The political map of India has undergone a few significant changes in recent years. Because of this, many students get confused about the exact count of States and Union Territories (UTs).
Total States: 28.
Total Union Territories (UTs): 8.
Newest UTs: Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Merged UT: Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
As of the latest updates (effective from 2020 onwards), India has exactly:
A few years ago, we were taught that India had 29 States and 7 UTs. Here is what changed to arrive at the 28/8 count:
The Jammu & Kashmir Change (2019): The state of Jammu & Kashmir was officially stripped of its statehood and split into two separate Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh. (This dropped the state count from 29 to 28, and increased the UT count from 7 to 9).
The Daman & Diu Merger (2020): To improve administration, the government merged two separate UTs ('Daman and Diu' and 'Dadra and Nagar Haveli') into a single Union Territory. (This dropped the UT count from 9 back down to 8).
Currently, India has 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
No, Jammu and Kashmir is no longer a state. In 2019, it was converted into a Union Territory.
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