QUESTION 11
GS1
15 marks
The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century. Discuss with examples.
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Show, with examples across colonial and post-independence periods, that reorganisation of states and territories has been a continuous process.
DiscussExplain the different sides of the issue, use evidence, and finish with a balanced view.
Demand-wise check
- 1Colonial phase: Bengal partition 1905 and its reversal 1911, separation of Bihar–Orissa, Sindh and Orissa provinces 1936≈65 words
- 2Post-1947 phase: integration of princely states, linguistic reorganisation 1956≈65 words
- 3Later phases: new states 2000, Telangana 2014, J&K reorganisation 2019≈65 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
ThesisColonial examplesIntegration and 1956Later reorganisationsDrivers (language, development, identity)Conclusion
Where marks usually go
- Starting only from 1947 when the question says mid-19th century
- Listing dates without explaining the reasons for reorganisation
Draw this
- Timeline from 1905 to 2019
Value addition
- FactThe States Reorganisation Act, 1956 created 14 states and 6 union territories based mainly on language.States Reorganisation Commission (Fazl Ali), 1955
- FactThe Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 split the state into two union territories.J&K Reorganisation Act, 2019
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Ritika Chitlangia · Page 50 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
- Ajay R Raj · AIR 109 · Page 5 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akansh Dhull · AIR 3 · Page 23 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Monika Srivastava · AIR 16 · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.