🏅 Class 10 Political Science – Democratic Politics II
Chapter 2: Federalism
Original Visual Revision Notes Independently created study material. Not affiliated with or endorsed by NCERT.

📌 Contents 1. 📚 Chapter Notes 2. 🎨 Easy Illustrations 3. ✏️ Worked Examples 4. 📋 Cheat Sheet 5. 🏠 Take-Home Handout 6. 🃏 Revision Flashcards 7. 🧠 Mind Map

📚 1. Chapter Notes — Federalism

What is Federalism?
Federalism is a system where power is divided between a central government and state governments. Both levels have their own powers. Neither one can order the other on their own subjects. Both are separately answerable to the people.
Key Features of a Federal System
Federal vs Unitary Government
In a unitary system, one central government controls everything. State governments are subordinate. The centre can give and take powers. In a federal system, both central and state governments have constitutionally guaranteed powers. Neither can take away the other's powers.
Two Routes to Federalism
Three Lists in the Indian Constitution
Special Provisions for Some States
Not all Indian states have equal powers. Some states have special provisions under Article 371 of the Constitution. States like Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have special protections for land rights, culture and employment of indigenous people. Non-residents cannot buy land in these states.
Union Territories
Some areas are too small to become states. They are called Union Territories — Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, Delhi. The Central Government runs these areas directly. They do not have the powers of a state.
Linguistic States — A Big Test
After independence, many states were reorganised along language lines. This was the first major test of Indian federalism. Leaders initially feared language-based states would divide the country. But experience showed they actually helped unite the country and made administration easier.
Language Policy of India
The Constitution did not give any language the status of national language. Hindi was identified as the official language. But Hindi is spoken by only about 40–44% of Indians. So many other languages were protected. There are 22 Scheduled Languages. Non-Hindi states continued using English for official purposes after 1965 following demands, particularly from Tamil Nadu.
Decentralisation — The Third Tier
In 1992, the constitution was amended to create a third tier of government — local government. This was a major step of decentralisation. Power was taken from central and state governments and given to villages and towns. The purpose was to let people participate directly in local decisions.
1992 Amendment — Key Changes
Rural Local Government: Panchayati Raj
Each village or group of villages has a gram panchayat. It is headed by a sarpanch. Members are called panch. A few panchayats form a panchayat samiti. All panchayat samitis in a district form the Zilla Parishad. The gram sabha is the meeting of all adult voters in the village.

🎨 2. Easy Illustrations

Federal System in India — Three Tiers Central Government Union List: Defence, Banking, Foreign Affairs State Governments State List: Police, Agriculture, Trade Concurrent List Education, Forests, Marriage Local Government (3rd Tier) Panchayats (villages) | Municipalities (towns) Added by 1992 Constitutional Amendment

Three tiers of government in India and their subjects

Panchayati Raj Structure Gram Panchayat Village level Sarpanch + Panch Overseen by Gram Sabha Panchayat Samiti Block level Several gram panchayats Zilla Parishad District level Elected members + officials Urban Local Bodies Municipality → Municipal Corporation Chairperson / Mayor heads these

Three-level structure of rural and urban local government

Coming Together vs Holding Together Federations Coming Together Independent states join voluntarily Examples: USA, Switzerland, Australia All states have equal powers States are strong vs central govt States pool sovereignty Holding Together Large country divides its power Examples: India, Spain, Belgium States may have unequal powers Central govt tends to be stronger Central government holds country

Two types of federal formation — by joining or by dividing

Centre-State Relations — Key Developments Early Years (After 1947) Same party ruled centre and most states States had less autonomy Centre dismissed rival state governments → After 1990 Regional parties rose Coalition governments formed Centre needed state parties More respect for state autonomy developed → Today Supreme Court ruled against arbitrary dismissal of state governments Federalism more effective

How Centre-State relations evolved in India

Federal vs Unitary Government — Quick Comparison Federal Government ✔ Two or more levels of government ✔ Powers divided by constitution ✔ Centre cannot overrule states on state subjects ✔ Example: India, USA, Australia ✔ Court acts as umpire in disputes Unitary Government ✘ One central government with all power ✘ Sub-units subordinate to centre ✘ Centre can give and take power ✘ Example: UK, France, Sri Lanka ✘ No constitutional guarantee for states

Key differences between federal and unitary systems

✏️ 3. Worked Examples

💡 Question 1: What are the three lists in the Indian Constitution? Give examples from each.

1 The Indian Constitution divides law-making powers into three lists.
2 Union List: Only Central Government makes laws. Examples — Defence, Foreign Affairs, Banking, Railway, Currency.
3 State List: Only State Governments make laws. Examples — Police, Agriculture, Irrigation, Trade within state.
4 Concurrent List: Both Centre and States make laws. Examples — Education, Forests, Marriage laws.
5 If Centre and State laws on Concurrent List conflict, Central law prevails.
✅ Three Lists: Union (Centre only), State (States only), Concurrent (both). Residuary subjects go to Central Government.
💡 Question 2: What changes did the 1992 amendment bring to local government in India?

1 Before 1992, panchayats existed but were not taken seriously. Elections were not held regularly.
2 Local bodies had no real powers or independent funds.
3 The 1992 amendment made regular elections mandatory for all local bodies.
4 Seats were reserved for SC, ST, OBC and one-third seats for women.
5 State Election Commission created to conduct elections. States must share revenue with local bodies.
✅ The 1992 amendment made local government constitutionally strong, democratic and representative. India now has about 36 lakh elected local representatives.
💡 Question 3: How was the language policy of India different from that of Sri Lanka?

