Read the following paragraph carefully and answer the five questions that follow:
In the North-East, regional aspirations reached a turning point in the 1980s. This region now consists of seven States, also referred to as the ‘Seven Sisters’. The region has only 4 percent of the country’s population but about twice as much share of its area. A small corridor of about 22 kilometers connects the region to the rest of the country. Otherwise, the region shares boundaries with China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh and serves as India’s gateway to South-East Asia.
The region has witnessed a lot of change since 1947. Tripura, Manipur, and Khasi Hills of Meghalaya were erstwhile Princely States which merged with India after Independence. The entire region of North-East has undergone considerable political reorganization. Nagaland
State was created in 1963; Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya in 1972, while Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh became separate States only in 1987. The Partition of India in 1947 had reduced the North-East to a land-locked region and affected its economy. Cut off from the rest of India, the region suffered neglect in developmental terms. Its politics too remained insulated. At the same time, most States in this region underwent major demographic changes due to an influx of migrants from neighboring States and countries. The isolation of the region, its complex social character, and its backwardness compared to other parts of the country have all resulted in the complicated set of demands from different States of the North-East. The vast international border and weak communication between the North-East and the rest of India have further added to the delicate nature of politics there. Three issues dominate the politics of North-East: demands for autonomy, movements for secession, and opposition to ‘outsiders’. Major initiatives on the first issue in the 1970s set the stage for some dramatic developments on the second and the third in the 1980s.
India's North-East region, comprising Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Tripura, is known as the Seven Sisters.
The introductory sentence of the paragraph confirms this by stating: "In the North-East, regional aspirations reached a turning point in the 1980s. This region now consists of seven States, also referred to as the ‘Seven Sisters’."
Consequently, "Seven Sisters" is the explicit and readily available designation for the seven states within India's North-East region, as used within the provided text.
Based on the provided passage, the North-East region of India borders three countries. The text states that this region, connected to the rest of India by a narrow corridor, shares its borders with "China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh." This aligns with the correct option provided:
Therefore, the correct answer is Option: China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh.
The Khasi tribes are native to Meghalaya, an Indian state in Northeast India, a region renowned for its diverse ethnicities and distinct cultural heritage. As a significant tribal community in Meghalaya, located in the northeastern part of India among the 'Seven Sisters' states, the Khasi people contribute to this rich tapestry.
The Northeast region, encompassing Meghalaya, has undergone substantial political and demographic transformations post-India's independence in 1947. Meghalaya, formerly a part of Assam, was established as a separate state in 1972 after political restructuring. The Khasi language and traditions are central to the identity of the state, being a primary indigenous group.
Ultimately, the Khasi tribes are primarily linked to the state of Meghalaya.
India's North-East region functions as a key entry point to South-East Asia due to its geographical location, bordering China, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. Its historical and political circumstances further solidify its strategic importance as India's gateway to South-East Asia, as elaborated in the accompanying passage detailing the region's connections and borders.
Due to its geopolitical and cultural ties, South-East Asia is the most closely linked and relevant region to North-East India, aligning with India's wider geographical and diplomatic strategy.
Consequently, the correct designation is South-East Asia.
Read the passage given below and answer the questions that follow:
India adopted a democratic approach to the question of diversity. Democracy allows the political expressions of regional aspirations and does not look upon them as anti-national. Besides, democratic politics allows parties and groups to address the people on the basis of their regional identity, aspiration, and specific regional problems. Thus, in the course of democratic politics, regional aspirations get strengthened. At the same time, democratic politics also means that regional issues and problems will receive adequate attention and accommodation in the policy-making process.