Chapter: Federalism
Class: 10
Subject: Social Science – Political Science (Democratic Politics-II)
Source: CBSE Board Papers (2010–2024)
✍️ Short Answer Questions (3–4 Marks Each)
- Define federalism. Mention any two features of federalism.
📅 CBSE 2012
✅ Answer:
Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and constituent units.
Features:
- Multiple levels of government
- Powers divided by the constitution
- Explain any three features of Indian federalism.
📅 CBSE 2014, 2016
✅ Answer:
- Division of powers among different levels
- Constitutionally guaranteed powers
- Independent judiciary
- Mention any three factors crucial for the success of federalism in India.
📅 CBSE 2015
✅ Answer:
- Respect for linguistic and cultural diversity
- Decentralisation of power
- Democratic political system
- What are Union List, State List and Concurrent List? Give examples.
📅 CBSE 2017
✅ Answer:
- Union List: Matters like Defence, Currency (Central Govt)
- State List: Police, Trade (State Govt)
- Concurrent List: Education, Forest (Both)
- How does judiciary play an important role in federalism?
📅 CBSE 2018
✅ Answer:
- Interprets constitution
- Settles disputes between governments
- Ensures no level violates power boundaries
- What is decentralisation? Why is it important in a federal country like India?
📅 CBSE 2015
✅ Answer:
Decentralisation means distributing decision-making power to lower levels.
Importance:
- Better local governance
- Promotes democracy
- Quick decision-making
- Explain the significance of forming linguistic states.
📅 CBSE 2016
✅ Answer:
- Gave recognition to language-based identities
- Reduced separatism
- Promoted unity in diversity
- How is power shared between the Union and State Governments in India?
📅 CBSE 2018
✅ Answer:
- Through three lists (Union, State, Concurrent)
- Constitutionally defined powers
- Courts resolve conflicts
- What steps have been taken to make the third tier of government more powerful?
📅 CBSE 2019
✅ Answer:
- 1992 constitutional amendment
- Regular elections to local bodies
- Financial and administrative powers granted
- Explain three key features of the 1992 amendment related to Panchayati Raj.
📅 CBSE 2014
✅ Answer:
- Elections every 5 years
- Reservation for SCs, STs, Women
- State Election Commission to conduct elections
📝 Long Answer Questions (5–6 Marks Each)
- Explain any five features of federalism.
📅 CBSE 2011, 2014, 2023
✅ Answer:
- Two or more levels of government
- Written constitution
- Distribution of power
- Independent judiciary
- Dual citizenship (in some federations)
- How is federalism practiced in India? Explain with examples.
📅 CBSE 2017
✅ Answer:
- Linguistic states formed
- Language policy promotes multilingualism
- Centre-State relations improved
- Decentralisation via Panchayati Raj
- Describe the key features of Indian federalism.
📅 CBSE 2022
✅ Answer:
- Division of power in 3 lists
- Constitutionally guaranteed powers
- Independent judiciary
- Strong central govt
- Three-tier system including local governance
- Why is decentralisation important for democracy? Explain.
📅 CBSE 2021
✅ Answer:
- Brings decision-making closer to people
- Increases transparency
- Better problem-solving at local level
- Promotes democratic participation
- Empowers marginalised groups
- How has India strengthened federalism since independence? Explain with examples.
📅 CBSE 2020
✅ Answer:
- Linguistic reorganisation
- Respect for cultural diversity
- Language policy
- Centre-State relations reforms
- Strong local self-government
- Assess the success of federalism in India.
📅 CBSE 2019
✅ Answer:
- Maintains unity with diversity
- Linguistic & regional autonomy respected
- Regular elections at all levels
- Improved Centre-State trust
- Power sharing encouraged
- Describe any five provisions of the 73rd Amendment Act.
📅 CBSE 2018
✅ Answer:
- Three-tier Panchayati Raj
- Regular 5-year elections
- Reservation for SCs/STs/Women
- State Election Commission
- Powers and finance delegated to local bodies
- Differentiate between Unitary and Federal systems of government.
