Schedules of the Indian Constitution: All 12 Schedules with Contents and PYQ Examples

Quick Answer: The Indian Constitution originally had 8 Schedules in 1950; today it has 12 Schedules. The 9th was added by the 1st Amendment (1951), the 10th by the 52nd Amendment (1985), and the 11th and 12th by the 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992). Together they cover everything from state names and official languages to anti-defection and local government — a guaranteed scoring area in UPSC, SSC, Banking and CLAT exams.

Quick Answer: What are the 12 Schedules of the Indian Constitution?

The Schedules of the Indian Constitution are tables or lists appended to the main text that carry detailed provisions the Constitution itself does not spell out in its articles. Here is the complete one-look table:

Original Constitution: The First 8 Schedules (1950)

When the Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950, it contained 8 Schedules (alongside 395 Articles and 22 Parts). The Constituent Assembly deliberately moved bulky details — state boundaries, oath texts, language lists, legislative lists — into Schedules so the main constitutional text stayed readable. The 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Schedules were added later through constitutional amendments, which is why exam papers repeatedly ask “how many schedules were in the original Constitution?” The answer: eight. You can verify the current text of the Schedules on the official Government of India Constitution page.

First Schedule: States and Union Territories

The First Schedule, read with Articles 1 and 4, lists the names of States and Union Territories and defines the territorial extent of each. Article 1 declares India a “Union of States”; Article 4 empowers Parliament to admit or create new states and alter areas and boundaries — changes that automatically update the First Schedule. This is the schedule amended most frequently, whenever new states (for example, Telangana in 2014, or the 2019 reorganisation of Jammu & Kashmir) are created.

Second Schedule: Salaries and Emoluments

The Second Schedule contains provisions relating to the emoluments, allowances and privileges of:

• The President of India
• The Governors of States
• The Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Lok Sabha / Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha
• Speakers and Chairmen of State Legislatures
• Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts
• The Comptroller and Auditor-General of India (CAG)

It is linked to Articles 59, 65, 75, 97, 125, 148, 158, 164, 186 and 221. Note that many salaries (such as those of MPs, now under the Salary, Allowances and Pension of Members of Parliament Act, 1954) are set by ordinary law — the Second Schedule covers only the listed constitutional functionaries. A classic exam trap: the Prime Minister’s salary is not in the Second Schedule.

Third to Seventh Schedules: Oaths, Allocation of Powers, and Scheduled Areas

Third Schedule — Forms of Oaths

The Third Schedule prescribes the forms of oaths or affirmations for Union Ministers, candidates for Parliament, MPs, judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, the CAG, and state-level equivalents. Key articles: Articles 75, 84, 99, 124, 146, 173, 188 and 219.

Fourth Schedule — Rajya Sabha Seats

The Fourth Schedule (Article 80) allocates seats to each State and Union Territory in the Rajya Sabha. It is amended whenever a new state is created — a favourite one-mark question in SSC exams.

Fifth Schedule — Scheduled Areas

The Fifth Schedule deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any state other than Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. It provides for a Governor’s report and Tribes Advisory Councils.

Sixth Schedule — Tribal Areas

The Sixth Schedule (Articles 244 and 275) applies only to tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, creating Autonomous District Councils and Autonomous Regional Councils with legislative, judicial and financial powers.

Seventh Schedule — the Three Lists

The Seventh Schedule contains the Union List (originally 97 subjects), State List (originally 66) and Concurrent List (originally 47) — the backbone of India’s federal division of powers under Article 246. After the 42nd Amendment (1976) shifted five subjects (education, forests, weights and measures, wildlife and administration of justice) to the Concurrent List, the balance of subjects changed — a recurring UPSC preliminary point.

Eighth Schedule: 22 Official Languages

The Eighth Schedule lists 22 languages (linked to Articles 344–351 on the Official Language Commission and directives for language development):

Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu (the original 14 in 1950); Sindhi added by the 21st Amendment (1967); Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali by the 71st Amendment (1992); and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali by the 92nd Amendment (2003). English is not in the Eighth Schedule — another popular trap question.

