Which one of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution provides that ‘It shall be the duty of the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance’?

1. Introduction to Emergency Provisions (Part XVIII) (basic)

Welcome to our first step in understanding Centre-State relations. To understand how the Union and States interact during crises, we must first look at Part XVIII of the Constitution (Articles 352 to 360). These Emergency Provisions are designed to handle 'abnormal' situations that threaten the nation's fabric. The core rationale is to safeguard the sovereignty, unity, integrity, and security of India, along with its democratic system Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Emergency Provisions, p.173. Unlike many other federations, the Indian Constitution allows for a unique transformation: during an emergency, the federal structure converts into a unitary one without any formal amendment to the Constitution. This means the Centre becomes all-powerful, and the States come under its total control to ensure a coordinated response to the crisis Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Emergency Provisions, p.173.

A pivotal but often overlooked bridge between the Centre and the States is Article 355. This Article imposes a specific duty on the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance. Crucially, it also mandates that the Union ensure the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, Emergency Provisions, p.411. This 'duty' serves as the constitutional justification for the Centre to intervene in State affairs during emergencies. While we often focus on the three types of emergencies (National, President's Rule, and Financial), it is this underlying duty of protection that frames the entire relationship between the levels of government during times of unrest.

The Constitution envisages three distinct types of emergencies to meet different kinds of threats:

• National Emergency (Article 352): Triggered by war, external aggression, or armed rebellion.
• President's Rule (Article 356 & 365): Triggered by a failure of constitutional machinery in a State.
• Financial Emergency (Article 360): Triggered by a threat to the financial stability or credit of India.

Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.33.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Emergency Provisions, p.173; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, Emergency Provisions, p.411; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.33

2. The Nature of Indian Federalism: Strong Centre Bias (basic)

To understand Indian federalism, we must start with the very first line of our Constitution. Article 1(1) declares that "India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States." This phrasing is a deliberate departure from the term "Federation." As Dr. B.R. Ambedkar explained in the Constituent Assembly, the word 'Union' was used to clarify two fundamental points: first, the Indian federation is not the result of a voluntary agreement or contract among sovereign states; and second, the component states have absolutely no right to secede from the Union D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, NATURE OF THE FEDERAL SYSTEM, p.57. This establishes the bedrock of a 'Strong Centre Bias'—the Union is permanent and indestructible, while the states are not. While the Constitution sets up a dual polity (Centre and States), it is often described as "federal in form but unitary in spirit" M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.29. This 'unitary bias' means that the balance of power is significantly tilted toward the Central government. One of the most unique features of our system is its ability to transform its nature based on the circumstances. Under Part XVIII (Emergency Provisions), the federal structure can essentially turn into a unitary system, where the Union assumes the powers of the States—a flexibility that is rare in other global federations D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF OUR CONSTITUTION, p.49. Beyond emergencies, the Centre acts as a supervisor and protector. Under Article 355, the Union has a mandatory duty to protect States against external aggression or 'internal disturbance' and to ensure that State governments are carried on in accordance with the Constitution D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.411. Because of these centralizing features, political scientists have given the Indian system various labels:

Scholar	Description of Indian Federalism
K.C. Wheare	"Quasi-federal" (resembling federalism but having strong unitary features).
Ivor Jennings	"Federation with a centralising tendency."
Granville Austin	"Co-operative federalism" (though the Centre is strong, they work together).

M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Federal System, p.141

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), NATURE OF THE FEDERAL SYSTEM, p.57; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Salient Features of the Constitution, p.29; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), OUTSTANDING FEATURES OF OUR CONSTITUTION, p.49; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.411; Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity (7th ed.), Federal System, p.141

3. Administrative Relations: Union Directions to States (intermediate)

In the Indian federal setup, the Union and States are not entirely independent silos. To maintain national integrity and ensure that the Union's policies are effectively implemented, the Constitution empowers the Central government to issue administrative directions to the States. Think of these as 'constitutional instructions' that a State is obligated to follow. This coercive power ensures that the federal machinery doesn't grind to a halt due to friction between different levels of government.

