Pariksha SaathiLesson 4 of 10 · Rajasthan General Knowledge
Formation of Rajasthan: Seven Stages of Integration, Polity and State Symbols
Drafted with AI assistance and fact-checked on 28 October 2026; not yet read line by line by a human editor. Spotted a mistake? Tell us. Editorial standards & corrections
The name
The region was long called Rajputana, a name first used by George Thomas in 1800. James Tod used the name Rajasthan in his Annals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (1829). The union formed in 1949 was called Greater Rajasthan, and the name Rajasthan was formally adopted on 26 January 1950, when the Constitution came into force. The integration that created the state is the most-asked topic in this area, so learn each stage with its date, members, capital and leaders.
First three stages (1948)
Stage one, the Matsya Union of 18 March 1948, joined Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur and Karauli with the Neemrana chiefship; Alwar was its capital, Udaybhan Singh of Dholpur its Rajpramukh and Shobharam Kumawat its prime minister, and its name, suggested by K.M. Munshi, recalled the ancient Matsya janapada. Stage two, the Rajasthan Union of 25 March 1948, joined 9 states (Kota, Bundi, Jhalawar, Tonk, Banswara, Dungarpur, Pratapgarh, Kishangarh and Shahpura) with the Kushalgarh chiefship; Kota was its capital, Maharao Bhim Singh of Kota its Rajpramukh and Gokul Lal Asawa its prime minister. Stage three, the United State of Rajasthan of 18 April 1948, added Udaipur (Mewar); it was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, Udaipur became the capital, Maharana Bhupal Singh the Rajpramukh and Manikya Lal Verma the prime minister.
Greater Rajasthan to 1956
Stage four, Greater Rajasthan, was inaugurated by Sardar Patel on 30 March 1949, when Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer, with the Lawa chiefship, joined; this day is celebrated as Rajasthan Day (Rajasthan Diwas). Jaipur became the capital, Sawai Man Singh II of Jaipur the Rajpramukh, Bhupal Singh the Maharaj Pramukh and Hiralal Shastri the prime minister, a title later changed to chief minister. Stage five, the United Greater Rajasthan, came on 15 May 1949, when the Matsya Union merged after the Shankar Rao Deo committee had gauged public opinion there. Stage six, on 26 January 1950, added Sirohi except the Abu and Delwara tehsils, which went to Bombay state; Rajasthan was then a Part B state headed by a Rajpramukh. Stage seven came on 1 November 1956 under the States Reorganisation Act: Ajmer-Merwara (until then a Part C state with Haribhau Upadhyay as chief minister), Abu-Delwara from Bombay and the Sunel Tappa from Madhya Bharat were added, while Sironj went to Madhya Pradesh. The Rajpramukh's office ended and Gurmukh Nihal Singh became the first Governor.
Capital and state offices
Jaipur was chosen as the capital, and to balance the claims of the old states, major offices were spread across other cities. The High Court sits at Jodhpur; the Rajasthan Public Service Commission, the Board of Revenue and the Board of Secondary Education are at Ajmer; and the Directorate of Education is at Bikaner. Exams like this point: the capital and the High Court are in different cities.
Legislature and representation
Rajasthan has a unicameral legislature, the Vidhan Sabha, with 200 members, its strength since the 1977 election; there is no Legislative Council. In Parliament the state has 25 Lok Sabha seats and 10 Rajya Sabha seats. Hiralal Shastri headed the first popular ministry in 1949; Tikaram Paliwal became the first elected chief minister after the 1952 election, and Mohan Lal Sukhadia held the post for the longest unbroken spell (1954-1971). Rajasthan was the first state to launch Panchayati Raj on the Balwantrai Mehta pattern: Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated it at Bagdari village in Nagaur on 2 October 1959.
The judiciary
The Rajasthan High Court was set up at Jodhpur on 29 August 1949, with Kamla Kant Verma as its first Chief Justice. A bench at Jaipur worked in the early years, was abolished in 1958 and was re-established in 1977, so the court sits at Jodhpur with a permanent bench at Jaipur.
State symbols
The chinkara (Indian gazelle) is the state animal in the wild category (1981), and the camel was declared the state animal in the livestock category in 2014. The great Indian bustard (godawan) is the state bird (1981). The khejri (Prosopis cineraria), the kalpavriksha of the desert, is the state tree (1983), and the rohida (Tecomella undulata), called Marwar teak, is the state flower (1983). Ghoomar is the state dance and basketball the state game.
Key facts
- Stage 1, Matsya Union, 18 March 1948: Alwar, Bharatpur, Dholpur, Karauli and Neemrana; capital Alwar; name suggested by K.M. Munshi.
- Stage 2, Rajasthan Union, 25 March 1948: 9 states including Kota, Bundi, Tonk, Kishangarh and Shahpura; capital Kota.
- Stage 3, United State of Rajasthan, 18 April 1948: Udaipur joined; inaugurated by Nehru; prime minister Manikya Lal Verma.
- Stage 4, Greater Rajasthan, 30 March 1949: Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner and Jaisalmer joined; inaugurated by Sardar Patel; celebrated as Rajasthan Day.
- Stage 5, 15 May 1949: Matsya merged (Shankar Rao Deo committee); Stage 6, 26 January 1950: Sirohi without Abu-Delwara.
- Stage 7, 1 November 1956: Ajmer-Merwara, Abu-Delwara and Sunel Tappa added, Sironj to Madhya Pradesh; whole process took 8 years, 7 months and 14 days.
- Vidhan Sabha: unicameral, 200 seats; Lok Sabha 25 seats, Rajya Sabha 10 seats.
- High Court: Jodhpur, set up 29 August 1949; Jaipur bench re-established 1977; RPSC, Board of Revenue and Board of Secondary Education at Ajmer.
- State symbols: chinkara (1981) and camel (2014) as animals, godawan bird (1981), khejri tree and rohida flower (1983), Ghoomar dance.
- Panchayati Raj: first launched in India at Bagdari village, Nagaur, by Nehru on 2 October 1959.
Quick revision
Name Rajasthan adopted 26 Jan 1950; Matsya Union 18 Mar 1948 (Alwar); Rajasthan Union 25 Mar 1948 (Kota); United Rajasthan 18 Apr 1948 (Udaipur, Nehru); Greater Rajasthan 30 Mar 1949 (Jaipur, Patel, Rajasthan Day); Matsya merged 15 May 1949; Sirohi 26 Jan 1950; Ajmer-Merwara 1 Nov 1956, first Governor Gurmukh Nihal Singh; Vidhan Sabha 200, LS 25, RS 10; HC Jodhpur 29 Aug 1949; Panchayati Raj Nagaur 2 Oct 1959.