Central and State Government

Overview

The topic of Central and State Government forms the backbone of Indian polity questions in MAHA TET Paper II Social Studies. It covers the structure, composition and functions of the three organs of government—Legislature, Executive and Judiciary—at both Union and State levels. Understanding how Parliament and State Legislatures make laws, how the President, Prime Minister, Governor and Chief Minister exercise executive powers, and how the Supreme Court and High Courts deliver justice is essential.

This topic carries consistent weightage in TET examinations. Questions typically test factual knowledge about constitutional provisions, membership numbers, tenures, appointment procedures and the relationship between different organs. Students must know the differences between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, understand the federal structure with its division of powers, and grasp how the judiciary acts as guardian of the Constitution.

Key Concepts

• **Separation of Powers**: The Constitution distributes governmental power among Legislature (law-making), Executive (law-implementation) and Judiciary (law-interpretation) to prevent concentration of authority.

• **Parliamentary System**: India follows a parliamentary democracy where the Executive is drawn from and accountable to the Legislature; the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers must enjoy majority support in Lok Sabha.