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.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Ministry of Home Affairs, States Reorganisation Commission Report (1955), and Constitution of India (Articles 2, 3, and 4).