State

India is a union of several states, each of them with rich histories and cultural legacies. The country also has a diverse geography, with mountains and sea coastlines separating different regions. India is home to 1.39 billion people, making it the second-most populous country in the World and the seventh-largest by area. It became an independent country in 1947 and has seen its social structure and economic development improve steadily since then. After Independence, states in India underwent major reshuffling and reorganisation based on language and cultural homogeneity. Presently, the nation is composed of twenty-eight states and eight union territories.  

States

• According to Article 1 of the Indian Constitution, India is referred to as the Union of States. It is because of two reasons. 

• The Federation of India is not an agreement of all the states. 

• No state in India has the right to leave the Federation.

In simple words, India is an integral whole, and the presence of different states is for convenient administration. 

• The Constitution of India does not guarantee territorial integrity to any state. Thus, India is known as ‘an indestructible union of destructible states’. 

• According to Article 371(A-J) of the Indian Constitution, special provisions are given to the Indian states of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Nagaland, Assam, Manipur, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, and some backward districts of the Hyderabad-Karnataka region.

• Some of the foreign territories acquired by India since the commencement of the Constitution include Goa, Puducherry, Sikkim, Daman and Diu, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli. 

Formation of States and Union Territories 

• During Independence, states in India were divided into two units – Provinces and the Princely States. The Provinces were under the control of the British Government, and the Princely States were controlled by native princes and kings. 

• At the time of Independence, out of the 552 princely states, 549 accepted to join India and the three states of Kashmir, Hyderabad and Junagarh, refused to be a part of India.

• However, the three states were finally integrated into the Union of India through Instrument of Accession (Kashmir), by police action (Hyderabad), and by referendum (Junagarh).

• The States of the Indian Union got classified into four parts (Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D) after all the princely states joined India. 

• The pressure of popular agitation demanding the creation of states on a linguistic basis led to the large-scale reorganisation of states in 1956. 

• According to the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, the classification of Indian States into four parts was removed, and the territory of India in 1956 consisted of fourteen states and six union territories. 

• The period between 1956 and 2014 witnessed a change in the names of states and capitals, bifurcation of existing States and formation of new States.

• At present, India has twenty-eight states and eight union territories, with Telangana being the latest state of the Indian Union. The state of Jammu and Kashmir split into two union territories – Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir in 2019.

Working of the States and Union Territories

• India has twenty-eight states and eight union territories, with New Delhi as its capital. 

• Administration in states is similar to that of the Union Government. The States of India are members of the federal system. Hence, the Centre and the state share distribution of powers.

• The Governor, the Chief Minister, the Council of Ministers, and the Advocate General form a part of the state executive. 

• The Governor, appointed by the President of India, is the head of the state, and the Chief Minister, elected by the people, is the head of the Government. 

• The Centre directly controls the administration of the Union Territories. However, the union territories of Delhi and Puducherry have their own legislatures headed by a chief minister. 

States and Capitals 

Given below is the complete list of states and union territories in India and their capitals. 

States

Union Territories 

Conclusion

India is an excellent example of unity in diversity. India’s vast expanse is home to a variety of landscapes and climates. The country stretches over a vast expanse of hilly terrains, plateaus, deserts and coastal plains. India has a rich and complex history. Its people speak different languages, practise various religions, and live in varied geographic areas. The states of India, which form the Indian Union, have undergone significant changes since Independence. Despite the diversity, the people of India stand together as one.