After Independence, India's States took shape in these steps:
(1) The British-Indian arrangement of large presidencies continues.
(2) Colonial-era units are reorganised into ethno-linguistic States.
Which step came between (1) and (2)?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → Strong popular agitations press for language-based units
Option (1) The Congress reconstitutes its provincial units on linguistic lines — Incorrect. The Congress set up its provincial units on linguistic lines in the 1920s. This came long before Independence, so it cannot fall between the two steps.
Option (2) Strong popular agitations press for language-based units — Correct. After Independence the large presidencies first continued. Then strong popular agitations demanded language-based units, and in response the colonial-era units were reorganised into ethno-linguistic States.
Option (3) India is freed and, at the same time, divided — Incorrect. India was freed and divided in 1947. The presidency arrangement continued only after this event, so it comes before the first step.
Option (4) The presidency cities of Madras, Bombay and Calcutta change their names — Incorrect. The three presidency cities changed their names only recently. This is a later change of city names, and it played no part in forming the States.
NCERT (2026-27): “6.2 Regionalism in the Indian Context … |