How do I read and understand my Soil Health Card report?

The card has two main parts. The first part shows your soil test values, and the second part shows the crop-wise fertiliser recommendation. Read the test values like this. pH tells you if soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline. Around 6.5 to 7.5 is good for most crops, below 6 is acidic, above 8 is alkaline. EC (electrical conductivity) shows salt level, usually low EC means no salt problem. OC means organic carbon, which is your soil's organic matter and life, higher is better, very low OC means tired soil. N, P, K are your three main nutrients, nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, each marked Low, Medium or High. Then come the micronutrients like zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), boron (B) and sulphur (S), also marked deficient or sufficient. The key habit is simple. Wherever the card says Low or Deficient, that nutrient needs attention. Wherever it says High, you can usually reduce that fertiliser. Then look at the recommendation table for your specific crop and follow the doses printed there. If any term confuses you, take the card to your KVK or block agriculture officer and ask them to walk you through your specific numbers.