1947
- Independence – 571 princely states
- Temporarily reorganized in 27 states
1950 – Constitution Republic – a federal structure
- Part A States – 9 – Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Madhya Pradesh (formerly Central Provinces and Berar), Madras, Orissa (subsequently renamed Odisha in 2011), Punjab (formerly East Punjab), Uttar Pradesh (formerly the United Provinces), and West Bengal
- Part B States – 8 – Hyderabad, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Bharat, Mysore, Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), Rajasthan, Saurashtra and Travancore-Cochin
- Part C States – 10 – Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Kutch, Manipur, Tripura, and Vindhya Pradesh
Part A States – Governor’s Provinces of British India
Part B States – formerly princely states
Part C States – chief commissioners’ provinces + princely states
1956 – States Reorganization Act
- 14 states – Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Bombay State, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Madras State, Mysore State, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal
- 6 UTs – Himachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, Laccadive, Minicoy and Amindivi Islands, Manipur and Tripura
