🪨 OPTIONAL — GEOLOGY

Papers: VI & VII · 500 marks. GS overlap: MODERATE — GS-I (physical geography), GS-III (mineral resources, disasters, environment). Best for: geology graduates and those with earth-science backgrounds.

⚠️ Verify against the current UPSC notification at upsc.gov.in.

PAPER I

1. General Geology: the solar system, meteorites, origin and interior of the earth and age of earth; volcanoes — causes and products, volcanic belts; earthquakes — causes, effects, earthquake belts, seismicity of India, intensity and magnitude scales, seismic zones of India; island arcs, deep sea trenches and mid-ocean ridges; continental drift, sea-floor spreading, plate tectonics; isostasy.
2. Geomorphology and Remote Sensing: basic concepts of geomorphology; weathering and soil formations; landforms, slopes and drainage; geomorphic cycles and their interpretation; morphology and its relation to structures and lithology; applications of geomorphology in mineral prospecting, civil engineering, hydrology and environmental studies; geomorphology of Indian subcontinent. Aerial photographs and their interpretation — merits and limitations; the Electromagnetic Spectrum; orbiting satellites and sensor systems; Indian Remote Sensing Satellites; satellite data products; applications of remote sensing in geology; the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS) — its applications.
3. Structural Geology: principles of geologic mapping and map reading, projection diagrams, stress and strain ellipsoid and stress-strain relationships of elastic, plastic and viscous materials; measurement of strain in deformed rocks; behaviour of minerals and rocks under deformation conditions; folds and faults classification and mechanics; structural analysis of folds, foliations, lineations, joints and faults, unconformities; time-relationship between crystallization and deformation.
4. Palaeontology: species — definition and nomenclature; megafossils and microfossils; modes of preservation of fossils; different kinds of microfossils; application of microfossils in correlation, petroleum exploration, palaeoclimatic and palaeoceanographic studies; evolutionary trends in Hominidae, Equidae and Proboscidae; Siwalik fauna; Gondwana flora and fauna and its importance; index fossils and their significance.
5. Indian Stratigraphy: classification of stratigraphic sequences — lithostratigraphic, biostratigraphic, chronostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic and their interrelationships; distribution and classification of Precambrian rocks of India; study of stratigraphic distribution and lithology of Phanerozoic rocks of India with reference to fauna, flora and economic importance; major boundary problems — Cambrian/Precambrian, Permian/Triassic, Cretaceous/Tertiary and Pliocene/Pleistocene; study of climatic conditions, palaeogeography and igneous activity in the Indian subcontinent in the geological past; tectonic framework of India; evolution of the Himalayas.
6. Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology: hydrologic cycle and genetic classification of water; movement of subsurface water; springs; porosity, permeability, hydraulic conductivity, transmissivity and storage coefficient, classification of aquifers; water-bearing characteristics of rocks; groundwater chemistry; salt water intrusion; types of wells; drainage basin morphometry; exploration for groundwater; groundwater recharge; problems and management of groundwater; rainwater harvesting; engineering properties of rocks; geological investigations for dams, tunnels highways, railway and bridges; rock as construction material; landslides — causes, prevention and rehabilitation; earthquake-resistant structures.

PAPER II

1. Mineralogy: classification of crystals into systems and classes of symmetry; international system of crystallographic notation; use of projection diagrams to represent crystal symmetry; elements of X-ray crystallography; physical properties of minerals; isomorphism and polymorphism, classification of minerals, structure of silicates; mineralogy of common rock-forming minerals; mode of occurrence and association; petrographic microscope and accessories; petrographic techniques; behaviour of light in crystals.
2. Igneous and Metamorphic Petrology: generation and crystallization of magmas; crystallization of albite-anorthite, diopside-anorthite and diopside-wollastonite-silica systems; Bowen's Reaction Principle; magmatic differentiation and assimilation; petrogenetic significance of the textures and structures of igneous rocks; petrography and petrogenesis of granite, syenite, diorite, basic and ultrabasic groups, charnockite, anorthosite and alkaline rocks; carbonatites; deccan volcanic province. Types and agents of metamorphism; metamorphic grades and zones; phase rule; facies of regional and contact metamorphism; ACF and AKF diagrams; textures and structures of metamorphic rocks; metamorphism of arenaceous, argillaceous and basic rocks; minerals assemblages; retrograde metamorphism; metasomatism and granitisation, migmatites; granulite terrains of India.
3. Sedimentology: sediments and sedimentary rocks — processes of formation, diagenesis and lithification; framework, matrix and cement of terrigenous sediments; sedimentary textures — grain morphology and its significance; framework and grain size distribution and their significance; elementary ideas of thin section petrography of sedimentary rocks; quantitative and qualitative evaluation of petrographic data; sedimentary structures and their significance; palaeocurrent analysis; heavy minerals in sediments and their significance; sedimentary environments and facies — facies modelling for marine, non-marine and mixed environments; sedimentary basins of India.
4. Economic Geology: ore, ore mineral and gangue, tenor of ore, classification of ore deposits; process of formation of minerals deposits; controls of ore localization; ore textures and structures; metallogenic epochs and provinces; geology of the important Indian deposits of aluminium, chromium, copper, gold, iron, lead, zinc, manganese, titanium, uranium and thorium and industrial minerals; deposits of coal and petroleum in India; national mineral policy; conservation and utilization of mineral resources; marine mineral resources and Laws of Sea.
5. Mining Geology: methods of prospecting — geological, geophysical, geochemical and geobotanical; techniques of sampling; estimation of reserves or ore; methods of exploration and mining metallic ores, industrial minerals and marine mineral resources; mineral beneficiation and ore dressing.
6. Geochemistry and Environmental Geology: cosmic abundance of elements; composition of the planets and meteorites; structure and composition of earth and distribution of elements; trace elements; elements of crystal chemistry — types of chemical bonds, coordination number; isomorphism and polymorphism; elementary thermodynamics. Natural hazards — floods, mass wasting, coastal hazards, earthquakes and volcanic activity and mitigation; environmental impact of urbanization, open cast mining, industrial and radioactive waste disposal, use of fertilizers, dumping of mine waste and fly-ash; pollution of ground and surface water, marine pollution; environment protection — legislative measures in India.

BOOKLIST

STRATEGY

• Diagrams and cross-sections are essential — draw structural sections, phase diagrams, crystal systems.
• Indian stratigraphy and economic geology are the highest-scoring, most predictable sections.
• Link to current issues: mineral policy, groundwater crisis, landslides, earthquake preparedness.
• Practise map/structural interpretation questions.
• Solve 15 years of PYQs.

Pros: small competition pool; objective; useful GS-I/GS-III overlap in disasters and resources. Cons: requires formal geology training; limited coaching/material; heavy diagram load.