Geography: Earth, India, Haryana and World Geography

Overview

Geography forms a substantial portion of the Social Studies paper in HTET Level 2 (Classes VI-VIII). This subject tests your understanding of physical features, climate patterns, resources, and human-environment interactions at three scales: global, national, and state (Haryana). Questions typically range from factual recall (rivers, mountains, districts) to application-based items (interpreting maps, understanding climate-agriculture relationships).

For HTET success, you must master India's physical divisions and drainage systems, Haryana's specific geographical features, and fundamental concepts about Earth's structure and motions. The examiner expects clarity on how geography influences livelihoods, settlements, and resource distribution. Around 15-20% of Social Studies questions come from geography, making it a high-scoring area if prepared systematically.

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Key Concepts

• **Earth's Structure**: The Earth has three main layers—crust (outermost, 5-70 km thick), mantle (middle, semi-molten), and core (innermost, iron-nickel). The lithosphere includes the crust and upper mantle.

• **Motions of Earth**: Rotation (on its axis, causes day-night, 24 hours) and Revolution (around the Sun, causes seasons, 365¼ days). Earth's axial tilt of 23.5° creates seasons.

• **Latitudes and Longitudes**: Latitudes are horizontal lines measuring distance from equator (0° to 90° N/S). Longitudes are vertical lines from Prime Meridian (0° to 180° E/W). India lies between 8°4'N to 37°6'N latitude and 68°7'E to 97°25'E longitude.

• **India's Physical Divisions**: Five major divisions—Himalayan Mountains (north), Northern Plains (Indo-Gangetic), Peninsular Plateau (Deccan), Coastal Plains (east and west), and Islands (Andaman-Nicobar, Lakshadweep).

• **Drainage Systems**: Himalayan rivers (Ganga, Brahmaputra—perennial, snow-fed) versus Peninsular rivers (Godavari, Krishna, Narmada—rain-fed). West-flowing rivers drain into Arabian Sea; east-flowing into Bay of Bengal.

• **Haryana's Location**: Landlocked state in northern India, lies between 27°39'N to 30°35'N and 74°28'E to 77°36'E. Bordered by Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, and surrounds Delhi on three sides.

• **Climate of India**: Monsoon type climate with four seasons—Winter (Dec-Feb), Summer (Mar-May), Advancing Monsoon (Jun-Sep), Retreating Monsoon (Oct-Nov).

• **Natural Vegetation**: Tropical Evergreen (heavy rainfall areas), Tropical Deciduous (most widespread in India), Thorn Forests (arid regions), Montane Forests (Himalayas), Mangroves (deltas).