Physiography of India — REET Notes (Social Studies)
India is divided into six major physical divisions based on its terrain — the Himalayan Mountains, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Thar Desert, the Coastal Plains and the Island groups. REET asks fine-grained questions from this topic on the north-south order of mountain ranges and the sub-divisions of the Northern Plains (Bhabar, Terai, Bangar, Khadar).
- 2 questions in REET 2024
- Class 9 level
- 12 min read
How REET asks this topic
Both REET 2024 questions test fine spatial understanding — one required placing the three central-India ranges (Vindhya, Satpura, Mahadeo hills) in their correct north-to-south order, the other asked for the name of the belt at the foothills of the Shivaliks (Bhabar), with similar-sounding terms like Terai, Khadar and Bangar used as distractors. In other words, knowing the names alone isn't enough — you must also know the exact relative position of each region (which is further north, which further south).
The 6 major physical divisions of India
| Physical division | Key feature |
|---|---|
| The Himalayan Mountains | The world's highest and youngest fold mountain range, running in an arc along the northern border |
| The Northern Great Plains | A fertile alluvial plain built by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra rivers |
| The Peninsular Plateau | India's oldest and most stable landmass, made of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks |
| The Indian Desert (Thar) | A dry, sandy plain west of the Aravallis; a large part of Rajasthan lies within it |
| The Coastal Plains | The western coast (narrow) and eastern coast (wide) — the two have distinctly different geographical features |
| The Island groups | Andaman & Nicobar (Bay of Bengal, of volcanic/tectonic origin) and Lakshadweep (Arabian Sea, of coral origin) |
The three parallel ranges of the Himalayas
From north to south, the Himalayas are divided into three parallel ranges. Furthest north is the Himadri (Greater Himalayas), the highest range (averaging over 6,000 metres) and permanently snow-covered — it includes peaks such as Everest and Kanchenjunga. South of it lies the Himachal (Lesser Himalayas), with an average height of 3,700–4,500 metres, home to hill stations such as Shimla and Mussoorie. The southernmost and outermost range is the Shivalik, the lowest in height (900–1,100 metres) and made of unconsolidated sedimentary rock.
The Shivalik foothill belts — Bhabar, Terai, Bangar and Khadar
- Bhabar
- A roughly 8–16 km wide belt of pebbles and gravel just south of the Shivaliks, where rivers deposit material carried down from the mountains and then sink underground because of its porosity, disappearing from the surface.
- Terai
- The marshy, damp and forested area south of the Bhabar, where these underground rivers re-emerge at the surface.
- Bangar
- The older alluvial plain south of the Terai, which, being at a higher elevation than the floodplain, does not benefit from fresh silt every year.
- Khadar
- The newer alluvial plain closer to the rivers, which receives fresh, fertile silt from floods every year and is considered more fertile than Bangar.
The Peninsular Plateau: the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau
The Narmada river divides the Peninsular Plateau into two parts. North of it lie the Central Highlands, which include the Malwa Plateau, the Bundelkhand Upland and the Vindhya range; south of it lies the Deccan Plateau, flanked by the Western Ghats (Sahyadri) and the Eastern Ghats. Just south of the Narmada valley lies the Satpura range, and the Mahadeo hills (the Pachmarhi area) are considered a southward extension of this very Satpura range — so the correct north-to-south order is: Vindhya range → Satpura range → Mahadeo hills.
Rajasthan's Aravalli range is counted among the world's oldest fold mountain ranges, running from north-east to south-west across the state; its highest peak is Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu).
Coastal Plains and island groups
India's coastal plains are divided into the Western Coastal Plain (from Gujarat to Kerala, along the Arabian Sea) and the Eastern Coastal Plain (from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu, along the Bay of Bengal). The Western Coastal Plain is narrow, and rivers there form estuaries, whereas the Eastern Coastal Plain is comparatively wide, and rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri form large triangular deltas there.
India's two major island groups belong to different seas and different geographical origins — the Andaman & Nicobar Islands in the Bay of Bengal are of volcanic/tectonic origin, while the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea are formed of coral reefs. This difference often causes confusion in exams, so the distinct origins of the two must be remembered clearly.
How to teach this to children
Classroom activity (Class 9)
Get children to colour the six physical divisions in different colours on a physical map of India, specifically highlighting the Thar Desert and the Aravallis.
Teaching aids
Have a north-to-south cross-section diagram made showing the three Himalayan ranges (Himadri-Himachal-Shivalik) and the sub-divisions of the Northern Plains (Bhabar-Terai-Bangar-Khadar).
