Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).

Assertion (A): Red soil denotes the second largest soil group of India.

Reason (R): Red soil surrounds the black soil in the south, east and north directions.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

The correct answer is Option 2

Key Points

• The correct answer is: Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
• Assertion (A): Red soil denotes the second largest soil group of India. (✅ True)
  • Red soil is the second largest soil group in India, after alluvial soil.
  • It covers about 18% of India's land area and is found in states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh.
  • It forms due to the weathering of igneous and metamorphic rocks, especially in hot and semi-arid climates.
• Reason (R): Red soil surrounds the black soil in the south, east, and north directions. (✅ True, but not the correct explanation of A)
  • Black soil (Regur soil) is found in the Deccan Plateau (Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, etc.).
  • Red soil does surround black soil in the south, east, and north directions, meaning it is commonly found around the periphery of the black soil region.

• Why is (R) not the correct explanation of (A)?

  • The reason describes the distribution of red soil, but it does not explain why it is the second largest soil group.
  • The size of red soil coverage is due to geological and climatic factors, not just its position relative to black soil.
• Thus, the correct answer is: Both (A) and (R) are true, but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).