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Land Measurement Units in India: The Complete Guide

India uses dozens of land-area units side by side: Bigha and Gaj in the North, Cent and Ground in the South, Katha and Decimal in the East, plus the legal metric system (square metre, hectare) in government records. This guide maps every major unit BhumiMeter supports, explains which are fixed nationwide vs state-specific, and links to free converters — so you can cross-check any broker quote before you pay.

By BhumiMeter Editorial · 15 January 2026 · Updated 3 June 2026

Legal units vs market units

The Legal Metrology Act, 2009 makes the square metre the standard unit for legal measurement in India. RERA carpet-area rules reference metric units, and Bhulekh/Khasra portals store plot areas in square metres or hectares. Yet the real-estate market — especially for plots, agricultural land, and resale flats — still quotes square feet, Gaj (square yard), and Bigha in everyday speech. A complete buyer's workflow converts both ways and compares against the government record, not just the broker's WhatsApp message.

Legal / metric (uniform)

  • 1 Square Meter = 10.764 sq ft
  • 1 Are = 1,076.39 sq ft
  • 1 Hectare = 1,07,639 sq ft

Market (uniform)

  • 1 Square Foot = 1 sq ft
  • 1 Square Yard (Gaj) = 9 sq ft
  • 1 Acre = 43,560 sq ft

Variable units — Bigha, Katha, Biswa

These units have no single national definition. Bigha can mean 6,806 sq ft in Uttarakhand hills or 27,225 sq ft in Rajasthan and Eastern UP. Katha in Bihar Patna (1,361.25 sq ft) is half the size of Assam Katha (2,880 sq ft). BhumiMeter stores each state's values in one data file — the same source powering every converter on this site. Sample Bigha sizes:

State Type Sq ft
Rajasthan Pucca Bigha 27,225
Rajasthan Kachha Bigha 17,424
Uttar Pradesh Western Bigha (5 biswa) 6,806.25
Uttar Pradesh Western Bigha (6.67 biswa) 9,075
Uttar Pradesh Eastern Bigha (Purvanchal/Lucknow) 27,225
Madhya Pradesh Bigha 12,000
Bihar Bigha 27,225
Jharkhand Bigha 27,220

Full Bigha chart →

Regional unit families

North & North-West

Bigha, Biswa, Biswansi (variable by state); Kanal, Marla, Sarsai (272.25 sq ft per Marla); Gaj (= 9 sq ft). Common in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP, HP, Uttarakhand. Kanal & Marla guide (expanding).

East

Katha, Decimal (Dismil), Chatak, Dhur in Bihar, Bengal, Assam. Katha sizes vary sharply by district — always confirm on Banglarbhumi or Bihar Bhumi. Katha guide (expanding).

South

Cent (435.6 sq ft), Ground (2,400 sq ft), Guntha (1,089 sq ft), Ankanam (72 sq ft). No Bigha — do not apply North Indian Bigha math to Karnataka or Tamil Nadu plots. Cent guide (expanding).

West

Gujarat Bigha (17,424 sq ft), Guntha in Maharashtra border districts. Urban projects quote sq ft and sq m; agricultural land may still use Bigha or Vigha in speech.

Convert by state

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Why does state matter?

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How to verify before you buy

  1. Download the area from your state's Bhulekh / Apna Khata / Banglarbhumi portal — stored in sq m or hectare, not Bigha.
  2. Convert the broker's quote to sq ft using BhumiMeter with the correct state selected.
  3. If the figures differ by more than 2–3%, stop and ask which Bigha/Katha variant the seller uses.
  4. Match the sale deed schedule — registered area prevails over oral conversion.
  5. Read how to calculate land area (guide expanding) for a full checklist.

All BhumiMeter guides (hub & spoke)

Deep-dive articles — published guides are full length; others expand soon with the same data-backed approach.

Popular conversion tools

Conversion values on BhumiMeter are indicative and sourced from widely accepted regional standards — not a substitute for your sale deed, Bhulekh/Khasra extract, or tehsildar certificate. Verify locally before any transaction.