Navigating the Schedules of the Indian Constitution: A Comprehensive Guide

January 17, 2025

Quick Summary

The Schedules of the Indian Constitution are 12 lists that provide detailed provisions related to governance, including the distribution of powers, government structure, and legal matters.
These schedules cover a range of topics, such as the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha, the administration of tribal areas, the division of powers between the Union and States, and language recognition.
They ensure the Constitution’s adaptability and comprehensive approach to various aspects of governance and law.

The Schedules of Indian Constitution contain additional provisions that offer detailed insights into various aspects of the Constitution. There are 12 schedules alongside 25 parts, totaling 395 articles at its inception, which included 22 parts and 8 schedules. These schedules play a vital role in the constitution and are an integral part of India’s legal framework.

Furthermore, all Schedules of Indian Constitution drop legalese. It is time-efficient and easy to understand. The Schedules of Indian Constitution offer structure to the Constitution. It segregates the states from the Union Territories and explicitly lists the applicable laws. Note that the Schedules follow chronological order. Since the recent data becomes part of the original text, it’s seamless to record changes.

Why do we need the Schedules of Indian constitution?

The Schedules are a crucial component of the Indian Constitution, initially comprising eight schedules and later expanded to twelve through various amendments.
They serve to reduce the legal complexity of the Constitution, making it easier to understand.
The Schedules act as a reference for additional information or clarification regarding specific provisions of the Constitution.
They facilitate easier revisions or updates to the Constitution by allowing amendments to specific sections instead of rewriting entire articles.

Fundamental Rights in the Indian Constitution

Right to Equality (Articles 14-18):

Equality before the law for all Indian citizens.
Protection from discrimination based on religion, race, caste, sex, or birthplace.
Guarantee of equal opportunity.

Right to Freedom (Articles 19-22):

Freedom of speech and expression.
Freedom of association, assembly, and movement.

Right Against Exploitation (Articles 23-24):

Prohibition of human trafficking, child labor, and forced labor.
Guarantee of fair remuneration for work.

Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25-28):

Freedom to practice, profess, and propagate any religion.
The secular state protects all religions.
No religious discrimination or taxation based on faith.

Right to Life (Articles 20, 21, 21A):

Right to life and personal liberty.
Access to legal representation and justice.
Right to elementary education.

How many Schedules are there in the Indian constitution?

The Indian Constitution has 12 schedules that provide additional details to the main text.
These schedules cover various topics:
- Distribution of legislative powers between central and state governments (e.g., Schedule 7).
- Fundamental Rights (Schedules 1-3) and Duties (Schedule 11) of Indian citizens.
- Procedures and forms, like oaths for officials (Schedule 3) and amendment processes (Schedule 5).
- Special provisions for areas with unique status (Schedule 6) or administration (e.g., tribal areas in Schedule 5).

