The black cotton soil of India has been formed due to the weathering of

1. Black cotton soil, also known as Regur soil, is predominantly found in the Deccan Plateau region of India. 2. This soil type is renowned for its high clay content, moisture retention capacity, and suitability for cotton cultivation. 3. Its formation is directly linked to the geological history of the Deccan Plateau, which experienced massive fissure volcanic eruptions millions of years ago, creating the Deccan Traps (vast layers of basaltic rock). 4. The weathering of this basaltic lava (fissure volcanic rock) under specific climatic conditions (monsoonal, semi-arid) is the primary process responsible for the formation of black cotton soil. 5. Options (A), (C), and (D) represent different parent materials (brown forest soil, granite and schist, shale and limestone) which lead to the formation of other soil types, not the characteristic black cotton soil of the Deccan.