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REET Level 2 · Social Studies

Local Self-Government — REET Notes (Social Studies)

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The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments gave Panchayati Raj and municipal bodies constitutional status, turning local self-government into the third tier of Indian democracy. REET regularly tests the Schedule and subject-count attached to each amendment, and Rajasthan carries extra weight here as the pioneering state.

  • 2 questions in REET 2024
  • Class 8 level
  • 12 min read
Verified 17 September 2026 · Source: NCERT Class 6 Social Science — Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy Part 2 — Local Government in Rural Areas

How REET asks this topic

Both REET 2024 questions centred on the 11th Schedule that the 73rd Amendment added for Panchayati Raj — one asked which Schedule the 29 subjects were added to (answer: 11th), the other asked directly for the number of subjects (29). In other words, REET pairs '73rd Amendment = 11th Schedule = 29 subjects' against '74th Amendment = 12th Schedule = 18 subjects' — keeping this pairing straight without swapping the numbers is essential, because the two sets are frequently swapped as distractors.

73rd vs 74th Constitutional Amendment

73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj)

Date in force24 April 1993

Part addedPart IX (Articles 243–243O)

Schedule added11th Schedule

Number of subjects29 subjects (agriculture, drinking water, rural roads, etc.)

StructureThree-tier — Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti, Zila Parishad

Gram Sabha/Ward CommitteeGram Sabha — assembly of all registered voters of the village (Article 243A)

74th Amendment (Municipalities)

Date in force1 June 1993

Part addedPart IXA (Articles 243P–243ZG)

Schedule added12th Schedule

Number of subjects18 subjects (urban planning, water supply, etc.)

StructureNagar Panchayat, Nagar Parishad, Nagar Nigam

Gram Sabha/Ward CommitteeWard committees mandatory in areas with population above 3 lakh

Both amendments were passed in December 1992, but came into force on different dates — this too can be asked in REET.

Key provisions of the 73rd Amendment

Direct election
All seats at every level are filled by direct voting.
Reservation
Reservation for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes in proportion to population, and a minimum of one-third (1/3) of seats and chairperson posts reserved for women.
Term
5 years; if dissolved early, fresh elections are mandatory within 6 months.
State Election Commission
Under Article 243K, a State Election Commission conducts elections for both panchayats and municipalities.
State Finance Commission
Under Article 243I, a State Finance Commission is constituted every 5 years to review the financial position of panchayats and municipalities.

Before the 73rd Amendment: key committees and Rajasthan's role

The foundation of the Panchayati Raj system was laid well before the 73rd Amendment (1992). The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) recommended a three-tier Panchayati Raj structure (village, block and district levels), and Rajasthan was the first state in the country to implement this recommendation — Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru launched the Panchayati Raj system from Nagaur district, Rajasthan, on 2 October 1959.

Later, the Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) recommended a two-tier structure (Mandal Panchayat and Zila Parishad) along with mandatory taxation powers, but this was not widely implemented. It was the combined experience of these two committees' recommendations that eventually shaped the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, which for the first time gave these institutions constitutional status.

Constitutional basis before the 73rd Amendment

Even before the 73rd Amendment, the Constitution already mentioned Gram Panchayats — Article 40, part of the Directive Principles of State Policy, directs the State to organise Gram Panchayats and endow them with such powers and authority as may be necessary to enable them to function as units of self-government. But this was only a policy directive, not a legally binding constitutional framework — the 73rd and 74th Amendments filled exactly this gap by giving local self-government a concrete constitutional form through articles and schedules for the first time.

In line with the 73rd Amendment, Rajasthan passed the 'Rajasthan Panchayati Raj Act, 1994', which provides the detailed legal basis for the formation, elections and powers of Panchayati Raj institutions in the state. Before that, the 'Rajasthan Panchayat Samitis and Zila Parishads Act', enacted in 1959, was the country's first state-level law on this subject.

The three-tier structure of Panchayati Raj

Gram Panchayat
The lowest tier, covering one or more villages; the Sarpanch is its elected head.
Panchayat Samiti (intermediate tier)
Constituted at the block/tehsil level; the Pradhan (the term used in Rajasthan) is its elected head.
Zila Parishad
The topmost tier, covering the entire district; the Zila Pramukh (the designation used in Rajasthan) is its elected head.