The 12 Schedules of Indian Constitution

Schedule	Subject Dealt	Articles Covered
First Schedule of the Indian Constitution	The provisions concerning allowances, privileges, and emoluments of: 1) President of India 2) Governors of Indian States 3) Speaker of Lok Sabha & Deputy Speaker of Lok Sabha 4) Chairman of Rajya Sabha & Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha 5) Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Legislative Assemblies of Indian States 6) Chairman and Deputy Chairman of Legislative Councils of the Indian States 7) Supreme Court Judges 8) High Court Judges 9) Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG)	Article 1 Article 4
Second Schedule	– The object behind adding the Ninth Schedule was to protect certain acts and regulations from being declared void on the ground that they violate fundamental rights.	Article 59 Article 65 Article 75 Article 97 Article 125 Article 148 Article 158 Article 164 Article 186 Article 221
Third Schedule	It consists of the forms of oaths or affirmations for: 1) The Union Ministers 2) The Candidates of Parliamentary elections 3) Members of the Parliament 4) The Judges of the Supreme Court 5) The Comptroller and Auditor General of India 6) The State Ministers 7) The Candidates of State Legislature elections 8) Members of the State Legislature 9) The Judges of the High Court	Article 75 Article 84 Article 99 Article 124 Article 146 Article 173 Article 188 Article 219
Fourth Schedule	-This schedule specifies the distribution of seats in the Rajya Sabha among the states and union territories of India.	Article 4 Article 80
Fifth Schedule	-It consists of provisions related to the administration and control of scheduled areas and scheduled tribes in India	Article 244
Sixth Schedule	Provisions related to the administration of tribal areas in the states of: – Assam – Meghalaya – Tripura – Mizoram	Article 244 Article 275
Seventh Schedule	This schedule deals with the three legislative lists: 1) Union 2) State 3) Concurrent	Article 246
Eighth Schedule	It consists of a list of 22 Indian languages which are recognized by the Indian Constitution: 1) Assamese 2) Bengali 3) Bodo 4) Dogri (Dongri) 5) Gujarati 6) Hindi 7) Kannada 8) Kashmiri 9) Konkani 10) Mathili (Maithili) 11) Malayalam 12) Manipuri 13) Marathi 14) Nepali 15) Oriya 16) Punjabi 17) Sanskrit 18) Santhali 19) Sindhi 20) Tamil 21) Telugu 22) Urdu	Article 344 Article 351
Ninth Schedule	-The object behind adding the Ninth Schedule was to protect certain acts and regulations from being declared void on the ground that they violate fundamental rights.	Article 31-B
Tenth Schedule	– The Eleventh Schedule deals with, the powers, authority, and responsibilities of panchayats. – It contains 29 functional items of the panchayats, some of which are Agriculture, Land improvement, implementation of land reforms, land consolidation, soil conservation, etc.	Article 102 Article 91
Eleventh Schedule	– The object behind adding the Ninth schedule was to protect certain acts and regulations from being declared void on the ground that they violate fundamental rights.	Article 243-G
Twelfth Schedule	– It deals with the powers, authorities, and responsibilities of the municipalities. – It contains 18 functional items of the municipalities that are Urban planning, including town planning, Regulation of land use and construction of buildings, etc.	Article 243-W

How many sections, articles, and schedules make up the Indian Constitution’s main body?

Originally, the Indian Constitution comprised 395 articles organized into 22 parts and 8 schedules. However, over time, several amendments altered, removed, or added new articles, parts, and schedules to the Constitution.

The 7th Amendment Act (1956) eliminated Part VII, which pertained to Part-B states.
The 42nd Amendment Act (1976) introduced both Part IV-A and Part XIV-A.
The 74th Amendment Act (1992) introduced Part IX-A
The 97th Amendment Act (2011) introduced Part IX-B.

As a result of these amendments, the current Indian Constitution consists of 448 articles divided into 25 parts and 12 schedules.

Parts of the Indian Constitution

Certainly! Here’s an improved table with separate columns for the parts’ descriptions and the corresponding articles of the Indian Constitution:

Part	Description	Articles Covered
Part I	Union and its territory: Defines India’s territorial boundaries.	Articles 1 to 4
Part II	Citizenship: Outlines rules for citizenship, including various categories.	Articles 5 to 11
Part III	Fundamental Rights: Guarantees individual rights and freedoms.	Articles 12 to 35
Part IV	Directive Principles of State Policy: Guides state policy objectives.	Articles 36 to 51
Part IVA	Fundamental Duties: Lists duties for citizens to uphold constitutional values.	Article 51A
Part V	The Union: Establishes the Union’s executive, legislature, and judiciary.	Articles 52 to 151
Part VI	The States: Defines state-level governance structures and powers.	Articles 152 to 237
Part VIII	Union Territories: Pertains to governance in Union Territories.	Articles 239 to 242
Part IX	Panchayats: Addresses local self-government at the village level.	Articles 243 to 243O
Part IXA	Municipalities: Covers urban local bodies’ functioning.	Articles 243P to 243ZG
Part IXB	Co-operative Societies: Relates to cooperative societies.	Articles 243H to 243ZT
Part X	Scheduled and Tribal Areas: Special provisions for these areas.	Articles 244 to 244A
Part XI	Relations between Union and States: Delineates legislative, administrative, and financial relations.	Articles 245 to 263
Part XII	Finance, Property, Contracts, and Suits: Deals with financial matters and property rights.	Articles 264 to 300A
Part XIII	Trade, Commerce, and Intercourse within India: Addresses economic unity.	Articles 301 to 307
Part XIV	Services under Union and States: Covers public services.	Articles 308 to 323
Part XIVA	Tribunals: Establishes specialized tribunals.	Articles 323A and 323B
Part XV	Elections: Regulates electoral processes.	Articles 324 to 329A
Part XVI	Special Provisions for Certain Classes: Addresses reserved seats.	Articles 330 to 342
Part XVII	Official Language: Discusses language policies.	Articles 343 to 351
Part XVIII	Emergency Provisions: Deals with emergencies.	Articles 352 to 360
Part XIX	Miscellaneous: Covers various topics.	Articles 361 to 367
Part XX	Amendment to the Constitution: Outlines amendment procedures.	Article 368
Part XXI	Temporary, Transitional, and Special Provisions: Addresses specific situations.	Articles 369 to 392
Part XXII	Short Title, Commencement, Authoritative Text in Hindi, and Repeals: Provides final details.	Articles 393 to 395

