Schedules to the Constitution of India: Meaning, Purpose and the 12 Schedules
The Constitution of India contains twelve Schedules. These Schedules organise detailed constitutional provisions on matters such as the States and Union territories, constitutional offices, oaths, Rajya Sabha representation, Scheduled Areas and tribal administration, legislative subjects, languages, anti-defection law, Panchayats and Municipalities.
Official text: For the authoritative and updated constitutional text, see the Legislative Department, Ministry of Law and Justice and India Code.
What is a Schedule to the Constitution?
A Schedule is a part appended to the Constitution that sets out detailed lists, forms, allocations or administrative provisions connected with Articles in the main constitutional text. The Schedules must therefore be read with the Articles to which they relate.
List of the 12 Schedules and their purpose
| Schedule | Purpose and related provisions |
|---|---|
| First Schedule | Lists the States and Union territories and describes their territories. It is connected principally with Articles 1 and 4. Read the First Schedule - States and Union Territories. |
| Second Schedule | Contains provisions relating to emoluments, allowances, privileges and related matters for specified constitutional offices, including the President, Governors, presiding officers of legislatures, Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, and the Comptroller and Auditor-General of India. Read the Second Schedule. |
| Third Schedule | Prescribes forms of oaths or affirmations for Union and State Ministers, candidates and members of legislatures, Judges, and the Comptroller and Auditor-General, as constitutionally applicable. Read the Third Schedule - Forms of Oaths or Affirmations. |
| Fourth Schedule | Provides for allocation of seats in the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) to the States and Union territories. Read the Fourth Schedule - Allocation of Rajya Sabha Seats. |
| Fifth Schedule | Contains provisions for the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes, other than the tribal areas governed by the Sixth Schedule. Read the Fifth Schedule. |
| Sixth Schedule | Provides special arrangements for administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram, including autonomous districts and regional councils. Read the Sixth Schedule. |
| Seventh Schedule | Distributes legislative subjects through List I (Union List), List II (State List) and List III (Concurrent List), read principally with Article 246 and other constitutional provisions governing legislative competence. Read the Seventh Schedule - Union, State and Concurrent Lists. |
| Eighth Schedule | Lists the languages recognised in the Schedule. It presently contains 22 languages and is relevant to constitutional provisions concerning language, including Articles 344 and 351. Read the Eighth Schedule - Languages. |
| Ninth Schedule | Contains Acts and Regulations referred to in Article 31B. Article 31B gives the listed laws constitutional protection in the terms stated there, but inclusion in the Ninth Schedule does not create an absolute bar to constitutional judicial review under the Supreme Court's basic-structure jurisprudence. Read the Ninth Schedule - Article 31B. |
| Tenth Schedule | Contains the anti-defection provisions governing disqualification of members of Parliament and State Legislatures on the ground of defection, subject to its terms. It was inserted by the Constitution (Fifty-second Amendment) Act, 1985 and was later amended, including by the Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act, 2003. Read the Tenth Schedule - Anti-Defection Provisions. |
| Eleventh Schedule | Lists 29 matters that may be entrusted to Panchayats in connection with powers, authority and responsibilities under Article 243G. It was added by the Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act, 1992. Read the Eleventh Schedule - Panchayats. |
| Twelfth Schedule | Lists 18 matters relating to powers, authority and responsibilities of Municipalities under Article 243W, including urban planning, water supply, public health, sanitation and other municipal functions. It was added by the Constitution (Seventy-fourth Amendment) Act, 1992. Read the Twelfth Schedule - Municipalities. |
Why are the Schedules important?
The Schedules make the Constitution easier to organise by placing detailed material outside the main sequence of Articles. They are not merely explanatory appendices: each Schedule forms part of the Constitution and operates with the Articles and amendment provisions applicable to it.
Updated note: This page has been revised to remove outdated references such as the former count of 29 States and 7 Union Territories and to clarify the legal position of the Ninth Schedule. Constitutional provisions may be amended; users should verify the current official text before relying on a provision for legal proceedings.