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Topic Precipitation
Asked 8 times across 4 UPSC exams over 10 years (2014–2024), peaking in 2021.
Key insights
- Most tested in NDA — 4 of 8 PYQs
- Most asked in 2021
- Recurs across 6 years (2014–2024)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2014 → NDA 2021 → GEO 2023 → CAPF 2024
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (7 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.
CAPF2024
Which one of the following statement with reference to hailstones is NOT correct?
- A Their formation usually occurs during the monsoon season ✓
- B They are associated with dense cumulonimbus clouds
- C Rain that forms in the warmer, upper layer solidifies into tiny ice pellets or hailstones in the lower, subfreezing layer
- D Hailstones have multiple, concentric layers of ice
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Geography › Climatology
GEO2023
The uplift mechanism that takes place when lighter warm moist air mass rises after encountering a colder and denser air mass causes
- A conventional precipitation
- B frontal precipitation ✓
- C cyclonic precipitation
- D orogenic precipitation
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Geography › Climatology
NDA2022
According to the Indian Meteorological Department, which of the following is/are the feature/features of cloudburst?
- Heavy precipitation in short period of time in a limited geographical area
- It occurs generally during monsoon period and triggers flash flood and landslides
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A 1 only
- B 2 only
- C Both 1 and 2 ✓
- D Neither 1 nor 2
✓ Correct answer: (C)
Geography › Climatology
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