Features of Schedules of Indian Constitution

The Schedules enhance the reader’s ability to understand and analyze Indian legislation more effectively.
The information contained in these Schedules is not legal but is easily comprehensible and is technical and administrative.
The main text of the act is appropriately sized, with additional information included in the Schedules of Indian Constitution.
Schedules facilitate amendments or changes, as they are organized separately, making the amendment process more convenient.
The Schedules are arranged chronologically according to the provisions.
These Schedules integrate additional information into the main text of the Constitution.
Information in the Schedules can be presented in various formats, such as graphs, flowcharts, or numerical data, enhancing effective communication.

Schedules of Indian Constitution: Adapting to Current Times

Adapting to Change: The Schedules of Indian Constitution aren’t static. They’ve been amended over time to reflect the evolving needs and aspirations of the nation.
Strengthening Democracy: These changes haven’t just kept the Constitution relevant, they’ve also bolstered India’s democracy by upholding its fundamental principles.
Accommodating a Changing Nation: As India’s social, political, and economic landscape transformed, the Schedules were adapted to accommodate these shifts.
Flexibility for the Future: The Schedules’ flexibility allows for the addition of new provisions, ensuring they can address emerging challenges and opportunities.
Evolution Through Amendments: Four new schedules – the Ninth, Tenth, Eleventh, and Twelfth – were added through the 1st, 52nd, 73rd, and 74th Amendments respectively, demonstrating this adaptability.

Schedules of Indian Constitution for UPSC Aspirants

UPSC aspirants need to study the Schedules of Indian Constitution to understand the articles inside out. It is a key reference document to turn to in critical times. Currently, there are a total of 12 Schedules of Indian constitution. Given below are the key concepts to learn:

8th Schedule of Indian Constitution

The 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution states the official languages of India. There are 22 languages in all.

11th Schedule of Indian Constitution

The 73rd Amendment of the Constitution introduced the 11th Schedule of the Indian Constitution in 1992. It states the responsibilities, powers, and authority of the Panchayats.

Fundamental Rights

The 12th Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the fundamental rights of the citizens. Fundamental rights of the Constitution define the powers, responsibilities, and authority levied to the municipal bodies.

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Conclusion

The Constitution is a sacred document of India. It is vital to study its parameters if you are a UPSC aspirant. This knowledge will prepare you to someday contribute to and refine the Constitution further.
With all the schedules of Indian Constitution deeply mapped into your memory, you can gain a deep understanding of the matter. Schedules augment the articles outlined in the constitution. It defines the core and the administrative structure of the nation’s laws. It covers governors’ oaths to abide by, affirmations, and allocation of seats in the Rajya and Lok Sabha.

Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQ’s )

What are the 12 schedules of Indian Constitution?

Please refer to the given table in this article, describing the schedules of Indian Constitution, and the subjects they deal with.

How many schedules are currently in the Indian Constitution?

The Indian Constitution is composed of twelve schedules and twenty-five parts. At the time of its inception, it contained 395 items divided into 22 parts and 8 schedules.

What are the 22 scheduled languages of India?

Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu Bodo, Santhali, Maithili and Dogri.

What do you mean by the schedules of Indian Constitution?

Tables with extra information not covered in the articles are called schedules. There were initially eight schedules in our constitution. Following revisions, four more schedules were added, bringing the total to twelve. The Indian official languages are recognized by the eight schedules.

How to remember the schedules of Indian constitution?

Utilizing the initial letter of every timetable, build catchy sentences or acronyms. P (First Schedule), E (Second Schedule), T (Third Schedule), S (Fourth Schedule), FC (Fifth Schedule), and GST (Goods and Services Tax – Sixth Schedule) are examples of schedules that can be represented by the phrase “PETS FC with GST.”

What are 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules?

These articles cover a variety of subjects, including electoral methods, the political system, and individual rights. Before 1949, the Indian Constitution consisted of 395 articles separated into 22 parts. It now consists of 448 articles, 25 sections, 12 schedules, and 104 amendments.

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