As per the Census, 2011 estimates, which one of the following is the most populous State in India ?

The answer is D, Uttar Pradesh. In Census 2011, UP recorded about 19.98 crore people, roughly 16.5% of India's population, and it has been the most populous state for decades.

• Maharashtra (Option C) is second with about 11.24 crore, far behind UP.
• Bihar (Option A) had about 10.41 crore, third in rank.
• Madhya Pradesh (Option B) had about 7.26 crore, sixth in rank, after UP, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh.

The concept is inter-state population distribution. It matters for Lok Sabha seat allocation: UP sends 80 MPs, the largest share, because seats are tied to population. This links to Mains questions on federal representation, the fiscal devolution criteria used by the Finance Commission, and the demographic dividend.

Trap: aspirants confuse population with area. Rajasthan is the largest state by area, and that is a different question. For population, the answer is UP.