India is the world’s largest democracy and a federal republic comprising 28 states and 8 Union Territories. Each of these administrative units has its own capital city, its own legislative assembly (in most cases), and a rich tapestry of history, culture, economy, and geography that forms the backbone of nearly every competitive examination conducted across the country. In this article, we have meticulously crafted to give you not just a list of Indian states and capitals, but also the context, historical background, exam-specific tricks, mnemonics, and frequently asked questions that will help you score maximum marks in minimum time. Bookmark this article “: Indian states and capitals”, save it, and revise it regularly — because in competitive exams, every mark counts.

Whether you are preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) Civil Services Examination, the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC), the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) CGL or CHSL, the Railway Recruitment Board (RRB) NTPC, IBPS Bank PO, State Police Constable exams, or any other government recruitment test — the question ‘What is the capital of [State]?’ or ‘Which state has two capitals?’ is almost guaranteed to appear in the General Awareness section.

Why Is Knowledge of Indian States & Capitals So Important for Competitive Exams?

Let us break this down across different examination categories so you understand the precise weightage and relevance of this topic “Indian states and capitals”,

1. UPSC Civil Services Examination (IAS/IPS/IFS)

The UPSC Civil Services Exam is the most prestigious examination in India, and geography forms a major part of the General Studies Paper 1 in Mains. The Prelims General Studies Paper 1 regularly carries questions related to political geography — including state reorganization, the creation of new states, bifurcation of territories, and capital cities. Beyond direct questions, knowing capitals helps candidates answer questions on regional economic corridors, river basins, agriculture zones, industrial hubs, and cultural heritage sites — because all of these are tied to specific states.

UPSC Prelims Average Questions from this domain: 3–6 questions per year from Political/Administrative Geography

UPSC Mains relevance: High — essays, GS-1, GS-2 (governance), and GS-3 (economy) all involve state-level analysis

2. APSC (Assam Public Service Commission)

For aspirants in Assam and the Northeast, the APSC CCE (Combined Competitive Examination) holds special importance. The General Studies paper of APSC places strong emphasis on Northeastern states, their capitals, tribal histories, and administrative changes. With Assam itself being a frequently reorganized region — having ceded territory to form Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh — a candidate who does not know their capitals will lose easy marks.

APSC Special Focus States: Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura

Questions expected: 4–8 questions from Northeast Geography per paper

3. SSC CGL, CHSL, MTS, GD Constable

The Staff Selection Commission conducts multiple examinations every year, and General Awareness is one of the key sections in all of them. In SSC exams, static GK — including states and capitals — is one of the highest-scoring areas because it requires no calculation and can be prepared through rote learning and intelligent revision. SSC examiners frequently twist questions: instead of asking ‘What is the capital of Telangana?’, they may ask ‘Which city was made the capital of a newly formed state in 2014?’ — making contextual knowledge essential.

SSC CGL Tier 1 GK Questions: 25 questions — approximately 6–10 from static GK including geography

Strategy: Focus on newly formed states, shared capitals, summer/winter capitals

4. RRB NTPC, Group D, ALP

Railway exams are among the most competitive in India, with crores of applicants. The General Awareness section in RRB exams heavily features static GK. States with railway headquarters, major junction cities, and capitals frequently appear. For example, Ranchi (capital of Jharkhand) is also where the South Eastern Railway zone has its office — a perfect two-in-one question opportunity for RRB examiners.

RRB NTPC GK Weightage: 40 questions in CBT 2 — Static GK contributes ~30%

Railway Connection Tip: Link state capitals with railway zones for double-point scoring

5. State PSCs, Police Exams, Teaching Recruitment, and Others

Every state Public Service Commission, whether it is BPSC (Bihar), MPSC (Maharashtra), UPPSC (Uttar Pradesh), KPSC (Karnataka), or TNPSC (Tamil Nadu) — places geography of India including states and capitals as a foundational topic. Police constable exams, TET (Teacher Eligibility Tests), and IBPS also feature this content prominently. No matter which examination you are targeting, this topic is non-negotiable.

