📘 IAS Prelims 2025 — GS-I Q.52 | Classroom Explanation

(Polity | States, Reorganisation & Constitutional Provisions)

📌 Question

Q.52) Consider the following pairs:

State	Description
I. Arunachal Pradesh	The capital is named after a fort, and the State has two National Parks
II. Nagaland	The State came into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment Act
III. Tripura	Initially a Part ‘C’ State, it became a centrally administered territory with the reorganisation of States in 1956 and later attained the status of a full-fledged State

How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All the three
(d) None

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✅ Correct Answer: (b) Only two

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🧑‍🏫 Classroom Explanation

This question blends historical evolution of States with constitutional mechanics. Precision on what created a State (Act vs Amendment) is the key UPSC trap.

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🔍 Pair-wise Analysis

✅ Pair I: Arunachal Pradesh — Correct

• Itanagar derives its name from Ita Fort (“Ita” = bricks in Assamese).
• The State has two National Parks:

• Namdapha National Park
• Mouling National Park

➡️ Both components of the description are accurate.

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❌ Pair II: Nagaland — Incorrect

• Nagaland Statehood came via the State of Nagaland Act, 1962 (a Parliamentary Act).
• The Constitution (Thirteenth Amendment) Act, 1962:

• Inserted Article 371A
• Granted special constitutional protections (customs, land, religion)
• Did not create the State itself

➡️ The State did not come into existence on the basis of a Constitutional Amendment.

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✅ Pair III: Tripura — Correct

• Acceded to India in 1949 → became a Part ‘C’ State
• States Reorganisation, 1956 → became a Union Territory
• North Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 → attained full Statehood on 21 Jan 1972

➡️ The sequence and description are correct.

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🧮 UPSC-Style Count

Pair	Status
I	✅
II	❌
III	✅

➡️ Total correct = 2

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🎯 Final Answer

✅ Correct Answer: (b) Only two

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📦 High-Value Prelims Add-Ons (Info Box)

🧠 One-Line Memory Hook

Statehood comes from Acts; protections come from Amendments.

⚠️ UPSC Trap Alert

• Don’t confuse:

• State creation (Parliamentary Act)
• Special status (Constitutional Amendment)

🔗 Quick Recall

• Article 371A → Nagaland (customs, land)
• Article 371G → Mizoram (similar protections)

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