GI tags are asked in one form only — a product is named and you supply the state, or a state is given and you supply its famous GI product. The Act, the registry and the famous products are stable facts. The total number of GI tags in India is not — new registrations are granted every few months, and that figure is the most common outdated fact in this topic. This post separates the two, gives the products state by state, and ends with previous year questions.
Key Points (Quick Revision)
- Governed by the Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999, in force from 2003
- India's first GI tag — Darjeeling Tea, West Bengal
- GI Registry is at Chennai, under the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks
- A GI registration is valid for 10 years and is renewable
- Flows from the TRIPS agreement of the WTO; the nodal ministry is Commerce and Industry
1. What a GI tag is and the facts around it
A Geographical Indication identifies a product as originating from a particular place, where a given quality, reputation or characteristic is essentially attributable to that origin. It is a form of intellectual property, and it belongs to a community of producers rather than to one company.
| Fact | Answer |
|---|---|
| Governing law | Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999 |
| Came into force | 2003 |
| International basis | The TRIPS agreement under the World Trade Organization |
| Registry located at | Chennai |
| Administered by | Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks, under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry |
| Validity | 10 years, renewable indefinitely in ten-year blocks |
| India's first GI | Darjeeling Tea, West Bengal |
Three of these are asked repeatedly. Darjeeling Tea as the first Indian GI, Chennai as the seat of the GI Registry, and the ten-year validity. Note that a GI is different from a trademark, which belongs to a single business — that distinction is itself a question.
2. GI tags of north and west India
| Product | State |
|---|---|
| Pashmina, Kashmir Saffron, Kani Shawl, Walnut Wood Carving | Jammu and Kashmir |
| Kullu Shawl, Kangra Tea, Chamba Rumal | Himachal Pradesh |
| Phulkari | Punjab |
| Blue Pottery of Jaipur, Kota Doria, Sanganeri Hand Block Print, Molela Clay Work | Rajasthan |
| Banarasi Saree, Lucknow Chikankari, Kannauj Perfume, Bhadohi Carpet, Malihabadi Dussehri Mango | Uttar Pradesh |
| Chanderi Saree, Maheshwari Saree, Kadaknath Chicken, Ratlami Sev | Madhya Pradesh |
| Kutch Embroidery, Patan Patola, Gir Kesar Mango, Bhalia Wheat | Gujarat |
| Alphonso Mango, Nagpur Orange, Kolhapuri Chappal, Paithani Saree, Warli Painting, Solapur Chaddar | Maharashtra |
Banarasi Saree, Kolhapuri Chappal, Pashmina and Alphonso Mango are the four most asked from this group. Note that the Kolhapuri Chappal GI is shared between Maharashtra and Karnataka, covering districts in both states — a detail papers use to build a tricky option.
3. GI tags of south India
| Product | State |
|---|---|
| Mysore Silk, Mysore Sandalwood Oil, Bidriware, Channapatna Toys, Ilkal Saree, Coorg Orange, Nanjanagud Banana | Karnataka |
| Kanchipuram Silk, Madurai Malli, Thanjavur Doll, Thanjavur Painting, Nilgiri Tea, Srivilliputtur Palkova | Tamil Nadu |
| Aranmula Kannadi, Alleppey Coir, Nilambur Teak, Wayanad Robusta Coffee, Marayoor Jaggery, Pokkali Rice | Kerala |
| Tirupati Laddu, Kondapalli Toys, Machilipatnam Kalamkari, Banganapalle Mango, Etikoppaka Toys | Andhra Pradesh |
| Pochampally Ikat, Nirmal Toys, Hyderabad Haleem, Karimnagar Silver Filigree | Telangana |
| Feni, Goa Cashew | Goa |
Aranmula Kannadi is asked more than its fame suggests, because it is unusual — a handmade metal mirror from Kerala rather than a glass one. Tirupati Laddu and Hyderabad Haleem are the two food GIs from this region that recur, and Channapatna Toys and Kondapalli Toys are used as options against each other, so keep Channapatna with Karnataka and Kondapalli with Andhra Pradesh.
4. GI tags of east and north-east India
| Product | State |
|---|---|
| Darjeeling Tea, Banglar Rasogolla, Baluchari Saree, Nakshi Kantha, Santiniketan Leather, Gobindobhog Rice | West Bengal |
| Odisha Rasagola, Pattachitra, Konark Stone Carving, Sambalpuri Bandha, Kandhamal Haldi | Odisha |
| Madhubani Painting, Bhagalpur Silk, Shahi Litchi, Katarni Rice, Magahi Paan | Bihar |
| Muga Silk, Tezpur Litchi, Joha Rice, Karbi Anglong Ginger | Assam |
| Chak-Hao black rice | Manipur |
| Naga Mircha, the king chilli | Nagaland |
| Large Cardamom | Sikkim |
| Queen Pineapple | Tripura |
| Khasi Mandarin | Meghalaya |
| Arunachal Orange | Arunachal Pradesh |
The rasgulla question is the classic one in this topic. Odisha received a GI for Odisha Rasagola and West Bengal for Banglar Rasogolla — two separate registrations under two different names, which is how a long dispute was settled. A question asking which state got the GI for rasgulla has no single answer unless the name is specified, and that is exactly the trap.
