In the acronym BIMARU used in Indian population geography, the letter M stands for which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
BIMARU is a term that was commonly used in Indian demography and development discussions to describe a group of relatively backward states in terms of health, education and population indicators during certain decades. Knowing the full form of this acronym is a standard exam topic in Indian geography and economics.

Given Data / Assumptions:
• The acronym is BIMARU. • Each letter represents one state in north or central India. • The question specifically asks what the letter M stands for. • Options include several states whose names begin with M.

Concept / Approach:
BIMARU is usually expanded as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, with some interpretations also including states like Odisha later. In this original context, the letter M clearly stands for Madhya Pradesh. The approach is simply to recall this standard expansion from population geography.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Write out the acronym BIMARU and map each letter to a state. Step 2: B corresponds to Bihar, I is sometimes included to represent a linking vowel, M stands for Madhya Pradesh, R stands for Rajasthan and U stands for Uttar Pradesh. Step 3: Among the options, Madhya Pradesh fits this mapping correctly. Step 4: The other states beginning with M such as Maharashtra, Manipur, Mizoram and Meghalaya are not part of the original BIMARU grouping. Step 5: Therefore, select Madhya Pradesh as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Demography and development textbooks that discuss high population growth and low development in certain Hindi belt states explicitly expand BIMARU as Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. Competitive exam notes follow the same expansion and identify M as Madhya Pradesh. No standard reference uses this acronym with Manipur, Mizoram or Meghalaya in place of Madhya Pradesh.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Maharashtra: A large and significant state but not part of the classical BIMARU grouping. Manipur: A small north eastern state, not included in this particular acronym. Mizoram: Another north eastern state outside the Hindi speaking BIMARU cluster. Meghalaya: Also in the north east and unrelated to the BIMARU term.

Common Pitfalls:
Some students may think of Maharashtra because it is a large state starting with M, but it was not clubbed under BIMARU in classic discussions. Others may guess randomly among M states without recalling that BIMARU mainly refers to central and northern Hindi belt states. Remember that the group originally highlighted the socio economic challenges of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh together.

Final Answer:
In the acronym BIMARU, the letter M stands for Madhya Pradesh.