# The Indian Constitution: the Constituent Assembly, the Preamble and the salient features

> These study notes explain Constitution, preamble and salient features for the Group 4 / VAO (Combined Civil Services Examination-IV) exam in plain language: the same reviewed notes the TNPSC Guide app shows, published by our editors with their source. Read the key points first, then practise the unit's questions. For exam facts such as dates and vacancies, always check tnpsc.gov.in.

Last updated: 2026-11-02 · By TNPSC Guide editorial team
URL: https://www.tnpscguide.com/exams/group-4/notes/gs-polity-constitution-preamble

## Why the exam asks this

The 2024 paper asked one question here: who is the architect of the Constitution (Q166). The 2025 paper asked four: the Prime Minister when the 42nd Amendment passed (Q127), an assertion-reason on rigidity and flexibility (Q188), an assertion-reason on federalism and dual citizenship (Q187), and the 1950 classification of states (Q139), which is not in the pages read. So this lesson follows that order: the Assembly and Ambedkar, the Preamble and the 42nd Amendment, rigidity and flexibility, federalism and citizenship.

## The Constituent Assembly

A constitution is the basic law that holds the principles on which a country is run; the idea first arose in the USA. The Constituent Assembly was formed under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946. It had 389 members: 292 from the provinces, 93 from the princely states, 3 from the chief commissioners' provinces and 1 from Baluchistan. Seats were given at one per ten lakh people, and provincial legislators elected the members indirectly by the single transferable vote.

## Sittings and office-bearers

The Assembly first met on 9 December 1946 at 11 a.m. in the Constitution Hall, New Delhi. At J.B. Kripalani's request the senior member Dr Sachchidananda Sinha presided as provisional chairman. Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected President of the Assembly, with H.C. Mukherjee and V.T. Krishnamachari as Vice-Presidents. After partition the Assembly met again on 14 August 1947. It sat in 11 sessions over 166 days, and 2473 amendments were moved.

## Ambedkar, father of the Constitution

Because the Constitution took shape under Dr B.R. Ambedkar, chairman of the Drafting Committee, he is known as the father and the architect of the Indian Constitution. He chaired the Drafting Committee, not the Assembly; the Assembly's President was Rajendra Prasad. The 2024 paper (Q166) asked directly who the architect was.

## Adoption and commencement

The Constitution, with a Preamble, 22 parts, 395 articles and 8 schedules, was adopted on 26 November 1949. It came into force on 26 January 1950, celebrated every year as Republic Day. Rajendra Prasad presided over the sitting of 24.01.1950 that approved it; the debates from 9.12.1946 to 24.01.1950 fill 12 volumes. Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote it by hand in italic style. The figures 22, 395 and 8 are those of 1949, not today's.

## The Preamble

The Preamble is the introduction to the Constitution; since it holds its basic principles, aims and ideals, it is called the key to the Constitution. It rests on Jawaharlal Nehru's Objectives Resolution, adopted by the Assembly on 22 January 1947. It opens with "We, the people of India", so the people are the source of authority. It declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, in that order (a book exercise tests it), and aims at social, economic and political justice for all citizens. Liberty, equality and fraternity, the slogans of the French Revolution of 1789, stand out in it.

## What the Preamble's words mean

Sovereign: running internal and external affairs without outside control. Republic: the head of state is elected, not hereditary. Socialist: India follows a mixed economy that joins socialism and capitalism. Secular: there is no state religion and all religions are equally recognised; the Class 12 book gives Pakistan and the Vatican City as examples of religious states.

## The 42nd Amendment

The Preamble has been amended only once, by the 42nd Amendment of 1976. Prime Minister Indira Gandhi brought it during the national Emergency; the 2025 paper (Q127) asked exactly this. It added three words, socialist, secular and integrity, changing "unity of the nation" to "unity and integrity of the nation". Democratic and republic were there from 1950; they were not added. The 42nd Amendment is called the mini constitution.

