Indian Soil Classification: In-Depth Clarity on their Types and Uses

Classification of Soils in India

A number of attempts has been made by different geographers to classify the soil during the last century. 

The first scientific classification of Indian soil was made by to geographers namely- Voeleker and Leather.

According to them the Indian soil may be classified into four categories

1. Alluvial Soil

2. Red Soil

3. Regur Soil

4. Lateritic Soil

Alluvial Soil : Most Fertile Soil

It Covers about 143.1 million square kilometre accounting for about 43.4% of the total reporting area.

The Alluvial Soil Occur mainly in the Satluj- Ganga- brahmaputra plains. 

They are also found in the valleys of the rivers named Narmada, Tapi and in the eastern and western coastal plains.

These soils are mainly derived from the remains brought down by the Himalayas or by the silt that is left out by the retreating Sea. 

The color of this soil varies from light grey to ash grey. 

The texture is from sandy to silty loam. 

These soil are both well drained and poorly drained. 

Mainly they have an immature profile in undulating areas, while talking about the leveled areas they area well developed and have a mature profile.

These soil may be divided into two types-

1. Khadar Soil  - These are low lying infrequently inundated by the floods during. It occupies the flood plains of the River Ennis enriched by fresh silt deposits every year.

2. Bhangar - This soil is above flood level. It is generally well drained but contains concretion of impure calcium carbonate. The texture of this soil varies from loamy soil to clay loam but it is well drained and suitable for cultivation of various crops.

Red Soil : Covers Second Largest Area

It occupies the second largest area of about 61 million hectares or 18% of the total area. 

They are mainly found over pennisula from Tamil Nadu in the South to bundelkhand in the north end Raj Mahal to the east to Kathiawad and Kutch in the West.

These soil are found in the tracks in western Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, southern Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and in scattered patches in Udaipur in Bhilwara.

These soil are also known by the name omnibus group. 

The colour of the soil is as suggested by the name red because of the presence of ferric oxides. 

Generally the top layer is red but the layer below is yellowish in color .

The texture of red soil varies from send to clay and loam. 

Other characteristics include porous and friable structure. 

In general these soil do not have that much amount of lime , nitrate, humus and potash. 

Intense leaching is a menace to these soils. 

In the uplands they are thin poor sandy end porous but in the lower plains they are rich deep and dark coloured.

Regur Soil : The Black Soil

It is more commonly known as black soil. 

It is the third largest soil group in India. 

They cover about 50 million hectares which is 15% of the total area. 

Getting their parent material from the weathered rock of lava they sketch over the greater part of Gujarat, Maharashtra, western Madhya Pradesh, north western Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka,Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Jharkhand. 

They are mature soil. 

Over the greater part of the black earth soil it receive the average annual rainfall between 50 and 75 centimetre.

The colour of these soil very from deep black to light black. 

Generally these soils have clay texture and are rich in iron, lime, aluminium and magnesium. 

They are deficit in nitrogen ,phosphorus and organic matter. 

These soil have a high water retaining capacity end are extremely compact and tenacious when wet and develops wide cracks when dry.

Laterite Soil: The Break and Brick Soil

These soils were first studied by British geographer in 1905.

The name has been derived from the Latin word Later which means break.

These soil when wet are as soft as butter but become quite hard on drying.

Laterite soil hardens rapidly and irreversibly.

They are typical soil of the monsoon climate which are characterised by seasonal rainfall. 

This property of hardening and breaking of this soil has lead to its use as building brick in southern India.

The red colour of the soil is due to presence of iron oxide. 

The soil in the higher areas are generally more acidic than in the soil in lower areas. 

It cover an area of 12.25 million hectares which is 3.7% of the total area. 

They are found mainly in the hills of western card, Eastern Ghats, Odisha, West Bengal and hills of meghalaya. 

The soil are rich in iron and aluminium but poor in nitrogen and potash.


The soil in India can be classified into many more types but the classification mentioned above was the first Classification made by the two geographers in 1893 and 1898.


Written By: Hamna Khan

Edited By: Komal Jha