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Topic Earthquakes
Asked 8 times across 5 UPSC exams over 47 years (1979–2026), peaking in 2023.
Key insights
- Most tested in NDA — 3 of 8 PYQs
- Most asked in 2023
- Recurs across 7 years (1979–2026)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 1979 → CDS 2015 → NDA 2021 → CISF 2023 → GEO 2026
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (6 of 8) are since 2016.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
GEO2026
Consider the following statements regarding earthquake
- Tectonic earthquakes originate due to sliding of rocks along a fault plane
- Volcanic earthquake is a special class of tectonic earthquake
- The intensity of an earthquake is measured by the Richter scale
Which of the statements given above are correct?
- A I and III only
- B I and II only
- C II and III only
- D I, II and III
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Geology & Earth Sciences › Geophysics
CDS2025
Consider the following statements with reference to Secondary waves (S-Waves) generated during an earthquake
- They create troughs and crests in the material through which they pass
- The direction of vibrations of S-waves is perpendicular to the wave direction in the vertical plane
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
- A 1 only
- B 2 only
- C Both 1 and 2 ✓
- D Neither 1 nor 2
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Geography › Geomorphology
NDA2024
Which of the following statements regarding earthquakes is/are correct?
- The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus is called the epicentre of the earthquake
- Earthquakes generate Primary and Secondary waves that radiate outward from the earthquake focus
- Deep-focus earthquakes are likely to cause more damage than shallow-focus earthquakes. Select the answer
using the code given below:
- A 1 only
- B 1 and 2 only ✓
- C 2 and 3 only
- D 1, 2 and 3
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Geography › Geomorphology
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