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CBSE Class 10 Political Science★ 5-7 marks · CBSE Class 10 Political Science (Democratic Politics II) Chapter 2

Federalism

India is a federation — power is divided between the Centre and States. But what makes India's federalism unique? How does it manage linguistic diversity, centre-state relations, and local governance? This chapter covers federal features, the Panchayati Raj system, and linguistic states. CBSE Class 10 Political Science (Democratic Politics II) Chapter 2.

⏱ 24 min readMedium difficulty✓ Free · NCERT-aligned

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By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1Define federalism and list its key features (6)
2Distinguish 'Coming Together' and 'Holding Together' federations
3Explain the 3 lists (Union, State, Concurrent) with examples
4Trace the formation of linguistic states (Potti Sriramulu → SRC 1956)
5Analyse Centre-State relations and the changes since the coalition era
6Describe the 73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj) — 3 tiers, elections, reservations

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Why this chapter matters

Linguistic states and 73rd/74th Amendments (Panchayati Raj) are guaranteed exam topics. 'Coming Together' vs 'Holding Together' distinction. Three Lists — always testable. India as a federal system with unitary features.

Before you start — revise these

A 5-minute refresher here will save you 30 minutes of confusion below.

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Power Sharing

Previous chapter — federalism as vertical power sharing

Federalism

"Federalism is the art of living together while respecting differences."

1. Chapter Overview

FEDERALISM is a system of government where power is DIVIDED between a CENTRAL authority and its CONSTITUENT UNITS (states/provinces). This chapter covers: what federalism IS, how India's federal system WORKS, the EVOLUTION of linguistic states, centre-state relations, and the crucial THIRD TIER — Panchayati Raj.

2. What is Federalism?

Key Features of a Federal System

TWO OR MORE LEVELS of government: Central + State (and local as third tier)
Each level has its OWN jurisdiction: defined by the Constitution
Courts have power to interpret the Constitution: Judiciary resolves disputes between Centre and States (Judicial Review)
Rigid Constitution: federal provisions cannot be changed unilaterally by one level
Sources of revenue: each level has its own financial resources
Dual objectives: (a) UNITY of the nation, (b) ACCOMMODATE regional diversity

Types of Federations — 'Coming Together' vs 'Holding Together'

	Coming Together	Holding Together
How formed	Independent states COME TOGETHER to form a bigger unit	A large country DECIDES to divide power between central and state governments
Autonomy	States have MORE autonomy	Centre is usually STRONGER
Examples	USA, Switzerland, Australia	India, Spain, Belgium

India: A 'Holding Together' Federation

India did NOT form by independent states coming together
It was a unitary system that DECIDED to become federal
Centre is QUITE STRONG — 'Union of States' (Article 1) — not 'Federation of States'
Residuary powers belong to the CENTRE (unlike USA where states keep residuary powers)

3. How is Indian Federalism Practised?

The Three Lists

List	Subjects	Who Legislate
Union List	Defence, foreign affairs, currency, banking, railways, atomic energy, war	PARLIAMENT (Centre only)
State List	Police, public health, agriculture, local govt, trade	STATE LEGISLATURE
Concurrent List	Education, forests, marriage, trade unions, adoption	BOTH Centre and State (Centre prevails in conflict)

Residuary Subjects

Subjects NOT mentioned in any list
In India: belong to the UNION (Centre)
In USA: belong to the STATES (opposite)

Try it: sort the three lists

Pick up each subject and put it where it belongs — Parliament alone, the State legislature alone, or both. Then decide whose law wins when they clash.

Virtual lab · NCERT Class 10 Political Science · ~8 min

The three lists

AimTo sort subjects of law into the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List of the Constitution, and to find out whose law prevails when the Union and a State disagree.

You needsubjects of law, set by your class code, the three lists of the Constitution's Seventh Schedule.

