Gajendra Singh Godara
Sep 15, 2025
20
mins read
The Schedules in the Indian Constitution are special lists attached for clarity and organization. They contain important details-like names of states, official languages, powers of local governments, and more—so the main articles don't get confusing or long. When the Constitution was adopted in 1950, it included 8 Schedules; now, after amendments, there are 12. Each Schedule deals with a different topic and helps make governance smoother by keeping all the technical points structured and easy to find.
Originally 8, Now 12. At commencement in 1949, the Constitution contained eight Schedules. Subsequent constitutional amendments increased the number to twelve. The major additions came as follows:
Ninth Schedule - Added by the 1st Amendment Act, 1951 to protect certain laws (mainly land reforms) from judicial scrutiny.
Tenth Schedule - Introduced by the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985 to curb defection by legislators (the anti-defection law).
Eleventh Schedule - Added by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992, detailing the powers and functions of Panchayati Raj (rural local governments).
Twelfth Schedule - Added by the 74th Amendment Act, 1992, listing the powers and functions of Municipalities (urban local governments).
Thus, today there are 12 Schedules of the Indian Constitution. These Schedules have been amended occasionally - for example, the Eighth Schedule’s list of languages grew from 14 to 22 through various amendments (21st in 1967, 71st in 1992, 92nd in 2003).
Table of content
The 12 Schedules cover a broad range of governance topics. Below is an overview of each schedule, its subject matter, and related Article references in the Constitution:
Schedule | Subject Matter | Key Article(s) |
First Schedule | States and Union Territories - Lists all States of India and Union Territories with their territorial boundaries. Defines the country’s federal units. | Article 1 (lists States/UTs), Article 4 (amendment of 1st Sch. when reorganizing states). |
Second Schedule | Emoluments of High Officers - Prescribes the salaries, allowances, and privileges of constitutional functionaries:
| Articles 59, 65, 75, 97, 125, 148, 158, 164, 186, 221 (various clauses). |
Third Schedule | Forms of Oaths or Affirmations : Text of oaths for offices:
These are the exact pledges they must take (to bear true faith to the Constitution, etc.). | Articles 75(4), 99, 124(6), 148(2), 164(3), 188, 219. |
Fourth Schedule | Allocation of Rajya Sabha Seats - Shows the number of seats allotted to each State and Union Territory in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha), broadly based on population. Ensures proportional representation of states in the upper house. | Articles 4(1), 80(2). |
Fifth Schedule | Administration of Scheduled Areas & Tribes - Provisions for governance of areas with Scheduled Tribes (except those in Northeast covered by Sixth Schedule). It empowers the Governor to modify laws in scheduled areas and bars transfer of tribal land to non-tribals, among other protections. Intended to safeguard indigenous communities in several states (e.g. parts of Central India). | Article 244(1) (applies provisions to scheduled areas), Fifth Schedule provisions can make certain land transfers void (per Samatha judgment). |
Sixth Schedule | Administration of Tribal Areas in Northeast - Special provisions for tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram, including Autonomous District Councils with legislative, judicial and financial powers in those areas. It is a mini-Constitution for tribal self-rule in these regions. | Articles 244(2), 275(1). (Provides for creation of autonomous districts, regional councils, etc. in specified NE states.) |
Seventh Schedule | Division of Powers: Union, State & Concurrent Lists - Three lists enumerate subjects of legislation: Union List (matters only Parliament can legislate, e.g. defense, foreign affairs; currently 100 subjects, originally 97), State List (matters for state legislatures, e.g. police, public health; now 61 subjects, originally 66), and Concurrent List (shared jurisdiction, e.g. education, marriage; now 52 subjects, originally 47). This schedule under Article 246 is the bedrock of Indian federalism, clearly demarcating competencies. | Article 246 (distribution of legislative powers between Union & States). (Note: 42nd Amendment (1976) moved five subjects like education from State to Concurrent List.) |
Eighth Schedule | Official Languages - Recognizes 22 languages as scheduled languages of India. Originally 14 languages were listed (including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, etc.); later amendments added others (Sindhi in 1967; Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali in 1992; Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santali in 2003). These languages are entitled to representation on the Official Languages Commission and other special status. | Articles 344(1) and 351 (promote the spread of Hindi while enriching it by assimilating elements of the other languages in the Eighth Schedule). |
Ninth Schedule | Laws Protected from Judicial Review - Contains a list of laws (mostly land reform and socio-economic legislation) that are immunized against court challenge on the ground of violating fundamental rights. Parliament created this shield via the first amendment to prevent pro-poor land laws from being struck down by courts. However, after the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973) and I.R. Coelho (2007), laws in the Ninth Schedule post-1973 are subject to judicial review if they violate the basic structure or fundamental rights. | Article 31B (validates laws added to Ninth Schedule by insulating them from Article 13 challenge). (The Ninth Schedule itself was inserted by the Constitution (1st Amendment) Act, 1951.) |
