The governors of Indian states are constitutional heads of India\u2019s 28 states, appointed by the President of India under Article 155 of the Constitution.
The list of current state governors is a high-frequency topic in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking General Awareness, and all State PSC exams \u2014 especially in current affairs sections. This page gives you a complete, updated list of all state governors as of 2026, along with their states, key constitutional roles, and exam-critical facts for quick, confident revision.
⚡ Quick Facts
- India has 28 states, each headed by a Governor appointed by the President under Article 155.
- The Governor serves a nominal term of 5 years but holds office at the pleasure of the President (Article 156) \u2014 can be removed at any time.
- A Governor must be a citizen of India and at least 35 years of age (Article 157) \u2014 same age as the President.
- One person can be Governor of two or more states simultaneously (Additional Charge \u2014 proviso to Article 153).
- Lieutenant Governors (LGs) head UTs with legislature \u2014 Delhi (Art. 239AA), Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir.
Students confuse Governors vs Lieutenant Governors: Governors head the 28 States; LGs/Administrators head Union Territories. Delhi, Puducherry, and J&K have LGs with elected legislatures (Article 239AA). The remaining UTs have Administrators. Also, a Governor\u2019s term is NOT fixed like the President\u2019s \u2014 they serve at the pleasure of the President and can be removed or transferred at any time.
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🏛️ Complete List of Governors of Indian States (2026)
| # ↕ | State ↕ | Governor (as of 2026) | Background | Region ↕ | Key Constitutional Role / Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Justice S. Abdul Nazeer | Former SC Judge | South India | Constitutional head; summons/prorogues Assembly |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Lt. Gen. K.T. Parnaik (Retd.) | Former Army Officer | North-East India | Head of state; key role in strategic border state |
| 3 | Assam | Lakshman Prasad Acharya | BJP Politician | North-East India | Constitutional head of Assam |
| 4 | Bihar | Lt. Gen. Syed Ata Hasnain (Retd.) | Former Army Officer | East India | Sworn in March 2026; first Army officer as Bihar Governor |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | Ramen Deka | BJP Politician / Former MP | Central India | Constitutional head of BJP-ruled state |
| 6 | Goa | Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju | BJP / Former Union Minister (AP) | West India | Constitutional head; appointed March 2026 |
| 7 | Gujarat | Acharya Dev Vrat | BJP / RSS-linked Educator | West India | Constitutional head of PM Modi\u2019s home state |
| 8 | Haryana | Prof. Ashim Kumar Ghosh | Educator / Professor | North India | Appointed July 2025; constitutional head of BJP-ruled state |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | Kavinder Gupta | BJP / Former J&K Deputy CM & Speaker | North India | Constitutional head of Congress-ruled hill state; appointed 2026 |
| 10 | Jharkhand | Santosh Kumar Gangwar | Former Union Labour Minister | East India | Administered oath to CM Hemant Soren |
| 11 | Karnataka | Thaawarchand Gehlot | Former Union Minister | South India | Constitutional head of Congress-ruled southern state |
| 12 | Kerala | Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar | BJP / Former Bihar Governor | South India | Also holds Additional Charge of Tamil Nadu (March 2026) |
| 13 | Madhya Pradesh | Mangubhai Patel | BJP / Community Leader | Central India | Constitutional head of BJP-ruled state |
| 14 | Maharashtra | Jishnu Dev Varma | Former Tripura Deputy CM & Telangana Governor | West India | Sworn in 10 Mar 2026; member of Manikya royal dynasty of Tripura |
| 15 | Manipur | Ajay Kumar Bhalla | Former Union Home Secretary | North-East India | Also holds Additional Charge of Nagaland; appointed Aug 2025 |
| 16 | Meghalaya | C.H. Vijayashankar | BJP / Karnataka | North-East India | Constitutional head of NDA-allied state |
| 17 | Mizoram | General (Dr.) V.K. Singh | Former Army Chief & Union Minister | North-East India | Constitutional head; former Minister of State for External Affairs |
| 18 | Nagaland | Nand Kishore Yadav | Former Bihar Assembly Speaker | North-East India | Sworn in 13 Mar 2026; also holds Additional Charge of Manipur |
| 19 | Odisha | Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati | BJP / Former MP | East India | Constitutional head of BJP-ruled state (post 2024 elections) |
| 20 | Punjab | Gulab Chand Kataria | Former CM of Rajasthan | North India | Oversees AAP-ruled state |
| 21 | Rajasthan | Haribhau Kisanrao Bagde | Former Speaker, Maharashtra Assembly | North India | Constitutional head of BJP-ruled state |
| 22 | Sikkim | Om Prakash Mathur | Former BJP National Vice-President | North-East India | Constitutional head of India\u2019s smallest state |
| 23 | Tamil Nadu | Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar | Additional Charge (from Kerala) | South India | Holds Additional Charge of Tamil Nadu; same Governor as Kerala |
| 24 | Telangana | Shiv Pratap Shukla | BJP / Former MoS Finance | South India | Appointed March 2026; constitutional head of Congress-ruled state |
| 25 | Tripura | Indra Sena Reddy Nallu | BJP / Former Telangana BJP Chief | North-East India | Constitutional head of BJP-ruled NE state |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | Anandiben Patel | Former CM of Gujarat | North India | Constitutional head of India\u2019s most populous state |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh (Retd.) | Former Army Officer | North India | Constitutional head; key role in disaster-prone hill state |
| 28 | West Bengal | R.N. Ravi | Former IPS / ex-Tamil Nadu Governor | East India | Appointed 2026; constitutional head amid TMC-centre dynamics |
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📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
The Governor is appointed by the President of India under Article 155 and serves at the pleasure of the President (Article 156). The constitutional term is 5 years, but unlike the President and Vice-President, a Governor has no fixed tenure protection \u2014 they can be transferred or removed at any time. This distinction is a common exam question.
