✍️ Introduction:
Static General Knowledge plays a decisive role in cracking competitive examinations conducted at both central and state levels. Among the most frequently asked topics in Static GK, Indian States – Union Territories and their Formation Dates holds a permanent place. Questions from this area are regularly seen in exams like UPSC, SSC, Banking, Railways, State PCS, Police, Defence, and other government recruitment tests.
Understanding the formation dates of Indian states is not just about memorization—it helps aspirants build a strong conceptual foundation related to Indian polity, administrative history, and reorganization of states. Many exam questions are directly framed from this topic, while others are indirectly linked through anniversaries, statehood movements, or constitutional developments.
This blog presents a clear, concise, and exam-oriented compilation of Indian states – Union Territories along with their correct formation dates, making it an ideal revision resource for aspirants. Whether you are preparing for prelims, mains, or objective-based exams, mastering this Static GK topic will give you a definite edge over others.
Bookmark this page, revise it regularly, and strengthen one of the most scoring areas of General Knowledge. 🚀📚
| State |
Formation Date |
| Andhra Pradesh |
01 November 1956 |
| Arunachal Pradesh |
20 February 1987 |
| Assam |
26 January 1950 |
| Bihar |
22 March 1912 |
| Chhattisgarh |
01 November 2000 |
| Goa |
30 May 1987 |
| Gujarat |
01 May 1960 |
| Haryana |
01 November 1966 |
| Himachal Pradesh |
25 January 1971 |
| Jharkhand |
15 November 2000 |
| Karnataka |
01 November 1956 |
| Kerala |
01 November 1956 |
| Madhya Pradesh |
01 November 1956 |
| Maharashtra |
01 May 1960 |
| Manipur |
21 January 1972 |
| Meghalaya |
21 January 1972 |
| Mizoram |
20 February 1987 |
| Nagaland |
01 December 1963 |
| Odisha |
01 April 1936 |
| Punjab |
01 November 1966 |
| Rajasthan |
30 March 1949 |
| Sikkim |
16 May 1975 |
| Tamil Nadu |
01 November 1956 |
| Telangana |
02 June 2014 |
| Tripura |
21 January 1972 |
| Uttar Pradesh |
24 January 1950 |
| Uttarakhand |
09 November 2000 |
| West Bengal |
20 June 1947 |
| Union Territory |
Formation / Relevant Date |
Important Note |
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands |
01 November 1956 |
Became a Union Territory under the States Reorganisation framework |
| Chandigarh |
01 November 1966 |
Became a Union Territory after reorganisation of Punjab |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli |
11 August 1961 |
Incorporated into India as a Union Territory after Portuguese rule ended |
| Daman & Diu |
30 May 1987 |
Became a separate Union Territory after Goa attained statehood |
| Delhi (NCT) |
01 November 1956 |
Became a Union Territory; later received National Capital Territory status in 1991 |
| Jammu & Kashmir |
31 October 2019 |
Became a Union Territory after the reorganisation of the former State of Jammu & Kashmir |
| Ladakh |
31 October 2019 |
Created as a separate Union Territory under the J&K Reorganisation Act |
| Lakshadweep |
01 November 1956 |
Became a Union Territory under the States Reorganisation framework |
| Puducherry |
16 August 1962 |
De facto transfer to India occurred earlier; 16 August 1962 marks de jure transfer |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu |
26 January 2020 |
Formed by merger of the two former Union Territories |
⚠️ Exam-important distinctions
1. Daman & Diu — 30 May 1987
This date should not be confused with the date of its incorporation into India. The separate UT was created when Goa became a state in 1987.
2. Puducherry — 16 August 1962
This is particularly important because there were two stages:
- 01 November 1954: De facto transfer to India
- 16 August 1962: De jure transfer following ratification of the Treaty of Cession
3. Dadra & Nagar Haveli — 11 August 1961
The territory was incorporated into India in 1961 following the end of Portuguese administration.
4. 26 January 2020
This is not the formation of a completely new geographical territory. It is the date on which Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into one Union Territory.
🧠 Quick Memory Timeline
1956 → 1961 → 1962 → 1966 → 1987 → 2019 → 2020
- 1956: A&N, Delhi, Lakshadweep
- 1961: Dadra & Nagar Haveli
- 1962: Puducherry
- 1966: Chandigarh
- 1987: Daman & Diu
- 2019: J&K + Ladakh
- 2020: DNH + Daman & Diu merger
Current number of Union Territories: 8.
For UPPSC/SSC/State PCS, I would recommend keeping “Formation Date” and “Important Constitutional/Administrative Change” as separate columns, because that prevents several common date-based MCQ traps.
🧠 Important Exam Facts
- Newest UTs: Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh (2019)
- Merged UT: Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu (2020)
- 1 November 1956 → Key date due to States Reorganisation Act
- Chandigarh was created as a shared capital of Punjab & Haryana
🎯 Frequently Asked in Exams
- How many Union Territories are there in India? → 8
- UT with Legislature? → Delhi, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir
- UT without Legislature? → Ladakh, Chandigarh, others
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