Class 11 Political Science Chapter 7 Federalism NCERT Solutions

Q. From the list of following events, which ones would you identify with the functioning of federalism? Why?
(a) The Centre on Tuesday announced Sixth Schedule status to GNLF-led Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council, which would ensure greater autonomy to the governing body in the Hill district of West Bengal. A tripartite Memorandum of Settlement was signed in New Delhi between the Centre, West Bengal government and the Subhas Ghising-led Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) after two days of hectic deliberations.
(b) Government for action plan for rain-hit States: Centre has asked the rain-ravaged States to submit detailed plans for reconstruction to enable it to respond to their demands for extra relief expeditiously.
(c) New Commissioner for Delhi: The Capital is getting a new municipal commissioner. Confirming this, present MCD Commissioner Rakesh Mehta said he has received his transfer orders and that he is likely to be replaced by IAS officer Ashok Kumar, who is serving as the Chief Secretary in Arunachal Pradesh. Mehta, a 1975 batch IAS officer, has been heading the MCD for about three-and-a-half years.
(d) CU Status for Manipur University: Rajya Sabha on Wednesday passed a Bill to convert the Manipur University into a Central University with the Human Resource Development Minister promising such institutions in the North Eastern States of Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura and Sikkim as well.
(e) Funds released: The Centre has released Rs. 553 lakh to Arunachal Pradesh under its rural water supply scheme. The first instalment was of Rs. 466.81 lakh.
(f) We’ll teach the Biharis how to live in Mumbai: Around 100 Shiv Sainiks stormed J. J. Hospital, disrupted daily operations, raised slogans and threatened to take matters into their own hands if no action was taken against non-Maharashtrian students.
(g) Demand for dismissal of Government: The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) in a representation submitted to State Governor recently, has demanded dismissal of the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) government for its alleged financial mismanagement and embezzlement of public money.
(h) NDA government asks naxalites to surrender arms: Amid a walkout by opposition RJD and its allies Congress and CPI (M), the Bihar government today appealed to the naxalites to shun the path of violence and reaffirmed its pledge to root out unemployment to usher in a new era of development in Bihar.

Answer:
(a), (b), (d), (e) and (g) are examples of the functioning of federalism.
(a) A tripartite settlement between the Centre, the State and a regional body, granting Sixth Schedule status, shows the centre and the State sharing power to meet a regional demand for autonomy.
(b) The Centre asking rain-hit States for reconstruction plans so that it can grant extra relief is part of centre-State financial relations: States depend on central assistance.
(d) Parliament (the Rajya Sabha) converting a State’s university into a Central University is the Union acting on a subject in a State, with the States’ chamber taking part.
(e) The Centre releasing funds to Arunachal Pradesh under its rural water supply scheme is central financial assistance to a State, a basic feature of centre-State financial relations.
(g) A demand to the Governor to dismiss a State government involves the Governor’s power to recommend dismissal and President’s Rule (Article 356), one of the most debated parts of centre-State relations.
(c) is arguable. The transfer of an IAS officer to head the MCD reflects the integrated All-India Services, which are under central control, so it can be counted as federal functioning; but it is mainly a routine administrative transfer in the national capital.
(f) and (h) are not examples of federalism. (f) is a linguistic-regional tension and a law-and-order issue, and (h) is a State government’s own appeal on a law-and-order problem; neither involves the relationship between the centre and the States.

Q. Think which of the following statements would be correct. State why.
(a) Federalism enhances the possibility of people from different regions to interact without the fear of one’s culture being imposed upon them by others.
(b) Federal system will hinder easier economic transaction between two different regions that have distinct types of resources.
(c) A federal system will ensure that the powers of those at the centre will remain limited.

Answer:
(a) and (c) are correct, (b) is incorrect.
(a) is correct, federalism lets each region preserve its own culture and identity, reducing the fear that another region’s culture will be imposed, which encourages interaction.
(c) is correct, the constitutional division of powers between the centre and States naturally limits central power.
(b) is incorrect, a federal system does not mean economic obstruction, it establishes cooperation and a shared market, and can in fact ease trade between regions with different resources rather than hindering it.

