Panchayati Raj System
The Panchayati Raj System chapter explains how democracy works at the village level, where most of the people of the country live. In the ADRE Grade IV Social Studies paper, questions from this chapter are simple and fact based, and they usually ask about the 73rd Amendment, the three tiers of the system, the Gram Sabha, the reservation of seats and the powers of the panchayats. Because Assam has its own panchayat structure, a few questions come specifically from the state's system, and these must be studied with care. The chapter is short but very scoring if the key facts are learnt accurately.
Background and the 73rd Amendment
Local self-government in India has old roots, going back to the village panchayats of ancient times, and it was later recommended by the Balwant Rai Mehta Committee in 1957 and the Ashok Mehta Committee in 1977. The turning point came with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, which came into force on 24 April 1993. This amendment added Part IX to the Constitution, covering Articles 243 to 243O, and placed the panchayats on a firm constitutional footing. It also added the Eleventh Schedule, which lists twenty-nine subjects, such as agriculture, irrigation, rural housing, drinking water, education, health and village industries, that may be entrusted to the panchayats. This is why the Panchayati Raj is called a laboratory of democracy at the grassroots.
The Three-Tier Structure
The Panchayati Raj has a three-tier structure. At the base is the village level body, called the Gram Panchayat. In the middle is the intermediate level body, called the Panchayat Samiti or Block Panchayat. At the top is the district level body, called the Zila Parishad. States with a population of less than twenty lakh may not have the intermediate tier, but in most states including Assam all three tiers exist. In Assam the three tiers are the Gaon Panchayat at the village level, the Anchalik Panchayat at the block level, and the Zila Parishad at the district level.
The Gram Sabha
The Gram Sabha is the foundation of the whole system. It consists of all the persons whose names appear in the electoral roll of a village, that is, all the registered voters of the village. It meets regularly to consider the annual accounts, the budget and the development plans of the panchayat, and it keeps a watch on the work of the Gram Panchayat. Because every voter of the village is a member, the Gram Sabha is the most direct form of democracy in the country and can call the panchayat to account for its decisions.
Elections, Reservation and Term
The members of the panchayats are elected directly by the people, and the chairperson at each level is elected in the manner provided by the state law. Every panchayat has a fixed term of five years, and fresh elections must be held before the term ends or within six months of dissolution. The Constitution provides for the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in proportion to their population, and not less than one-third of the total number of seats is reserved for women. The office of the chairperson is also reserved for women and for the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the manner prescribed. The State Election Commission conducts the panchayat elections, and the State Finance Commission recommends how funds should be shared with the local bodies.
Functions of the Panchayats
The panchayats look after a wide range of local matters. They build and maintain village roads, wells, drains and street lights; they manage drinking water, sanitation and primary education; they promote agriculture, animal husbandry and small village industries; and they prepare and carry out plans for the economic development and social justice of the village. Through these functions the panchayats bring government close to the common people and give them a share in decision making.
How This Topic Appears in the Examination
Questions usually ask the year of the 73rd Amendment, the number of tiers in the system, the meaning of the Gram Sabha, the proportion of seats reserved for women, the length of the term of a panchayat, or the names of the three tiers in Assam. Because these facts are fixed and few, the chapter can be mastered quickly and the marks secured with confidence.
Memory Tips
Remember the three tiers from bottom to top: village, block and district, or Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad. In Assam remember them as Gaon Panchayat, Anchalik Panchayat and Zila Parishad. Keep the year 1993 with the coming into force of the 73rd Amendment, and remember the two magic numbers: twenty-nine subjects in the Eleventh Schedule and one-third seats reserved for women. Linking each fact to a number makes recall easy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing the Gram Sabha with the Gram Panchayat. The Sabha is the body of all voters, while the Panchayat is the elected body.
- Forgetting that the 73rd Amendment came into force in 1993.
- Mixing up the names of the intermediate tier, which is the Panchayat Samiti or Anchalik Panchayat.
- Remembering the reservation for women as one-half instead of one-third.
- Forgetting the five-year term of a panchayat.
How to Prepare This Topic
- Learn the three tiers in order with their Assam names.
- Memorise the year of the 73rd Amendment and the Eleventh Schedule.
- Remember the reservation of one-third seats for women.
- Understand clearly the difference between the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat.
- Solve previous years' papers to see which facts repeat most.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Panchayati Raj get constitutional status?
The Panchayati Raj received constitutional status through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1992, which came into force on 24 April 1993 and added Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution.
What is the difference between the Gram Sabha and the Gram Panchayat?
The Gram Sabha consists of all the registered voters of a village, while the Gram Panchayat is the elected body that runs the village administration. The Sabha is the wider body and the Panchayat is the executive one.
How many tiers does the Panchayati Raj have?
It has three tiers: the Gram Panchayat at the village level, the Panchayat Samiti at the block level and the Zila Parishad at the district level. In Assam these are the Gaon Panchayat, the Anchalik Panchayat and the Zila Parishad.
How many seats are reserved for women?
Not less than one-third of the total number of seats in every panchayat are reserved for women, and the office of the chairperson is also reserved for women in rotation.
What is the term of a panchayat?
Every panchayat has a fixed term of five years. Fresh elections must be held before the term expires, or within six months if the panchayat is dissolved earlier.