The Indian Constitution was adopted on 26 January 1950 and is a comprehensive document that governs the country and its citizens. Among its many features, the Constitution includes various schedules that provide necessary details, explanations, and special provisions for specific matters. Originally the Indian Constitution had eight schedules. Four more schedules were added by various amendments, now the total has become twelve. Schedules of the Indian Constitution are very important topics from the examination point of view, so students preparing for government exams like UPSC, State PCS, etc. must study this topic thoroughly to get good grades. In this article, we have mentioned all the features of the 12 schedules given in the Indian Constitution.
Introduction to Schedules of the Indian Constitution
The schedules mentioned in the Indian Constitution contain many important information about the allocation of seats in the territories, RajyaSabha, administration and control of scheduled areas and tribes, distribution of powers between the Central Government and the State Governments as well as salaries and privileges of high-ranking officials. These schedules are kept as separate documents and are not incorporated in the Indian Constitution but they form a major part of it.
At the time of enactment in November 1949, the Indian Constitution had only 8 schedules. The 9th Schedule was later added by the First Constitutional Amendment Act of 1951. The 10th Schedule dealing with the anti-defection law was added in 1985 with the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act. And finally, seven years later, the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendment Acts were passed under which the 11th and 12th Schedules were added.
Schedules of the Indian Constitution
The Indian Constitution currently has 12 schedules and 25 parts. The first mention of schedules was made in the Government of India Act, 1935 and it contained 10 schedules. Later, in 1949, the Indian Constitution was adopted which contained 8 schedules. With the amendments in the Indian Constitution, currently we have a total of 12 schedules. Scroll through this page to know all the features of the schedules of the Indian Constitution.
| Schedules | Features |
| 1st Schedule | The list of states and union territories. |
| 2nd Schedule | Provisions of the President, Governors of States, Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the House of the People and the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Council of States and the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and the Chairman and the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council of a State and the Judges of the Supreme Court and of the High Courts and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India the list of states and union territories and their territories. |
| 3rd Schedule | The Forms of Oaths or Affirmations. |
| 4th Schedule | Provisions as to the allocation of seats in the Council of States. |
| 5th Schedule | Provisions as to the Administration and Control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes. |
| 6th Schedule | Provisions as to the Administration of Tribal Areas in the States of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. |
| 7th Schedule | The Union list, State list and the concurrent list. |
| 8th Schedule | The list of recognized languages. |
| 9th Schedule | Provisions as to validation of certain Acts and Regulations. |
| 10th Schedule | Provisions as to disqualification on grounds of defection. |
| 11th Schedule | The powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats. |
| 12th Schedule | The powers, authority and responsibilities of Municipalities. |
Schedules of the Indian Constitution (1st to 12th)
The Indian Constitution originally included eight schedules, but this number has since increased to twelve through various amendments. Each schedule serves a specific purpose, detailing essential aspects of governance and administration. Here is a detailed overview:
| Schedule | Description |
|---|---|
| 1st | Lists the names of states and union territories along with their respective boundaries and jurisdictions. |
| 2nd | Details provisions related to the President, Governors, Speakers, Chairmen, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. |
| 3rd | Prescribes the forms of oaths and affirmations for public officials and members of the legislatures. |
| 4th | Deals with the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) for each state and union territory. |
| 5th | Addresses the administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes, providing special protections and safeguards. |
| 6th | Pertains to autonomous districts and regions in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, granting them certain administrative and legislative powers. |
| 7th | Distributes legislative subjects between the central and state governments under three lists: Union List, State List, and Concurrent List. |
| 8th | The 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages recognized by the Indian Constitution and it comes under Article 344 and Article 351. As of now, there are 22 languages included in this schedule. The 22 official languages are as follows: Assamese Bengali Bodo Dogri (Dongri) Gujarati Hindi Kannada Kashmiri Konkani Mathili (Maithili) Malayalam Manipuri Marathi Nepali Oriya Punjabi Sanskrit Santhali Sindhi Tamil Telugu Urdu |
| 9th | Added through the First Amendment Act of 1951, it protects certain laws from judicial scrutiny, primarily dealing with land reforms and the abolition of the zamindari system. |
| 10th | Known as the “Anti-Defection Law,” it addresses the disqualification of members of Parliament and State Legislatures due to defection. |
| 11th | Specifies the powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats (local government institutions in rural areas). |
| 12th | Specifies the powers, authority, and responsibilities of Municipalities (local government institutions in urban areas). |
