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HOW TO PREPARE THE ATLAS FOR IAS

PRELIMS
AsI mentioned in the eBook on IAS preparation that map based questions can fetch you 1015 marks quite easily in the Prelimsprovided you go through the atlas regularly. But not all
books or atlases are equal. I always recommend the Oxford Student Atlas as the best atlas
to refer for the civil services exam. As I said in Books for CSAT the Oxford Atlas is very
detailed, accurate, has good colour contrast for readability and is the atlas of choice for
UPSC as most of the map based questions in Prelims are asked from it.
But so manyaspirants find it difficult to prepare the atlas. Let me tell you, once you know
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how to read/see the atlas it will be a fun filled experience and you will actually look forward
to exploring it more. So lets get started with preparing the atlas. Ive taken the Oxford
Student Atlas as the reference for this guide, so if you have it beforehand it will be really
beneficial and this article will make more sense to you.
Note: Refer this IAS Preparation Guide to get started with IAS exam preparation.

Rule There areNo Rules to Start with the Atlas

Yes you read it right. Dont think theres a perfect way to begin with reading the atlas, mostly,
from start to finish like we do with other books. Remember, the atlas is a graphic
representation of maps so you can look at the map which you need or want to. If you want
want to start with Indias political map, fine. Or maybe you prefer the world map at a glance,
even this is ok. Some people may be curious about the middle east countries, they can find
more information about them. So to reaffirm start the way you want to, there are no rules.
In this post I will cover the WHAT and HOW of atlas preparation. What to look for and How to
look for. If you can master these two aspects youve mastered atlas preparation. Its this
simple really.

Understanding the Political Map of India

When looking at Indias map focus on these things location of states and major cities,
neighbouring states and countries, coastal states and cities, and position of states with
respect to tropic of cancer. If youre wondering why focus on these topics, remember the
WHAT and HOW of atlas reading. To understand what type of questions are asked refer the
past 5 years solved papers as mentioned in post on the importance of solved papers and
syllabus. Now I will elaborate on how to read the atlas to tackle these questions.
When looking at states remember to determine the number of bordering states. For
instance, Maharashtra shares borders with 6 other states. Also you should know the states
by name. Do this for all states, particularly states sharing borders with 5 or more states like
UP and MP.Next remember the bordering countries as questions are asked relates to it. For
instance question like Which among Sikkim, West Bengal, Assam and Meghalaya does NOT
border Bangladesh. Visualise different variations of this question.
Also in case of North Eastern states remember the north-south chronology of the states as
well as the bordering countries. For instance while Arunachal, Nagaland, Manipur and
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Mizoram border Myanmar, Tripura does not.

Numerous questions on cities are also asked like arrange the cities from North to South or
East to West. Or which city appears on river abc etc. So focus on the location of the city
relative to other major cities and also if they lie on any river bank.
The tropic of cancer also requires attention. Always remember the 8 states through which
the tropic of cancer passes. Also have a look at the states that lie just below and above the
tropic of cancer.

Understanding the Physical Map of India

Compared to the political map the physical map is harder to prepare, simply because there
are so many things to cover and remember. Rivers, lakes, mountains, soils, islands etc. So
lets take them one by one. If starting with mountain ranges and plateaus, cover them
systematically. Look at the middle Indian plateaus from east to west or west to east like
Mahadeo Hills, Maikal Range, Ramgarh Hills and Garjhat Hills.
Next, remember the mountain ranges in the southern peninsula that appear from north to
south like Nallamalla Hills, Palkonda Range, Nagari Hills, Javadi Hills, Shevaroy Hills,
Panchaimalai Hills, Palni Hills etc. If you find it difficult to memorize the names think up
some acronym like NPJS (first letters of the mountain ranges) or something of your own. Do
the same for mountain ranges in the north-east.

