Shillong is a well known hill station in northeast India. It serves as the capital city of which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
India's north eastern region contains several hill stations and state capitals located in scenic, hilly terrain. Shillong is one of the best known among them and is frequently mentioned in questions that test knowledge of state capitals and regional geography. This question checks whether you can correctly match Shillong with its state, a basic but important fact for both school level geography and competitive exams.

Given Data / Assumptions:

- Shillong is identified as a hill station in northeast India. - The question asks for the name of the state for which Shillong is the capital. - Options include Sikkim, Manipur, Tripura and Meghalaya. - Learners are expected to know standard lists of Indian state capitals.

Concept / Approach:
The concept tested here is straightforward mapping of state capitals. Each north eastern state has a distinct capital: for example, Gangtok for Sikkim, Imphal for Manipur, Agartala for Tripura and Shillong for Meghalaya. The approach is simply to recall this list and identify which state pairs correctly with Shillong. This reinforces both political geography and basic awareness of the northeastern region's administrative centres.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Verification is easy using a map of India that lists state capitals. On such a map, Meghalaya is clearly labelled with Shillong as its capital. School geography textbooks and competitive exam guides likewise list Shillong under Meghalaya. Some resources also mention that Shillong served as the capital of composite Assam during the British period before the reorganisation of northeastern states, further highlighting its administrative importance in this region.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sikkim is a Himalayan state whose capital is Gangtok, so pairing it with Shillong would be incorrect. Manipur's capital is Imphal, a city located in a valley rather than in the Khasi hills where Shillong lies. Tripura's capital, Agartala, is situated in a different part of the northeast with its own distinct features. None of the above would be wrong only if Shillong was not a capital city for any listed state, but since it definitely is the capital of Meghalaya, that choice is correct and the others are not.

Common Pitfalls:
Students who are not very familiar with the northeast sometimes mix up the capitals of these smaller states, especially Tripura, Manipur and Meghalaya. Another pitfall is confusing the old administrative role of Shillong as capital of undivided Assam with its current status as capital of Meghalaya. A simple way to avoid confusion is to memorise capital pairs state by state and revise them regularly, paying special attention to the northeastern region.

Final Answer:
Shillong is the capital city of the state of Meghalaya in northeast India.