UPSC Mains 2016 GS2 Q7 — Constitutional History
Did the Government of India Act, 1935 lay down a federal constitution ? Discuss. (Answer in 200 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discuss
- Scope keywords
- Government of India Act, 1935lay downfederal constitution
- Implicit sub-parts
- Identify specific federal features introduced by the Act (All-India Federation, Division of Powers, Federal Court).
- Analyze the constraints and unitary biases that prevented it from being a truly 'federal' constitution in practice.
- Address the non-implementation of the federal scheme due to the refusal of Princely States.
- Evaluate the Act's legacy as a blueprint for the 1950 Constitution of India.
- Common pitfalls
- Focusing too much on provincial autonomy and bicameralism while ignoring the structural failure of the 'All-India Federation' to materialize.
- Treating it as a static history question rather than a constitutional analysis of federal vs. unitary features.
- Failing to mention the role of the Princely States and the 'Instrument of Accession' requirement.
- Neglecting the disproportionate discretionary powers of the Governor-General which undermined the federal spirit.
- Dimensions required
- Constitutional-LegalHistorical-PoliticalComparative (Act of 1935 vs. Modern Constitution)Administrative
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate 40 words to the introduction and federal features (Lists I, II, III). Use 80 words to discuss the 'unitary' bottlenecks like the Governor-General’s veto and the failure to launch the federation. Spend 50 words on the transition/legacy for the current Constitution, and 30 words for a balanced conclusion on its 'semi-federal' nature.
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