Which words were added to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Amendment, 1976?
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment 1976 added 'Socialist', 'Secular', and 'Integrity' to the Preamble. 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were added to describe the nature of the Indian state. 'Integrity' was added to the Fraternity clause. 'Sovereign', 'Democratic', and 'Republic' were in the original Preamble of 1949. This is one of the most frequently tested NDA facts.
Question 2 of 20
In which landmark case did the Supreme Court hold that the Preamble is part of the Constitution and can be amended?
In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), the Supreme Court held that the Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution and can be amended under Article 368. However, the Basic Structure of the Constitution cannot be altered even through amendments. The Preamble is described as the 'Soul of the Constitution' and reflects the ideals and objectives of the framers.
Question 3 of 20
The Preamble of the Indian Constitution declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic. Which of these were in the ORIGINAL Preamble of 1949?
The original Preamble of 1949 described India as a 'Sovereign Democratic Republic'. 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were NOT in the original Preamble — they were added by the 42nd Amendment 1976. 'Integrity' was also added by the 42nd Amendment to the Fraternity clause. The word 'Democratic' was always in the original Preamble.
Question 4 of 20
The Preamble secures to all citizens Justice — Social, Economic, and Political. Which source inspired the inclusion of Social and Economic Justice?
The ideals of Social and Economic Justice in the Preamble were inspired by the Russian (Soviet) Revolution. The concept of political justice was inspired by the French and American Revolutions. Liberty was borrowed from the French Declaration. The Preamble as a whole draws from multiple traditions — Nehru's Objective Resolution being the direct source.
Question 5 of 20
The Indian Constitution is described as 'Quasi-Federal' because it has:
India's Constitution is called Quasi-Federal or Federal with Unitary Bias. It has federal features — dual government, written Constitution, division of powers, independent judiciary, and bicameralism. However, unitary features include single Constitution, single citizenship, Governor appointed by President, Emergency provisions that convert to unitary, and Parliament's power to legislate on State List during emergencies.
Question 6 of 20
Universal Adult Franchise — the right to vote for all citizens above 18 years — was introduced by which Amendment?
The 61st Constitutional Amendment 1988 reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years, extending Universal Adult Suffrage to a larger section of the population. Originally, the voting age was 21 years. The change was made to give greater political participation to the youth. This is directly stated in the Preamble as a democratic feature of the Republic.
Question 7 of 20
India borrowed the concept of Fundamental Rights primarily from which country's constitution?
Fundamental Rights in the Indian Constitution were borrowed primarily from the Constitution of the United States of America. India also borrowed from the USA: judicial review, independence of judiciary, and the concept of written constitution. From the UK, India borrowed parliamentary government, Rule of Law, and legislative procedure. From Ireland came Directive Principles.
Question 8 of 20
The Indian Constitution is the lengthiest written constitution in the world. How many Articles did it originally contain?
The original Constitution of India had 395 Articles, 22 Parts, and 8 Schedules — making it the lengthiest written constitution in the world. Currently it has over 470 Articles, 25 Parts, and 12 Schedules due to amendments. India borrowed features from many countries, combining both federal and unitary characteristics, which contributed to its length and detail.
Question 9 of 20
Which feature of the Indian Constitution is borrowed from the Australian Constitution?
The Concurrent List (List III of the 7th Schedule) was borrowed from the Australian Constitution. Both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate on subjects in the Concurrent List. In case of conflict, Central law prevails. Currently the Concurrent List has 52 subjects including criminal law, education (moved from State List by 42nd Amendment), and marriage laws.
Question 10 of 20
The concept of a 'Republic' in the Indian Preamble means:
The term 'Republic' in the Preamble means that the head of state — the President of India — is elected, not a hereditary monarch. This distinguishes India from countries like the UK where the King/Queen is the head of state. The President of India is elected indirectly by the Electoral College for a fixed term of 5 years, making India a democratic republic.
