Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow:
The Indian Union is based on the principles of federalism even though the Constitution declared India a 'Union of States' and did not use the word 'federation'. The Constitution provided for a three-fold distribution of legislative powers: the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List. The Parliament cannot on its own change this arrangement. Any change to it has to be first passed by both Houses of Parliament with at least two-thirds majority and then ratified by the legislatures of at least half of the total States. India, Spain and Belgium are examples of 'holding together' federations. In this type, the Central Government tends to be more powerful vis-à-vis the States, and different constituent units may have unequal powers.
(i) Why did the Indian Constitution use the term 'Union of States' instead of 'Federation'? What does this suggest about the nature of Indian federalism? (1 mark)
(ii) What does the special amendment procedure for power-sharing arrangements tell us about the nature of the Indian federal system? (1 mark)
(iii) India is described as a 'holding together' federation. What are two implications of this for the balance of power between the Centre and the States? (2 marks)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:18 · grounding rag
Model Answer
(i) The term 'Union of States' was used because India was formed after a painful partition and merger of princely states, suggesting a strong Centre was needed. It implies that though India follows federal principles, the Union is indestructible — states cannot secede from it.
(ii) The special amendment procedure — requiring a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament AND ratification by at least half the State legislatures — shows that power-sharing is constitutionally protected. Neither the Centre alone nor the States alone can alter it, reflecting the federal spirit of mutual consent.
(iii) Two implications:
- The Central Government is more powerful than the States.
- Different constituent units may have unequal powers — for example, some States enjoy special status under Article 371, while Union Territories have very limited powers.
Source: "What makes India a federal country?" and "What is federalism?", Chapter 2
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Explanation
- (i) Focus on why the term was chosen (historical context + strong Centre) and what it suggests (indestructible union, not a loose alliance).
- (ii) The key idea is joint consent — both levels must agree, which protects federal balance. Mention the specific procedure briefly.
- (iii) Two clear, distinct points are needed for 2 marks. "Centre more powerful" is one; "unequal powers among states" is the second. Examples like Article 371 or Union Territories strengthen the answer.
- Always anchor answers to the passage — the examiner rewards textbook-aligned responses.