Under Article 256, every State is legally bound to exercise its executive power in a way that ensures compliance with the laws made by Parliament. Moving a step further, Article 257 stipulates that a State's executive power must not 'impede or prejudice' the exercise of the Union's executive power. Beyond these general obligations, the Union can issue specific directions for the construction and maintenance of means of communication (like national highways or strategic roads) and the protection of railways within the State territory D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, Distribution of Legislative and Executive Powers, p.381.

The Union also holds a 'protector' status. Under Article 355, the Union has a dual duty: to protect States against external aggression or internal disturbance, and to ensure that the State government is functioning in accordance with the Constitution D. D. Basu, Introduction to the Constitution of India, Emergency Provisions, p.411. This 'Internal Disturbance' clause is a vital tool for the Centre to intervene and guide a State during times of unrest. Furthermore, specific directions can be issued regarding the welfare of Scheduled Tribes (Article 339) and providing primary education in mother-tongue for linguistic minorities (Article 350A).

Article	Purpose of Direction
256	To ensure compliance with Central Laws.
257(1)	To ensure State power doesn't interfere with Union power.
257(2) & (3)	Maintenance of communications and protection of railways.
350A	Instruction in mother-tongue for linguistic minorities.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, DISTRIBUTION OF LEGISLATIVE AND EXECUTIVE POWERS, p.381; Introduction to the Constitution of India, EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.411; Indian Polity, Centre-State Relations, p.165

4. Breakdown of Constitutional Machinery (Article 356) (intermediate)

To understand the breakdown of constitutional machinery, we must first look at Article 355. Think of this as the "Responsibility Clause." It imposes a solemn duty on the Union to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance, and—crucially—to ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.178. When a State fails to meet this constitutional standard, Article 356 (popularly known as President’s Rule) is invoked as a remedial measure to restore order.

There are actually two distinct "doors" or grounds through which President’s Rule can be triggered:

• Article 356: The President is satisfied (either via a report from the Governor or otherwise) that the State government cannot function according to the Constitution.
• Article 365: If a State fails to comply with or give effect to any direction from the Union, the President can deem it a situation where the State government cannot be carried on in accordance with the Constitution Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.178.

Historically, this power was frequently misused for political gains. However, the landmark S.R. Bommai case (1994) fundamentally changed the landscape. The Supreme Court ruled that the President’s satisfaction is not beyond scrutiny; it is subject to judicial review Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.182. The Court established that the burden lies on the Centre to prove that relevant material existed to justify the proclamation. If the court finds the move mala fide (in bad faith) or based on irrelevant grounds, it has the power to revive the dismissed State government and the dissolved Legislative Assembly.

Feature	Article 356	Article 365
Primary Ground	General failure of constitutional machinery in the state.	Failure to comply with specific directions from the Union.
Trigger	Governor's report or President's own satisfaction.	State's non-compliance with Central executive orders.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.178; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.182; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Basic Structure of the Constitution, p.130

5. Internal Disturbance vs. Armed Rebellion (exam-level)

In the landscape of Centre-State relations, the distinction between 'internal disturbance' and 'armed rebellion' is one of the most significant constitutional safeguards for federalism. Originally, Article 352 allowed the President to proclaim a National Emergency on three grounds: war, external aggression, or 'internal disturbance'. However, the term 'internal disturbance' was found to be dangerously vague, lacking a precise legal definition, which allowed it to be interpreted broadly to include political strikes or civil unrest. To prevent future misuse of this provision, the 44th Amendment Act (1978) substituted 'internal disturbance' with the more specific and stringent ground of 'armed rebellion' Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.415.