Complete List of All 28 States of India with Capitals

The following table provides the official list of all 28 Indian states along with their capitals and key exam-relevant facts. Study this table carefully — especially the Notes column which highlights points frequently tested in exams.

S.No.	State	Capital	Key Facts for Exams
1	Andhra Pradesh	Amaravati	Newest capital, bifurcated from Telangana in 2014
2	Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar	Easternmost state; borders China, Myanmar, Bhutan
3	Assam	Dispur	Gateway to Northeast India; known for tea and Kaziranga
4	Bihar	Patna	Ancient Pataliputra; seat of Mauryan Empire
5	Chhattisgarh	Raipur	Formed in 2000 from Madhya Pradesh; mineral-rich
6	Goa	Panaji	Smallest state by area; Portuguese colonial heritage
7	Gujarat	Gandhinagar	Named after Mahatma Gandhi; highly planned city
8	Haryana	Chandigarh	Shared capital with Punjab; designed by Le Corbusier
9	Himachal Pradesh	Shimla	Summer capital of British India; hill station
10	Jharkhand	Ranchi	Carved from Bihar in 2000; rich in minerals
11	Karnataka	Bengaluru	Silicon Valley of India; IT hub of the country
12	Kerala	Thiruvananthapuram	100% literacy rate; ‘God’s Own Country’
13	Madhya Pradesh	Bhopal	Heart of India; home to Khajuraho temples
14	Maharashtra	Mumbai	Financial capital of India; most populous city
15	Manipur	Imphal	Jewel of India; known for Loktak Lake
16	Meghalaya	Shillong	Scotland of the East; wettest place on Earth nearby
17	Mizoram	Aizawl	Land of Highlanders; high literacy rate
18	Nagaland	Kohima	Land of Festivals; known for Hornbill Festival
19	Odisha	Bhubaneswar	Temple city; Konark Sun Temple, Jagannath Puri
20	Punjab	Chandigarh	Land of Five Rivers; Sikh heritage; breadbasket
21	Rajasthan	Jaipur	Largest state; Pink City, Thar Desert
22	Sikkim	Gangtok	Smallest state by population; organic state
23	Tamil Nadu	Chennai	Land of Temples; Detroit of India (automobiles)
24	Telangana	Hyderabad	Newest state (2014); IT hub, Cyberabad
25	Tripura	Agartala	Smallest state in NE region; bamboo land
26	Uttar Pradesh	Lucknow	Most populous state; Taj Mahal, Varanasi
27	Uttarakhand	Dehradun (Winter) / Gairsain (Summer)	Land of Gods; Char Dham, Haridwar
28	West Bengal	Kolkata	Cultural capital; Rabindranath Tagore’s homeland

Complete List of All 8 Union Territories of India with Capitals/HQs

Union Territories are directly governed by the Central Government through a Lieutenant Governor or Administrator appointed by the President of India. As of 2024, India has 8 Union Territories. Note that some UTs — Delhi and Puducherry — have their own elected legislatures, while others like Ladakh do not.

S.No.	Union Territory	Capital/HQ	Key Facts for Exams
1	Andaman & Nicobar Islands	Port Blair	Largest UT; strategic location in Bay of Bengal
2	Chandigarh	Chandigarh	Shared capital of Punjab & Haryana; planned city
3	Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu	Daman	Merged UT since 2020; coastal territory
4	Delhi (NCT)	New Delhi	National Capital Territory; seat of Central Govt.
5	Jammu & Kashmir	Srinagar (S) / Jammu (W)	UT since Oct 31, 2019; Article 370 revoked
6	Ladakh	Leh	Newest UT (2019); highest altitude union territory
7	Lakshadweep	Kavaratti	Smallest UT; coral islands in Arabian Sea
8	Puducherry	Puducherry	French colonial heritage; has legislature

Special Cases & Tricky Questions Asked in Exams

Examiners love to test special cases and exceptions. Below are the most commonly tested ‘tricky’ scenarios you must know by heart.

