State and Union Territories of India

137

Q60. Why was the Twelfth Constitutional Amendment enacted in 1962?

[RPSC Assistant Professor History (12 Sep 2024), 2024]

1. Partition Punjab
2. Incorporate Goa, Daman and Diu
3. Linguistic state reorganisation
4. Give Meghalaya and Manipur statehood

Answer: (B) Incorporate Goa, Daman and Diu

Explanation: The Twelfth Amendment incorporated Goa, Daman and Diu into the Indian Union following the end of Portuguese rule in 1961. They initially formed a Union Territory; Goa’s separate statehood came later, in 1987.

Q59. Which pairing is constitutionally incorrect?

[UPPSC PCS Prelims GS I (2024), 2024]

1. Public employment equality—citizens only
2. Creation of States—Parliament
3. Equality before law—citizens and noncitizens
4. Changing a State’s name—State Legislature

Answer: (D) Changing a State’s name—State Legislature

Explanation: Article 3 gives Parliament the power to change a state’s name. A state legislature is consulted through the specified constitutional procedure, but cannot itself effect the change. Equality before law is available to persons, whereas Article 16 concerns citizens.

Q58. Match the Articles: 26, 40, 98 and 239, respectively, with their subjects.

[UPPSC RO/ARO General Studies (11 Feb 2024), 2024]

1. Religious affairs; Panchayats; Parliament secretariat; Union Territories
2. Union Territories; Parliament secretariat; religious affairs; Panchayats
3. Religious affairs; Union Territories; Parliament secretariat; Panchayats
4. Panchayats; religious affairs; Parliament secretariat; Union Territories

Answer: (A) Religious affairs; Panchayats; Parliament secretariat; Union Territories

Explanation: Article 26 safeguards religious denominations’ management of religious affairs, Article 40 directs organisation of village panchayats, Article 98 provides for parliamentary secretariats and Article 239 addresses the administration of Union Territories. Matching these shows their different constitutional roles.

Q57. How many Indian States share a border with Chhattisgarh?

[CGPSC Prelims GS I (11 Feb 2024), 2024]

1. Five
2. Six
3. Seven
4. Eight

Answer: (C) Seven

Explanation: Chhattisgarh touches seven other states: Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. Its eastern and northern boundaries meet Odisha, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, while the southern region approaches Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. This is a boundary-based state geography PYQ.

Q56. Which territory has India’s smallest geographical area among the listed Union Territories?

[JKSSB Junior Stenographer (31 Dec 2024), 2024]

1. Puducherry
2. Former Daman and Diu
3. Chandigarh
4. Lakshadweep

Answer: (D) Lakshadweep

Explanation: Lakshadweep spans only about 32 square kilometres of land, making it India’s smallest Union Territory by area. It is an island group in the Arabian Sea with Kavaratti as its administrative centre and is much smaller than Chandigarh or Puducherry.

Q55. Which of these lakes lies in Rajasthan?

[SSC Selection Post Matriculation (21 Jun 2024, Shift 1), 2024]

1. Sambhar Salt Lake
2. Lonar Lake
3. Chilika Lake
4. Wular Lake

Answer: (A) Sambhar Salt Lake

Explanation: Sambhar Salt Lake is located in Rajasthan, southwest of Jaipur. It is a major inland saline lake and an important centre of salt production. Lonar is in Maharashtra, Chilika in Odisha and Wular in Jammu and Kashmir.

Q54. Which site provided the basis for the national emblem adopted on 26 January 1950?

[Delhi Police Constable (20 Nov 2023, Shift 2), 2023]

1. Lion Capital of Sarnath
2. Bull capital at Rampurva
3. Single lion at Lauriya Nandangarh
4. Single lion at Rampurva

Answer: (A) Lion Capital of Sarnath

Explanation: India’s State Emblem is adapted from Ashoka’s Lion Capital at Sarnath. The representation was adopted on 26 January 1950; below the lions, the motto Satyameva Jayate is taken from the Mundaka Upanishad.

Q53. Which were the three most populous Indian states in Census 2011?

[SSC CHSL (09 Aug 2023, Shift 3), 2023]

1. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh
2. Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Goa
3. Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar
4. West Bengal, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh

Answer: (C) Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar

Explanation: The 2011 Census ranked Uttar Pradesh first, Maharashtra second and Bihar third by state population. This ordering differs from state-area rankings, where Rajasthan is first. Such questions require keeping population and geographical area separate.

Q52. Among the listed states, which has the largest geographical area?

[SSC MTS (15 Jun 2023, Shift 3; 2022 cycle), 2023]

1. Madhya Pradesh
2. Uttar Pradesh
3. Maharashtra
4. Rajasthan

Answer: (D) Rajasthan

Explanation: Rajasthan has India’s largest state area, approximately 342,239 square kilometres. Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra follow it. Although Uttar Pradesh has the greatest population, its geographical area is smaller than Rajasthan’s and Madhya Pradesh’s.

Q51. Which Article states that India is a Union of States?

[SSC GD Constable (01 Feb 2023, Shift 2; 2022 cycle), 2023]

1. Article 1
2. Article 2
3. Article 10
4. Article 11

Answer: (A) Article 1

Explanation: Article 1 uses the expression ‘India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States’. The territorial composition includes States and Union Territories. Parliament’s powers to admit States or reorganise them are treated principally in Articles 2 and 3.