CBSE Class 10 SST: Federalism — Political Science Notes 2026

What is Federalism

• Federal system: power shared between central (national) and regional (state) governments
• Two levels of government; own jurisdictions; both directly elected; constitution supreme
• Two types: coming-together (USA, Switzerland, Australia) and holding-together (India, Spain, Belgium)

Federal Features of India

• Three lists: Union List (97 subjects — defence, foreign affairs), State List (66 subjects — police, agriculture), Concurrent List (47 subjects — education, forests)
• Residual powers with Centre; Governor (Centre's representative in state); Article 356 (President's Rule)
• India described as 'quasi-federal': strong centre; but 1990s saw more state autonomy with coalition era

Linguistic States and Linguistic Diversity

• Reorganisation of states on linguistic basis (1956): States Reorganisation Act; Andhra Pradesh first linguistic state (1953)
• Created stability: Tamils, Marathas, Gujaratis, etc. had own states; reduced separatist demands
• Controversy: Telangana (2014) carved from Andhra Pradesh; linguistic states not perfect solution

Decentralisation in India

• 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992): mandatory Panchayati Raj (rural) and Municipalities (urban)
• Three tiers: village panchayat, block/taluka panchayat, district panchayat; elected members; 5-year terms
• 1/3 seats reserved for women; SC/ST reservation proportional to population; states may reserve more

Local Government Functions

• Gram Panchayat: 29 functions listed in 11th Schedule; water supply, sanitation, primary education, health
• Gram Sabha: all adults in village; meets at least twice a year; ratifies panchayat decisions; democratic accountability
• Urban Local Bodies: Municipalities (small towns), Municipal Corporations (large cities), Notified Area Committees

Federalism Challenges

• Financial dependence: states depend on Centre for grants; GST shifted power to Centre somewhat
• Governor's role: appointed by Centre; used politically in opposition-ruled states
• Horizontal imbalance: rich states (Maharashtra, Gujarat) vs. poor states (UP, Bihar); Finance Commission redistributes

CBSE Exam Tips

• Federalism: 4–6 marks; 73rd amendment and decentralisation most frequently tested
• Distinguish: Union List, State List, Concurrent List with 2 examples each
• Define: Gram Sabha, Gram Panchayat; explain difference; state their functions