The Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India relates to the administration of tribal areas in which of the following States?

Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India contains special provisions for the administration of tribal and scheduled areas, especially in the North Eastern region. The Sixth Schedule provides for Autonomous District Councils and Regional Councils in certain States, granting them powers related to local governance and customary law. This question tests whether the learner can correctly identify the group of States to which the Sixth Schedule applies.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question asks specifically about the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
• Four combinations of North Eastern States are provided.
• We assume standard constitutional knowledge taught in Indian polity courses.

Concept / Approach:
The Sixth Schedule deals with special arrangements for tribal areas in four States of the North Eastern region. These States are Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. The other States of the North East, such as Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, have other kinds of arrangements but are not covered under the Sixth Schedule in the same way. By comparing each option to this known list, we can locate the correct combination.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the Sixth Schedule covers tribal areas in four States: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. Step 2: Examine option A: it lists Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. This matches the list remembered for the Sixth Schedule. Step 3: Consider option B: it replaces Assam with Manipur. However, Manipur is not a State where Autonomous District Councils are constituted under the Sixth Schedule in the same way, so this combination is incorrect. Step 4: Look at option C: it includes Manipur but leaves out Mizoram. Since Mizoram is a Sixth Schedule State, option C is wrong. Step 5: Check option D: it lists Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh along with Meghalaya and Tripura. This group again does not match the recognised Sixth Schedule States. Step 6: Therefore the only option that exactly matches the official list is option A.

Verification / Alternative check:
Learners can cross check by remembering common exam facts that mention Autonomous District Councils such as the Khasi Hills, Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills Councils in Meghalaya, the Bodoland Territorial Council and others in Assam, councils in Tripura and district councils in Mizoram. These examples are repeatedly associated with the Sixth Schedule. In contrast, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are usually discussed under different constitutional provisions, which further confirms that option A is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Options B, C and D incorrectly include Manipur and sometimes Arunachal Pradesh while excluding one or more of the actual Sixth Schedule States.
• Any list of States that does not include all of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram cannot correctly represent the coverage of the Sixth Schedule.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is confusion among the various North Eastern States because they share similar geographic and cultural features and often have special constitutional provisions. Candidates may assume that all North Eastern States are covered under the Sixth Schedule, which is not the case. Another difficulty is mixing up the Fifth Schedule, which deals with scheduled areas in other parts of India, with the Sixth Schedule, which is specific to certain tribal areas in the North East. Keeping a clear mapping between each Schedule and the States it covers avoids such confusion.

Final Answer:
Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram