Topic Soils
Asked 6 times across 4 UPSC exams over 8 years (2017–2025), peaking in 2024.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 3 of 6 PYQs
- First appeared in CDS 2017 — 4 years before CSE 2021 (allied exams preview CSE)
- Most asked in 2024
- Recurs across 5 years (2017–2025)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2017 → CSE 2021 → CAPF 2024 → CISF 2025
How the concept evolved
Rising — more than half its appearances (6 of 6) 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.
CISF2025
Consider the following statements
- Black soil helps the rain-fed crops to sustain during the dry season
- Black soil can retain moisture for a very long time
Which one of the following is true about the statements given above ?
- A Both the statements are true and statement II is the correct explanation of statement I. ✓
- B Both the statements are true, but statement II is not the correct explanation of statement I.
- C Statement I is true, but statement II is false.
- D Statement I is false, but statement II is true.
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Geography › Physical Geography of India
CAPF2024
Consider the following statements
- Black soil is considered suitable for growing rain-fed crops
- Black soil can retain moisture for a prolonged period, aiding crops to survive even in dry seasons With regard to the statements given above
which of the following is/are correct?
- A Both the statements are correct and statement 2 is the correct explanation of statement 1 ✓
- B Both the statements are correct and statement 2 is NOT the correct explanation of statement 1
- C Statement 1 is correct but statement 2 is false
- D Statement 1 is false but statement 2 is correct
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Geography › Physical Geography of India
CDS2024
Consider the following statements
- Bajra is predominantly grown in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, while Ragi is mainly cultivated in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu
- Bajra grows well in sandy and shallow black soils, whereas red and shallow black soil is suited for Ragi. With regard to the statements given above,
which of the following is correct ?
- A Both the statements are correct and statement 2 is the correct explanation of statement 1. ✓
- B Both the statements are correct, but statement 2 is not the correct explanation of statement 1.
- C Statement 1 is correct, but statement 2 is false.
- D Statement 1 is false, but statement 2 is correct.
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Geography › Indian Economic Geography
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