Design foundations
- Article 1: 'Union of India' — indestructible union, alterable states.
- Seventh Schedule: Union, State, Concurrent lists.
- Bommai (1994): federalism as part of basic structure; misuse of Art. 356 checked.
Cooperative & competitive federalism
- GST Council (Art. 279A) — pooled sovereignty; 3/4 voting formula.
- NITI Aayog replaced Planning Commission (2015) — indices drive competition.
- Inter-State Council (Art. 263), Zonal Councils.
Fiscal federalism
- Finance Commission (Art. 280) — vertical & horizontal devolution.
- 15th FC: 41% divisible pool; performance-linked grants to local bodies.
- Concerns: rising cess/surcharge share (~20%) outside divisible pool.
New frictions
- Governors' role in state legislation (Punjab, Tamil Nadu 2023 references).
- Central agencies & Art. 256/257 directions.
- Delimitation post-2026 — north-south demographic dividend debate.
- Digital public infrastructure and data — a new concurrent domain.
Common Pitfalls
- Do not treat 'cooperative federalism' as always positive — the GST cess dispute shows structural tension.
- Avoid citing US/Australian models without a specific comparison point.
FAQs
- Is India federal or unitary?
- 'Federal with a unitary bias' — quote Granville Austin's 'cooperative federalism' and Bommai to anchor.
UPSC Mains PYQs on this microtheme
- Examine the evolving pattern of Centre-State financial relations in the context of planned development in India. How far have the recent reforms impacted the fiscal federalism in India?📅 2025 · 📌 15
- What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism.📅 2024 · 📌 15
- Explain the significance of the 101st Constitutional Amendment Act. To what extent does it reflect the accommodative spirit of federalism?📅 2023 · 📌 15
- Indian Constitution exhibits centralising tendencies to maintain unity and integrity of the nation. Elucidate in the perspective of the Epidemic Diseases Act, 1897; The Disaster Management Act, 2005 and recently passed Farm Acts.📅 2020 · 📌 15
- How far do you think cooperation, competition and confrontation have shaped the nature of federation in India? Cite some recent examples to validate your answer.📅 2020 · 📌 10
- From the resolution of contentious issues regarding distribution of legislative pow- ers by the courts, ‘Principle of Federal Supremacy’ and ‘Harmonious Construction’ have emerged. Explain.📅 2019 · 📌 10
- The concept of cooperative federalism has been increasingly emphasized in recent years. Highlight the drawbacks in the existing structure and the extent to which cooperative federalism would answer the shortcomings.📅 2015 · 📌 12.5
- Though the federal principle is dominant in our Constitution and that principle is one of its basic features, but it is equally true that federalism under the Indian Constitution leans in favour of a strong Centre, a feature that militates against the concept of strong federalism. Discuss.📅 2014 · 📌 12.5
- Constitutional mechanisms to resolve the inter-state water disputes have failed to address and solve the problems. Is the failure due to structural or process inadequa- cy or both? Discuss.📅 2013 · 📌 10
- Many State Governments further bifurcate geographical administrative areas like Districts and Talukas for better governance. In light of the above, can it also be justified that more number of smaller States would bring in effective governance at State level? Discuss.📅 2013 · 📌 10