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Question 29 of 61 · Physical Features of India
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Because of India's large east-west extent, the Sun rises in Arunachal Pradesh about how much earlier than in western Gujarat?

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Answer: Option A — About 2 hours

Detailed Solution

India's mainland stretches from about 68 degrees 7 minutes East in western Gujarat to about 97 degrees 25 minutes East in Arunachal Pradesh, a difference of nearly 30 degrees of longitude. Since local time changes by 4 minutes per degree, the difference in local time is about 30 x 4 = 120 minutes, or about 2 hours.

Calculation:

  • Longitudinal extent = 97 degrees 25 minutes minus 68 degrees 7 minutes, which is about 29 degrees 18 minutes.
  • Time difference = about 29.3 x 4 minutes = about 117 minutes, which is close to 2 hours.
  • So, when the Sun rises in Arunachal Pradesh, it is still dark in western Gujarat for nearly 2 more hours.

Extreme points:

The easternmost point of India is in the Kibithu area of Arunachal Pradesh, in the Anjaw district. Dong village in this region is called the place of the first sunrise in India.

The westernmost point of mainland India is near Guhar Moti in the Kutch district of Gujarat.

Problems caused by a single time zone:

Since all of India follows one standard time, in the north-east the Sun rises as early as 4 am in summer and sets around 5 pm in winter.

Demand for a separate time zone:

  • North-eastern states and some experts have suggested a separate time zone for the region.
  • Assam's tea gardens have long followed "Chai Bagan time" or "Bagan time", which is one hour ahead of IST.
  • The government has so far kept a single time zone, citing the need for uniformity.

Comparison: east-west and north-south extent:

India's north-south extent is about 3,214 km, while its east-west extent is about 2,933 km.

Why not the other options?

  • ✗30 minutes and 1 hour are too small for nearly 30 degrees of longitude.
  • ✗Good to know
  • ✗4 hours would require about 60 degrees of longitude.

Quick tip

Remember: India's east-west spread = about 30 degrees of longitude, so sunrise in Arunachal is about 2 hours earlier than in Gujarat.

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Physical Features of India — Preparation

This question tests your understanding of Physical Features of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.

This topic covers India's location and extent, its neighbours and boundary lines, and its physiographic divisions: the Himalayas, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian Desert, the coastal plains and the islands, along with important mountain passes, peaks and hill ranges. Questions often ask which states the Tropic of Cancer passes through, the southernmost point of India (Indira Point), the highest peak in India (Kangchenjunga), and which pass connects which regions. India shares its longest land border with Bangladesh. Learning the Himalayan ranges from north to south (Himadri, Himachal and Shiwaliks) is also useful. Practise the physical features of India questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.

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