RAS question
The Deccan Plateau is bounded by:
Correct answer: (D) Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, and Satpura-Vindhya Ranges.
The Deccan Plateau is bounded by the Western Ghats in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the east, and the Satpura-Maikal-Mahadeo range system in the north.
Explanation
The Deccan Plateau is the southern part of the Peninsular Plateau and should be read as a physiographic unit, not as a plateau bounded by just one hill chain. NCERT describes it as bordered by the Western Ghats in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the east, and the Satpura, Maikal range and Mahadeo hills in the north. This matches the standard exam shorthand of Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, and the Satpura-Vindhya northern highland belt. Its general west-to-east slope helps explain why many peninsular rivers drain eastwards towards the Bay of Bengal.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Western Ghats mark the western edge, but NCERT also places the Eastern Ghats on the east and northern ranges along the Deccan Plateau's northern side.
- (B) The Himalayas belong to northern India and are not listed by NCERT as a boundary of the Deccan Plateau.
- (C) Eastern Ghats mark only the eastern side, so this option leaves out the Western Ghats and the northern ranges that complete the boundary.
Concept
This tests the physiographic divisions of India, especially the Peninsular Plateau and its sub-units. It recurs in RAS because boundaries, slopes and drainage patterns are frequently linked in physical geography questions.