Procedure · 5 steps

Tap a subject card in the tray to pick it up.
Tap the list it belongs in — Parliament, the State legislature, or both.
Sort every card. Tap a placed card to send it back if you change your mind.
Answer the two questions.
Check your sorting.

Teachers: project it in class and students join on their own devices with a class code.

4. Linguistic States — The 'Language' Federalism

After Independence

State boundaries drawn by the British were ARBITRARY (administrative convenience)
Indians demanded states based on LANGUAGE
Centre RESISTED — feared linguistic states would DISINTEGRATE India

The Breakthrough

Potti Sriramulu: Gandhian who fasted UNTO DEATH for a Telugu-speaking state
He died after 58 days (1952) — massive public outcry
Government CREATED Andhra Pradesh (1953) — India's FIRST linguistic state
This opened the floodgates

States Reorganisation Commission (1956)

Recommended REORGANISING states on LINGUISTIC lines
MOST states were reorganised accordingly
Gujarat and Maharashtra from Bombay State (1960)
Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh (1966)

Did Linguistic States Divide India? The Answer: NO.

Linguistic states STRENGTHENED Indian unity
People who spoke the same language WANTED to be governed in THAT language
Once linguistic aspirations were met, no one wanted to SEPARATE
The accommodation of linguistic diversity MADE India MORE stable, not less

5. Centre-State Relations

The Tension

Federalism involves ONGOING negotiation between Centre and States
When the SAME PARTY rules at Centre and State → smoother
When DIFFERENT parties rule → tensions can arise

Key Issues

Governor's role: Centre-appointed Governor can destabilise State govt (dismissal, reserving bills)
Financial dependence: States DEPEND on Centre for funds (more resource-poor states)
President's Rule (Article 356): Centre can dissolve State govt — power has been ABUSED historically
Use of Article 356 has DECLINED since the Supreme Court's S.R. Bommai judgment (1994) — limited President's Rule misuse

The 1990s Shift — Coalition Era

Rise of REGIONAL PARTIES → more COALITION governments at Centre
Centre CANNOT ignore states ruled by coalition partners
States gained MORE bargaining power
Federalism became more GENUINE

6. Decentralisation — The Third Tier

Why Local Government?

~11 lakh local govt bodies in India — but historically WEAK
Elections were NOT held regularly
No FUNDS, no POWERS
Women and SC/ST had LITTLE representation

The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992)

73rd Amendment — Panchayati Raj (Rural)

Three-tier system: Gram Panchayat (village) → Panchayat Samiti (block) → Zilla Parishad (district)
DIRECT elections at each level
SEATS RESERVED: 1/3 for women; proportional for SC/ST
State Election Commission: holds Panchayat elections
State Finance Commission: recommends fund allocation
MANDATORY to hold elections every 5 years

74th Amendment — Municipalities (Urban)

Municipal Corporation (large cities), Municipal Council (smaller towns), Nagar Panchayat
Similar provisions for elections, reservations, finance

Why Decentralisation Matters

Brings democracy to the GRASSROOTS
Local people decide LOCAL ISSUES — they know their needs best
Women and marginalised groups get representation (~20 lakh elected women representatives!)
Increases accountability — officials are NEARER to the people

7. Exam Focus

Features of federalism (6 points)
'Coming Together' vs 'Holding Together' federations — India's type
Three lists (Union, State, Concurrent) with examples
Formation of linguistic states — Potti Sriramulu, SRC 1956
How linguistic states STRENGTHENED India
73rd and 74th Amendments — Panchayati Raj
Centre-State relations — tensions and changes (coalition era, Bommai judgment)

8. Common Mistakes

India is a 'Coming Together' federation — NO. India is 'HOLDING TOGETHER'. Centre is stronger; residuary powers with Centre; states have less autonomy than in 'Coming Together' federations like the USA.
Linguistic states divided India — The OPPOSITE. Linguistic states ACCOMMODATED diversity and STRENGTHENED Indian unity. Once language demands were met, separatism declined.
India is a 'perfect' federation — India is a federation with UNITARY features. The Centre can: dismiss state governments (Article 356), appoint Governors, hold residuary powers, and alter state boundaries. The word 'federation' is not even in the Constitution — it's a 'Union of States'.

