The need for decentralisation was recognised in our Constitution. Since then, there have been several attempts to decentralise power to the level of villages and towns. Panchayats in villages and municipalities in urban areas were set up in all the States. But these were directly under the control of state governments. Elections to these local governments were not held regularly. Local governments did not have any powers or resources of their own. Thus, there was very little decentralisation in effective terms. A major step towards decentralisation was taken in 1992. The Constitution was amended to make the third-tier of democracy more powerful and effective.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:58 · grounding stimulus
Model Answer
35.1 Decentralisation of power has been done at three levels in the Indian Constitution — Central Government, State Government, and Local Government (third tier).
35.2 Local self-government bodies like Panchayats and Municipalities are closer to the people, so they can better understand and solve local problems related to water supply, sanitation, roads, and basic amenities efficiently.
35.3 Local government is the best form of democracy because it allows people to directly participate in decision-making at the grassroots level. Problems of a locality are best understood and solved by local people themselves. The 1992 Constitutional amendment strengthened this by giving Panchayats and Municipalities real powers and resources, making self-governance meaningful and effective.
Source: Democratic Politics – II, Chapter: Federalism
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Explanation
- 35.1: The passage mentions three tiers — Central, State, and Local (third-tier). State this clearly.
- 35.2: Though not directly in the passage, CBSE expects you to link proximity of local bodies to people as the basis for solving problems. One crisp line suffices for 1 mark.
- 35.3: This 2-mark answer needs two points: (i) direct participation of people, and (ii) local issues handled locally. Mentioning the 1992 amendment adds value. Examiners look for the idea that self-governance = people governing themselves at the local level.