water bodies and ice caps in

flora fauna

and effects on of the such changes

basically see what is geography

geography is nothing but the study of

the

earth's atmosphere earth's crust earth's

geomorphology how earth is structured

earth's landform earth's climate and

this is not a static thing this is not a

static thing earth is changing right

earth is changing because of climate

earth is changing because of forces

inside the earth volcanism earth is

changing because of all these ocean

currents because of winds so all these

things are changing the face of the

earth and the study surrounding that is

geography so you have to study all these

different things these dynamic things

and

some static

reasons behind them you know physics

behind them also in geography so all

that is covered basically here

so geography topics that are given in

upsc cover entire geography there is no

specificity as such except for this

where they have told you that you have

to study the resources in the industries

all right and of course maps maps are

maps and diagrams i would say

are the key part of studying geography

you can study any geographical concept

through maps and through diagrams any

topic so that's why i would say that you

rely a lot on geography in geography you

rely on rotten diagrams and maps and

that

makes it easy to study geography so

these are the various topics covered in

upsc these are the sources and now i

will break down these particular topics

for you so that you can understand how i

used to approach any subject including

geography and specifically geography and

how you can study it okay so first of

all

how would i break down how i would take

each and every big topic and then try to

break it into smaller topics and then go

to the classic books to study the

various chapters so i know i have to

study resources so what are the

resources resources are nothing but iron

ore

so when you study you will find out the

various resources are things like iron

or aluminum copper zinc all these rare

metals all these are resources now some

of the resources are natural obviously

they are found in the earth

but some of them are artificial

some of them are created by man all

right by humans so we have to study both

of these resources we have to study the

location of these sources across the

world and we have to study various

industries that are located

wherever they are located and what are

the reasons those industries are located

there all right so that is one topic you

have to study so i used to break down

all the topics so this study this topic

is given in upsc about the sources this

is how i would break down that resources

topic and i would further break it down

into smaller and smaller parts

i will look at the old question papers

also to get this understanding of what

kind of topics i have to cover similarly

in geography if you are talking about

phenomena what is phenomena of geography

related to it is related to land

minerals rocks climate atmosphere oceans

landforms

biodiversity human geography

intervention of humans in geography you

know economy

because humans obviously change

geography to get economic benefits from

the earth so all these different kind of

things i would want to study and i would

break them down into these smaller small

topics and then even further smaller

topics so how to study geography

basically first break down all the

topics try to get an overall idea what

you have to study

and then further go down then further go

down into

into all these topics whatever is given

in the book so

first of all the way i would approach

geography is i would study this

particular book this is the number one

book that i would like to start from and

i would obviously start from chapter

number one only i would go ahead look at

the table of contents

try to get in my head an idea what i'm

going to study in the book i'm going to

study earth

geography as a discipline land forms

climate water life on earth and this

within this i'm going to study how the

earth

originated what is the interior of the

earth what is inside the earth

how are the oceans and continents

located on the earth and what are the

reasons behind them why why is the

important question so this time in 2022

paper that is coming out of maine so we

see a lot of question related to why so

it is very important you should

understand the why why are oceans

located where they are why are the

continents located where they are all

right so similarly you will have

breakdown of all these topics take a

look at them and start of your studies

from chapter one

what is geography and why do we study

geography

you don't have to understand this

chapter in the first reading it is

almost impossible to remember all this

or understand all this it is almost

impossible to remember or understand all

these small small you know details that

are given in these chapters

but try to read it once the first

reading should be just trying to

understand overall

the theme

and trying to understand the bigger

concept so if you go behind in the

exercises

there are some questions that are always

given try to write or try to find the

answers to these big questions here see

these are 30 word questions 150 word

questions sometimes these questions only

come up in prc so you should try to

understand these concepts properly

because these are the important ones

and use a lot of diagrams to understand

geography the good thing about geography

is you can pretty much draw everything

you can pretty much

draw a diagram for everything in

geography literally everything in

geography geography is one of those

subjects where the book is always full

of diagrams some of the other diagrams

all right

so you can use a lot of these diagrams

to make sense of what you're studying

and my technique of studying geography

was always that i would remember

geography through diagrams i would

remember geography

not through concepts not through

readings but through diagrams that i was

studying okay

so first finish this ncrt book

and use the amit sayn gupta videos to

understand various concepts properly

then followed by this book after you've

read this book then you can go to the

pmfis notes that are given that i have

told you about the various notes on all

these different topics

i will also show you these notes

and you can study these notes because