📅 CBSE 2016
✅ Answer:
| Feature | Unitary | Federal |
|——–|———|———|
| Power distribution | Centralized | Divided |
| Constitution | Flexible | Rigid |
| Examples | Sri Lanka | India, USA |
- Write five differences between the Union, State and Concurrent Lists with examples.
📅 CBSE 2015
✅ Answer:
- Union: Defence, foreign affairs
- State: Police, trade
- Concurrent: Education, marriage laws
- Union can override State in Concurrent List
- Explain how the language policy of India has strengthened federalism.
📅 CBSE 2020
✅ Answer:
- No imposition of Hindi
- 22 languages recognised
- English continues as associate official language
- Respect for linguistic diversity
- Avoids regional conflicts
CBSE Class 10 Social Science: Federalism – Short and Long Answer Questions
(Based on NCERT Syllabus 2024-25, Reflecting Past Board Patterns)
Short Answer Questions (3 Marks)
Question: Distinguish between a federal form of government and a unitary form of government. Explain with examples.
Answer: Federal Government: In a federal system, power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units (states or provinces). Both levels of government operate independently in their own spheres. Example: India, USA.
Unitary Government: In a unitary system, there is only one level of government, or the sub-units are subordinate to the central government. The central government can pass orders to the provincial or local governments. Example: Sri Lanka, UK.
Question: Explain any three features of federalism.
Answer: Two or more levels of government: There are at least two tiers of government (e.g., central and state/provincial).
Separate Jurisdictions: Different tiers of government govern the same citizens, but each tier has its own jurisdiction in specific matters of legislation, taxation, and administration.
Constitutional Guarantee: The existence and authority of each tier of government are constitutionally guaranteed. The fundamental provisions of the constitution cannot be unilaterally changed by one level of government.
Question: What are ‘coming together’ federations? Give two examples.
Answer: ‘Coming together’ federations are formed when independent states come together on their own to form a bigger unit. By pooling sovereignty and retaining identity, they increase their security. In this type of federation, all the constituent states usually have equal power and are strong vis-à-vis the federal government. Examples: USA, Switzerland, Australia.
Question: How is ‘holding together’ federation different from ‘coming together’ federation? Explain with examples.
Answer: Coming Together Federation: Independent states come together voluntarily to form a larger unit, pooling sovereignty and retaining identity. Constituent states usually have equal power. (e.g., USA, Switzerland).
Holding Together Federation: A large country decides to divide its power between the constituent states and the national government. The central government tends to be more powerful, and constituent units often have unequal powers. (e.g., India, Spain, Belgium).
Question: State any three provisions that make India a federal country.
Answer: Two or more tiers of government: India has a Union government, State governments, and local self-governments (Panchayati Raj and Municipalities).
Three-fold distribution of legislative powers: The Constitution clearly demarcates legislative powers into Union List, State List, and Concurrent List.
Independent Judiciary: The High Courts and the Supreme Court interpret the Constitution and resolve disputes between the Union and State governments.
Question: Explain the three lists that distribute legislative powers between the Union and State governments.
Answer: Union List: Includes subjects of national importance like defence, foreign affairs, banking, communications, and currency. The Union Government alone can make laws on these subjects.
State List: Includes subjects of state and local importance such as police, trade, commerce, agriculture, and irrigation. State Governments alone can make laws on these subjects.
Concurrent List: Includes subjects of common interest to both the Union and State governments, such as education, forests, trade unions, marriage, adoption, and succession. Both governments can make laws, but if there’s a conflict, the Union law prevails.
Question: What are ‘Residuary Subjects’? Who has the power to legislate on these subjects in India?
Answer: Residuary subjects are those subjects that are not included in any of the three lists (Union, State, or Concurrent List). The Indian Constitution gives the power to legislate on these ‘residuary’ subjects to the Union (Central) Government. For example, computer software or cyber laws.
