Revision: the Constitution of India on one page
This lesson pulls the topic together. You will see the whole Constitution on one page, practise telling apart articles that look alike, and find an article from its own words, the way exam questions often test it. Every fact here comes from lessons 1 to 11.
Guess first
Start by matching articles to their subjects.
Guess first: which pair of an article and its subject is correctly matched?
Show answer
Correct answer: A
Article 352 is titled "Proclamation of Emergency".
Option B: President's rule is Article 356 (NCERT); Article 360 is the financial emergency.
Option C: Residuary powers of legislation are Article 248; Article 368 is the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution.
Option D: Abolition of titles is Article 18; Article 32 is the Right to Constitutional Remedies.
Hint: Look for the article that opens Part XVIII, the Emergency Provisions.
An everyday picture
Think of the Constitution as a large building with labelled floors.
The Constitution is like a large building with labelled floors:
The entrance plaque the Preamble
who gives the Constitution and what it promises
The rights floor Part III, Articles 12 to 35
Fundamental Rights, enforced through the Supreme Court (Article 32)
The goals floor Part IV, Articles 36 to 51
Directive Principles, not enforceable by any court (Article 37)
The emergency exits Part XVIII, Articles 352 to 360
the Emergency Provisions
The renovation rules Part XX, Article 368
how the Constitution is amended
The picture has one limit: a building's floors stay as they were built, but Article 368 lets Parliament amend the Constitution, and NCERT says the Kesavananda ruling protects its basic structure.
See it: the Constitution on one page
| Lesson | Where | Remember |
|---|---|---|
| Making | the Constituent Assembly | adopted on 26 November 1949; in force on 26 January 1950 |
| Preamble | the Preamble | begins "WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA"; SOCIALIST and SECULAR added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 |
| Map | Parts and Schedules | the Seventh Schedule holds the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List |
| Citizenship | Part II, Articles 5 to 11 | Article 11: Parliament regulates citizenship by law |
| Rights | Part III, Articles 12 to 35 | Article 32: the right to move the Supreme Court |
| Directive Principles | Part IV, Articles 36 to 51 | Article 37: not enforceable by any court |
| Duties | Part IVA, Article 51A | duties of every citizen, inserted by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 |
| Union and States | Part XI, from Article 245 | Article 248: residuary powers go to Parliament |
| Emergency | Part XVIII, Articles 352 to 360 | Article 352: approval within one month; Articles 356 and 360: within two months |
| Amendment | Part XX, Article 368 | special majority; half the States for the proviso's list |
NCERT: "The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949." Article 394 brought most of it into force on 26 January 1950; Articles 5 to 9, on citizenship, came into force at once.
Fundamental Rights from Article 12, Directive Principles from Article 36, Fundamental Duties at Article 51A, Emergency from Article 352, Amendment at Article 368: the article that opens each block is worth knowing by heart.
Find the rule
Three quick checks across the topic.
The Supreme Court issues writs under Article 32. Which article gives every High Court the power to issue writs for the Fundamental Rights "and for any other purpose"?
Show answer
Correct answer: B
Article 226 is titled "Power of High Courts to issue certain writs". A High Court may issue them for the enforcement of the rights in Part III "and for any other purpose", wider than Article 32(2), under which the Supreme Court issues writs "for the enforcement of any of the rights conferred by this Part".
Option A: Article 32 is the right to move the Supreme Court, for the Fundamental Rights only.
Option C: Article 359 lets the President suspend the right to move courts for Part III rights during an Emergency.
Option D: Article 368 is the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution.
Hint: Its title names the High Courts.
Article 245, on the extent of laws made by Parliament and by the Legislatures of States, opens which Part of the Constitution?
Show answer
Correct answer: A
Part XI is titled "RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNION AND THE STATES", and it opens with Article 245, "Extent of laws made by Parliament and by the Legislatures of States".
Option B: Part XVIII holds the Emergency Provisions, from Article 352.
Option C: Part XX is Amendment of the Constitution, Article 368.
Option D: Part IVA holds the Fundamental Duties, Article 51A.
Hint: Look for the Part on how the Union and the States share power.
NCERT's table of borrowed features links the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the power of judicial review with which country's constitution?
Show answer
Correct answer: A
NCERT's table: "United States Constitution Charter of Fundamental Rights Power of Judicial Review and independence of the judiciary".
Option B: NCERT links the British Constitution with first past the post and the parliamentary form of government.
Option C: NCERT links the Irish Constitution with the Directive Principles of State Policy.
Option D: NCERT links the Canadian Constitution with a quasi-federal government and the idea of residual powers.
Hint: The same table links this country with the independence of the judiciary.
