Pre-15th century: the region was known as Jangladesh — a barren, sparsely populated tract inhabited by Jat clans (Sihag, Godara, Punia, Beniwal) before Rathore arrival.
Know Your District
Bikaner
The Camel Country — 2nd largest district of Rajasthan
Last verified: 2026-05-04
Bikaner is the second-largest district of Rajasthan by area (30,247.90 sq km), founded in 1488 AD by Rao Bika, son of Rao Jodha of Marwar. The district is the heart of camel research in India (Project Directorate on Camel established in 1984; upgraded to NRCC in 1995), the home of the Bikaneri Bhujia GI tag, the Jorbeer Conservation Reserve, and Pugal Solar Park, listed by Rajasthan Economic Review 2024-25 as a 2,450 MW RSDCL project with RERC archive noting 1,600 MW/6,400 MWh ESS procurement. Bikaner shares an international border with Pakistan and is the headquarters of Bikaner Division.
District at a Glance
| Founded | 1488 AD by Rao Bika |
|---|---|
| Old name of region | Jangladesh |
| Area | 30,247.90 sq km — 2nd largest in Rajasthan |
| Population (Census 2011) | 23,63,937 |
| Sex ratio (2011) | 905 females per 1000 males |
| Literacy (2011) | 65.13% (M: 75.90%, F: 53.23%) |
| Headquarters | Bikaner City |
| Tehsils | 11 — Bikaner, Nokha, Jasrasar, Kolayat, Shri Dungargarh, Hadan, Lunkaransar, Bajju, Chhattargarh, Khajuwala, Pugal |
| Lok Sabha seat | Bikaner — Reserved (SC), 1 seat |
| Vidhan Sabha seats | 7 — Bikaner East, Bikaner West, Khajuwala (SC), Kolayat, Lunkaransar, Nokha, Dungargarh |
| International border | Northwest border with Punjab (Pakistan) |
| Climate (Köppen) | BWh — Hot Desert |
| Average annual rainfall | ~260–300 mm — one of the lowest in India |
| Famous for | Junagarh Fort, Karni Mata Temple, Lalgarh Palace, NRC on Camel, Bikaneri Bhujia |
History — Ancient → Medieval → Modern
1465 AD: Rao Bika, eldest surviving son of Rao Jodha (founder of Jodhpur), left Marwar with 500 soldiers and 100 cavalry after a stray taunt from his father.
1485 AD: Rati Ghati fort built; 1488 AD on Akshaya Tritiya (Vaisakh Shukla Tritiya): Bikaner city founded by Rao Bika — celebrated yearly as Bikaner Sthapana Diwas.
1571–1611: Rai Singh era — Akbar’s general; built Junagarh Fort during 1589–94 (originally Chintamani Durg) and expanded Bikaner state to its peak.
1818: Maharaja Surat Singh signed treaty of subordinate alliance with British East India Co. — Bikaner became a princely state under paramountcy.
Maharaja Ganga Singh (1887–1943): a major modern ruler who built the Ganga Canal and Lalgarh Palace, modernised the army, and is linked with the Bikaner Camel Corps, which gained renown in World War I.
30 March 1949: Bikaner state merged with the United States of Greater Rajasthan (Rajasthan Day). Sadul Singh (1943–1949) was the last ruling Maharaja.
Indira Gandhi Canal began as the Rajasthan Canal project, conceived in 1948 and inaugurated on 31 March 1958; the Kanwar Sain Lift Canal serves Bikaner city and the canal-belt agriculture zone.
1984: Project Directorate on Camel established at Bikaner; upgraded to National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) in 1995. Rajasthan Economic Review 2024-25 lists Pugal Solar Park as a 2,450 MW RSDCL project, while RERC archive records 1,600 MW/6,400 MWh ESS procurement.
Art, Culture, Heritage & Tourism
Junagarh Fort: foundation laid in 1589 and completed in 1594 by Raja Rai Singh, Akbar’s general; originally Chintamani Fort and remembered as a fort that never fell to invasion.
Lalgarh Palace: Indo-Saracenic style, designed by Sir Samuel Swinton Jacob for Maharaja Ganga Singh (early 20th century), made of red sandstone.
Karni Mata Temple, Deshnoke: dedicated to Karni Mata, Kuldevi of Bikaner & Jodhpur Rathores; famous for ~25,000 sacred kabba rats (revered as reincarnated devotees).
