Question 1

Which article of the Indian Constitution explicitly guarantees the Right to Life and Personal Liberty?

Accepted Answer

Article 21 of the Indian Constitution states: 'No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.' This is a fundamental right under Part III. The Supreme Court has interpreted this article expansively to include rights such as right to health, education, and dignity. Therefore, the answer is B.

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a Directive Principle of State Policy as listed in Part IV of the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The Directive Principles of State Policy (Articles 36–51) include provisions such as securing a social order promoting welfare, securing right to work, education, and public health. However, the Right to Equality Before Law (Article 14) is a Fundamental Right under Part III, not a Directive Principle. Therefore, the answer is D.

Question 3

The 42nd Amendment to the Indian Constitution, enacted in 1976, made significant changes to the Constitution. Which of the following was NOT introduced by the 42nd Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) introduced several changes including: (1) adding 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble, (2) adding Fundamental Duties (Article 51A), and (3) making the Constitution more difficult to amend by increasing the majority required. However, the Right to Property was removed as a Fundamental Right by the 44th Amendment (1978), not the 42nd Amendment. Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 4

Which Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the languages recognized by the Union?

Accepted Answer

The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the official languages of the Union. As per the original Constitution, it contained 14 languages. The 21st Amendment (1967) added Sindhi, and subsequent amendments have added more languages. Currently, there are 22 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule. Therefore, the answer is B.

Question 5

Which Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the languages recognized by the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the languages recognized by the Constitution. Originally, it contained 14 languages; this number has been increased to 22 languages as of 2024 (with Maithili, Dogri, Santhali, and Manipuri added later). The Eighth Schedule is crucial for determining which languages can be used in Parliament, courts, and official communications. Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 6

Article 51A of the Indian Constitution, which lists Fundamental Duties, was introduced by which amendment?

Accepted Answer

Article 51A, which enumerates the Fundamental Duties of citizens, was introduced by the 42nd Amendment to the Indian Constitution in 1976. This amendment added 11 Fundamental Duties (later expanded to 10 by the 86th Amendment in 2002, which modified one duty). These duties are non-justiciable but serve as moral and civic obligations for citizens. Therefore, the answer is A.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) as listed in Part IV of the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Directive Principles of State Policy are listed in Articles 36–51 of Part IV. These include principles like securing a social order promoting welfare (Article 38), right to adequate means of livelihood (Article 39), free legal aid (Article 39A), and environmental protection (Article 48A). However, the Right to Life and Personal Liberty is a Fundamental Right under Article 21 (Part III), not a DPSP. Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 8

The 42nd Amendment to the Indian Constitution, often called the 'Mini Constitution', added several new Directive Principles of State Policy. Which of the following was NOT added by the 42nd Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) added several new DPSPs including Article 48A (environmental protection), Article 51A (Fundamental Duties), and modified existing articles. However, Article 39 (right to adequate means of livelihood) was part of the original Constitution (1950), not added by the 42nd Amendment. Article 48A on environmental protection was specifically added by the 42nd Amendment. Therefore, the answer is A.

Question 9

Under which article of the Indian Constitution are Fundamental Duties of citizens enumerated?

Accepted Answer

Fundamental Duties of citizens are enumerated in Article 51A of the Indian Constitution, which was added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976. Article 51A lists 11 duties (later expanded to 12 by the 86th Amendment in 2002) including duties to uphold the Constitution, respect the national flag, protect the environment, and promote scientific temper. Therefore, the answer is D.

Question 10

Which of the following Directive Principles of State Policy is enshrined in Article 45 of the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Article 45 of the Constitution (before 86th Amendment) dealt with free and compulsory education for children. The 86th Amendment (2002) replaced Article 45 to provide for free and compulsory education for children of age 6-14 years as a Fundamental Right under Article 21A. However, the original Article 45 specifically mandated the State to endeavor to provide free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of fourteen years. This is a DPSP under Part IV.

Question 11

Article 48A of the Indian Constitution, which was inserted as part of the DPSP, mandates the State to protect and improve the environment. In which year was this article inserted, and through which amendment?

Accepted Answer

Article 48A was inserted into the Indian Constitution by the 42nd Amendment in 1976 during the Emergency period. This article mandates that the State shall endeavour to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country. The insertion of Article 48A was a significant step in constitutionalizing environmental protection as a state responsibility under the Directive Principles of State Policy. Therefore, the answer is A.

Question 12

The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) in the Indian Constitution are contained in Part IV (Articles 36-51). Which of the following statements about DPSP is INCORRECT?

Accepted Answer

The Directive Principles of State Policy are contained in Part IV of the Indian Constitution, spanning Articles 36 to 51 (originally; Article 51A was added later in Part IVA by the 42nd Amendment). DPSP are non-justiciable, meaning they cannot be directly enforced in courts, though courts have increasingly recognized their importance. They are binding on the State in the sense that the State must endeavour to implement them, but citizens cannot sue for their violation. The statement that DPSP are 'justiciable and can be directly enforced in courts' is INCORRECT. Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 13

Which of the following Directive Principles of State Policy explicitly mandates the State to secure a social order for the promotion of welfare of the people?