Question: Why did India adopt a policy of linguistic states after independence?
Answer: India adopted the policy of linguistic states to make administration easier, streamline governance, and promote national unity. It was believed that states formed on linguistic lines would foster better communication and understanding among people within those states, rather than creating divisions. This policy proved to be successful in making the country more united.
Question: How has the creation of linguistic states impacted the federal structure of India?
Answer: The creation of linguistic states initially raised fears of national disintegration, but it actually strengthened federalism in India. It demonstrated that diversity could be accommodated within the federal framework, making administration easier, fostering greater participation, and promoting a more inclusive national identity.
Question: How has the language policy of India strengthened federalism?
Answer: India’s language policy, which gave Hindi the status of Official Language but did not declare any language as National Language, ensured respect for linguistic diversity. States are allowed to conduct their official work in their own languages. This policy of accommodation prevented potential conflicts and linguistic division, thus strengthening the federal spirit and unity of the country.
Long Answer Questions (5 Marks)
Question: Describe the five key features of federalism.
Answer: Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country. Its key features are:
Two or more levels of government: There are at least two tiers of government (e.g., central and state/provincial; sometimes also local).
Separate Jurisdictions: Different tiers of government govern the same citizens, but each tier has its own clearly defined jurisdiction in specific matters of legislation, taxation, and administration.
Constitutional Guarantee: The existence and authority of each tier of government are constitutionally guaranteed. The fundamental provisions of the constitution cannot be unilaterally changed by one level of government. This requires the consent of both levels of government.
Independent Judiciary: Courts have the power to interpret the constitution and the powers of different levels of government. The highest court acts as an umpire if disputes arise between different levels of government in the exercise of their respective powers.
Financial Autonomy: Each tier of government has its own sources of revenue clearly specified to ensure its financial autonomy. This allows them to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
Question: Explain how federalism is practiced in India. Describe any five ways in which India has successfully strengthened federalism.
Answer: The real success of federalism in India can be attributed to the nature of democratic politics in our country. This ensured that the spirit of federalism, respect for diversity and desire for living together became shared ideals.
Linguistic States: The creation of states based on language after independence was a major test of democratic politics. It proved that linguistic diversity could be accommodated, making the country more united and administration easier.
Language Policy: The Constitution did not declare any national language. Hindi was identified as an official language. States were allowed to continue using English and their regional languages for official purposes. This flexible approach prevented linguistic conflicts.
Centre-State Relations: For a long time, the Central government often misused the Constitution to dismiss state governments controlled by rival parties. However, after 1990, the rise of regional political parties and the era of coalition governments at the Centre led to a new culture of power-sharing and respect for the autonomy of State Governments.
Decentralization: The significant step towards decentralization was taken in 1992 by amending the Constitution to make the third tier of democracy (local self-government) more powerful and effective. This brought power closer to the people.
Constitutional Amendments (73rd & 74th): These amendments made it constitutionally mandatory to hold regular elections to local government bodies, reserved seats for SCs, STs, and OBCs, and at least one-third of all positions for women. State governments were also required to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies.
Question: “Decentralisation is the spirit of democracy.” Justify this statement with five arguments regarding the decentralisation in India.
Answer: Decentralisation is indeed the spirit of democracy because it aims to bring governance closer to the people, ensuring their participation and addressing local needs more effectively.
Local Problem Solving: A large number of problems and issues are best settled at the local level as people have better knowledge of problems in their localities. They also have better ideas on where to spend money and how to manage things more efficiently.
Direct Participation: Local governments allow direct participation of citizens in decision-making, fulfilling the ideal of true democracy.
Reduced Burden on Central/State Govts: When power is decentralised, it reduces the burden on the central and state governments, allowing them to focus on larger national or state-level issues.
Increased Accountability: Local elected bodies are directly accountable to the local populace for their actions and decisions, fostering greater transparency.
Inclusive Representation: The constitutional amendments of 1992 mandated reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and one-third of positions for women, ensuring genuine representation of diverse groups at the grassroots level.
