Book List

GEOGRAPHY MAINS
PAPER - I

PRINCIPLE OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY

1. Geomorphology: Factors controlling landform development; endogenetic and exogenetic forces;

Origin and evolution of the earth's crust; Fundamentals of geomagnetism; Physical conditions of
the earth's interior; Geosynclines; Continental drift; Isostasy; Plate tectonics; Recent views on
mountain building; Vulcanicity; Earthquakes and Tsunamis; Concepts of geomorphic cycles and
Landscape development ; Denudation chronology; Channel morphology; Erosion surfaces; Slope
development ; Applied Geomorphology : Geohydrology, economic geology and environment.

Books /Sources
NCERT XI Std Physical Geography
Physical Geography – Strahler & Strahler & Savinder Singh

2. Climatology: Temperature and pressure belts of the world; Heat budget of the earth; Atmospheric
circulation; atmospheric stability and instability. Planetary and local winds; Monsoons and jet
streams; Air masses and fronto genesis, Temperate and tropical cyclones; Types and distribution of
precipitation; Weather and Climate; Koppen's, Thornthwaite's and Trewartha's classification of
world climates; Hydrological cycle; Global climatic change and role and response of man in climatic
changes, Applied climatology and Urban climate.

Books /Sources
NCERT XI Std Physical Geography
Physical Geography - Strahler & Strahler & Savinder Singh

3. Oceanography: Bottom topography of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans; Temperature and
salinity of the oceans; Heat and salt budgets, Ocean deposits; Waves, currents and tides; Marine
resources: biotic, mineral and energy resources; Coral reefs, coral bleaching; sea-level changes; law
of the sea and marine pollution.

Books /Sources
NCERT XI Std Physical Geography
Oceanography - Sharma & Vatal
Physical Geography - Savinder Singh

4. Biogeography: Genesis of soils; Classification and distribution of soils; Soil profile; Soil erosion,
Degradation and conservation; Factors influencing world distribution of plants and animals;
Problems of deforestation and conservation measures; Social forestry; agro-forestry;.
  

Books /Sources
NCERT XI, XII Std Biology (Ch. 13 -16)
Rupa Made Simple - Part I

5 Environmental Geography: Principle of ecology; Human ecological adaptations; Influence of

man on ecology and environment; Global and regional ecological changes and imbalances;
Ecosystem their management and conservation; Environmental degradation, management and
conservation; Biodiversity and sustainable development; Environmental policy; Environmental
hazards and remedial measures; Environmental education and legislation.

Books /Sources
NCERT IX Std + UNEP Reports + IPCC Reports,
Terra Green / Down to Earth Magazines

HUMAN GEOGRAPHY

1. Perspectives in Human Geography: Areal differentiation; regional synthesis; Dichotomy

and dualism; Environmentalism; Quantitative revolution and locational analysis; radical, behavioral,
human and welfare approaches; Languages, religions and secularisation; Cultural regions of the
world; Human development index.

Books /Sources
Fundamental of Geographical Thought - S.Adhikari
Geographical Thought - R.D.Dikshit or Majid Hussain
HDI Report

2. Economic Geography: World economic development: measurement and problems; World

resources and their distribution; Energy crisis; the limits to growth; World agriculture: typology of
agricultural regions; agricultural inputs and productivity; Food and nutrition problems; Food
security; famine: causes, effects and remedies; World industries: locational patterns and problems;
patterns of world trade.

Books /Sources
NCERT XI Std
Economic Geography - Leon & Morgan
Economic Geography - Hartshorne
Rupa Made Simple Part -II
Current Sources : News paper & FAO Report, World Development Report

3. Population and Settlement Geography: Growth and distribution of world population;

demographic attributes; Causes and consequences of migration; concepts of over-under-and

Hari Bhawan, 14A/103 WEA, Karol Bagh (Back Side Karol Bagh Metro Station), New Delhi ‐ 110005 
Ph: 011 ‐ 25719872, 25719862, 25752444 | Mobile: 9810382305  
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optimum population; Population theories, world population problems and policies, Social well-
being and quality of life; Population as social capital.Types and patterns of rural settlements;
Environmental issues in rural settlements; Hierarchy of urban settlements; Urban morphology:
Concepts of primate city and rank-size rule; Functional classification of towns; Sphere of urban
influence; Rural - urban fringe; Satellite towns; Problems and remedies of urbanization; Sustainable
development of cities.

Books /Sources
NCERT XI Std
Human Geography - Majid Hussain
Population Geography - R C Chandna

4. Regional Planning: Concept of a region; Types of regions and methods of regionalisation;

Growth centres and growth poles; Regional imbalances; regional development strategies;
environmental issues in regional planning; Planning for sustainable development.

Books /Sources
Regional Planning in India - Chand & Puri
Yojana Magazine & Kurukshetra

5. Models, Theories and Laws in Human Geography: Systems analysis in Human

geography; Malthusian, Marxian and demographic transition models; Central Place theories of
Christaller and Losch;Perroux and Boudeville; Von Thunen's model of agricultural location;
Weber's model of industrial location; Ostov's model of stages of growth. Heartland and Rimland
theories; Laws of international boundaries and frontiers.

Books /Sources
Rupa Made Simple Part - II
Political Geography - S.Adhikari
Human Geography - Majid Hussain

PAPER II

GEOGRAPHY OF INDIA

1. Physical Setting: Space relationship of India with neighboring countries; Structure and relief;
Drainage system and watersheds; Physiographic regions; Mechanism of Indian monsoons and
rainfall patterns, Tropical cyclones and western disturbances; Floods and droughts; Climatic
regions; Natural vegetation; Soil types and their distributions.

