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250 Words15 Marks
Q.The political and administrative reorganization of states and territories has been a continuous ongoing process since the mid-nineteenth century. Discuss with examples. (Answer in 250 words) (2022)
UPSC Mains 2022•History
Model Answer
View this Question In PYQ RealmSyllabus Point
- Reorganization within the country.
Approach
- Introduction (50-60 words): Introduce state reorganization as a dynamic, ongoing process in India, spanning both the colonial era and the post-independence period.
- Body (150-160 words): Divide the discussion into two phases: Phase 1 (Colonial era reorganization for imperial control) and Phase 2 (Post-independence reorganization based on language, identity, and development), providing concrete examples.
- Conclusion (40 words): Conclude by highlighting that reorganization remains an active process responsive to democratic aspirations.
Introduction
The political and administrative mapping of India has been a dynamic, evolving process since the mid-19th century. Initially driven by British imperial interests, this process transitioned post-independence into a democratic mechanism to accommodate linguistic identities, regional aspirations, and developmental needs.
Body
Phase 1: Colonial Reorganization (1850s–1947)
- Imperial Consolidation: Following the 1857 uprising, the British restructured territories to secure administrative control. This included creating the Central Provinces and integrating various princely states into Chief Commissioner provinces.
- Strategic Borderlands: The North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) was carved out of Punjab in 1901 to secure the empire's sensitive northwestern borders.
- Divide and Rule: The controversial Partition of Bengal (1905) along communal and linguistic lines demonstrated how administrative reorganization was weaponized to weaken the nationalist movement.
- Linguistic Precedents: The separation of Bihar and Orissa from Bengal in 1912, and the creation of Sindh as a separate province in 1936, marked early acknowledgments of regional identity.
Phase 2: Post-Independence Reorganization (1947–Present)
- Linguistic Reorganization: In 1953, Andhra Pradesh became the first state created on a linguistic basis, following intense public demand. This led to the States Reorganization Act (1956), which simplified India's complex territorial categories into states and union territories.
- Bifurcation of Large States: Continued linguistic demands led to the split of Bombay state into Maharashtra and Gujarat (1960), and Punjab into Punjab and Haryana (1966).
- Integration of Territories: Former foreign enclaves like Goa, Daman and Diu, and Pondicherry were integrated as Union Territories, with Goa later achieving full statehood.
- Developmental and Tribal Aspirations: In 2000, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand were carved out of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar respectively, to address regional developmental imbalances and tribal identities.
- Recent Reorganizations: The creation of Telangana in 2014 addressed long-standing regional economic grievances, while the reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories in 2019 was executed for administrative and security reasons.
- Ongoing Demands: Demands for states like Vidarbha (Maharashtra), Gorkhaland (West Bengal), and Bodoland (Assam) demonstrate that the process remains active.
Conclusion
From colonial cartography designed for imperial control to democratic reorganization aimed at inclusive development, the restructuring of Indian states remains a vital, ongoing process that strengthens India's federal structure.