State Government and Centre-State Relations
State Government and Centre-State Relations
Each state has a Governor as its constitutional head, a Chief Minister-led council of ministers and a legislature that may have one or two Houses. Powers are divided between the Centre and the states through three lists in the Seventh Schedule. NTPC asks oaths and appointments, bicameral states, list subjects and federal bodies.
1. State Executive
| Office | Key facts |
|---|---|
| Governor (Articles 153-162) | Appointed by the President; 35 years; term 5 years at the President's pleasure; oath administered by the Chief Justice of the state's High Court; can issue ordinances (Article 213) |
| Chief Minister (Article 164) | Appointed by the Governor; council of ministers collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly; size up to 15% of the Assembly (minimum 12) |
| Advocate General (Article 165) | Highest law officer of a state |
2. State Legislature
| Item | Facts |
|---|---|
| Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) | 60 to 500 members (exceptions: Sikkim 32, Goa and Mizoram 40); minimum age 25 |
| Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | Exists in six states: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka; created or abolished under Article 169; minimum age 30 |
3. Centre-State Relations
| List (Seventh Schedule) | Examples |
|---|---|
| Union List | Defence, foreign affairs, railways, banking, atomic energy |
| State List | Police, public order, public health, agriculture, land |
| Concurrent List | Education, forests, marriage, trade unions, criminal law |
Residuary powers lie with the Centre (Article 248), as in Canada
Education, forests, weights and measures, wildlife protection and administration of justice moved to the Concurrent List by the 42nd Amendment (1976)
Inter-State Council: Article 263, set up in 1990 on the Sarkaria Commission's advice
Cooperative federalism: the Centre and states work together, for example through the GST Council (Article 279A) and NITI Aayog's Governing Council
✗ The Governor's oath is administered by the President | ✓ The Chief Justice of the state's High Court administers it
✗ Railways are on the Concurrent List | ✓ Railways are on the Union List
हिंदी नोट: राज्यपाल की नियुक्ति राष्ट्रपति करते हैं और शपथ उस राज्य के उच्च न्यायालय के मुख्य न्यायाधीश दिलाते हैं। विधान परिषद छह राज्यों में है: आंध्र प्रदेश, तेलंगाना, उत्तर प्रदेश, बिहार, महाराष्ट्र और कर्नाटक। अवशिष्ट शक्तियाँ केंद्र के पास हैं (अनुच्छेद 248)।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC pattern: who administers the Governor's oath (August 2025 UG CBT-1). Legislature, list and federal-body questions are tagged syllabus-based.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Governor and Chief Minister
[PYQ: NTPC UG CBT-1 20-Aug-2025 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Who administers the oath of office to a Governor?
The Chief Justice of the High Court of that state.
Answer: Chief Justice of the state High Court
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Who appoints the Chief Minister, and under which article can a Governor issue ordinances?
The Governor appoints the Chief Minister (Article 164). Ordinances are issued under Article 213.
Answer: The Governor; Article 213
Pattern 2: State legislatures
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. How many states have a Legislative Council?
Six.
Answer: Six
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Name the six states with a Legislative Council, and the article under which a council is created or abolished.
Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Maharashtra and Karnataka; Article 169.
Answer: AP, Telangana, UP, Bihar, Maharashtra, Karnataka; Article 169
Pattern 3: Seventh Schedule lists
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. In which list is "police"?
The State List.
Answer: State List
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. To which list did the 42nd Amendment move education, and with whom do residuary powers lie?
Education moved from the State List to the Concurrent List. Residuary powers lie with the Centre (Article 248).
Answer: Concurrent List; the Centre
Pattern 4: Federal bodies
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Under which article is the Inter-State Council set up?
Article 263.
Answer: Article 263
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. In which year was the Inter-State Council set up, and on which commission's recommendation? Which article deals with the GST Council?
1990, on the Sarkaria Commission's recommendation. The GST Council is under Article 279A.
Answer: 1990, Sarkaria Commission; Article 279A
60-Second Revision
- Governor: appointed by the President, oath by state CJ; ordinances Art 213.
- CM: Art 164; council up to 15% of the Assembly.
- Six states with Legislative Councils; Art 169.
- Union List (railways, defence), State List (police), Concurrent (education).
- Residuary powers: Centre (Art 248); Inter-State Council Art 263 (1990).