States and Capitals of India, List of 28 States & 8 Union Territories

States and Capitals of India

India is a diversifying country that has been segmented into 28 states and 8 union territories. The respective nation is known for its vibrant culture and attractive geographical locations. This culturally rich country has been consisting of 28 states and 8 union territories and each of them have their own relevance and uniqueness. The historic significance and charm of each places enlightens with an in-depth and deep-rooted story. Showcasing its presence over the southern Asia, India regulates under the parliamentary system of government. As regulating such as wide nation from one location will be difficult, therefore the Indian Constitution has implemented the necessity to create states as per the central government.

Further the States and Union Territories have been categorized into smaller locations known as districts and subdivisions. In this article we will provide you a detailed list of India’s States and Union Territories.

States and Capitals of India 2023

Students who are willing to appear for any competitive banking exams, should be aware of the detailed states and capitals of India as this portion is extremely important for the General Awareness section. The 28 states and 8 Union Territories of India are getting administered by the President through a soulful administrator. Each of the state and union territory have their own features and attributes to offer. In this article, we will be providing you the complete list of recent states and union territories present in India.

List of States and Capitals Of India

As mentioned earlier, India is divided into 28 states and 8 union territories. During 2019, a major change has took place in the country, where the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act was implemented. This implementation has made 31 October to be a crucial date as two union territories have been formed on this date, i.e., J&K and Ladakh. Scroll down this article to get more details on the list of States and Capitals of India along with the Union territories.

States of India and their Capitals

Union Territories of India and their Capitals

Union Territories in India are regions that are governed directly by the federal government of the country. Unlike states, Union Territories have less autonomy and are usually administered by a Lieutenant Governor or Administrator appointed by the President of India. These territories are often created for various administrative and governance purposes. As of now, there are 8 Union Territories in India:

The two union territories which are Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh are added to the list of Union Territories of India under a reorganization act passed by the parliament on 5-6 August 2020. The below table shows the detailed lists of 8 union territories of the country.

About India

India is mainly located in South Asia and is officially known as the Republic of India. It comprises a total area of 3,287,263 sq. km and has an estimated population of 135.26 crores (2019) which makes it the world’s second-most populous country.
India is a federal constitutional republic and is known as the world’s most populous democracy. It is governed by the parliamentary system. Earlier there were 28 states and 8 Union Territories but the Government Of India revoked article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and declared it as a union territory along with Ladakh. After the implementation of the decision, currently, there are 28 states and 8 Union Territories as Daman & Diu is merged with Dadar and Nagar Haveli.

Each state and union territory has an administrative, legislative, and judicial capital of its own. (The Union territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh have a common high court as per the new guidelines)

Types of Capital

Given Below is a brief difference between the different kinds of capitals.

• An administrative capital refers to the one where all the offices of the executive government are situated.
• A legislative capital refers to the one where the state assembly convenes.
• A judicial capital refers to the one where the territorial high courts are located.

All the states along with two union territories, Pondicherry and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, have an elected form of government and legislatures. They are headed by their elected Chief Minister, who is elected for a term of five years. The Central government directly rules all the other union territories and has a representative in each UT known as the governor. Under the States Reorganization Act of 1956, the states were reorganized based on the language which is used there.

Capital of India

New Delhi is the capital of India. The foundation stone of New Delhi was laid by Emperor George V during the Delhi Durbar of 1911. British architects Sir Edwin Lutyens and Sir Herbert Baker designed it. Finally, Viceroy and Governor-General of India Lord Irwin inaugurated it on 13 February 1931.

Financial Capital of India

Difference Between State And Union Territories

The below table highlights detailed information about the difference between the State and Union Territories of India.

States and Capitals of India: Articles in the Constitution

Under Part 1 of the constitution, Articles 1 to 4  describe India and its territories.

• Article 1 describes India as the “Union of States” and not “Federation of states” The names of states and their territories are mentioned in the first schedule of the constitution.
• Article 2 allows the parliament to ‘admit into the Union of India or establish new states on such terms as it thinks or finds fit.’ Hence, it gives power to parliament to establish new states.
• Article 3 permit the parliament to-
  a) form a new state by separation of existing territory
  b) increase the area of the state as seem fit
  c) diminish the area of any state as seem fit
  d) alter the boundary of any state as seem fit
  e) alter the name of any state as seem fit

Specialties Of Different Indian States

India is a land of diversity, where each state holds its own unique charm and attractions. From the bustling metropolises of Maharashtra to the serene backwaters of Kerala, every state showcases a distinctive cultural, historical, and geographical identity.  Here in this table, we have tried to cover in a minute way the rich diversity of our country.

List of the Indian States and their Languages

In India, every state has its own language, and our country is also well known because of its culture, languages and religion. The table below shows the language of each state.

Delhi, Puducherry, J & K are different from other Union Territories

1. In India, the majority of the states and three union territories, i.e. Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu, and Kashmir possess elected legislature and government.
2. Currently, there are total of eight union territories in India, out of which 3, i.e. Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Puducherry, have their elected members and the Chief Minister and these are granted with partial statehood, by an amendment to the Constitution.
3. Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, and Puducherry are the only union territories that possess their own legislative assembly and executive council and operate like states. The remaining union territories are controlled and regulated by the Union of the country, that’s why named as a union territory.