States with Two Capitals

Uttarakhand: Dehradun (Winter/Official Capital) & Gairsain (Summer Capital) — Gairsain was declared summer capital in 2020

Himachal Pradesh: Shimla (Summer Capital) & Dharamshala (Winter Capital) — Dharamshala was declared winter capital in 2017

Jammu & Kashmir (UT): Srinagar (Summer Capital) & Jammu (Winter Capital) — even as a UT, this practice continues

Andhra Pradesh: Amaravati (Legislative/Official) — note: the three-capital proposal (Amaravati, Visakhapatnam, Kurnool) was debated but not fully implemented

States Sharing a Capital

Chandigarh is the capital of both Punjab and Haryana — it is also a Union Territory. This is a perennial exam question. Chandigarh was designed by French architect Le Corbusier and is one of the best-planned cities in Asia.

Newly Created States — Most Important for Exams

• Chhattisgarh — Created on 1 November 2000 from Madhya Pradesh. Capital: Raipur
• Jharkhand — Created on 15 November 2000 from Bihar. Capital: Ranchi
• Uttarakhand — Created on 9 November 2000 from Uttar Pradesh. Capital: Dehradun
• Telangana — Created on 2 June 2014 from Andhra Pradesh. Capital: Hyderabad. This is the newest state of India

Newest Union Territories — Post-2019

• Jammu & Kashmir became a UT on 31 October 2019, after Article 370 was revoked
• Ladakh became a separate UT on the same date — 31 October 2019 (also the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel)
• Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu merged into a single UT on 26 January 2020, reducing the number of UTs from 9 to 8

State Capitals with Historical Significance (UPSC Favourite)

Patna (Bihar): Ancient name Pataliputra — capital of Chandragupta Maurya’s empire; mentioned by Greek ambassador Megasthenes

Panaji (Goa): Derived from ‘Panjim’; Goa was liberated from Portugal on 19 December 1961 — Operation Vijay

Kolkata (West Bengal): Was the capital of British India until 1911, when the capital shifted to New Delhi

Dispur (Assam): Smallest state capital by area; located within Guwahati city limits — important for APSC

Shillong (Meghalaya): Former capital of Assam before 1972; called ‘Scotland of the East’

Special Focus: Northeast India States & Capitals (Critical for APSC & NE Exams)

The Eight Sister States of Northeast India — Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, and Sikkim — form a geopolitically significant region. For APSC aspirants and all those targeting state-level examinations in the Northeast, this section deserves special attention.

State	Capital	Year of Formation	Exam Highlight
Assam	Dispur	1950 (reorganized 1972)	APSC exam hub; original NE state; Dispur within Guwahati
Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar	1987 (from NEFA)	Border disputes with China; Tawang Monastery; sunrise in India
Meghalaya	Shillong	1972 (from Assam)	Wettest place: Mawsynram; matrilineal society (Khasi, Garo)
Manipur	Imphal	1972	Loktak Lake; Ima Keithel — world’s largest women’s market
Mizoram	Aizawl	1987 (from Assam)	Highest literacy in NE; Mizo Accord 1986 — peace settlement
Nagaland	Kohima	1963 (first new state post-1947)	Hornbill Festival; Battle of Kohima WW2; 16 tribes
Sikkim	Gangtok	1975 (22nd state; merged from kingdom)	First fully organic state; Kanchenjunga; Nathu La Pass
Tripura	Agartala	1972	Surrounded by Bangladesh on 3 sides; bamboo industry

History of State Reorganisation in India — UPSC & PSC Must-Know

The reorganization of Indian states is a rich topic in constitutional history and is a favourite of UPSC examiners. Understanding how and why states were formed helps candidates answer both direct and indirect questions.

States Reorganisation Act, 1956

The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was the most significant reorganisation of Indian states, redrawing the political map of India primarily along linguistic lines. Before this Act, India had Part A, Part B, Part C, and Part D states. After the Act, this was replaced by States and Union Territories. The Fazl Ali Commission (States Reorganisation Commission) recommended this reorganisation in 1955.