Q. Based on the first few articles of the Belgian constitution given below, explain how federalism is visualised in that country. Try and write a similar Article for the Constitution of India.
Title I: On Federal Belgium, its components and its territory.
Article 1: Belgium is a Federal State made up of communities and regions.
Article 2: Belgium is made up of three communities: The French Community, the Flemish Community and the German Community.
Article 3: Belgium is made up of three regions: The Walloon region, the Flemish region and the Brussels region.
Article 4: Belgium has four linguistic regions: The French-speaking region, the Dutch-speaking region, the bilingual region of Brussels Capital and the German-speaking region. Each «commune» (county borough) of the Kingdom is part of one of these linguistic regions.
Article 5: The Walloon region is made up of the following provinces: The Walloon Brabant, Hainault, Liege, Luxemburg and Namur. The Flemish region is made up of the following provinces: Antwerp, the Flemish Brabant, West Flanders, East Flanders and Limburg.

Answer:
Belgian federalism is built on linguistic and community identity, communities (French, Flemish, German), regions (Walloon, Flemish, Brussels) and linguistic regions all divide the country in different, overlapping ways, meaning several layers of identity operate together within one country.
A possible similar Article for India: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union made up of States and Union Territories. India has twenty-eight States and eight Union Territories, each State shall have its own Legislative Assembly and government, while the administration of Union Territories shall be directed by the central government.”

Q. Imagine that you were to rewrite the provisions regarding federalism. Write an essay of not more than 300 words making your suggestions about: (a) division of powers among the centre and the States, (b) distribution of financial resources, (c) methods of resolving inter-State disputes and (d) appointment of Governors.

Answer:
(a) Division of powers: the existing three-List system (Union, State, Concurrent) is broadly sound, but consultation with the States could be made mandatory before legislating on Concurrent List subjects, so central intervention does not feel one-sided.
(b) Financial resources: States should be given more freedom to expand their own revenue sources, and central grants should follow an independent, transparent formula (such as Finance Commission recommendations), relying less on the centre’s discretion.
(c) Resolving inter-State disputes: border and river-water disputes should go through time-bound tribunals whose decisions are binding, with the Supreme Court as the final recourse only when a tribunal’s ruling is not accepted, reducing decades-long delays.
(d) Appointment of Governors: my suggestion is that Governors be recommended by an independent committee rather than solely by the central government’s discretion, in the spirit of the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendation that appointments of Governors should be strictly non-partisan, so that appointments stay free of party politics.
Together, these suggestions aim to build greater centre-State trust and strengthen cooperative federalism, without weakening the centre’s genuinely necessary coordinating role.

Q. Which of the following should be the basis for formation of a State? Why?
(a) Common Language (b) Common economic interests (c) Common religion (d) Administrative convenience

Answer: (a) Common language is the most suitable basis, India’s States have mainly been formed on linguistic identity (as recommended by the States Reorganisation Commission, 1953-56), letting people govern themselves in their own language and culture. Administrative convenience (d) can be a supporting factor (for instance, the 2000 creation of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand was also meant to meet the need for greater administrative efficiency), but language remains the most fundamental and historically dominant basis for State formation. Common religion (c) is not a suitable basis: India is the home of several major religions, and States drawn on religious lines would divide people rather than accommodate diversity, against the spirit of unity in diversity. Common economic interest (b) alone is not a suitable basis, since economic interests keep changing over time.

Q. Majority of people from the States of north India, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, speak Hindi. If all these States are combined to form one State, would it be in tune with the idea of federalism? Give arguments.

Answer: No, this would not be in tune with the idea of federalism.
1. Despite sharing a common language, these four States have their own distinct regional identities, histories, cultures and administrative needs.
2. Creating such a huge single State would be administratively impractical, weakening the reach of governance at the local level.
3. Federalism is not based on language alone, but also on regional autonomy and respect for diversity, merging all four States would be a kind of forced uniformity, which goes against the spirit of federalism.
4. Therefore, keeping these States separate, even while sharing a common language, better serves federalism.

Q. List four features of the Indian Constitution that give greater power to the central government than the State government.

Answer:
1. Parliament has the power to alter the existence, boundary and name of a State.
2. Under emergency provisions, Parliament can legislate on State List subjects too.
3. The centre controls most revenue sources, and States depend heavily on central grants.
4. The Governor can recommend dismissal of a State government and can reserve State bills for the President’s assent.

Q. Why are many States unhappy about the role of the Governor?

Answer:
1. The Governor is not elected, but appointed by the central government, so the Governor’s decisions are often seen as central interference.
2. This becomes even more controversial when different parties are in power at the centre and in the State.
3. The Governor can recommend a State government’s dismissal and Assembly dissolution, and can also reserve State bills, powers that have at times been misused for political reasons (e.g. Kerala in 1959, or Andhra Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in the 1980s).
4. This is exactly why the Sarkaria Commission recommended that Governor appointments should be strictly non-partisan.

