RAS question
Mana Pass, considered the last Indian village pass, is located in which state?
Correct answer: (A) Uttarakhand.
Mana Pass is located in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, near Badrinath and Mana village on the India-Tibet border.
Explanation
Mana Pass is in Uttarakhand, not in the eastern or north-western Himalayan states. It lies near Badrinath, at about 5,610 m, with Mana village nearby often described as the last Indian village on the India-Tibet border. The Gazette notification describes the NH-07 stretch from kilometre 0.000 to kilometre 50.987 as running from Mana to Mana Pass in Chamoli district, in the State of Uttarakhand. The pass is therefore tied to both Chamoli district and Uttarakhand.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Sikkim is wrong because the official NH-07 description places the Mana to Mana Pass stretch in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand.
- (C) Ladakh is wrong because Mana Pass is in Uttarakhand, with the Gazette specifying Chamoli district.
- (D) Himachal Pradesh is wrong because Mana Pass is linked to Mana and Badrinath in Uttarakhand, and the official notification names Uttarakhand as the state.
Concept
Indian Himalayan passes and border geography form a recurring RAS mapping area because passes connect physical geography with strategic routes, districts and state locations. Mana Pass belongs to Chamoli district, Uttarakhand, rather than to the broader Himalayan belt.