Ninth Schedule: Land Reforms and Judicial Review

Added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951 (which also inserted Article 31B), the Ninth Schedule was created to shield land reform laws from judicial review. Originally it contained 13 laws; today it holds over 280 acts, many unrelated to land reform. The turning point came in I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (2007), where a nine-judge Supreme Court bench held that laws placed in the Ninth Schedule after 24 April 1973 (the date of Kesavananda Bharati) are open to judicial review if they violate the basic structure or Fundamental Rights. Read the judgment summary on the Supreme Court of India website.

Tenth Schedule: Anti-Defection Law

Added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985, the Tenth Schedule deals with disqualification on grounds of defection. Grounds for disqualification include:

• Voluntarily giving up membership of the party
• Voting (or abstaining) against the party whip in the House
• Joining another party as an independent member elected to the House

Exceptions: a merger of at least two-thirds of a legislature party, and members presiding over the House (Speaker/Chairman) who give up party membership and can rejoin within 15 days of demitting office. The 91st Amendment (2003) deleted the provision that allowed splits by one-third of members. The deciding authority is the Speaker/Chairman — see coverage on PIB for recent anti-defection disputes.

Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules: Panchayats and Municipalities

The 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 added the Eleventh Schedule, listing 29 functional items for Panchayats (Part IX, Article 243G) — from agriculture and minor irrigation to education and poverty alleviation. The 74th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 added the Twelfth Schedule with 18 functional items for Municipalities (Part IXA, Article 243W), including urban planning, water supply and fire services. Remember the pair: 73rd → Panchayats → 29 items; 74th → Municipalities → 18 items.

Schedules Added by Which Amendment: One-Look Table

PYQ Examples: UPSC, SSC and CLAT Questions on Schedules

1. (UPSC Prelims 2020) “The provisions of the Fifth Schedule relate to the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in any state other than —” Answer: Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram (covered by the Sixth Schedule).
2. (UPSC Prelims 2017) “The ‘Instrument of Instructions’ contained in the Government of India Act, 1935 corresponds to —” Answer: Directive Principles of State Policy (contextual to Parts and Schedules awareness).
3. (SSC CGL) “Which Schedule of the Constitution contains the anti-defection provisions?” Answer: Tenth Schedule.
4. (SSC CGL) “Which language was added to the Eighth Schedule by the 92nd Amendment?” Answer: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali.
5. (SSC CGL 2022) “Which Schedule deals with the salaries of the President and Governors?” Answer: Second Schedule.
6. (UPSC Prelims) “The Ninth Schedule was added to the Constitution by which Amendment?” Answer: First Amendment Act, 1951.
7. (CLAT-pattern) “Under the Tenth Schedule, a merger by a legislature party is recognised when at least what fraction of members agree?” Answer: Two-thirds.

Memory Tricks and Common Confusions

• Count mnemonic “S-P-A-L”: Original 8 = States (1st), Pay (2nd), Affirmations (3rd), Allocation-Rajya Sabha (4th), Areas-Scheduled (5th), Areas-Tribal (6th), Lists (7th), Languages (8th).
• 5th vs 6th Schedule: 5th = Scheduled Areas in any state except the four north-eastern states; 6th = Tribal Areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram with Autonomous District Councils.
• 9th vs 10th: 9th = judicial review shield for laws; 10th = disqualification of defecting legislators.
• 29 vs 18: Alphabet trick — Panchayats has more letters than Municipalities? No — just remember “P comes before M but has 29; M has 18.”
• Language maths: 14 → +1 (1967) → +3 (1992) → +4 (2003) = 22.

Quick Revision Table

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many schedules were in the original Constitution of 1950?

Eight. The 9th to 12th Schedules were added later by the 1st, 52nd, 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments.

Q: Which schedule deals with the anti-defection law?

The Tenth Schedule, added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1985, and strengthened by the 91st Amendment (2003).

Q: Which schedule contains the Union, State and Concurrent Lists?

The Seventh Schedule — the basis of India’s federal division of powers under Article 246.

Q: Can laws in the Ninth Schedule be challenged in courts?

Yes, for additions made after 24 April 1973 — the Supreme Court held in I.R. Coelho (2007) that such laws are open to judicial review for violation of the basic structure and Fundamental Rights.

Q: Which amendment added the Eleventh and Twelfth Schedules?

The 73rd and 74th Amendments of 1992, covering Panchayats (29 functional items) and Municipalities (18 functional items) respectively.

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• Federalism in India: Article 1, Division of Powers and Seventh Schedule Lists I, II, III Explained Simply

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