Understanding Taluks, Tehsils, Mandals, and Sub-divisions in India
In India's multi-tiered administrative structure, the sub-district level plays a crucial role in governance, revenue collection, and local administration. These administrative units sit between districts and development blocks, serving as vital links connecting state governments with grassroots communities. Across India's diverse states and union territories, this administrative level goes by different names reflecting regional linguistic and historical traditions: taluk in South India, tehsil in North India, mandal in Telugu-speaking states, and sub-division in eastern states.
Despite the varying nomenclature, these administrative units serve similar functions throughout India. Each is headed by a revenue officer - typically called a Tahsildar or Taluk Magistrate - who holds significant administrative, judicial, and revenue powers within their jurisdiction. These officers are responsible for land revenue collection, property registration, issuing various certificates (income, caste, residence), maintaining land records, conducting local elections, implementing government welfare schemes, and serving as first-level magistrates for minor legal matters.
The size and structure of these administrative units vary considerably based on geographical area, population density, economic activity, and historical factors. Urban areas typically have smaller, more compact taluks with higher populations, while rural taluks may cover larger geographical areas with dispersed populations. Each taluk or tehsil contains multiple villages, towns, and development blocks, forming a comprehensive administrative network that facilitates government service delivery at the grassroots level.
Regional Terminology Guide
Different names for the same administrative level across India:
- Taluk (Taluka): Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa
- Tehsil: Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu & Kashmir
- Mandal: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana (Telugu-speaking states)
- Sub-division: West Bengal, Bihar, Assam, Odisha (eastern states)
- Thana: Historical term still used occasionally in some regions
Important Distinction: Taluks/Tehsils/Mandals are primarily revenue administration units, while Development Blocks are rural development units. Many areas have overlapping but non-identical boundaries for both systems.
How to Use This Taluks Directory
Browse by State: This comprehensive directory organizes all 7802+ sub-district administrative units by their respective states and union territories. The directory presents taluks, tehsils, mandals, and sub-divisions using their locally-recognized names and administrative classifications. Scroll down to find your state of interest, and you'll see all relevant administrative units listed alphabetically with their parent districts for easy navigation and reference.
Access Detailed Information: Click on any taluk, tehsil, or mandal name to access comprehensive information specific to that administrative unit. Each page provides detailed data including the complete list of villages and towns within that jurisdiction, population statistics and demographics, geographical coordinates and boundaries, postal codes and post office locations, bank branches with IFSC codes for financial services, railway stations and connectivity information, government offices and contact details, and links to related administrative entities including parent districts and neighboring taluks.
Understanding Type Labels: Each administrative unit in this directory is labeled with its official designation (Taluk, Tehsil, Mandal, or Sub-division) to help you understand the regional administrative terminology. This classification reflects the official state government designation and helps distinguish the various administrative systems used across different regions of India. The directory currently displays a representative sample of 500 units with comprehensive coverage across all major states and union territories.
Browse 500 Taluks/Tehsils by State
Select any administrative unit below to explore detailed information including villages, towns, population demographics, geographical data, postal services, banking facilities, railway connectivity, and government offices. Use the type labels to understand the local administrative terminology used in each state.
Andaman and Nicobar (9 administrative units)
Andhra Pradesh (491 administrative units)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Taluk, Tehsil, Mandal, and Sub-division?
These terms all refer to the same administrative level in India's governance structure - the sub-district level that sits between districts and blocks. The difference is purely regional and linguistic. Taluk (or Taluka) is the term used in southern states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and also in western states like Gujarat and Maharashtra. Tehsil is the preferred term in northern states including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Punjab. Mandal is specifically used in Telugu-speaking states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Sub-division is common in eastern states like West Bengal, Bihar, and Assam. Despite different names, all these units serve identical administrative functions including revenue collection, land administration, certificate issuance, and local governance.
How many taluks and tehsils are there in India?
India has approximately 7802+ sub-district administrative units across all states and union territories, combining taluks, tehsils, mandals, and sub-divisions. This number changes periodically as state governments create new administrative units through bifurcation of existing ones to improve governance efficiency, reduce administrative burden on individual officers, bring government services closer to citizens, and accommodate population growth and urbanization. The creation or reorganization of these units is done through state government notifications and official gazette orders. Tamil Nadu has approximately 296 taluks, Uttar Pradesh has over 350 tehsils, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together have around 700 mandals, and other states have varying numbers based on their geographical size and population distribution.
What is a Taluk Office or Tehsil Office and what services do they provide?
A Taluk Office (also called Tehsil Office, Mandal Office, or Tahsil) is the administrative headquarters of a sub-district unit, headed by a Tahsildar (also called Taluk Magistrate or Tehsildar depending on the state). These offices provide crucial government services to citizens including: issuing income certificates, caste certificates, residence certificates, and other essential documents required for government schemes and educational admissions; maintaining and updating land records (property ownership documents, mutation records, and land revenue records); registering property sales, purchases, and transfers; collecting land revenue and property taxes; processing applications for ration cards, pension schemes, and various welfare benefits; conducting local elections and maintaining electoral rolls; handling land acquisition matters and property disputes at the initial level; and providing emergency certificates during natural disasters or urgent situations. Citizens can visit their local taluk office during working hours with relevant documents and identification to access these services.
What is the difference between a Taluk/Tehsil and a Block?
While taluks/tehsils and blocks often cover similar geographical areas and may have overlapping boundaries, they serve fundamentally different administrative purposes in India's governance structure. Taluks/Tehsils are revenue administration units primarily focused on land revenue collection, property registration, maintaining land records, issuing government certificates, conducting elections, and general administrative functions. They are headed by Tahsildars who are revenue officers with administrative and limited judicial powers. Blocks (officially called Community Development Blocks or Panchayat Samiti areas) are rural development units specifically created for implementing rural development programs, agricultural extension services, healthcare delivery, education initiatives, and poverty alleviation schemes. Blocks are headed by Block Development Officers (BDOs) who coordinate various development departments including agriculture, health, education, and rural development. While a taluk serves primarily administrative and revenue functions, a block focuses on development and welfare program implementation. Many rural areas fall under both a taluk (for revenue matters) and a block (for development programs), though their boundaries may not align exactly.
Can I find village lists and detailed information for each taluk on ChennaiIQ?
Yes, absolutely! When you click on any specific taluk, tehsil, mandal, or sub-division from this directory, you'll be taken to a dedicated page for that administrative unit containing comprehensive information including a complete list of all villages and towns within that taluk's jurisdiction organized alphabetically or by sub-division, population statistics for the entire taluk and individual settlements, geographical coordinates and location maps, complete list of postal codes (pincodes) covering that area with corresponding post office details, banking facilities including all bank branches with IFSC codes, MICR codes, addresses, and contact information, railway stations serving that taluk with station codes and connectivity details, government offices and their contact information, and links to neighboring taluks and parent district for broader regional context. This detailed information helps residents, researchers, business planners, and government officials access accurate, up-to-date administrative data for planning, analysis, and decision-making purposes.