India’s Constitution calls it “a Union of States.” Today that union has 28 states and 8 Union Territories. This article explains how India is divided and run, in simple words.
mcqquestion.com · General Knowledge🌎 One Union
🌎 States and Union Territories of India
How India is divided and run
28States
8Union Territories
RajasthanLargest by area
Uttar PradeshMost populous
1956States reorganised by language
2014Telangana, newest state
💡India calls itself a “Union of States” — states cannot break away on their own, and Parliament decides how they are formed or divided.
General Knowledge · GK0024states & union
Must Know
A Union of States
- WhatArticle 1 of the Constitution calls India “a Union of States.”
- WhyThis means the parts of India are joined together into one country.
- HowStates cannot break away on their own; Parliament forms, splits or renames them under Article 3.
- ExampleThink of India like a family that stays together, no member can walk away alone.
How Many States and UTs, and The States Reorganisation Act, and Newest States
- WhatIndia has 28 states and 8 Union Territories, for a total of 36.
- WhyThis count shows how the country is divided for government.
- HowStates and UTs are different kinds of units with different rules.
- ExampleThe current count of 28 states has been in place since 31 October 2019.
- WhatThe States Reorganisation Act of 1956 redrew most state boundaries along language lines.
- WhyIt was passed so that people speaking the same language could live in one state.
- HowBefore this, states were grouped into Part A, B, C and D categories.
- ExampleAfter 1956, states like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu took shape around their languages.
- WhatTelangana is India’s newest state, carved out of Andhra Pradesh.
- WhyIt was created on 2 June 2014.
- HowPeople asked for a separate state for years, and Parliament finally agreed.
- ExampleThis shows how new states can be formed when people demand it.
Good to Know
How States Are Run
- WhatEvery state has an elected Legislative Assembly and a Chief Minister.
- WhyThe Chief Minister holds real power to run the state.
- HowEach state also has a Governor, appointed by the President, as its nominal head.
- ExampleSo the Chief Minister leads, while the Governor is the formal head.
How Union Territories Are Run, and Special Union Territories, and Largest and Most Populous
- WhatMost Union Territories are run directly by the central government.
- WhyThey are smaller or special areas that the Centre manages.
- HowA Lieutenant Governor or Administrator, appointed by the President, runs them.
- ExamplePlaces like Chandigarh are run this way.
- WhatDelhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir are different.
- WhyEach has its own elected Legislative Assembly and Chief Minister.
- HowThey still have a centrally-appointed Lieutenant Governor.
- ExampleDelhi has a CM, but the Centre still controls some matters.
- WhatRajasthan is the largest state by area.
- WhyUttar Pradesh is the most populous state.
- HowThese records help compare India’s states.
- ExampleRajasthan is big in size, while UP has the most people.
✅ Test Yourself
Work through a 5-question chain on States and UTs, then keep practising with a random General Knowledge question.
Great to Know
Article 3 and Creating States
- WhatArticle 3 lets Parliament form, split or rename states.
- WhyThis is how India can create new states peacefully.
- HowParliament can change boundaries after considering the views of the states involved.
- ExampleTelangana and Chhattisgarh were both formed this way.
- So whatStates are not permanent; they can be reshaped by law.
The 2019 Reorganisation, and Telangana and New States, and Balancing Centre and States
- WhatOn 31 October 2019, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was split.
- WhyIt was reorganised into two Union Territories.
- HowThe two new UTs are Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- ExampleThis changed the count of states to 28.
- So whatReorganisation can happen for many reasons.
- WhatTelangana became a state in 2014.
- WhyPeople wanted a separate state for their region.
- HowAfter a long movement, Parliament created it.
- ExampleIt is the newest state in India.
- So whatDemand and law together create new states.
- WhatIndia balances power between the Centre and the states.
- WhyThis keeps the country united while letting regions govern themselves.
- HowThe Constitution divides subjects between the Centre and states.
- ExampleSome laws are national, while others are made by states.
- So whatThis balance is the heart of India’s federal system.
PYQ / Exam Angle
State Description Pairs
- QuestionUPSC and other competitive exams ask to match states with their descriptions.
- WhyStates like Arunachal Pradesh have specific facts like their capital and parks.
- HowLearning each state’s key facts helps answer these.
- ExampleThe capital may be named after a fort.
- LinkSource: UPSC CSP 2025, GS Paper I (see this question).
Established as per the Constitution
- QuestionUPSC and other competitive exams ask how many bodies were set up as per the Constitution.
- WhySome institutions are created by the Constitution, others by law.
- HowKnowing the difference is a common exam point.
- ExampleThe Union and state governments come from the Constitution.
- LinkSource: UPSC CSP 2025, GS Paper I (see this question).
Current Affairs / So What
The 2019 Changes
- WhatThe reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir happened in 2019.
- WhyIt created the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- HowThis is a major recent change in India’s map.
- ExampleThe count of 28 states dates from this change.
- So whatIt is an important current-affairs fact.
States Today
- WhatIndia’s states and UTs keep developing.
- WhyEach has its own role in the nation.
- HowThey share power with the Centre.
- ExampleNew schemes are run at the state level.
- So whatUnderstanding the map helps in many questions.
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