Usta Art: gold embossing on camel hide, wood and marble; the Ministry of Textiles links the craft to late-16th-century Bikaner court patronage and Junagarh Fort interiors such as Anup Mahal.
Bikaner School of Miniature Painting: a Rajasthani court style with Mughal influence; museum and art-history sources link its distinct character especially with Karan Singh and Anup Singh.
Anup Sanskrit Library: a historic Bikaner manuscript repository; archival catalogues list Sanskrit and Rajasthani manuscripts associated with the former Bikaner court.
Folk performance forms associated with Bikaner include Jasnathi fire dance at Katriyasar, Holi-season Gindad, and Rammat open-air folk theatre.
International Camel Festival: an annual Bikaner festival promoted by Rajasthan Tourism, featuring camel decoration, races, dance and cultural performances.
Geography, Climate & Ecology
Located in the northwest corner of Rajasthan: 27°11′N–29°03′N, 71°54′E–74°12′E. Sandy plain of the Thar Desert with longitudinal and barchan dunes.
No perennial river — Bikaner depends entirely on the Indira Gandhi Canal (IGNP) which flows northeast to southwest through the district.
Average elevation 220–240 m; the highest point is the Kolayat ridge at about 280 m. Soil is aeolian sandy (Reg / Calcic) with saline-alkaline patches and gypsum belts in Nokha-Bikaner.
Climate is arid desert: dry air, hot summer winds, temperatures up to about 48 °C and winter lows around 10 °C; average rainfall is about 260–300 mm.
Wildlife and birding: the district industrial profile lists Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary, while Jorbeer Conservation Reserve near Bikaner is recognised by Wildlife Institute of India reporting as a vulture and raptor wintering site.
Desert ecology examples for exam prep: camel, chinkara, khejri and rohida are core Rajasthan symbols, while the Great Indian Bustard is Rajasthan’s critically endangered state bird and Jorbeer is important for vulture birding.
Mineral belts: gypsum (largest reserves in India at Jamsar/Sukhpura), lignite (Barsingsar, Palana, Gurha), bentonite, fuller’s earth, and red sandstone (Dulmera village, Lunkaransar tehsil).
Economy — Sectors, Industry, Energy
Economic base: agriculture and animal husbandry, gypsum-lignite-red sandstone minerals, Bikaneri Bhujia and other food processing, wool and carpet units, ceramics, tourism, and large renewable-energy projects.
Agriculture: net sown area ~16 lakh hectares (~53% of district). Kharif: bajra (largest), moong, moth, guar, til, groundnut, cotton (under canal area). Rabi: wheat (canal area), mustard (Bikaner sits in the mustard belt), gram, cumin, isabgol, taramira.
Bikaneri Bhujia has GI status, and the district industrial profile lists bhujia, papad and rasgulla among Bikaner’s resource-based food industries.
Wool and carpets: the district industrial profile lists woollen yarn, woollen knitting and handloom carpet units among Bikaner’s resource-based industries.
Ceramic and stone products: the district industrial profile lists ceramic products, glazed tiles, sanitary ware and red sandstone around Dulmera among Bikaner industrial opportunities.
Energy: Bikaner has major solar generation projects. Rajasthan Economic Review 2024-25 lists Pugal Solar Park as a 2,450 MW RSDCL project, and RERC archive records procurement of 2,450 MW solar plus 1,600 MW/6,400 MWh BESS. Other plants/projects include Karnisar-Bhatiyan (NHPC, 300 MW), Barsingsar Solar (NLC India, 300 MW), Barsingsar Thermal (250 MW lignite, NLCIL), SJVN 1 GW (commissioned), and NTPC REL Bikaner solar and 250 MW/1,000 MWh BESS tenders.
Date-palm horticulture: ICAR reports a government mechanised date-palm farm at Khara in Bikaner district, and ICAR-CIAH annual reporting records date-palm and pomegranate adoption studies across Bikaner and western Rajasthan.
Cattle: Rathi is an important milch breed concentrated in Lunkaransar tehsil of Bikaner district; Dairy Knowledge Portal reports average yield of about 1,560 kg per lactation, with a 1,062-2,810 kg range.