How to teach this to children

Classroom activity (Class 8)

Ask children to find out the name of their village/town's local body institution (Gram Panchayat/Municipality) and the name of the Sarpanch/Corporator there, and share it in class — this connects the topic to practical, personal experience.

Teaching aids

Get a chart made showing the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure (Gram Panchayat → Panchayat Samiti → Zila Parishad) as a ladder.

Common misconception

Children often swap the 11th and 12th Schedules and the 29 and 18 subject counts — a simple pairing formula like '73's 11' and '74's 12' clears up this confusion.

Assessment idea

Run a '73rd or 74th?' quiz, where the teacher names a feature (such as 'Gram Sabha') and children raise their hand for the correct amendment.

Memory trick / exam tip

Remember the numbers in pairs: '73-11-29' (73rd Amendment-11th Schedule-29 subjects, for panchayats) and '74-12-18' (74th Amendment-12th Schedule-18 subjects, for municipalities). Notice that in both pairs the first two numbers rise in order (73→11 and 74→12), while the third number is larger for panchayats (29) and smaller for municipalities (18).

REET 2024 questions asked (with solutions)

Question 99

In which Schedule were 29 subjects added for Panchayati Raj by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in the Indian Constitution ?

  1. A9 वीं
  2. B10 वीं
  3. C11 वीं
  4. D12 वीं

Explanation

73वें संविधान संशोधन अधिनियम, 1992 द्वारा पंचायती राज संस्थाओं को संवैधानिक दर्जा दिया गया, संविधान में भाग 9 जोड़ा गया और 11वीं अनुसूची जोड़ी गई जिसमें पंचायतों के 29 विषय हैं। (74वें संशोधन से नगरपालिकाओं के लिए 12वीं अनुसूची में 18 विषय जोड़े गए थे।)

Question 143

How many subjects were included in the 11th Schedule for Panchayati Raj by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment ?

  1. A25
  2. B28
  3. C31
  4. D29

Explanation

73वें संविधान संशोधन अधिनियम, 1992 द्वारा संविधान में ग्यारहवीं अनुसूची जोड़ी गई, जिसमें पंचायतों के लिए 29 विषय (जैसे कृषि, पेयजल, ग्रामीण सड़कें, प्राथमिक शिक्षा) रखे गए। 74वें संशोधन द्वारा जोड़ी गई बारहवीं अनुसूची में नगरपालिकाओं के 18 विषय हैं।

Practice questions

Question 1

Which committee recommended a three-tier structure for the Panchayati Raj system?

  1. Aअशोक मेहता समिति
  2. Bबलवंत राय मेहता समिति
  3. Cसरकारिया आयोग
  4. Dपी. सत्यनारायण राव समिति

Explanation

The Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957) recommended the three-tier Panchayati Raj structure spanning the village, block and district levels, which was first implemented in Rajasthan.

Question 2

Which schedule was added to the Constitution for municipalities by the 74th Constitutional Amendment?

  1. A9वीं अनुसूची
  2. B10वीं अनुसूची
  3. C11वीं अनुसूची
  4. D12वीं अनुसूची

Explanation

The 74th Constitutional Amendment added the 12th Schedule, listing 18 subjects for municipalities. The 11th Schedule (29 subjects) was added for panchayats by the 73rd Amendment.

Question 3

The Panchayati Raj system was launched on 2 October 1959 from which district of Rajasthan?

  1. Aजयपुर
  2. Bअजमेर
  3. Cनागौर
  4. Dकोटा

Explanation

Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru launched the country's Panchayati Raj system from Nagaur district, Rajasthan, on 2 October 1959, making Rajasthan the first state in the country to implement this system.

Question 4

Under the 73rd Constitutional Amendment, what minimum percentage of seats in panchayats was made mandatory for reservation for women?

  1. A25%
  2. B33% (एक-तिहाई)
  3. C50%
  4. D20%

Explanation

Under the 73rd Amendment, a minimum of one-third (33%) of the total seats and chairperson posts in panchayats must be reserved for women.

Question 5

Which articles are included in Part IX, added by the 73rd Amendment?

  1. Aअनुच्छेद 243 से 243O
  2. Bअनुच्छेद 243P से 243ZG
  3. Cअनुच्छेद 12 से 35
  4. Dअनुच्छेद 214 से 231

Explanation

The 73rd Amendment added Part IX to the Constitution, containing Articles 243 to 243O related to Panchayati Raj. Part IXA (243P–243ZG) was added for municipalities by the 74th Amendment.