9. Conclusion

Indian federalism is a CONTINUOUS WORK IN PROGRESS:

STRUCTURE: 'Holding Together' federation — Centre strong, States weaker but constitutionally protected
LINGUISTIC STATES: Once feared, now celebrated — the accommodation that saved India
CENTRE-STATE RELATIONS: Ongoing negotiation. Coalition era → stronger states. Bommai judgment → safeguards.
DECENTRALISATION: 73rd/74th Amendments → third tier → grassroots democracy → ~20 lakh women representatives

For CBSE:

Federal features + India's 'Holding Together' type
Linguistic states: the STORY (Sriramulu's fast → Andhra → SRC 1956)
Three lists with 2-3 examples each
73rd Amendment: three tiers, direct election, reservations (1/3 women, SC/ST)

True federalism is not about drawing boundaries — it's about sharing power.

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Federal Features

2+ levels, each with defined jurisdiction, judicial interpretation, rigid constitution, own revenue, unity + diversity

6 features

India type

HOLDING TOGETHER — Centre stronger, residuary powers with Union

USA = Coming Together

Union List

Defence, foreign affairs, currency, banking, railways, atomic energy — Centre only

State List

Police, public health, agriculture, trade, local govt — State legislature

Concurrent List

Education, forests, marriage, trade unions — BOTH (Centre prevails in conflict)

Potti Sriramulu

Fast unto death → Andhra Pradesh (1953) — 1st linguistic state → SRC 1956 → states reorganisation

73rd Amendment

1992 — 3 tiers (Gram Panchayat→Panchayat Samiti→Zilla Parishad). Direct elections. 1/3 reserved for women.

Bommai judgment

1994 — Supreme Court limited misuse of Article 356 (President's Rule)

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Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT

✗ India is a 'Coming Together' federation like the USA

✓ India is 'HOLDING TOGETHER': Centre is stronger, residuary powers belong to the Union, states have less autonomy. India was a unitary state that decided to become federal — different origin.

WATCH OUT

✗ Linguistic states divided India

✓ The OPPOSITE. They STRENGTHENED Indian unity by ACCOMMODATING linguistic diversity. Once language demands were met, separatism DECLINED. The evidence: India is united while Pakistan (which rejected linguistic federalism) split in 1971.

WATCH OUT

✗ India is a 'perfect' federation in the US sense

✓ India is a federation WITH UNITARY FEATURES. Centre can: dismiss state governments (Art 356), appoint Governors, alter state boundaries, own residuary powers. The word 'federation' doesn't appear in the Constitution — it's a 'Union of States'.

NCERT exercises

Every NCERT exercise from this chapter — what it covers and how many questions to expect.

Multiple choice

Federal features, lists, amendments

Questions

Short answer

Features, linguistic states, three lists

Questions

Long answer

73rd/74th Amendment — Panchayati Raj

Questions

Practice problems

Work through this chapter's problems as a readiness check — reveal each solution, mark yourself honestly, and get your gap report at the end.

Readiness check

Are you exam-ready for Federalism?

4 problems from this chapter. Try each one, reveal the worked solution, mark yourself honestly — get your gap report at the end.

4 questions~3 min worth ~20 marks in CBSE exams

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•6 federal features: multiple levels, defined jurisdiction, judicial review, rigid constitution, own revenue, unity+diversity
•India = Holding Together. USA, Switzerland = Coming Together.
•3 Lists: Union (defence, currency, railways), State (police, health, agri), Concurrent (education, forests, marriage)
•Residuary subjects: with UNION in India (opposite of USA).
•1st linguistic state: Andhra Pradesh (1953, after Potti Sriramulu's fast). SRC 1956 → states reorganisation.
•Linguistic states STRENGTHENED India — accommodated diversity, reduced separatism.
•Centre-State: tensions reduced in coalition era (1990s). Bommai judgment (1994) → limited Article 356 misuse.
•73rd Amendment (1992): Rural — 3 tiers (GP→PS→ZP). Direct elections. 1/3 women reservation. Mandatory 5-year elections.
•74th Amendment (1992): Urban — Municipal Corporations, Councils, Nagar Panchayats.