Key State Formation Timeline

• 1960 — Maharashtra and Gujarat carved from Bombay State (on linguistic basis)
• 1963 — Nagaland became the first state created post-1956 reorganisation
• 1966 — Punjab divided into Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh (partly)
• 1972 — Meghalaya, Manipur, and Tripura became full states; Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh became UTs
• 1975 — Sikkim became the 22nd state of India after a referendum
• 1987 — Goa became India’s 25th state; Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram became states
• 2000 — Three states formed on 1st November: Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand
• 2014 — Telangana became India’s 29th state (currently 28 states after Jammu & Kashmir became UT)
• 2019 — Jammu & Kashmir bifurcated into two UTs: Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh

Memory Tricks & Mnemonics to Remember States and Capitals

Rote memorisation alone is not enough — you need smart techniques to retain and recall information during exams under time pressure.

Trick 1: Group by Region

Divide India’s states into 6 regions and learn each group’s capitals together.

• North India: Himachal Pradesh (Shimla), Haryana (Chandigarh), Punjab (Chandigarh), Uttarakhand (Dehradun), J&K UT (Srinagar/Jammu), Delhi UT (New Delhi)
• East India: West Bengal (Kolkata), Bihar (Patna), Jharkhand (Ranchi), Odisha (Bhubaneswar)
• West India: Rajasthan (Jaipur), Gujarat (Gandhinagar), Maharashtra (Mumbai), Goa (Panaji)
• South India: Karnataka (Bengaluru), Kerala (Thiruvananthapuram), Tamil Nadu (Chennai), Andhra Pradesh (Amaravati), Telangana (Hyderabad)
• Central India: Madhya Pradesh (Bhopal), Chhattisgarh (Raipur), Uttar Pradesh (Lucknow)
• Northeast: Assam (Dispur), Arunachal Pradesh (Itanagar), Meghalaya (Shillong), Manipur (Imphal), Mizoram (Aizawl), Nagaland (Kohima), Sikkim (Gangtok), Tripura (Agartala), West Bengal (Kolkata)

Trick 2: Connect the Capital to a Famous Feature

• Bengaluru → ‘Silicon Valley’ → IT Capital → Karnataka
• Jaipur → ‘Pink City’ → Royal Rajasthan
• Hyderabad → ‘Cyberabad’ / Charminar / Biryani → Telangana
• Shimla → Toy Train / British Summer Capital → Himachal Pradesh
• Thiruvananthapuram → Longest capital name → Kerala
• Dispur → Smallest capital (within Guwahati) → Assam → Key for APSC
• Itanagar → East = Early Sunrise → Arunachal Pradesh

Trick 3: The ‘New State’ Rule

When a new state was formed, its capital was usually the most prominent city in that region. Knowing this helps: Jharkhand (Ranchi — largest city before bifurcation), Chhattisgarh (Raipur — commercial hub), Telangana (Hyderabad — shared with AP for 10 years).

Exam Strategy: How to Maximise Your Score from This Topic “Indian States and capitals”

Preparation strategy differs based on the exam you are targeting. Here is a structured approach for each exam type.

For UPSC Aspirants

• Read NCERT Class 6 ‘Our Country India’ and Class 9 ‘Contemporary India’ for foundational geography
• Focus on the political map of India and practice locating state capitals on a blank map
• Study the States Reorganisation Act 1956 and all subsequent state formations with dates
• Connect each capital city with river systems, economic activities, historical events, and national parks
• Revise the Constitutional provisions — Article 3 (formation of new states), Article 239 (administration of UTs)
• Practice previous 15 years of UPSC Geography questions categorised by topic

For APSC Aspirants

• Memorise all 8 Northeast states with capitals, formation years, and tribal groups
• Know Assam’s history: former capital Shillong, bifurcation to form other NE states, Bodoland Territorial Council
• Study Assam’s districts (36), rivers (Brahmaputra, Barak), and sanctuaries (Kaziranga, Manas)
• Practice map-based questions on Northeast India specifically
• Read Assam’s Economic Survey and State Budget for economic geography data

