Question

What is the time lag between Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat? How is a uniform time set at all places?

Answer 1

There is a time lag of two hours between Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The meridian 82 degrees 30 minutes East passing through Mirzapur (in Uttar Pradesh) has been taken as the standard to set a uniform time for India.

• The local time at this meridian is taken as the standard time for the whole country. It is known as Indian Standard Time (IST).
• The rate of the time at which the sun traverses over certain degrees of longitudes is used to determine the local time of an area with respect to the time at the Prime Meridian (0°Longitude).
• The world is divided into 24 major time zones.
• All countries of the world choose the standard meridian within their territory to determine the time within their administrative boundaries.
• Countries like Russia, Canada, United States of America has multiple time zones.
• Indian Standard Time (IST) is plus 5.30 hours from the Greenwich Meridian Time (GMT).

Further Reading

1. What is IST? What is its importance?
2. Name the five states through which the Indian Standard Meridian passes.