Cheat Sheet · CBSE Class X · Civics Chapter 2
A system of government where power is divided between a central authority and constituent units (states/provinces).
| # | Feature |
|---|---|
| 1 | Two or more levels of government |
| 2 | Each level has specified jurisdiction |
| 3 | Powers guaranteed by Constitution |
| 4 | Courts are guardians; resolve disputes |
| 5 | Financial autonomy — own revenue sources |
Levels · Independent jurisdictions · Permanent (constitutional) · Courts decide · Finance separate
| List | Count | Who Legislates | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Union List | 97 | Centre only | Defence, Foreign Affairs, Banking, Currency, Atomic Energy, Railways, Communication |
| State List | 66 | States only | Police, Trade, Commerce, Agriculture, Irrigation, Public Health |
| Concurrent List | 47 | Both (Central law wins on conflict) | Education, Forests, Trade Unions, Marriage, Adoption, Succession |
| Residuary | — | Centre only | Computer software, e-commerce, cyber laws (subjects not in any list) |
USA: residuary → states (states stronger). India: residuary → Union (Centre-leaning). This makes India quasi-federal.
| Coming Together | Holding Together | |
|---|---|---|
| How | Independent states unite | Big country divides power |
| Centre | Weaker | Stronger |
| States | Equal power | May be unequal |
| Examples | USA, Switzerland, Australia | India, Spain, Belgium |
India has UNITARY features mixed with federal:
Hindi is OFFICIAL language of Union, NOT national language. English is associate official language.
| Provision | 73rd Amendment (Rural) | 74th Amendment (Urban) |
|---|---|---|
| Bodies | Panchayati Raj — 3 tiers | Municipal Corporation / Municipality / Nagar Panchayat |
| Tiers | Gram Panchayat → Block → Zilla Parishad | Single tier (varies by city size) |
| Women reservation | 1/3 of seats | 1/3 of seats |
| SC/ST reservation | Proportional to population | Proportional to population |
| Elections | Every 5 years mandatory | Every 5 years mandatory |
| Conducted by | State Election Commission | State Election Commission |
| Funds | State Finance Commission | State Finance Commission |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Federation | Two-level government sharing power |
| Unitary | Single level of government (opposite of federal) |
| Jurisdiction | Area within which authority can be exercised |
| Coalition | Alliance of parties forming a government |
| Decentralisation | Transfer of power from Centre/State to Local |
| Article 356 | President's Rule (state emergency) |
| Article 370 | Special status to J&K (abrogated 2019) |
Union 97, State 66, Concurrent 47. Decreasing order.
Top (Union) · Intermediate (State) · Earth-level (Local) — 3 tiers in India.
India = Holding Together. USA = Coming Together. Easy clue: India was 1 country first, USA was 13 colonies first.
73rd = Rural (Panchayats), 74th = Urban (Municipalities). Both passed in 1992.
India has NO national language. Hindi is OFFICIAL language. Don't confuse the two!