It is crucial to understand that while 'internal disturbance' was removed as a ground for a National Emergency under Article 352, it still exists within Article 355. This Article imposes a dual duty on the Union: to protect every State against external aggression and internal disturbance, and to ensure that the State government is carried on in accordance with the Constitution Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.411. This creates a tiered response mechanism in Indian federalism:

• Article 355: The Union has a general duty to help a State manage "internal disturbances" (like riots or local law and order breakdowns), which may involve sending central paramilitary forces.
• Article 352: The Union can only take the extreme step of declaring a National Emergency—suspending fundamental rights and centralizing all powers—if that disturbance escalates into an "armed rebellion" Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.174.

Feature	Internal Disturbance	Armed Rebellion
Definition	General unrest, riots, or strikes; often vague.	Violence involving weapons; a threat to state security.
Article 352 (National Emergency)	No longer a valid ground after 1978.	Current valid ground for emergency.
Article 355 (Union Duty)	Remains a ground for Union intervention/assistance.	Implicitly included as the most severe form of disturbance.

Sources: Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.411, 415; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Emergency Provisions, p.174

6. Article 355: The Union's Duty to Protect States (exam-level)

In the complex architecture of Indian federalism, Article 355 acts as the 'guardian' clause. While most emergency provisions are framed as powers of the Union, Article 355 is unique because it is framed as a mandatory duty or obligation of the Union toward the States. It serves as the constitutional justification for the Union to intervene in state affairs, ensuring that the federal structure remains intact even during crises Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, World Constitutions, p.706.

Article 355 outlines a two-fold duty for the Union Government:

• Protection: To protect every State against external aggression (war or threat of war) and internal disturbance (riots or civil unrest).
• Constitutional Governance: To ensure that the government of every State is carried on in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

This article provides the legal bridge to Article 356 (President’s Rule). If a State government fails to function according to the Constitution, the Union is not just allowed to intervene; it has a duty to do so under Article 355 Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, Emergency Provisions, p.417. It also justifies the Union sending central armed forces (like the CRPF) to a state to maintain order, even if the state government has not specifically requested them, provided there is a threat of 'internal disturbance'.

It is important to note a technical distinction: while the 44th Amendment (1978) replaced the term "internal disturbance" with "armed rebellion" in Article 352 (National Emergency), the term "internal disturbance" remains in Article 355. This gives the Union a wider range of responsibility to assist states in situations that might not yet qualify as a full-scale armed rebellion but still threaten public order.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, World Constitutions, p.706; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu, EMERGENCY PROVISIONS, p.417

7. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Having explored the intricacies of Federalism and Emergency Provisions, you can now see how the Constitution balances State autonomy with national integrity. This question tests your ability to identify the specific constitutional mandate that empowers the Union to intervene in State affairs. While you have studied how Article 352 and Article 356 are the actual "tools" of emergency, Article 355 acts as the foundational duty or legal justification for such actions. It serves as a vital bridge, explicitly stating that the Union must protect States from external aggression and internal disturbance while ensuring governance follows constitutional norms, a concept masterfully explained in Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu.

To arrive at the correct answer, (D) Article 355, you must focus on the specific phrasing: "It shall be the duty of the Union." In the UPSC exam, examiners often test whether you can differentiate between the procedural powers of an emergency and the underlying obligations of the Centre toward the States. By recognizing this "duty" terminology, you can logically link the Union's responsibility to the maintenance of the constitutional machinery. This Article is the prerequisite that justifies the Union's oversight role, ensuring that the federal structure does not collapse during times of unrest.

The other options are classic UPSC distractors designed to test your mental mapping of the Constitution's different parts. Article 215 pertains to the High Courts being "Courts of Record," which belongs to the Judiciary module. Article 275 relates to Grants-in-aid from the Union to certain States, which you encountered under Centre-State Financial Relations. Finally, Article 325 ensures that no person is ineligible for inclusion in electoral rolls, a core component of the Elections chapter. By practicing the process of elimination and pinpointing the security-related context, you can easily avoid these common traps.