The correct answer is (c). As per the 2001 census, the three major states of India in respect of population are Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal.
Uttar Pradesh is the most populous state in India, with a population of 166,087,923. It is located in the northern part of the country and is bordered by Nepal to the north, Uttarakhand to the northwest, Himachal Pradesh to the west, Haryana to the southwest, Rajasthan to the south, Madhya Pradesh to the southeast, Chhattisgarh to the east, and Bihar to the northeast. The capital of Uttar Pradesh is Lucknow.
Maharashtra is the second most populous state in India, with a population of 112,374,333. It is located in the western part of the country and is bordered by Gujarat to the north, Madhya Pradesh to the east, Chhattisgarh to the southeast, Karnataka to the south, Goa to the southwest, and the Arabian Sea to the west. The capital of Maharashtra is Mumbai.
West Bengal is the third most populous state in India, with a population of 80,270,368. It is located in the eastern part of the country and is bordered by Nepal to the north, Sikkim to the northeast, Bhutan to the east, Assam to the east and southeast, Jharkhand to the south, Odisha to the southwest, and the Bay of Bengal to the west. The capital of West Bengal is Kolkata.
The other options are incorrect. Option (a) is incorrect because Bihar is not one of the three major states of India in respect of population. Option (b) is incorrect because Maharashtra is not one of the three major states of India in respect of population. Option (d) is incorrect because West Bengal is not one of the three major states of India in respect of population.