Name it: find the Part first
The rule: To place an article, find its subject's Part first: Fundamental Rights in Part III (from Article 12), Directive Principles in Part IV (from Article 36), Fundamental Duties in Part IVA (Article 51A), relations between the Union and the States in Part XI (from Article 245), Emergency Provisions in Part XVIII (from Article 352), Amendment of the Constitution in Part XX (Article 368).
Part III is enforced through Article 32, the right to move the Supreme Court. Part IV "shall not be enforceable by any court" (Article 37).
Worked, half-done, solo
Question
Which article says these words: "shall not be enforceable by any court, but the principles therein laid down are nevertheless fundamental in the governance of the country"?
Solution
- Find the clue words
Not enforceable by any court, and principles: that points to the Directive Principles.
- Find the Part
The Directive Principles are in Part IV.
- Find the article
The article on how Part IV applies is Article 37, "Application of the principles contained in this Part".
Answer: Article 37.
Watch out: the Fundamental Rights are the opposite: Article 32 guarantees the right to move the Supreme Court to enforce them.
Now finish one that is half done.
Half done: the words "Nothing in article 13 shall apply to any amendment made under this article" speak of an amendment, so look in the Part on amending the Constitution. Which article is it?
Show answer
Correct answer: A
Article 368(3): "Nothing in article 13 shall apply to any amendment made under this article." Article 368 is the article of Part XX, Amendment of the Constitution.
Option B: Article 32 is the right to move the Supreme Court for the Fundamental Rights.
Option C: Article 359 is about suspending the enforcement of Part III rights during an Emergency.
Option D: Article 37 says the Directive Principles shall not be enforceable by any court.
Hint: This article is about the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution.
And one on your own.
"The State shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the rights conferred by this Part". Which article says this?
Show answer
Correct answer: A
Article 13(2): "The State shall not make any law which takes away or abridges the rights conferred by this Part and any law made in contravention of this clause shall, to the extent of the contravention, be void." Article 13 stands near the start of Part III.
Option B: Article 21 protects life and personal liberty.
Option C: Article 37 says the Directive Principles shall not be enforceable by any court.
Option D: Article 368 is the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution, and Article 368(3) says Article 13 does not apply to amendments.
Hint: The words "this Part" mean Part III, the Fundamental Rights.
The traps
- Adopted or in force: adopted on 26 November 1949; in force on 26 January 1950.
- Article 17 or 18: Article 17 abolishes Untouchability; Article 18 abolishes titles.
- Article 356 or 360: President's rule is Article 356; the financial emergency is Article 360.
- Article 248 or 368: residuary powers are Article 248; amendment is Article 368.
- Article 32 or 226: the Supreme Court for the Fundamental Rights; the High Courts for them "and for any other purpose".
- Part IV or Part IVA: the Directive Principles (Articles 36 to 51) or the Fundamental Duties (Article 51A).
Neha wrote: "Article 32(2) names four writs." How many writs does Article 32(2) name?
Show answer
Correct answer: A
Article 32(2) names "writs in the nature of habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari": five writs.
Option B: 4 leaves one out; count habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto and certiorari.
Option C: 6 adds a writ that Article 32(2) does not name.
Option D: 3 is the number of grounds in Article 352(1): war, external aggression and armed rebellion.
Hint: Say them aloud: habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, quo warranto, certiorari.
Mixed check
Which pair of an article and its subject is NOT correctly matched?
Show answer
Correct answer: D
The uniform civil code is Article 44; Article 40 asks the State to organise village panchayats.
Option A: A correct pair: Article 17 abolishes Untouchability.
Option B: A correct pair: Article 21A is the right to education.
Option C: A correct pair: Article 51A lists the Fundamental duties.
Hint: The mismatched pair names a Directive Principle.
Quick reference
Revision: the Constitution of India on one page
- 26 November 1949
- adopted in force on 26 January 1950 (Article 394)
- Preamble
- begins WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA; SOCIALIST and SECULAR added in 1976
- Part III, from Article 12
- Fundamental Rights enforced through the Supreme Court (Article 32) and the High Courts (Article 226)
- Part IV, from Article 36
- Directive Principles not enforceable by any court (Article 37)
- Part IVA, Article 51A
- Fundamental Duties duties of every citizen of India
- Part XI, from Article 245
- the Union and the States residuary powers to Parliament (Article 248)
- Part XVIII, from Article 352
- Emergency Article 352 (war, external aggression, armed rebellion), 356 (President's rule), 360 (financial emergency)
- Part XX, Article 368
- Amendment special majority; half the States for the proviso's list
Why it works: each subject has its own Part, so finding the Part first narrows the article down.
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