Which word(s) was/were inserted in the Preamble of Indian Constitution in 1976?
- Socialist
- Secular
- Both (1) and (2)
- None of these
Answer
Both (1) and (2)
Which of the following personalities was not a member of the Constituent Assembly of India?
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- J.L. Nehru
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Answer
Mahatma Gandhi
Which member represented the Anglo—Indian community in the Constituent Assembly?
- H.P. Modi
- Frank Anthony
- H.C. Mukherjee
- All of these
Answer
Frank Anthony
When was the Constitution of India enforced?
- 26 November, 1949
- 26 December, 1949
- 26 January, 1949
- 26 January, 1950
Answer
26 January, 1950
When was the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly held?
- December 9, 1946
- December 15, 1947
- December 6, 1946
- December 19, 1947
Answer
December 9, 1946
Replace the underlined phrase with the correct option:
A Constitution is a degree of discrimination and disorder necessary for different kinds to live in chaos.
- trust and coordination necessary for different kinds of people to live together.
- inequality and freedom necessary for all kinds of communities to thrive.
- autonomy and rivalry required for people to live peacefully.
- rules and conflicts essential for maintaining governance.
Answer
trust and coordination necessary for different kinds of people to live together.
Identify the reason why is India called a sovereign state?
P : It is a supreme power in its internal matters
Q : There is no foreign interference and its external policy is also guided by its own interests and not by any superpower
R : India's membership of the UNO or NAM or G-20 compromises its sovereignty
S : India's foreign policy is dictated by the interests of USA and USSR
- P and Q
- Q and R
- R and S
- P and S
Answer
P and Q
Read the two statements given below about special significance of 26 January and select the option that shows the correct relationship between (A) and (B).
(A) : It was then decided to celebrate 26 January as 'Independence Day' every year.
(B) : On December 29, 1929, the Congress had passed a resolution at Lahore, demanding 'Purna Swaraj' as its goal.
- (B) contradicts (A)
- (B) is the reason for (A)
- (A) is true but (B) is false
- (A) and (B) are independent of each other
Answer
(B) is the reason for (A)
What do the broad structures of the Constitution show?
(i) Vision of our freedom fighters
(ii) Wisdom of our freedom fighters
(iii) Democracy of our freedom fighters
- only (i)
- only (ii)
- only (iii)
- both (i) and (ii)
Answer
both (i) and (ii)
It was decided to celebrate 26 January as 'Independence Day' every year. January 26, 1930, was fixed as the first Independence Day which was to be celebrated every year. Since then, the day was celebrated as Independence Day until 1947. How is 26 January celebrated now?
- Independence Day
- Samvidhan Divas
- Republic Day
- Constitutional Day
Answer
Republic Day
Which of the following are basic ideals of the Indian Republic?
(i) Economic justice, Social justice, political justice
(ii) Equality of status and opportunity
(iii) Sovereign, socialist, secularism
- Only (i)
- Only (ii)
- Only (iii)
- all of these
Answer
all of these
"He has not only justified his selection but has added lusture to the work which he has done."
Who said this about Dr B.R. Ambedkar?
- Dr. Rajendra Prasad
- Mahatma Gandhi
- Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
- Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru
Answer
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
When was the Constitution adopted?
- 26 January, 1950
- 26 January, 1949
- 15 August, 1950
- 26 November, 1949
Answer
26 November, 1949
What is the objective of the Preamble shown in the picture?
- Socialist
- Secular
- Sovereign
- Democratic
Answer
Democratic
A college student names Aruna is doing a project on 'Making of the Constitution of India'. Who is Aruna most likely writing about?
- Surendranath Banerjee
- Jyotiba Phule
- Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
- Sarojini Naidu
Answer
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
Who represented Christians in the Constituent Assembly?
- Dr. H.C. Mukherjee
- Rajkumari Amrit Kaur
- Dr. H.P. Modi
- Dr. H.M. Mukherjee
Answer
Dr. H.C. Mukherjee
What is meant by the term 'Constitution' ?
Answer
A Constitution is a body of well-defined laws to govern a country.
Why is Constitution important for a democratic country ? Give one reason.
Answer
One key reason the Constitution is important for a democratic country is that it provides a framework for governance and protects the rights of citizens.
17th December, 2024, the India Today reported:
The Lok Sabha is set to convene today for a two-day debate marking 75 years since the adoption of the Indian Constitution.
Name the body which drafted the Constitution of India.
Answer
The body which drafted the Constitution of India is the Constituent Assembly of India.
Give the names of any five members of the Constituent Assembly.
Answer
Five members of Constituent Assembly are — Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
With reference to the picture given below, state how India functions as a secular state.
Answer
'Secular' means all religions command equal respect and recognition from the State, i.e. in India, no discrimination is made against any individual because of their religion.
Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee ?
Answer
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.
What do you understand by the term 'Preamble' in the Constitution ?
Answer
The Preamble is an introductory part of the Constitution that not only declares the form of the provisions but also the main objectives of the Indian Republic.
What are the main ideas contained in the Preamble to the Constitution ?
Answer
The main ideas contained in the Preamble to the Constitution are:
- Sovereign
- Socialist
- Secular
- Democratic
- Republic
- Justice
- Liberty
- Equality
- Fraternity
Mention four basic objectives enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
Answer
Four basic objectives enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution are:
- JUSTICE, social, economic and political.
- LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship.
- EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all.
- FRATERNITY, assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation.
The Constituent Assembly adequately represented all sections of the Indian Society. Mention ways in which the Constituent Assembly adhere to the given statement.
Answer
The Constituent Assembly of India ensured that the Constitution would be socialist and secular, reflecting the values of justice, equality, and liberty for all sections of Indian society. Everyone is equal before law, and enjoys equal rights and income, no matter to which faith, caste, colour, creed, or which section of the society (rich or poor), they belong.
