7th Schedule of Indian Constitution, Provisions, States, Articles

Q: What is the 7th Schedule in the Constitution?

It defines subjects for Union, State, and both governments via Union List, State List, and Concurrent List.

Q: How many subjects are in the Union List?

There are 97 subjects in the Union List.

Q: How many subjects are in the State List?

There are 66 subjects under the State List.

Q: What is the Concurrent List?

It contains 47 subjects where both Union and State governments can make laws.

Q: Who can amend the 7th Schedule?

Parliament can amend it through a constitutional amendment under Article 368.

Table of Contents☰

The Constitution of India establishes a clear framework for the distribution of legislative powers between the Union and the States, reinforcing the Federal System of India. A key component of this framework is the 7th Schedule of Indian Constitution, which discusses the division of subjects into three lists: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. Each list defines the areas in which the respective governments can legislate, ensuring clarity and preventing overlap in responsibilities. This structured division plays an important role in governance, policy formulation, and legal interpretation, making it an essential feature of India’s constitutional design.

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution History

The concept of the 7th Schedule of Indian Constitution has its discussion in the Government of India Act, 1935, which introduced a three-fold division of legislative subjects into:

Federal List
Provincial List
Concurrent List

This model was later adopted and modified by the Constitution of India in 1950. While drafting the Constitution, the Constituent Assembly took into account India’s complex realities such as its cultural diversity, need for unity, and uneven levels of development.

Hence, the Seventh Schedule was included to maintain a functional balance between the powers of the Centre and the States. India is a quasi-federal country with a strong unitary bias, unlike classical federations like the United States. The Constitution allows the Centre to step into State affairs under specific conditions, a provision that became especially important in the early post-Independence period, when ensuring national integration was critical.

Article 246

Article 246 of the Indian Constitution discusses the division of legislative powers between the Union and State governments based on the Seventh Schedule. It establishes a hierarchical structure among the three lists:

Clause (1): Parliament has exclusive authority to legislate on subjects listed in the Union List.
Clause (2): Both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate on matters in the Concurrent List.
Clause (3): State Legislatures have exclusive powers over subjects in the State List.
Clause (4): Parliament holds the right to legislate on State List matters for Union Territories.

In case of conflict or overlap, the lists follow a priority order: Union List > Concurrent List > State List. If there’s any inconsistency between Central and State law on Concurrent subjects, the Parliament’s law exists.

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution Structure

The 7th Schedule of Indian Constitution plays a central role in defining the federal structure of governance. It clearly defines the areas of legislation between the Union and State governments through three distinct lists. The below table includes 7th Schedule of Indian Constitution Structure:

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution Structure
List	Subject Count	Examples	Significance	Special Provisions
Union List (List I)	Originally 97, now ~100	Defence, Atomic Energy, Foreign Affairs, Railways, Banking, Insurance, Citizenship, Currency, Interstate Trade	Centralizes control of key national areas Maintains national unity Ensures uniform foreign policy and economic strategy	Parliament has exclusive authority
State List (List II)	Originally 66, now 61	Police, Public Order, Local Government, Public Health, Land, Agriculture, Fisheries, Betting and Gambling	Strengthens state autonomy Encourages decentralised governance Reflects regional priorities and diversity	Parliament can legislate during:• National Emergency (Art. 250)• Rajya Sabha Resolution (Art. 249)• States’ Consent (Art. 252)• To implement International Agreements (Art. 253)
Concurrent List (List III)	Originally 47, now ~52	Criminal Law, Marriage & Divorce, Education, Forests, Economic and Social Planning, Trade Unions, Bankruptcy	Balances national interest with state flexibility Support Centre-State coordination Encourages cooperative federalism	If State law conflicts with Union law, Union law prevails unless State law has Presidential assent (Art. 254)

Union List (List I)

The Union List contains subjects on which only the Parliament of India can make laws. These matters are of national importance such as defense, foreign affairs, atomic energy, and railways. It currently includes 100 subjects under the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution.

Key Subjects under Union List	Description
Defence and Armed Forces	Management and control of India’s defense system.
Foreign Affairs	Diplomatic relations, treaties, and international organizations.
Atomic Energy	Regulation of nuclear power and research.
Railways	Development and operation of the national railway network.
Currency and Banking	Control over the Reserve Bank of India and monetary policy.
Citizenship and Naturalization	Rules governing Indian citizenship and immigration.

State List (List II)

The State List includes subjects on which state legislatures have the exclusive power to make laws. These topics primarily concern local or regional governance and welfare. The list contains 61 subjects, such as police, public health, and agriculture.

Key Subjects under State List	Description
Police and Public Order	Maintenance of law, order, and internal security within the state.
Public Health and Sanitation	Regulation of hospitals, healthcare, and sanitation systems.
Agriculture	Policies related to farming, irrigation, and crop management.
Local Government	Administration of municipalities and panchayats.
State Taxes	Collection of taxes on land, electricity, and goods within the state.
Prisons and Reformatories	Management of jails and correctional facilities.

Concurrent List (List III)

The Concurrent List contains subjects on which both Parliament and state legislatures can make laws. In case of a conflict, the Central law prevails. It includes 52 subjects, focusing on areas requiring cooperative federalism such as education, forests, and labor welfare.

Key Subjects under Concurrent List	Description
Education	Policies for schools, universities, and technical education.
Forests and Wildlife	Conservation and regulation of natural resources.
Marriage and Divorce	Uniform laws governing marriage, divorce, and succession.
Criminal Law and Procedure	Penal codes and criminal justice administration.
Labor Welfare	Working conditions, trade unions, and industrial disputes.
Social Security	Welfare schemes for workers, women, and children.

Article 248

The Constitution gives Parliament the exclusive power to make laws on subjects not covered in any of the three lists. These are called residuary subjects. This setup tilts power toward the Centre and ensures it can step in to handle new, evolving issues as they arise.

Examples: Cyber laws, space exploration, digital currencies, artificial intelligence.

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution Major Amendments

The Federal System of India has undergone significant transformation through constitutional amendments. Among them, the 42nd and 101st Amendment Acts stand out for their deep impact on Centre-State relations. While the 42nd Amendment expanded the Centre’s legislative domain by shifting key subjects to the Concurrent List, the 101st Amendment reshaped India’s fiscal landscape through the introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST). The table below highlights the 7th Schedule of Indian Constitution Major Amendments.

7th Schedule of Indian Constitution Major Amendments
Amendment	Key Provisions	Impact
42nd Amendment Act, 1976	Shifted 5 subjects from State List to Concurrent List: Education Forests Weights & Measures Administration of Justice Protection of Wild Animals & Birds	Enhanced Centre’s legislative power Triggered debates on State autonomy erosion
101st Amendment Act, 2016 (GST)	Introduced GST; added Article 246A for concurrent taxation powers; removed State List sales tax entries	Unified indirect tax regime Reduced State’s fiscal autonomy Established GST Council