Difficulty: Medium
Correct Answer: Meghalaya
Explanation:
Introduction / Context:
Population statistics are fundamental to human geography. Census 2011 provides official data for the population of each Indian state. Many exam questions ask either for the most populated or least populated state overall or among a small set of options. The original wording of this question appears inconsistent with the options, but in practice, exam keys use the relative population sizes of Goa, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Sikkim according to Census 2011. Among these, Meghalaya has the highest population, while Sikkim has the lowest. In standard exam treatment, the focus is often on recognizing Meghalaya as the most populated among the four.
Given Data / Assumptions:
Concept / Approach:
The concept is comparative population. Even though none of these four states is close to the national population leaders like Uttar Pradesh or Maharashtra, they still differ significantly among themselves. Meghalaya, being a larger state in terms of area and settlements, has a population higher than Goa, Mizoram, and Sikkim. Sikkim is the smallest by population among these choices. The approach is to recall approximate population figures or rankings for these small states as per Census 2011 and then identify which one has the maximum population if we follow the usual exam convention.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Sikkim has one of the smallest populations among Indian states, well below ten lakh.
Step 2: Remember that Mizoram also has a small population, roughly in the ten to twelve lakh range.
Step 3: Note that Goa has a moderate population around fifteen lakh as per Census 2011.
Step 4: Recognize that Meghalaya, with a population exceeding twenty five lakh and approaching thirty lakh, is the most populated among these four states.
Step 5: Based on this relative ranking, pick Meghalaya when asked to identify the state with the highest population among the given options.
Verification / Alternative check:
To verify, you can consult standard tables from Census 2011. These show Meghalaya with the largest population among the four small states listed. Sikkim consistently appears as one of the least populated states in India, and the others fall in between. Many exam preparation books summarize this data and sometimes ask specifically for the least populated or most populated state within a given group. Even when the wording in a practice question is unclear, exam keys rely on such established census rankings, where Meghalaya clearly leads this small group.
Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Goa: Goa has a population lower than Meghalaya and is not the most populated among the four, despite being a well known tourist destination.
Mizoram: Mizoram s population is smaller than both Goa and Meghalaya according to Census 2011, so it cannot be the most populated within this set.
Sikkim: Sikkim is actually the least populated among these states, not the most populated, so choosing Sikkim would invert the correct ranking.
Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates focus on tourism popularity or economic development and assume Goa may have the highest population, even though it is quite small geographically. Others may suspect Mizoram or Sikkim due to lack of familiarity with their numbers. Another pitfall is not distinguishing between highest and lowest population in a relative comparison, especially when the question stem is unclear. Practising with actual census tables helps you build a reliable mental ranking for such small states.
Final Answer:
Among Goa, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Sikkim, the state with the highest population as per Census 2011 is Meghalaya, so Meghalaya is treated as the correct answer in this question.
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