Books /Sources
NCERT XI Std
Geography of India - Khullar or Savinder Singh ,

Hari Bhawan, 14A/103 WEA, Karol Bagh (Back Side Karol Bagh Metro Station), New Delhi ‐ 110005 
Ph: 011 ‐ 25719872, 25719862, 25752444 | Mobile: 9810382305  
Website: www.directionias.com | Email: [email protected] 
  

2. Resources: Land, surface and ground water, energy, minerals, biotic and marine resources;
Forest and wild life resources and their conservation; Energy crisis.

Books /Sources
Geography of India - Khullar , Annual Reports of Ministry of Water resource, coal, petroleum &
Natural gas, Environment forest & Climate change, India Years Books & PIB

3. Agriculture: Infrastructure: irrigation, seeds, fertilizers, power; Institutional factors: land

holdings, land tenure and land reforms; Cropping pattern, agricultural productivity,
agricultural intensity, crop combination, land capability; Agro and social-forestry; Green
revolution and its socio- economic and ecological implications; Significance of dry farming;
Livestock resources and white revolution; aqua - culture; sericulture, apiculture and poultry;
agricultural regionalisation; agro-climatic zones; agro- ecological regions.

Books /Sources
India Year Book , Economic Survey, NITI Ayog, NCERT XII Std , PIB

4. Industry: Evolution of industries; Locational factors of cotton, jute, textile, iron and steel,
aluminium, fertilizer, paper, chemical and pharmaceutical, automobile, cottage and agro -
based industries; Industrial houses and complexes including public sector undertakings;
Industrial regionalisation; New industrial policies; Multinationals and liberalization; Special
Economic Zones; Tourism including eco -tourism.

Books /Sources
India Year Book , Economic Survey, NITI Ayog, NCERT XII Std , PIB

5. Transport, Communication and Trade: Road, railway, waterway, airway and pipeline
networks and their complementary roles in regional development; Growing importance of ports on
national and foreign trade; Trade balance; Trade Policy; Export processing zones; Developments in
communication and information technology and their impacts on economy and society; Indian
space programme.

Books /Sources
India Year Book, , Economic Survey, NITI Ayog, NCERT XII Std , PIB

Hari Bhawan, 14A/103 WEA, Karol Bagh (Back Side Karol Bagh Metro Station), New Delhi ‐ 110005 
Ph: 011 ‐ 25719872, 25719862, 25752444 | Mobile: 9810382305  
Website: www.directionias.com | Email: [email protected] 
  

6. Cultural Setting: Historical Perspective of Indian Society; Racial, linguistic and ethnic
diversities; religious minorities; major tribes, tribal areas and their problems; cultural regions;
Growth, distribution and density of population; Demographic attributes: sex-ratio, age
structure, literacy rate, work-force, dependency ratio, longevity; migration (inter-
regional, intra- regional and international) and associated problems; Population problems and
policies; Health indicators.

Books /Sources
Census Report 2011
Contemporary Human Geography - Mona Domash

7. Settlements: Types, patterns and morphology of rural settlements; Urban developments;

Morphology of Indian cities; Functional classification of Indian cities; Conurbations and
metropolitan regions; urban sprawl; Slums and associated problems; town planning;
Problems of urbanization and remedies.

Books /Sources
Urbanization and Urban Systems in India - R Ramachandran
Human Geography - Majid Hussain

8. Regional Development and Planning: Experience of regional planning in India; Five Year
Plans; Integrated rural development programmes; Panchayati Raj and decentralised planning;
Command area development; Watershed management; Planning for backward area, desert,
drought prone, hill, tribal area development; multi-level planning; Regional planning and
development of island territories.

Books /Sources
Books /Sources
NITI Ayog Report , PIB
Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (Publication Division)

9. Political Aspects: Geographical basis of Indian federalism; State reorganisation; Emergence

of new states; Regional consciousness and inter state issues; international boundary of India
and related issues; Cross border terrorism; India's role in world affairs; Geopolitics of South
Asia and Indian Ocean realm.

Books /Sources
Political Geography - R.D Dixit

Hari Bhawan, 14A/103 WEA, Karol Bagh (Back Side Karol Bagh Metro Station), New Delhi ‐ 110005 
Ph: 011 ‐ 25719872, 25719862, 25752444 | Mobile: 9810382305  
Website: www.directionias.com | Email: [email protected] 
  

10. Contemporary Issues: Ecological issues: Environmental hazards: landslides, earthquakes,

Tsunamis, floods and droughts, epidemics; Issues relating to environmental pollution;
Changes in patterns of land use; Principles of environmental impact assessment and
environmental management; Population explosion and food security; Environmental
degradation; Deforestation, desertification and soil erosion; Problems of agrarian and
industrial unrest; Regional disparities in economic development; Concept of sustainable
growth and development; Environmental awareness; Linkage of rivers; Globalisation and
Indian economy.

Books /Sources
PIB, News Paper & all suggest Magazines.

Atlas: Orient Black Swan or Oxford School atlas for India

Dictionary: Physical & Human Geography: Oxford (A Dictionary of Geography)

Download Study Material by Neetu Singh : https://www.directionias.com/resources/

Hari Bhawan, 14A/103 WEA, Karol Bagh (Back Side Karol Bagh Metro Station), New Delhi ‐ 110005 
Ph: 011 ‐ 25719872, 25719862, 25752444 | Mobile: 9810382305  
Website: www.directionias.com | Email: [email protected]