Rivers Flow with the Waves

Many aspirants find it difficult to tackle questions based on rivers simply because there are
so many rivers and different combinations of questions are possible. So you should prepare
accordingly.
First cover the important rivers of India. Their origin, flowing through which states, major
tributaries and where do they meet the main river, place where the river meets the sea (its
mouth) and so on. Next also focus on whether the river is east flowing or flowing westwards,
understand the chronology of the major rivers from north to south. Also keep an eye on
major dams or river disputes in news. For instance the Periyar river which is in focus owing
to the Mullaperiyar dam dispute.
Also look at the major rivers in a state or region. For instance in J&K, questions have been
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asked on north-south chronology of Shyok, Zaskar and Spiti. Some aspirants find it difficult
to locate these rivers but if you look at the Oxford Atlas closely you can easily locate them.
Tributaries of Ganga and Yamuna have been asked many times. When looking at the
tributaries look at the left bank and right bank tributaries. That is, taking the flow of the river
from west to east in the case of Ganga its major left bank tributaries (those rivers that meet
from left) are Yamuna and Son while the major right bank tributaries include Rapti, Gandak
and Kosi.
Now take the case of the mighty Brahamaputra. Originating from the Mansoravar lake in
Himalayas it flows through Tibet where it is known as the Tsangpo (pronounced Sangpo) and
enters India in Arunachal Pradesh where is called Dihang then continues its journey through
Assam and Bangladesh (where its name changes to Jamuna) before meeting the Bay of
Bengal. The major towns that lie along its banks include Guwahati and Dibrugarh.
Notice how I traced its origin, flow, different names, and major towns. Do the same for other
important rivers.
While on the topic of rivers locate the major dams on rivers. For example Govind Sagar dam
on Satluj, Hirakud dam on Mahanadi and so on. Apart from rivers and dams also locate the
important lakes on the map.

Understanding Mountains and Glaciers

Although Ive told to understand the north-south and west-east chronology of mountains,
lets look at the mountain ranges in more detail.
The Himalayas are by far the most important mountain ranges in India. They are classified
into three parts northern (Greater), middle and eastern (Little). Locate the important
mountain peaks like Karakoram, Kanchenjunga, Mt Everest etc. Further, in the northern
Himalayas there are a number of ranges like Karakoram, Ladakh, Zaskar, Dhaoladhar
Shivalik, and Pir Panjal. Arrange them from north to south. Do the same for other groups of
mountain ranges.
Then in the northern Himalayas there are number of glaciers with their length indicated.
Find out the biggest ones and determine their north-south chronology.
While in the topic of mountains lets take a look at national parks. Although important
national parks and wildlife and bird sanctuaries are indicated, not all are listed. And the
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reason is not too difficult to find out. With over 500 sanctuaries and national parks it is not
possible to list all. Further the list is dynamic. New ones are getting added all the time. So
you will find only the most prominent national parks and sanctuaries listed on the atlas. Find
the location of all. If you want to know about more parks and sanctuaries look up on the
internet or the Manorama Year Book.
Finally, determine the important mountain passes and the states they are situated. Some
prominent ones include Shipki La, Jelep La, Khardung La, Lipu Lekh, and Chang La.

Tackling Highways in the Atlas

If you look at the past years papers you will realize that questions related to highways, the
golden quadrilateral, north-south and east-west corridors are pretty common. So how
should you prepare for these?
While its not possible to remember or recollect all the 235 national highways nor is it
required focus on the important ones, the first ten. Know the starting and ending towns and
important townsen-route. For instance NH-7, the longest NH, stretches from Varanasi to
Kanyakumari and passes through 5 states and important cities like Jabalpur, Nagpur,
Hyderabad, and Bangalore.
Also look for cities and towns where many NHs meet. One such city is Nagpur where three
important National Highways cross. But apart from the first 10 NHs there a few other
important National Highways like NH-31, 223, and 228. National Highways is also a good way
to understand the location of major towns and cities from north to south and west to east.
For instance Bangalore is located in a lower latitude than Chennai. Keep your eyes open for
such kind of minute information in the Atlas.
Likewise, study the golden quadrilateral and north-south, east-west corridor route and
locate the major towns en-route.

