Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading

Q58 (IAS/2025) Polity & Governance â€ș Constitutional Basics & Evolution â€ș Amendment procedure Answer Verified

Consider the following subjects under the Constitution of India : I. List I-Union List, in the Seventh Schedule II. Extent of the executive power of a State III. Conditions of the Governor's office For a constitutional amendment with respect to which of the above, ratification by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States is required before presenting the bill to the President of India for assent?

Result
Your answer: —  Â·  Correct: A
Explanation

Certain constitutional amendments affecting the federal structure require ratification by the Legislatures of at least half of the States before the Bill is presented to the President for assent under Article 368.[1]

Amendments relating to the election of the President or the extent of the executive power of the Union and the States require ratification by Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States after being passed by special majority.[2]

The Union List (List I) in the Seventh Schedule is part of the distribution of legislative powers between the Union and States, which forms a core element of the federal structure. Amendments to this list would alter the balance of powers and therefore require state ratification. Similarly, changes to the extent of executive power of a State directly impact federal relations and require such ratification.

However, the conditions of the Governor's office do not fall under the provisions requiring state ratification. The Governor's office, while important, is not explicitly listed among the subjects requiring this additional approval process. Therefore, only subjects I and II (Union List and extent of executive power of a State) require ratification by at least half of the State Legislatures, making option A correct.

Sources
  1. [1] Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 10: Procedure for Amendment > p. 192
  2. [2] https://cms.rajyasabha.nic.in/UploadedFiles/Procedure/RajyaSabhaAtWork/English/665-760/CHAPTER21.pdf
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
43%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following subjects under the Constitution of India : I. List I-Union List, in the Seventh Schedule II. Extent of the execu

At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 3.3/10 · 3.3/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'List-based' question from the Amendment chapter. It moves beyond the vague concept of 'Federal Structure' and demands you know the exact entries of the Proviso to Article 368(2). If you relied only on 'logic' without memorizing the specific exclusions, the Governor option (III) would trap you.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Under the Constitution of India, does a constitutional amendment relating to the Union List in the Seventh Schedule require ratification by the Legislatures of not less than one-half of the States?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 10: Procedure for Amendment > p. 192
Presence: 5/5
“While in " 11 cases of amendment of the Constitution, a Bill has to be passed by the Union Parliament by a special majority, in the case of certain provisions which affect the federal structure, a further step is required. viz., a ratification by the Legislature of at least half or the States, before the Bill is presented to the President for his assent [ATtide 368]. But even in this latter group of cases, the law which eventually effects the amendment is a law I. An amendment of the Constitution may be initiated only by the introduction of a Bill for the purpose in either House of Parliament.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states that certain amendments which affect the federal structure require ratification by the Legislature of at least half the States under Article 368.
  • Frames this ratification as an additional step beyond the special parliamentary majority, directly linking the one-half threshold to amendment procedure.
Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 9: CONSTITUTION AS A LIVING DOCUMENT > Ratification by States > p. 204
Presence: 4/5
“We can say that for some parts of the Constitution, greater or wider consensus in the polity is expected. This provision also respects the States and gives them participation in the process of amendment. At the same time, care is taken to keep this procedure somewhat flexible even in its more rigid format: consent of only half the States is required and simple majority of the State legislature is sufficient. Thus, the amendment process is not impracticable even after taking into consideration this more stringent condition. We may summarise that the Constitution of India can be amended through large-scale consensus and limited participation of the States.”
Why this source?
  • Specifies that consent of only one-half of the States is required for some parts of the Constitution, and that simple majority in the State Legislature suffices.
  • Emphasizes the numerical threshold (one-half) and the practical mode of state participation in amendment ratification.
Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 4: OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF OUR CONSTITUTION > More Flexible than Rigid. > p. 40
Presence: 4/5
“rv. i\no ther dislioClive feature of the Indian Constitu tion IS that it seeks to iln pan fl ex ibility to a \ ... rinen fede ral Constitution. It is only [he amendment o f a few" o f the provisions of the Constitution that requires ratification by the State Legislatures and even the n ratification by only 1/2 o f them would suffice (while the Ainel-ican Constiwtion requires ratificatio n by 3/4 of the States). The rest of the Constitution may be amended by a special majority of the Union Parliament, i.e., a majority of not less than 2/3 of the members of each House present and voting, which again, must be a majority of the total membership of the House [see chapter 10].”
Why this source?
  • Notes that only amendments of certain provisions require ratification by State Legislatures and that ratification by one-half of them would suffice.
  • Reinforces that a subset of constitutional amendments invokes the one-half states ratification rule.
Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Login with Google to unlock study guidance.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.

The Vault

Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.

Login with Google to unlock The Vault.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

CDS-I · 2011 · Q33 Relevance score: 1.87

Which of the following provisions of the Constitution of India need the ratification by the legislatures of not less than one-half of the States to effect amendment? 1. The manner of election of the President of India 2. Extent of the executive power of the Union and the States 3. Powers of the Supreme Court and High Courts 4. Any of the Lists in the 7th Schedule Select the correct answer using the code given below : Code :

CDS-I · 2024 · Q53 Relevance score: 0.77

As per the State List under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the States have jurisdiction over agricultural land in connection with which of the following subjects? 1. Taxes on agricultural income 2. Duties in respect of succession of agricultural land 3. Estate duty in respect of agricultural land

CAPF · 2020 · Q81 Relevance score: 0.57

As per provisions of the Constitution of India, which one of the following is correct ?