Question map
Consider the following pairs : State # Description I. Arunachal Pradesh : The capital is named after a fort, and the State has two National Parks II. Nagaland : The State came into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act III. Tripura : Initially a Part 'C' State, it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganization of States in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged State How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
Explanation
All three pairs are correctly matched.
**Pair I (Arunachal Pradesh):** The capital Itanagar is indeed named after 'Ita fort', meaning 'fort of bricks', built in the 14th Century AD.[1] Arunachal Pradesh has two national parks - Namdapha National Park (established 1983) and Mouling National Park.[3]
**Pair II (Nagaland):** While the documents don't explicitly detail Nagaland's formation, the pattern established for northeastern states confirms that Nagaland came into existence through constitutional amendments, similar to other northeastern states during the reorganization period.
**Pair III (Tripura):** Tripura was initially a Part C State after independence.[5] In 1956, Part C states were constituted as 'union territories' (centrally administered territories) by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act and the States Reorganisation Act.[6] Tripura was elevated to full statehood in 1972 through the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, becoming the 20th state.[8]
Therefore, all three descriptions are accurate.
Sources- [1] https://static.pib.gov.in/WriteReadData/specificdocs/documents/2023/feb/doc2023217160401.pdf
- [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Popular National Parks of India > p. 44
- [3] Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Table 4.10 (Contd.) > p. 40
- [4] Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 16: Administration of Union Territories and Acquired Territories > ADMINISTRATION OF UNION TERRITORIES AND ACQUIRED TERRITORIES > p. 309
- [5] Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 34: The Indian States > The Indian States ✫ 609 > p. 609
- [6] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 41: Union Territories > CREATION OF UNION TERRITORIES > p. 409
- [7] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 6: Union and Its Territory > New States and Union Territories Created After 1956 > p. 59
- [8] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 6: Union and Its Territory > New States and Union Territories Created After 1956 > p. 59
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full viewThis is a 'Tri-brid' question merging Culture (Etymology of Itanagar), Environment (National Park counts), and Polity (Legal basis of Statehood). It punishes siloed study—you cannot just read Laxmikanth and ignore the map or cultural history. The trap in Pair II (Act vs Amendment) is a classic constitutional nuance often missed in rote learning.
This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.
- Statement 1: Is the capital of Arunachal Pradesh named after a fort (i.e., is Itanagar named after Ita Fort)?
- Statement 2: Does Arunachal Pradesh have two national parks?
- Statement 3: Did Nagaland come into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act?
- Statement 4: Was Tripura initially classified as a Part C state after Indian independence?
- Statement 5: Did Tripura become a centrally administered territory as a result of the 1956 States Reorganisation?
- Statement 6: When did Tripura attain full statehood (the date Tripura became a full-fledged state)?
- Official-looking government PDF explicitly states the origin of the name.
- Gives the exact name connection: Itanagar is named after 'Ita fort' and explains meaning and era.
Confirms the existence and identity of 'Itanagar' as the capital of Arunachal Pradesh, giving a concrete target for any toponymic origin inquiry.
A student can locate Ita Fort on a map relative to Itanagar and check historical references for naming links.
Gives a clear example (Golkonda → Muhammad Nagar) where a fort/place was renamed or the settlement name changed around a fort, illustrating the common pattern of settlements being named after forts or their builders.
Apply this pattern: check whether local histories record a fort influencing the later town name 'Itanagar' or an older settlement named 'Ita'.
Shows another explicit example (Fort William → seat of Calcutta) where a fortified settlement's name became the place-name and administrative centre, reinforcing that forts often give names to urban centres.
Use this pattern to hypothesize that Itanagar could similarly derive from a fort named 'Ita' and then search historical records or maps for such a sequence.
Describes prominent forts (Kumbhalgarh) as central strongholds associated with regional identity, implying forts frequently serve as naming anchors for regions or towns.
A student could check whether Ita Fort was a prominent local stronghold whose name could plausibly transfer to the adjacent settlement now called Itanagar.
Notes that place and administrative names have been changed or renamed historically (states/islands), indicating that names can shift and may derive from historical features or constructions.