Question 11 of 20
The word 'Secular' in the Indian Preamble means:
The word 'Secular' in the Indian Preamble means that India has no official state religion. The state is neutral in matters of religion and treats all religions equally. Every citizen has freedom of religion (Articles 25-28). The concept of secularism in India is described as 'positive secularism' — the state respects and supports all religions equally rather than being indifferent to religion.
Question 12 of 20
The Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution were borrowed from which country?
The Directive Principles of State Policy (Articles 36-51, Part IV) were borrowed from the Irish Constitution. Ireland borrowed this concept from the Spanish Constitution. DPSPs are non-justiciable guidelines for the state in governance. They represent socio-economic goals of the state. Unlike Fundamental Rights, they cannot be enforced by courts but are 'fundamental in governance.'
Question 13 of 20
Which of the following is a FEDERAL feature of the Indian Constitution?
Division of powers between Centre and States (through the three Legislative Lists in the 7th Schedule — Union, State, Concurrent) is a federal feature. Single Constitution, single citizenship, Governor appointed by President, and Emergency provisions converting to unitary government are all unitary features. India is therefore described as Quasi-Federal or Federal with Unitary Bias.
Question 14 of 20
The concept of 'Fraternity' in the Preamble aims to achieve:
The concept of Fraternity in the Preamble aims to promote the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation. 'Integrity' was added to the Fraternity clause by the 42nd Amendment 1976. Fraternity as a concept was inspired by the French Revolution (Liberty, Equality, Fraternity). It calls for treating all citizens as members of one family.
Question 15 of 20
India adopted which model of citizenship in the Constitution — single or dual?
India provides for single citizenship for all citizens, irrespective of which state they live in. This is a unitary feature of the Constitution, as opposed to USA where citizens have both national and state citizenship. Under the Citizenship Act, the Parliament regulates citizenship. The Constitution (Articles 5-11) deals with citizenship at its commencement.
Question 16 of 20
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the Indian Preamble?
Education is not mentioned in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. The Preamble secures to all citizens: Justice (social, economic, political), Liberty (of thought, expression, belief, faith, worship), Equality (of status and opportunity), and Fraternity (dignity of individual + unity and integrity of nation). Education as a Fundamental Right is in Article 21A (added by 86th Amendment 2002).
Question 17 of 20
The Indian Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. This date was chosen to commemorate:
26 January 1950 was chosen as the date to enforce the Constitution to commemorate the Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) Declaration made by the Indian National Congress on 26 January 1930 at the Lahore session under Jawaharlal Nehru. This day is now celebrated as Republic Day. The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 but came into force on 26 January 1950.
Question 18 of 20
Parliamentary form of government — where the executive is accountable to the legislature — was borrowed from which country?
The Parliamentary form of government (where the executive is responsible to the legislature) was borrowed from the United Kingdom. From the UK, India also adopted: Rule of Law, bicameral legislature, Speaker's role, single citizenship, and legislative procedure. The UK's Westminster model forms the structural basis of India's parliamentary democracy, though India adopted a republican form (elected President) rather than a constitutional monarchy.
Question 19 of 20
The Preamble is sometimes referred to as the 'Identity Card of the Constitution' because it:
The Preamble is called the Identity Card or the Soul of the Constitution because it sets out: the source of authority (We, the People of India), the nature of the Indian state (Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic), the objectives to be achieved (Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity), and the date of adoption (26 November 1949). It reflects the ultimate goals of the Constitution.
Question 20 of 20
The Kesavananda Bharati case 1973 introduced which important doctrine limiting Parliament's amending power?
In the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), a 13-judge bench of the Supreme Court introduced the Basic Structure Doctrine — holding that while Parliament can amend the Constitution under Article 368, it cannot alter its Basic Structure. The Basic Structure includes: supremacy of the Constitution, republican and democratic form of government, secular character, separation of powers, and federal character. This is a cornerstone of Indian constitutional law.