## How the Constitution is amended

Article 368 (Part XX) sets out the methods of amendment and the amending power of Parliament. The Class 10 book gives three methods: simple majority; special majority; and special majority plus ratification by more than half the state legislatures. Provisions changed by a simple majority are not treated as amendments under Article 368. A special majority is a majority of the total membership of each House and at least two-thirds of those present and voting, followed by the President's assent.

## Rigid and flexible

Only Parliament can initiate an amendment, not a state legislature. An amendment bill may start in either House, and there is no joint sitting for money bills or amendments. With easy and hard routes, the Constitution is neither too rigid nor too flexible; by its procedures it is both (2025 Q188). No amendment has ever been put to a referendum.

## Salient features and federalism

The Class 10 book lists the salient features: the longest written constitution, borrowed ideas, rigidity and flexibility, federalism, secularism, an independent judiciary and the vote for everyone aged 18. India is an indestructible union of destructible states; since it turns unitary in an emergency it is quasi-federal, not fully federal. Though federal, India has only single citizenship, taken from Britain, not the dual citizenship of the USA; so "India gives dual citizenship" is false. In the 2025 paper's Q187 the assertion that the Constitution is federal is true (federalism is one of its salient features) and the reason, dual citizenship as in the USA, is false; the final key agrees.

## Parliamentary government and judicial review

In the parliamentary system the executive answers to Parliament and lasts while it has a majority. Judicial review is the power to strike down a law of Parliament that goes against the basic philosophy of the Constitution. In 2000 the National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution was set up under M.N. Venkatachaliah. The Government of India ended the special status of Article 370, which gave Jammu and Kashmir special autonomy, on 5 August 2019.

**Borrowed features**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Government of India Act 1935 | federal scheme, office of governor, judiciary, public service commissions, emergency provisions, administrative details |
| Britain | parliamentary government, single citizenship, rule of law, legislative procedure |
| USA | fundamental rights, judicial review, impeachment of the President, removal of judges and of the Vice-President |
| Ireland | directive principles of state policy |
| Canada | federation with a strong centre, governors appointed by the centre, advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court |
| Australia | freedom of trade and commerce; joint sitting of the two Houses |
| Germany (Weimar constitution) | suspension of fundamental rights during an emergency |
| Soviet Union | fundamental duties; the Preamble's social, economic and political justice |
| France | republic, liberty, equality, fraternity |
| South Africa | amendment procedure, election of Rajya Sabha members |

## Official and classical languages

Articles 343 to 351 (Part XVII) deal with official languages; the Class 10 book says the Eighth Schedule began with 14 languages and now has 22. In 2004 the Government of India created the category of classical languages. The book's list: Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Telugu (2008), Kannada (2008), Malayalam (2013), Odia (2014). Languages added after the book are not taught here.

## Union, State and Union territory (B4-04)

Article 1(1): 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States'. The Union of India means the 28 state governments and the central government; the territory of India means the 28 states, the 8 Union territories and territories that may be acquired (Article 1(3)). Pondicherry and Daman Diu were called 'acquired territories' before they became Union territories. Articles 152-237 in Part VI give all states one uniform structure. The eight Union territories of the First Schedule: Delhi, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The last two date from 31 October 2019; the Dadra–Daman merger from 19 December 2019.

## How the Union territories are run (B4-04)

Article 239: every Union territory is administered by the President through an administrator he appoints; the Governor of a neighbouring state may be the administrator. Article 239A: Parliament may by law create a legislature and a council of ministers for Puducherry; the 2019 Reorganisation Act applied this to Jammu and Kashmir too. Article 239AA: since the Sixty-ninth Amendment of 1991 Delhi is the 'National Capital Territory'; its administrator is the Lieutenant Governor; it has a directly elected legislative assembly. NITI Aayog's governing council includes the chief ministers of Puducherry and New Delhi and the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh share one High Court; Delhi, though not a state, has its own. Easy to confuse: the High Court passage of the Std 10 book prints the old figure of '9 Union territories'; today's figure is 8.