Q. President’s Rule can be imposed in a State if the government is not being run according to the provisions of the Constitution. State whether any of the following conditions are a fit case for imposition of President’s Rule in the State. Give reasons.
(a) Two members of the State legislative assembly belonging to the main opposition party have been killed by criminals and the opposition is demanding dismissal of the State government.
(b) Kidnapping of young children for ransom is on rise. The number of crimes against women are increasing.
(c) No political party has secured majority in the recent elections of the State Legislative Assembly. It is feared that some MLAs from the other parties may be lured to support a political party in return for money.
(d) Different political parties are ruling in the State and at the centre and they are bitter opponents of each other.
(e) More than 2000 people have been killed in the communal riots.
(f) In the water dispute between the two States, one State government refused to follow the decision of the Supreme Court.

Answer:
(a) Not a fit case. This is a law-and-order problem, the State government should get the chance to handle it, dismissal merely on the opposition’s demand is not justified.
(b) Not a fit case. Rising crime is the responsibility of the State police administration, which should be given time to improve, this alone is not a constitutional breakdown.
(c) Not a fit case, but caution is needed. A hung assembly is a normal democratic outcome, sufficient time and opportunity should be given for coalition-building instead of imposing President’s Rule.
(d) Not a fit case. Different, even hostile, parties ruling the centre and the State is not by itself a constitutional breakdown, it is a routine feature of federal democracy.
(e) A fit case, if the State government fails to restore order. When more than 2000 people have been killed and the State cannot control the violence, the government can no longer be carried on according to the Constitution. Even then, President’s Rule is a last resort and its use is subject to judicial review.
(f) A fit case, if the State persists in refusing. A State government that refuses to obey the Supreme Court is not carrying on its government according to the provisions of the Constitution, which is exactly the condition for President’s Rule. It should be used only as a last resort, after the State has been given a chance to comply, and it is subject to judicial review.

Q. What are the demands raised by States in their quest for greater autonomy?

Answer:
1. Division of powers: States like Tamil Nadu, Punjab and West Bengal have demanded more and more important powers for the States.
2. Financial autonomy: independent revenue sources and greater resource control, as demanded by West Bengal’s Left Front Government in 1977.
3. Administrative autonomy: resentment against central control over the administrative machinery.
4. Cultural/linguistic autonomy: opposition to Hindi’s imposition (Tamil Nadu), demand to promote Punjabi language and culture (Punjab).

Q. Should some States be governed by special provisions? Does this create resentment among other States? Does this help in forging greater unity among the regions of the country?

Answer:
Are special provisions necessary: Yes, given the sizeable tribal populations and distinct historical-cultural identities of north-eastern States like Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram, applying uniform rules everywhere would ignore their genuinely different circumstances.
Does it create resentment: Sometimes yes, States that do not receive similar special provisions may perceive this as discrimination, especially if the basis for the special provisions is not made clear.
Does it forge greater unity: In the long run, yes, because it accommodates diversity and reassures each region that its distinct identity and needs will be respected. However, the chapter itself notes that these provisions alone have not been able to stem alienation and insurgency in parts of the north-east, so special provisions alone are not enough, they must be paired with better governance and genuine trust-building.

Q. (i) Who decides the powers of the central government in a federation?
(ii) How are conflicts between the central government and the States resolved in a federation?

Answer:
(i) The constitution. In a federation, the division of powers between the two sets of government is spelt out in a written constitution, which is considered supreme and is the source of the power of both governments. Neither government can change it on its own.
(ii) Legal disputes about the division of power are resolved by an independent judiciary, which has the power to settle disputes between the central government and the States. Demands for more powers or autonomy are political, so they are resolved through negotiation.

Q. I feel that States would have very little money of their own. How can they manage their affairs? It is like some families where the money is with the husband and the wife has to manage the household.

Answer: The comparison is close to what the chapter says. The Constitution centralises economic and financial powers in the hands of the central government: the items that generate revenue are under its control, while the States have immense responsibilities but very meagre revenue sources. States therefore manage mostly with grants and financial assistance from the centre, besides their own limited taxes. This is why States demand financial autonomy, that is, independent sources of revenue and greater control over resources, as the Left Front Government of West Bengal did in its 1977 document, and why the centre’s discretion in giving grants and loans has been criticised as lopsided.