Political & Administrative Setup
Bikaner Lok Sabha is reserved (SC) and includes 8 Vidhan Sabha segments. The current MP (as of the 2024 General Election results) is Arjun Ram Meghwal of the BJP (Union Minister of State, Law & Justice — independent charge, Parliamentary Affairs).
Vidhan Sabha — 7 seats per the 2023 Rajasthan Legislative Assembly election: Bikaner East, Bikaner West, Khajuwala (SC), Kolayat, Lunkaransar, Nokha, Dungargarh.
Bikaner Division (commissionerate) covers Bikaner, Sri Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Churu after the December 2024 annulment of Anupgarh district. The District Collector & Magistrate (IAS) is the apex revenue and regulatory authority.
Administrative structure: 9 sub-divisions and 11 tehsils after the December 2024 Gazette reorganisation; 6 panchayat samitis, 1,498 villages, 290 gram panchayats, 1 Municipal Corporation plus 6 Municipal Councils (Deshnoke, Nokha, Dungargarh, Khajuwala, Lunkaransar and others).
Defence and strategic installations: Mahajan Field Firing Range (MFFR, ~600 sq km — site of Indo-US Yudh Abhyas / Indra Exercise 2025); BSF Sector HQ Bikaner covers ~168 km of the Indo-Pak border (Khajuwala, Pugal sectors); Nal Air Base (South Western Air Command, 11 km from city — Sukhoi-30 squadrons); Indian Army South Western Command overlay; Bikaner-1 and -2 Cantonments.
Governance Initiatives & Schemes (2025-26)
Clean & Green Eco Cities: Rajasthan Budget 2025-26 earmarked 900 crore rupees for Clean and Green Eco Cities, and state-current-affairs reporting later listed Bikaner among cities approved under the initiative.
PBM Hospital budget item: Rajasthan Budget 2025-26 announced upgradation of the Vitreo Retina Surgery Unit in PBM Hospital, Bikaner.
Pugal Solar Park: Rajasthan Economic Review 2024-25 lists it as a 2,450 MW RSDCL project; RERC archive records procurement of 2,450 MW solar plus 1,600 MW/6,400 MWh BESS.
Lakhpati Didi Yojana: Rajasthan Budget 2025-26 states a statewide target of 20 lakh Lakhpati Didis through women self-help groups.
Mukhyamantri Suposhan Nutri-Kit: pregnant women receive an additional nutrition kit — Bikaner ICDS rollout. Mukhyamantri Ayushman Arogya Yojana: PBM Hospital empanelled.
Camel Conservation Grant: Rajasthan Economic Review 2024-25 records assistance for newborn camel calves, increased from 10,000 to 20,000 rupees in 2024-25, benefiting camel herders statewide.
Other active schemes: PM-KUSUM (>20,000 solar agri-pumps approved in the Bikaner cluster), PM Awas Yojana — Gramin (heavy coverage in Pugal, Khajuwala, Bajju), Jal Jeevan Mission (Bikaner FHTC progress ~80%+), MGNREGA (top-five district by person-days), PM Vishwakarma (Usta artisans, sandstone carvers), RUSA-PMUSHA (MGS University Bikaner), Mukhyamantri Anuprati Coaching Yojana (free coaching to SC/ST/EWS Bikaner youth).
PYQ One-Liners (RAS / RPSC / RSSB)
Verify exact options from official RPSC / RSSB question papers before any examination use.
RAS Pre 2018
Q. Who established Bikaner and in which year?
A. Rao Bika in 1488 AD
RAS Pre 2021
Q. Largest district of Rajasthan by area is Jaisalmer; the second largest is —
A. Bikaner (30,247.90 sq km)
RAS Pre 2023
Q. Sabaniyan archaeological site is in which district?
A. Bikaner — chalcolithic culture similar to Jharol/Udaipur and Kurada/Nagaur
RAS Pre 2024
Q. Bikaner Lok Sabha is reserved for which category and who is the current MP?
A. SC reserved; current MP — Arjun Ram Meghwal (BJP)
RPSC
Q. Largest gypsum reserves in India are in —
A. Bikaner (Jamsar/Sukhpura)
RPSC
Q. Köppen climate classification of Bikaner is —
A. BWh — Hot Desert
RAS Mains 2021
Q. Maharaja Ganga Singh founded which regiment?
A. Ganga Risala (Bikaner Camel Corps) — saw action in WWI in Egypt and France
RPSC
Q. Jorbeer Conservation Reserve is known for —
A. Vultures and other raptors
Latest current affairs — Bikaner
Recent district-tagged news from the Aspirant Academy current-affairs corpus. Tap a headline for the full briefing.
