JAM 2026
Geology (GG)
The Planet Earth: Origin of the Solar System and the Earth; Internal structure, com-
position, and age of the Earth; Pressure-temperature-density variations within the Earth;
Principles of radiometric dating (Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, 14 C); Volcanism and volcanic landforms;
Earthquakes; Earth’s magnetism and gravity, Isostasy; Concepts of Plate Tectonics and
orogeny.
Geomorphology: Weathering, erosion, deposition; Endogenous and exogenous processes of
landform development; Soil formation; River and drainage basin/drainage pattern, network
characteristics; Fluvial, aeolian, marine, glacial and karst landforms.
Structural Geology: Concept of dip, strike, rake and plunge; Contour lines; Rule of
‘V’s and outcrop patterns; Interpretation of geological maps; Cross-section construction;
Classification and origin of folds, faults, joints, unconformities, foliations and lineations;
Stereographic and equal-area projections of planes and lines; Quantitative interpretation of
structures, outcrops, and bore-hole data.
Paleontology: Major stages in the evolution of life forms; Fossils and their mode of preser-
vation; Application of macrofossils in age determination and paleoenvironmental interpreta-
tions; Morphology, major evolutionary trends and ages of important groups of invertebrates
– Brachiopoda, Mollusca, Trilobita, Echinodermata; Gondwana plant fossils; Vertebrate
fossils (Equidae, Proboscidea) in India.
Stratigraphy: Principles of stratigraphy; Litho-, chrono- and bio-stratigraphic classifica-
tion; Stratigraphic correlation techniques; Archaean cratons of Peninsular India (Dharwar,
Singhbhum and Aravalli); Proterozoic mobile belts; Stratigraphy of Cuddapah and Vindhyan
basins; Stratigraphy of Paleozoic – Mesozoic of Spiti and Kashmir, Gondwana Supergroup,
Jurassic of Kutch, Cretaceous of Trichinopoly, Cenozonic sequences of Assam, Bengal and
Siwaliks.
Mineralogy: Symmetry and forms in common crystal classes; Miller indices; Twinning
and twinning laws; Isomorphism, polymorphism, solid solution and exsolution; Elements of
Optical Mineralogy; Classification, structure, chemistry, physical, and optical properties of
common rock-forming minerals.
Petrology: Igneous rocks – classification and texture; Forms of igneous bodies; Evolution
and diversification of magma; Use of binary systems to understand melting and crystalliza-
tion behaviour of rocks and magmas; Genesis of common igneous rocks and associations.
Sedimentary rocks – classification, texture, and structure; Petrology of sandstone and lime-
stone; Basics of sedimentary environments and facies.
Metamorphic rocks – classification and texture; Types of metamorphism; Controls on meta-
morphism – pressure, temperature and fluids; Concept of projections – ACF, AKF and
AFM diagrams; Phase Rule and its applications; Concepts of zones and facies, Charac-
teristic mineral assemblages of pelites in the Barrovian zones and mafic rocks in common
facies.
Economic Geology: Physical properties of common economic minerals; Processes of for-
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mations of ore mineral deposits-magmatic concentration, hydrothermal processes, oxidation
and supergene sulphide enrichment, residual and mechanical concentration; Mode of occur-
rence and distribution of metallic and non-metallic mineral deposits in India; Ore grade and
reserve estimation; Coal and hydrocarbon geology and their Indian occurrences.
Applied Geology: Basics of groundwater geology; Types of aquifers, porosity and perme-
ability; Groundwater flow; Principles of engineering geology; Geological considerations in
construction of dams and tunnels; Basics of remote sensing.