Statehood Day of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh | 21 Feb 2026

Source: PIB

On 20th February, the Prime Minister extended greetings to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram on their Statehood Day, marking the grant of full statehood to both states on 20th February 1987.

• Grant of Statehood: The 53rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1986 granted statehood to Mizoram, while the 55th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1986 conferred statehood to Arunachal Pradesh.

Mizoram

• About: Mizoram became the 23rd state of the Indian Union on 20th February 1987, following the Mizoram Peace Accord (1986) signed between the Government of India and the Mizo National Front. 
  • The accord ended a period of insurgency and facilitated its transition from Union Territory status (1972) to full statehood.
• Historical Evolution: Mizoram was originally known as the Lushai Hills district of Assam and was renamed Mizo Hills in 1954.
• Constitutional Protection: Mizoram has been recognized as a “tribal area” under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution of India (Article 244(2)), thereby ensuring the protection of tribal rights and regional autonomy.

Arunachal Pradesh

• About: Arunachal Pradesh attained statehood as the 24th state on 20th February 1987, having previously been known as the North-East Frontier Agency (NEFA) until 1972, when it was renamed and designated a Union Territory.
• Colonial Origin: The modern history of Arunachal Pradesh began with British control under the Treaty of Yandaboo (1826) after the First Anglo-Burmese War (1824–1826), and the 1914 Shimla Treaty demarcated the boundary between Tibet and NEFA (McMahon line).
• Historical Evolution: Until 1962, Arunachal Pradesh remained under Assam’s constitutional jurisdiction, after which it was made a separately administered Union Territory due to its strategic importance.