- India Meteorological Department Issues Severe Heatwave Alert for Western Rajasthan from April 23, 2026; Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Phalodi, Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar, Sikar and Karauli Among Districts Affected
2026-04-23
IMD on April 23, 2026 issued a severe heatwave alert for western Rajasthan covering Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Phalodi, Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar, Sikar and Karauli, with the heatwave projected to intensif
- Rajasthan Observes Maharshi Parashuram Jayanti as a Notified State Holiday on April 19, 2026; CM Bhajanlal Sharma Greets the Brahmin Community and Reiterates Government Patronage of Parashuram Cultural Heritage
2026-04-19
Rajasthan observed Maharshi Parashuram Jayanti as a notified state holiday on April 19, 2026, coinciding with Akshaya Tritiya. CM Bhajanlal Sharma greeted the Brahmin community and reaffirmed state pa
- Rajasthan Public Service Commission Declares RAS 2024 Final Result on April 18, 2026; 2,492 Candidates Recommended, Dinesh Vishnoi of Barmer Tops Merit List
2026-04-18
On April 18, 2026 RPSC Ajmer declared the RAS 2024 final result with 2,391 candidates qualifying. Dinesh Bishnoi (Barmer) topped with 351.50 marks; Virendra Charan, Navneet Sharma, Ravindra Singh and
- IMD Issues Heatwave Advisory for Rajasthan on April 16, 2026; Barmer Records 42.8°C as Western Rajasthan Forecast at 41°C-43°C
2026-04-16
On April 16, 2026, IMD Jaipur issued a heatwave advisory across Rajasthan after Bikaner recorded the State's highest day temperature of 42.8°C on April 15, with Phalodi, Jaisalmer and Bikaner experien
- Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2026 — EPR Overhaul
2026-04-06
MoEFCC notified Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2026 from March 31, mandating 30-60% recycled content in rigid plastics by 2028-29, introducing plastic credit trading, 3-year EPR target car
Test yourself — 10 questions
A quick self-check drawn from the district reference above. Bilingual, no login required.
Question 1 of 10
Who founded Bikaner and in which year?
Frequently asked questions
Why is Bikaner called the Camel Country?
Bikaner hosts India’s camel research centre: the Project Directorate on Camel was established in 1984 and upgraded to the National Research Centre on Camel (NRCC) in 1995. It is associated with four Indian camel breeds, the annual International Camel Festival, and the Bikaner Camel Corps, also known as Ganga Risala, which is linked with World War I service.
How does Bikaner appear in the RAS / RPSC syllabus?
For RAS / RPSC preparation, Bikaner fits Rajasthan history, art and culture, geography, economy, polity and current-affairs themes: Rao Bika, Rai Singh, Maharaja Ganga Singh, Junagarh Fort, Karni Mata, Usta art, Bikaner painting, Bikaneri Bhujia GI, Thar desert, Indira Gandhi Canal, gypsum, renewable energy, administrative setup and Pugal Solar Park.
Which iconic species are found in Bikaner?
Bikaner’s exam-linked desert ecology is best anchored on camels, chinkara, khejri, rohida, the Great Indian Bustard as Rajasthan’s critically endangered state bird, and Jorbeer’s role as a wintering site for vultures and other raptors.
What is the Pugal Solar Park?
Rajasthan Economic Review 2024-25 lists Pugal Solar Park in Bikaner as a 2,450 MW RSDCL project to be developed in three phases, while the RERC archive records procurement of 2,450 MW solar plus 1,600 MW/6,400 MWh Energy Storage System (ESS).
How many tehsils and Vidhan Sabha seats does Bikaner have?
Bikaner has 11 tehsils (Bikaner, Nokha, Jasrasar, Kolayat, Shri Dungargarh, Hadan, Lunkaransar, Bajju, Chhattargarh, Khajuwala, Pugal) and 9 sub-divisions. It sends 1 MP to the Lok Sabha (SC reserved) and 7 MLAs to the Vidhan Sabha (Bikaner East, Bikaner West, Khajuwala SC, Kolayat, Lunkaransar, Nokha, Dungargarh).