Tenth Schedule | Anti-Defection Provisions - Specifies the grounds for disqualification of Members of Parliament or state legislatures if they defect (i.e. voluntarily give up party membership or disobey party whip in votes). Added by the 52nd Amendment, 1985, this schedule aims to curb political defections and ensure legislative stability. It authorizes the Speaker/Chairman to decide on defection cases, though courts can review the decision. (The 91st Amendment in 2003 further tightened the law by barring defectors from ministerial office). | Articles 102(2) and 191(2) (which refer to disqualification for defection as per Tenth Schedule). |
Eleventh Schedule | Panchayati Raj (Rural Local Government) - Lists 29 functional items allotted to Panchayats (village, intermediate, and district level rural local bodies). Introduced by the 73rd Amendment (1992), it includes subjects like agriculture, rural housing, drinking water, roads, women and child development, etc., delineating the sphere of local self-government in villages. This schedule operationalizes Article 40’s directive principle (village panchayats) by giving them constitutional status and specific powers. | Article 243G (powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats to implement schemes for economic development and social justice). |
Twelfth Schedule | Municipalities (Urban Local Government) - Lists 18 functional items within the domain of Municipalities (urban local bodies). Added by the 74th Amendment (1992), it includes urban planning, land use regulation, roads and bridges, water supply, public health, fire services, urban forestry, etc. The schedule underpins Article 243W, aiming to create autonomous city governments. In practice, many of these functions are still controlled by state agencies, and empowering municipalities remains an evolving challenge. | Article 243W (powers, authority and responsibilities of Municipalities). |
As summarized above, the Indian Constitution’s Schedules range from territorial matters (1st Schedule) to language policy (8th Schedule) to preserving the integrity of the nation’s democracy (10th Schedule’s anti-defection) and its federal structure (7th Schedule).
Read this blog on Anti-Defection Law - 10th Schedule
Over time, several constitutional amendments have directly modified the Schedules to address emerging needs:
First Amendment 1951: Added the Ninth Schedule to protect land reform laws from property-rights litigation. (This was the Nehru government’s response to judicial invalidation of zamindari abolition laws.)
Seventh Amendment 1956: Facilitated states’ reorganization, altering the First Schedule (lists of states/UTs) and Fourth Schedule (Rajya Sabha seats) to reflect the new map of India. For example, the merging/creation of states required updating these Schedules of the Indian Constitution.
42nd Amendment 1976: Transferred five subjects from State List to Concurrent List (Education, Forests, Weights & Measures, Protection of Wild Animals & Birds, Administration of Justice) - thus modifying the Seventh Schedule. This centralizing move during the Emergency era reduced state-exclusive matters, making those subjects joint responsibility.
52nd Amendment 1985: Introduced the Tenth Schedule on anti-defection. This watershed change, driven by the instability caused by “Aya Ram, Gaya Ram” defections, laid down the process for disqualifying defectors to uphold the mandate of the electorate.
73rd & 74th Amendments 1992: Created the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules, granting constitutional status to Panchayats and Municipalities. These amendments revolutionized grassroots governance by defining the powers of local bodies and mandating regular elections, reservation for weaker sections, etc., thereby deepening democracy.
86th Amendment 2002: Added a new item (Education) to the Eleventh Schedule while simultaneously making education a fundamental right (Article 21A) and fundamental duty. This linked the responsibility of Panchayats in promoting primary education with the nation’s commitment to universal education.
91st Amendment 2003: Strengthened the Tenth Schedule provisions by barring defectors from being appointed as ministers or to remunerative political posts until re-election. This closed loopholes where mass defections could escape disqualification by merging into another party.
92nd 2003: Expanded the Eighth Schedule by adding four new languages - Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santali - raising the count of recognized official languages to 22. This reflected India’s linguistic diversity and acceded to long-pending demands of those language communities.
93rd Amendment 2005: Included certain laws enabling reservations in educational institutions into the Ninth Schedule to shield them from potential judicial invalidation (e.g. protecting the 27% OBC reservation in central educational institutions).
Each of these amendments left an imprint on the Schedules - be it through addition, deletion, or modification of entries. Schedules thus have been a flexible instrument, allowing the Constitution to adapt (e.g. new states, new languages, new governance levels) without rewriting large swathes of the main text.
The inclusion of Schedules greatly enhances the Constitution’s clarity and utility:
Clarity & Organization: Schedules present detailed provisions in a structured list format, avoiding clutter in the main articles. This simplifies complex information - one can easily refer to a schedule for specifics (e.g. a list of official languages or the exact oath text) rather than combing through numerous articles.
Adaptability: It is easier to amend a schedule (by a simple majority in some cases, or by special majority if it impacts federal structure) than to overhaul the Constitution’s text. This facilitates amendments - e.g. adding new languages in the Eighth Schedule or new states in the First Schedule without altering the core Constitutional principles.
Protecting Vulnerable Sections: The Fifth and Sixth Schedules act as safeguards for indigenous tribal communities. They ensure self-governance and prevent exploitation in scheduled areas. These Schedules are bulwarks against cultural assimilation and economic exploitation of tribal peoples, embodying the Constitution’s commitment to protect the vulnerable.
