Union and State Government

Overview

The Union and State Government topic forms the backbone of the Indian Civics section in KTET Category II/III. Questions typically test your understanding of constitutional provisions, powers and functions of key offices, and the relationship between Union and State machinery. This is a high-scoring area if you master the basic structure, tenure, appointment procedures, and powers of each constitutional authority.

For KTET, focus on factual recall—Articles numbers, qualifications, removal procedures, and the distinction between nominal and real executive powers. Kerala-specific aspects like the role of the Governor in state politics occasionally appear. Expect 3-5 questions from this topic across History and Civics sections.

Key Concepts

• **Federal Structure with Unitary Bias**: India has a dual polity—Union at the centre, States at the periphery—but the Constitution tilts towards a strong centre during emergencies.

• **Nominal vs Real Executive**: The President and Governor are nominal (constitutional) heads; the PM and CM are real executives who exercise actual power through the Council of Ministers.

• **Parliamentary System**: Both Union and State follow the Westminster model—executive is responsible to the legislature, collective responsibility, and the leader of the majority party heads the government.

• **Bicameral Parliament, Unicameral/Bicameral States**: Parliament has two Houses (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha). Kerala has a unicameral legislature (only Legislative Assembly).

• **Constitutional Provisions**: President (Articles 52-62), Vice President (63-71), PM and Council of Ministers (74-75), Parliament (79-122), Governor (153-162), CM and Council (163-167), State Legislature (168-212).

• **Collective Responsibility**: The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the popular House (Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha). If the House passes a no-confidence motion, the entire ministry resigns.

• **Ordinance-Making Power**: Both President (Article 123) and Governor (Article 213) can promulgate ordinances when the legislature is not in session, having the same force as law.

Formulas / Key Facts

| Office | Qualification | Term | Elected/Appointed By | |--------|---------------|------|---------------------| | President | Citizen, 35+ years, qualified for Lok Sabha | 5 years | Electoral College (MPs + MLAs) | | Vice President | Citizen, 35+ years, qualified for Rajya Sabha | 5 years | MPs of both Houses | | PM | Member of either House (or become within 6 months) | No fixed term | Appointed by President | | Governor | Citizen, 35+ years | 5 years (pleasure of President) | Appointed by President | | CM | Member of State Legislature (or become within 6 months) | No fixed term | Appointed by Governor |