Common misconception
Children often mix up Bangar and Khadar — help them remember: 'Khadar = new (close to the river)', 'Bangar = old (at higher elevation)'.
Assessment idea
Write the names of physical divisions on cards and have children arrange them in the correct north-to-south order — this is exactly the style REET asked directly.
Memory trick / exam tip
Remember the north-south order of the Northern Plains: 'Shi-Bha-Ta-Ba/Kha' (Shivalik → Bhabar → Terai → Bangar/Khadar). And for the central-India ranges: 'Vi-Sa-Ma' (Vindhya furthest north, Satpura in the middle, Mahadeo hills furthest south) — both are orders that REET 2024 asked directly.
REET 2024 questions asked (with solutions)
Question 130
The correct sequence of physiographic features from North to South is
- Aविंध्या श्रेणी – सतपुड़ा श्रेणी – महादेव पहाडियाँ
- Bसतपुड़ा श्रेणी – विंध्या श्रेणी – महादेव पहाडियाँ
- Cमहादेव पहाडियाँ – सतपुड़ा श्रेणी – विंध्या श्रेणी
- Dमहादेव पहाडियाँ – विंध्या श्रेणी – सतपुड़ा श्रेणी
Explanation
मध्य भारत में उत्तर से दक्षिण की ओर पहले विंध्य श्रेणी है, उसके दक्षिण में नर्मदा घाटी और फिर सतपुड़ा श्रेणी है। महादेव पहाड़ियाँ (पचमढ़ी क्षेत्र) सतपुड़ा श्रेणी का ही भाग हैं, जिन्हें इस क्रम में सबसे दक्षिण में रखा गया है। इसलिए उत्तर कुंजी के अनुसार सही क्रम विंध्य – सतपुड़ा – महादेव है।
Question 117
The area situated in the foot hills of Shivalik mountain range is called
- Aखादर प्रदेश
- Bबांगर प्रदेश
- Cतराई प्रदेश
- Dभाबर प्रदेश
Explanation
शिवालिक पर्वत श्रेणी के गिरिपद (foothills) में लगभग 8–16 किमी चौड़ी पट्टी ‘भाबर’ कहलाती है, जहाँ नदियाँ पहाड़ों से लाए कंकड़-पत्थर जमा करती हैं और छिद्रिलता के कारण भूमिगत होकर लुप्त हो जाती हैं। भाबर के दक्षिण में जहाँ ये नदियाँ पुनः सतह पर आकर दलदली क्षेत्र बनाती हैं, उसे तराई कहते हैं। खादर नवीन जलोढ़ और बांगर पुराने जलोढ़ मैदान हैं।
Practice questions
Question 1
Which is the highest and permanently snow-covered range of the Himalayas?
- Aशिवालिक
- Bहिमाचल (लघु हिमालय)
- Cहिमाद्रि (वृहत् हिमालय)
- Dपीर पंजाल
Explanation
The Himadri (Greater Himalayas) is the northernmost, highest (averaging over 6,000 metres) and permanently snow-covered range of the Himalayas, which includes peaks such as Everest and Kanchenjunga.
Question 2
The plain formed of new alluvium that receives fertile silt from floods every year is called
- Aबांगर
- Bखादर
- Cभाबर
- Dतराई
Explanation
Khadar is the newer alluvial plain close to the rivers, which receives fresh, fertile silt from floods every year. Bangar is the older alluvial plain, which does not get this benefit as it lies at a higher elevation than the floodplain.
Question 3
Which river divides the Peninsular Plateau into the Central Highlands and the Deccan Plateau?
- Aताप्ती
- Bनर्मदा
- Cगोदावरी
- Dमहानदी
Explanation
The Narmada river divides the Peninsular Plateau into the Central Highlands (Malwa Plateau, Vindhya range) in the north and the Deccan Plateau in the south.
Question 4
Which is the highest peak of the Aravalli Range?
- Aगुरु शिखर
- Bकंचनजंगा
- Cअनाईमुडी
- Dदोदाबेट्टा
Explanation
Guru Shikhar (Mount Abu, Rajasthan) is the highest peak of the Aravalli range. Anaimudi is the highest peak of the Western Ghats (South India).
Question 5
What is the assumed origin of the Andaman-Nicobar Islands?
- Aप्रवाल (coral) मूल
- Bज्वालामुखी/विवर्तनिक मूल
- Cजलोढ़ मूल
- Dहिमानी मूल
Explanation
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands, in the Bay of Bengal, are considered to be of volcanic/tectonic origin, while the Lakshadweep Islands in the Arabian Sea are of coral origin.
