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General Studies 2024 GS Paper II 15 marks 250 words Compulsory Suggest

GS Paper II — Q13

What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations ? Suggest measures to be…

What changes has the Union Government recently introduced in the domain of Centre-State relations ? Suggest measures to be adopted to build the trust between the Centre and the States and for strengthening federalism. (Answer in 250 words) 15 marks

हिंदी में प्रश्न पढ़ें

केन्द्र सरकार ने केन्द्र-राज्य सम्बन्धों के क्षेत्र में हाल ही में क्या बदलाव किये हैं ? संवाद को मजबूत करने के लिए तथा केन्द्र और राज्यों के बीच विश्वास पैदा करने के लिए उपाय सुझाइए। (उत्तर 250 शब्दों में लिखिए)

Q13 of the 2024 UPSC Mains General Studies GS Paper II, as printed
The question as printed in the 2024 General Studies paper
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Model answer

Written by UPSC Answer Check against this question's marking rubric, to the 250-word length. UPSC does not publish answers for Mains — this is one way to score well, not an official key.

India’s constitutional framework, characterized by K.C. Wheare as "quasi-federal", has witnessed significant friction due to recent structural and legislative shifts by the Union Government.

Recent Changes in Centre-State Relations

Legislatively, the Union enacted statutes encroaching upon State and Concurrent List jurisdictions, including the NIA Act 2019 expanding federal policing, the now-repealed farm laws, the Dam Safety Act 2021, and the MMDR Amendment Act 2021. Frictional points also arose over centralized entrance exams (NEET/JEE) and divergent stances on Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) implementation. Institutionally, replacing the Planning Commission with NITI Aayog weakened states' fiscal voice, while direct transfers under PM-KISAN bypassed state administrative apparatus. Politically, controversial invocations of Article 356 (Uttarakhand 2016, Maharashtra 2019) reignited autonomy debates. Fiscally, delays and cess extensions concerning GST compensation strained state finances.

Measures for Trust-Building and Strengthening Federalism

Institutional and Political Reforms: Revitalize the Inter-State Council (Article 263) with a fixed tenure, mandatory quarterly meetings, and an institutionalized dispute-resolution mechanism with binding arbitration. Activate Zonal Councils for regional coordination, empower the Rajya Sabha as a genuine states' chamber, and grant states collective veto power within NITI Aayog. Strictly enforce the S.R. Bommai precedent to restrict Article 356 solely to genuine breakdowns of constitutional machinery.

Fiscal and Legislative Cooperation: In line with Sarkaria Commission recommendations, establish mandatory pre-legislative consultation with states for Concurrent List subjects. Reform the GST Council’s voting structure toward balanced weighted voting, implement Finance Commission devolution recommendations without delay, provide unconditional state-specific grants, and protect asymmetrical federalism through tailored provisions for special category states.

Balancing cooperative and competitive federalism through institutional dialogue is essential to build genuine trust and realize the constitutional vision of "Team India."

What "Suggest" is asking you to do

Propose measures that attach to the causes the question has just had you identify. Each should name who acts, on what, and why it would work; a measure with no actor behind it is a wish rather than a suggestion.

Structure that answers it

The problem in one line → measure 1 with the cause it addresses → measure 2 → measure 3 → how it would be implemented and what it requires

Where marks are lost

Prescriptions that would fit any question on any subject — awareness campaigns, capacity building, better coordination. The examiner checks whether each measure is traceable to a cause the answer itself named.

All UPSC directive words, compared →

How this answer will be evaluated

Approach

Framework: GS2 Paper 2: Governance & Federalism. suggest: the problem in one line > implementable measures > who acts > conclusion Full marks: Identifies specific recent changes, analyzes their impact, and suggests concrete, implementable measures to build trust and strengthen federalism.

Key points expected

  • Identify specific recent changes (e.g., GST, Finance Commission, CAG, or new laws)
  • Analyze the impact of these changes on federalism
  • Suggest implementable measures to build trust between Centre and States
  • Link measures to strengthening federalism

Evaluation rubric

Each sub-part is marked on its own, against the marks and word limit printed on the paper.

  1. The answer Identify recent Union changes in Centre-State relations and propose measures to build trust and strengthen federalism.  · 250 words

    suggest— the problem in one line → implementable measures → who acts → conclusion

    Must cover

    • Identify specific recent changes (e.g., GST, Finance Commission, CAG, or new laws)
    • Analyze the impact of these changes on federalism
    • Suggest implementable measures to build trust between Centre and States
    • Link measures to strengthening federalism

    Loses marks

    • Reciting Articles without analysis
    • Activist tone or lack of balanced judgment
    • Ending without a concrete reform or way forward

    Earns more

    • Mention specific recent changes (e.g., GST, Finance Commission, CAG, or new laws)
    • Discuss the impact of these changes on federalism
    • Suggest implementable measures to build trust between Centre and States
    • Link measures to strengthening federalism

    Extra mark

    • Cite 2nd ARC or Law Commission recommendations
    • Reference a relevant Supreme Court judgment

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