Question 6

Which body is constituted under Article 243K to conduct elections for panchayats and municipalities?

  1. Aभारत निर्वाचन आयोग
  2. Bराज्य निर्वाचन आयोग
  3. Cराज्य वित्त आयोग
  4. Dज़िला निर्वाचन अधिकारी

Explanation

Under Article 243K, the State Election Commission constituted in every state is responsible for conducting elections for both panchayats and municipalities, not the Election Commission of India.

Question 7

If a panchayat is dissolved before the expiry of its term, within how much time are fresh elections mandatory?

  1. A3 माह
  2. B6 माह
  3. C1 वर्ष
  4. D2 वर्ष

Explanation

Under the 73rd Amendment, if a panchayat is dissolved before completing its 5-year term, fresh elections must be held within 6 months.

Question 8

Which structure did the Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) recommend for Panchayati Raj?

  1. Aएक-स्तरीय ढाँचा
  2. Bद्वि-स्तरीय ढाँचा (मंडल पंचायत व ज़िला परिषद)
  3. Cत्रि-स्तरीय ढाँचा
  4. Dचतुर्थ-स्तरीय ढाँचा

Explanation

The Ashok Mehta Committee (1977) recommended a two-tier structure (Mandal Panchayat and Zila Parishad) along with mandatory taxation powers for panchayats, but this was not widely implemented.

Question 9

The assembly comprising all registered voters of a village, as defined under Article 243A, is called

  1. Aग्राम पंचायत
  2. Bग्राम सभा
  3. Cपंचायत समिति
  4. Dजिला परिषद

Explanation

Under Article 243A, the Gram Sabha is the assembly of all registered voters of a village, which oversees the working of the Gram Panchayat and takes part in community decisions. The Gram Panchayat, by contrast, is a body of elected representatives.

Question 10

While teaching the Panchayati Raj system in class, what is the most suitable way to connect children with it practically?

  1. Aकेवल अनुसूची संख्या रटवाना
  2. Bबच्चों को अपने गाँव/शहर की स्थानीय निकाय संस्था के बारे में पता करके साझा करने को कहना
  3. Cविषय को केवल परीक्षा तक सीमित रखना
  4. Dकेवल पाठ्यपुस्तक की परिभाषा पढ़वाना

Explanation

Asking children to find out about their village/town's local body institution and share it in class connects the topic to their personal experience and real life, which rote-learning the definition alone cannot achieve.

Frequently asked questions

How many REET questions come from Local Self-Government?+

REET 2024 carried 2 questions from this topic, both centred on the 73rd Amendment's 11th Schedule and its 29 subjects. It's an important topic in the Civics section that appears almost every year.

How many subjects were added to which Schedule by the 73rd Amendment?+

The 73rd Amendment added the 11th Schedule, which lists 29 subjects for panchayats (such as agriculture, drinking water, rural roads and primary education).

Where was Panchayati Raj first implemented in the country?+

On the recommendation of the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee (1957), the Panchayati Raj system was first launched from Nagaur district, Rajasthan, on 2 October 1959, inaugurated by Prime Minister Nehru.

When did the 73rd and 74th Amendments come into force?+

Both amendments were passed in December 1992. The 73rd Amendment (Panchayati Raj) came into force from 24 April 1993, and the 74th Amendment (municipalities) from 1 June 1993.

Who conducts elections for panchayats and municipalities?+

The State Election Commission, constituted under Article 243K, is responsible for conducting elections for both panchayats and municipalities.

Who reviews the financial position of panchayats?+

The State Finance Commission, constituted in every state every 5 years under Article 243I, reviews the financial position of panchayats and municipalities and makes recommendations on grants and the sharing of taxes given to them by the state.

What was the constitutional basis of panchayats before the 73rd Amendment?+

Before the 73rd Amendment, panchayats existed only as a Directive Principle of State Policy (Article 40) — a policy directive that was not enforceable in court. This is why the structure, elections and powers of panchayats varied widely from state to state, until the 73rd Amendment gave a uniform constitutional framework.

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Official Sources

  1. NCERT Class 6 Social Science — Chapter 11: Grassroots Democracy Part 2 — Local Government in Rural Areas
  2. Election Commission for UTs — 73rd Amendment of Panchayati Raj in India

Change Log

  • 17 September 2026 — English page published — mirrors the fact-checked Hindi page, independently bilingual-accuracy checked