For SSC & RRB Aspirants

• Create a one-page quick reference sheet of all 28 states + 8 UTs with capitals
• Focus on: shared capitals, two-capital states, newest states, most recently created UTs
• Use flashcard apps or sticky notes to test yourself daily for 10 minutes
• Connect capitals to other static GK: High Court locations, Governor names, language, dance forms
• Practice 50–100 MCQs specifically on Indian states and capitals from previous year papers

Additional High-Value Facts for Competitive Exams

State-Wise High Courts and Their Locations

High Courts are often located in state capitals but not always — making this a tricky exam area.

• Supreme Court: New Delhi
• Bombay High Court (Mumbai) — serves Maharashtra, Goa, Dadra & NH, Daman & Diu
• Calcutta High Court (Kolkata) — oldest High Court (1862); serves West Bengal and A&N Islands
• Allahabad High Court — serves Uttar Pradesh; largest High Court in India
• Guwahati High Court — serves Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Tripura
• Hyderabad High Court — common High Court for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

Largest & Smallest — State Capitals Edition

Largest state by area: Rajasthan — Capital: Jaipur

Smallest state by area: Goa — Capital: Panaji

Most populous state: Uttar Pradesh — Capital: Lucknow

Least populous state: Sikkim — Capital: Gangtok

Largest UT by area: Ladakh — HQ: Leh

Smallest UT by area: Lakshadweep — Capital: Kavaratti

State Capitals on Major Rivers

• Patna (Bihar) — on the banks of the Ganga River
• Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) — on the Gomti River
• Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) — on the upper Narmada plateau; ‘City of Lakes’
• Hyderabad (Telangana) — on the Musi River
• Guwahati (Assam) — on the Brahmaputra River (Dispur is within Guwahati)
• Agartala (Tripura) — on the Haora River, near Bangladesh border

State Capitals Established by British Colonial Government

• Kolkata — established as Fort William in 1690 by Job Charnock; served as British India’s capital till 1911
• Mumbai — developed under British East India Company; ‘Bombay’ derived from Portuguese ‘Bom Bahia’ (Good Bay)
• Chennai — established as Fort St. George in 1639; oldest British settlement in India
• Shimla — British summer capital of India from 1864 to 1939

Quick Revision Checklist of Indian States and Capitals Before Your Exam

Use this checklist in the last 24 hours before your examination for rapid revision.

• All 28 state capitals — recited without looking at notes
• All 8 UT capitals/headquarters — recited correctly
• 4 recently formed states with dates: Chhattisgarh (2000), Jharkhand (2000), Uttarakhand (2000), Telangana (2014)
• 2 recently created UTs: Jammu & Kashmir (2019), Ladakh (2019)
• 1 merged UT: Dadra & NH + D&D merged in 2020
• 2-capital states: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, J&K UT
• Shared capital: Chandigarh (Punjab + Haryana) — also a UT
• Smallest capital: Dispur (Assam) — within Guwahati
• Newest state capital: Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh)
• First state post-independence: Nagaland (1963)
• State with highest literacy: Kerala (~96%) — Capital Thiruvananthapuram
• Guwahati High Court serves all 8 NE states — very important for APSC

Conclusion

Mastering Indian States and Capitals is not merely about mugging up a list — it is about building a mental map of India that will serve you across every section of every competitive examination. From geography to polity, from economy to culture, from current affairs to history — everything in India is connected to the state it belongs to and its capital.

For aspirants targeting UPSC, this is the foundation of your GS Geography preparation. For APSC aspirants, the Northeast states deserve special attention and should be studied in depth. For SSC and RRB candidates, this is pure scoring territory — learn it once, revise regularly, and never drop marks here.

We hope this article on the details of Indian states and capitals— historical context, tricky exam questions, mnemonics, and exam strategies — gives you the edge you need. Study smart, revise daily, and approach your examination with confidence. Best of luck from all of us at Borthakur’s ias Academy.

Source – States and Union Territories

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