RAS question
The Duncan Passage separates:
Correct answer: (D) South Andaman from Little Andaman.
Duncan Passage separates South Andaman from Little Andaman.
Explanation
Duncan Passage is the passage associated with the southern end of the South Andaman side of the Andaman group. The official Tourism Ministry compendium describes Duncan Island, also known as Passage Island, as part of the Rutland Archipelago in the South Andaman administrative district, and states that Duncan Passage lies just to its south, separating it from Little Andaman. That is why the correct pairing is South Andaman and Little Andaman. The other named sea gaps belong to different boundaries: the 10 Degree Channel separates the Andaman and Nicobar groups, Coco Channel is linked with the Coco Islands of Myanmar and North Andaman, and the Great Channel lies between Great Nicobar and Sumatra, Indonesia.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) India and Myanmar are not separated by Duncan Passage; Coco Channel is the relevant passage near the Coco Islands of Myanmar and North Andaman.
- (B) The Andaman and Nicobar groups are separated by the 10 Degree Channel, not by Duncan Passage.
- (C) India and Indonesia are associated with the Great Channel between Great Nicobar and Sumatra, not with Duncan Passage.
Concept
This tests map-based knowledge of the Andaman and Nicobar sea channels, a recurring RAS geography area because similar-sounding passages mark different island boundaries. The key is to match each channel with its exact neighbouring islands rather than memorising the names in isolation.