The states and capitals of India are among the most fundamental and consistently tested topics across every competitive exam in the country.
India currently has 28 states and 8 Union Territories — a count that has changed multiple times since independence due to reorganisation, bifurcation, and the revocation of Jammu & Kashmir’s statehood in 2019. Questions on state capitals, languages, formation dates, largest cities, and states with multiple capitals appear in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Banking, Railways, and State PSC exams every year. This page gives you a complete, updated list of all 28 states and 8 UTs with capitals, languages, formation year, and exam-ready facts for 2026.
⚡ Quick Facts
- 28 states & 8 UTs — J&K downgraded from state to UT in October 2019, reducing state count from 29 to 28.
- Andhra Pradesh — capital is Amaravati (sole capital since June 2024; three-capitals model scrapped by TDP govt). AP Assembly unanimously declared Amaravati the sole capital in March 2026; Parliament bill pending.
- Chandigarh — a UT that simultaneously serves as capital of both Punjab and Haryana; designed by Le Corbusier.
- Hyderabad — was joint capital of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh during a 10-year transitional period; ended June 2, 2024. Hyderabad is now solely Telangana’s capital.
- Goa — smallest state by area; became a state in 1987 after being liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961.
Many students still write 29 states — the correct answer is 28 states since J&K became a UT in October 2019. Also: Rajasthan = largest state by area (not MP — MP was largest before Chhattisgarh separated in 2000). Goa = smallest state by area; Sikkim = smallest by population. Telangana (2014) is India’s youngest state — Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, and Uttarakhand were all formed in 2000. Also note: the three-capitals model for Andhra Pradesh was scrapped — Amaravati is the sole capital since June 2024; the old Hyderabad joint-capital arrangement also ended June 2, 2024.
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🗺️ States and Capitals of India — Complete List 2026
| # ↕ | State ↕ | Capital | Formation ↕ | Largest City | Region ↕ | Official Language(s) | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati | 1956 / reformed 2014 | Visakhapatnam | South | Telugu | Sole capital: Amaravati (since Jun 2024; three-capitals model scrapped by TDP govt, 2024); bifurcated 2014 |
| 2 | Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar | 1987 | Itanagar | Northeast | English, Nyishi | Easternmost state; first sunrise in India; shares border with China |
| 3 | Assam | Dispur | 1975 (capital) | Guwahati | Northeast | Assamese, Bengali, Bodo | Gateway to Northeast; Brahmaputra River; Kaziranga National Park |
| 4 | Bihar | Patna | 1912 | Patna | East | Hindi, Maithili, Urdu | Ancient Magadha kingdom; Nalanda University; most populous landlocked state |
| 5 | Chhattisgarh | Raipur | Nov 1, 2000 | Raipur | Central | Hindi, Chhattisgarhi | Carved from MP (Nov 1, 2000); rich in minerals; Bastar tribal region |
| 6 | Goa | Panaji | 1987 (statehood) | Vasco da Gama | West | Konkani, Marathi, English | Smallest state by area; liberated from Portugal (1961); India’s tourism capital |
| 7 | Gujarat | Gandhinagar | 1960 | Ahmedabad | West | Gujarati | Separated from Maharashtra (1960); birthplace of Gandhi; longest coastline (~1,600 km) |
| 8 | Haryana | Chandigarh (shared UT) | 1966 | Faridabad | North | Hindi, Haryanvi | Carved from Punjab (1966); shares Chandigarh UT with Punjab |
| 9 | Himachal Pradesh | Shimla (summer) / Dharamshala (winter) | 1971 (statehood) | Shimla | North | Hindi, Pahari | Summer capital of British India (Shimla); apple orchards; Dharamshala = winter capital (2017) |
| 10 | Jharkhand | Ranchi | Nov 15, 2000 | Jamshedpur | East | Hindi, Santali, Bengali, Odia | Carved from Bihar (Nov 15, 2000); mineral-rich (coal, mica, iron ore); tribal heartland |
| 11 | Karnataka | Bengaluru | 1956 | Bengaluru | South | Kannada | Silicon Valley of India (Bengaluru); most software companies; Mysore heritage |
| 12 | Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram | 1956 | Thiruvananthapuram | South | Malayalam | Highest literacy rate in India; backwaters; historic spice trade |
