Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India (ICSE Class 10 Map Work)
Updated 17 October 2026 · Draft, not yet fact-checked
In the ICSE map question you mark or identify mountain ranges with a chain of inverted Vs, peaks with small triangles and plateaus by shading. Know each feature's position against a river or coast: the Himalayas and Karakoram in the north, the Aravali across Rajasthan, the Vindhyas north of the Narmada, the Satpura between the Narmada and Tapti, the Western Ghats close to the west coast, the Eastern Ghats set back from the east coast, the Nilgiris where they meet, and the Deccan and Chota Nagpur plateaus in the peninsula.
Understand Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India
1. What the paper asks. In the 2027 format, 6 features are marked or shaded (1 mark each) and 4 features marked A to D are identified (1 mark each). Mountains, peaks and plateaus are the commonest items, so a student who knows ten placements precisely can pick up several marks.
2. Symbols that earn the mark.
- Mountain range: a line or chain of inverted Vs, drawn along the range and not as a blob.
- Peak: a small filled triangle at the exact spot, with the name beside it.
- Plateau: shade the area and label it.
- Always write the name; an unlabelled symbol earns nothing.
3. Mountain ranges and where they lie.
- Himalayas: a great arc along the northern border from Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh.
- Karakoram: north of the Himalayas in the far north (Ladakh region). K2 lies in it, and so does the Karakoram Pass.
- Aravali: a low, old range across Rajasthan, running north-east to south-west from near Delhi towards Gujarat. The Thar lies to its west.
- Vindhyas: east-west, just north of the Narmada.
- Satpura: east-west, between the Narmada (to the north) and the Tapti (to the south).
- Western Ghats: along the western edge of the Deccan, close to and parallel with the west coast, from the Tapti to the far south.
- Eastern Ghats: broken hills along the eastern edge of the Deccan from Odisha to Tamil Nadu, set well back from the coast and cut by the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery.
- Nilgiris: in north-western Tamil Nadu, where the Western and Eastern Ghats meet.
- Khasi Hills: central Meghalaya, south of the Brahmaputra valley.
4. Peaks. Mount Godwin Austen (K2) is the highest peak in the Indian territory as claimed, in the Karakoram in the extreme north. Mount Kanchenjunga lies on the border of Sikkim and Nepal.
5. Plateaus.
- Deccan Plateau: the triangular plateau south of the Satpura, between the Western and Eastern Ghats.
- Chota Nagpur Plateau: in Jharkhand and adjoining parts of Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh, north-east of the Deccan.
6. A placement trick: use the rivers as rulers. The Narmada runs between the Vindhyas (north) and the Satpura (south of the river's valley), and the Tapti runs south of the Satpura. If you can sketch these two rivers, two ranges fall into place. Likewise the Western Ghats hug the coast while the Eastern Ghats stand back from it with the broad east-coast plain in between.
Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India: key facts
- Ranges in the north and west
Himalayas northern arc, Jammu and Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh Karakoram far north, Ladakh Aravali Rajasthan, north-east to south-west Khasi Hills Meghalaya - Central ranges
- Vindhyas: east-west, north of the Narmada | Satpura: between the Narmada and the Tapti
- The Ghats
Western Ghats close to the west coast, Tapti to the far south Eastern Ghats broken, set back from the east coast Nilgiris where the two Ghats meet in Tamil Nadu - Peaks
Godwin Austen (K2) Karakoram, extreme north Kanchenjunga Sikkim-Nepal border Symbol small triangle with name - Plateaus
Deccan triangular, south of the Satpura Chota Nagpur Jharkhand and neighbouring states Symbol shading with name
How to answer Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India questions
For a map question, decide the symbol, then the position, then the label.
- 1Read the instruction: mark and label, shade and label, or identify the letter.
- 2Choose the symbol: inverted Vs for a range, a triangle for a peak, shading for a plateau.
- 3Fix the position against a river or coast you can already see on the outline (Narmada, Tapti, the west coast).
- 4Keep the feature the right shape and size: Western Ghats long and thin along the coast, Eastern Ghats broken and inland.
- 5Label with the exact name, in a clear space, and avoid writing across other features.
- 6To identify a letter, check its position against neighbours before answering: a chain on the west coast is the Western Ghats, an east-west chain just north of the Narmada is the Vindhyas.
Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India in real life
The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.
Using the river as a ruler
Suppose a student tries to place the Vindhya and Satpura ranges on a blank map and keeps confusing them, though she can draw the Narmada and the Tapti correctly.
How can the two rivers help her place the two ranges?
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The Vindhyas lie just north of the Narmada, running east-west.
- The Satpura lies between the Narmada and the Tapti, also east-west.
- So she draws the Narmada first, puts one chain above it for the Vindhyas, and puts the second chain in the gap between the Narmada and the Tapti for the Satpura.
