Assertion (A): The Telangana plateau exhibits a general southward and southeastward slope, which dictates the drainage pattern of major rivers like the Godavari and Krishna. Reason (R): The geological basement of the plateau consists primarily of ancient Dharwar cratonic rocks tilted during the fragmentation of the Gondwana supercontinent.

💡 Solution & Explanation

Assertion A is true because the regional topography of the Deccan plateau slopes toward the east and southeast, channeling major peninsular rivers toward the Bay of Bengal. Reason R is false because the regional tilt and plateau morphology were shaped by Cenozoic uplift and thermal doming along the western margin associated with the Deccan Trap volcanism and continental rifting, rather than direct Gondwana fragmentation tilting of Dharwar cratons. Cratonic stability characterizes the core structural framework of peninsular India.