The Preamble to the Constitution describes India as a Republic. What is the main feature of the Republican form of Government?
Answer
The most important feature of a Republic or the Republican form of Government is that its head is always an elected person with no hereditary rights.
Why is 26th January 1950 regarded as a red-letter day in the history of India ?
Answer
The 26th of January 1950 was a red-letter day in the history of India, as the Constitution came into force on this day and India became a Republic.
Why and when was the word 'Socialist' added to the Preamble of the Constitution of India?
Answer
The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, introduced the word ‘Socialist’ to the Preamble, emphasizing the nation’s commitment to the equitable distribution of wealth and freedom from all forms of exploitation.
Give one reason why the makers of Constitution wanted India to be a Secular State.
Answer
The makers of the Constitution wanted India to be a Secular State to ensure equal respect for all religions and to prevent discrimination on the basis of faith, caste, colour, or creed.
Explain the term 'Republic'.
Answer
A republic is a nation which has an elected person as the Head of the State with no hereditary rights.
Read the following excerpt and answer the questions that follow:
India's commitment to the rule of law is grounded in the Constitution which establishes India as a 'Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic' with a Parliamentary form of Government. The Constitution of India is the supreme legal authority which binds the legislative, executive, and judicial organs of government.
(Source: https://www.sci.gov.in/constitution/)
(a) How does India function as a sovereign state?
(b) Highlight differences between democratic and republic.
Answer
(a) A nation is sovereign when it is free to manage its internal matters without any foreign interference. Its external policy is guided solely by its own interests, not influenced by any superpower. By declaring India sovereign, the makers of our Constitution emphasised that India had completely broken free from all forms of foreign dominance. It was no longer a colony of the British empire.
(b) The key differences between democratic and republic are:
| Aspect | Democratic | Republic |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A system where power is vested in the people, exercised through elections and participation. | A system where the head of state is elected, with no hereditary position. |
| Focus | Focuses on political, social, and economic equality for all citizens. It emphasizes people's participation. | Focuses on having an elected head of state and absence of hereditary leadership. |
| Key Principle | Universal suffrage and equal participation in political processes. Social and economic democracy are important. | Elected head of state. The focus is more on governance structure. |
The Constitution of India is introduced to us through a Preamble. In this connection explain the following :
(a) The meaning of Preamble.
(b) Its significance.
Answer
(a) The Preamble is an introductory part of the Constitution that not only declares the form of the provisions but also the main objectives of the Indian Republic.
(b) The Preamble has great importance because of the fact that it not only declares the form of the provisions but also the main objectives of the Indian Republic. The Preamble introduces us to the main ideas of the Constitution. They are — Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic, Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.
With reference to the picture given below answer the following questions:
(a) Name the plan that proposed setting up the Constituent Assembly. How many members did it consist of after the partition of India?
(b) Who was elected as its permanent Chairman?
(c) How were its members elected?
Answer
(a) The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 proposed setting up the Constituent Assembly. It consisted of 299 members after the Partition of India.
(b) The permanent Chairman of the Constituent Assembly of India was Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
(c) The Constituent Assembly represented all sections of the Indian society. It comprised important personalities, such as Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The Constituent Assembly was referred to as mini-India as all communities were represented in it. The Anglo-Indians were represented by Frank Anthony and the Parsis by Dr. H.P. Modi. The Chairman of the Minorities Committee was Dr. H.C. Mukherjee, who represented the Christians. There were several important women members, such as Sarojini Naidu, Rajkumari Amrit Kaur and Vijayalakshmi Pandit. The Muslim community was represented by Zafar Imam and Muhammad Sadullah.
With reference to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, answer the following :
(a) What is the basis of its incorporation in the Constitution?
(b) What is the significance of 'We the People' in the Preamble?
(c) What are the objectives of our Constitution?
Answer
(a) The Preamble is an introductory part of the Constitution, though not an operative part. It not only declares the form of the provisions but also the main objectives of the Indian Republic. The Constitution of the Republic of India is introduced to us through a wisely formulated Preamble.
(b) The phrase "We, the People of India" holds profound significance in the Preamble and the Constitution as a whole. It serves as a source of authority.
- The words "We, the People" assert that the Constitution derives its authority from the people of India, not from any external power or monarch. This emphasizes the sovereignty of the people in a democratic system.
- It also implies that the people of India, regardless of caste, creed, religion, or region, are united in the common goal of nation-building.
- It shows that the Constitution of India is an instrument of self-governance, freely adopted by the citizens of India.
(c) The objectives of our Constitution are:
- Sovereign — India is free to manage its internal matters without any foreign interference. Its external policy is guided solely by its own interests, not influenced by any superpower.
- Socialist — The word 'Socialist' emphasises the nation's commitment to equitable distribution of wealth and freedom from all forms of exploitation.
- Secular — 'Secular' means all religions command equal respect and recognition from the State. Everyone is equal before law, and enjoys equal rights, no matter to which faith, caste, colour, or creed they belong.
- Democratic — A system where power is vested in the people, exercised through elections and participation.
- Republic — A republic is a nation which has an elected person as the Head of the State with no hereditary rights. Our President is elected indirectly.
- Justice — Justice is the principle of treating everyone at par without any privilege or prejudice.
- Liberty — The term 'liberty' means freedom — freedom of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship.
- Equality — There can be no liberty without equality, so the Preamble of the Indian Constitution also lays emphasis on equality along with liberty.
- Fraternity — Fraternity means brotherhood. One may belong to any part of the country but he/she is an Indian first and his/her regional identity comes second.
- Integrity — Integrity refers to the territorial unity of the country and the moral and ethical integrity of its citizens: No one should undermine the respect and honour of the country.