Accepted Answer

Article 38 of the Indian Constitution, which falls under Part IV (Directive Principles of State Policy), states that the State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice—social, economic and political—shall inform all the institutions of national life. This is the foundational DPSP article that sets the overarching objective. The 42nd Amendment (1976) added Article 39A regarding equal justice and free legal aid, but Article 38 remains the primary welfare mandate. Therefore, the answer is B.

Question 14

The 42nd Amendment to the Indian Constitution, often called the 'Mini Constitution', introduced significant changes to the Preamble and other provisions. Which of the following was NOT added or modified by the 42nd Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) made sweeping changes including: (1) adding 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble, (2) adding Article 39A (equal justice and free legal aid), (3) adding Part IVA (Fundamental Duties, Articles 51A), and (4) restricting the right to property by converting it from a Fundamental Right to a Constitutional Right. However, Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) was NOT modified by the 42nd Amendment—it existed since the original Constitution and has been interpreted expansively by courts through landmark cases like Maneka Gandhi v. Union of India (1978). Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 15

Under the Directive Principles of State Policy, Article 45 mandates the State to provide free and compulsory education to children. However, this article was later supplemented by a Constitutional Amendment that made education a Fundamental Right. Which amendment introduced the Right to Free and Compulsory Education as a Fundamental Right?

Accepted Answer

Article 45 of the original Constitution (1950) was a DPSP requiring the State to provide free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of 14 years. However, the 86th Amendment (2002) inserted Article 21A into Part III (Fundamental Rights), making the Right to Free and Compulsory Education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14 years. This was a historic shift from a non-enforceable directive to an enforceable fundamental right. Therefore, the answer is B.

Question 16

Article 32 of the Indian Constitution provides the right to constitutional remedies for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights. However, this right can be suspended during a national emergency. Under which article can the President suspend the right to move the Supreme Court under Article 32?

Accepted Answer

Article 32 guarantees the right to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights and is itself a Fundamental Right. However, Article 359 of the Constitution empowers the President to suspend the right to move the Supreme Court (and High Courts) for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights during a national emergency declared under Article 352. This suspension applies specifically to Articles 20 and 21 (which cannot be suspended) and other Fundamental Rights. Article 359 is the constitutional mechanism that allows temporary suspension of Article 32 remedies during emergencies. Therefore, the answer is D.

Question 17

The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes. Which of the following is NOT a provision contained in the Fifth Schedule?

Accepted Answer

The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution (Articles 244(1) and 244(2)) provides for the administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes. Key provisions include: (1) establishment of Tribal Advisory Councils, (2) regulation of land transfers to protect tribal interests, (3) collection of revenue and maintenance of law and order in scheduled areas, and (4) appointment of a Governor's agent or administrator. However, the provision for the establishment of Autonomous Councils within Scheduled Areas is contained in the SIXTH Schedule, not the Fifth Schedule. The Sixth Schedule applies to Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram and provides for the creation of Autonomous District Councils and Regional Councils. Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 18

Which article of the Indian Constitution was inserted by the 42nd Amendment to include Fundamental Duties, and in which Part of the Constitution are these duties codified?

Accepted Answer

Article 51A was inserted by the 42nd Amendment (1976) during the Emergency period to introduce Fundamental Duties as a new chapter. These duties are codified in Part IVA of the Constitution. The 42nd Amendment is historically significant as it fundamentally altered the constitutional structure by adding duties alongside rights. Article 51A lists 11 fundamental duties (expanded to 11 from the original 10 by the 86th Amendment in 2002, which added duty to provide education). Therefore, the answer is B.

Question 19

Under the Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP), Article 45 originally mandated free and compulsory education up to which age, before it was amended by the 86th Amendment?

Accepted Answer

Article 45 of the Indian Constitution, which falls under DPSP (Part IV), originally mandated that the State shall endeavour to provide free and compulsory education to all children up to the age of 14 years. This was later amended by the 86th Amendment (2002), which replaced Article 45 with a new provision making education a Fundamental Right under Article 21A, and extended the age to 6-14 years. The original Article 45 specifically stated age 14 as the target. Therefore, the answer is C.

Question 20

Which of the following Schedules of the Indian Constitution lists the powers, procedures, and conduct of business of Parliament, and was significantly amended by the 101st Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The Tenth Schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with the powers, procedures, and conduct of business of Parliament and State Legislatures, particularly regarding anti-defection provisions. However, the question specifically asks about the Schedule amended by the 101st Amendment. The 101st Amendment (2016) amended the Tenth Schedule to introduce the concept of 'deemed disqualification' and modified the anti-defection law. The Tenth Schedule is the correct answer as it was substantially amended by the 101st Amendment to strengthen anti-defection provisions. Therefore, the answer is B.

NDA DPSP & Schedules

DPSP & Schedules— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

DPSP & Schedules — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — DPSP & Schedules