This page covers SSC GD Constable Constitutional Amendments with complete concept notes, 17 graded practice MCQs, key points and exam-specific tips. Free to study.
Core ConceptRead this first — the foundation of the topic
Constitutional Amendments are formal changes made to the Constitution of India. Think of the Constitution as the rule book for our country. Sometimes, we need to update these rules to meet new challenges or improve governance. The Constitution makers were wise - they made it neither too rigid nor too flexible. The Constitution provides three types of amendment procedures in Article 368. First type requires simple majority in Parliament for basic changes like creating new states or changing salaries of judges. Second type needs special majority (more than 50% of total members and 2/3rd of present members) for most amendments like Fundamental Rights or Directive Principles. Third type requires special majority plus ratification by half the states for federal structure changes like election of President or distribution of powers.
Amendment Process: Any amendment bill can be introduced in either House of Parliament. It must pass both Houses with required majority. If state ratification is needed, at least half the state legislatures must approve within no fixed time limit. Finally, President gives assent and the amendment becomes part of Constitution.
Exam PatternsWhat examiners ask — read before attempting PYQs
SSC CGL frequently asks about specific amendment numbers, years, and what they changed. Popular questions include 42nd Amendment (Mini Constitution), 44th Amendment (removed Right to Property as Fundamental Right), 73rd and 74th Amendments (Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies), and recent amendments like 103rd (EWS reservation) and 104th (extended SC/ST reservation).
ShortcutsUse these to save 30–60 seconds per question
- 'SUPER' for amendment types: S=Simple majority (basic changes), U=Unanimous not required, P=Plus half states (federal changes), E=Extra special majority (most changes), R=Remember Article 368.
Worked ExampleSolve this step-by-step before moving on
1
Step 1
Recall rural local governance = Panchayati Raj
2
Step 2
Remember the trick '73 Rural, 74 Urban'
3
Step 3
73rd Amendment = Panchayati Raj (rural)
4
Step 4
74th Amendment = Municipalities (urban)
Answer: 73rd Amendment (1992)
Another shortcut: Remember '42-44 Controversy' - 42nd Amendment (1976) during Emergency added many provisions and was called 'Mini Constitution'. 44th Amendment (1978) after Emergency reversed many changes and removed Right to Property from Fundamental Rights.
Exam TrapsCommon mistakes students make — avoid these
Students often confuse 73rd and 74th Amendments. Remember: 73 comes before 74, Rural comes before Urban alphabetically. Also, don't mix up what needs state ratification - only federal structure changes need it, not Fundamental Rights amendments.
Key exam focus areas include major amendments by number, constitutional positions that need state ratification for changes, and landmark amendments that brought significant changes like GST (101st Amendment) and Goods and Services Tax implementation.
Key Points to Remember
Article 368 provides amendment procedure with three different types of majorities required
Simple majority needed for basic changes like state boundaries and salaries
Special majority means more than 50% total members plus 2/3rd present and voting
State ratification by half the states required only for federal structure changes
42nd Amendment (1976) called 'Mini Constitution' - added maximum provisions in Emergency
44th Amendment (1978) removed Right to Property from Fundamental Rights list
73rd Amendment (1992) established Panchayati Raj, 74th Amendment established Municipalities
103rd Amendment (2019) provided 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections
Exam-Specific Tips
Article 368 deals with Constitutional Amendment procedure
42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) is called the Mini Constitution
44th Amendment (1978) removed Right to Property as Fundamental Right
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment, passed in 1976, is often called the 'Mini Constitution' because it made significant changes to the Constitution. Which of the following was NOT a change introduced by the 42nd Amendment?
Practice 2easy
Which Article of the Indian Constitution guarantees the Right to Life and Personal Liberty?
Practice 3easy
Article 32 of the Indian Constitution is significant because it provides:
Practice 4easy
The 44th Constitutional Amendment (1978) abolished which Fundamental Right?
Practice 5easy
Which Constitutional Amendment is known as the 'Mini Constitution' because it made the most extensive changes to the Indian Constitution?
Practice 6easy
Which Constitutional Amendment introduced Fundamental Duties for Indian citizens?
Practice 7medium
Article 21 of the Indian Constitution guarantees the right to life and personal liberty. Which Supreme Court judgment expanded the scope of Article 21 to include the right to live with human dignity?
Practice 8medium
The 44th Constitutional Amendment removed which Fundamental Right from Part III of the Indian Constitution?
Practice 9medium
Article 32 of the Indian Constitution provides the right to move the Supreme Court for the enforcement of Fundamental Rights. Under which circumstance can Article 32 itself be suspended?
Practice 10medium
Which of the following Fundamental Rights is NOT listed under Article 19 of the Indian Constitution?
Practice 11medium
Which Constitutional Amendment introduced the concept of 'Fundamental Duties' as a new chapter in the Indian Constitution?
Practice 12hard
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) but NOT a ratification by state legislatures?
Practice 13hard
The 101st Constitutional Amendment (2016) introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST). Which article was inserted to provide constitutional validity to GST?
Practice 14hard
Which Constitutional Amendment removed 'Right to Property' from the list of Fundamental Rights and made it a Constitutional Right under Article 300A?
Practice 15hard
Article 16(4) of the Indian Constitution, which provides for reservation in public employment, was expanded by which amendment to include reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs)?
Practice 16hard
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)?
Practice 17hard
Which Constitutional Amendment introduced the concept of 'Socialism' and 'Secularism' into the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?
60-Second Revision — Constitutional Amendments
Remember: Article 368 = Amendment procedure with three types of majorities