The Peninsular Plateau

The surface of the Peninsular Plateau is uneven and rocky. In exams, distinguish it from the Northern Plains.

On rocky and uneven surfaces, soil is not very thick everywhere. In exams, remember the soil difference between plateau and plain.

The Peninsular Plateau is rich in mineral and energy resources. In exams, remember Chotanagpur and the Deccan region.

The Peninsular Plateau is made of old rocks and the Northern Plains are made of alluvial deposits. In exams, remember their different bases of formation.

The Karnataka Plateau is linked with the southern part of the Deccan Plateau. In exams, remember Deccan as a large plateau region of South India.

The Arabian Sea lies to the west of Peninsular India. In exams, remember Western Ghats towards the Arabian Sea.

The Bay of Bengal lies to the east of Peninsular India. In exams, remember Eastern Ghats towards the Bay of Bengal.

The Indian Ocean lies to the south of Peninsular India. In exams, remember the southern tip as surrounded by seas.

Correct answer: A, weathering of iron-rich rocks. Soil develops through the breakdown of parent rock and the addition and alteration of mineral material. In the red soils associated with parts of the Peninsular Plateau, iron compounds in the parent material are important. When iron-bearing minerals weather and oxidise, they give the soil a red or reddish colour. A is therefore the best answer. B is wrong because marine coral is not the main parent material responsible for the broad red-soil areas of the plateau. C is wrong because glacial ice is not the usual source of these plateau soils. D is wrong because new river silt forms recent alluvial deposits, which are different from red soils formed over weathered upland material. Memory cue: red or reddish colour in many soils suggests iron compounds; colour alone does not mean the soil is made of pure iron.

Hard rocks and uneven slopes create valleys and waterfalls. In exams, connect plateau river features with rocky surfaces.

The Peninsular Plateau is an old rocky landform with Central Highlands and Deccan Plateau as main divisions. In exams, remember its age, rocks and divisions.

The Western Ghats are also known as the Sahyadri Hills. They extend along the western edge of the Peninsular Plateau. The Shiwaliks are the outer ranges of the Himalayas, not another name for the Western Ghats. Exam tip: Remember Western Ghats—Sahyadri, and distinguish them from the Eastern Ghats.

Many east flowing rivers cut across the Eastern Ghats. Remember the Eastern Ghats as less continuous in exams.

The Narmada flows westward through a rift valley. Link Narmada with rift valley and westward flow in exams.

The Tapi flows westward into the Arabian Sea. Remember Tapi and Narmada as west flowing rivers in exams.

The Deccan Plateau extends between the Western Ghats and Eastern Ghats. Remember these two Ghats as its boundaries in exams.

On old hard rocks the soil cover is thin in many places. In exams distinguish plateau from alluvial plains.

The Narmada flows in a rift valley between the Vindhya and Satpura ranges. In exams, remember Narmada as a west-flowing river.

The direct answer is C, westward. The Tapi, also called Tapti, is a major west-flowing river of Peninsular India. It rises in central India, flows generally west through a structural trough between the Satpura and Ajanta ranges, and finally reaches the Arabian Sea through the Gulf of Khambhat. Option A, eastward, is the usual direction of many peninsular rivers such as the Godavari, Krishna, and Mahanadi, but it is not the direction of the Tapi. Option B, northward, is not its general course. Option C is correct because the Tapi flows west into the Arabian Sea. Option D, southward, also does not describe its overall direction. The important geographical clue is that the Tapi and Narmada are the major west-flowing rivers of the Peninsular Plateau. Memory cue: Narmada and Tapi go west to the Arabian Sea.

The Eastern Ghats extend parallel to the eastern coast of India. In exams, remember them towards the Bay of Bengal.

The Western Ghats extend parallel to the western coast of India. In exams, remember them towards the Arabian Sea.

Direct answer: Option A, many rivers enter the Bay of Bengal. A plateau surface slopes downward, and rivers generally flow from higher land toward lower land. The Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri, and Mahanadi mostly flow eastward and drain into the Bay of Bengal. This river pattern gives simple evidence of the Deccan Plateau’s eastward slope. Option A is correct. Option B is wrong because not all rivers enter the Arabian Sea; west-flowing rivers are fewer. Option C is wrong because many plateau rivers rise in the plateau or Western Ghats, not the Himalayas. Option D is wrong because several important rivers cross the plateau. Cue: river flow reveals land slope.

The Rajmahal Hills are linked with the north-eastern edge of the Peninsular Plateau. In exams, remember them near the Chotanagpur region.

Many minerals are found in the old rocks of the Peninsular Plateau. In exams, link mineral wealth with ancient rocks.

Rivers can cut deep valleys while flowing over hard rocks. In exams, connect plateau river landforms with rocky surfaces.