Districts of British India

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The districts of British India were key administrative units of the British Raj, or Indian Empire, serving as subdivisions of the provinces and divisions of British India.[1] These districts, often referred to as zillas in vernacular languages, played a crucial role in the governance and administration of British India, managing local affairs such as revenue collection, law enforcement, and public works. Most districts established during the British period became the foundation for modern districts of India and districts of Pakistan after the partition of India in 1947.

History

The district system in British India evolved from earlier administrative structures under the Mughal Empire, where regions were divided into sarkars and parganas.[2] The British East India Company, after gaining control over Bengal in the mid-18th century, began formalizing districts as administrative units to streamline governance and revenue collection.[3] By the early 19th century, districts were firmly established across British India, each headed by a district collector or magistrate responsible for local administration.

Districts were further grouped into divisions, which were overseen by commissioners, and these divisions were part of larger provinces.[4] This hierarchical structure allowed the British to maintain control over vast territories with diverse populations. The districts' boundaries and administrative functions evolved over time, reflecting changes in British policies and local needs.

Following the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British Crown assumed direct control over India, and the district system was further standardized.[5] By the early 20th century, districts were the primary units for local governance, with responsibilities including judicial administration, public health, education, and infrastructure development.[6]

At the time of the partition of India in 1947, most districts were reorganized into the newly independent nations of India and Pakistan, with some districts split along religious lines.[7] Today, the legacy of these districts continues in the administrative frameworks of both countries.

List of districts in British Toritary

Below is a list of districts in British India as of 1947, organized by province and division. This list includes only those districts that were active at the time of the partition of India.

Districts in the Assam province

Assam Valley division

Surma Valley and Hills division

Districts in the Baluchistan Province

Districts in the Bengal Presidency

The Bengal Presidency had 28 districts across five divisions at the time of partition.

Burdwan division (Chuchura)

Chittagong Division

Dacca division

Presidency division (Calcutta)

Rajshahi Division (Jalpaiguri)

Districts in the Bihar Province

Bhagalpur Division

Chota Nagpur division (Ranchi)

Patna division

Tirhut division (Muzaffarpur)

Districts in the Bombay Presidency

Districts in the Central Provinces and Berar

Berar division (Amraoti)

Chhattisgarh division (Raipur)

Jubbulpore division

Nagpur division

Districts in the Madras Presidency

Districts of North-West Frontier province

Districts of Orissa province

Districts of Punjab province

Ambala division

Jullundur division

Lahore division

Multan division

Rawalpindi division

Districts of Sind province

Districts of United Provinces

Agra division

Allahabad division

Benares division

Faizabad division

Gorakhpur division

Jhansi division

Kumaon division (Nainital)

Lucknow division

Meerut division

Rohilkhand division (Bareilly)

Other districts

List of districts in Princely state

Districts in the Gwalior State

Gwalior Division

Malwa Division

Districts in the Hyderabad State

Aurangabad division

Gulbarga division

Gulshanabad division (Medak)

Warangal division

Districts in the Jammu and Kashmir State

Jammu division

Districts

Jagirs

Kashmir Division

Frontier Division

Districts in the Indore State

Malwa division

Nimar Division

Districts in the Mysore State

Former districts of British Toritary

The following districts were active at various points during British rule but were dissolved or reorganized before 1947:

See also

References

  1. Imperial Gazetteer of India. Published under the authority of His Majesty's Secretary of State for India in Council. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1907-1909.
  2. Chaudhuri, B. B. (2008). Peasant History of Late Pre-Colonial and Colonial India. Pearson Education India. pp. 45–50. ISBN 978-8131716885.
  3. Metcalf, Barbara D. (2006). A Concise History of Modern India. Cambridge University Press. pp. 56–60. ISBN 978-0521682251.
  4. Imperial Gazetteer of India, vol. V, 1908.
  5. Cohn, Bernard S. (1996). Colonialism and Its Forms of Knowledge: The British in India. Princeton University Press. pp. 100–105. ISBN 978-0691000435.
  6. Bayly, C. A. (1988). Indian Society and the Making of the British Empire. Cambridge University Press. pp. 120–125. ISBN 978-0521386500.
  7. Talbot, Ian (2006). Divided Cities: Partition and Its Aftermath in Lahore and Amritsar, 1947-1957. Oxford University Press. pp. 15–20. ISBN 978-0195472264.