UPSC Prelims 2023 Q39: Indian Polity – Federalism & Centre - State Relations

UPSC Prelims 2023, General Studies Paper I · Indian Polity

With reference to 'Scheduled Areas' in India, consider the following statements: 1. Within a State, the notification of an area as Scheduled Area takes place through an Order of the President. 2. The largest administrative unit forming the Scheduled Area is the District and the lowest is the cluster of villages in the Block. 3. The Chief Ministers of the concerned States are required to submit annual reports to the Union Home Ministry on the administration of Scheduled Areas in the States. How many of the above statements are correct?

(a) Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Answer: (b) Only two

Explanation

Scheduled Areas — Constitutional and Administrative Framework

Statement	Claim	Verdict	Correct Position
1	Notification of Scheduled Area done by President's Order	TRUE	Under the Fifth Schedule (Article 244), the President notifies Scheduled Areas by Order. States cannot self-declare Scheduled Areas — it requires Presidential notification.
2	Largest administrative unit = District; lowest = cluster of villages in a Block	TRUE	The Fifth Schedule specifies that Scheduled Areas are defined at these levels — districts at the highest and village clusters within blocks at the lowest.
3	Chief Ministers submit annual reports to Union Home Ministry	FALSE	Under the Fifth Schedule, it is the Governors of concerned states who submit annual reports to the President of India on administration of Scheduled Areas — not Chief Ministers to Home Ministry.

Statements 1 and 2 correct → Only two.

Answer: (b) Only two.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Incorrect. 'Only one' — both statements 1 and 2 are accurate regarding Scheduled Area notification and administrative unit structure.
(b) CORRECT. The President notifies Scheduled Areas (1) and the administrative hierarchy goes from District to village cluster (2). Statement 3 is wrong — Governors, not CMs, report to the President, not Home Ministry.
(c) Incorrect. 'All three' — Statement 3 incorrectly identifies both the reporter (CM vs Governor) and the recipient (Home Ministry vs President).
(d) Incorrect. 'None' — the Presidential notification mechanism for Scheduled Areas is a clear constitutional provision.

Key point

Scheduled Areas: President notifies (not State). District = largest unit, village cluster = smallest. Annual reports = Governors to President (NOT Chief Ministers to Home Ministry). Statement 3 has TWO errors.

Remember

Scheduled Areas are notified by the President (not states). The administrative hierarchy runs from District (largest) to village cluster in a Block (smallest). Annual reports on Scheduled Area administration are submitted by Governors to the President — not by Chief Ministers to the Home Ministry.

Common mistakes

Thinking Chief Ministers report on Scheduled Areas — the Fifth Schedule specifically mandates Governors (not elected CMs) to report, reflecting the areas' special constitutional protection.
Confusing Home Ministry with the President as recipient — the Fifth Schedule creates a direct President-Governor reporting chain, bypassing the Home Ministry.
Missing that this is a Fifth Schedule provision — Fifth Schedule governs Scheduled Tribes areas; Sixth Schedule governs tribal areas in northeastern states (different mechanism).

Exam tip

Fifth Schedule (Scheduled Areas): President notifies → Governor administers → Governor reports to President annually. CMs are not in this chain. Sixth Schedule (NE tribal areas) has different autonomous district council mechanisms.

Sources

Constitution of India — Fifth Schedule (Article 244)
NCERT Political Science — Federalism and Tribal Areas

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