Strengthening Federalism & Democracy: Key Schedules reinforce democratic governance at different levels. The Seventh Schedule, by clearly delineating powers, prevents constant Centre-State tussles over competency - a fundamental for a federal structure. Meanwhile, the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules (added in 1992) entrench the third tier of governance (Panchayats and Municipalities) in the constitutional scheme, thus deepening democracy to the grassroots.
Preserving Linguistic Diversity: The Eighth Schedule recognizes 22 languages, helping preserve and promote India’s linguistic heritage. Inclusion in this schedule often leads to efforts to develop the language (such as official status in regions, school education in that language, representation on national commissions, etc.). The Eighth Schedule thus exemplifies how the Constitution respects pluralism, and it remains open-ended - demands to add more languages (there are proposals for over 30 languages like Bhojpuri, Tulu, etc.) continue, reflecting India’s dynamic cultural mosaic.
While Schedules serve important purposes, there are challenges and debates associated with them:
Ninth Schedule & Judicial Review: The Ninth Schedule’s blanket protection of laws led to abuse by lawmakers - many unrelated laws (not just land reforms) were stuffed into it to immunize them from court challenges. The Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati (1973) hinted that even the Ninth Schedule is subject to the basic structure doctrine, and later in I.R. Coelho v. Tamil Nadu (2007), it explicitly ruled that any law (added after 1973) in the Ninth Schedule that violates fundamental rights/core principles can be struck down. This was a pushback against unfettered Parliamentary power.
Seventh Schedule Conflicts: The division of powers is clear on paper, but in practice Centre-State conflicts arise. Some argue the Union List is too extensive, leading the Centre to encroach on matters best left to states. There are also demands to revisit the Seventh Schedule to devolve more subjects to states or to update lists with contemporary subjects (like cybersecurity, climate change etc.). Thus, maintaining a cooperative federalism ethos requires continual negotiation within the Seventh Schedule framework.
Under-implementation of 11th/12th Schedules: Simply listing powers of local bodies has not automatically translated into strong local governance. Many states hesitate to devolve funds, functions, and functionaries fully to panchayats and municipalities. Local bodies often lack financial autonomy - they depend on state grants, undermining the spirit of the 74th Amendment. Until states truly empower local institutions as per the Schedules, the goal of decentralized development remains unfulfilled.
Expanding the Eighth Schedule: The inclusion of languages in the Eighth Schedule has been a politically charged issue. At independence it had 14 languages; now 22; but dozens of languages/dialects are clamoring for recognition - e.g. Bhojpuri, Rajasthani, Tulu, Ladakhi among others have active movements. There are demands for inclusion of 30+ languages, which the government has been hesitant about, since recognition can have administrative and financial implications (such as more official use, education provisions, etc.). The debate continues on setting criteria for inclusion (number of speakers, literary tradition, etc.), showing that the Eighth Schedule is a site of ongoing negotiation in India’s nation-building.
What issues are plaguing decentralised democracy ?
Read : Local Self‑Government in India
Q. How many Schedules are there in the Indian Constitution?
A. There are a total of 12 Schedules in the Constitution of India at present. The original Constitution (1950) had 8 Schedules, and subsequent amendments added four more (9th, 10th, 11th, 12th).
Q. Which schedule deals with the anti-defection law?
A. The Tenth Schedule contains the anti-defection law. Added by the 52nd Amendment Act, 1985, it prescribes disqualification of MPs/MLAs on grounds of defection and designates the Speaker/Chairman as the adjudicating authority. (The 10th Schedule is often called the “Anti-Defection Act” in popular terms.)
Q. What is the 7th Schedule of the Indian Constitution?
A. The Seventh Schedule defines the distribution of legislative powers between the Centre and States. It consists of three lists - the Union List (subjects on which only Parliament legislates), the State List (subjects under state legislatures), and the Concurrent List (subjects both can legislate on). This schedule (under Article 246) is fundamental to India’s federal structure, clearly demarcating subjects like defense (Union List), police (State List), and education (Concurrent List).
Q. Why were the 11th and 12th Schedules added to the Constitution?
A. The Eleventh (1992) and Twelfth (1992) Schedules were added to strengthen local self-governance. The 11th Schedule lists 29 functions for Panchayati Raj Institutions (villages and districts), and the 12th Schedule lists 18 functions for Municipalities (cities). These Schedules, introduced by the 73rd and 74th Amendments, gave constitutional recognition to local bodies and aimed to decentralize power and planning to the grassroots level.
The 12 Schedules of the Indian Constitution may reside in the annexes, but they are indispensable to the document’s architecture and functioning. They provide the fine print to India’s grand constitutional design - be it defining the country’s federal units, delineating the powers of governments at various levels, safeguarding tribal autonomy, or celebrating linguistic plurality. Over the years, Schedules have enabled the Constitution to adapt (by adding new entries for new challenges) while maintaining stability in core principles.
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