Question: Explain the dual objectives of a federal system. How are these objectives achieved in India?
Answer: The dual objectives of a federal system are:
To safeguard and promote the unity of the country: A federal system aims to prevent fragmentation by sharing power, allowing diverse regions to feel integrated into the national framework.
To accommodate regional diversity: It recognizes and respects the different cultures, languages, and identities present within a country by allowing regional units a degree of autonomy.
In India, these objectives are achieved through:
Constitutional Division of Powers: The Indian Constitution clearly demarcates powers through the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists, giving autonomy to states in certain matters while maintaining the unity of the country on national issues.
Creation of Linguistic States: This policy, though initially feared to be divisive, actually accommodated linguistic diversity, making administration more effective and strengthening national unity.
Language Policy: By not imposing a single national language and allowing official use of regional languages and English, India managed to respect linguistic diversity and avoid conflicts, thus strengthening national unity.
Decentralization to Local Bodies: The Panchayati Raj and Municipalities ensure that local diversity is addressed at the grassroots level, empowering local communities and fostering a sense of belonging within the larger federal structure.
Independent Judiciary: The judiciary acts as an impartial umpire in case of disputes between states or between the Union and states, ensuring that constitutional provisions are upheld and unity is maintained amidst diversity.
Question: Discuss the major steps taken towards decentralization in India after 1992.
Answer: A major step towards decentralisation was taken in 1992 by amending the Constitution to make the third-tier of democracy (local self-government) more powerful and effective. The major steps taken were:
Mandatory Regular Elections: It was made constitutionally mandatory to hold regular elections to local government bodies (Panchayats and Municipalities).
Reservation of Seats: Seats were reserved in the elected bodies and the executive heads of these institutions for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes (OBCs). This ensured representation for marginalized sections.
Reservation for Women: At least one-third of all positions in local government bodies were reserved for women, a significant step towards gender equality in political representation.
State Election Commissions: An independent body called the State Election Commission was created in each state to conduct panchayat and municipal elections.
Sharing of Powers and Revenue: State governments were required to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies. The nature of sharing varies from state to state, giving them resources to function effectively.
Question: “Linguistic diversity is a challenge for federalism, but India has successfully managed it.” Justify the statement.
Answer: India’s linguistic diversity indeed presented a significant challenge for its federal structure post-independence. However, India managed this challenge successfully through:
Creation of Linguistic States: This was the first and major test for democratic politics. Instead of leading to disintegration, it made administration easier and the country more united. States like Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, etc., were formed based on language, accommodating regional identities and fostering better governance.
Language Policy (No National Language): The Indian Constitution did not declare any one language as the national language. Hindi was recognized as the official language, but the Constitution also recognized 21 other languages as Scheduled Languages. This ensured that no single language dominated others and that states could conduct their official work in their own languages.
Flexibility in English Usage: The initial plan was to stop the use of English for official purposes after 15 years (1965). However, due to demands from non-Hindi speaking states, particularly in the South, the Union government agreed to continue the use of English along with Hindi. This flexibility prevented widespread agitation and maintained national unity.
Promotion of all languages: The Indian government generally promotes all languages, rather than imposing one. This policy of accommodation has strengthened the spirit of federalism by respecting and celebrating linguistic diversity.
Question: How does the judiciary play an important role in Indian federalism?
Answer: The judiciary plays a crucial role in Indian federalism by:
Interpreting the Constitution: The courts, especially the High Courts and the Supreme Court, interpret the Constitution and the powers of different levels of government. This ensures that the spirit of the Constitution is upheld.
Dispute Resolution: In case of any dispute about the division of powers between the Union government and the state governments, or between two or more state governments, the High Courts and the Supreme Court act as umpires to make a decision.
Upholding Constitutional Provisions: The judiciary safeguards the fundamental provisions of the Constitution, ensuring that no single level of government can unilaterally change them. Any such change requires the consent of both levels of government, which the judiciary upholds.
