Land units in India: acre, guntha, cent and why a bigha varies
Land in India is measured in a mix of international and traditional units, and the same word can mean different areas in different places. Before you sign anything, it's worth knowing which units are fixed and which ones you need to double-check.
Units with a fixed size
| Unit | Square feet | Other equivalents |
|---|---|---|
| Square yard (gaj) | 9 | 0.836 square metres |
| Square metre | 10.764 | 1.196 square yards |
| Cent | 435.6 | 1/100 of an acre |
| Guntha | 1,089 | 1/40 of an acre, 121 square yards |
| Acre | 43,560 | 4,047 square metres, 100 cents, 40 guntha |
| Hectare | 1,07,639 | 10,000 square metres, about 2.47 acres |
Where these are common also varies: cents are widely used in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, guntha in Maharashtra, Karnataka and Telangana, and gaj in the north for smaller plots.
Why a bigha isn't one size
A bigha is a traditional unit with no single national value. It differs from state to state, and sometimes between districts in the same state. Commonly quoted figures show how wide the range is:
- Himachal Pradesh: roughly 8,000 to 9,000 square feet
- West Bengal and Assam: roughly 14,400 square feet
- Parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan: up to about 27,000 square feet
So "5 bigha" could mean about one acre in one state and about three acres in another. Rajasthan alone uses both a smaller "kachcha" and a larger "pucca" bigha. Biswa and katha have the same problem.
This is why our Unit Converter leaves out bigha. A single number would look exact while being wrong for many users. If a deal involves bigha, get the size in square feet or square metres.
Worked example
A plot is 40 feet by 60 feet:
- Area = 40 × 60 = 2,400 square feet
- In square yards: 2,400 ÷ 9 = 266.7 gaj
- In square metres: 2,400 ÷ 10.764 = 223 square metres
- In cents: 2,400 ÷ 435.6 = 5.5 cents
Before you buy land or a flat
- Rely on official records for traditional units. Your state's land records or the local revenue office can confirm the local value of a bigha, katha or similar. Many states now have land records online.
- Get the area in a standard unit in the agreement. Square feet or square metres leave no room for argument, even if the seller uses local terms.
- Check the plot size against the survey. Sale deeds and records can differ from what's physically there, so a survey can be worthwhile for land.
- For flats, ask what's being measured. Carpet area, built-up area and super built-up area can differ a lot. Under RERA, the price of a flat in a registered project must be based on carpet area, the usable floor space inside its walls.
The fixed conversions above are exact or rounded standard values. Bigha figures are commonly quoted approximations and aren't official, so confirm the local value with your state's land records or revenue office. This isn't legal advice, and a lawyer should check any property deal.