Question

Arrange the following soil types found in India on the basis of the area under these soils starting from the smallest to the largest.
(A) Alluvial soils
(B) Red soils
(C) Black soils
(D) Arid and desert soils
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. (A), (B), (C), (D).
• B. (B), (C), (A), (D).
• C. (C), (D), (B), (A).
• D. (D), (B), (C), (A).

Hint:

- Alluvial soils are always the largest soil group in India (~43%).
- Desert/Arid soils are among the smallest (~4.4%).
- Knowing the largest and smallest groups helps identify the correct sequence in matching or ordering questions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) classifies Indian soils into major groups.
Their distribution varies across geography, influenced by climate, parent rock material, and topography.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us review the approximate percentage of geographical area covered by each soil group in India:
- (A) Alluvial soils:
The largest soil group, covering approximately 43% of the country's total land area (mainly in the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra plains).
- (B) Red soils:
The second largest soil group, covering approximately 18.5% of the total area, common in the southern and eastern parts of the peninsular plateau.
- (C) Black soils (Regur):
Covers about 15% of the country's total area, concentrated in the Deccan trap region (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat).
- (D) Arid and desert soils:
Covers roughly 4.4% of the country's total area, located in the arid regions of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Gujarat.
*Note:* In some classifications, the relative ranking of Red and Black soils can vary depending on whether sub-categories are grouped together.
However, Arid and desert soils (D) are clearly the smallest group, and Alluvial soils (A) are the largest.
Arranging them from smallest to largest yields the sequence: (D), (B), (C), (A).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct option is (D).