12 Schedules of the Indian Constitution
The Indian Constitution has 12 Schedules, which are important parts of the Indian Constitution. These are important lists that give more rules for governing the country. The idea of Schedules started in 1935 from the Government of India Act, 1935, with which it had 10 Schedules. When India’s Constitution was first made in 1949, it had only 8 Schedules. Later, through changes (amendments), the number increased to 12. These Schedules include things like:
- Special rules for tribal areas.
- How many seats each state gets in the Rajya Sabha.
- Names of states and union territories.
- Official languages.
At present, the Indian Constitution has a preamble, 25 parts with 448 articles, 12 schedules, 5 appendices, and 106 amendments. So here are the most important details of these twelve schedules of the Indian Constitution.
List of 12 Schedules
| # Schedules | Subjects Deal With | Articles Covered |
|---|---|---|
| 1ST SCHEDULE | 🔸Adopted on October 15, 1949. 🔸Contains a list of states and union territories. 🔸Defines the boundaries and territorial limits of the country. 🔸Allocate seats in the Lok Sabha based on the size and population of the state and union territory. 🔸Formation, Area, Boundary, Judiciary, Reorganisation Act of States and Union Territories. | Articles 1 and 4 |
| 2ND SCHEDULE | 🔸The 2nd schedule has five parts: A, B, C, D, and E. 🔸Part B was removed by the Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956. 🔸Part A covers rules about the President and State Governors. 🔸Part C covers rules about: I. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the House of the People. II. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Council of States. III. The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of a State’s Legislative Assembly. IV. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of a State’s Legislative Council. 🔸Part D covers rules for Supreme Court and High Court Judges. 🔸Part E follows the rules for the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. 🔸Provisions for Salaries and allowances of the PM and other ministers are removed from part B of the Second Schedule. | Articles 59(3), 65(3), 75(6), 97, 125, 148(3), 158(3), 164 (5), 186 and 221 |
| 3RD SCHEDULE | Oaths and Affirmations 🔸Oath of Office – For a Union Minister. 🔸Oath of Secrecy – For a Union Minister. 🔸Oath for Election Candidates – For those running for Parliament. 🔸Oath for MPs – For Members of Parliament. 🔸Oath for Supreme Court Judges & CAG – For Judges and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. 🔸Oath of Office – For a State Minister. 🔸Oath of Secrecy – For a State Minister. 🔸Oath for Election Candidates – For those running for a State Legislature. 🔸Oath for MLAs – For Members of the State Legislature. 🔸Oath for High Court Judges – For Judges of a High Court. The oath or affirmation for the President and Governor is not included in the Third Schedule. This is because their oaths are already clearly stated in other parts of the Constitution (Articles 60 1nd 159) | Articles 75(4), 99, 124(6), 148(2), 164(3), 188 and 219 |
| 4TH SCHEDULE | 🔸Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha. 🔸To each State or Union territory, there shall be allotted the number of seats. 🔸There are a total of 250 seats in the Rajya Sabha 🔸12 seats are filled by presidential nominees 🔸The remaining 238 seats are distributed among states and union territories 🔸Uttar Pradesh has the most number of seats (31) 🔸Andaman & Nicobar, Daman & Diu, Lakshadweep, and Chandigarh have no Rajya Sabha seat. | Articles 4(1) and 80(2)] |
| 5TH SCHEDULE | 🔸 Outlines rules for governing Scheduled Areas and protecting Scheduled Tribes. 🔸It applies to all Scheduled Areas and Tribes except those in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram (they have separate rules). 🔸Ensure protection and development for these communities, who often face poverty and lack of education. PART A: The state government has authority over Scheduled Areas within its borders. The Governor must submit regular reports to the President about how these areas are being governed. PART B: Tribes Advisory Council (TAC): 🔸Must be formed in every state with Scheduled Areas. 🔸Can also be formed in states with Scheduled Tribes (but no Scheduled Areas) if the President directs. 🔸Has maximum 20 members, with at least 75% being Scheduled Tribe MLAs. 🔸Advises the government on tribal welfare and development. Governor’s Powers: 🔸Decides how many members will be in the TAC, who they are, and who leads it. 