Q. (i) Do you think that there is a need for mentioning Residuary powers separately? Why?
(ii) Why do the States feel dissatisfied about the division of powers?

Answer:
(i) Yes. No list can foresee every future subject. Residuary powers cover all matters not mentioned in any of the three Lists (cyber laws, for example), and stating separately that the Union legislature alone can legislate on them prevents disputes between the centre and the States whenever a new subject arises.
(ii) Because the division favours the centre: economic and financial powers are centralised, so the States have immense responsibilities but meagre revenue and depend on central grants; the centre can legislate on State List subjects in some situations; the Governor can reserve State bills; and All-India Service officers working in the States are under central control.

Q. Oh! The central government appears to me to be all-powerful. Don’t the States complain about it?

Answer: Yes, they do. The provisions that create a strong centre (Parliament’s power over the existence and boundaries of States, emergency provisions, central control of revenue, the Governor’s powers, Article 257 and the All-India Services) have led States and parties to demand more autonomy from time to time. Tamil Nadu, Punjab and West Bengal, and parties such as the DMK, the Akali Dal and the CPI-M, have demanded that more powers be given to the States, and in 1977 the Left Front Government of West Bengal brought out a document demanding a restructuring of centre-State relations. The role of the Governor and the use of Article 356 have also been major sources of complaint.

Q. (i) Give two reasons for the claim that our Constitution has a unitary bias.
(ii) Do you think that: a strong centre makes the States weak? strong States will weaken the centre?

Answer:
(i) Any two of: Parliament can form a new State, or alter the boundary or name of any State; emergency provisions can turn the federal polity into a highly centralised system; revenue-generating items are under central control and the States depend on central grants; the Governor can reserve State bills for the President and recommend dismissal of a State government; the executive power of the Union is superior to that of the States (Article 257); All-India Service officers serving in the States are under central control.
(ii) Not necessarily, in either case. The framers wanted a strong centre to stem disintegration and bring about development, but the chapter shows that federalism works best through cooperation, mutual trust and restraint. A centre that dominates can create resentment and weaken the States, and States that pull too far apart can weaken national unity. Since the 1990s, a greater say for the States has gone along with a more mature federalism rather than a weaker country, which suggests that strong States and a strong centre can coexist when power is shared by agreement.

Q. Make a list of the States of India and find out the year in which each of the States was created.

How to do it: List all the States and note each one’s year of creation from a reliable source such as an official government website. The chapter itself gives several dates to begin with: the first reorganisation of States in 1956; Gujarat and Maharashtra in 1960; Punjab and Haryana separated in 1966; the reorganisation of the North East that created Manipur, Tripura, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh; Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Jharkhand in 2000; and Telangana in 2014. Arrange your list by year to see how the map of India has kept changing.

Q. So, federalism is all about conflicts! First, we talked about Centre-State conflicts and now conflict among States. Can’t we live together peacefully?

Answer: We can, and largely we do. Conflicts are natural in a country as large and diverse as India, but federalism is a way of managing them, not a cause of them. Legal disputes go to the judiciary, while political ones, like border and river water disputes, are best resolved through negotiation and mutual understanding. As the margin note in the book itself says, there is conflict over Governors, over language, over borders and over water, and yet we manage to live together. The conclusion of the chapter explains how: federalism needs a culture of mutual trust, toleration and a spirit of cooperation.

Q. Collect information about at least one dispute about river waters involving two or more States.

How to do it: Pick one dispute, for example the Cauvery dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, or the sharing of Narmada waters among Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra, both named in the chapter. Note: the States involved, why the water matters to each (drinking water and agriculture), what the river water tribunal decided, whether the dispute reached the Supreme Court (the Cauvery dispute did), and whether it has been settled. End by explaining why the chapter calls such disputes even more serious than border disputes.

Q. (i) Why do States want more autonomy?
(ii) What is the difference between autonomy and secession?

Answer:
(i) Once the separate identity of a State is accepted, it naturally expects a greater role in its own governance. States want: a division of powers changed in their favour; financial autonomy, that is, independent sources of revenue and greater control over resources; administrative autonomy, since they resent central control over the administrative machinery; and protection of their language and culture, as in the opposition to the domination of Hindi.
(ii) Autonomy means more powers and freedom for a State within the Indian Union, and such demands are resolved through negotiation. Secession means breaking away from the country to form a separate one. Autonomy accepts the federation and asks for a better share of power inside it; secession rejects it.