CBSE marks blueprint

Where the marks come from in this chapter — so you can plan your prep.

Typical chapter weightage: Political Science paper = 20 marks. This chapter typically carries 5-7 marks.

Question type	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
MCQ / Very Short Answer (1 mark)	1	2	List subject identification, Holding vs Coming Together, Bommai judgment year
Short Answer (3 marks)	3	1	Three lists with examples OR linguistic states story OR federal features list
Long Answer (5 marks)	5	1	73rd Amendment and Panchayati Raj OR India as federation with unitary features

Prep strategy

Three Lists: memorise 3 subjects from each list. Union = Defence, Currency, Railways. State = Police, Agriculture, Health. Concurrent = Education, Forests, Trade Unions. These appear as MCQs and short-answer parts.
73rd Amendment is the guaranteed 5-marker: structure it as THREE POINTS — three-tier structure + mandatory elections with SEC + 1/3 women reservation. Then add impact and limitations for full marks.
Holding Together vs Coming Together: USA vs India comparison is a 2-mark question — know the key difference (direction of power flow, where residuary powers sit).
India's unitary features (residuary with Centre, Governors appointed, Art 356, boundary changes) distinguish India from USA-style federalism — know at least THREE such features for any 3-mark question.

Where this shows up in the real world

This chapter isn't just an exam topic — it lives in the world around you.

GST — the biggest federal compromise in Indian economic history

Telangana — state creation as democratic response

Kerala's decentralisation — Panchayati Raj done right

Centre-State water disputes — federalism under stress

Exam strategy

Battle-tested tips from teachers and toppers for this chapter.

Federal features as a list: always write SIX — multiple levels, defined jurisdictions, rigid constitution, independent judiciary, own revenue sources, unity + diversity accommodation. Missing even two features can drop a 3-mark answer.

Three Lists: for every subject you mention, identify which list it belongs to. Examiners test this in scenario questions: 'The State government wants to change the marriage age — is this a State or Concurrent subject?' Answer: Concurrent (marriage is in Concurrent List), so Parliament's law prevails over State law.

73rd Amendment 5-marker: use the structure — BEFORE (problems with old Panchayats) → AMENDMENT PROVISIONS (three tiers + elections + reservation) → IMPACT (numbers, examples) → LIMITATIONS (sarpanch pati, funds not transferred). This arc earns 5/5.

India's unitary features: always mention at least FOUR in a long answer — (1) residuary with Centre, (2) Governor appointed by Centre, (3) Article 356 (President's Rule), (4) Centre can alter state boundaries, (5) Single citizenship, (6) IAS/IPS shared services. More features = higher marks.

India vs USA comparison: whenever asked 'Is India truly federal?' — acknowledge YES (multiple levels, defined jurisdiction) AND NO (unitary features). A nuanced answer is always rewarded over a binary yes/no.

Going beyond the textbook

For olympiad aspirants and curious learners — topics that build on this chapter.

STRETCH

Research 'cooperative federalism' vs 'competitive federalism' in India: cooperative = Centre and states collaborating on shared goals (GST Council, NITI Aayog's sub-national ranking); competitive = states competing to attract investment through better governance (Ease of Doing Business rankings). Is India moving toward competitive federalism after 2014? What are the risks (race to the bottom on labour protections) and benefits (efficiency, accountability)?

