Landforms & Their Evolution – NDA Geography PYQs

Question 1 [NDA 2008-II]
Which one of the following is produced by rain water action?
(a) Gorge
(b) Cliff
(c) Gully
(d) Dome

Answer: (c) Gully
A gully is a small channel cut by running water — specifically by rain water flowing down a slope and eroding loose soil. Gorges are cut by rivers over long periods. Cliffs are formed by wave erosion along coastlines. Domes are formed by exfoliation.

---

Question 2 [NDA 2010-I]
Match List I (Landform) with List II (Agent of Erosion/Deposition):
A. Inselbergs — 1. River
B. Stalagmite — 2. Glacier
C. Delta — 3. Underground water
D. Moraines — 4. Wind

(a) A-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
(b) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
(c) A-3, B-1, C-2, D-4
(d) A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2

Answer: (d) A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
Inselbergs are isolated rock hills formed by wind erosion in deserts (4). Stalagmites are calcium carbonate deposits on cave floors formed by underground water (3). Delta is a depositional landform at the river mouth formed by running water (1). Moraines are glacial deposits (2).

---

Question 3 [NDA 2010-I]
Glaciated regions are associated with:
(a) V-shaped valley
(b) U-shaped valley
(c) Sand dunes
(d) Stalactites

Answer: (b) U-shaped valley
U-shaped valleys are the most characteristic glacial erosional feature. Glaciers are much wider and heavier than rivers — they erode the entire valley floor and widen the sides, creating a broad, flat-bottomed U shape. Rivers create the narrower, V-shaped valleys.

Question 4 [NDA 2010-II]
Match List I (Agents of erosion) with List II (Topographical feature):
A. Running water — 1. Cirque
B. Glacier — 2. Barchan
C. Wind — 3. Rift Valley
D. Underground Water — 4. Doline
5. Gorge

(a) A-5; B-1; C-2; D-4
(b) A-5; B-2; C-1; D-3
(c) A-4; B-2; C-1; D-5
(d) A-3; B-4; C-1; D-2

Answer: (a) A-5, B-1, C-2, D-4
Running water creates gorges (5). Glaciers create cirques (1) — bowl-shaped hollows at the glacier head. Wind creates barchans (2) — crescent-shaped sand dunes. Underground water creates dolines/sinkholes (4) in limestone karst terrain.

---

Question 5 [NDA 2014-II]
Match List I (Geographical feature) with List II (Type of geographic process):
A. Cirque — 1. Erosional feature of wind
B. Yardang — 2. Depositional feature of glacier
C. Barchan — 3. Depositional feature of wind
D. Drumlin — 4. Erosional feature of glacier

(a) A-4; B-1; C-3; D-2
(b) A-4; B-1; C-2; D-3
(c) A-2; B-3; C-1; D-4
(d) A-2; B-1; C-3; D-4

Answer: (a) A-4, B-1, C-3, D-2
Cirque = erosional feature of glacier (4). Yardang = erosional feature of wind (1). Barchan = depositional feature of wind (3). Drumlin = depositional feature of glacier (2).

Question 6 [NDA 2015-I]
Match List I (Island) with List II (Type):
A. Continental island — 1. Mauritius
B. Coral island — 2. Madagascar
C. Volcanic island — 3. Andaman and Nicobar islands
D. Mountain island — 4. Maldives

(a) A-2; B-1; C-4; D-3
(b) A-2; B-4; C-3; D-1
(c) A-3; B-2; C-1; D-4
(d) A-4; B-2; C-1; D-3

Answer: (b) A-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
Madagascar is a continental island (A-2) — a piece of the African continent that separated. Maldives is a coral island (B-4) — built entirely from coral reefs. Andaman and Nicobar are volcanic islands (C-3). Mauritius is a volcanic island often listed as a mountain island (D-1) in this classification.

---

Question 7 [NDA 2015-II]
Which one of the following combinations of stalactites and stalagmites occurrences is correct?
(a) Stalactites hang as icicles from ceiling and stalagmites hang from the floor
(b) Stalactites hang as icicles from ceiling and stalagmites rise up from the floor
(c) Stalactites rise up from the floor and stalagmites hang as icicles from ceiling
(d) Stalactites hang as icicles and stalagmites also hang as icicles

Answer: (b) Stalactites hang as icicles from ceiling and stalagmites rise up from the floor
Stalactites hang downward from cave ceilings. Stalagmites grow upward from cave floors. Both are formed by calcium carbonate deposited by dripping water in limestone caves. When they meet, they form a pillar or column.

