Relevance: GS Paper II (Polity & Governance: Federalism & Centre-State Relations)

Source: The Hindu

1. Context: Is the Centre Becoming Too Powerful?

In April 2025, the Tamil Nadu government set up a committee led by retired Supreme Court Judge Justice Kurian Joseph. The team was asked to study how the balance of power between the Central Government (Union) and the State Governments has changed over the years.

In February 2026, the committee submitted its report. Its main worry is “creeping centralisation”—the idea that the Centre is slowly but surely taking over the powers of the States. It calls for a “structural reset” to bring back the original balance of the Constitution.

2. The Problem: Where is the Balance Shifting?

The report points out a few specific areas where States feel their hands are being tied:

• The Role of Governors: Many States feel that Governors are acting like “agents of the Centre,” often holding back important bills passed by the State Assembly for months without reason.
• Money Matters (GST): Ever since the Goods and Services Tax (GST) started, States have lost the power to collect their own taxes. They now have to “wait and ask” the Centre for their share of funds.
• Map Changes: Under Article 3, the Centre can change a State’s name or borders (like it did in Jammu and Kashmir) without the State’s full agreement.
• Education and Health: The Centre is taking more control over local issues, such as the NEET medical exam, which some States feel ignores their local needs.

3. The Solution: Major Recommendations

The committee suggests several changes to treat States as equal partners:

Area of Reform	What the Committee Suggests
Governors	Give Governors a strict 15-day deadline to sign bills. If they don’t, the bill should be considered “approved” automatically.
Boundary Changes	Amend Article 3 so that the Centre must get a State’s permission before changing its borders or name.
Law Making	Make it harder for the Centre to change the Constitution alone. For big changes, two-thirds of all States must agree.
Education	Move Education back to the “State List” so that local governments can manage their own schools and exams.
Language Policy	Use both English and regional languages (like Tamil, Marathi, etc.) for official work instead of pushing a single language.

4. Supporting the Legacy: Other Key Committees

The Justice Kurian Joseph report isn’t the first to ask for these changes. It builds on a long history of expert advice:

• Sarkaria Commission (1983): The first major study that asked for the “Inter-State Council” to be made stronger.
• Punchhi Commission (2007): It famously suggested that Governors should be removed by the State Assembly, just like the President is by Parliament.
• Rajamannar Committee (1969): An early, bold effort by Tamil Nadu that asked for the “Concurrent List” (shared powers) to be abolished to give States more freedom.

UPSC Value Box

Why This Matters for Governance:

• Article 1: Calls India a “Union of States.” This means the Union cannot exist without strong, happy States.
• Subsidiarity: This is a simple idea: decisions should be made by people closest to the problem. Local issues should be handled by States; only big national issues (like Defence) should stay with the Centre.

Basic Structure Doctrine: In the S.R. Bommai Case (1994), the Supreme Court ruled that Federalism is a part of the “Basic Structure” of our Constitution. This means no government can legally take away the basic powers of the States.

Summary

The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee warns that India is becoming too “top-heavy.” To fix this, it suggests giving States more power over their own education, borders, and laws. The goal is to move from a “Boss-Worker” model to a “True Partnership” where both the Centre and States respect each other’s boundaries.

One Line Wrap: Strong States make a strong India; we need a system built on mutual respect and shared power.

Q. “The Justice Kurian Joseph Committee report calls for a ‘structural reset’ to protect the autonomy of States.” Discuss its major recommendations regarding the role of Governors and boundary changes. (10 Marks, 150 Words)

Model Hints

• Introduction: Mention the committee’s concern about “creeping centralisation” and its goal to restore the federal balance.
• Body: * Governors: Mention the 15-day deadline for bills to stop “pocket vetoes.”
  • Territorial Integrity: Discuss the need for State consent under Article 3 for border changes.
  • Value Addition: Mention how this aligns with the Punchhi Commission’s view on gubernatorial roles.
• Conclusion: Conclude that these reforms follow the principle of Cooperative Federalism.