| 13 | Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal | 1956 | Indore | Central | Hindi | Most tiger reserves in India; largest state (before 2000 Chhattisgarh split) |
| 14 | Maharashtra | Mumbai | 1960 | Mumbai | West | Marathi | Most industrialised state; financial capital of India (Mumbai); Bollywood; Nagpur = winter session |
| 15 | Manipur | Imphal | 1972 (statehood) | Imphal | Northeast | Meitei (Manipuri), English | Jewel of India; Loktak Lake (only floating lake); polo originated here |
| 16 | Meghalaya | Shillong | 1972 | Shillong | Northeast | Khasi, Garo, English | Wettest place on Earth (Mawsynram/Cherrapunji); “Scotland of the East” (Shillong) |
| 17 | Mizoram | Aizawl | 1987 (statehood) | Aizawl | Northeast | Mizo (Lushai), English | Highest literacy in Northeast; Mizoram Accord 1986; bamboo forests |
| 18 | Nagaland | Kohima | 1963 (statehood) | Dimapur | Northeast | English, Nagamese | First NE state (1963); Hornbill Festival; Battle of Kohima (WW2) |
| 19 | Odisha | Bhubaneswar | 1936 (renamed 2011) | Bhubaneswar | East | Odia | Renamed from Orissa to Odisha in 2011; Puri & Konark Sun Temple; temple city |
| 20 | Punjab | Chandigarh (shared UT) | 1966 (current borders) | Ludhiana | North | Punjabi | Shares Chandigarh with Haryana; breadbasket of India; Golden Temple (Amritsar) |
| 21 | Rajasthan | Jaipur | 1956 | Jaipur | North | Hindi, Rajasthani | Largest state by area (~342,239 sq. km); Thar Desert; Pink City (Jaipur) |
| 22 | Sikkim | Gangtok | 1975 (22nd state) | Gangtok | Northeast | Nepali, Sikkimese, English | Joined India via referendum (1975); first fully organic state; least populous; Kangchenjunga |
| 23 | Tamil Nadu | Chennai | 1950 / renamed 1969 | Chennai | South | Tamil | Marina Beach — longest natural urban beach in India (12.9 km); Dravidian civilisation |
| 24 | Telangana | Hyderabad | Jun 2, 2014 | Hyderabad | South | Telugu, Urdu | Youngest state (June 2, 2014); Hyderabad is Telangana’s sole capital (AP’s joint-capital arrangement ended Jun 2, 2024); Charminar |
| 25 | Tripura | Agartala | 1972 (statehood) | Agartala | Northeast | Bengali, Kokborok | Surrounded by Bangladesh on 3 sides; second smallest NE state |
| 26 | Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow | 1950 | Lucknow | North | Hindi, Urdu | Most populous state; most Lok Sabha seats (80); Agra, Varanasi, Mathura |
| 27 | Uttarakhand | Dehradun | Nov 9, 2000 | Dehradun | North | Hindi, Garhwali, Kumaoni | Carved from UP (Nov 9, 2000); Dev Bhoomi; Haridwar, Rishikesh, Kedarnath, Badrinath |
| 28 | West Bengal | Kolkata | 1950 | Kolkata | East | Bengali | Cultural capital of India; Durga Puja; Sundarbans (largest mangrove forest) |
| # | Union Territory | Capital | Status / Formed | Has Legislature? | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jammu & Kashmir | Srinagar (Summer) / Jammu (Winter) | UT since Oct 31, 2019 | ✅ Yes (Vidhan Sabha) | Downgraded from state to UT (2019); Art. 370 abrogated; LG governs (no CM currently) |
| 2 | Ladakh | Leh | UT since Oct 31, 2019 | ❌ No legislature | Carved from J&K (2019); no legislature; strategic border with China and Pakistan |
| 3 | Delhi (NCT) | New Delhi | UT with special status | ✅ Yes (Vidhan Sabha) | National Capital Territory; Art. 239AA; CM = Rekha Gupta (BJP, 2025); special limited powers |
| 4 | Puducherry | Puducherry | UT with legislature | ✅ Yes (Vidhan Sabha) | Former French colony; 4 enclaves — Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahé, Yanam |
| 5 | Chandigarh | Chandigarh | UT since 1966 | ❌ No legislature | Shared capital of Punjab and Haryana; designed by Le Corbusier; “The City Beautiful” |
| 6 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Port Blair | UT since 1956 | ❌ No legislature | Strategically located; Cellular Jail; Great Andamanese tribal peoples |
| 7 | Dadra & NH and Daman & Diu | Daman | Merged UT since Jan 2020 | ❌ No legislature | Two UTs merged into one in January 2020; former Portuguese territories |
| 8 | Lakshadweep | Kavaratti | UT since 1956 | ❌ No legislature | Smallest UT by area; coral islands; unique land ownership rules |
| State / UT | Capital Arrangement | Reason / Note |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Sole capital: Amaravati (since Jun 2024) | Three-capitals model (Amaravati/Visakhapatnam/Kurnool) was proposed by YSRCP govt (2019–24) but scrapped after TDP won 2024 elections. AP Assembly unanimously passed resolution for Amaravati as sole capital in March 2026; Parliament bill pending. |
