General Studies and General Knowledge, including Uttarakhand GK
Uttarakhand: formation and polity
Uttarakhand became India's 27th state on 9 November 2000 under the Uttar Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000, initially named Uttaranchal; the name was changed to Uttarakhand in 2007. Dehradun is the interim capital and Gairsain (Bharadisain, Chamoli) the summer capital. The state has 13 districts, 5 Lok Sabha seats, 3 Rajya Sabha seats and a 70-member Assembly.
Physical and cultural geography
Nanda Devi (7,816 m) is the highest peak wholly in India; Kamet and Trishul are other notable peaks. Devprayag is the confluence of the Alaknanda and the Bhagirathi, where the Ganga begins; the Panch Prayag are Vishnuprayag, Nandprayag, Karnaprayag, Rudraprayag and Devprayag. Jim Corbett (1936) is India's oldest national park; Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve and the Valley of Flowers are UNESCO World Heritage sites. State symbols: musk deer (animal), monal (bird), burans/rhododendron (tree), Brahma Kamal (flower). Aipan is the traditional folk art; Chholiya is a martial folk dance.
Worked example
Question: "The Ganga is formed at which confluence?" Reason: the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi meet at Devprayag, while the Alaknanda and Pindar meet at Karnaprayag. Hence Devprayag is correct.
Traps
Do not confuse Uttaranchal (2000) with Uttarakhand (2007); Nanda Devi with Kangchenjunga (highest in India); Gairsain with Dehradun; 13 districts with 14.