Question

What were the recommendations of the State Reorganization Commission?

Answer 1

The States Reorganisation Commission, formed in 1953, submitted its report in 1955. Its key recommendations were:

1. Reorganisation on a linguistic basis: States should be reorganised mainly on the basis of language and cultural unity to reflect people‏’s identities while ensuring administrative efficiency.
2. Formation of states and union territories: It proposed the creation of 14 states and 6 union territories to better manage India’s diversity.
3. Balanced development: Emphasised the need for balanced economic and administrative development to avoid regional disparities.
4. Strong centre: Recommended maintaining a strong central government to preserve national unity and integrity.
5. Minority protection: Suggested safeguards for linguistic and cultural minorities within the new states.

These recommendations led to the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which largely redrawn India’s internal boundaries along linguistic lines.