Consider the following Indian States : 1. Bihar 2. Rajasthan 3.

Consider the following Indian States :

  • 1. Bihar
  • 2. Rajasthan
  • 3. Jammu and Kashmir
  • 4. Haryana

Which one of the following is the correct ascending order of the above States on the basis of percentage of State’s population to total population of India (based on census 2011) ?

3 – 4 – 1 – 2
4 – 2 – 1 – 3
3 – 4 – 2 – 1
2 – 3 – 4 – 1
This question was previously asked in
UPSC NDA-1 – 2017
We need to arrange the given states in ascending order based on their percentage of the total population of India as per the 2011 Census.
Let’s approximate the populations (in millions) and calculate the percentages (approx) relative to India’s total population (approx 1210 million) in 2011:
1. Bihar: Approx 104 million (approx 8.6%)
2. Rajasthan: Approx 68.5 million (approx 5.6%)
3. Jammu and Kashmir: Approx 12.5 million (approx 1.0%)
4. Haryana: Approx 25.3 million (approx 2.1%)

Arranging these percentages in ascending order:
1.0% (Jammu and Kashmir) < 2.1% (Haryana) < 5.6% (Rajasthan) < 8.6% (Bihar) The corresponding order of states is Jammu and Kashmir (3), Haryana (4), Rajasthan (2), Bihar (1). Thus, the correct ascending order is 3 – 4 – 2 – 1.

This question requires knowledge of the relative populations of Indian states and their share in the total national population based on census data.
Population distribution across states is a crucial demographic aspect of India, influencing political representation, resource allocation, and development planning. Uttar Pradesh has the largest population, followed by Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal (as per 2011 census).