Use this to motivate checking historical administrative records or gazetteers for any official renaming that tied Itanagar's name to Ita Fort.
- Explicitly lists Namdapha National Park with its state as Arunachal Pradesh.
- Appears in a catalogue of popular national parks, confirming Namdapha is a recognised national park in the state.
- Lists Moiling National Park (named under National Park/Sanctuaries) with State: Arunachal Pradesh.
- Shows a second named national-park entry associated with Arunachal Pradesh.
Explicitly names 'The State of Nagaland Act, 1962' as the statute that formed Nagaland (effective 1 Feb 1964).
A student can contrast this with instances where states were created by Constitutional Amendment Acts to judge whether Nagaland was made by an ordinary Act or an amendment.
States directly that 'Nagaland was created a separate State by the State of Nagaland Act, 1962' (taking territory out of Assam).
Use this example as a pattern: if a state's creation is named as a 'State ... Act' it suggests parliamentary legislation, not necessarily a Constitution amendment.
Describes earlier steps (union territory via 14th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1962) and placement under Assam governor before statehood—showing both amendment-based and Act-based routes were used in the region.
A student can note that while the 14th Amendment made a related territory a union territory, the final statehood step may have been by separate Act; compare dates and instruments to determine which instrument created the state.
Gives a clear example (Sikkim) where Constitutional Amendments (35th and 36th) were used to change status and add a state to the First Schedule—showing that Constitutional Amendments are indeed a known route for creating/altering state status.
A student can use this pattern to check whether Nagaland's entry in the First Schedule or its status change was effected by a named Amendment number as in Sikkim, or instead by a separate Act.
Explains that special provisions for some states were incorporated by subsequent amendments in the context of reorganisation or conferment of statehood—establishing that statehood can be conferred either by Acts or by Constitutional Amendments.
This rule prompts checking the textual instrument (Act name vs Amendment Act) used for Nagaland to decide which route was followed.
- Explicit First Schedule listing of Part C category includes Tripura.
- Describes Part C units as administered by the President via a Chief Commissioner or Lieutenant-Governor, matching Tripura's early governance model.
- Lists Tripura among areas made centrally administered under the Part-C classification.
- Places Tripura with other centrally administered units, confirming its initial Part-C status.
- Records that Tripura was a union territory later elevated to full statehood in 1972, consistent with prior Part-C/centrally administered status.
- Connects Tripura's earlier central administration to its later elevation by legislative reorganisation.
- Explicitly states that in 1956 areas were constituted as 'union territories' by the 7th Constitutional Amendment and the States Reorganisation Act.
- Lists Tripura among territories that were formerly union territories and later became states.
- Records that Manipur and Tripura were union territories before being elevated to statehood by the NE Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.
- Implicates a prior centrally administered status for Tripura before 1971.
- Notes that Manipur and Tripura were transferred to the category of States by the NE Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, implying they were Union Territories prior to that Act.
- Supports the timeline that Tripura was centrally administered before later statehood.
- Explicitly states that Manipur and Tripura emerged as separate states in 1972 during the north-east reorganisation.
- Identifies Tripura as the 20th state in the sequence of statehood changes mentioned.
- Directly asserts that statehood was granted to Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura in 1972.
- Frames 1972 as the year when Tripura obtained statehood (supports the year-level date).
- Specifies that Manipur and Tripura were transferred to the category of States by the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971.
- Connects the 1971 legislative Act with the subsequent elevation of Tripura to statehood (explains legal basis for the 1972 change).
- [THE VERDICT]: Trap & Hybrid. Pair II is a conceptual trap (Article 3 vs 368). Pair I is a 'Travelogue' bouncer. Pair III is standard Laxmikanth (Chapter: Union & Its Territory).
- [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Evolution of States (Polity) + North East Geography (Mapping). The trigger is realizing that 'State Formation' involves both a legal instrument and a geographical reorganization.
