The schedules of the Indian Constitution are supplementary lists that provide detailed provisions on specific subjects covered in the main body of the Constitution.
Currently numbering 12, these schedules are among the most frequently tested topics in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, State PSC, Banking, and all Indian polity-based competitive exams. From oaths of office to anti-defection law to tribal areas, this page gives you a complete, exam-ready breakdown of all 12 schedules with their subject matter, key articles, and exam-critical facts.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Originally 8 schedules at adoption in 1950; now has 12 schedules after four additions.
- 9th Schedule, added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment (1951), protects laws from judicial review.
- 10th Schedule \u2014 the Anti-Defection Law \u2014 was added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985.
- 11th and 12th Schedules were added by the 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992), for Panchayats and Municipalities.
- Schedule 3 contains the forms of oaths and affirmations sworn by the President, MPs, judges, and other constitutional offices.
Students often confuse the 11th and 12th Schedules: the 11th Schedule covers Panchayats (29 subjects) via the 73rd Amendment, while the 12th Schedule covers Municipalities (18 subjects) via the 74th Amendment. Also, the 9th Schedule does NOT make laws completely immune \u2014 the Supreme Court\u2019s I.R. Coelho judgment (2007) ruled that laws added after 24 April 1973 can still be reviewed on Basic Structure grounds.
✅ My Progress Tracker
📜 All 12 Schedules of the Indian Constitution
| # ↕ | Schedule ↕ | Subject Matter | Related Articles | Category ↕ | Added / Original | Key Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Schedule | Names of States and Union Territories and their territories | Articles 1 & 4 | Structure & Offices | Original (1950) | Lists all 28 States and 8 UTs as of 2026 |
| 2 | Second Schedule | Emoluments, allowances & privileges of constitutional authorities (President, Governors, Speaker, Judges, CAG) | Articles 59, 65, 75, 97, 125, 148, 158, 164, 186, 221 | Structure & Offices | Original (1950) | Salaries and allowances of top constitutional posts |
| 3 | Third Schedule | Forms of oaths and affirmations for constitutional offices | Articles 75, 84, 99, 124, 146, 173, 188, 219 | Structure & Offices | Original (1950) | Oath forms for President, PM, MPs, Judges, Governors |
| 4 | Fourth Schedule | Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha for States and Union Territories | Articles 4 & 80 | Structure & Offices | Original (1950) | Max 238 elected + 12 nominated = 250 total Rajya Sabha seats |
| 5 | Fifth Schedule | Provisions for administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes (excluding NE states) | Article 244(1) | Governance | Original (1950) | Applies to MP, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Rajasthan, Gujarat, AP, Telangana |
| 6 | Sixth Schedule | Provisions for administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram | Articles 244(2) & 275(1) | Governance | Original (1950) | Autonomous District Councils in North-East India |
| 7 | Seventh Schedule | Division of powers \u2014 Union List, State List, and Concurrent List | Article 246 | Governance | Original (1950) | Union List: 97 subjects; State List: 66; Concurrent List: 47 |
| 8 | Eighth Schedule | Languages recognised by the Constitution of India | Articles 344(1) & 351 | Languages | Original (1950) | Originally 14 languages; now 22 (Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali added by 92nd Amendment, 2003) |
| 9 | Ninth Schedule | Acts and Regulations protected from judicial review on violation of Fundamental Rights grounds | Article 31-B | Rights & Protection | Added: 1st Amendment (1951) | Protects 280+ laws; post-1973 laws reviewable (I.R. Coelho, 2007) |
| 10 | Tenth Schedule | Anti-Defection Law \u2014 disqualification of members on grounds of defection | Articles 102(2) & 191(2) | Governance | Added: 52nd Amendment (1985) | Disqualification for voluntarily leaving party or voting against party whip |
| 11 | Eleventh Schedule | Powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats (rural local bodies) \u2014 29 subjects | Article 243-G | Governance | Added: 73rd Amendment (1992) | 29 subjects including agriculture, education, rural housing, social welfare |
| 12 | Twelfth Schedule | Powers, authority, and responsibilities of Municipalities (urban local bodies) \u2014 18 subjects | Article 243-W | Governance | Added: 74th Amendment (1992) | 18 subjects including urban planning, markets, public health, slum improvement |
⚖️ Compare Two Schedules
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
The Indian Constitution originally had 8 Schedules in 1950. Four more were added through constitutional amendments \u2014 the 9th Schedule (1951), 10th Schedule (1985), and the 11th and 12th Schedules (both in 1992). The Constitution now has 12 Schedules. This \u201c8 became 12\u201d fact is one of the most repeated polity questions in UPSC and SSC.
