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REET L2 · Social Studies

India's Soils and Crops

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This page covers India's major soil types, their characteristics and the crops associated with them, from a REET exam perspective. REET 2024 asked questions from this topic on soil classification, the regional names of shifting cultivation, and finer points around dry farming.

  • 4 questions in REET 2024
  • Class 6–8 level
  • 10 min read
Verified 17 September 2026 · Source: Kharif, Rabi and Zaid crop seasons — Mahindra Tractor blog

How REET asks this topic

REET 2024 asked about types of soil (the khadar-bangar distinction within alluvial soil), the regional names for shifting cultivation (Bewar, Podu, Kumari, Walre), and facts and figures around coarse grains and dry farming. Questions come in both matching format and direct-fact format, so it pays to memorise the soil-region-crop triangle together, as one connected set, rather than as separate lists.

India's major soils

According to the classification used by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), India mainly has eight types of soil — alluvial, black (regur), red-yellow, laterite, arid/desert, saline-alkaline, peaty-marshy, and forest/mountain soil. Alluvial soil covers the largest area, found across the Indus-Ganga plain, the Narmada-Tapi valley and coastal regions. It is the most fertile soil, deposited by rivers, and is rich in potash and phosphoric acid but low in nitrogen and humus.

Alluvial soil has two sub-types — khadar, the finer and more fertile soil freshly deposited each year in the flood-plains of rivers, and bangar, the older alluvial soil deposited in the higher terraces above the flood zone. Black soil (regur), found on the Deccan plateau (Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka), formed from the weathering of volcanic basalt rock, and is considered best suited for growing cotton — which is why it is also called 'black cotton soil'. On drying, it develops wide cracks, which gives it a natural, self-ploughing effect.

Red-yellow soil is found in the old crystalline rock regions of southern India (Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand); its red colour comes from the presence of iron oxide. Laterite soil forms in the Western Ghats, north-east India and coastal Karnataka-Kerala, under conditions of heavy rainfall and intense leaching — it is well suited to tea, coffee and cashew. The arid/desert soil found in Rajasthan, western Gujarat and southern Punjab has a high sand content and very low moisture, but with irrigation (such as the Indira Gandhi Canal), it too can become fertile.

Shifting cultivation: regional names

Region/StateLocal name
Madhya PradeshBewar / Dahiya
Andhra PradeshPodu / Penda
Western Ghats (Kerala)Kumari
Southern RajasthanWalre / Waltre
North-east IndiaJhum

In shifting (jhum) cultivation, a patch of forest is cleared, burned, and cultivated for a short period; when the yield drops, cultivators move on to another patch — every region has its own local name for this same practice.

Crop seasons: Kharif, Rabi and Zaid

SeasonSowing-to-harvest timeMajor crops
KharifJune-July (sown with the monsoon) to September-October (harvested)Paddy (rice), maize, bajra (pearl millet), jowar (sorghum), cotton, jute, soyabean
RabiOctober-November (sown) to March-April (harvested)Wheat, gram (chana), mustard, barley, peas
ZaidMarch to June (summer season, dependent on irrigation)Watermelon, muskmelon, cucumber, moong (green gram) and similar vegetables and fruits

Dry farming and coarse grains

In parts of India where annual rainfall is below 75 centimetres, dry farming is practised, relying on moisture-conservation techniques. Crops that need little water — bajra, jowar, gram, moong and guar — dominate here. Where rainfall is higher, by contrast, irrigated or moist-land farming is the norm.

Among coarse grains (millets), bajra is the leading crop, and Rajasthan is its largest producer — Rajasthan also leads the country in total coarse-grain production overall. This fact matters for REET aspirants, because students often mistakenly assume Punjab or Haryana (well known for wheat and paddy) is the largest producer of coarse grains, when it is in fact Rajasthan.

Leading producer states of major crops

Wheat
Uttar Pradesh (the country's largest producer), followed by Madhya Pradesh and Punjab
Rice
West Bengal
Sugarcane
Uttar Pradesh
Coarse grains (including bajra)
Rajasthan

The impact of the Green Revolution

During the mid-1960s, the Green Revolution — through the widespread use of high-yielding wheat and rice varieties, chemical fertilisers, pesticides, and assured irrigation — sharply raised foodgrain output in Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh. This is exactly why Punjab and Haryana are still known today for intensive wheat and paddy cultivation, while the effect was comparatively smaller in eastern and central India, where farming remains more rain-dependent and land is more uneven.

The Green Revolution made India self-sufficient in foodgrains, but it also brought challenges — over-extraction of groundwater, declining soil fertility, and reduced crop diversity. This is why today's emphasis has shifted toward measures such as balanced fertiliser use and rainwater harvesting.

