Master10
Indian States & Union Territories Module

State Formation, Capitals & Reorganisation

The administrative map of the Republic of India has evolved through significant constitutional amendments and linguistic reorganizations since independence. Following the agitation led by Potti Sreeramulu, Andhra State was established in 1953 as the first linguistic state, prompting the appointment of the Fazal Ali Commission. The subsequent States Reorganisation Act of 1956 dismantled Part A, B, C, and D state classifications, reorganizing the nation into 14 states and 6 union territories. Subsequent bifurcations, such as the Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960 and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014, established contemporary state boundaries and administrative capitals.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • Andhra State was carved out of Madras State on October 1, 1953, becoming independent India's first state formed purely on a linguistic basis.
  • The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, enacted under the 7th Constitutional Amendment, organized India into 14 States and 6 Union Territories.
  • The Bombay Reorganisation Act of 1960 bifurcated the bilingual Bombay State into Maharashtra (Marathi-speaking) and Gujarat (Gujarati-speaking) on May 1, 1960.
  • Telangana was officially formed on June 2, 2014, as the 29th state of India (now 28 states) under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, with Hyderabad as its capital.
  • The Dhar Commission (1948) and JVP Committee (Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, Pattabhi Sitaramayya, 1949) had rejected language as the primary criterion for state reorganization.
  • The Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960 bifurcated the bilingual Bombay State into Maharashtra (capital Mumbai) and Gujarat (capital Ahmedabad, later Gandhinagar) on May 1, 1960.
  • Nagaland was carved out of Assam and granted full statehood on December 1, 1963, as the 16th State of India, with Kohima as its capital.
  • The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 created Haryana as a Hindi-speaking state on November 1, 1966, while transferring hilly areas to Himachal Pradesh and making Chandigarh a Union Territory.
  • Himachal Pradesh, previously a Union Territory, was granted full statehood on January 25, 1971, becoming the 18th State of India.
  • Under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, Manipur, Meghalaya, and Tripura achieved full statehood on January 21, 1972.
  • Sikkim became an associate state via the 35th Constitutional Amendment (1974) and was admitted as the 22nd full State of India via the 36th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1975.
  • Goa was conferred full statehood on May 30, 1987, as the 25th State of India, after being separated from Daman and Diu under the Goa, Daman and Diu Reorganisation Act, 1987.
  • The Fazal Ali Commission (States Reorganisation Commission), constituted in December 1953 with K.M. Panikkar and H.N. Kunzru as members, submitted its historic report in 1955.
  • Kerala was created on November 1, 1956, by merging the State of Travancore-Cochin with the Malabar district of Madras State and Kasaragod taluk of South Canara.
  • Mysore State was formed on November 1, 1956, unifying Kannada-speaking regions, and was officially renamed Karnataka on November 1, 1973.
  • Madras State was officially renamed Tamil Nadu in January 1969 through the Madras State (Alteration of Name) Act, 1968, under Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai.
  • Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000, under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, becoming the 26th State of India with Raipur as its capital.
  • Uttarakhand (originally named Uttaranchal) was carved out of Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000, becoming the 27th State of India with Dehradun as its capital, and was renamed Uttarakhand in 2007.
  • Jharkhand was carved out of Bihar on November 15, 2000 (the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda), becoming the 28th State of India with Ranchi as its capital.
  • Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, previously Union Territories, were elevated to full statehood on February 20, 1987, becoming the 24th and 23rd States of India respectively.
  • Article 3 of the Indian Constitution empowers Parliament by law to form new states, alter state boundaries, and change state names without requiring state consent.
  • Article 2 of the Constitution empowers Parliament to admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.
  • The 69th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1991, redesignated the Union Territory of Delhi as the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi under Article 239AA.
  • Orissa was officially renamed Odisha, and the Oriya language was renamed Odia, by the 96th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011.
  • Uttaranchal (Alteration of Name) Act, 2006, and Pondicherry (Alteration of Name) Act, 2006, officially changed their names to Uttarakhand and Puducherry respectively.
  • Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, as Minister of States, along with Secretary V.P. Menon, successfully integrated 562 princely states into the Indian Union using the Instrument of Accession and Standstill Agreements.
  • The State of Junagadh was integrated into the Indian Union following a democratic plebiscite held in February 1948 where citizens overwhelmingly voted for India.
  • Operation Polo was the military police action launched on 13 September 1948 that integrated the princely State of Hyderabad into the Indian Union on 17 September 1948.
  • Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Instrument of Accession on 26 October 1947, acceding the princely State of Jammu and Kashmir to the Dominion of India.
  • The Linguistic Provinces Commission, appointed in June 1948 under the chairmanship of Justice S.K. Dhar, recommended state reorganization based on administrative convenience rather than linguistic criteria.
  • The JVP Committee (Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya), appointed in December 1948, formally endorsed the Dhar Commission's rejection of linguistic reorganization in the national interest.
  • Potti Sreeramulu underwent a 58-day hunger strike demanding a separate Telugu-speaking state, leading to the creation of Andhra State on 1 October 1953 with Kurnool as its capital and Guntur as the High Court seat.
  • The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was constituted in December 1953 with Justice Fazal Ali as Chairman and K.M. Panikkar and H.N. Kunzru as members, submitting its report in 1955.
  • The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956, abolished the Part A, B, C, and D state classifications, creating 14 States and 6 Union Territories on 1 November 1956.
  • The Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960, bifurcated the bilingual Bombay State into Maharashtra (capital Mumbai) and Gujarat (15th state, inaugurated 1 May 1960 with capital Ahmedabad, later shifted to Gandhinagar in 1970).
  • Nagaland was carved out of Assam and inaugurated as the 16th state of the Indian Union on 1 December 1963 with its capital at Kohima under the State of Nagaland Act, 1962.
  • The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, based on the Justice J.C. Shah Commission report, created Hindi-speaking Haryana as the 17th state on 1 November 1966, transferring hill areas to Himachal Pradesh and making Chandigarh a joint capital UT.
  • Himachal Pradesh, initially a Part C state and later a Union Territory, was granted full statehood as the 18th state of India on 25 January 1971 with Shimla as its capital.
  • Under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, Manipur (19th state), Tripura (20th state), and Meghalaya (21st state) attained full statehood on 21 January 1972.
  • Sikkim became an 'Associate State' of India under the 35th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1974, and was integrated as the 22nd state of the Indian Union on 16 May 1975 under the 36th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1975.
  • Mizoram was elevated from a Union Territory to the 23rd state of India on 20 February 1987 following the historic Mizoram Peace Accord of 1986 signed with the Mizo National Front.
  • Arunachal Pradesh was granted full statehood as the 24th state of India on 20 February 1987 under the State of Arunachal Pradesh Act, 1986, with Itanagar as its capital.
  • Goa was conferred full statehood as the 25th state of India on 30 May 1987 with Panaji as capital, while Daman and Diu remained a separate Union Territory under the Goa, Daman and Diu Reorganisation Act, 1987.
  • Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh and inaugurated as the 26th state of India on 1 November 2000 under the Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, with Raipur as capital.
  • Uttarakhand (initially named Uttaranchal) was carved out of Uttar Pradesh as the 27th state on 9 November 2000, maintaining Dehradun as winter capital and Gairsain (Bhararisain) as summer capital.
  • Jharkhand was created out of Bihar as the 28th state of India on 15 November 2000 (the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda) with Ranchi as its capital.
  • Telangana was bifurcated from Andhra Pradesh under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, becoming the 29th state of India on 2 June 2014 with Hyderabad as its capital.
  • The Fazal Ali Commission explicitly rejected the 'One Language, One State' theory, emphasizing the preservation of national unity, administrative viability, and financial self-sufficiency in state demarcation.
  • Article 3 empowers Parliament by simple majority law to form a new state by separation, merger, alter the areas, boundaries, or change the name of any existing state without requiring state assembly concurrence.
  • Under the proviso to Article 3, a state reorganization bill can be introduced in Parliament only on the prior recommendation of the President and after referring it to the concerned state legislature for expressing its views within a specified timeframe.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Ministry of Home Affairs, States Reorganisation Commission Report (1955), and Constitution of India (Articles 2, 3, and 4).

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.EASY

Which Indian state was the first to be created on a linguistic basis in October 1953 following the fast unto death of Potti Sreeramulu?

Q2.EASY

On 1 May 1960, the bilingual Bombay State was partitioned to create which two separate Indian states?

Q3.EASY

Which Indian state was carved out of southern Bihar on 15 November 2000, coinciding with the birth anniversary of tribal leader Birsa Munda?

Q4.EASY

Which Indian state has Jaipur as its capital and is the largest state by geographical area in India?

Q5.EASY

On 2 June 2014, which state was formally carved out of Andhra Pradesh as India's 29th state?

Q6.EASY

Which Indian state has the smallest land area among all 28 states?

Q7.EASY

What is the capital of the state of Himachal Pradesh during the summer months?

Q8.EASY

Which state was created on 1 November 2000 by separating sixteen eastern districts from Madhya Pradesh?