Question 6
Which is India's oldest and most stable landmass (made up of hard igneous-metamorphic rocks)?
- Aहिमालय पर्वत
- Bउत्तरी विशाल मैदान
- Cप्रायद्वीपीय पठार
- Dतटीय मैदान
Explanation
The Peninsular Plateau is India's oldest and most stable landmass, made of hard igneous and metamorphic rocks, whereas the Himalayas are a young fold mountain range.
Question 7
Among the three ranges of the Himalayas, the Shivalik range has the lowest average height — what is the main reason for this?
- Aयह सबसे प्राचीन श्रेणी है
- Bयह असंगठित (loose) तलछटी चट्टानों से बनी है
- Cयह हिम-आच्छादित नहीं है
- Dयह दक्षिण भारत में स्थित है
Explanation
The Shivalik is the outermost and youngest of the Himalayan ranges, made of unconsolidated sedimentary material carried down by rivers, which is why its height (900–1,100 metres) is much lower than that of the Himadri and Himachal.
Question 8
What is the main characteristic of India's eastern coastal plain compared to the western coastal plain?
- Aयह पश्चिमी तट से अधिक संकरा है
- Bयह पश्चिमी तट से अधिक चौड़ा है
- Cयह पूरी तरह मरुस्थलीय है
- Dयहाँ कोई नदी डेल्टा नहीं बनाती
Explanation
India's Eastern Coastal Plain is wider than the Western Coastal Plain, and rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri form large deltas there. The western coast is comparatively narrow.
Question 9
The Thar Desert lies mainly to the west of which mountain range?
- Aविंध्य श्रेणी
- Bसतपुड़ा श्रेणी
- Cअरावली पर्वतमाला
- Dपश्चिमी घाट
Explanation
The Thar (Indian) Desert lies west of the Aravalli range, and a large western part of Rajasthan falls within it, while east of the Aravallis lies comparatively fertile plain land.
Question 10
What is the most suitable way to explain the north-to-south order of India's physical divisions in class?
- Aकेवल नाम रटवाना
- Bक्रॉस-सेक्शन डायग्राम व मानचित्र गतिविधि द्वारा स्थानिक क्रम दिखाना
- Cविषय को छोड़ देना क्योंकि यह जटिल है
- Dकेवल पाठ्यपुस्तक की परिभाषा पढ़वाना
Explanation
A cross-section diagram and a map-based activity help children visualise the relative north-south position of different physical regions, something rote-learning of names alone cannot make clear — and this understanding is exactly what helps with REET's order-based questions.
Frequently asked questions
How many REET questions come from the Physiography of India?+
REET 2024 carried 2 questions from this topic, both based on the north-south order of mountain ranges and plains. It's a topic that appears regularly in the Geography section.
How many physical divisions is India divided into?+
India is generally divided into six physical divisions — the Himalayan Mountains, the Northern Plains, the Peninsular Plateau, the Indian (Thar) Desert, the Coastal Plains and the Island groups.
What is the difference between Bhabar and Terai?+
Bhabar is the pebbly belt just south of the Shivaliks where rivers go underground, while Terai is the marshy area south of the Bhabar where these rivers resurface.
What is the north-south order of the Vindhya, Satpura and Mahadeo hills?+
The correct order from north to south is: Vindhya range → Satpura range → Mahadeo hills, because the Mahadeo hills are considered a southward extension of the Satpura range itself.
Which river divides the Peninsular Plateau into two parts?+
The Narmada river divides the Peninsular Plateau into the Central Highlands in the north and the Deccan Plateau in the south.
What is the difference in origin between the Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep island groups?+
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands (Bay of Bengal) are believed to be of volcanic/tectonic origin, while the Lakshadweep Islands (Arabian Sea) are formed of coral reefs — this difference in geographical origin is often asked in exams.
What is the difference between the Western Ghats and the Eastern Ghats?+
The Western Ghats (Sahyadri) form a continuous, high range running parallel to the Arabian Sea, while the Eastern Ghats are a discontinuous and comparatively lower range, cut through in places by rivers such as the Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri.
How do India's peninsular rivers differ from the Himalayan rivers?+
Peninsular rivers (such as the Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri) depend on seasonal rainfall and flow over the old, stable landmass, while Himalayan rivers (such as the Ganga and Brahmaputra) are perennial because they originate from glacial sources, and they cut deep valleys through the young mountain region.
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- 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked