Question 1

Which article of the Indian Constitution defines the term 'State' for the purpose of applying Fundamental Rights?

Accepted Answer

Article 12 of the Indian Constitution defines 'State' to include the Government and Parliament of India, State Governments and Legislatures, and all local authorities and other bodies exercising statutory functions. This definition is crucial for determining the applicability of Fundamental Rights.

Question 2

Which article of the Indian Constitution 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 of the Constitution.

Question 3

Which Constitutional Amendment is known as the 'Mini Constitution' because it made the most extensive changes to the Indian Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) is popularly called the 'Mini Constitution' as it introduced 59 amendments, including changing 'Sovereign Democratic Republic' to 'Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic', adding Fundamental Duties (Article 51A), and reducing the President's powers. It was passed during the Emergency period under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Question 4

The 42nd Amendment to the Indian Constitution, passed in 1976, is known as the 'Mini Constitution' because it made how many major changes to the Constitution?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) is called the 'Mini Constitution' as it made 59 amendments to the Constitution — the most extensive amendment ever. It was passed during the Emergency period and introduced significant changes including the addition of Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) and changes to the Preamble.

Question 5

Which of the following Fundamental Duties was added to the Indian Constitution through the 42nd Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Amendment (1976) introduced Part IVA of the Constitution, which contains Fundamental Duties listed in Article 51A. These duties include respecting the Constitution, promoting harmony, protecting public property, and striving for excellence in all fields.

Question 6

The 44th Amendment to the Indian Constitution removed which Fundamental Right from the list of rights guaranteed under Part III?

Accepted Answer

The 44th Amendment (1978) removed the Right to Property from the status of a Fundamental Right. It was converted to a Constitutional Right under Article 300A, which provides that no person shall be deprived of property except by authority of law.

Question 7

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, introducing Fundamental Duties (Articles 51A–51K). This amendment was landmark as it was the first to explicitly codify duties alongside rights.

Question 8

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: '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'—meaning the deprivation must follow legal procedure. The right is NOT absolute and can be limited by law, but the limitation must be procedurally valid.

Question 9

Article 32 of the Indian Constitution is often called the 'heart of the Constitution.' Which of the following correctly describes its primary function?

Accepted Answer

Article 32 grants the right to constitutional remedies—the right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of fundamental rights. It empowers the Supreme Court to issue writs (habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, quo warranto) to protect fundamental rights. This is why it is called the 'heart' because without Article 32, fundamental rights would be unenforceable.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

The 101st Constitutional Amendment (2016) inserted Article 246A, which grants concurrent power to both Parliament and State Legislatures to make laws on GST. It also inserted Article 269A (collection and distribution of GST) and modified Article 366 to define 'goods' and 'services'. This amendment fundamentally restructured India's indirect tax system.

Question 11

The 44th Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1978, made several reversals to the 42nd Amendment. Which of the following was NOT reversed or modified by the 44th Amendment?

Accepted Answer

The 44th Constitutional Amendment (1978) was passed after the Emergency period ended and reversed several controversial provisions of the 42nd Amendment. Key reversals included: (1) Restored the 5-year term for Lok Sabha (42nd had reduced it to 4 years), (2) Restored the 6-year term for Rajya Sabha members (42nd had reduced it to 4 years), (3) Removed the power of the President to declare Emergency on grounds of 'internal disturbances' (only 'national security' remains), (4) Removed the power to suspend Fundamental Rights during Emergency, (5) Added Article 20(3) protection against self-incrimination during Emergency, (6) Made it harder to amend the Constitution by requiring 2/3 majority in both Houses. However, the 44th Amendment did NOT reverse the addition of 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble—these remained permanent additions from the 42nd Amendment.

Question 12

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) reducing the term of Lok Sabha from 5 to 6 years (later reverted by 44th Amendment in 1978), and (5) making constitutional amendments easier by removing the 'basic structure' doctrine from judicial review temporarily. However, the 42nd Amendment did NOT introduce Right to Information as a Fundamental Right — RTI was added much later through the 86th Amendment (2002) which modified Article 21A to make free and compulsory education a fundamental right. The Right to Information Act came in 2005 as statutory law, not constitutional amendment.

Question 13

Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees 'Right to Life and Personal Liberty'. Which of the following was NOT recognized as part of the expanded interpretation of Article 21 by the Supreme Court?

Accepted Answer

Article 21 states: 'No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law.' Through landmark judgments, the Supreme Court has expanded Article 21 to include: Right to Health (Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal, 1996), Right to Education (Unni Krishnan v. State of Andhra Pradesh, 1993), Right to Shelter (Olga Tellis v. Bombay Municipal Corporation, 1986), Right to Dignity, Right to Privacy (Justice K.S. Puttaswamy v. Union of India, 2017), Right to Clean Environment, and Right to Information. However, Right to Property was removed from Fundamental Rights by the 44th Amendment (1978) and is now only a Constitutional Right under Article 300A.

Question 14

Which Constitutional Amendment introduced the concept of 'Reasonable Restrictions' on Fundamental Rights and also added 'Socialism' and 'Secularism' to the Preamble?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976), also known as the 'Mini Constitution', fundamentally altered the character of the Indian Constitution. It added the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble, introduced 'Reasonable Restrictions' framework for Fundamental Rights under Articles 19-22, reduced the term of Lok Sabha from 5 to 4 years (later reverted by 44th Amendment), and added Part IVA on Fundamental Duties (Articles 51A-51K). This amendment was passed during the Emergency period under PM Indira Gandhi.

Question 15

Which of the following Fundamental Duties was added to the Constitution through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, and is specifically related to the protection of natural resources and environment?

Accepted Answer

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) introduced Part IVA of the Constitution, which contains Fundamental Duties (Articles 51A-51K). Article 51A(g) specifically states that it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to 'protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures.' This was a landmark addition because Fundamental Duties were not part of the original Constitution (1950). Other notable Fundamental Duties include: (a) to abide by Constitution, (b) to cherish national symbols, (c) to defend the country, (d) to promote harmony and brotherhood, (e) to preserve composite culture, (f) to protect public property, (h) to develop scientific temper, (i) to safeguard public health and morality, and (j) to strive for excellence in all spheres.

Question 16

The 101st Constitutional Amendment introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and made changes to which Article regarding the power to levy taxes?

Accepted Answer

The 101st Constitutional Amendment (2016) introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime in India, effective from July 1, 2017. This amendment made significant changes to Article 246 (Distribution of Legislative Powers) and Article 366 (Definitions). Specifically, it inserted new entries in the Union List and Concurrent List to enable both the Union and States to levy GST. It also amended Article 269 (Taxes on goods and passengers) and Article 270 (Taxes on income) to accommodate the GST framework. The amendment was passed to replace multiple indirect taxes (VAT, Excise, Service Tax, etc.) with a single unified GST.

SSC CPO Constitutional Amendments

Constitutional Amendments— Rules & Concept

Key Points to Remember

Exam-Specific Tips

Constitutional Amendments — Practice Questions

60-Second Revision — Constitutional Amendments