RAS question
Rajasthan Day is celebrated on 30 March to commemorate which event?
Correct answer: (A) Formation of Greater Rajasthan (1949).
Rajasthan Day is celebrated on 30 March to commemorate the formation of Greater Rajasthan on 30 March 1949.
Explanation
Rajasthan Day marks the 30 March 1949 stage in the integration of Rajasthan, remembered as the formation of Greater Rajasthan. Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer merged with the existing Rajasthan Union at this stage, making it the most significant phase of the state's integration. The Press Information Bureau records the same date and core event: the state was formed on 30 March 1949, when Rajputana, the name used under the British Crown, was merged into the Dominion of India. Therefore, the commemoration is tied to the creation of Greater Rajasthan in 1949, not to the earlier Matsya Union, the first election, or the later reorganisation phase.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) The Matsya Union belongs to the earlier 18 March 1948 phase, so it does not explain why Rajasthan Day is observed on 30 March.
- (C) The first State Assembly election was a 1952 electoral event, while the 30 March commemoration is about the 1949 formation stage of Rajasthan.
- (D) The final integration under the States Reorganisation Act occurred on 1 November 1956, which is distinct from the 30 March 1949 formation of Greater Rajasthan.
Concept
This tests the chronology of Rajasthan's political integration after Independence. RAS repeatedly asks such dates because they connect Rajasthan history with state formation, princely-state merger and administrative consolidation.