Answer: Vindhyas above the Narmada; Satpura between the Narmada and the Tapti.
Memory hook: North of the Narmada: Vindhyas. Between the two rivers: Satpura.
Two Ghats, two coasts
Suppose a teacher gives a class a map with a coast line marked and asks half the class to draw the Western Ghats and half the Eastern Ghats, without naming the side.
State how each group should draw the range relative to its coast.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Western Ghats: a continuous chain close to and parallel with the west coast.
- Eastern Ghats: a broken chain set well inland from the east coast, leaving the east-coast plain between hills and sea.
Answer: West: continuous, hugging the coast. East: broken, set back from the coast.
Memory hook: West hugs, east stands back.
Tricks to remember Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India
Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.
V for Vindhya, between for Satpura
Vindhya sits Very close north of the Narmada; Satpura sits in the Space between the Narmada and the Tapti.
Use it when: Placing the central ranges.
West hugs, east stands back
The Western Ghats hug the west coast; the Eastern Ghats stand back from the east coast and are broken by rivers.
Use it when: Drawing the two Ghats correctly.
Triangle for a peak, Vs for a range
One small triangle is one peak; a chain of inverted Vs is a range.
Use it when: Choosing the symbol.
Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India: solved examples
Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.
Example 1: Identify the symbol · 3 marks · Map workBoard level
State the symbol you would use to mark (a) the Aravali Range, (b) Mount Kanchenjunga, (c) the Deccan Plateau on an outline map.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- (a) A chain of inverted Vs from north-east to south-west across Rajasthan.
- (b) A small filled triangle on the Sikkim-Nepal border.
- (c) Shading of the triangular area south of the Satpura, between the two Ghats.
Answer: (a) Chain of inverted Vs (b) Triangle (c) Shading.
Example 2: Between two rivers · 3 marks · Short answerBoard level
Two east-west ranges cross central India near the Narmada valley. Name the one on the northern side of the valley and the one that separates the Narmada basin from the Tapti basin, and state their direction.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- (a) The Vindhya Range lies just north of the Narmada.
- (b) The Satpura Range lies between the Narmada and the Tapti.
- Both run east-west.
Answer: (a) Vindhyas (b) Satpura; both east-west.
Example 3: Compare the two Ghats · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
With reference to their position on the map, state three differences between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- Western Ghats lie along the western edge of the Deccan, close to and parallel with the west coast; the Eastern Ghats lie along the eastern edge, set well back from the Bay of Bengal coast.
- The Western Ghats run as a long continuous chain from the Tapti to the far south; the Eastern Ghats are broken hills from Odisha to Tamil Nadu.
- Rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery cut through the Eastern Ghats, while the Nilgiris mark the place where the two ranges meet.
Answer: Western Ghats are continuous and near the coast; Eastern Ghats are broken, inland and cut by rivers; they meet at the Nilgiris.
Example 4: Locate by clues · 4 marks · Map workHarder board level
A feature on an outline map of India is (i) a low, old range, (ii) running north-east to south-west, mainly across one state, (iii) with a desert to its west. Identify it, name the state and the desert, and state how you would mark it.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- The range is the Aravali.
- It runs mainly across Rajasthan, from near Delhi towards Gujarat.
- The Thar Desert lies to its west.
- Mark it with a chain of inverted Vs from north-east to south-west across Rajasthan and label it Aravali Range.
Answer: Aravali Range, Rajasthan, Thar Desert to the west; chain of inverted Vs, labelled.
Example 5: Three plateaus and peaks from clues · 4 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency
A student writes: "K2 lies in the Himalayas, the Chota Nagpur Plateau lies south-west of the Deccan, and the Khasi Hills lie in Arunachal Pradesh." Find and correct every error.
Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
- K2 lies in the Karakoram, in the extreme north, not in the Himalayas.
- The Chota Nagpur Plateau lies north-east of the Deccan, in Jharkhand and neighbouring parts of Odisha, West Bengal and Chhattisgarh.
- The Khasi Hills lie in central Meghalaya, south of the Brahmaputra valley.
- All three statements are wrong.
Answer: K2: Karakoram. Chota Nagpur: north-east of the Deccan. Khasi Hills: Meghalaya.
Where students lose marks in Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India
The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.
Mistake: Drawing a blob instead of a chain of Vs
The examiner cannot tell the length, direction or position of the range.
Do this: Draw a neat chain of inverted Vs along the correct line.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Placing the Eastern Ghats on the coast
The student draws them touching the Bay of Bengal like the Western Ghats touch the Arabian Sea.
Do this: Keep them inland, broken and with a coastal plain in between.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Swapping the Vindhyas and the Satpura
Both are east-west and lie close together around the Narmada.
Do this: Vindhyas north of the Narmada; Satpura between the Narmada and the Tapti.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Mistake: Marking K2 or Kanchenjunga with no label
A symbol without a name is not accepted.
Do this: Write the name next to the triangle in a clear space.
Usually costs: 1 mark.
Exam tips
- Spend a few minutes of the 15-minute reading time on the map: decide which features you will mark.
- Draw the Narmada and Tapti lightly first, then fit the Vindhyas and Satpura around them.
- Keep each symbol small and neat; a messy map hides the label.
- When identifying a letter, say its name exactly as in the syllabus list (for example Mount Godwin Austen or K2).
Practice questions on Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India
Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.
Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
The range that lies close to the west coast of India and runs parallel to it is the:
(a) Eastern Ghats
(b) Aravali
(c) Western Ghats
(d) SatpuraHint
West coast.
Answer
(c) Western Ghats.
Q2 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level
Mount Kanchenjunga lies on the border of:
(a) Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan
(b) Sikkim and Nepal
(c) Meghalaya and Bangladesh
(d) Himachal Pradesh and TibetHint
Eastern Himalaya.
Answer
(b) Sikkim and Nepal.
Q3 · 3 marks · Map workBoard level
On an outline map of India, mark and label (a) the Karakoram Range, (b) Mount Godwin Austen (K2), (c) the Nilgiris. State the symbol for each.
Hint
Range, peak, range.
Answer
(a) Chain of inverted Vs in the far north (Ladakh). (b) A small triangle in the Karakoram, in the extreme north. (c) A small cluster of inverted Vs in north-western Tamil Nadu, where the two Ghats meet.
Q4 · 3 marks · Map workHarder board level
Why would shading the whole of peninsular India green and labelling it "Deccan Plateau" be marked wrong? Describe the correct extent.
Hint
Where does the Deccan lie with respect to the Satpura and the Ghats?
Answer
The Deccan Plateau is the triangular plateau south of the Satpura, between the Western and Eastern Ghats, so shading the coasts and the north (or the whole peninsula) is inaccurate. Only the triangle between the Ghats should be shaded.
Q5 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level
Assertion (A): The Eastern Ghats should be drawn as a broken chain of hills.
Reason (R): The Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Cauvery cut across them.
(a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true but R is false.
(d) A is false but R is true.Hint
Do rivers break the chain?
Answer
(a).
Q6 · 3 marks · Map workHarder board level
A student marks the Satpura Range to the south of the Tapti and the Vindhya Range between the Narmada and Tapti. Identify the error and state the correct positions.
Hint
The two ranges are swapped.
Answer
The positions are swapped. The Vindhyas lie just north of the Narmada, and the Satpura lies between the Narmada and the Tapti.
Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level
Distinguish between the Karakoram Range and the Aravali Range with respect to (a) location, (b) direction of the range, (c) the feature found in or near it.
Hint
One is in Ladakh, the other in Rajasthan.
Answer
(a) Karakoram: far north (Ladakh); Aravali: across Rajasthan. (b) The Karakoram runs roughly north-west to south-east; the Aravali runs north-east to south-west. (c) K2 and the Karakoram Pass are in the Karakoram; the Thar Desert lies to the west of the Aravali.
Q8 · 5 marks · Map workHOTS / competency
An outline map shows four letters: A on a chain of hills in the centre of Meghalaya, B on a broken chain inland on the east coast, C on a triangle in the extreme north, D on a shaded area in Jharkhand. Identify A to D, and state in one line the mistake of a candidate who writes B as "Western Ghats".
Hint
Match each symbol and position to a feature.
Answer
A: Khasi Hills (central Meghalaya, south of the Brahmaputra valley). B: Eastern Ghats (broken hills from Odisha to Tamil Nadu). C: Godwin Austen (K2) in the Karakoram. D: Chota Nagpur Plateau. Writing B as Western Ghats is wrong because the Western Ghats lie close to the west coast, whereas B is inland on the east.
Test your recall
Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.
1.Name the east-west range in the gap between two west-flowing rivers of central India.Show answer
The Satpura Range.
2.In which state do the Khasi Hills lie?Show answer
Meghalaya.
3.What marks the meeting of the Western and Eastern Ghats?Show answer
The Nilgiris, in north-western Tamil Nadu.
4.Which range has K2 in it?Show answer
The Karakoram Range.
5.Which plateau lies in Jharkhand and neighbouring states?Show answer
The Chota Nagpur Plateau.
Mountains, Peaks and Plateaus on the Map of India: frequently asked questions
What symbol is used for a mountain range on the map?
A line or chain of inverted Vs along the range, labelled with its name.
Where is the Deccan Plateau on the map of India?
It is the triangular plateau south of the Satpura, between the Western and Eastern Ghats.
Where is the Aravali Range?
Across Rajasthan, running north-east to south-west from near Delhi towards Gujarat.
How many map items are asked in the paper?
Six features are marked and four are identified, one mark each.