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BSEB Matric Social Science study materials
BSEB Matric Social Science study resources

BSEB Matric Social Science: Political Science: Constitution, Federalism and Democratic Institutions

BSEB Matric Social Science · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.

All guide sections

Political Science: Constitution, Federalism and Democratic Institutions

Political Science in the BSEB Matric paper tests how democracy, the Constitution and government work in India. You need to know which institution or level of government does what, and why. Answers should use the correct article, list or amendment rather than vague phrases such as 'the government decides'.

Core rules and concepts

  • The Constitution sets out Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12-35), Directive Principles (Part IV) and Fundamental Duties (Part IVA, added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976).
  • Federal division: Union List (defence, currency, railways, foreign affairs), State List (police, public health, agriculture) and Concurrent List (education, forests, marriage and divorce).
  • The President is the constitutional head; the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers exercise real executive power and advise the President under Article 74.
  • Parliament consists of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and President; a money bill can start only in the Lok Sabha.
  • The judiciary is integrated, with the Supreme Court at the top; judicial review lets courts strike down laws that violate the Constitution.
  • Panchayati Raj: the 73rd Amendment (1992) covers rural bodies and the 74th covers urban bodies; three tiers, with reservation for women and SC/ST.

Worked example

Question: 'Parliament passes a law making elementary education free and compulsory. Is this within its power?' Reasoning: education was originally a State subject; the 42nd Amendment (1976) moved it to the Concurrent List, so both Parliament and states may legislate. The 86th Amendment (2002) inserted Article 21A, making free and compulsory education for ages 6-14 a fundamental right, and the RTE Act 2009 followed. If a state law conflicts with the central law, Article 254 makes the central law prevail unless the state law has received presidential assent. So the law is valid, but the reasoning must mention the Concurrent List and Article 21A, not just 'education is a right'.

Traps

  • Calling the President the real head of government.
  • Mixing Articles 352 (national emergency), 356 (President's rule) and 360 (financial emergency).
  • Forgetting the Concurrent List and treating every subject as exclusively Union or State.
  • Confusing the 73rd Amendment (panchayats) with the 74th (municipalities).