Official Question UPSC 2025
Solution & Analysis
Answer:
Hard Applied Logic
Comparative Sovereignty of States
Decode Comparative Sovereignty of States through logical deduction.
Quick Recall
The federal systems of the USA and India differ significantly. The USA guarantees state territorial integrity and equal Senate representation, and allows separate state constitutions. Conversely, the Indian Parliament can alter state borders without consent, allocates Rajya Sabha seats by population, and enforces a single national constitution.
Concept Flow Mapping
US States
possess
possess
Guaranteed Territorial Integrity
Indian Parliament
can alter
can alter
State Boundaries
Rajya Sabha
allocates seats by
allocates seats by
Population
Concept Question
How does the representation of states in the Upper House differ between India (Rajya Sabha) and the USA (Senate)?
Key Takeaway
In India, representation is based on population; in the USA, all states have strict equal representation.
Examiner's Trap
Since both are federations, candidates frequently project American federal guarantees (like equal Senate representation or separate state constitutions) onto India, failing to recognize India's heavy unitary/Canadian bias.
Core Insight
While the US federation is an 'indestructible union of indestructible states', India operates as an 'indestructible union of destructible states', ensuring absolute national supremacy over regional geography.