STRETCH

Fiscal federalism: compare India's vertical fiscal imbalance (states raise 40% of revenue but spend 60%) with Germany's horizontal fiscal equalisation (rich states transfer to poor states). India's Finance Commission does similar equalisation, but India's formula has been controversial (states that have reduced fertility and increased productivity fear being penalised in devolution). Research the 15th Finance Commission's recommendations and the political controversy around them.

STRETCH

Asymmetric federalism — study India's special provisions: Article 371A-J (various Northeast states and others) gives some states the right to protect tribal land, customary law, and have separate development boards. Nagaland has separate personal law protections. Is asymmetric federalism a temporary accommodation or a permanent feature? Compare with Spain's Catalonia/Basque special status.

STRETCH

The 'second generation federalism' debate: first-generation federalism (1950–80) was about institutional design (which list, which court). Second-generation federalism (post-1991) is about economic policy — GST, industrial policy, environmental regulation. As India integrates into the global economy, should trade and investment policy remain with the Centre, or should states negotiate their own FTAs? Compare with EU member states' limited trade autonomy.

Where else this chapter is tested

CBSE board isn't the only one — other exams test this chapter too.

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Questions students ask

The real ones — pulled from the Q&A community and tutor sessions.

Yes, but a distinctive one. The word 'federation' was deliberately avoided in the Constitution — B.R. Ambedkar chose 'Union' to signal that India is INDESTRUCTIBLE and states cannot unilaterally secede (unlike the US Civil War debate). India has all functional features of a federation: multiple levels of government, defined jurisdictions, independent judiciary, constitutionally guaranteed revenue. But it has important UNITARY FEATURES — Centre can override states (Art 356), has residuary powers, can change state boundaries by Parliament. Scholars call it a 'quasi-federal' or 'federation with strong unitary features.'

Because the two federations were FORMED DIFFERENTLY. The USA was formed by 13 independent states which were jealous of their sovereignty — they gave the Centre only specific powers and kept everything else for themselves (10th Amendment). India was formed by the CENTRE redistributing power to states — the Centre was already there and was the dominant entity. Giving residuary powers to states in India's context would have created chaos — India has hundreds of languages, religions, and communities generating endless new regulatory needs. The Centre's residuary power ensures national uniformity on emerging issues.

S.R. Bommai v. Union of India (1994) was a Supreme Court case about the misuse of Article 356 (President's Rule). Before Bommai, the Centre frequently imposed President's Rule on opposition-governed states for political reasons (80+ times). The Bommai judgment: (i) declared that the President's Rule proclamation is subject to judicial review; (ii) the Centre must try to restore state government before imposing President's Rule; (iii) if dismissed, the Assembly should be kept in suspended animation, not dissolved immediately; (iv) the floor test must be given to the CM before dismissal. Effect: imposed President's Rule dropped dramatically after 1994.

In many states, when a Panchayat seat is reserved for a woman, her husband or male relative effectively controls the position — attending meetings, making decisions, and pocketing funds while the elected woman stays home. This 'sarpanch pati' (chairman's husband) problem shows that LEGAL reservation doesn't automatically produce real empowerment. Causes: patriarchal culture, women's lack of prior public experience, family pressure. Solutions: mandatory orientation training for elected women, awareness campaigns, strict rules requiring women to physically attend gram sabhas. Kerala and Karnataka, where women's education and political participation have longer histories, show much lower incidence of the problem — confirming that reservation works better when combined with broader gender equality.

The dominant historical verdict is NO — they solved more than they created. BEFORE linguistic states: language agitations were destabilising India. After 1956: the linguistic map broadly settled, regional parties emerged as legitimate democratic actors, and India's unity was strengthened by inclusion. Subsequent complications (Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation into AP and Telangana in 2014; Uttarakhand from UP, Jharkhand from Bihar in 2000) show that state creation demands continue, but through CONSTITUTIONAL PROCESS, not violent separatism. The framework created in 1956 proved flexible enough to accommodate further reorganisation democratically.

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