← All questionsGS1 · 2021 · Geography ·India as a Subcontinent
QUESTION 8
GS1
10 marks

Why is India considered as a subcontinent? Elaborate your answer.

WRITE IN
7 min
150 words
☆ Save✎ Write this answer

What the examiner wants

Explain why India is called a subcontinent, using physical, geological and cultural features.

ElaborateAnswer exactly what the question asks.

Demand-wise check

  1. 1Distinct landmass separated by the Himalayas, Hindu Kush and seas≈30 words
  2. 2Separate tectonic plate (Indian Plate) that collided with Eurasia≈30 words
  3. 3Size and diversity: all major landforms, climates (monsoon unit), soils, flora and fauna≈30 words
  4. 4Cultural and historical unity of the region (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka)≈30 words

Open in about 20 words and close in about 20.

Answer plan

Definition of subcontinentPhysical isolationGeologyDiversityCultural unityConclusion

Where marks usually go

  • Only listing India's area and population
  • Leaving out the tectonic plate argument

Draw this

  • Map showing natural boundaries of the subcontinent

Value addition

  • FactIndia has about 2.4% of the world's land area and about 7–8% of recorded species; it holds 4 of the world's 36 biodiversity hotspots.Ministry of Environment / Botanical and Zoological Survey of India
  • FactThe Indian Plate began colliding with Eurasia about 50 million years ago, raising the Himalayas.Geological Survey of India

Mapped topper copies

Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.

Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.