The Inter-State Council
A forum of the Centre, Chief Ministers and Union ministers that discusses Centre-state issues and recommends; it only advises.
What the paper can ask
- Created by Presidential Order on 28 May 1990; it is a recommendatory body, not permanent and not constitutional in itself.
- Members: all state Chief Ministers, CMs of UTs with legislatures, administrators of other UTs, six Union Cabinet ministers nominated by the PM.
- Its Standing Committee (not the Council itself) is chaired by the Union Home Minister, with five Union ministers and nine Chief Ministers.
- Met 12 times: first on 10 October 1990, 11th on 16 July 2016, 12th on 25 November 2017. (as of 23 Oct 2026)
Latest
The Inter-State Council (Amendment) Order, 2026 (September 2026) invites the Governor when a state is under President's Rule and the Lieutenant Governors of Delhi, Puducherry and Jammu and Kashmir to its meetings.
Why exams ask
The Article, the commission that recommended it, who chairs it and who attends are the usual questions.
The full story
The Inter-State Council is a recommendatory body the President may set up under the Constitution to investigate and discuss subjects of common interest to the Union and the states. It was created by a Presidential Order on 28 May 1990 after a commission on Centre-state relations recommended it. All Chief Ministers, the Chief Ministers of Union Territories with legislatures, administrators of other UTs and six Union Cabinet ministers are members.
In the news
Test yourself
1.The Inter-State Council, set up in 1990 on the Sarkaria Commission's recommendation, draws its authority from which Article?
Correct. Article 263 lets the President set up a council to coordinate Centre-state matters. The Prime Minister chairs it.
Not quite. Article 263 lets the President set up a council to coordinate Centre-state matters. The Prime Minister chairs it. It goes into your error book.
2.Match the following commissions with the matters they examined: P. Sarkaria Commission 1. Centre-State relations (1983) Q. Punchhi Commission 2. Centre-State relations (2007) R. Mandal Commission 3. Socially and educationally backward classes S. Kothari Commission 4. Education (1964)
Correct. Sarkaria (1983, report 1988) and Punchhi (2007, report 2010) both examined Centre-State relations; Mandal (1979, report 1980) examined backward classes; Kothari (1964-66) examined education.
Not quite. Sarkaria (1983, report 1988) and Punchhi (2007, report 2010) both examined Centre-State relations; Mandal (1979, report 1980) examined backward classes; Kothari (1964-66) examined education. It goes into your error book.