RAS question
Which river does NOT originate in Rajasthan?
Correct answer: (C) Chambal.
Chambal does not originate in Rajasthan; it rises in Madhya Pradesh and later enters Rajasthan.
Explanation
Chambal is the odd one out because its source is outside Rajasthan. It originates at Janapav Hills in Madhya Pradesh and enters Rajasthan at Chaurasigarh in Chittorgarh. India-WRIS Wiki, Yamuna River System describes Chambal as a major Yamuna tributary that rises in the Vindhyan range near Mhow in Indore district of Madhya Pradesh, then reaches the Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan border before entering Rajasthan. Banas originates in Rajsamand, Banganga originates in Jaipur, and Luni originates in Ajmer. The distinction is between rivers that begin in Rajasthan and rivers that only enter or flow through Rajasthan.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Banas is wrong because it originates in Rajsamand, and the India-WRIS page also describes Banas as originating in the Aravali range and flowing through Rajasthan.
- (B) Banganga is wrong because it originates in Jaipur, so it is not the river whose source lies outside Rajasthan.
- (D) Luni is wrong because it originates in Ajmer, making it a Rajasthan-origin river.
Concept
Rajasthan drainage geography separates rivers that originate inside the state from rivers that merely enter and flow through it. RAS repeats this distinction because river-origin facts are often confused with basin extent and interstate flow.