Soil erosion and conservation measures

Soil erosion refers to the process by which strong wind, flowing water, and poor farming practices wash away or blow off the fertile top layer of soil. To prevent it, measures such as terrace farming on sloped fields, building check-dams on hill slopes to slow water flow, contour ploughing, and afforestation are all adopted. In arid and semi-arid regions, rows of trees (shelter belts) are planted along field edges to reduce wind erosion — this is exactly the practice followed in Rajasthan's desert regions.

How to teach children

Classroom activity

Bring samples of different soil types (alluvial, black, red, sandy) into class and have students identify each one by touch, colour and texture.

Teaching aid

A map of India colour-coded by soil type, along with a poster showing pictures of Kharif, Rabi and Zaid crops, is useful in the classroom.

Common misconception

Students often think farming is impossible in all arid regions — whereas with proper irrigation (such as a canal), even desert soil can become fertile, as has happened with Rajasthan's Indira Gandhi Canal project.

Assessment idea

Have students list the crops grown around their own home/village and ask them to identify which season (Kharif/Rabi/Zaid) each belongs to and which soil it grows in.

Memory trick

Remember shifting-cultivation names by pairing them with the state: 'Madhya Pradesh-Bewar, Andhra Pradesh-Podu, Western Ghats-Kumari, Southern Rajasthan-Walre.' Remember khadar-bangar this way: 'khadar means the field's newer soil, bangar means the much older soil.'

REET 2024 questions asked (with solutions)

Question 95

Match the following shifting agriculture and their region : Shifting agriculture – Region (1) Bewar – (a) Madhya Pradesh (2) Podu – (b) Andhra Pradesh (3) Kumari – (c) Western Ghats (4) Valre – (d) South Eastern Rajasthan Codes: (1) (2) (3) (4)

  1. A(a) (d) (c) (b)
  2. B(a) (b) (c) (d)
  3. C(d) (c) (b) (a)
  4. D(c) (a) (b) (d)

Explanation

स्थानान्तरित (झूम) कृषि को भारत के अलग-अलग क्षेत्रों में अलग नामों से जाना जाता है। NCERT के अनुसार मध्य प्रदेश में इसे 'बेवर' (दहिया), आंध्र प्रदेश में 'पोडू' (पेंडा), पश्चिमी घाट में 'कुमारी' और दक्षिण-पूर्वी राजस्थान में 'वालरे' (वाल्टरे) कहते हैं। अतः सही सुमेल 1-a, 2-b, 3-c, 4-d यानी विकल्प (B) है।

Question 124

Khadar and Bhangar are examples of which soil in India ?

  1. Aकाली
  2. Bलाल-पीली
  3. Cशुष्क
  4. Dजलोढ़

Explanation

खादर और बांगर जलोढ़ मृदा के प्रकार हैं। खादर नदियों के बाढ़ क्षेत्र में हर वर्ष जमा होने वाली नई, महीन और अधिक उपजाऊ जलोढ़ मिट्टी है, जबकि बांगर ऊँचे भागों में जमा पुरानी जलोढ़ मिट्टी है। ये उत्तरी मैदान में विशेष रूप से पाई जाती हैं।

Question 134

Which is the largest producer state of millets in India ?

  1. Aराजस्थान
  2. Bपंजाब
  3. Cहरियाणा
  4. Dगुजरात

Explanation

मोटे अनाज (मिलेट्स) में बाजरा प्रमुख है और राजस्थान देश में बाजरे का सबसे बड़ा उत्पादक है; कुल मोटे अनाज उत्पादन में भी राजस्थान अग्रणी है। पंजाब और हरियाणा मुख्यतः गेहूँ-धान के लिए जाने जाते हैं।

Question 93

Dry farming is done in India

  1. A75 सेमी से कम वार्षिक वर्षा वाले क्षेत्र में
  2. B75 से 100 सेमी वार्षिक वर्षा वाले क्षेत्र में
  3. C100 से 110 सेमी वार्षिक वर्षा वाले क्षेत्र में
  4. D110 से 140 सेमी वार्षिक वर्षा वाले क्षेत्र में

Explanation

भारत में शुष्क खेती (dry farming) उन क्षेत्रों में की जाती है जहाँ वार्षिक वर्षा 75 सेमी से कम होती है। ऐसे क्षेत्रों में नमी संरक्षण की तकनीकों के साथ बाजरा, ज्वार, मूंग, चना, ग्वार जैसी कम पानी वाली फसलें उगाई जाती हैं। 75 सेमी से अधिक वर्षा वाले क्षेत्रों में आर्द्र भूमि खेती (wetland farming) या सिंचित खेती प्रमुख होती है।

Practice questions

Question 1

In which region is alluvial soil found most extensively?

