Hindi - Himachal Pradesh

The solar system, meteorites. Shape, size and surface relief of earth. Origin, age andinterior of the earth, radioactive dating. Volcanoes-causes and effects. Earthquakes-causesand effects, seismicity and seismic zoning of India. Isostasy, orogeny and epeirogeny.Island arcs, mid-oceanic ridges, trenches, transform faults and sea floor spreading.Continental drift, plate-tectonics and their mechanism. Basic concepts of geomorphology,weathering and mass wasting, geological agents in weathering and erosion. Action ofriver, wind, underground water, springs, glaciers, oceans, lakes and coral reefs.Structural Geology:Principles of geological mapping and map reading. Behaviour of minerals and rocks underdeformation conditions, stress, strain and rupture concept. Primary and secondarystructures. Unconformities- types and their recognition in the field. Folds, faults, theirclassification and recognition on maps and in the field. Joints and their classification.Palaeontology:Concept of species, branches of palaeontology, index fossils, guide fossils, Precambrianlife, major extinctions in past life. Different kinds of microfossils and palynofossils.Applications of microfossils and palynofossils specifically in petroleum exploration.Morphology, geologic history and evolutionary trends in Trilobita, Brachiopoda,Echinoidea and Cephalopoda. Morphology of Gastropoda, Pelecypoda, Graptoloidea andtheir environmental, stratigraphic significance. Evolutionary trends in Equidae, Hominidaeand Proboscidae. Gondwana flora and its significance.Stratigraphy and Geology of India:Stratigraphic classification: Lithostratigraphic, chronostratigraphic, geologic time,biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic units and their possible interrelationship.Principles of stratigraphic correlation. Stratigraphic succession, distribution and economicimportance of Precambrian and Phanerozoic rock sequences of India.Precambrian/Cambrian and Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary problems. Major volcanicevents of geologic past in India. Palaeogeographic reconstruction of India duringGondwana time and Palaeogebe, Neogene periods. Physiographic and tectonic divisionsof India. Origin and evolution of Himalayas.Hydrogeology and engineering geology:Occurrence of groundwater, hydrologic cycle, groundwater aquifers and their parameters,groundwater quality criteria for different uses. Problems and management of groundwater,groundwater recharge. Rainwater harvesting and watershed management. Engineeringproperties of rocks. Rocks as building and construction materials. Geologicalinvestigations for dams , tunnels, bridges and highways, land hazards due to earthquakes,landslides and their impact on engineering structures.PAPER-IICrystallography and mineralogy:Elements of crystal forms and symmetry. Laws of crystallography. crystal systems andclasses. Crystals twinning. Petrological microscope and accessories. Crystal optics.Physical, chemical and optical properties of common rock and ore forming minerals.Geochemistry and Petrology:Cosmic abundance of elements. Structure and composition of earth and distribution ofelements. Types of chemical bonds, coordination number, isomorphism and