RAS question
The Malwa Plateau, an important physiographic region, is located in:
Correct answer: (B) Western Madhya Pradesh and southeastern Rajasthan.
The Malwa Plateau is located in western Madhya Pradesh and southeastern Rajasthan.
Explanation
The Malwa Plateau is best identified by its position in western Madhya Pradesh and southeastern Rajasthan. Britannica describes Malwa as a north-central Indian plateau comprising central Madhya Pradesh and southeastern Rajasthan, which supports option B and rules out the southern, northeastern, and eastern plateau choices. Malwa lies between the Aravallis to the northwest, the Vindhya Range to the south, and the Bundelkhand upland to the east. Its basaltic lava-flow origin links it to the Deccan Traps, while the Chambal, Betwa, and Kali Sindh drainage, black cotton soil, and cities such as Indore, Ujjain, and Bhopal help fix the region on the map.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Karnataka and Tamil Nadu point to the Deccan proper, not to Malwa's Madhya Pradesh-Rajasthan location.
- (C) Assam and Meghalaya belong to the northeastern plateau region, whereas Malwa is placed in Madhya Pradesh and southeastern Rajasthan.
- (D) Jharkhand and West Bengal indicate the Chota Nagpur Plateau area, not the Malwa Plateau.
Concept
This tests the physiographic divisions of India, especially plateau regions and their state-wise spread. It recurs in RAS because Rajasthan's southeastern edge connects directly with the Malwa Plateau, making it important for mapping, drainage, and regional geography questions.