Question 8 [NDA 2016-II]
Match List I (Geomorphic Agent) with List II (Feature):
A. Ground water — 1. Plunge pool
B. Running water — 2. Horns
C. Glacier — 3. Playas
D. Wind — 4. Lapies

(a) A-4; B-1; C-2; D-3
(b) A-3; B-1; C-2; D-4
(c) A-1; B-2; C-4; D-3
(d) A-2; B-3; C-1; D-4

Answer: (a) A-4, B-1, C-2, D-3
Ground water = Lapies (grooved limestone surface, 4). Running water = Plunge pool (at base of waterfall, 1). Glacier = Horns (sharp pyramid peaks, 2). Wind = Playas (flat desert lake beds, 3).

---

Question 9 [NDA 2018-I]
Which one of the following is NOT a coastal depositional feature?
(a) Tombolo
(b) Sand bar
(c) Stack
(d) Spit

Answer: (c) Stack
A stack is an erosional coastal feature — it is a pillar of rock left standing after a sea arch collapses due to wave erosion. Tombolo, sand bar, and spit are all depositional features — formed by the deposition of sand and sediment by waves and currents.

Question 10 [NDA 2018-I]
Which of the following is/are coastal erosional features?

1. Notch
2. Sea Arch
3. Cliff
4. Hook

(a) 1, 2 and 3
(b) 2, 3 and 4
(c) 2 and 3 only
(d) 1 only

Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3
Notch (cut at cliff base by waves), Sea Arch (formed by wave erosion of headland), and Cliff (formed by undercutting by waves) are all erosional features. A hook is a curved spit — which is a depositional feature.

---

Question 11 [NDA 2019-II]
Stalactite, stalagmite and pillars are the depositional landforms of:
(a) Running water
(b) Wind
(c) Glacier
(d) Underground water

Answer: (d) Underground water
Stalactites, stalagmites, and pillars (columns) all form in limestone caves through the deposition of calcium carbonate from dripping water — water that has percolated through the limestone above and dissolved calcium carbonate along the way.

---

Question 12 [NDA 2019-II]
A deep valley characterised by steep step-like slopes is known as:
(a) U-shaped valley
(b) Blind valley
(c) Gorge
(d) Canyon

Answer: (d) Canyon
A canyon has steep, step-like (terraced) walls on both sides. A gorge is narrower with more vertical walls. The Grand Canyon in the USA is the classic example — with layered rock walls forming distinct horizontal steps that give the step-like appearance.

Question 13 [NDA 2021-I]
Basket-of-eggs topography is related to:
(a) Drumlins
(b) Eskers
(c) Cirques
(d) Moraines

Answer: (a) Drumlins
A landscape covered with many drumlins — smooth, oval, elongated hills of glacial till — looks like a basket full of eggs when seen from above. Each drumlin is oriented in the direction the glacier was moving. This distinctive topography is called basket-of-eggs topography.

---

Question 14 [NDA 2021-II]
Fine-grained bed of ephemeral lake in a desert is also known as:
(a) Playa
(b) Oasis
(c) Drumlin
(d) Natural levee

Answer: (a) Playa
A playa is the flat, fine-grained bed of a temporary (ephemeral) desert lake. After rare rainfall, water collects in a desert basin and forms a shallow lake. When the water evaporates, it leaves behind a flat surface of dried mud and salt crystals — the playa.

---

Question 15 [NDA 2023-II]
Which one of the following is NOT an example of a Fold Mountain?
(a) Mt. Fuji
(b) Alps
(c) Andes
(d) Rockies

Answer: (a) Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji is a composite strato-volcano — not a fold mountain. It was built by volcanic eruptions, not by tectonic compression and folding of rock layers. The Alps (Europe), Andes (South America), and Rockies (North America) are all fold mountains formed by compression at convergent plate boundaries.

Question 16 [NDA 2024-II]
The lowest part of most bolsons is occupied by a landform called playa. Which category of landform formation does it represent?
(a) Fluvial landforms
(b) Arid landforms
(c) Glacial landforms
(d) Periglacial landforms

Answer: (b) Arid landforms
A bolson is a desert basin. The playa at its centre is an arid landform — formed in desert conditions by the evaporation of temporary water. It is not a fluvial, glacial, or periglacial feature.