Schedules of the Constitution

Why the Schedules Matter for NDA

The Indian Constitution is one of the longest written constitutions in the world. To stop the main text from becoming clumsy, the framers pushed detailed lists — like the names of states, lists of languages, and salaries of officials — into separate tables called Schedules. Think of them as the official appendices at the back of the book: the rules live in the articles, but the long supporting data lives in the Schedules. Each Schedule is tied to one or more articles, so the two always work as a pair.

This arrangement keeps the main text readable while still giving every detail constitutional force. A Schedule is not a footnote you can ignore — it is a full part of the Constitution and can only be changed through the proper amendment procedure under Article 368.

In the NDA written exam, the General Ability Test (GAT) Polity portion regularly asks direct, fact-based questions on Schedules. These are some of the easiest marks in the whole paper because the answers never change with current affairs. Once you have memorised the twelve Schedules, you will recognise the question instantly and save precious time for the harder calculation-based questions elsewhere in the GAT.

Original 8 vs Present 12 Schedules

When the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, it contained only 8 Schedules. Over the decades, as new needs arose, four more were added through formal amendments, taking the total to 12. This growth is itself a popular exam fact, so do not just learn the present number — learn how it changed.

First to Fourth Schedule

First Schedule

Lists the States and Union Territories of India along with the extent of their territories. Whenever a new state is created, a state is renamed, or boundaries are altered, the First Schedule has to be amended. This is why the creation of states like Telangana in 2014 required a change to this Schedule. It is linked to Articles 1 and 4.

Second Schedule

Contains the salaries, allowances and privileges of high constitutional offices — the President, the Governors of states, the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha, the Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, the judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). Because these figures are fixed by the Constitution itself, they cannot be reduced during the term of office of the holder.

Third Schedule

Gives the exact forms of oaths and affirmations that office-holders must take before assuming charge. This covers Union and State ministers, candidates for Parliament and State Legislatures, members once elected, judges of the higher courts, and the CAG. A small but important point: the President and Vice-President take their oaths under separate articles, not under the Third Schedule.

Fourth Schedule

Deals with the allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) to each state and Union Territory. The number of seats is broadly based on population, which is why larger states such as Uttar Pradesh have many more Rajya Sabha members than smaller ones.

Fifth to Eighth Schedule

Note the use of “Schedule” here has nothing to do with the parts of speech — the framers simply reused a familiar word. These four Schedules deal with regions and tribes that need special protection.

Fifth Schedule

Provides for the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in states other than the four north-eastern states covered by the Sixth Schedule. The Governor of the concerned state plays a special role and can make regulations for peace and good governance in these areas. A Tribes Advisory Council is also set up to advise on tribal welfare.

Sixth Schedule

Covers the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram through Autonomous District Councils and Regional Councils. These councils enjoy real powers — they can make laws on land, forests, inheritance and social customs, and even run local courts. This gives the tribal communities of these four states a strong measure of self-government.

Seventh Schedule

One of the most important Schedules and a constant favourite in exams. Linked to Article 246, it contains the three lists for the division of powers between the Centre and the States — the Union List (subjects on which only Parliament can legislate, such as defence and foreign affairs), the State List (subjects for state legislatures, such as police and public health) and the Concurrent List (shared subjects, such as education and forests). If a central and a state law clash on a Concurrent subject, the central law normally prevails.

Eighth Schedule

Lists the official languages recognised by the Constitution for use in education, administration and the public service commissions. It originally had 14 languages; today it has 22. We look at the full language story in its own section below because the exam loves the changing count.

Ninth to Twelfth Schedule

These four Schedules were all added after 1950, so they are a popular source of “which was added later” questions.

Ninth Schedule

Added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951. It contains acts and regulations — mainly relating to land reforms and abolition of the zamindari system — that are protected from being challenged in court for violating Fundamental Rights. The aim was to push through land redistribution without endless litigation from former landlords.

Tenth Schedule

Added by the 52nd Amendment, 1985. It contains the provisions on disqualification of members on the ground of defection — popularly the Anti-Defection Law. It applies when an MP or MLA voluntarily gives up party membership or votes against the party whip. The presiding officer of the House decides such cases.

Eleventh Schedule

Added by the 73rd Amendment, 1992. It lists the 29 functional subjects of Panchayats (rural local government), covering areas like agriculture, rural housing, drinking water and primary education. It works with Article 243-G.

Twelfth Schedule

Added by the 74th Amendment, 1992. It lists the 18 functional subjects of Municipalities (urban local government), covering matters such as urban planning, water supply, public health and slum improvement. It works with Article 243-W.

Schedules Linked to Their Articles

NDA sometimes pairs a Schedule with the article that activates it. Learn these links.

Because each Schedule is part of the Constitution, it cannot be edited by an ordinary law — it must be amended under Article 368. There is one neat exception: changes to the First Schedule that create a new state or alter boundaries can be made under Article 4 by a simple majority, and such a law is specifically said not to count as a constitutional amendment. In contrast, changing the federal power lists in the Seventh Schedule needs a special majority plus ratification by at least half the state legislatures. This kind of subtle distinction is exactly what NDA examiners enjoy testing.

The Eighth Schedule Languages in Focus

Languages are a favourite NDA target because the count changed over time. The original 14 languages grew to 22 through three separate amendments, and examiners love to ask which language was added when.

Sindhi was added by the 21st Amendment (1967), taking the count to 15. Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were added by the 71st Amendment (1992), taking it to 18. Finally Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were added by the 92nd Amendment (2003), taking the total to the present 22. These languages get protection and promotion, and candidates can also write certain examinations in them.

Worked Example

This single chain of facts can be re-used to answer at least four different MCQ variations, so it is worth over-learning.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Quick Memory Tricks

Use a simple sentence to lock the order of all 12 Schedules.

Previous-Year Style Question

Quick Revision

Revise this list two or three times before the exam and Schedules questions become guaranteed marks.