The Tropic of Cancer passes across several Indian states. Among the following options, through which one of these states does the Tropic of Cancer not pass?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests knowledge of the path of the Tropic of Cancer across India and asks you to identify the Indian state through which it does not pass. Such questions are frequent in geography sections of competitive exams and help students visualise the latitudinal divisions of the country.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The Tropic of Cancer is at about 23.5 degrees north latitude.
• We are given four Indian states: Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Rajasthan, and Odisha.
• We must identify the state that does not lie on the Tropic of Cancer's path.

Concept / Approach:
The Tropic of Cancer passes through eight Indian states: Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram. Any state outside this list does not have the Tropic of Cancer crossing it. By comparing the given options with this standard list, we can determine which state is not intersected by the Tropic of Cancer.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall or note the list of Indian states through which the Tropic of Cancer passes. They are Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Tripura, and Mizoram. Step 2: Check each option against this list. Madhya Pradesh is on the list, so the Tropic of Cancer passes through it. West Bengal is also on the list and is crossed by the Tropic of Cancer. Rajasthan is similarly on the list and is intersected by the Tropic. Odisha is not on the list, and it lies to the southeast of these states and is not crossed by the Tropic of Cancer. Step 3: Therefore, Odisha is the only option through which the Tropic of Cancer does not pass.

Verification / Alternative check:
Looking at a map of India, the Tropic of Cancer enters from Gujarat and then crosses Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and West Bengal before reaching the north eastern states of Tripura and Mizoram. Odisha lies to the south of the Tropic of Cancer and is situated closer to the eastern coast of India. The line of latitude does not touch Odisha, which verifies our reasoning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Madhya Pradesh, is correctly crossed by the Tropic of Cancer near its central region. Option B, West Bengal, is also intersected by the Tropic of Cancer, which passes across its northern part. Option C, Rajasthan, is one of the western states through which the Tropic of Cancer clearly passes. Therefore, these three cannot be the correct answer to the question asking where the Tropic does not pass. Only option D, Odisha, is not on this path.

Common Pitfalls:
Students sometimes confuse Odisha with other eastern states or incorrectly assume that the Tropic of Cancer crosses more coastal regions than it actually does. Another pitfall is mixing up the list of states crossed by the Tropic of Cancer with those crossed by the Standard Meridian of India or other imaginary lines. Regular practice with maps and remembering at least a few key states on each latitude line helps avoid such mistakes.

Final Answer:
Among the given options, the Tropic of Cancer does not pass through Odisha.