In the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the subject "United Nations Organization" is included in which list of legislative subjects?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Union List

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India classifies legislative subjects into the Union List, State List and Concurrent List. Matters involving foreign affairs, international organisations and India relations with other countries are typically handled at the national level. The United Nations Organization is the most important international body in which India is a member. This question asks you to identify in which constitutional list the subject United Nations Organization is placed.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The subject mentioned is United Nations Organization.
  • The options are Union List, State List and Concurrent List, plus a distractor option.
  • We assume that foreign affairs and international organisations are matters for the central government rather than state governments.
  • We are expected to recall the allocation of such subjects in the Seventh Schedule.


Concept / Approach:
Foreign affairs, international relations and participation in international organisations such as the United Nations Organization are matters of national importance requiring a single, consistent policy for the entire country. The Union List therefore includes entries relating to foreign affairs, diplomatic representation and participation in international bodies. The United Nations Organization is placed in the Union List, giving Parliament exclusive power to legislate on matters connected with it. The State List deals with local and regional matters, and the Concurrent List covers shared subjects, neither of which is appropriate for international relations. Thus, the correct answer is the Union List.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that issues like foreign policy, war and peace, and international treaties are central subjects and appear in the Union List. Step 2: The United Nations Organization is an international body where India is represented by the central government, not individual state governments. Step 3: The Union List includes entries dealing with foreign affairs and participation in international organisations, including the United Nations Organization. Step 4: The State List mainly concerns internal matters such as police, public order and local government, which do not include international organisations. Step 5: The Concurrent List is for subjects where both Union and states can legislate, but foreign affairs and the United Nations Organization are not placed there. Step 6: Therefore, the subject United Nations Organization is listed in the Union List.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by consulting any standard table that summarises important entries of the Union List. They typically include foreign affairs, treaties, war and peace, and participation in international conferences and organisations like the United Nations Organization. Discussions of Indian foreign policy in polity and international relations books also describe these as central subjects governed by the Union government. There is no mention of state or concurrent control over the United Nations Organization, which confirms that it belongs in the Union List.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is wrong because the State List is intended for state level matters inside India and does not include subjects like the United Nations Organization.

Option C is wrong because there is no Global List in the Indian Constitution; this is only a distractor.

Option D is wrong because the Concurrent List allows both Union and states to legislate on certain domestic subjects, but foreign affairs and international organisations are reserved exclusively for the Union.


Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to overthink the question and imagine that because the United Nations is a global body, the Constitution might have some special category or shared responsibility. Another mistake is to forget that foreign policy must be uniform for the whole country; individual states cannot conduct their own independent foreign relations. To avoid such errors, remember that anything connected to foreign countries, treaties and international organisations like the United Nations Organization lies firmly in Union List territory. This simple rule helps you answer many questions about the Seventh Schedule correctly.


Final Answer:
Union List

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