Explanations:India is a federal union that consists of 28 states and 8 union territories. The states and union territories together form the administrative divisions of India. Each state has its own government and legislative assembly, while the union territories are governed directly by the central government through an administrator appointed by the President of India.
The 28 states of India are: Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, and the newly formed state of Jammu and Kashmir.
The 8 union territories of India are: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (merged in 2019), Delhi (National Capital Territory), Lakshadweep, Ladakh, Puducherry, and the newly formed union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is important to note that the number of union territories can change due to administrative decisions or constitutional amendments. For example, the union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged in 2019, reducing the number of union territories from 9 to 8. Similarly, the state of Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into two union territories in 2019, which also affected the count.
Understanding the administrative divisions of India is crucial for students preparing for competitive exams such as the UPSC, SSC, Bank PO, and CLAT, as questions related to the geography and governance of India are frequently asked in these exams.