Indian Constitution - Quick Revision
Indian Constitution - Quick Revision
Key Points (One-Liners)
- 395 Articles, 22 Parts, 12 Schedules – longest written constitution.
- 26 Nov 1949 adopted; 26 Jan 1950 enforced → Republic Day.
- 42nd Amendment (1976) added “Secular”, “Socialist”, “Integrity” to Preamble.
- Fundamental Rights – 6 types (Art 12-35); Right to Property deleted from FR by 44th Amendment.
- DPSP – Art 36-51; FR vs DPSP – FR justiciable, DPSP not.
- President is constitutional head; real executive → Council of Ministers headed by PM.
- Rajya Sabha max strength 250; Lok Sabha 552 (530 states + 20 UT + 2 Anglo-Indian).
- Supreme Court – 34 judges (incl. CJI); retirement age 65 yrs.
- Emergency 3 types: Art 352 (National), 356 (President’s Rule), 360 (Financial).
- 73rd & 74th Amendments – added Part IX & IX-A → Panchayati Raj & Municipalities.
- Election Commission – Art 324; CAG – Art 148; AGI – Art 76.
- Amendment – Art 368; Special majority 2/3 of present & voting + 50 % of total strength + ratification by ½ states for federal matters.
- Fundamental Duties – 11 duties added by 42nd Amendment (Art 51A).
- Money Bill – only Lok Sabha can introduce; Speaker certificate final.
- Impeachment of President – charge passed by 2/3 majority in both Houses.
- Vice-President is ex-officio Chairman of Rajya Sabha; elected by electoral college of MPs.
- Supreme Court issues 5 writs: Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, Quo-Warranto.
- National Commission for SCs – Art 338; for STs – Art 338A.
- Part XXI – Temporary & Special provisions for J&K (Art 370) – abrogated 2019.
- 44th Amendment – lowered voting age 21→18; 61st Amendment – 1989.
| Formula/Rule |
Application |
| Simple Majority |
Ordinary bills, money bills, adjournment motions ( > 50 % of members present & voting) |
| Special Majority |
Constitutional amendments, impeachment (2/3 of members present & voting + > 50 % of total strength) |
| Effective Majority |
Removal of VP, Deputy Speaker (> 50 % of actual strength of House) |
| 12 months rule |
Ordinance must be laid & approved by Parliament within 6 weeks of re-assembly; max life 6 months + 6 weeks |
| 100 km rule |
Governor can pardon sentences by courts within state; President for all India & military |
| 1/10th quorum |
LS & RS – minimum 55 & 25 members respectively to constitute sitting |
| 91st Amendment |
Limits Council of Ministers to 15 % of LS strength; disqualified on office-of-profit |
| 101st Amendment |
GST rollout; Art 246A added; Centre & states can levy GST |
| Doctrine of Basic Structure |
Introduced in Kesavananda Bharati case (1973); Parliament can’t amend basic features |
| Rule of Law |
Art 14 guarantees equality; no person above law |
Memory Tricks
- FR 6-pack: HEPRO-C → Habeas, Equality, Prohibition, Religion, Opportunity, Cultural.
- DPSP order: WEPCOF → Welfare, Equal pay, Participation, Co-operation, Organisation, Free legal aid.
- Emergency Articles: 3-5-0 → 3 (National), 5 (President’s Rule), 0 (Financial).
- Writs: HMP-CQ → Habeas, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, Quo-Warranto.
- Schedules 1-12: 1-Territory, 2-Emoluments, 3-Oath, 4-RS seats… TM ORE FBJ UP C (make a story).
Common Mistakes
| Mistake |
Correct Approach |
| Confusing 42nd & 44th Amendments |
42nd = Socialist, Secular, Duties; 44th = Right to Property removed |
| Saying VP can be impeached like President |
VP can only be removed by effective majority (RS only) |
| Calling Money Bill a Financial Bill |
All Money Bills are Financial Bills, but not vice-versa |
| Forgetting ratification for certain amendments |
Federal matters (Art 368) need ½ states to ratify |
| Assuming Governor can pardon death sentence |
Only President can pardon death & military sentences |
Last Minute Tips
- Glance Preamble – exact words & values; 1-mark sure shot.
- Recall amendment numbers – 42, 44, 61, 73, 74, 91, 101 – favourite of RRB.
- Rights vs Duties – keep FR list & FD list side-by-side to avoid mix-up.
- Emergency articles – write 352-356-360 on rough sheet first.
- Attempt Constitution Q first – they’re factual & fetch 100 % accuracy.
Quick Practice (5 MCQs)
1. Which amendment reduced voting age from 21 to 18 years?
61st Amendment
2. The maximum gap between two sessions of Parliament cannot exceed?
6 months
3. Who among the following can vote in the election of President but not in Rajya Sabha polls?
Members of State Legislative Councils
4. The idea of “Concurrent List” in the Indian Constitution is borrowed from which country?
Australia
5. Under which article can the Supreme Court issue writs for enforcement of Fundamental Rights?
Article 32
BETA
