Consider the following statements regarding states in India
(a) Nagaland was created as a separate state in 1963
(b) Manipur and Mizoram were granted statehood in 1987
(c) Tripura and Meghalaya were granted statehood in 1972
Choose the correct answer from the codes below:

Correct option is C

The Correct Answer is only (a) and (c)
Nagaland became the 16th state of India on 1st December 1963, formed to address the unique cultural and political identity of the Naga people. Manipur and Tripura were princely states that merged into India and later became Union Territories before achieving statehood on 21 January 1972. Mizoram, initially a Union Territory, was granted statehood on 20 February 1987 after the signing of the Mizoram Peace Accord in 1986. Therefore, the statement that both Manipur and Mizoram attained statehood in 1987 is incorrect, as Manipur became a state in 1972. Tripura and Meghalaya were both granted statehood on the same date—21 January 1972—under the North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971, making that statement correct. This legislative reform aimed to provide better administrative autonomy to the diverse ethnic groups of Northeast India. The historical context of these changes highlights the Indian government's effort to politically integrate the Northeastern region while respecting its ethnic and cultural diversity.
Information Booster:
• Nagaland was the first state to be created in the Northeast region after independence in 1963.
• Manipur and Tripura became full-fledged states in 1972, not 1987.
• Mizoram achieved statehood in 1987, making it one of the newest states in Northeast India.
• Meghalaya was carved out of Assam and granted statehood in 1972 along with Manipur and Tripura.
• The North-Eastern Areas (Reorganisation) Act, 1971 was a key act in restructuring the northeastern region.
Additional Knowledge:
• Statement (a) is correct because Nagaland’s statehood was granted in response to long-standing demands for political recognition.
• Statement (b) is incorrect because Manipur became a state much earlier than Mizoram, which creates a factual error.
• Statement (c) is correct as both Tripura and Meghalaya became states in 1972, marking a significant milestone in Northeast India's political evolution.