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UPSC Prelims 2019 · Indian Geography · India’s Land and Borders
Consider the following pairs: Glacier — River
- Bandarpunch — Yamuna
- Bara Shigri — Chenab
- Milam — Mandakini
- Siachen — Nubra
- Zemu — Manas
- (a) 1, 2 and 4
- (b) 1, 3 and 4
- (c) 2 and 5
- (d) 3 and 5
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 4
Bandarpunch, Bara Shigri and Siachen are matched correctly.
Statement by statement
1. ✓ CORRECT The Bandarpunch massif in western Garhwal feeds the Yamuna; Yamunotri lies on its slope.
2. ✓ CORRECT Himachal’s largest glacier (Lahaul–Spiti) drains into the Chandra, which becomes the Chenab after it meets the Bhaga.
3. ✗ WRONG — Milam feeds the Goriganga Milam (Pithoragarh, Kumaon) feeds the Goriganga. The Mandakini starts at the Chorabari glacier near Kedarnath.
4. ✓ CORRECT Siachen in the Karakoram is the source of the Nubra, a tributary of the Shyok.
5. ✗ WRONG — Zemu feeds the Teesta Zemu, at the foot of Kangchenjunga (Sikkim), feeds the Teesta. The Manas comes down from Bhutan.
The idea
A glacier feeds the stream that drains its valley. That stream may later join a larger river, so a glacier can be described by its immediate outlet or its wider river system. Trace the drainage connection instead of matching names merely because they belong to the same State.
Snow accumulates at high altitude → Compacted snow becomes glacier ice → Ice moves down its valley → Melting feeds an outlet stream → Tributaries join → Water enters a larger river system
Why the others are wrong
(b) Milam feeds the Goriganga, not the Mandakini.
(c) Zemu feeds the Teesta, not the Manas.
(d) Picks the swapped pairs. The Mandakini and the Manas are real rivers of the same regions, fed by other glaciers.
The trap
Mandakini and Manas are real Himalayan rivers from the same regions — UPSC just paired them with the wrong glacier.
Elimination technique
Milam drains towards Goriganga and Zemu towards Teesta. Rejecting the two swapped pairs, 3 and 5, removes (b), (c) and (d) without needing every glacier detail.
Also know
Gangotri feeds the Bhagirathi, while Satopanth and Bhagirath Kharak feed the upper Alaknanda system. The Bhagirathi and Alaknanda meet at Devprayag. Nubra joins Shyok, which joins Indus; Goriganga joins Kali. These downstream links distinguish immediate glacier outlets from main rivers.
🔒 Bandarpunch → Yamuna · Bara Shigri → Chandra/Chenab · Siachen → Nubra · Milam → Goriganga · Zemu → Teesta.
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