they are node formatted and they are

revision oriented so i would not use

this particular nodes to understand

concepts but i would use them to revise

and to get the details all right so

understand from this but revise from

that

then i would also use my oxford atlas

and read it in various parts so how

would i study the oxford atlas v

basically i will go to a continent

understand that continent

then i would go to the country one

country of that continent and then

regions of the continent i would not try

to read everything page by page oxford

should always the maps atlas should

always be referred to or should always

be approached from in various blocks

blocks of continents blocks of countries

blocks of regions so let's say i'm going

to study asia so in asia let's say i

pick up china then i will study

different regions of china how they're

related what are the different land

forms in those

particular different parts of china what

are the resources found in those

particular parts of china that is how i

would actually approach studying oxford

atlas

okay

like i said try to understand the

overview and then go to detail facts

this is very very important do a lot of

previous year questions a lot of mock

tests

a lot of exercises from ncrd book and

solve at least 20 30 papers full papers

and at least 10 dedicated geography

papers because for prelims point of view

and from men's point of view both

geography is an important subject so i

would say that go ahead and do a lot of

that

and of course learn how to draw basic

maps like i don't know how to draw india

very well but

i can

kind of have

if you ask me to draw i can draw a

simple diagram and anyone can understand

it is not drawn to scale it is not a

great map at all

but i can draw it for the upsc map or

upsc if i need to do it for the upsc

exam similarly if you have to draw north

america so you know

roughly

you know something like that

and then south america you know so

obviously this is not a great map but i

can show roughly what i'm trying to show

similarly if i have to draw japan you

know so

roughly i can

i can

draw it and i can then mark it

and then i can show whatever i want to

show here you know through even my pen i

can show let's say i want to show some

ocean some straight or some gulf or

something like that or some kind of a

land form

like say i want to show the rockies so i

can show the rockies in the usa

obviously this is not a correct diagram

but i am just telling you for example

that your diagrams have to be not very

clean but you should be able to draw

them roughly

okay and the diagrams form

70 percent of the geography concepts if

you learn the diagrams properly in

geography you are pretty much set so

this is how i would study geography i

will also show you how to study pfm

pmfis notes and also some of the videos

from amitsyn gupta

so here are the notes of pmfis which i

said and these are the indian geography

notes

indian jio

and here you can see they have given a

table of contents obviously you can

refer to if you have to study himalayas

so you can go to that particular chapter

and they have given in lot of detail

every topic they have covered

and the thing i like about their

particular notes is that you can revise

from these notes you can revise all

these facts you don't need to remember

all these facts but lot of things you

can remember let's say you want to study

j and k and various reasons regions in

jnk so you can easily refer to this very

convenient map they have provided here

and you can study various parts of jnk

and then in point format they provide

you to various facts related to this

particular part of india

and

the

india's geographical setting but this is

not a book i would recommend this is not

notes i would recommend for studying for

the first time i would always recommend

indian geography if you are studying

india

ncrt book

and after you have studied this ncrt

book indian geography then come to this

indian geography notes of paper pfm pmf

is and then you can refer them for your

study

for revision

and for going into various details

of things that you studied in the ncrt

book so here they have provided all the

details that you need to study about

this geographical setting of india

borders where it is located

what are the major divisions of india

all right they are provided a physical

map for a reference

so all this is definitely useful that

way and then after that

they have provided you uh the detailed

structure of

and the diagram of where where various

indian rocks

structures are located systems rocks

systems are located

and then you can go in detail about that

but obviously

the facts are very very heavy

in this particular book in this

particular notes so i would say that be

careful you don't need to know all these

facts you don't need to study all these

facts you need to know the overview but

you need to go into certain facts which

are more important and how to know which

facts are important

which facts are important well you will

know that by solving previous year

questions and doing a lot of mock

practice of mock tests because not every

fact is important all right

so

this is this is the maps that this is

the particular book that i would not

mind starting for this particular

um geography system and similarly other

geomorphology etcetera other

nodes are also given by this particular

coaching institute

similarly if you go to amit sin gupta's

channel this is amit singh gupta's

channel and here if you go to his

channel

you can in playlist you can find

joe politics that is something new he

started but i like his geography note

videos so here he has provided videos of

various geographical concepts so here

you can go and

um refer to any of his geography videos

which are very very useful actually i

personally found them to be good quality

and like this you can obviously do

search for any kind of geography topics

you are not understanding and you can

get to understand them from any other

youtube channel that you like so here he

has tried to cover indian geography in a

few chapters reverse of india in a

future in a few videos all right so like

this you can cover those particular

world climate

copen copen scheme etc so like this you

can study all these particular topics

all right so this is a useful channel i

would also recommend you guys to use it