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Federalism - Complete Notes for Class 10 SST Chapter 2
What is Federalism? Federalism is a system of government where power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units (states), each having independent authority to govern themselves within their jurisdiction.
Levels of Government in a Federation: Usually, a federation has at least two levels of government: Central/Union government (handles nationwide issues like defense, foreign affairs, currency) and State/Provincial governments (handle local issues like police, agriculture). India also has Local governments (Panchayats and Municipalities) as a third level.
Jurisdiction: Each level of government has clearly defined areas (jurisdictions) over which they have legal authority, geographically and functionally separated to avoid conflict.
Features of Federalism:
Multiple levels of government
Written Constitution defining powers
Separate powers and jurisdictions
Independence of states and central government in their spheres
Provision for resolving disputes (Supreme Court as umpire)
Financial autonomy
Requirement of consent from all levels for constitutional amendments affecting fundamental provisions
Types of Federations:
Coming Together Federation: Small states unite to form a bigger nation (Example: USA, Switzerland, Australia).
Holding Together Federation: One big country divides itself into smaller states for better governance (Example: India, Belgium, Spain).
India's Federal Structure: Though the Indian Constitution doesn’t explicitly state India is federal, it is a union of states that follow federal principles:
India has three levels of government: Central, State, and Local.
Powers and responsibilities distributed by Constitution in Union, State, and Concurrent lists.
Some states like Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram have special status under Article 371.
Union Territories are directly governed by the Central government.
Regular elections and decentralization strengthen local governments (Panchayati Raj and Municipalities).
Decentralization and Local Government:
1992 Constitutional amendments mandated regular elections for Panchayats and Municipalities.
Reservations for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and women to increase representation.
Local governments manage village, block (panchayat samiti), and district (zilla parishad) levels with elected representatives.
Linguistic and Cultural Diversity Management:
Post-independence, India reorganized states on linguistic lines to accommodate cultural identities.
Language policy includes Hindi and English as official languages and recognizes 22 scheduled languages.
No national language to accommodate diverse population and avoid conflict seen in other nations.
Coalition Politics and Center-State Relations:
Since 1990, coalition governments emerged as single parties rarely get majority.
Regional parties gained strength and representation, making federalism robust.
Supreme Court ruled against arbitrary dismissal of state governments by the center, strengthening state autonomy.
Summary:
Federalism balances unity and diversity by dividing powers across levels, enabling governance tailored to regional needs while maintaining national integrity. India’s federal system is unique and dynamic, adapting over time to social diversity and political realities.