"How many decimals in a bigha?" has no single answer, and that is the whole problem.
A decimal is fixed. It is one hundredth of an acre, 435.6 square feet, everywhere it is used. A bigha is not fixed at all -- it ranges from 6,804 square feet to 27,225 depending on the state.
So the conversion between them changes every time you cross a border.
The fixed half
1 decimal = 435.6 square feet = 1/100 acre. 100 decimals = 1 acre.
The unit is used across Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and West Bengal, and it is spoken as dismil or desimal in Hindi and Bhojpuri. A cent in Tamil Nadu and Kerala is numerically the same thing: one hundredth of an acre.
If someone says "40 dismil", they mean 0.4 acre. That part never varies.
The moving half
| State | Sq ft per bigha | Decimals per bigha |
|---|---|---|
| Uttarakhand | 6,804 | 15.6 |
| Punjab, Haryana | 9,072 | 20.8 |
| Madhya Pradesh | 12,000 | 27.6 |
| West Bengal | 14,400 | 33.1 |
| Assam | 14,400 | 33.1 |
| Rajasthan (kaccha) | 17,424 | 40 |
| Gujarat | 17,427 | 40 |
| Bihar | 27,220 | 62.5 |
| Rajasthan (pucca) | 27,225 | 62.5 |
| Uttar Pradesh (pucca) | 27,225 | 62.5 |
Read that first and last row together. One bigha is 15.6 decimals in Uttarakhand and 62.5 decimals in Bihar. Four times the land, same word.
Where the two units actually meet
In practice the overlap is Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, where both words are in daily use.
Bihar. 1 bigha = 20 katha = 27,220 sq ft = 62.5 decimals. So 1 katha = 1,361 sq ft = 3.125 decimals.
West Bengal. 1 bigha = 20 katha = 14,400 sq ft = 33.06 decimals. So 1 katha = 720 sq ft = 1.65 decimals.
The same two words, bigha and katha, in adjoining states, and both differ by roughly a factor of two. A family holding land on both sides of the border has to do the arithmetic twice.
Worked conversions
Bigha to decimal: divide the bigha's square-foot value by 435.6.
- Bihar: 27,220 / 435.6 = 62.5 decimals
- West Bengal: 14,400 / 435.6 = 33.06 decimals
- Rajasthan kaccha: 17,424 / 435.6 = 40 decimals exactly
Decimal to bigha: multiply decimals by 435.6, then divide by the local bigha.
- 50 decimals in Bihar = 21,780 sq ft = 0.8 bigha
- 50 decimals in West Bengal = 21,780 sq ft = 1.51 bigha
Decimal to acre: divide by 100. 62.5 decimals = 0.625 acre.
The Rajasthan kaccha bigha is worth remembering because it is exactly 40 decimals and exactly 0.4 acre -- which is why 17,424 square feet shows up so often in searches.
The three checks before you rely on any of it
Ask which bigha. In Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, pucca and kaccha bighas are both in use and both called "bigha". The gap between them is 56 percent. Full detail in why 1 bigha differs by state.
Convert to square feet first. It is the only unit on this page that means the same thing everywhere. Compare, negotiate and record in square feet or acres, then translate back for conversation. The land unit converter handles the fixed units; the bigha values above have to come from the state.
Read the registered extent. Whatever the negotiation was conducted in, the sale deed and the revenue record carry a specific extent, and that is what you own. Confirm it matches before money moves, and check the parcel on the ground as described in verifying a survey number.
Related reading
- The complete Indian land unit cheat sheet
- Why 1 bigha is a different size in every state
- North and east India's land units -- katha, biswa, chatak, lecha
- Regional land unit names across India -- dismil, bharana and the rest
- What "2.36 acres" really means
Browse listings: agricultural land near Lucknow, farmland around Jaipur, or agricultural land near Ludhiana.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Land measurement units vary by state, district and local usage -- verify current requirements with a local property lawyer before making any purchase decision.
Written by
Agriva Editorial
The Agriva Editorial team writes practical, field-tested guides for buyers, sellers, and brokers navigating India's farmland and niche real estate market.