Class 10 Civics Chapter 2, Federalism, defines federalism in contrast to a unitary system, sets out the seven key features of a federation, compares ‘coming together’ and ‘holding together’ federations, analyses the Union, State and Concurrent Lists in India, examines how federalism is practised through linguistic states, language policy and centre-state relations, and details the 1992 Decentralisation (Panchayati Raj) amendments.
What Class 10 Social Science (Civics) Chapter 2 Covers
What is Federalism? & What Makes India a Federal Country? contrasts unitary and federal systems, lists the seven key features of federalism (two or more levels of government, distinct jurisdictions over the same citizens, constitutionally guaranteed authority, mutual consent for fundamental constitutional changes, independent judicial interpretation, specified revenue sources, and dual objectives of safeguarding unity while accommodating regional diversity), distinguishes ‘coming together’ federations (USA, Switzerland, Australia) from ‘holding together’ federations (India, Spain, Belgium), and explains the three-fold distribution of legislative powers in India: Union List (defence, foreign affairs, banking, communications, currency), State List (police, trade, commerce, agriculture, irrigation), Concurrent List (education, forest, trade unions, marriage, adoption, succession) and residuary subjects (computer software, vested in the Union Government), plus asymmetric provisions under Article 371.
How is Federalism Practised? (Linguistic States, Language Policy & Centre-State Relations) shows how the creation of Linguistic States since 1947 actually made the country more united and administration easier, how India’s Language Policy avoided imposing a single national language (recognising Hindi + 21 other Scheduled Languages in the Eighth Schedule and continuing English alongside Hindi for official purposes), and how the rise of regional parties and coalition governments at the Centre after 1990 (backed by the Supreme Court) strengthened federal power sharing.
Decentralisation in India (1992 Constitutional Amendment) defines decentralisation (taking power from Central and State governments and giving it to local government) and lists the five landmark provisions of the 1992 Constitutional Amendment: (1) mandatory regular elections to local government bodies; (2) reservation of seats for SCs, STs and OBCs; (3) reservation of at least one-third of all positions for women; (4) creation of an independent State Election Commission in each state; and (5) State governments required to share some powers and revenue with local bodies—creating the three-tier Panchayati Raj system (Gram Panchayat supervised by Gram Sabha → Panchayat Samiti / Block / Mandal → Zila Parishad in rural areas, and Municipalities and Municipal Corporations in urban areas).
Exercises in Chapter 2
- Chapter Exercises (12 Questions) cover locating federal countries on a map, pointing out one feature in the practice of federalism in India that is similar to and one that is different from that of Belgium, the main difference between a federal form of government and a unitary one, and two differences between local government before and after the Constitutional amendment in 1992.
Read Class 10 Social Science (Civics) Chapter 2 Online
More Chapters
- Previous: Chapter 1: Power-sharing
- Next: Chapter 3: Gender, Religion and Caste
- Hindi medium: Class 10 Civics Chapter 2 in Hindi (Loktantrik Rajniti II)
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FAQ
What are the main differences between a federal form of government and a unitary one?
Under the unitary system, either there is only one level of government or the sub-units are subordinate to the central government, which can pass on orders to the provincial or local government. In a federal system, power is constitutionally divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country; the central government cannot order the state government to do something, and both levels are separately answerable to the people.
What were the major changes made by the 1992 Constitutional Amendment towards decentralisation in India?
The 1992 Amendment made the third tier of democracy more powerful and effective by: (1) making it constitutionally mandatory to hold regular elections to local government bodies; (2) reserving seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Other Backward Classes; (3) reserving at least one-third of all seats and executive heads for women; (4) creating an independent State Election Commission in each state; and (5) requiring State governments to share some powers and revenue with local government bodies.