Which of the following Indian states does not share a land border with the state of Jharkhand?

Introduction / Context:
Jharkhand is a landlocked state in eastern India that was carved out of Bihar in the year 2000. Many competitive exams test basic political geography by asking which states share boundaries with a given state. This question specifically asks you to identify which state does not share any land border with Jharkhand, so it checks your mental map of eastern and central India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Jharkhand is located in eastern India and is surrounded by several states. • The options list Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. • We assume present day political boundaries, with Jharkhand formed as a separate state.

Concept / Approach:
The key idea is to remember which states physically touch Jharkhand on a map. Jharkhand borders Bihar to the north, West Bengal to the east, Odisha to the south, Chhattisgarh to the west and Uttar Pradesh at a small stretch in the north west. Any state that is not among these neighbours clearly does not share a border with Jharkhand. By comparing this list with the options, we can find the odd state out that lies further away geographically.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Jharkhand lies south of Bihar. Bihar is not in the options but helps you visualise the region. Step 2: To the east, Jharkhand shares a long border with West Bengal, so West Bengal is definitely a neighbour. Step 3: To the south, Jharkhand borders Odisha, so Odisha is also a neighbour. Step 4: To the west, Jharkhand touches Chhattisgarh, which confirms that Chhattisgarh is another neighbour. Step 5: In the north west, Jharkhand has a small boundary with Uttar Pradesh, so Uttar Pradesh is also a neighbouring state. Step 6: Madhya Pradesh lies further to the west, beyond Chhattisgarh and Uttar Pradesh. It does not directly touch Jharkhand, so it is the state that does not share a border with Jharkhand.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can cross check this by mentally moving westward from Jharkhand. Immediately to the west is Chhattisgarh, then farther west lies Madhya Pradesh. Since there is no direct contact between Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh, the two states do not share a boundary. Atlases and political maps of India confirm this arrangement of states, which supports the selection of Madhya Pradesh as the only non bordering state among the options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Chhattisgarh: Shares a western boundary with Jharkhand, so it is a neighbour. Odisha: Lies directly to the south of Jharkhand and clearly touches it. West Bengal: Shares a significant eastern boundary with Jharkhand. Uttar Pradesh: Has a short but definite border with Jharkhand in the north west.

Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to confuse Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, because both are central Indian states and Chhattisgarh was originally part of Madhya Pradesh. Students who remember the older map sometimes assume that Madhya Pradesh still touches Jharkhand. Another error is to underestimate the small border between Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh. To avoid these problems, it is useful to update your mental map with the current state boundaries and remember which new states were carved out of older ones.

Final Answer:
The state that does not share its border with Jharkhand is Madhya Pradesh.