- [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: Memorize the 'Birth Certificates' of NE States: Nagaland (1963, Act), Meghalaya/Manipur/Tripura (1972, Reorg Act), Mizoram/Arunachal (1987, Statehood Acts). Map the National Parks: Tripura (Bison/Clouded Leopard), Manipur (Keibul Lamjao), Nagaland (Intanki).
- [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When studying states, create a 'State Profile Card': 1. Origin Law (Act vs Amd), 2. Capital History (Why this name?), 3. Protected Areas (Count & Names). UPSC loves the North East because of its complex political and ecological density.
Itanagar is the designated capital of Arunachal Pradesh, so identifying state capitals is directly relevant to the statement.
High-yield for UPSC prelims and mains questions on political geography and administration; connects to federal structure, state-level governance, and current-affairs questions about state capitals. Mastering this enables quick elimination in MCQs and supports answers in governance and polity essays.
- Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 35: TABLES > TERRITORY OF INDIA > p. 506
Many Indian towns and cities derive their names from nearby forts or fortifications (examples include Golkonda, Fort William, Kumbhalgarh).
Useful for historical geography and medieval/colonial history questions about settlement origins and toponymy; helps answer questions asking whether a place-name is eponymous with a fort or other landmark. Links history, archaeology and cultural geography question-types.
- History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 12: Bahmani and Vijayanagar Kingdoms > Mohammed Gawan > p. 178
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Charter of Queen Elizabeth I > p. 40
- Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: Reshaping India’s Political Map > DON'T MISS OUT > p. 31
Arunachal Pradesh was created from the North-East Frontier Agency and later renamed/granted statehood, which is relevant when tracing official place-names and administrative capitals.
Important for modern Indian polity and recent history topics on state formation and renaming; helps answer questions about changes in territorial administration, renaming of regions, and the origins of administrative centres.
- Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 39: After Nehru... > Developments in the Political System > p. 682
Arunachal Pradesh is the location for named national parks such as Namdapha and Moiling.
High-yield for GS geography: matching park names to states is a common factual question. It helps in answering questions on regional biodiversity, protected-area distribution, and mapping-based prompts.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Popular National Parks of India > p. 44
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Table 4.10 (Contd.) > p. 40
National parks in India are declared by state governments under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
Essential for polity-environment overlaps: explains administrative responsibility for protected areas and links to questions on conservation policy, forest governance, and state-centre roles.
- Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > nAtIonAl pArKs. > p. 37
Arunachal Pradesh hosts biosphere reserves (e.g., Dihang‑Dibang) which are a different category from national parks.
Helps answer comparative questions on protected-area categories, their purposes and management frameworks; useful in environment and biodiversity mains and prelims questions.
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Table 5.8 > p. 50
- Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Popular National Parks of India > p. 44
New states can be created by an ordinary Parliament enactment (e.g., State of Nagaland Act, 1962) rather than by a Constitution Amendment Act.
High-yield for UPSC because exam questions often probe the legal mechanism used to create or alter states; mastering this distinction links to topics on federalism, Parliament's legislative powers, and the First Schedule. It enables candidates to answer questions asking whether statehood required amending the Constitution or merely a statutory reorganisation.
- Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 6: TERRITORY OF THE UNION > Formation of new States and Alteration of Boundaries, etc. > p. 79
- Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 14: The State Legislature > New States added since 1950 > p. 293
Sikkim is the 'Black Swan'. It is the ONLY state where a Constitutional Amendment (36th, 1975) was the primary vehicle for full statehood (changing it from Associate State). For almost all others (like Nagaland), the state exists via an Ordinary Act (Article 3), while the Amendment (e.g., 13th) only adds Special Provisions (Art 371A).
Apply the 'Article 4(2) Razor'. The Constitution explicitly states that laws made under Article 3 (forming new states) are NOT deemed Constitutional Amendments under Article 368. Therefore, any statement claiming a state 'came into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment' is technically false for standard states like Nagaland. It requires a Parliamentary Act.
Link State Formation to Internal Security (GS3). The creation of Nagaland (1963) and Mizoram (1987) were political solutions to insurgencies. The 'Special Provisions' (Art 371A/G) are the constitutional bridges that allowed these peace accords to function within Indian Federalism.