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1. MINERALOGY & CRYSTALLOGRAPHY (~15-18 questions)

  • Crystal systems and symmetry planes
  • Mineral properties (refractive index, birefringence, extinction)
  • Specific minerals (magnetite, tourmaline, feldspars, mica)
  • Optical properties in crossed nicols
  • Geniculate twins and mineral identification

2. PETROLOGY & IGNEOUS ROCKS (~10-12 questions)

  • Volcanic rock types (basalt, obsidian, trachyte, rhyolite)
  • Plutonic equivalents (granite, gabbro, diorite)
  • Rock textures (porphyritic, aphanitic, glassy, spinifex, myrmekitic)
  • Monomineralic vs polymineralic rocks
  • Magmatic processes

3. METAMORPHIC ROCKS & PROCESSES (~8-10 questions)

  • Metamorphic facies (granulite, amphibolite, eclogite, blueschist)
  • Contact and regional metamorphism
  • Barrovian zone sequence
  • Metamorphic minerals and assemblages

4. SEDIMENTOLOGY & STRATIGRAPHY (~12-15 questions)

  • Sediment grain sizes and Wentworth scale
  • Depositional environments (alluvial, desert, beach)
  • Sedimentary structures (ripples, cross-bedding)
  • Conglomerates and specific rock types
  • Unconformities and chronostratigraphic units

5. PALEONTOLOGY & FOSSILS (~10-12 questions)

  • Fossil preservation modes (carbonization, mold/cast, trace fossils)
  • Specific fossil groups (trilobites, brachiopods, gastropods, foraminifera)
  • Mass extinction events (Permian-Triassic, Ordovician-Silurian, Cretaceous-Paleogene)
  • Vertebrate evolution (horses from Eocene onwards)

6. EARTH STRUCTURE & GEOPHYSICS (~5-7 questions)

  • Earth’s internal composition and discontinuities (Gutenberg)
  • Earthquake epicenter, focus, nadir
  • Seismic wave types and propagation
  • Planetary science basics

7. STRUCTURAL GEOLOGY & TECTONICS (~8-10 questions)

  • Fold terminology (hinge, crest, axis, trough)
  • Himalayan thrusts (Frontal, Boundary, Central)
  • Foliations vs other metamorphic features
  • Shear zone rocks (mylonite, fault breccia, fault gouge)

8. ECONOMIC GEOLOGY & MINERAL RESOURCES (~12-15 questions)

  • Ore minerals of iron, titanium, lead
  • Coal deposits and types
  • Petroleum system elements
  • Diamond-bearing rocks (kimberlite, lamproite)
  • Regional deposits in India (Naga-Schuppen Belt, Bihar Mica Belt, Aravalli)

9. REGIONAL GEOLOGY OF INDIA (~15-18 questions)

  • Assam-Arakan Basin: Barail Group (Paleocene), coal deposits
  • Himalayan Regions: Spiti (Tandi, Lilang, Serpentine groups), Himalayan thrusts
  • Peninsular India: Vindhyan Supergroup, Dharwar Cratons, Gondwana formations
  • Specific formations: Mahadek, Jaintia, Bagh Bed, Mansar Formation
  • Basins: Category-I petroliferous basins

10. HYDROGEOLOGY & GROUNDWATER (~3-5 questions)

  • Aquifer types (aquifer, aquitard, aquifuge, aquiclude)
  • Stream types (influent, effluent, perennial, ephemeral)
  • Water sources (connate, meteoric, juvenile, pellicular)

Question Pattern Observations

✓ Heavy focus on: Mineralogy, petrology, Indian geology, and economic deposits
✓ Application-based: Calculation (true thickness of inclined beds), identification
✓ Indian-centric: ~20 questions on Indian rock groups, formations, and basins
✓ Descriptive specificity: Requires knowledge of rock/mineral names and regional formations

Key Tip: Strong grasp of Indian geology, mineralogy optical properties, and rock identification is essential for scoring well.

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