Judicial Review: The courts have the power of judicial review to check the legality of laws passed by the legislatures and actions taken by the executive, ensuring they conform to the constitutional distribution of powers.
Question: “The success of federalism in India is largely attributed to the nature of democratic politics in our country.” Elaborate.
Answer: The statement is largely true. The constitutional provisions for federalism are necessary but not sufficient for its success. The real success of federalism in India can be attributed to the nature of democratic politics, which fostered a spirit of federalism, respect for diversity, and a desire to live together.
Linguistic Reorganisation of States: The willingness to redraw state boundaries on linguistic lines (e.g., Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat) showed a commitment to accommodating diversity. This policy, instead of dividing the country, made administration easier and unified it.
Language Policy: India’s flexible language policy, which designated Hindi as an official language but didn’t make it a national language, and allowed for the continued use of English and regional languages, prevented linguistic conflicts and preserved unity.
Centre-State Relations: The period after 1990 saw the rise of regional political parties, leading to coalition governments at the Centre. This forced power-sharing arrangements and mutual respect for state autonomy, strengthening federalism by reducing the arbitrary dismissal of state governments.
Decentralization of Power: The 1992 constitutional amendments established a third tier of democracy at the local level (Panchayati Raj and Municipalities). This move brought power closer to the people, ensuring greater participation and addressing local needs effectively.
Culture of Democracy: The overall democratic culture, including the functioning of political parties, elections, and an independent judiciary, has allowed for the peaceful negotiation of differences and the adaptation of the federal structure to evolving needs, ensuring its resilience and success.
Question: Explain the concept of ‘Decentralisation’ in India. Why was it needed?
Answer: Concept of Decentralisation: Decentralisation is the process of taking power away from central and state governments and giving it to local governments. This creates a third tier of government below the state level.
Need for Decentralisation:
Vastness of India: India is a vast country with a diverse population. It is simply not possible for the central and state governments alone to effectively manage such a large and diverse nation.
Local Problems and Participation: There are a large number of problems and issues which are best settled at the local level. Local people have better knowledge of their locality’s problems, and they have better ideas on where to spend money and how to manage things more efficiently.
Democratic Participation: Local self-government enables citizens to directly participate in decision-making processes, thereby strengthening the roots of democracy and ensuring accountability.
Accommodation of Diversity: Decentralisation helps in accommodating the vast social and geographical diversity within states, ensuring that local specificities are addressed.
Empowerment of Grassroots: It empowers local bodies to initiate and implement development projects that are relevant to their specific needs, leading to more inclusive growth.
Question: “The constitutional amendments of 1992 have brought about a paradigm shift in the practice of federalism at the local level in India.” Justify the statement.
Answer: The 1992 constitutional amendments significantly transformed local self-governance, indeed bringing about a paradigm shift in the practice of federalism at the grassroots level:
Constitutional Mandate for Regular Elections: Prior to 1992, local body elections were often irregular and dependent on state government whims. The amendment made it constitutionally mandatory to hold regular elections to Panchayats and Municipalities, ensuring their democratic legitimacy and continuity.
Reservation of Seats: For the first time, seats were reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Scheduled Tribes (STs), and Other Backward Classes (OBCs) in elected local bodies, and for the posts of chairpersons. This ensured the representation of historically marginalized communities.
One-Third Reservation for Women: A revolutionary step was the reservation of at least one-third of all positions for women in local self-government bodies. This dramatically increased women’s participation in local politics, empowering them and bringing new perspectives to governance.
Creation of State Election Commissions: To ensure free and fair elections, an independent State Election Commission was created in each state to conduct local body elections. This insulated the election process from political interference.
Mandatory Sharing of Powers and Revenue: State governments were constitutionally required to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies. This provided financial autonomy and functional capacity to the Panchayats and Municipalities, enabling them to undertake development activities independently.
These changes transformed local self-governments from mere administrative units into genuine democratic institutions, making federalism deeper and more inclusive in India.
