Structural geology and metamorphic petrology dominate: Fold classification (Ramsay’s classes, S/Z-folds, cylindrical folds, fold axes), strain analysis (strain ellipsoids, Mohr’s circle, stress/strain rates), faults, and metamorphic facies (blueschist, eclogite, greenschist, granulite with their mineral assemblages) together make up close to a third of the paper — this is by far the heaviest-weighted domain, and it’s tested with real analytical depth (angle measurements, dip isogons, facies-mineral matching) rather than simple recall.
Mineralogy and igneous petrology form a strong second pillar: Optical properties (pleochroism, birefringence, isotropic vs biaxial minerals), crystal systems, silicate structural classification (phyllosilicates, sorosilicates, etc.), Bowen’s reaction series, and igneous textures (poikilitic, ophitic, antiperthite) recur throughout — often paired with practical identification tasks (e.g., matching mineral to optical property, identifying a rock from its mineral list in Q100).
Regional/Indian geology is a distinct and substantial thread: Questions on Himalayan tectonics (MCT, MBT, Wilson cycle), Gondwana stratigraphy (Vindhyan, Purana basins, Talchir/Raniganj formations), Assam Tertiary stratigraphy (Q55’s Barail-Surma-Tipam-Dihing sequence), and specific Indian ore deposits (Malanjkhand, Jaduguda, Rampura Agucha, Digboi)
Applied/economic geology and hydrogeology carry real weight: Ore mineral identification, dolomitization-ore associations, aquifer/aquiclude/aquitard distinctions, water-content calculations (Q62 numerical), and dam-type suitability (Q38)
Paleontology and stratigraphy are tested via index/marker fossils: Glossopteris, Cynognathus, Mesosaurus, Lystrosaurus (Gondwana correlation fossils), plus index-fossil theory (Q58) and mammalian/faunal formations (Siwalik, Lameta) — this cluster is smaller than structural/mineralogy but consistently present.
Numerical/quantitative items are rare and simple: Only a couple of true calculations appear (Q62’s moisture content, Q26 dip angle)
Difficulty is fairly uniform with applied-reasoning spikes: Basic definitional items (hardness scale, SI units) sit alongside genuinely advanced structural geometry questions (Ramsay fold classes, dip isogons, three-dimensional silicate tetrahedra sharing) scattered throughout rather than escalating toward the end
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