Consider the following statements about the Union Cabinet's decision on February 24, 2026 regarding Kerala's renaming: 1. The name 'Kerala' will be changed to 'Keralam' in the First Schedule of the Constitution. 2. The renaming requires ratification by at least half the state legislatures. 3. The constitutional provision invoked is Article 3 of the Indian Constitution. Which of the above statements is/are correct?

Explanation

Statements 1 and 3 are correct because the Cabinet-approved proposal is to alter the state name from Kerala to Keralam and amend the First Schedule through the constitutional process under Article 3. Article 3 is the relevant provision for altering the name of an existing state: the Bill can be introduced in Parliament only on the President's recommendation, and the President must first refer it to the concerned state legislature for its views. That reference is not the same as federal ratification. The key exam distinction is that Article 3 state-renaming Bills are passed by Parliament by a simple majority, while ratification by at least half the states belongs to Article 368 amendments affecting specified entrenched federal provisions.

Why the other options are wrong

• (A) Option A wrongly accepts statement 2, because Article 3 requires referral to the concerned state legislature for views, not ratification by half the state legislatures.
• (B) Option B leaves out statement 1 even though the proposal is specifically to change Kerala to Keralam in the First Schedule, and it also incorrectly accepts statement 2.
• (D) Option D is over-inclusive because statement 2 imports the Article 368 ratification rule into an Article 3 state-renaming process.

Concept

This tests the Constitution's procedure for changing a state's name under Article 3, especially the difference between consultation with the affected state and ratification by states. It recurs in RAS because state reorganisation, federalism and amendment procedure are high-yield governance themes.

Source

• The News Minute
• https://www.legislative.gov.in/static/uploads/2025/08/7af1daa22d65f9d04c00ae9b9aa5a799.pdf

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