Question 1

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, often called the 'Mini Constitution,' was passed in which year?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment was passed in 1976 during the Emergency period declared by President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed on the advice of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This amendment made the most extensive changes to the Constitution, including adding the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble, reducing the President's discretionary powers, and introducing Fundamental Duties.

Question 2

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, enacted in 1976, is historically significant because it:

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) was passed during the Emergency (1975–1977) and made sweeping changes to the Constitution. It added 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble, reduced the voting age from 21 to 18, and curtailed judicial review powers. It is often called the 'Mini Constitution' due to its extensive scope.

Question 3

The Right to Property was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights by which Constitutional Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978 removed the Right to Property (Article 19(1)(f) and Article 31) from the Fundamental Rights chapter and made it a legal right under Article 300-A. It was a significant step taken after the 42nd Amendment controversies.

Question 4

Which of the following is NOT a Fundamental Right under Part III of the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

Part III of the Indian Constitution (Articles 12–35) lists Fundamental Rights. These include: Right to Equality (Articles 14–18), Right to Freedom (Articles 19–22), Right against Exploitation (Articles 23–24), Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25–28), and Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32). The Right to Education became a Fundamental Right under the 86th Amendment (2002), inserted as Article 21A. However, the Right to Work is NOT listed as a Fundamental Right; it is mentioned in the Directive Principles of State Policy (Article 41).

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

Article 51A was inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976. It lists the Fundamental Duties of every citizen of India. Originally, there were 10 duties listed. The 86th Amendment (2002) added an 11th duty regarding environmental protection. These duties are not enforceable by courts but are moral obligations.

Question 6

Which Constitutional Amendment introduced Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) introduced Part IVA of the Constitution, which contains Fundamental Duties listed in Article 51A. These duties include respecting the Constitution, defending the country, promoting harmony, and protecting the environment. There are 11 fundamental duties (10 original + 1 added by 86th Amendment in 2002).

Question 7

Which constitutional amendment added the word 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 (often called the 'Mini Constitution') inserted the words 'Socialist', 'Secular', and 'Integrity' into the Preamble. It came into effect on 3 January 1977 during the Emergency period under PM Indira Gandhi.

Question 8

Which of the following statements correctly describes the relationship between Fundamental Rights (Part III) and Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV)?

Accepted Answer

Fundamental Rights are justiciable (enforceable in courts), while Directive Principles are non-justiciable (not directly enforceable). However, courts have held that Directive Principles can guide interpretation of Fundamental Rights and state action. The Constitution treats them as complementary, not contradictory.

Question 9

Which Constitutional Amendment introduced the concept of 'Fundamental Duties' as a new chapter in the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1976 during the Emergency, added Part IVA to the Constitution, which introduced Fundamental Duties (Articles 51A–51K). These duties are enforceable through law and include duties to the Constitution, nation, and society. This was a landmark amendment that balanced Fundamental Rights with corresponding duties.

Question 10

Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. Which of the following is NOT explicitly mentioned as a limitation to this right?

Accepted Answer

Article 21 states that no person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to 'procedure established by law.' The key limitation is procedural legality, not substantive reasonableness (which came later via judicial interpretation). The Constitution itself does not explicitly mention 'public interest' as a direct limitation in Article 21's text.

Question 11

The 101st Constitutional Amendment (2016) introduced a new provision related to Goods and Services Tax (GST). Which article was inserted to provide the constitutional framework for GST?

Accepted Answer

The 101st Constitutional Amendment inserted Article 246A, which grants concurrent power to both the Union and State governments to make laws regarding GST. It also inserted Article 269A to provide for the apportionment of GST revenue between the Union and States. This amendment fundamentally restructured the tax-sharing mechanism in India.

Question 12

Article 32 of the Indian Constitution is often called the 'heart of the Constitution.' What is the primary function of Article 32?

Accepted Answer

Article 32 grants the right to move the Supreme Court directly for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights. It provides remedies (writs: habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto) against violations of Fundamental Rights. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar called it the 'heart of the Constitution' because without this right, Fundamental Rights would be meaningless.

Question 13

The 44th Constitutional Amendment (1978) made a significant change to the status of the Right to Property. Which of the following correctly describes this change?

Accepted Answer

The 44th Constitutional Amendment removed the Right to Property from the list of Fundamental Rights (Article 19) and converted it into a Constitutional Right under Article 300A. This amendment reduced the scope of judicial review available for property-related disputes, as Fundamental Rights violations can be directly approached through Article 32, whereas Constitutional Rights have limited remedies.

Question 14

Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. Which of the following is NOT explicitly mentioned as a restriction on this right?

Accepted Answer

Article 21 states: 'No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.' The key phrase is 'procedure established by law,' which means the state can restrict this right only through a valid legal procedure. However, restrictions based on caste, religion, or gender are not valid legal procedures under the Constitution.

Question 15

Which Constitutional Amendment introduced the concept of 'Secular' and 'Socialist' into the Preamble of the Indian Constitution, and in which year was it enacted?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1976 during the Emergency, added the words 'Secular' and 'Socialist' to the Preamble. This was a landmark amendment that fundamentally altered the ideological character of the Constitution.

Question 16

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, often called the 'Mini Constitution', introduced several significant changes to the Indian Constitution. Which of the following was NOT a direct consequence of the 42nd Amendment (1976)?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) made major changes including: (1) adding 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble, (2) reducing the President's discretionary powers, (3) adding Fundamental Duties (Article 51A), (4) extending the term of Lok Sabha from 5 to 6 years (later reverted by 44th Amendment in 1978), and (5) restricting the power of courts to question constitutional amendments. However, the reduction of voting age from 21 to 18 years was introduced by the 61st Amendment in 1989, NOT the 42nd Amendment.

Question 17

The 101st Constitutional Amendment introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Which article was inserted to provide constitutional validity to GST?

Accepted Answer

The 101st Constitutional Amendment (2016) inserted Article 246-A and Article 269-A to provide constitutional validity to the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Article 246-A grants Parliament and state legislatures concurrent power to make laws on GST, while Article 269-A deals with GST revenue distribution.

Question 18

Article 368 of the Indian Constitution deals with the amendment procedure. Which of the following requires a special majority (2/3 of members present and voting in both Houses) but NOT ratification by state legislatures?

Accepted Answer

Article 368 prescribes two types of amendments: (1) those requiring simple majority in Parliament, and (2) those requiring special majority. Only amendments affecting federal structure, representation, or powers of states require ratification by at least half the state legislatures. Changes to Fundamental Rights, DPSP, and Fundamental Duties require only special majority without state ratification.

Question 19

The Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) case established the doctrine of 'Basic Structure' of the Constitution. Which Constitutional Amendment was challenged in this landmark case?

Accepted Answer

The Kesavananda Bharati case challenged the 24th, 25th, and 26th Constitutional Amendments, which had attempted to curtail Fundamental Rights and limit the jurisdiction of courts. The Supreme Court's verdict established that while Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution under Article 368, it cannot alter the 'Basic Structure' of the Constitution.

Question 20

Which article of the Indian Constitution was amended by the 101st Constitutional Amendment to introduce the Goods and Services Tax (GST)?

Accepted Answer

The 101st Constitutional Amendment (2016) inserted Article 246A, which grants concurrent power to both the Union and States to levy GST. It also amended Articles 269A and 279A to provide the constitutional framework for GST implementation.

SSC CGL Constitutional Amendments

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Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Constitutional Amendments — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Constitutional Amendments