Which of the following statements with regard to the Indian Peninsular Plateau is/are correct ? 1. The Southern plateau block is formed mainly of granite and gneiss 2. The Deccan lava plateau is an elevated tableland consisting of horizontally } arranged lava sheets 3. The Malwa plateau dominates the Vindhyan scraps, forming the Eastern flank of the plateau 4. The trough of the Narmada and Tapti is interposed between the Vindhyan and the Satpura ranges Select the correct answer using the code given below :

The Indian Peninsular Plateau is one of the world's oldest landmasses, composed of crystalline, igneous, and metamorphic rocks [1]. Statement 1 is correct as the southern block is primarily formed of Archaean granites and gneisses [4]. Statement 2 is accurate; the Deccan lava plateau (Deccan Trap) is an elevated tableland formed by horizontally arranged basaltic lava sheets resulting from volcanic eruptions [3]. Statement 4 is also correct; the Narmada and Tapti rivers flow through troughs or rift valleys located between the Vindhyan and Satpura ranges [1]. However, statement 3 is incorrect because the Malwa plateau is bounded by the Vindhyan range to its south and the Aravalis to its northwest, while the Vindhyan scarplands actually form the eastern and southeastern flanks of the Bundelkhand upland, not the Malwa plateau's eastern flank [1].

Sources

1. [1] CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I ,Geography, Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Physical Features of India > The Peninsular Plateau > p. 12
2. [4] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 2: Physiography > 3. The Chotanagpur Plateau > p. 55
3. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 1: Geological Structure and formation of India > THE CRETACEOUS SYSTEM (THE DECCAN TRAP) > p. 19
4. [3] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 1: Geological Structure and formation of India > THE CRETACEOUS SYSTEM (THE DECCAN TRAP) > p. 20