India did not begin with 28 states. The map was redrawn repeatedly between 1953 and 2019, and exams ask about every one of those changes — which state came first on a linguistic basis, which three were created in 2000, which was the 29th, and what happened to Jammu and Kashmir. The dates never change, so this is one of the most reliable topics in polity. This post gives the full sequence, the constitutional provision behind it, and previous year questions.
Key Points (Quick Revision)
- Andhra State (1953) — the first state formed on a linguistic basis
- States Reorganisation Act, 1956 — the large redrawing of the map
- Maharashtra and Gujarat — both formed on 1 May 1960
- Telangana (2 June 2014) — the 29th state at the time of formation
- After 31 October 2019 and 26 January 2020, India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories
- Article 3 empowers Parliament to form new states and alter boundaries
1. Article 3 — how a new state is created
Before the dates, fix the provision, because it is asked as often as the states themselves.
Article 3 empowers Parliament to form a new state, increase or diminish the area of any state, alter its boundaries, or alter its name. Three features of the process are examined regularly:
- The Bill can be introduced only on the recommendation of the President.
- The President must refer the Bill to the legislature of the state concerned for its views within a specified period.
- The state legislature's view is not binding on Parliament — Parliament may proceed regardless.
- Such a law is not treated as a constitutional amendment under Article 368, so a simple majority suffices.
That last point is the one candidates get wrong most often. Redrawing the political map of India does not require a constitutional amendment, which is why states have been created relatively frequently.
2. The linguistic reorganisation of the 1950s
The demand for states based on language grew immediately after independence, and it was resolved in two steps.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1948 | Dhar Commission examined the linguistic demand and advised against it |
| 1948–49 | JVP Committee, of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya, also did not favour it |
| 1953 | Andhra State created — the first state formed on a linguistic basis, following the death of Potti Sriramulu |
| 1953 | Fazl Ali Commission appointed to examine reorganisation |
| 1956 | States Reorganisation Act passed, redrawing the map on largely linguistic lines |
The chain from Potti Sriramulu to Andhra State to the Fazl Ali Commission to the 1956 Act is the single most asked sequence in this topic. The Fazl Ali Commission is also asked by its other members, Kavalam Madhava Panikkar and Hriday Nath Kunzru.
3. States formed after 1956 — the full sequence
| Date | State | Carved out of |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1960 | Maharashtra and Gujarat | Bombay State, divided into two |
| 1 December 1963 | Nagaland | Assam |
| 1 November 1966 | Haryana | Punjab |
| 25 January 1971 | Himachal Pradesh | Elevated to full statehood |
| 21 January 1972 | Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya | Elevated to full statehood |
| 16 May 1975 | Sikkim | Became the 22nd state of India |
| 20 February 1987 | Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh | Elevated to full statehood |
| 30 May 1987 | Goa | Separated from Daman and Diu |
| 1 November 2000 | Chhattisgarh | Madhya Pradesh |
| 9 November 2000 | Uttarakhand | Uttar Pradesh |
| 15 November 2000 | Jharkhand | Bihar |
| 2 June 2014 | Telangana | Andhra Pradesh; the 29th state at the time |
Three groups in this table are asked repeatedly. Maharashtra and Gujarat share a single date, 1 May 1960, which is also observed as Maharashtra Day and Gujarat Day. The three states of 2000 came within a fortnight of each other, and the order Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand is itself a question. And Sikkim as the 22nd state is asked as a numbered fact rather than a dated one.
Uttarakhand is worth one extra note: it was created as Uttaranchal in 2000 and renamed Uttarakhand in 2007. Papers use both names.
4. The changes of 2019 and 2020
Two recent changes altered the count that older study material still carries, and both are asked directly.
| Date | Change | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 31 October 2019 | The state of Jammu and Kashmir reorganised into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without one) | States fell to 28; Union Territories rose to 9 |
| 26 January 2020 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli merged with Daman and Diu into a single Union Territory | Union Territories fell to 8 |
So the figure to carry is 28 states and 8 Union Territories. A great deal of older material still says 29 states and 7 Union Territories, and that is the most common outdated fact in general knowledge preparation today.
5. The eight Union Territories
| Union Territory | Note |
|---|---|
| Delhi | National Capital Territory, with a legislature |
| Puducherry | With a legislature |
| Jammu and Kashmir | With a legislature |
| Ladakh | Without a legislature |
| Chandigarh | Serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana |
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Capital Port Blair |
| Lakshadweep | Capital Kavaratti |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Formed by merger in 2020 |
The distinction examiners use most is which Union Territories have a legislature — Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir do; the other five do not. Chandigarh serving as the capital of two states is the other standard question from this table.
6. Previous year questions
- Which was the first state formed on a linguistic basis? — Andhra State, in 1953
- Whose death led to the creation of Andhra State? — Potti Sriramulu
- Which commission recommended the reorganisation of states? — Fazl Ali Commission
- In which year was the States Reorganisation Act passed? — 1956
- Maharashtra and Gujarat were formed on which date? — 1 May 1960
- Haryana was carved out of which state? — Punjab
- Which was the 22nd state of India? — Sikkim
- Chhattisgarh was carved out of which state? — Madhya Pradesh
- Jharkhand was created from which state? — Bihar
- Which was the 29th state of India? — Telangana
- Telangana was formed on which date? — 2 June 2014
- Which article empowers Parliament to form new states? — Article 3
- How many states and Union Territories does India have now? — 28 states and 8 Union Territories
- Which Union Territory serves as the capital of two states? — Chandigarh
- Uttarakhand was originally created under which name? — Uttaranchal
7. How to revise this topic
Revise chronologically, because the sequence is itself the question. Run the timeline once from 1953 to 2020 and the grouped dates hold together far better than isolated facts: 1960 for the Bombay split, 1972 for the three north-eastern states, 1987 for the next three, 2000 for the three in a fortnight, and 2014 for Telangana.
Attach the parent state to every entry. Questions ask which state a new one was carved out of at least as often as they ask the date, and the parent is usually the easier half to recall.
Then fix Article 3 separately with its four features, since polity papers ask about the procedure without mentioning any particular state. Finally, update the count. If any note in your material says 29 states or 7 Union Territories, correct it now, because that single outdated figure appears in more wrong answers than any other fact in this topic.
8. Frequently Asked Questions
How many states and Union Territories does India have?
Twenty-eight states and eight Union Territories. The count reached this figure after Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised into two Union Territories on 31 October 2019 and Dadra and Nagar Haveli merged with Daman and Diu on 26 January 2020.
Which was the first state created on a linguistic basis?
Andhra State, in 1953, following the death of Potti Sriramulu during his fast for a separate Telugu-speaking state. The wider reorganisation followed through the Fazl Ali Commission and the States Reorganisation Act of 1956.
Which article allows Parliament to create a new state?
Article 3. The Bill needs the President's recommendation and must be referred to the legislature of the state concerned, but that legislature's view is not binding, and such a law is not treated as a constitutional amendment under Article 368.
Which three states were created in the year 2000?
Chhattisgarh on 1 November from Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand on 9 November from Uttar Pradesh, and Jharkhand on 15 November from Bihar. Uttarakhand was created as Uttaranchal and renamed in 2007.
Which Union Territories have their own legislature?
Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh, Chandigarh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu do not.
For more Polity topics in simple language, see our Important Articles of the Constitution and Centre-State Relations posts, or browse the Polity section. Preparing for a specific exam? Start with the SSC CGL guide or join the 100 Hour GS Course.