Understanding Indias Coastal Regions

Coasts and Islands are other interesting topics in the atlas to prepare. First have a look at all
the coastal states and towns. Then continue to the important straits and gulfs between
islands. For instance, the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait, Nine and Ten Degree channel etc. The
Andaman and Nicobar islands are quite important from the exam viewpoint. Look at their
position from north to south. The lowest point (Indira point), the dormant volcanoes on
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Barren island, the Coco channel separating them from Coco islands and so on.
Your curiosity is the key here. The more youre curious to know about places and things the
more you can gain from the atlas. For instance the Adams Bridge lies in the Palk Bay in the
Gulf of Mannar and not the Palk Strait. A question related to this was asked a few years back
in the Prelims and candidates who werent aware chose Palk Strait which is obviously
incorrect. The more often you go through the atlas the more places and facts you will
discover. Keep discovering.
Similarly locate the important ports along the east and west coasts. As you might now there
are separate maps for waterways, highways, railway zones in the Oxford Atlas which is what
makes it so useful for the prelims.

Indias Neighbours and the World

Now that we are done with India lets get on with other countries. I suggest you go through
the maps of our neighbours in detail. Look at the important cities and towns as well as the
major rivers and mountains. Similarly do so for other countries and continents.
Find out the countries through which the Equator passes. Also, in case of island countries
like Japan, Indonesia,Philippinesand others find out the major islands and locate the island
on which the capital city is located. Also you should know the location of disputed islands in
the news like the Coco Islands and Falkland Islands. Some rivers like the Mekong, Amazon,
Danube and Nile pass through several countries. Which are these? Also do you know the
capital cities and other major towns that lie on river banks? Find out.
Locate all the major seas and the surrounding countries like the Mediterranean and Caspian
sea countries. Similarly discover important bays surrounding bigger nations like the Bay of
Biscay, English Channel, Strait of Hormuz, Torres Strait etc.
As I mentioned earlier, curiosity is your best friend when preparing the atlas. Look at the
atlas at least four times a week for minimum 30 minutes, and if possible, everyday. Keep the
What and How questions in mind and once in a while let your self go and just keep
discovering stuff for the pleasure your get from it. And I guarantee in no time you will
actually seek more map based questions in the exam and excel at them too. Once again I
recommend the Oxford Student Atlas for its comprehensiveness, accuracy and detail. Happy
reading.
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December 6, 2011

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Click Here to Leave a Comment Below

30 comments

K K PREYASH

respected my mentor
good morning
kindly tell me about the the last page attached to the OSA ,viz., Heights
& Contours..the expression of your presentation is really
motivating,although, some of the techniques are already implemented
by me earlier
with regards
K K PREYASH
Reply

K K Preyash

respected my mentor
good morning
the presentation is of course motivating,although,few of themselves
have already been in my use in recent past.Kindly tell me one of the
most unacknowledged thing by me about the OSA that the attached
page as the last one,namely,Height & Countour.
with regards
KKP
Reply

kiran

Thank you sir, I have been following your posts religiously and i am
getting immensely benefitted by it. Appreciate your work. Thanks once
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again.
Reply

arshitha

the above description on the preparation for atlas is it specifically

mentioned for geographical studies for the prelims( as an optinal in
prelims) or is it based on the general studies which would be required
for the prelims?
Reply

vinoo

thank u very much

pls attach some explanatory vedio clips of atlas reading
Reply

Anupam sain

Thank you for the guidance.. Just wanted to know what points to be
cover in Economics part.. It will be great if you can shed some light on
this..
Reply

Sumit

Man.. this is awesome analysis for how to prepare through Atlas.

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BUT I AM STILL WAITING FOR YOUR BLOG OVER HOW HOW THE
WORKING PEOPLE CAN PREPARE FOR THE IAS EXAM.
Please make it soon.
Reply

Vimlaksh

Hi Sumit,
That guide has been posted long time back. Check it out here
http://blog.iaskracker.com/the-working-persons-guide-to-iaspreparation
Reply

Riyaa

Geographia Institute Mr.Ajay Raj Singh Highly uncivilized & short

tempered man. I dont know how he is running his institute. Had a very
bad experience at his Institute.
Reply

Sumeet Kumar

Thank you for such a comprehensive explanation for studying Atlas. We

are so thankful to you
Reply

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