7th Schedule of Indian Constitution – Union, State & Concurrent List

7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution – Union, State & Concurrent List: The Schedules of the Indian Constitution are added provisions that offer in-depth information regarding numerous sections of the Constitution. There are 12 schedules in the Indian Constitution. The Government of India Act of 1935, which comprised 10 Schedules, provided one of the earliest references to Schedules. The Indian Constitution later had eight schedules when it was enacted in 1949. There are now a total of 12 Schedules, according to the Indian Constitution’s amendments.

In this article, we will look into the details of the 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Find out the complete union, state, and concurrent lists below.

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution

What is the 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution: Distribution of power between the Union and the State Government (Union List, State List, and Concurrent List). Earlier, there were 97 subjects on the union list, but now there are 99. There used to be 66 subjects on the state list, but currently, there are just 61. There were 47 subjects in the concurrent list before, but there are now 52 subjects in the concurrent list. as of November 1st, 2021.

Union List Subjects

The Union List under 7th Schedule of Indian Constitution initially had 97 subjects, which now has been revised to 100 subjects:

Subjects Under Union List
Defence of India	Naval, military, and Air Force works	Arms, firearms, ammunition, and explosives	Atomic energy and mineral resources
Industries declared by Parliament by law	Central Bureau of Intelligence and Investigation	Preventive detention for reasons connected with defence or Foreign Affairs	Foreign Affairs: related to Union and any foreign country
United Nation Organization	War and Peace	Foreign jurisdiction	Citizenship, Naturalization and Aliens
Extradition	Pilgrimages to places outside of India	Railways	Piracy and crime committed on higher seas
Highways declared by law made by parliament	Lighthouses, including the light ships and bacon	Maritime shipping and navigation	Reserve Bank of India

State List Subjects

The State List under 7th schedule had originally 66 subjects, which has now revised to 61 subjects. Some important are:

Subjects Under State List
Public order	Prisons, reformatories, and other institutions of the same nature	Public health and sanitation	Pilgrimages other than those outside of India
Relief of the disabled and unemployable	Burials and burial grounds, cremations, and cremation grounds	Libraries, museums, and other similar institutions	Communication through roads, bridges, ferries, and other means of communication
Agriculture, including agricultural education and research	Pounds and prevention of cattle trespass	Water supplies, irrigation, canal, drainage, and embankments	Fisheries
Gas and Gas works	Inns and innkeepers	Betting and gambling	Salaries and allowances of members of the Legislature of the state
State public services and state public service commission	Public Debt of the state	Taxes on Agriculture Income	Duties in respect of succession to agricultural land

Concurrent List Subjects

A total of around 52 subjects are enumrated in the concurrent list as given below:

Subjects Under Concurrent List
Actionable wrongs	Bankruptcy and insolvency	Trust and trustees	Evidence and oaths, recognition of laws, public acts, and judicial proceedings
Prevention of cruelty to animals	Economic and social planning	Charities and charitable trust	Factories
Protection of wild animals and birds	Commercial and industrial monopolies	Relief and rehabilitation of people displaced from their original place of residence	Price control
Adulteration of foodstuffs and Other goods	Trade unions and Industrial and Labour disputes	Shipping and navigation on inland waterways	Boilers
Drugs and poisons	Legal Medical and other professions	Vital statistics, including registration of birth and death	Electricity

Residuary Powers Under Schedule 7 of Indian Constitution

In the Indian Constitution, Schedule 7 enumerates the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List, which outline the distribution of powers between the Union (central government) and the States. However, residuary powers, which are powers not specifically mentioned in any of these lists, are vested exclusively with the Union government. This means that matters not explicitly allocated to the states or concurrent jurisdiction fall under the jurisdiction of the central government.

The concept of residuary powers is outlined in Article 248 of the Indian Constitution, which states that the Parliament has exclusive power to make laws with respect to any matter not enumerated in the Concurrent List or State List. Additionally, Article 248 also empowers the Parliament to legislate on any matter not included in the Union List.

Furthermore, Article 73 of the Constitution provides that the executive power of the Union shall extend to matters on which the Parliament has the power to make laws. This provision reinforces the authority of the Union government over residuary powers.