🔸Sets rules for how the TAC operates (meetings, procedures, etc.). 🔸Can modify or exclude laws in Scheduled Areas through public notices. 🔸Makes these decisions to ensure peace and good governance. Special Laws for Scheduled Areas: 🔸May include rules about: 🔸Restricting land sales/transfers 🔸Controlling land distribution 🔸Regulating money-lending businesses PART C: Areas officially declared as “Scheduled Areas” by the President of India. The President can modify these areas only in these cases: 🔸Removing an area’s “Scheduled” status 🔸Expanding Scheduled Areas 🔸Adjusting boundaries of existing Scheduled Areas PART D: Amendment of the Schedule. | Article 244(1) |
| 6TH SCHEDULE | 🔸Provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. 1. Autonomous districts and autonomous regions. 2. Constitution of District Councils and Regional Councils. 3. Powers of the District Councils and Regional Councils to make laws. 4. Administration of justice in autonomous districts and autonomous regions. 5. Conferment of powers under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 18981, on the Regional and District Councils and on certain courts and officers for the trial of certain suits, cases and offenses. 6. Powers of the District Council to establish primary schools, etc. 8, 9, 10, etc… | Articles 244(2) and 275(1) |
| 7TH SCHEDULE | Divides powers between Centre & States via 3 lists: Union List (Centre)1 – Defence, Foreign Affairs, etc. State List (States) – Police, Agriculture, etc. Concurrent List (Both) – Education, Marriage, etc. | Article 246 |
| 8TH SCHEDULE | Officially Recognized Languages List: List of 22 languages of India recognized by the Constitution. 1. Assamese, 2. Bengali, 3. Gujarati, 4. Hindi, 5. Kannada, 6. Kashmir, 7. Konkani, 8. Malayalam, 9. Manipuri, 10. Marathi, 11. Nepali, 12. Odia, 13 Punjabi, 14. Sanskrit, 15. Sindhi, 16. Tamil, 17. Telugu, 18. Urdu, 19. Santhali, 20. Bodo, 21. Maithili, 22. Dogri. 🔸Sindhi was added in 1967 by the 21st Amendment. 🔸Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were added in 1992 by the 71st Amendment. 🔸Santhali, Maithili, Bodo and Dogri were added in 2003 by the 92nd Amendment. | Articles 344 (1) and 351 |
| 9TH SCHEDULE | Validation of certain Acts and Regulations.2 Land Reforms Act, Land Revenue act, Development and Regulation Act, Taluqdari Tenure Abolition act, etc. 🔸Provides constitutional protection to specific laws, shielding them from judicial review even if they potentially violate fundamental rights. 🔸Added by the 1st amendment in 1951. 🔸It contains acts and orders related to legislatures dealing with land reforms and the abolition of the Zamindari System. 🔸It is meant to protect the laws included in it from judicial scrutiny on the ground of violation of fundamental rights. 🔸However, in 2007, the Supreme Court ruled that the laws included in this Schedule after April 24, 1973, are now open to judicial review. | Article 31B |
| 10TH SCHEDULE | 🔸Added by the 52nd amendment in 1985. 🔸It contains provisions of disqualification of the members of Parliament and State Legislatures on the grounds of defection. 🔸That is known as the Anti-Defection Law. | Articles 102(2) and 191(2) |
| 11TH SCHEDULE | 🔸The powers of Panchayats, the authority of Panchayats, and the responsibilities of Panchayats. 🔸Added by the 73rd amendment in 1992. | Article 243G |
| 12TH SCHEDULE | 🔸The powers of Municipalities, the authority of Municipalities, and the responsibilities of Municipalities 🔸Added by the 74th amendment in 1992. | Article 243W |
| Number of Articles of COI | 4483 |
| Number of Parts of COI | 22 |
| Number of Schedules of COI | 12 |
Conclusion
The schedules in the Indian Constitution simplify complex provisions to ensure smooth governance. They allow for easy updates and modifications. It also helps the Constitution stay effective over time. By clearly distributing powers and responsibilities, these schedules help maintain efficient administration for the benefit of all citizens.
FAQs
Q1.How many schedules are in the Constitution of India at present?
There are currently 12 schedules in the Indian Constitution.
Q2.What is the first schedule?
The first schedule deals with and defines the state boundaries, formation, reorganization of states, and union territories.
Q3.Can the Schedules be amended?
Yes, the Schedules can be amended through a constitutional amendment. However, some Schedules have additional protection—for example, the Ninth Schedule, limited by certain court judgments.