Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Odisha and Andhra Pradesh
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
This question checks your understanding of the Indian Standard Meridian and the states through which it passes. The Indian Standard Time is based on 82 degree 30 minutes East longitude, and knowing its path across different states is an important detail in Indian geography and is frequently asked in competitive examinations.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The Indian Standard Meridian runs roughly from north to south, passing through several states. It is conventionally described as passing through Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. To answer this question, you need to remember this list and match it with the given pairs. Among the options, only the combination of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh exactly matches two additional states that lie on this meridian.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the full list of states through which the Indian Standard Meridian passes, namely Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh.
Step 2: The question already mentions Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, so you look for a pair consisting of other states on this list.
Step 3: Notice that Odisha and Andhra Pradesh both lie approximately along 82 degree 30 minutes East longitude.
Step 4: Compare each option with the known list and check whether both states in the pair lie on the meridian.
Step 5: Select Odisha and Andhra Pradesh as the only pair that correctly matches the path of the Indian Standard Meridian.
Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this information using an atlas that shows longitudes across India. Locate the 82 degree 30 minutes East line and visually trace it from north to south. You will see it crossing central Uttar Pradesh, central Madhya Pradesh, moving through Chhattisgarh and then continuing through Odisha and Andhra Pradesh before reaching the coast. Most standard textbooks also mention these states explicitly when discussing Indian Standard Time and the choice of the reference meridian.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The pair Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka is incorrect because Karnataka is located further west and the standard meridian does not pass through it. The option Karnataka and Tamil Nadu is wrong for the same reason and because Tamil Nadu is also not crossed by 82 degree 30 minutes East. Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu is incorrect since Tamil Nadu lies further to the east and south. Jharkhand and West Bengal are located to the east of the Indian Standard Meridian, so the reference longitude does not pass through that pair either.
Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to assume that any state along the east coast must lie on the Indian Standard Meridian, but the reference longitude is fixed and relatively narrow. Another pitfall is forgetting the intermediate state of Chhattisgarh and therefore misremembering the full north south path of the meridian. To avoid such errors, it is helpful to write down or visualise the sequence of states from north to south whenever you revise the topic of Indian Standard Time.
Final Answer:
Odisha and Andhra Pradesh
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