Railway Exam » Railway Exam Study Materials » Polity » A Key Note On Provinces

A Key Note On Provinces

Provinces refers to an administrative division that is mainly divided as per geographical area for economic development and in India, the provinces are now transferred into the state.

According to the partition, India has been divided into several provinces that were mainly formed for strengthening the administrative performances of the regional government.  During British India, the boundaries of this country were divided into 17 different provinces and in the current situation; there are a total of 36 different provinces including state as well as union territories. The government of British India proposed to divide the country into different provinces to decrease the unitary of the country and reduce the political power of the congress party. As per the Cabinet Mission of India, the country was divided into three main provinces.                

Provinces of India and their features 

The Indian provinces are classified into three different provinces like United Provinces, Central Provinces, and as well as “Northwest Frontier Province”. 

Provinces in India 

Locations 

United Provinces

The united provinces include the important regions of India that consist of significant financial, regional as well as social perspectives. Madras, Bombay, and Bengal formed the united provinces and this province also includes Punjab and Bihar.    

Central Provinces

The central provinces including Berar and the Assam region are highly regarded for their agricultural importance. The central province has less significance compared to the united provinces in terms of economical and social perspectives.                                       

Northwest Frontier Province

Orissa and Sind region formed Northwest Frontier Province that is rich in animal agricultural form as well as geographical perspectives. 

United Provinces 

United Provinces are the most important section of the Indian region consisting of Uttar Pradesh and it is also formed with other different regions like Madra, Bombay, and Bengal region. On January 24, 1950, when the Indian governor-general was renamed these provinces united provinces. As the united provinces are the most populated provinces of India, it has a significant influence on the economic development of India. Apart from that, these particular provinces are rich in agriculture, trade, and cattle rearing in the British period. This province was located in the north-central part of the country in ancient times but in the present time, the location of this province was reduced to the northern part of the Indian region.         

Provinces of India in the ancient period 

In the ancient period of Indian history, the land of this country was divided into several provinces that were ruled by different rulers. The ruler of provinces in the Gupta period is called the Gupta provinces. 

  • This province was mainly formed consisting of the east as well as central regions of India. Bengal, Odisha, and Bihar were the main region of the Gupta period.
  • It was called the most important province of the country as these provinces were rich in agriculture, trade, and important metals like gold, diamonds, and other minerals.
  • Other provinces were willing to trade with the Gupta provinces and built a trade relationship with this province. 
  • The provinces of the Gupta regions are divided into Pradesh or vaishyas for making the administrative process strong. 
  • Patliputra was the most important city in this province and it was the capital city of the Gupta province. 
  • In a later period, Ujjain was the second capital of the Gupta province. The Gupta period was called the golden province of the Indian ancient period as scientific discoveries, technological and engineering advancements as well as rich in different art forms like song, paintings, dance, and literature marked this province. 
  • Logical and mathematical improvement along with the astronomical perspective was also improved in this province.           

Conclusion

The first province was called the central province that includes Madras, Bombay, and the Orissa region while the second province consists of the western part of the country such as Punjab and Sindh provinces. The last provinces of the British period included the eastern region of India which was the Bengal and Assam provinces. During the British period, the British government ruled all the provinces but in the current situation, each state government administrative body rules the provinces. Among all provinces, Uttar Pradesh was the first province that got independence. In India 11 provinces are present and among them, Rajasthan is the biggest province.     

faq

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the Railway Examination Preparation.

How many provinces are found in India in the British period?

Ans. During the British period, India was divided into 11 separate provinces principally Madras, Bombay, Bengal, and...Read full

What are the basic differences between presidencies and provinces?

Ans. –The president generally ruled the presidencies. It was controlled by the legislative power of th...Read full

What is the basic classification of Indian Provinces?

Ans. The basic classification of the Indian provinces is the Bengal provinces whose capital city was in Calcutta. Th...Read full

What is the significance of the provinces in the Indian constitution?

Ans. The important significance of provinces is to strengthen the administrative performance as well as monitor all ...Read full

Crack Railway Exam with Unacademy

Get subscription and access unlimited live and recorded courses from India’s best educators

Notifications

Get all the important information related to the Railway Exam including the process of application, important calendar dates, eligibility criteria, exam centers etc.

Access more than

6,505+ courses for Railway Exams 

Get the learning app

Download lessons and learn anytime, anywhere with the Unacademy app