Salient Features and Schedules of the Indian Constitution

Vocabulary flashcards covering the salient features, federal structures, constitutional organs, lists, amendments, and all 12 schedules of the Indian Constitution.

Original Composition of the Indian Constitution

Originally contained 395 Articles, 22 Parts, and 8 Schedules.

Present Composition of the Indian Constitution

Presently contains 448 Articles, 25 Parts, and 12 Schedules.

Constitutional Parts Deleted and Added

Part 7 has been deleted, and new Parts IV-A, IX-A, IX-B, and XIV-A have been added.

Written Constitution

A constitution compiled and structured in a systematic form, formally constituted, and not easy to amend (e.g., India).

Unwritten Constitution

A constitution that is not structured, not formally constituted, and easy to amend (e.g., UK).

Federalism

The existence of more than one level of government in a country, where constituent units drive their authority directly from the Constitution itself rather than acting merely as central agents.

Three-Tier Government in India

The governance hierarchy in India consisting of the Union/Centre, the States, and Local Bodies.

Nature of Indian Federalism

Described structurally as a federation with a unitary bias and a strong Centre.

Federal Features of the Indian Constitution

Includes a Written Constitution, Supremacy of the Constitution, Rigidity of the Constitution, Independence of Judiciary, Bicameralism, and Dual Government.

Unitary Features of the Indian Constitution

Includes a Single Constitution, Single Citizenship, Integrated Judiciary, All India Services, Emergency provisions, and Appointment of governors by the Centre.

Quasi Federal

A characterization of the Indian Constitution given by K.C. Wheare.

Cooperative Federalism

A description of the Indian federal structure coined by Granville Austin.

Bargaining Federalism

A description of Indian federalism coined by Morris Jones.

Federalism with a Centralising Tendency

A comment on the nature of Indian federalism formulated by Ivor Jennings.

Three Organs of Government

Legislative (makes laws), Executive (carries out laws), and Judicial (evaluates laws).

Amendment

A formal change made to a law, contract, constitution, or other legal document.

Schedule 1

Details the names of the States and Union Territories (UTs) and their territorial jurisdictions.

Schedule 2

Contains provisions relating to emoluments and allowances for the President, Vice President, Governors, Speakers and Deputy Speakers (LS and LA), Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen (RS and LC), Judges (SC and HC), and the CAG.

Schedule 3

Prescribes the forms of oaths and affirmations for Union and State Ministers, MPs, MLAs, Judges, and the CAG.

Schedule 4

Allocates seats in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) to the States and Union Territories.

Schedule 5

Governs the administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Telangana.

Schedule 6

Contains provisions related to the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram (Trick: ATM without Money; excludes Manipur).

Schedule 7

Contains three legislative lists outlining federal provisions for lawmaking powers between the Union and States: Union List, State List, and Concurrent List.

Union List

A list of subjects of national importance where only Parliament can make laws; initially contained 97 subjects, presently contains 100 subjects (e.g., Defence, atomic energy, citizenship, airways, banking, census).

State List

A list of subjects under state jurisdiction; initially contained 66 subjects, presently contains 61 subjects (e.g., Public order, local government, health, agriculture, fisheries, betting and gambling).

Concurrent List

A list of subjects where both the Centre and States can make laws; initially contained 47 subjects, presently contains 52 subjects (e.g., Marriage and divorce, electricity, education, weights and measures).

Residuary List

Subjects not included in the Union, State, or Concurrent lists; Parliament has the exclusive power to legislate on these subjects.

Subjects Transferred through the 42nd Amendment

Five subjects moved from the State List to the Concurrent List: Education, Forests, Weights and Measures, Protection of wild animals and birds, and Administration of justice.

Schedule 8

Lists the official languages recognized by the Constitution; originally listed 14 languages, presently lists 22 languages.

21st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1967

Added Sindhi to the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

71st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992

Added Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali to the Eighth Schedule (Trick: KMN).

92nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003

Added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali to the Eighth Schedule (Trick: BDSM).

96th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011

Changed the name of the official language from 'Oriya' to 'Odia' in the Eighth Schedule.

Classical Languages of India (Original Six)

Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia (Trick: Tu Shuru Toh Kar Mai Aariya).

Classical Languages Added in 2024

Five languages added in 2024: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.

Schedule 9

Contains provisions relating to land reforms and the Zamindari system, added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment Act in 1951.

Schedule 10

Contains provisions relating to the disqualification of MPs and MLAs on grounds of defection, added through the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1985.

Schedule 11

Contains provisions relating to Panchayats across 29 functional matters, added through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1992.

Schedule 12

Contains provisions relating to Municipalities across 18 functional matters, added through the 74th Constitutional Amendment Act in 1992.

TEARS OF OLD PM

A mnemonic to remember the 12 Schedules: Territory (1), Emoluments (2), Affirmation and oath (3), Rajya Sabha (4), Scheduled areas (5), Other scheduled areas (6), Federal provisions (7), Official languages (8), Land provision (9), Defection (10), Panchayat (11), Municipality (12).