With reference to the conventional constitutional classification of Indian…

Concept

Federalism divides constitutional authority between different levels of government. Vertical power-sharing concerns the distribution of authority among levels, while horizontal power-sharing concerns its distribution among organs such as the legislature, executive and judiciary. A federal arrangement may still give the central level comparatively stronger powers; the conventional label for that combination is quasi-federal or federal with a unitary bias.

Application

India has Union and State governments with constitutionally assigned legislative fields under Articles 245–246 and the Seventh Schedule. At the same time, residuary, emergency and coordinating powers give the Union a pronounced central advantage. Under the conventional classification requested by the stem, this combination is described as ‘a quasi-federal State’.

Contrast

• ‘A quasi-federal State’ names the recognized combination of federal division and a comparatively stronger Union.

• ‘A single polity’ describes one integrated political community, but it does not state the constitutional distribution of authority between the Union and the States.

• ‘Not horizontal with strong unitary base’ mixes the horizontal-versus-vertical power-sharing axis with the separate issue of relative Union strength; it is not itself the conventional constitutional classification requested.

• ‘More than one of the above’ would require at least two substantive statements to give the accepted conventional classification; only the quasi-federal description does so.

• ‘None of the above’ would require every substantive statement to miss the accepted classification; the quasi-federal description is present.

Cross-check

The BPSC 2023 Set A official answer key marks question 107 as A. That official key agrees with the constitutional structure: divided Union–State fields coexist with a strong central tilt.

Result

Result: ‘A quasi-federal State’ is the accepted description.