Issues with 7th Schedule Indian Constitution

While the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution plays a crucial role in delineating the distribution of powers between the Union and the States, there have been several issues and debates surrounding its implementation and interpretation. Some of these issues include:

1. Ambiguity in List Entries: The lists within the Seventh Schedule are not always clear-cut, leading to disputes over whether a particular subject falls within the purview of the Union, the States, or Concurrent jurisdiction. This ambiguity has sometimes resulted in conflicts between the central and state governments.
2. Need for Revision: Over time, there have been calls for revisiting and revising the Seventh Schedule to accommodate changes in governance needs and societal dynamics. Some argue that certain subjects should be shifted between the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists to better address contemporary challenges and promote effective governance.
3. Centralization vs. Decentralization: There is an ongoing debate about the balance of power between the Union and the States. Critics argue that the Seventh Schedule, as currently structured, tilts towards centralization, limiting the autonomy of state governments and impeding their ability to address local needs efficiently.
4. Residuary Powers: While residuary powers are vested with the Union government, there have been discussions about whether these powers should be more clearly defined or shared with the states to ensure a more equitable distribution of authority.
5. Inter-State Disputes: Differences in interpretation or conflicting claims over subjects listed in the Seventh Schedule have led to inter-state disputes, requiring adjudication by the courts or intervention by central authorities. These disputes can hamper cooperative federalism and hinder the smooth functioning of governance.
6. Evolution of Federalism: With the evolving nature of federalism in India, there are ongoing discussions about the need to adapt the Seventh Schedule to reflect changing realities and strengthen cooperative federalism. This includes considering the demands for greater devolution of powers to the states and more effective coordination mechanisms between the Union and the States.

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution UPSC

The Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution is a crucial component often studied by candidates preparing for the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examinations, especially those appearing for the Civil Services Examination (CSE). The schedule delineates the distribution of legislative powers between the Union (central government) and the States of India.

Key points related to the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution that candidates should be familiar with for UPSC preparation include:

1. Three Lists: The Seventh Schedule consists of three lists:
   • Union List (List I): Contains subjects on which only the Parliament has the exclusive power to legislate.
   • State List (List II): Contains subjects on which only the State Legislatures have the exclusive power to legislate.
   • Concurrent List (List III): Contains subjects on which both the Parliament and the State Legislatures can legislate concurrently.
2. Subject Allocation: Each list includes specific subjects on which legislation can be enacted. For example, the Union List includes subjects such as defense, foreign affairs, currency, banking, etc. The State List includes subjects like police, public health, agriculture, etc. The Concurrent List includes subjects like criminal law, marriage, bankruptcy, etc.
3. Residuary Powers: Residuary powers, which are powers not explicitly mentioned in any list, are vested with the Union government. This means that matters not allocated to the states or concurrent jurisdiction fall under the jurisdiction of the central government.
4. Distribution of Powers: The distribution of powers between the Union and the States as outlined in the Seventh Schedule aims to maintain a balance between the need for a strong central authority and the autonomy of the states, ensuring a federal structure of governance in India.
5. Amendment Provisions: The Seventh Schedule can be amended through the procedure outlined in Article 368 of the Constitution, which requires a special majority of the Parliament.

Conclusion – 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution – Union, State & Concurrent List

In conclusion, the seventh schedule of the Indian constitution states the distribution of power between the Union and the State government. While the Union list comprises 99 subjects, the State and Concurrent lists comprise 66 and 52 subjects, respectively. In the above article, we have provided the complete list of subjects mentioned in the three lists of the Indian Constitution.

FAQs on 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution

What is the 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?

Distribution of power between the Union and the State Government (Union List, State List, and Concurrent List). Earlier, there were 97 subjects on the union list, but now there are 99. There used to be 66 subjects on the state list, but currently there are just 61. There were 47 subjects in the concurrent list before, but there are now 52 subjects in the concurrent list. as of November 1st, 2021.

How many subjects are there in the concurrent list in the 7th schedule?

There are 47 subjects in the concurrent list in the 7th schedule.

What is the 7th Schedule State List?

This list contains subjects on which only the state governments can legislate. It includes police, public health, agriculture, local government, etc.

What is the 7th schedule union list?

It includes subjects on which only the central government has the authority to make laws. Some of these subjects are defense, foreign affairs, atomic energy, banking, etc.