RAS question
How many subjects are there in the Union List of the 7th Schedule?
Correct answer: (C) 100.
The Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India has 100 subjects at present.
Explanation
The Seventh Schedule allocates legislative powers between the Centre and the States through three lists: the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List. For Union List matters, Parliament has exclusive power to legislate. IGNOU eGyanKosh states that the Union List has 100 subjects at present, with major entries such as external affairs, defence, communications, civil aviation, railways, inter-state trade and commerce, banking, currency and insurance. Therefore, 100 is the current count. The older figure of 97 refers to the original number of Union List subjects before later constitutional amendments changed the list.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) 97 was the original number of Union List subjects, but the current count is 100.
- (B) 66 relates to the State List's initial count, whereas the Union List's present count is 100.
- (D) 52 is the present count of subjects in the Concurrent List, not the Union List.
Concept
Centre-State legislative relations under the Seventh Schedule fix which level of government can legislate on core governance subjects. RAS repeatedly asks this area because it is central to Indian polity.