What is federalism and what are its key features?

Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central government and state governments. Both levels have their own areas of authority and responsibilities defined by the Constitution. Key features include multiple levels of government, constitutional division of powers, independent judiciary, and clear distribution of financial resources. Federalism allows regional governments to address local needs while maintaining national unity. This system helps accommodate diversity and ensures efficient administration in large and varied countries. India follows a federal structure with a strong central government and autonomous state governments.

How are powers divided between different levels of government in India?

The Constitution divides powers into three lists: Union List, State List, and Concurrent List. The Union List includes subjects of national importance such as defense and foreign affairs. The State List covers areas like police, agriculture, and public health. The Concurrent List includes subjects where both central and state governments can make laws, such as education and forests. This division helps avoid conflicts and clarifies responsibilities. In case of disagreements regarding Concurrent List subjects, the law made by Parliament generally prevails. Such arrangements ensure balanced governance across the country.

What role do local governments play in strengthening democracy?

Local governments bring administration closer to the people and encourage public participation in decision-making. Institutions such as Panchayats in rural areas and Municipalities in urban areas address local issues effectively. They understand community needs better and can provide services more efficiently. Constitutional amendments gave these bodies greater authority and regular elections. Local governments also increase opportunities for women and marginalized groups to participate in governance through reserved seats. Their presence strengthens grassroots democracy by ensuring that citizens have a direct role in shaping policies affecting their daily lives.

NCERT Solutions Class 10 Political Science Chapter 2 Federalism

read this first

Federalism is a system of government in which power is constitutionally divided between a central authority and various constituent units such as states or provinces. Chapter 2 of NCERT Class 10 Social Science (Political Science) explores federalism as a key feature of India's democratic structure and examines how this system functions in practice. The chapter begins by defining federalism and contrasting it with a unitary system, where all power is held by the central government. In a federal system like India's, there are two or more levels of government, each with independent jurisdiction over specific subjects, and the constitution serves as the supreme authority.

The chapter explains the key features of federalism — dual government, written constitution, division of powers, constitutional supremacy, independent judiciary, and bicameralism. It then examines how federalism works in India through the three-tiered structure of the Union Government, State Governments, and Local Self-Governments (Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies). The chapter also discusses the difference between coming-together federations like the USA (where independent states voluntarily merge) and holding-together federations like India (where a large country divides power to maintain unity). The policy of linguistic reorganisation of states in India and the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which empowered local bodies, are also important topics discussed in this chapter for Class 10 board examinations. Must check NCERT solutions prepared by Myclass24 Experts for NCERT Solutions for Class 10 and NCERT solutions for Class 10 Social Science.

Key Points of Chapter 2: Federalism

Definition: Federalism is a system where power is divided between a national government and regional governments, each operating independently within their own domain.
Coming-Together vs Holding-Together Federations: In coming-together federations (USA, Switzerland, Australia), independent states join to form a union; in holding-together federations (India, Spain, Belgium), a central government shares power with states to keep a diverse nation united.
Three Lists in India: The Indian Constitution divides powers into the Union List (97 subjects like defence, banking), State List (66 subjects like police, agriculture), and Concurrent List (52 subjects like forests, trade unions) where both Centre and State can legislate.
Residuary Powers: Subjects not mentioned in any list fall under residuary powers, which belong to the Union Government in India — unlike in the USA, where they belong to states.
Linguistic Reorganisation of States: After independence, India reorganised state boundaries largely on linguistic lines (e.g., Andhra Pradesh for Telugu speakers) to accommodate regional identities.
Decentralisation: The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) created a third tier of government — Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies — making India a three-level federal system.
Centre-State Relations: India is described as a 'holding-together federation' where the Centre is stronger; states cannot secede, and the Centre can override states under Article 356 (President's Rule).
Independent Judiciary: A strong Supreme Court ensures that both Centre and states respect constitutional boundaries and resolves federal disputes.

Chapter 2: Federalism — Key Comparison Tables

Table 1: Union List vs State List vs Concurrent List

Feature	Union List	State List	Concurrent List
Number of Subjects (approx.)	97 subjects	66 subjects	52 subjects
Who Legislates	Only Parliament (Central Government)	Only State Legislature	Both Parliament and State Legislature
Examples of Subjects	Defence, foreign affairs, banking, currency, railways, atomic energy	Police, agriculture, trade, prisons, local government	Education, forests, trade unions, marriage, adoption
In Case of Conflict	Union Law prevails	State Law prevails in state	Central Law prevails over State Law
Residuary Powers	Residuary powers belong to the Union	—	—

Table 2: Coming-Together vs Holding-Together Federations

Aspect	Coming-Together Federation	Holding-Together Federation
Formation	Independent states come together voluntarily to form a union	A large country divides power among states to hold diverse groups together
Examples	USA, Switzerland, Australia	India, Spain, Belgium
Nature of Union	States are more powerful; retain significant autonomy	Central government is usually stronger; states have less autonomy
Right to Secede	Original states may retain theoretical sovereignty	No state has the right to secede from the union
Motivation	Security and economic benefits of unity	Managing internal diversity and preventing fragmentation
Power Balance	States share power with Centre on more equal terms	Centre holds more power in areas of national importance

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Political Science Chapter 2: Federalism

Find the PDF of NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Political Science Chapter 2: Federalism

Key Points of Chapter 2: Federalism

Chapter 2: Federalism — Key Comparison Tables

Table 1: Union List vs State List vs Concurrent List

Table 2: Coming-Together vs Holding-Together Federations

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science (Political Science) Chapter 2: Federalism