RAS question
Desert soils are predominantly found in which part of India?
Correct answer: (C) Western Rajasthan.
Desert soils in India are predominantly found in Western Rajasthan, with related arid-soil occurrence in parts of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab.
Explanation
Desert, or arid, soils are associated most clearly with Western Rajasthan. The Annals of Arid Zone article is specifically on the morphology and soil fertility of Western Rajasthan's Jodhpur Division, and its abstract treats sandy soils as desert soils with low fertility. These soils occur in Western Rajasthan, and also in parts of Gujarat, Haryana and Punjab. Their sandy texture, salinity and low organic matter make them naturally poor in fertility, but irrigation can make them productive. So, among the options, Western Rajasthan is the only region that fits both the geographical distribution and the characteristic soil profile.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Eastern UP is not the main desert-soil region because it is associated with alluvial soils, not arid sandy soils.
- (B) Northeast India has high rainfall and forest soils, which do not match the low-organic, arid desert-soil profile.
- (D) Coastal Karnataka is linked with laterite soils, so it does not represent the predominant Indian belt of desert soils.
Concept
This tests the Indian geography theme of major soil types and their regional distribution. It recurs in RAS because soil-region mapping connects physical geography with agriculture, irrigation and Rajasthan's arid landscape.