In the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the subject “Population control and family planning” appears in which of the following lists?

Introduction / Context:
The Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India allocates legislative subjects between the Union and the States through the Union List, State List and Concurrent List. Some subjects, especially those involving social policy and welfare, are placed in the Concurrent List so that both levels of government can legislate. This question asks in which list the subject Population control and family planning appears.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The subject named is Population control and family planning.
- The options are Union List, State List, Global List and Concurrent List.
- The question is about the allocation of legislative competence between Union and States.
- It is assumed that the learner knows that some health and social welfare topics are in the Concurrent List.

Concept / Approach:
Population control and family planning affect the nation as a whole but also require local implementation and tailoring to State conditions. Therefore, the Constitution places this subject in the Concurrent List, allowing both Parliament and State legislatures to make laws on it. The Union can set broad policy and national programmes, while States can adapt and implement them. The Union List is reserved for subjects like defence and foreign affairs; the State List is for topics such as police and local public order. The term Global List has no constitutional meaning. The approach is to recall that Population control and family planning is specifically listed in the Concurrent List.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that population control and family planning are social policy issues that require cooperation between Union and State governments. Step 2: Recall that the Concurrent List is designed for such subjects, allowing both levels of government to legislate. Step 3: Note that the Union List typically includes matters of national sovereignty, defence, external affairs, currency and large scale communications, not specific social programmes like family planning. Step 4: Understand that the State List covers subjects primarily of State and local significance, such as police, public health in many respects and local government, but Population control and family planning has been explicitly placed in the Concurrent List. Step 5: Recognise that there is no category called Global List in the Constitution of India; this option is clearly invalid. Step 6: Therefore, the correct answer is the Concurrent List.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard polity textbooks and summaries of the Seventh Schedule list Population control and family planning as one of the entries in the Concurrent List. They often highlight it as an example of how both Union and States have roles in social welfare and health policy. None of these references place it in the Union or State Lists, and there is no mention of a Global List in the Constitution. This confirms that the Concurrent List is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, Union List, is wrong because while the Union may run national family planning programmes, the subject is formally placed in the Concurrent List, not exclusively under Union competence.

Option B, State List, is wrong because although States play an important role in implementation, the subject is not solely their domain; it is jointly shared and therefore in the Concurrent List.

Option C, Global List, is wrong because no such list exists in the Indian Constitution; it is not a recognised category for distribution of legislative powers.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to assume that because family planning is often implemented by State health departments, it must be in the State List, overlooking the role of central schemes and funding. Another error is to place all health related topics into the same list without remembering that some, such as Population control and family planning, are deliberately placed in the Concurrent List. To avoid such mistakes, students should memorise a few key examples for each list, with family planning clearly associated with the Concurrent List.

Final Answer:
The subject Population control and family planning is listed in the Concurrent List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India.