RAS question
According to Census 2011, which is the least populous state in India?
Correct answer: (C) Sikkim.
According to Census 2011, Sikkim is India's least populous state, with a population of 610,577.
Explanation
The Census 2011 A-1 population table records Sikkim's total population as 610,577, or about 6.11 lakh, making it the least populous Indian state. The same official table puts the other state options higher: Goa at 1,458,545, Mizoram at 1,097,206 and Nagaland at 1,978,502. That is why the answer turns on the word "state": Lakshadweep has only 64,473 people, but it is a Union Territory, not a state. Among the listed states, Sikkim is the smallest by population in Census 2011.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Nagaland is not the least populous state because Census 2011 records its population as 1,978,502, well above Sikkim's 610,577.
- (B) Goa is smaller than many states, but its Census 2011 population is 1,458,545, which is still higher than Sikkim's 610,577.
- (D) Mizoram is incorrect because Census 2011 gives it a population of 1,097,206, compared with Sikkim's lower figure of 610,577.
Concept
This tests Census 2011 state-population ranking, a recurring RAS geography theme because questions often hinge on careful distinctions between states and Union Territories. It also checks whether the candidate remembers exact small-state comparisons rather than broad regional impressions.