Which one of the following words is different from the rest when you compare Indian state capitals and related names?

Introduction / Context:
Odd one out questions are designed to test your ability to see patterns and classifications. Here the pattern involves Indian state capitals and how they relate to the names in the options. Identifying which word does not fit helps improve both logical reasoning and geographic awareness.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The words listed are Shimla, Nagaland, Kohima, Imphal and Panaji. • Some of these are names of cities, while at least one is the name of a state. • Many of the city names are state capitals.

Concept / Approach:
The main idea is to classify the options into states and capital cities. Shimla is the capital of Himachal Pradesh, Kohima is the capital of Nagaland, Imphal is the capital of Manipur and Panaji is the capital of Goa. In contrast, Nagaland is itself a state, not a city. Thus Nagaland is the only option that is not a city level capital name, which makes it different from the rest.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify Shimla as a hill station that serves as the capital of Himachal Pradesh. Step 2: Recognise Kohima as the capital city of the state of Nagaland. Step 3: Recall that Imphal is the capital city of Manipur in north east India. Step 4: Note that Panaji, also written as Panjim, is the capital of Goa. Step 5: Observe that Nagaland in the list is not a city but a state. Therefore, Nagaland is the odd one out.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can double check this pattern by writing a quick mapping in your mind: Shimla equals capital city, Kohima equals capital city, Imphal equals capital city and Panaji equals capital city, whereas Nagaland equals full state. Since four options are capitals and one is only a state, the state name stands out as the different element.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Shimla: City and capital of Himachal Pradesh, similar in type to the other city names. Kohima: Capital city of the state of Nagaland, again a city level name. Imphal: Capital city of Manipur, fits the pattern of city capitals. Panaji: Capital city of Goa, also part of the capital city group.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes learners quickly notice Nagaland and Kohima together and get confused, because one is a state and the other is its capital. They may incorrectly think that Kohima is the odd one because it seems repeated with Nagaland, but the actual pattern here is city capitals versus state name. To avoid such traps, always check the category to which each option belongs rather than only noticing pairings.

Final Answer:
The word that is different from the rest is Nagaland, because it is a state while the others are capital cities.