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Q45 (IAS/2014) Geography › Indian Physical Geography › Himalayan river systems Official Key

Consider the following rivers: 1. Barak 2. Lohit 3. Subansiri Which of the above flows/flow through Arunachal Pradesh?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: B
Explanation

The Barak originates at the Barail range south of Kohima at an altitude of 2,995 metres above the MSL and flows through South Assam.[1] The Barak river, the largest in the state, originates in the Manipur hills and is joined by tributaries such as Irang, Maku and Tuivai.[2] Therefore, the Barak River does not flow through Arunachal Pradesh; it flows through Assam and Manipur.

The Dihang is joined by the Dibang, the Lohit, and many other tributaries to form the Brahmaputra in Assam.[3] The Brahmaputra receives its main left bank tributaries, viz., Dibang or Sikang and Lohit[4] after entering India. Since these rivers join in the northeastern region and the Brahmaputra enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh[4], the Lohit flows through Arunachal Pradesh.

The Subansiri which has its origin in Tibet, is an antecedent river.[4] The Subansiri is an important right bank tributary of the Brahmaputra.[4] Since it originates in Tibet and joins the Brahmaputra in Assam, it must flow through Arunachal Pradesh, which is supported by references to the Subansiri region in Arunachal.

Therefore, only rivers 2 (Lohit) and 3 (Subansiri) flow through Arunachal Pradesh.

Sources
  1. [1] https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/publication/otherpublications/tinei101.pdf
  2. [2] https://ncert.nic.in/pdf/publication/otherpublications/tinei101.pdf
  3. [3] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > The Brahmaputra River System > p. 20
  4. [4] INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > The Brahmaputra System > p. 23
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Q. Consider the following rivers: 1. Barak 2. Lohit 3. Subansiri Which of the above flows/flow through Arunachal Pradesh? [A] 1 only [B]…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 3.3/10 · 6.7/10
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This is a classic 'Mental Map' test. While text search makes it look hard, any serious aspirant with an Oxford Student Atlas knows the 'Barak Valley' is in South Assam, separated from Arunachal by the entire Brahmaputra Valley and the Barail Range. The key is not memorizing lists, but visualizing the watershed divide.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does the Barak River flow through the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The Barak originates at the Barail range south of Kohima at an altitude of 2,995 metres above the MSL and flows through South Assam."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the Barak's origin and primary course as south of Kohima and through South Assam.
  • If the river flows through South Assam and bifurcates near the Assam–Bangladesh border, it indicates its main course is not in Arunachal Pradesh.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The Barak river, the largest in the state, originates in the Manipur hills and is joined by tributaries such as Irang, Maku and Tuivai."
Why this source?
  • Describes the Barak as the largest river in Manipur and notes it originates in the Manipur hills.
  • An origin and major basin in Manipur further support that the Barak's course is in Manipur/Assam regions, not Arunachal Pradesh.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > Barak River > p. 18
Strength: 5/5
“This river rises from Mt. Japov (Nagaland), flows southwards in Manipur and makes a hair pin bend. Several of its affluents, which drain the northern part of Mizoram, combine together to flow past Silchar in the Cachar District. The Barak basin has Mawsynram and Cherrapunji which receive the highest rainfall in the world. Consequently, the Barak river discharges heavy quantity of water. It flows to Bangladesh where it is called as Surma. The Barak river meets the Padma at Chandpur below Dacca, after which the combined river of Surma (Barak) and Padma is known as Meghna.”
Why relevant

Describes the Barak's origin (Mt. Japov, Nagaland) and course southwards through Manipur and Cachar (Silchar) before entering Bangladesh.

How to extend

A student could use a map of northeastern India to trace that southward route (Nagaland → Manipur → Cachar) and note that this path does not pass through Arunachal Pradesh, which lies north of these areas.

INDIA PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 3: Drainage System > The Brahmaputra System > p. 23
Strength: 4/5
“Himalayas near Namcha Barwa (7,755 m). The river emerges from the foothills under the name of Siang or Dihang. It enters India west of Sadiya town in Arunachal Pradesh. Flowing southwest, it receives its main left bank tributaries, viz., Dibang or Sikang and Lohit; thereafter, it is known as the Brahmaputra. The Brahmaputra receives numerous tributaries in its 750 km long journey through the Assam valley. Its major left bank tributaries are the Burhi Dihing and Dhansari (South) whereas the important right bank tributaries are the Subansiri, Kameng, Manas and Sankosh. The Subansiri which has its origin in Tibet, is an antecedent river.”
Why relevant

Explains that the Brahmaputra (and its tributaries) enters India in Arunachal Pradesh, highlighting which major river system occupies Arunachal.

How to extend

A student can compare river-basin maps to see Barak listed with southern NE basins while Arunachal is in the Brahmaputra basin, suggesting the Barak basin is separate from Arunachal.

CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 3: Drainage > The Brahmaputra River System > p. 20
Strength: 4/5
“The Brahmaputra rises in Tibet east of Mansarowar lake very close to the sources of the Indus and the Satluj. It is slightly longer than the Indus, and most of its course lies outside India. It flows eastwards parallel to the Himalayas. On reaching the Namcha Barwa (7757 m), it takes a 'U' turn and enters India in Arunachal Pradesh through a gorge. Here, it is called the Dihang and it is joined by the Dibang, the Lohit, and many other tributaries to form the Brahmaputra in Assam.”
Why relevant

States the Brahmaputra's source and its entry into India through Arunachal Pradesh (Dihang/Siang), reinforcing that Arunachal is associated with Brahmaputra headwaters.

How to extend

Using this, a student could check whether Barak is a Brahmaputra tributary or a distinct southern basin — if distinct, it's less likely to flow through Arunachal.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > The Sankosh River > p. 17
Strength: 3/5
“This is the main river of Bhutan. It meets Brahmaputra River below Dhubri. The Sankosh River forms the boundary between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. It is known as 'Puna Tsang Chu' in Bhutan.”
Why relevant

Notes the Sankosh River forms the boundary between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh and is a Bhutan-main-river that meets the Brahmaputra, indicating which rivers touch Arunachal.

How to extend

A student could locate the Sankosh and compare its position to the Barak basin; if Barak features are south of these boundary rivers, that supports that Barak does not traverse Arunachal.

INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 4: Water Resources > Surface Water Resources > p. 42
Strength: 3/5
“Given that precipitation is relatively high in the catchment areas of the Ganga, the Brahmaputra and the Barak rivers, these rivers, although account for only about one-third of the total area in the country, have 60 per cent of the total surface water resources. Much of the annual water flow in south Indian rivers like the Godavari, the Krishna, and the Kaveri has been harnessed, but it is yet to be done in the Brahmaputra and the Ganga basins.”
Why relevant

Groups the Barak with Ganga and Brahmaputra as major high-precipitation river basins of India, implying distinct major basins in the region.

How to extend

A student might consult basin maps to see that Barak forms a separate basin (southern NE) rather than the Brahmaputra-dominated Arunachal, helping judge whether Barak flows through Arunachal.

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