3. Central Government - The Third Level

Central Government runs the whole country of India.

What is Central Government?

A Central Government (also called the Union Government or Government of India) is the government that runs the whole country of India.

It makes Laws and Decisions that affect all states and citizens across the nation.

The Central Government works under the Indian Constitution.

The Central Government has three main parts:

A. Legislature - The law-making body

B. Executive - The people who run the country and implement laws.

C. Judiciary - The courts that interpret laws and deliver justice

In this section, we focus on the Legislature and Executive.

The Legislature

Making the Laws

Know about the group that makes laws in the country.

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The Executive

Executing the Laws

Know about the people who applies the laws in the country.

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A : The Legislature - has three parts

The Parliament of India is the law-making body at the national level. It makes laws for the whole country. Parliament has three parts:

1. Lok Sabha (House of the People) - Lower House

What is Lok Sabha?

The Lok Sabha is the lower house of Parliament. It has a big role in making national laws, especially money bills.

Members :
How are they elected?

India is divided into many areas called parliamentary constituencies.

People in each Constituency vote for one MP.

These Boundaries are decided by an independent body called the Delimitation Commission.

The candidate with the most votes wins.

Speaker & Deputy Speaker: The Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected by all MPs in the Parliament.

Term: Lok Sabha MPs serve for 5 years unless dissolved earlier.

2. Rajya Sabha (Council of States) - Upper House

What is Rajya Sabha?

The Rajya Sabha is the Upper house of Parliament. It represents the states and Union Territories.

Members :

Term:

Rajya Sabha MPs serve 6 years.

One-Third of its members retire every two years.

3. President of India

President as Part of Parliament : The President is formally part of Parliament.

  • The President gives Assent (Approval) to laws passed by Parliament before they become Official Laws.

  • The President can also Summon and Prorogue (end sessions of) Parliament.

The President's legislative role is Formal and Constitutional, not daily decision-making.

B : The Executive - The People who run the Country.

The Executive carries out the laws and runs the daily work of the government.

The Executive - The Ministers

The Executive Leaders :

These are the leaders who hold the actual power and daily responsibility.

1. President - The Constitutional Head of India :
2. Vice-President :
3. The Prime Minister (PM) - Real Head of Government :
4. Council of Ministers :
Who Are They?

A team of ministers who help the PM run the country.

5. Government Officers (Bureaucracy) :

Responsibilities

Central Government handles national responsibilities listed in the Union List of the Constitution. These include:

Central Government

Central Government responsibilities are listed in the "Union List" of the Constitution.

  • Defense and armed forces
  • Foreign affairs
  • Currency and banking
  • Railways and national transport
  • National taxes (like GST and income tax)
  • Communication systems
  • National welfare programs

Eligibility

Central Government have several Eligibilities that require to stand in Elections.

Eligibility: Who Can Become a Leader?

To contest in Central elections, a person must generally be:

President :

Citizen : Must be an Indian citizen.

If not an MP, must become one within six months of appointment.

Prime Minister & Ministers :

MP : Must be a member of Parliament (MP)

Age Limits :

President : 35 years or older

Lok Sabha MP : Minimum 25 years old

Rajya Sabha MP : Minimum 30 years old

Term

Salaries

Central Governments have different Salaries in different stages of Leadership. Here are the most common Average Salaries ranges in central level.

Central Government Leaders Salaries

NOTE: Salaries and allowances for leaders vary and can be revised by law. These figures are current as of latest available data.

  • President of India: Around ₹5,00,000 per month (base pay).
  • Vice-President of India: Around ₹4,00,000 per month plus allowances.
  • Prime Minister of India: Around ₹1,60,000 per month including allowances (basic salary + MP allowances).
  • Members of Parliament (MPs): Around ₹₹1,24,000 per month (base salary) plus other allowances.
  • Council of Ministers (Union Ministers): Ministers' salaries are linked to law and allowances.
  • They receive A ministerial salary and Other allowances for official duties.

Budget

Central Government get the Budget from several Sources. Here are the most common Sources.

National Budget

The Central Government handles huge amounts of money (Crores).

Income (Where money comes from):
  • Income tax
  • 2. GST & customs duty
  • 3. Corporation tax
  • 4. Fees and fines
How It Is Spent?
  • Defense
  • Roads and highways
  • Education and research
  • Health care
  • Welfare programs
Who Approves the Budget?
  • The Finance Minister presents the budget in Lok Sabha.
  • MPs discuss and vote on it.
  • After approval, the budget becomes the National Spending Plan.

🧠 Very Simple Summary

  • Parliament makes national laws
  • President is the constitutional head
  • Prime Minister runs the government
  • Ministers help the PM
  • Government Officers implement laws
  • Central Government handles national responsibilities

Union Territories

Along with States, India also has Union Territories, which are administered directly by the Central Government. This website primarily focuses on the Local, State levels governance system.

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