India's River Systems: Himalayan and Peninsular

TOPIC CLASSIFICATION

Subject: Physical Geography of India Sub-area: Drainage Systems — Himalayan vs Peninsular Difficulty: Easy–Medium Weightage: High (2–3 Prelims + Mains on rivers/water)

EXAMINER REASONING

1. Trap: Calling all Himalayan rivers "perennial" — they are, but only because of glacier melt + monsoon — climate change threatens this.
2. Most confused: East-flowing vs West-flowing Peninsular rivers — why most flow east (Eastern Ghats lower gradient) and a few west (Narmada, Tapti).
3. Key anchor: River systems in India are divided into two major groups: Himalayan (Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra) and Peninsular (Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, Narmada, Tapti).
4. Current affairs hook: Interlinking of Rivers (ILR) project; National River Ganga Basin conservation (Namami Gange); Krishna water disputes; River linking — Ken-Betwa project (2024).
5. Mains hinge: "The fundamental differences between Himalayan and Peninsular river systems have significant implications for water resource management. Discuss."

Core Concept

Classification of Indian Rivers