Muga Silk of Assam is the other high-frequency entry here, asked for its golden colour and its exclusivity to the state.
5. Textiles, crafts and food — grouped by type
Questions sometimes ask by category rather than by state, so this cut is worth having.
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| Silk and textiles | Banarasi, Kanchipuram, Mysore Silk, Muga Silk, Patan Patola, Pochampally Ikat, Baluchari, Chanderi, Maheshwari, Paithani, Sambalpuri Bandha |
| Paintings | Madhubani, Pattachitra, Warli, Thanjavur, Kalamkari, Chamba Rumal |
| Toys and crafts | Channapatna, Kondapalli, Nirmal, Etikoppaka, Thanjavur Doll, Bidriware, Aranmula Kannadi |
| Agricultural produce | Alphonso, Gir Kesar, Banganapalle, Shahi Litchi, Darjeeling Tea, Kangra Tea, Nilgiri Tea, Coorg Orange |
| Foods and sweets | Tirupati Laddu, Hyderabad Haleem, Odisha Rasagola, Banglar Rasogolla, Ratlami Sev, Marayoor Jaggery |
One caution for this whole topic. New GI tags are granted regularly, often in batches, and the state-wise counts and the national total change with them. The products listed above are the established ones that recur in papers; treat any very recent registration and any total figure as current affairs to be verified rather than as fixed general knowledge.
6. Previous year questions
- Which was India's first product to receive a GI tag? — Darjeeling Tea
- Under which Act are GI tags granted in India? — Geographical Indications of Goods Act, 1999
- The GI Registry in India is located in which city? — Chennai
- For how many years is a GI registration valid? — 10 years, renewable
- Pochampally Ikat belongs to which state? — Telangana
- Channapatna toys are from which state? — Karnataka
- Kondapalli toys belong to which state? — Andhra Pradesh
- Aranmula Kannadi, the metal mirror, is from which state? — Kerala
- Muga silk is associated with which state? — Assam
- Madhubani painting has a GI tag from which state? — Bihar
- Chak-Hao, the black rice, is from which state? — Manipur
- Naga Mircha or king chilli belongs to which state? — Nagaland
- Which two states hold GI tags for rasgulla? — Odisha, as Odisha Rasagola, and West Bengal, as Banglar Rasogolla
- Kolhapuri Chappal has a GI shared by which two states? — Maharashtra and Karnataka
- Which ministry administers GI registration? — Ministry of Commerce and Industry
7. How to revise this topic
Revise state-wise and from product to state, because that is the direction the question runs. Cluster the big states first — Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra and West Bengal carry the largest groups, and getting those six solid covers most of the paper.
Then learn the deliberate confusions as pairs. Channapatna against Kondapalli toys, Odisha Rasagola against Banglar Rasogolla, Kangra against Nilgiri against Darjeeling tea. Each pair is asked in both directions.
Keep the institutional facts — the 1999 Act, 2003 commencement, Chennai registry, ten-year validity and Darjeeling Tea as the first — on a separate card. They are asked as their own questions and they never change, unlike the counts.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
What was India's first GI tag?
Darjeeling Tea from West Bengal, registered soon after the Geographical Indications of Goods Act of 1999 came into force in 2003. It is the single most asked fact in this topic.
Where is the GI Registry in India?
At Chennai, functioning under the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Registration is valid for ten years and can be renewed indefinitely in ten-year blocks.
Which state got the GI tag for rasgulla?
Both did, under different names. Odisha holds the GI for Odisha Rasagola and West Bengal for Banglar Rasogolla. A question asking simply which state got the rasgulla GI is incomplete unless the name is specified, which is precisely the trap.
How many GI tags does India have?
The number rises regularly as new registrations are granted, often in batches, so any figure printed in study material dates quickly. The product-to-state pairs are stable; the total is not. Verify the current count from an official source before an examination.
What is the difference between a GI tag and a trademark?
A trademark identifies goods of a particular business and belongs to that business. A geographical indication identifies goods as coming from a particular place, where the quality or reputation is attributable to that origin, and the right belongs to the community of producers there rather than to one firm.
For more Static GK topics in simple language, see our Folk Dances of India and UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India posts, or browse the Static GK section. Preparing for a specific exam? Start with the SSC CGL guide or join the 100 Hour GS Course.