Understanding India's administrative architecture requires looking closely at subnational tiers, where Uttar Pradesh stands out with its exact breakdown of 75 districts. These districts serve as the primary operational units for state revenue collection, law enforcement, and local development projects, grouped under 18 distinct regional divisions.
If you're tracking public administration data or preparing for competitive examinations, you need more than a raw spreadsheet. This reference provides an organized bilingual breakdown of all 75 districts, explaining how regional governance functions across the country's most populous state.
The Structure of Administrative Divisions
India's administrative framework relies on a cascading hierarchy. At the apex is the central government, followed by states and union territories. Within states like Uttar Pradesh, governance is decentralized into divisions, districts, tehsils, and blocks.
A divisional commissioner oversees each of the 18 administrative divisions, coordinating multiple districts to ensure policy execution flows smoothly from state capitals down to rural village councils. Knowing these boundaries helps researchers, planners, and citizens navigate local bureaucratic jurisdictions efficiently.
Complete List of 75 Districts in English and Hindi
The following catalog outlines the 75 districts, presenting their names in English alongside their standard Devanagari script (Hindi) equivalents.
- Agra / आगरा
- Aligarh / अलीगढ़
- Ambedkar Nagar / अंबेडकर नगर
- Amethi / अमेठी
- Amroha / अमरोहा
- Auraiya / औरैया
- Ayodhya / अयोध्या
- Azamgarh / आजमगढ़
- Baghpat / बागपत
- Bahraich / बहराइच
- Ballia / बलिया
- Balrampur / बलरामपुर
- Banda / बांदा
- Barabanki / बाराबंकी
- Bareilly / बरेली
- Basti / बस्ती
- Bijnor / बिजनौर
- Budaun / बदायूं
- Bulandshahr / बुलंदशहर
- Chandauli / चंदौली
- Chitrakoot / चित्रकूट
- Deoria / देवरिया
- Etah / एटा
- Etawah / इटावा
- Farrukhabad / फर्रुखाबाद
- Fatehpur / फतेहपुर
- Firozabad / फिरोजाबाद
- Gautam Buddha Nagar / गौतम बुद्ध नगर
- Ghaziabad / गाजियाबाद
- Ghazipur / गाजीपुर
- Gonda / गोंडा
- Gorakhpur / गोरखपुर
- Hamirpur / हमीरपुर
- Hapur / हापुड़
- Hardoi / हरदोई
- Hathras / हाथरस
- Jalaun / जालौन
- Jaunpur / जौनपुर
- Jhansi / झांसी
- Kannauj / कन्नौज
- Kanpur Dehat / कानपुर देहात
- Kanpur Nagar / कानपुर नगर
- Kasganj / कासगंज
- Kaushambi / कौशाम्بي
- Kushinagar / कुशीनगर
- Lakhimpur Kheri / लखीमपुर खीरी
- Lalitpur / ललितपुर
- Lucknow / लखनऊ
- Maharajganj / महाराजगंज
- Mahoba / महोबा
- Mainpuri / मैनपुरी
- Mathura / मथुरा
- Mau / मऊ
- Meerut / मेरठ
- Mirzapur / मिर्ज़ापुर
- Moradabad / मुरादाबाद
- Muzaffarnagar / मुजफ्फरनगर
- Pilibhit / पीलीभीत
- Pratapgarh / प्रतापगढ़
- Prayagraj / प्रयागराज
- Rae Bareli / रायबरेली
- Rampur / रामपुर
- Saharanpur / सहारनपुर
- Sambhal / संभल
- Sant Kabir Nagar / संत कबीर नगर
- Shahjahanpur / शाहजहांपुर
- Shamli / शामली
- Shravasti / श्रावस्ती
- Siddharthnagar / सिद्धार्थनगर
- Sitapur / सीतापुर
- Sonbhadra / सोनभद्र
- Sultanpur / सुल्तानपुर
- Unnao / उन्नाव
- Varanasi / वाराणसी
- Bhadohi / भदोही
How District Reorganization Works
State governments hold the constitutional authority to alter boundaries, carve out new districts, or rename existing ones based on administrative convenience and population growth. For instance, smaller operational zones reduce the travel distance for citizens visiting collectorates for land records, grievance redressal, or welfare disbursements.
When a new district is formed, the state cabinet issues a formal notification. Departments like revenue, police, and public works then adjust their jurisdictional maps, appointing a District Magistrate (DM) and a Superintendent of Police (SP) to head the new unit. You can review official updates directly through the Ministry of Home Affairs portal for national administrative changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state in India has 75 districts?
Uttar Pradesh is the specific state featuring exactly 75 administrative districts, which are organized across 18 regional divisions.
Who is the administrative head of a district?
A District Magistrate (DM), also referred to as a Deputy Commissioner in some other states, leads the district administration, managing revenue, law enforcement coordination, and developmental programs.
Why are districts subdivided into smaller units?
Subdividing districts into tehsils, blocks, and villages ensures that governance reaches grassroots levels, making public service delivery and law enforcement manageable.
Can state governments rename districts freely?
Yes, state legislatures possess the legal framework to rename or modify districts, though changing railway station names or central institutions requires concurrent approval from federal ministries. For deeper insights into governmental frameworks, consult resources provided by India.gov.in.