  1. Aदक्कन का पठार
  2. Bसिंधु-गंगा का मैदान
  3. Cपश्चिमी घाट
  4. Dथार मरुस्थल

Explanation

Alluvial soil, which is mainly deposited by rivers, is spread most widely across the Indus-Ganga plain.

Question 2

Black soil (Regur) is considered most suitable for which crop?

  1. Aचाय
  2. Bकपास
  3. Cकाजू
  4. Dचावल

Explanation

Black soil (regur) has a high moisture-retention capacity, which makes it ideal for cotton cultivation; it is also called 'black cotton soil' for this reason.

Question 3

Khadar and Bangar are subtypes of which type of soil?

  1. Aकाली मिट्टी
  2. Bलाल-पीली मिट्टी
  3. Cजलोढ़ मिट्टी
  4. Dलैटेराइट मिट्टी

Explanation

Khadar (newer) and bangar (older) are the two sub-types of alluvial soil, both found in the northern plains.

Question 4

Laterite soil is mainly suitable for which crops?

  1. Aगेहूँ, चना
  2. Bचाय, कॉफी, काजू
  3. Cकपास, ज्वार
  4. Dगन्ना, धान

Explanation

Laterite soil is mainly suited to tea, coffee and cashew.

Question 5

Kharif crops are generally harvested at what time?

  1. Aगर्मी में
  2. Bवर्षा शुरू होते ही
  3. Cसितंबर-अक्टूबर में
  4. Dवसंत ऋतु में

Explanation

Kharif crops are sown in June-July with the monsoon and harvested in September-October.

Question 6

The sowing time for Rabi crops is

  1. Aजून-जुलाई
  2. Bअक्टूबर-नवंबर
  3. Cमार्च-अप्रैल
  4. Dजनवरी

Explanation

Rabi crops are sown in October-November and harvested in March-April; wheat, gram and mustard are its leading examples.

Question 7

Shifting cultivation known as 'Podu' is mainly practiced in which state?

  1. Aमध्य प्रदेश
  2. Bआंध्र प्रदेश
  3. Cराजस्थान
  4. Dकेरल

Explanation

In Andhra Pradesh, shifting cultivation is called 'Podu' or 'Penda'.

Question 8

Dry farming in India is practiced in regions with annual rainfall below which limit?

  1. A50 सेमी
  2. B75 सेमी
  3. C100 सेमी
  4. D125 सेमी

Explanation

Dry farming, using moisture-conservation techniques, is practised in regions where annual rainfall is below 75 cm.

Question 9

The most effective way to teach Class 7 students to identify soil types is

  1. Aकेवल परिभाषा याद करवाना
  2. Bवास्तविक मिट्टी के नमूनों से स्पर्श व अवलोकन गतिविधि करवाना
  3. Cचित्र दिखाकर बिना चर्चा के आगे बढ़ जाना
  4. Dटॉपिक छोड़ देना

Explanation

Concrete, hands-on learning from real soil samples is more effective for Class 6-8 students than abstract definitions, especially in an observation-based subject like geography.

Question 10

If students hold the misconception that desert soil is always 'infertile', what should the teacher do?

  1. Aभ्रांति को नज़रअंदाज करना
  2. Bसिंचाई परियोजनाओं के उदाहरण से स्पष्ट करना कि सिंचाई मिलने पर यह मिट्टी भी उपजाऊ बनती है
  3. Cछात्र को गलत बताकर आगे बढ़ जाना
  4. Dविषय दोबारा न पढ़ाना

Explanation

Correcting misconceptions with real-world examples (such as the Indira Gandhi Canal project) is part of effective teaching practice.

Frequently asked questions

How many questions does REET ask on India's soils?+

REET 2024 carried around 3-4 questions on this topic, with particular focus on soil classification and shifting cultivation.

What is the difference between khadar and bangar?+

Khadar is the newer, fertile alluvial soil found in a river's flood-plain, while bangar is the older alluvial soil found on higher ground.

Which is considered India's most fertile soil?+

Alluvial soil, which is spread most widely across the Indus-Ganga plain.

In which regions is dry farming practised?+

In regions where annual rainfall is below 75 cm, where low-water crops such as bajra and jowar are grown.

Which state is India's largest producer of coarse grains (bajra)?+

Rajasthan, which also leads the country in total coarse-grain production overall.

Read next

India's Rivers and Projects

Previous topic: India's rivers and river-valley projects.

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Next topic: India's minerals and industries.

REET Syllabus

See the complete REET Level 1 and Level 2 syllabus in one place.

REET 2024 Solved Paper

Practise all of REET 2024's solved questions, by subject.

Official Sources

  1. Kharif, Rabi and Zaid crop seasons — Mahindra Tractor blog
  2. Top Agricultural States of India (crop-wise leaders) — SATHEE, IIT Kanpur

Change Log

  • 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked