Schedules of the Constitution
~8 min read
- Twelve schedules: Originally 8 (1950). Now 12 — 4 added by amendments.
- Most-tested: Sixth (tribal areas of NE India), Eighth (22 languages), Ninth (immune from judicial review till 2007), Tenth (anti-defection).
- Recent additions: 11th Schedule (Panchayats, 73rd Am.) and 12th Schedule (Municipalities, 74th Am.).
The Constitution has 12 Schedules — lists of supplementary material that would clutter the main text. NDA tests which schedule covers what, particularly the 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th.
All Twelve Schedules
| # | Subject |
|---|---|
| 1st | List of States and Union Territories |
| 2nd | Salaries/emoluments of President, Vice-President, Governors, Speakers, judges, CAG |
| 3rd | Forms of oath/affirmation for ministers, MPs, judges, etc. |
| 4th | Allocation of seats in Rajya Sabha to states and UTs |
| 5th | Administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes (outside NE) |
| 6th | Tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram — autonomous councils |
| 7th | Union list (97 items), State list (66), Concurrent list (47) — division of legislative powers |
| 8th | 22 official scheduled languages |
| 9th | Acts protected from judicial review (originally; partially since Coelho 2007). Added by 1st Amendment 1951 |
| 10th | Anti-defection provisions. Added by 52nd Amendment 1985 |
| 11th | Panchayats — 29 functional items. Added by 73rd Amendment 1992 |
| 12th | Municipalities — 18 functional items. Added by 74th Amendment 1992 |
Eighth Schedule — 22 Languages
Original 14 languages (1950): Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu.
- Sindhi — added by 21st Amendment, 1967.
- Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali — added by 71st Amendment, 1992.
- Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali — added by 92nd Amendment, 2003.
Total = 22. Demands for ~38 more languages (Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, etc.) are pending.
Seventh Schedule — Three Lists
| List | Items | Sample subjects |
|---|---|---|
| Union List | 97 (originally 97; now 100 after rearrangements) | Defence, foreign affairs, currency, atomic energy, railways, post, citizenship |
| State List | 66 (now 61) | Police, public health, agriculture, land, fisheries, prisons, local government |
| Concurrent List | 47 (now 52) | Education (after 42nd), criminal law, marriage, bankruptcy, forests, succession |
9th, 10th, 11th, 12th Schedules
9th Schedule (1st Am., 1951): Lists Acts protected from judicial review on grounds of violating Fundamental Rights. Originally absolute immunity; I.R. Coelho (2007) said laws added after Kesavananda (24 Apr 1973) can be reviewed if they damage basic structure.
10th Schedule (52nd Am., 1985): Anti-defection law — MP/MLA who voluntarily leaves party or votes against party whip can be disqualified. Decision by presiding officer.
11th Schedule (73rd Am., 1992): 29 subjects for Panchayats — agriculture, land improvement, minor irrigation, animal husbandry, drinking water, rural housing, education, etc.
12th Schedule (74th Am., 1992): 18 subjects for Municipalities — urban planning, water supply, public health, sanitation, fire services, slum improvement, etc.
NDA PYQ Examples
Q: The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution lists:
(a) States and UTs (b) Anti-defection provisions (c) 22 languages (d) Panchayat subjects
Answer: (c) 22 languages.
Q: The Tenth Schedule deals with:
(a) Tribal areas (b) Anti-defection (c) Languages (d) Panchayats
Answer: (b) Anti-defection — added by 52nd Amendment (1985).
Q: Which schedule was added by the 73rd Amendment?
(a) 9th (b) 10th (c) 11th (d) 12th
Answer: (c) 11th — for Panchayats.
Drill Schedules of the Constitution for NDA
NDA-pattern items on Schedules of the Constitution with answer keys and explanations.
Start Free Mock TestFrequently Asked Questions
Why is the Ninth Schedule controversial?
It was used to put land reform and reservation laws beyond judicial review. After I.R. Coelho v. State of TN (2007), the Supreme Court held that laws added to the 9th Schedule after 24 April 1973 (Kesavananda judgment date) can be challenged if they violate the basic structure.
What is the Sixth Schedule?
Provides for autonomous district councils and regional councils in tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. These councils have powers over land, forests, social customs, and certain taxes.
How many languages are in the Eighth Schedule?
22 currently. Original: 14 in 1950. Added: Sindhi (1967), Konkani/Manipuri/Nepali (1992), Bodo/Dogri/Maithili/Santhali (2003).
What is the difference between Union, State, and Concurrent Lists?
Union List: subjects of national importance — only Parliament legislates. State List: subjects of local importance — only state legislatures legislate. Concurrent List: both can legislate; if conflict, Union law prevails.
What does the Tenth Schedule do exactly?
Disqualifies an MP/MLA who: (1) voluntarily gives up party membership, (2) votes against party whip without permission. Disqualification decided by Speaker/Chairman; exceptions for mergers of ⅔ legislators.