**Example: The Union territory with a legislature**

which Union territory has a legislature elected by the people? (Ladakh, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Puducherry, Chandigarh)

1. Article 239: a Union territory normally has only an administrator.
2. Legislatures come from separate articles: 239A Puducherry (applied to Jammu and Kashmir too); 239AA Delhi.
3. Only one of them is among the four options.

Answer: Puducherry.

**Key dates**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Cabinet Mission Plan | 1946 (class 10, page 253) |
| First sitting of the Assembly | 9 December 1946 (class 12, page 4) |
| Objectives Resolution adopted | 22 January 1947 (class 10, page 254) |
| Assembly met again after partition | 14 August 1947 (class 12, page 4) |
| Constitution adopted | 26 November 1949 (class 10, page 254) |
| Sitting that approved it | 24 January 1950 (class 12, page 5) |
| In force, Republic Day | 26 January 1950 (class 10, page 254) |
| 42nd Amendment, which amended the Preamble | 1976 (class 10, page 254) |
| National Review Commission (Venkatachaliah) | 2000 (class 10, page 260) |
| Article 370 special status ended | 5 August 2019 (class 12, page 12) |

> **Exam tip:** Memory hooks
Say the dates in order: first sitting 9 December 1946, Objectives Resolution 22 January 1947, adoption 26 November 1949, approving sitting 24 January 1950, in force 26 January 1950. Three people in order: provisional chairman Sinha, President Prasad, drafting Ambedkar. The Preamble's five words in order: sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic, republic. Rights from the USA, directive principles from Ireland, duties from the Soviet Union.

**Easy to confuse**

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Adoption / commencement | 26 November 1949; 26 January 1950 |
| Provisional chairman / President of the Assembly / Drafting Committee chairman | Sachchidananda Sinha; Rajendra Prasad; Ambedkar (not the Assembly's President) |
| Words added to the Preamble / words there from the start | socialist, secular, integrity (1976); democratic, republic |
| 42nd Amendment / 44th Amendment | 1976, the Preamble, the mini constitution; 1978, right to property removed (citizenship lesson) |
| Single / dual citizenship | India (from Britain); USA |
| Fundamental duties / directive principles | Soviet Union; Ireland |
| Joint sitting / amendment procedure | Australia; South Africa |
| 389 / 292 / 93 | total members; provinces; princely states |

> **Exam tip:** Quick check
1. Who is known as the father and architect of the Constitution? Answer: Dr B.R. Ambedkar.
2. Who was President of the Constituent Assembly? Answer: Dr Rajendra Prasad.
3. Which Prime Minister brought the 42nd Amendment, which amended the Preamble? Answer: Indira Gandhi (1976).
4. From which country's constitution were fundamental rights taken? Answer: the USA.
5. When did the Constitution come into force? Answer: 26 January 1950.

Source: சமூக அறிவியல், பத்தாம் வகுப்பு, தமிழ் வழி (Social Science, Standard X, Tamil medium; Samacheer Kalvi) (10ஆம் வகுப்புச் சமூக அறிவியல், குடிமையியல் அலகு 1 (இந்திய அரசியலமைப்பு), பக்கம் 253-262; 12ஆம் வகுப்பு அரசியல் அறிவியல், அலகு 1 (இந்திய அரசமைப்பு), பக்கம் 1-14; 10ஆம் வகுப்புக் குடிமையியல் அலகு 3, பக்கம் 275, 281; 12ஆம் வகுப்பு அரசியல் அறிவியல் அலகு 5, பக்கம் 95, 103; இந்திய அரசமைப்பு (ஆங்கில உரை) சட்டப்பிரிவுகள் 1, 239, 239A, 239AA, முதல் அட்டவணை (PDF பக்கம் 33, 143-144, 291-293))

## Sources

- [Official syllabus page](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/english/syllabus.html)
- [Notifications](https://www.tnpsc.gov.in/English/Notification.aspx)