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UPSC Prelims 2025 · Polity · Federalism, Schedules & Amendments
With reference to the Constitution of India, if an area in a State is declared as Scheduled Area under the Fifth Schedule:
- the State Government loses its executive power in such areas and local body assumes total administration;
- the Union Government can take over the total administration of such areas under certain circumstances on the recommendations of the Governor.
- (a) I only
- (b) II only
- (c) Both I and II
- (d) Neither I nor II
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: (d) Neither I nor II
The State administers; the Governor has special law-making powers; the Union can only issue directions.
Statement by statement
1. ✗ WRONG The State’s executive power extends to Scheduled Areas (Fifth Schedule, para 2). The Governor gets special powers — e.g. to modify laws or make regulations — on the Tribes Advisory Council’s advice.
2. ✗ WRONG The Union’s executive power extends only to giving directions to the State about administering these areas (para 3). It does not take over.
The idea
Fifth vs Sixth Schedule: Fifth — Scheduled Areas in most States; Governor’s special powers; Tribes Advisory Council; annual report to the President. Sixth — Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram; Autonomous District Councils with law-making and judicial powers.
Fifth: State administers + Governor’s regulations → Union: directions only → Sixth: autonomous district councils (4 NE States)
Why the others are wrong
(a) The State keeps its executive power; there is no hand-over to local bodies.
(b) The Union can direct, not take over.
(c) Both overstate the change.
The trap
Words like “total administration” sound like tribal autonomy. That is the Sixth Schedule model, not the Fifth.
🔒 Fifth Schedule: State keeps power · Governor modifies laws · Union gives directions. Sixth Schedule = ADCs in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram.
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