When was Uttarakhand separated from Uttar Pradesh to form a new state of the Indian Union?

Introduction / Context:
This question checks knowledge of modern Indian political geography and the timeline of state reorganisation. Uttarakhand, formerly part of Uttar Pradesh, was created as a separate state around the turn of the century. Many competitive exams ask about the creation years of newer states such as Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh because they reflect important administrative and political changes in India.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The question focuses on the year when Uttarakhand was officially formed as a new state.
- It is already mentioned that Uttarakhand was separated from Uttar Pradesh, so the parent state is clear.
- The options list consecutive years close to 2000, which can cause confusion.
- We assume standard official dates notified by the Government of India.

Concept / Approach:
The concept here is basic factual recall about the State Reorganisation Acts that created new states. Uttarakhand was initially created under the name Uttaranchal and later renamed Uttarakhand. The Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act was passed by Parliament to carve out the hill region as a separate state. The key point to remember is that the new state formally came into existence on 9 November 2000. Therefore, the correct option is the year 2000.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that three states, namely Uttarakhand (then Uttaranchal), Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, were created around the year 2000.Step 2: Specifically for Uttarakhand, remember the date 9 November 2000 when it was officially formed out of Uttar Pradesh.Step 3: Compare this with the given options: 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 plus a distractor 2001.Step 4: None of the years 1997, 1998 or 1999 match the official formation year of the state.Step 5: The only option matching the correct year is 2000, so choose 2000.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another quick way to verify is to connect Uttarakhand's formation with major political events. In 2000, under the NDA government, three new states were created: Chhattisgarh (from Madhya Pradesh), Jharkhand (from Bihar) and Uttaranchal (from Uttar Pradesh, later renamed Uttarakhand). Remembering this trio helps confirm that the year is 2000. Official documents and school textbooks also clearly mention 9 November 2000 as the date of formation.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1997: This predates the actual parliamentary act and is not connected to any major state formation involving Uttarakhand.
1998: Sometimes guessed due to political movements, but the state was not yet formed in this year.
1999: Still too early; legislative steps were ongoing, but the state did not legally exist.
2001: A year after the actual formation, added as a distractor for learners who misremember the exact date.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse the year of intense statehood movements and agitations with the actual legal formation year. Some may also mix up the formation years of Uttarakhand, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh. A useful strategy is to remember that all three were created in the same year, 2000, but on different dates. Keeping a small mental timeline of key constitutional changes after 1956 helps avoid these misunderstandings.

Final Answer:
2000