PYQ Vault · Paper 1 · Indian Federalism
Does the functioning of the federalism in India tend to make it appear as a unitary state in practice.
How the answer moves
The flow snapshot — the routes in, the body, the counter-view and the routes out.
Flow snapshot — how the answer moves
Intro routes
R1 federal in structure, strong Union bias → bias shows in functioning → Wheare "quasi-federal" R2 Wheare's formulation: unitary state with subsidiary federal principles → set appearance-vs-reality frame
Body flow
constitutional tilt (Art 1 Union of States, Arts 2-3, residuary powers, Union List, emergency, Art 356, Governor, single citizenship, AIS) → practice sharpens → political (Kothari, Governor, 356) → fiscal (GST, CSS, conditional grants; M.G, Rao on cesses) → administrative (central agencies; Kashmir, farm laws, COVID disaster law) → Mehta's "vanishing act / grin" WOITy
Counter-view
only appears unitary, never becomes one → Bommai (basic structure, limits 356), State List, dual polity, judiciary, rigid amendment → Morris-Jones bargaining federalism in coalition politics
Conclusion routes
R1 unitary look in practice, sharpest in crises → appearance = reality R2 negotiated, resilient federation → federal spirit strained, not erased
Model answer
Handwritten, in the form it would be written in the examination hall.
