Maharashtra HSC Geology (MSBSHSE) study plan

Explain the nebular hypothesis and its modern refinements, and contrast it with the planetesimal and tidal hypotheses in a written comparison

Sketch a labelled cross-section of Earth's interior showing crust, mantle, outer core and inner core with approximate depth and density values at each boundary

Distinguish P-wave and S-wave behaviour at the Moho, Gutenberg discontinuity and Lehmann discontinuity, and state what each reveals about the state of the layer below

Construct a geological time scale from Archaean to Holocene with era, period and epoch boundaries and at least two key events per era

Solve numerical problems converting relative ages to absolute ages using given radiometric decay constants and half-life values

Classify the six crystal systems by crystallographic axes, axial ratios and interfacial angles, and assign 20 labelled crystal drawings to the correct system

Derive the symmetry elements of each crystal system and identify them on given crystal models

Describe the physical properties used in mineral identification (hardness, cleavage, lustre, streak, specific gravity, magnetism) and apply them to identify ten common rock-forming minerals

Draw and explain the four silicate structure types from isolated tetrahedra to framework silicates, linking each to mineral examples

Relate Bowen's reaction series to silicate structure and crystallisation temperature

Explain magma generation at divergent, convergent and intraplate settings and describe how magma composition evolves by fractional crystallisation, assimilation and magma mixing

Classify igneous rocks by silica content and by mode of occurrence, and place ten named rock types on a classification table

Identify and describe igneous textures (phaneritic, aphanitic, porphyritic, glassy, vesicular, pyroclastic) and infer cooling history from each

Classify sedimentary rocks as clastic, chemical or organic, and describe the texture, maturity and bedding features of each group

Distinguish foliated from non-foliated metamorphic rocks and explain contact, regional and dynamic metamorphism with facies and index minerals

Measure and record strike and dip from given numerical data and compute true thickness from outcrop width and dip

Interpret geological maps to draw cross-sections showing folds, faults and unconformities

Classify folds and faults by geometry and movement, and identify the stress regime responsible for each

Explain the evidence for plate tectonics (palaeomagnetism, sea-floor spreading, earthquake and volcano distribution) and describe the three plate boundary types with examples

Apply the Wilson cycle to the evolution of a named ocean basin

Describe modes of fossil preservation (petrifaction, moulds and casts, carbonisation, amber, trace fossils) and state what each records about past environments

Identify index fossils for the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic and explain their stratigraphic value

Outline the stratigraphic succession of India from Archaean to Recent, naming the major groups and their type areas

Correlate Gondwana, Vindhyan and Deccan Trap sequences with their fossil content and economic importance

Explain the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary evidence and the major mass extinction events recorded in Indian sequences

Classify ore deposits by origin (magmatic, hydrothermal, sedimentary, residual, metamorphic) and give an Indian example of each

Describe the occurrence, mineralogy and economic use of manganese, bauxite, iron ore, chromite and coal in Maharashtra

Locate on an outline map of Maharashtra the main mineral belts and name the districts associated with each commodity

Explain the formation of laterite and bauxite in the Konkan and Deccan Trap terrain

Discuss the environmental and rehabilitation issues of mining in Maharashtra and outline relevant regulatory responses

Apply rock mass classification concepts to describe the engineering behaviour of rock and soil at a construction site

Interpret aquifer types, porosity, permeability and Darcy's law, and solve simple groundwater flow and yield problems

Explain groundwater occurrence in Deccan Trap basalt, including vesicular and jointed horizons, and the difference between confined and unconfined conditions

Assess environmental geology issues including groundwater contamination, salinity ingress, land subsidence and seismic hazard in Maharashtra

Describe the purpose and method of a geological site investigation for a dam, tunnel or bridge

Revise all eight domains by working through one timed full-length practice paper under exam conditions

List and re-learn the twenty facts most frequently missed across earlier weeks

Practise drawing crystal systems, cross-sections, stratigraphic columns and Maharashtra mineral maps from memory within time limits

Consolidate numerical skills in radiometric dating, strike-dip and thickness, and Darcy's law