QUESTION 13
GS2
15 marks
“While the national political parties in India favour centralisation, the regional parties are in favour of State autonomy.” Comment.
WRITE IN
11 min
250 words
What the examiner wants
Comment on the claim that national parties favour centralisation while regional parties push for state autonomy, testing it against Indian experience.
CommentGive your own view on the statement and back it with facts and examples.
Demand-wise check
- 1Evidence for: Congress era centralisation, use of Article 356; regional demands (Anandpur Sahib Resolution, DMK's Rajamannar Committee)≈65 words
- 2Evidence against: national parties championing federalism when in opposition; regional parties centralising inside their states; coalition era changes≈65 words
- 3Institutional angle: Sarkaria and Punchhi Commissions, GST Council, fiscal federalism≈65 words
Open in about 30 words and close in about 30.
Answer plan
StatementSupporting evidenceCounter-evidenceStructural explanationConclusion that position depends on power, not party type alone
Where marks usually go
- Agreeing without counter-examples
- No examples of regional autonomy demands
Draw this
- Table: party type → when in power at Centre → when in opposition
Value addition
- ReportRajamannar Committee (1969), set up by Tamil Nadu, recommended greater state autonomy.Government of Tamil Nadu, 1969
- ReportSarkaria Commission (1988) recommended Article 356 be used only as a last resort.Sarkaria Commission on Centre-State Relations
Mapped topper copies
Reviewed public-source references related to this PYQ. Same-syllabus references are labelled separately.
- Shakti Dubey · AIR 1 · Page 5 ↗Reviewed PYQ reference
- Alfred Thomas · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Akash Kumar · AIR 101 · Page 3 ↗Same syllabus reference
- Alfred Thomas · Page 5 ↗Same syllabus reference
Links open original public sources. MainsBuddy does not host these answer sheets.
Next: plan for one minute, write it in 11 minutes, then get it checked.