| Jammu & Kashmir (UT) | 2 seasonal: Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter) | Historical practice; Srinagar in summer, Jammu in winter |
| Punjab + Haryana | Shared capital: Chandigarh (UT) | Chandigarh is a UT; serves as capital of both states simultaneously |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla (summer) / Dharamshala (winter, since 2017) | Dharamshala became official winter capital in 2017 |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai (state capital); Nagpur (hosts winter session) | Nagpur hosts the winter session of the Maharashtra legislature — not an official second capital |
| Telangana | Hyderabad (sole capital since Jun 2, 2024) | Hyderabad was joint capital with AP for 10-year transition (2014–2024); AP’s arrangement ended Jun 2, 2024; Hyderabad is now exclusively Telangana’s capital. |
| State | Date of Formation | Carved From | Reason | State Number (at time) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chhattisgarh | November 1, 2000 | Madhya Pradesh | Tribal/regional demand for separate development | 26th state |
| Uttarakhand | November 9, 2000 | Uttar Pradesh | Separate hill state demand; Dev Bhoomi identity | 27th state |
| Jharkhand | November 15, 2000 | Bihar | Tribal identity and separate development | 28th state |
| Telangana | June 2, 2014 | Andhra Pradesh | Separate statehood movement (decades-long agitation) | 29th state (India’s youngest state) |
| State | Unique Exam Fact |
|---|---|
| Rajasthan | Largest state by area (~342,239 sq. km) |
| Goa | Smallest state by area (~3,702 sq. km) |
| Uttar Pradesh | Most populous state; most Lok Sabha seats (80) |
| Sikkim | Least populous state; first fully organic farming state |
| Meghalaya | Highest rainfall in India (Mawsynram/Cherrapunji) |
| Kerala | Highest literacy rate in India |
| Madhya Pradesh | Most tiger reserves in India |
| Gujarat | Longest coastline among states (~1,600 km) |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Largest state in Northeast; first sunrise in India |
| Mizoram | Highest literacy in Northeast India |
| Nagaland | First state of Northeast to achieve statehood (1963) |
| Tamil Nadu | Marina Beach — longest natural urban beach in India (12.9 km) |
| West Bengal | Sundarbans — largest mangrove forest in the world |
| Punjab | Breadbasket of India; highest per capita income among large states |
| Jharkhand | Largest producer of minerals (coal, mica, bauxite, iron ore) |
| Andhra Pradesh | Second longest coastline after Gujarat (~972 km) |
| Karnataka | Highest number of software companies; Silicon Valley of India |
| Bihar | Ancient Magadha empire; Bodh Gaya (enlightenment of Buddha) |
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📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories as of 2026 — NOT 29 states. This changed in October 2019 when Jammu & Kashmir was bifurcated into two UTs: J&K UT (with legislature) and Ladakh UT (without legislature), following the abrogation of Article 370. Many older textbooks still mention 29 states — always use 28 for any exam after October 2019.
Chandigarh is constitutionally unique: it is the capital of both Punjab AND Haryana simultaneously, while itself being a Union Territory governed by the Punjab Governor as Administrator (no CM, no legislature). It was designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier — India’s only planned city by an internationally renowned architect. Called “The City Beautiful.”
The three-capitals model (Amaravati as legislative, Visakhapatnam as executive, Kurnool as judicial) was proposed by the YSRCP government (2019–2024) but was scrapped after TDP won the June 2024 elections. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu declared Amaravati as the sole capital. On March 28, 2026, the AP Assembly unanimously passed a resolution to this effect, and a Parliament bill is pending to amend the AP Reorganisation Act to give it statutory backing. For exams: Amaravati = sole capital of AP. If a question mentions “three capitals” as current, it is outdated.
All four dates are directly tested: Chhattisgarh (from MP, Nov 1, 2000) → Uttarakhand (from UP, Nov 9, 2000) → Jharkhand (from Bihar, Nov 15, 2000) — all three in November 2000 → Telangana (from AP, June 2, 2014) = India’s youngest state.
