Brief Theory Overview

Indian Polity is the study of the Constitution of India, its structure, functions, and the working of various organs of the government. The Constitution, adopted on 26 January 1950, is the supreme law that establishes India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic. It provides for a parliamentary form of government with a clear separation of powers between the executive, legislature, and judiciary. The President is the constitutional head of the state, while the Prime Minister is the head of the government. The Parliament consists of two houses - Lok Sabha (House of the People) and Rajya Sabha (Council of States), along with the President.

The Indian political system operates at three levels - Union (Central), State, and Local (Panchayati Raj and Municipalities). Fundamental Rights (Part III) and Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV) form the cornerstone of Indian democracy. The judiciary, with the Supreme Court at its apex, acts as the guardian of the Constitution and protector of citizens’ rights. Important constitutional bodies like the Election Commission, UPSC, CAG, and Finance Commission ensure the smooth functioning of democracy. Understanding key amendments, emergency provisions, and center-state relations is crucial for railway exam aspirants.

Multiple Choice Questions

Easy (1-8)

1. Who is known as the Father of the Indian Constitution? A) Mahatma Gandhi B) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar C) Jawaharlal Nehru D) Sardar Patel

2. How many articles are there in the original Indian Constitution? A) 395 B) 448 C) 370 D) 250

3. The Indian Constitution was adopted on: A) 15 August 1947 B) 26 January 1950 C) 26 November 1949 D) 24 January 1950

4. Who is the head of the Indian Union? A) Prime Minister B) President C) Chief Justice D) Speaker

5. The minimum age to become a member of Lok Sabha is: A) 21 years B) 25 years C) 30 years D) 35 years

6. How many Fundamental Rights are there in the Indian Constitution? A) 5 B) 6 C) 7 D) 8

7. The Parliament of India consists of: A) Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha B) President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha C) Prime Minister, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha D) Only Lok Sabha

8. Who appoints the Prime Minister of India? A) Lok Sabha B) Rajya Sabha C) President D) Chief Justice

Medium (9-17)

9. Which amendment is known as the ‘Mini Constitution’? A) 24th Amendment B) 42nd Amendment C) 44th Amendment D) 73rd Amendment

10. The concept of ‘Judicial Review’ in India is borrowed from: A) UK B) USA C) Canada D) Ireland

11. Which article provides for the establishment of Finance Commission? A) Article 280 B) Article 324 C) Article 352 D) Article 368

12. The maximum strength of Lok Sabha is: A) 545 B) 552 C) 543 D) 550

13. Which schedule contains the list of recognized languages? A) Seventh Schedule B) Eighth Schedule C) Ninth Schedule D) Tenth Schedule

14. The President can declare emergency under Article 356 when: A) External aggression B) Financial instability C) Constitutional machinery fails in a state D) War breaks out

15. Who was the first woman Chief Justice of India? A) Justice M. Fathima Beevi B) Justice Sujata Manohar C) Justice Ruma Pal D) No woman has been CJI yet

16. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is appointed for a term of: A) 4 years B) 5 years C) 6 years D) Up to 65 years of age

17. Which article abolished untouchability? A) Article 14 B) Article 15 C) Article 17 D) Article 21

Hard (18-25)

18. Which case is famous for establishing the ‘Basic Structure’ doctrine? A) Golaknath Case B) Kesavananda Bharati Case C) Minerva Mills Case D) Maneka Gandhi Case

19. The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act (2011) relates to: A) Right to Education B) Cooperative Societies C) GST D) Panchayati Raj

20. Which article provides for the appointment of Acting Chief Justice of India? A) Article 124 B) Article 126 C) Article 127 D) Article 128

21. The Sarkaria Commission (1983) was related to: A) Electoral reforms B) Center-State relations C) Judicial reforms D) Police reforms

22. Which of the following is NOT a condition for declaring National Emergency? A) External aggression B) Armed rebellion C) Failure of constitutional machinery D) War

23. The concept of ‘Public Interest Litigation’ was introduced by: A) Justice P.N. Bhagwati B) Justice H.R. Khanna C) Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer D) Justice Y.V. Chandrachud

24. Which constitutional amendment reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years? A) 42nd Amendment B) 44th Amendment C) 61st Amendment D) 73rd Amendment

25. The doctrine of ‘Harmonious Construction’ is related to: A) Interpretation of statutes B) Emergency provisions C) Fundamental duties D) Panchayati Raj

Shortcuts & Tips

Quick Memorization Techniques:

1. Emergency Articles: Remember “352-356-360” in sequence (National-State-Financial)
2. Fundamental Rights: Use acronym “EPR-FET-DCP” (Equality, Protection, Religion, Freedom, Exploitation, Culture, Property-now removed, Constitutional remedies)
3. Schedules Trick: “TEEN SAB” - 3 important schedules (7th-Federalism, 8th-Languages, 10th-Anti-defection)
4. Amendments: 42nd = Emergency, 44th = Fundamental Rights, 73rd = Panchayati Raj

High-Frequency Topics:

• President’s powers and emergency provisions
• Fundamental Rights and Duties
• Parliament proceedings and sessions
• Supreme Court jurisdiction
• Election Commission functions
• Constitutional amendments with years

Time-Saving Strategy:

• Focus on Articles 1-51A (Basic structure)
• Remember key landmark cases
• Practice previous year questions
• Create mnemonics for lists
• Focus on recent amendments (90th onwards)