1 Sri Lanka declared Sinhala as the only official language, ignoring Tamil in 1956.
2 India did not give any language the status of 'national language'. Hindi became official language.
3 India recognised 22 Scheduled Languages in the Constitution.
4 English continued to be used for official purposes after demands from non-Hindi states.
5 India showed flexibility. Sri Lanka did not. This helped India avoid language-based conflict.
✅ India's flexible language policy protected all languages. Sri Lanka's rigid policy caused civil war.
💡 Question 4: Why is India considered a federal country? List any four evidence.

1 Three tiers of government: Central, State and Local (panchayats and municipalities).
2 Three legislative lists divide powers between Centre and States with constitutional guarantee.
3 Judiciary (Supreme Court and High Courts) acts as umpire if Centre and States have disputes.
4 Both levels have separate sources of revenue — states collect sales tax, land revenue etc.
5 Constitutional amendments on power-sharing need approval of at least half the state legislatures.
✅ India has clear constitutional division of powers, independent judiciary, multiple tiers and guaranteed state autonomy — all features of federalism.

📋 4. Cheat Sheet — Key Terms

TermSimple Meaning
FederalismSystem where power is divided between central and state governments
Unitary GovernmentOne central government controls everything; states are subordinate
Union ListSubjects on which only Central Government makes laws
State ListSubjects on which only State Governments make laws
Concurrent ListSubjects where both Centre and States can make laws
Residuary SubjectsSubjects not in any list; Central Government has power over these
Union TerritoryArea directly administered by Central Government — too small for state status
DecentralisationMoving power from central/state to local level for local self-governance
Panchayati RajSystem of rural local government — gram panchayat, panchayat samiti, zilla parishad
Gram SabhaMeeting of all adult voters in a village — oversees gram panchayat
SarpanchElected head of the gram panchayat
Coalition GovernmentGovernment formed when two or more parties join together
Linguistic StatesStates created based on the language spoken by the majority of people
JurisdictionArea or subjects over which a government has legal authority to make decisions
Coming Together FederationIndependent states voluntarily join to form a larger union (e.g., USA)

🏠 5. Take-Home Handout — Practice Questions

✍️ Q1: What is federalism? Explain any four key features of a federal system.
✍️ Q2: Distinguish between "coming together" and "holding together" federations. Which type is India?
✍️ Q3: Explain the significance of the 1992 Constitutional Amendment for local government in India.
✍️ Q4: How did the creation of linguistic states strengthen Indian democracy? Give two examples.
✍️ Q5: How did Centre-State relations change after 1990 in India? What caused this change?

✅ Model Answers

A1: Federalism — Federalism is a system where power is divided between a central government and state governments by the constitution. Four features: (1) Two or more tiers of government. (2) Each tier has constitutionally guaranteed powers. (3) Courts act as umpires in disputes. (4) Both levels can raise revenue independently. In India, Central Government handles defence and foreign affairs, while states handle police and agriculture.
A2: Two Routes — Coming together: Independent states voluntarily join to form a larger unit. States are equally powerful (USA, Switzerland, Australia). Holding together: A large country divides its power between centre and states. Centre tends to be more powerful (India, Belgium). India is a 'holding together' federation — a large, diverse country that created states to accommodate regional diversity. Some states like Nagaland have special powers.
A3: 1992 Amendment — Before 1992, local bodies existed but lacked real power. The 1992 amendment changed this significantly: (a) Regular elections to local bodies became mandatory. (b) One-third seats reserved for women. (c) Seats reserved for SC, ST and OBC. (d) State Election Commission created. (e) States must share revenue. India now has 36 lakh elected representatives at local level — largest democratic experiment in the world.
A4: Linguistic States — When India was reorganised on language lines, initial fears about disintegration proved wrong. Languages like Marathi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada got their own states. This made administration easier. People felt their language and culture were respected. Maharashtra (Marathi), Andhra Pradesh (Telugu), Tamil Nadu (Tamil), Karnataka (Kannada) are examples. Linguistic states strengthened unity by removing resentment.
A5: Centre-State After 1990 — Earlier, one party (Congress) ruled both at centre and in most states. Centre sometimes unfairly dismissed rival state governments. After 1990, regional parties grew stronger. No single national party got clear majority in Lok Sabha. National parties formed coalitions with regional parties. This gave regional parties power and respect. The Supreme Court also ruled against arbitrary dismissal of state governments. Today, federal power-sharing is more real than it was in the 1960s.

🃏 6. Revision Flashcards

What is the main difference between federal and unitary government?
In federal: states have constitutional powers. In unitary: centre controls everything.
Which subjects are on the Concurrent List?
Education, forests, marriage, trade unions — both Centre and States make laws
What year was local government given constitutional status in India?
1992 — the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments
How many elected local representatives does India have?
About 36 lakh — largest democratic experiment in the world
What is the Gram Sabha?
Meeting of all adult voters in the village — oversees gram panchayat work
Give an example of a 'coming together' federation
USA — independent states voluntarily joined to form a union
What subjects are in the Union List?
Defence, foreign affairs, banking, communications, currency
What is decentralisation?
Taking power from central/state governments and giving it to local bodies

🧠 7. Mind Map — Federalism

Three Lists Union: Defence, Banking State: Police, Agriculture Concurrent: Education + Residuary → Centre Local Government Panchayats (rural) Municipalities (urban) 1992 Amendment 36 lakh elected reps Two Types Coming together: USA, Australia Holding together: India, Spain India = Holding together Centre more powerful Centre-State Relations 1947–90: Congress dominated After 1990: Coalition era Regional parties stronger Federalism more effective now Language Policy No national language — 22 scheduled Linguistic states made administration easier FEDERALISM Chapter 2 Vertical Power Sharing

Mind map of Federalism — Chapter 2