Largest by area = Rajasthan (~342,239 sq. km) | Smallest by area = Goa (~3,702 sq. km) | Most populous = Uttar Pradesh | Least populous = Sikkim | Highest literacy = Kerala | Most tiger reserves = Madhya Pradesh | Longest coastline (state) = Gujarat | First sunrise = Arunachal Pradesh | Youngest state = Telangana (2014).
“CUJ all in 2000; Telangana in 2014”
→ Chhattisgarh (Nov 1) · Uttarakhand (Nov 9) · Jharkhand (Nov 15) — all November 2000
→ Telangana = June 2, 2014 (Telangana Day)
“Rajasthan is the Raj (King) of Area; Goa is the Guest (tiny)”
→ Rajasthan = Largest state by area | Goa = Smallest state by area
→ UP = Most populous | Sikkim = Least populous
🃏 Flashcards
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🧩 Practice Quiz
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India currently has 28 states and 8 Union Territories. The count changed in October 2019 when Jammu & Kashmir was reorganised into two UTs \u2014 J&K (with legislature) and Ladakh (without). Many older textbooks still mention 29 states \u2014 use 28 for any exam after 2019.
Amaravati is the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh since June 2024, when TDP under CM Chandrababu Naidu scrapped the previous YSRCP government\u2019s three-capitals model (Amaravati/Visakhapatnam/Kurnool). The AP Assembly passed a unanimous resolution in March 2026 declaring Amaravati the permanent sole capital; a Parliament bill to amend the AP Reorganisation Act is pending. Note: the Hyderabad joint-capital arrangement with AP also ended on June 2, 2024 \u2014 Hyderabad is now exclusively Telangana\u2019s capital.
Chandigarh is the capital of both Punjab and Haryana, while itself being a Union Territory governed by an Administrator (the Punjab Governor). It was designed by Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier and is often called \u201cThe City Beautiful.\u201d
Telangana is India\u2019s youngest state, carved out of Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2014. The three states formed in 2000 \u2014 Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand \u2014 all predate Telangana by 14 years.
Rajasthan is India\u2019s largest state by area at approximately 342,239 sq. km. Goa is the smallest state by area at approximately 3,702 sq. km. Sikkim is the smallest state by population (not area), while UP is the most populous state.
\u2705 Key Takeaways
\u2753 Frequently Asked Questions
India has 28 states and 8 Union Territories as of 2026. The number of states was 29 until October 31, 2019, when the state of Jammu & Kashmir was reorganised into two Union Territories \u2014 Jammu & Kashmir (with a Legislative Assembly) and Ladakh (without a legislature). This change followed the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019. Many older textbooks still mention 29 states \u2014 use 28 for any exam after 2019.
Amaravati is the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh as of 2026. The three-capitals model \u2014 Amaravati (legislative), Visakhapatnam (executive), and Kurnool (judicial) \u2014 was proposed by the YSRCP government between 2019 and 2024, but it faced sustained legal challenges, including an AP High Court ruling in 2022 that declared Amaravati the sole capital. After TDP won the June 2024 elections, CM Chandrababu Naidu formally scrapped the three-capitals plan. On March 28, 2026, the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly unanimously passed a resolution declaring Amaravati the permanent and sole capital; a bill to amend the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 is being prepared for Parliament. For all competitive exams in 2026: answer is Amaravati = capital of AP.
Chandigarh is constitutionally unique for three reasons: it is the capital of two states simultaneously (Punjab and Haryana), it is itself a Union Territory governed by a centrally appointed Administrator (the Punjab Governor), and it was planned and designed by the Swiss-French architect Le Corbusier \u2014 making it India\u2019s only planned city designed by an internationally renowned architect. Since neither Punjab nor Haryana could agree on a sole capital city after bifurcation in 1966, Chandigarh was retained as a shared UT capital.
Yes \u2014 states and capitals of India is one of the highest-frequency topics in competitive exam GK. It appears in virtually every exam \u2014 UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, Bank PO, Railway NTPC, and all State PSC exams. Common question patterns include: current state and UT count (28 states + 8 UTs), states with multiple capitals (Andhra Pradesh \u2014 three), shared capital UTs (Chandigarh), newest state (Telangana, 2014), largest/smallest states by area (Rajasthan/Goa), most/least populous states (UP/Sikkim), and states formed in 2000. Knowing this page covers at least 5\u20138 marks across most competitive exams.
