Which option correctly distinguishes the Northern Plains from the Peninsular Plateau?

Correct answer: Northern Plains are formed by river alluvial deposits and the plateau is linked with old hard rocks

Direct answer: Option A is correct. The Northern Plains were built mainly by layers of alluvium—sediments such as silt, sand and clay carried and deposited by rivers including the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra systems. The Peninsular Plateau has a very different geological base. It is an ancient, stable landmass made largely of old hard crystalline rocks, although some areas also contain volcanic rocks such as Deccan basalt. Option A correctly distinguishes the two by their origin and material. Option B is wrong because neither entire region is made of coral islands. Option C is wrong because the Northern Plains are not the Himadri range, and the plateau is not Himadri either. Option D is wrong because Thar dunes are a desert feature, not a description of both regions. The best exam method is to identify the formation process: river deposition means Northern Plains; ancient hard-rock block means Peninsular Plateau. Memory cue: “Plains are piled by rivers; plateau stands on old rocks.”