Question

Assertion (A): Constitutional provisions define the powers of the States and the Centre.
Reason (R): Respecting regional sentiments is not just a matter of creating States but it has to be backed up with an institutional structure.

• A. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true and Reason (R) is the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
• B. Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, but Reason (R) is not the correct explanation of Assertion (A).
• C. Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.
• D. Assertion (A) is false, but Reason (R) is true.

Hint:

India's federal system is often described as "quasi-federal" or a federal system with a strong unitary bias, designed to balance regional aspirations with national security and unity.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Evaluating the Assertion (A):
The Indian Constitution contains clear, explicit provisions that distribute legislative, executive, and financial powers between the central government and the state governments. This federal structure is formally laid out in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution, which divides powers into the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List. Thus, the assertion is True.

Step 2: Evaluating the Reason (R):
In a diverse country like India, acknowledging regional, linguistic, and cultural aspirations cannot succeed merely on goodwill or political rhetoric. To keep the country united while respecting diversity, these regional aspirations must be institutionalized. This requires a strong legal and institutional structure that guarantees state autonomy, power-sharing, and conflict resolution mechanisms. Thus, the reason is True.

Step 3: Determining the Logical Link:
Why does the Indian Constitution contain explicit provisions defining the powers of the Centre and the States (Assertion)? It does so precisely because respecting regional sentiments is not just about creating new states on a map; those states must be backed up by a robust, legally binding institutional structure of power-sharing (Reason). Without constitutional guarantees, the federal structure would remain weak and vulnerable to central overreach. Therefore, (R) provides the underlying political-sociological justification and is the correct explanation of (A).