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AP Intermediate Civics (BIEAP) study materials
AP Intermediate Civics (BIEAP) study resources

AP Intermediate Civics (BIEAP): Federalism and Centre-State Relations

AP Intermediate Civics (BIEAP) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Federalism and Centre-State Relations

Indian federalism combines dual governments with a strong centre. The exam tests the Seventh Schedule, the Union’s overriding powers and institutions of inter-governmental coordination.

Core rules and concepts

  • Federal features: dual polity, division of powers, written constitution, supremacy of the Constitution, bicameralism and an independent judiciary.
  • Unitary features: strong centre, residuary powers with the Union (Article 248), appointment of Governors (Articles 155–156), emergency provisions and single citizenship.
  • Seventh Schedule: Union List (originally 97 entries), State List (66), Concurrent List (47). Education, forests and criminal law are concurrent.
  • Union control: Article 249 (Rajya Sabha resolution), 250 (emergency), 252 (two or more states request), 356 (President’s rule).
  • Institutions: Finance Commission (Article 280), GST Council (279A), Inter-State Council (263), NITI Aayog; Sarkaria and Punchhi commissions reviewed centre-state relations.

Worked example

Parliament legislates on school curriculum (education) and a state law conflicts. Education is in the Concurrent List. Reasoning: under Article 254(1), the state law is void to the extent of repugnancy. But if the state law was reserved for the President and received assent under Article 254(2), it prevails in that state. The answer must identify the list, apply the repugnancy rule and note the exception.

Traps

  • Saying residuary powers belong to the states.
  • Treating the Governor’s report under Article 356 as non-justiciable; S.R. Bommai (1994) allows review.
  • Confusing the Finance Commission with NITI Aayog.
  • Assuming all Concurrent subjects are automatically central.
  • Forgetting that GST Council recommendations are recommendatory.

Key points

  • India is federal with a strong unitary bias.
  • Residuary powers are with the Union (Article 248).
  • Concurrent List repugnancy: Article 254.
  • Article 356 is justiciable after S.R. Bommai.
  • Finance Commission (280) and GST Council (279A) are key bodies.