The 7th Schedule (Union List, State List, Concurrent List) is the most frequently tested schedule in all competitive exams. Key numbers: Union List \u2014 97 subjects, State List \u2014 66 subjects, Concurrent List \u2014 47 subjects. If there is a conflict between Union and State law on a Concurrent List subject, Union law prevails (Article 254).
The 9th Schedule was created by the 1st Constitutional Amendment (1951) to protect land reform laws from Fundamental Rights challenges. In 2007, the Supreme Court (I.R. Coelho case) ruled that laws added to the 9th Schedule after 24 April 1973 (Kesavananda Bharati judgment date) can still be subjected to judicial review. This post-1973 caveat is a high-level UPSC question.
The 10th Schedule (Anti-Defection Law, 52nd Amendment, 1985) disqualifies a member of Parliament or State Legislature if they: (a) voluntarily give up membership of their political party, or (b) vote or abstain contrary to the party\u2019s direction (whip). The Speaker/Chairman of the House decides. Mergers of at least 2/3 of members are exempt from disqualification.
The 8th Schedule lists 22 officially recognised languages of India. The original 1950 Constitution had only 14 languages. The 92nd Constitutional Amendment (2003) added 4 languages: Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali. Sanskrit is on the list but is NOT an official language of any state. Sindhi (added 1967) uses the Devanagari or Perso-Arabic script \u2014 it has no script of its own.
\u201cNine Teens Added\u201d
9th = 1951 (1st Amendment) | 10th = 1985 (52nd Amendment) | 11th & 12th = 1992 (73rd & 74th Amendments)
\u201cUncle Sam Comes\u201d \u2014 for the 7th Schedule\u2019s three lists:
U = Union List | S = State List | C = Concurrent List
🃏 Flashcards
Click a card to flip · Use arrows to navigate
🧩 Practice Quiz
5 questions · Answer all · Check your score
The Indian Constitution currently has 12 Schedules. It originally had 8 schedules when adopted in 1950. Four more were added through amendments \u2014 the 9th (1951), 10th (1985), 11th and 12th (both in 1992).
The 10th Schedule contains the Anti-Defection Law, added by the 52nd Constitutional Amendment in 1985. It provides for the disqualification of members of Parliament and State Legislatures on grounds of defection from their political party.
The 8th Schedule lists the officially recognised languages of India. Originally, it listed 14 languages in 1950. The 92nd Constitutional Amendment (2003) added 4 more \u2014 Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali \u2014 bringing the current total to 22 languages.
The 9th Schedule was added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment in 1951, primarily to protect land reform and zamindari abolition laws from being challenged in courts on grounds of violation of Fundamental Rights. It currently protects over 280 Central and State laws.
The 11th Schedule, added by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992), deals with the powers, authority, and responsibilities of Panchayats (rural local bodies) and contains 29 subjects including agriculture, primary education, rural housing, and social welfare. The 12th Schedule (74th Amendment) covers Municipalities with 18 subjects.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
The Indian Constitution currently has 12 Schedules. When the Constitution was adopted on 26 January 1950, it contained only 8 Schedules. Four additional schedules were added through constitutional amendments \u2014 the 9th Schedule in 1951 (to protect land reform laws), the 10th Schedule in 1985 (Anti-Defection Law), and the 11th and 12th Schedules in 1992 (relating to Panchayats and Municipalities respectively).
The 9th Schedule was added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment in 1951 to protect certain Central and State laws from judicial review on the grounds of violation of Fundamental Rights. It was originally created to shield land reform and zamindari abolition laws. Over time, more than 280 laws have been placed in this schedule. However, a landmark 2007 Supreme Court ruling (I.R. Coelho case) held that laws added to the 9th Schedule after 24 April 1973 can still be examined by courts if they violate the Basic Structure of the Constitution.
The 7th Schedule contains the three legislative lists that divide law-making powers between Parliament and State Legislatures \u2014 the Union List (subjects on which only Parliament can legislate, originally 97 subjects), the State List (subjects on which only State Legislatures can legislate, 66 subjects), and the Concurrent List (subjects on which both Parliament and States can legislate, 47 subjects). In case of conflict between Union and State laws on a Concurrent List subject, the Union law prevails under Article 254.
The schedules are among the most tested topics in UPSC Prelims (Indian Polity), SSC CGL, State PSC, and Banking General Awareness sections. Commonly tested facts include the total number of schedules (12), the original count in 1950 (8), the anti-defection law (10th Schedule, 52nd Amendment), the 22 languages in the 8th Schedule and the 4 added in 2003, the three lists in the 7th Schedule and their subject counts, and the 9th Schedule\u2019s protection from judicial review. Questions on which amendment added which schedule are particularly common in UPSC and State PSC papers.