Qualifications for Governor under Article 157: must be a citizen of India AND at least 35 years of age. There is no upper age limit. A Governor cannot be a member of Parliament or State Legislature, cannot hold any other office of profit, and \u2014 by convention \u2014 should not be from the state they are appointed to govern.
The Governor plays a crucial role in government formation. Key discretionary powers include: (a) appointing the CM when no party has a clear majority, (b) dismissing the Council of Ministers if it loses Assembly confidence, (c) reserving bills for Presidential assent, (d) dissolving the Assembly on CM\u2019s advice (or in rare cases suo motu), and (e) submitting reports for President\u2019s Rule (Article 356).
Governors head the 28 States. Lieutenant Governors (LGs) head UTs with elected legislatures \u2014 Delhi (Article 239AA), Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir. The remaining UTs \u2014 Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu \u2014 are headed by Administrators. This LG vs Governor distinction is tested regularly.
One Governor holding charge of multiple states simultaneously is constitutionally valid under the proviso to Article 153. This is called \u201cAdditional Charge.\u201d In practice, it is common for a small state to share a Governor with a neighbouring state \u2014 for example, Kerala\u2019s Governor also holds additional charge of Tamil Nadu, and Manipur\u2019s Governor also holds additional charge of Nagaland (as of 2026). Exam questions sometimes ask which Governor holds charge of which states.
\u201c155 Appoints, 156 Serves, 157 Qualifies, 158 Conditions, 159 Oath, 161 Pardons\u201d
155 = Appointment | 156 = Term (pleasure of President) | 157 = Qualifications | 158 = Conditions of office | 159 = Oath | 161 = Pardon power
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The Governor of a state is appointed by the President of India under Article 155. Article 153 states that there shall be a Governor for each state, Article 154 vests executive power in the Governor, and Article 157 lays down the qualifications for appointment as Governor.
Article 157 prescribes that a person must be a citizen of India and at least 35 years of age to be appointed as Governor. This is the same minimum age requirement as that for the President of India. There is no upper age limit prescribed.
Article 156 of the Constitution states that the Governor holds office at the pleasure of the President. While the normal term of a Governor is 5 years, the President can remove or transfer a Governor at any time. This makes the Governor\u2019s tenure less secure than that of the President or Supreme Court judges.
Delhi (National Capital Territory) is headed by a Lieutenant Governor under Article 239AA, which gives it a special status with its own elected Legislature. Puducherry and Jammu & Kashmir also have Lieutenant Governors. The remaining UTs \u2014 Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, and Andaman & Nicobar \u2014 are administered by Administrators appointed by the President.
Yes, one person can be appointed as Governor of two or more states simultaneously. This is explicitly permitted by a proviso added to Article 153, which states that nothing prevents the same person from being appointed as Governor of two or more states. This is commonly done for smaller states and is called \u201cAdditional Charge.\u201d
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Governors of Indian states are appointed by the President of India under Article 155 of the Constitution. The appointment is made on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister. A Governor must be a citizen of India and at least 35 years of age. By convention, a Governor is generally appointed from outside the state they are to govern, to ensure impartiality. They serve a nominal term of 5 years but hold office at the pleasure of the President.
A Governor is the constitutional head of a state, appointed under Article 155. A Lieutenant Governor (LG) is the constitutional head of certain Union Territories \u2014 specifically Delhi (under Article 239AA), Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir, all of which have their own elected legislatures. The remaining Union Territories without legislatures \u2014 Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu \u2014 are administered by Administrators appointed by the President.
The Governor exercises both constitutional and discretionary powers. Constitutional powers include summoning and proroguing the State Legislature, giving assent to bills passed by the Assembly, appointing the Chief Minister and Council of Ministers, and addressing the Legislature. Discretionary powers \u2014 exercised independently of the Council of Ministers \u2014 include appointing the CM when no party has a clear majority, dismissing a government that has lost Assembly confidence, reserving bills for Presidential assent, and submitting reports to the President recommending President\u2019s Rule under Article 356.
State Governors are tested in UPSC Prelims (Polity and Current Affairs), SSC CGL, Banking General Awareness, and all State PSC exams. Static polity questions cover the appointment article (155), qualifications (157), term and removal (156), discretionary powers, and the distinction between Governors and LGs. Current affairs questions test who is the current Governor of which state \u2014 particularly after shuffles and new appointments. States with political friction between the Governor and the elected government (like West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) often generate additional exam-worthy news.
