12.1 Indian Polity & Constitution
Key Takeaways
- The Constitution of India was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950, with Dr B.R. Ambedkar chairing the Drafting Committee.
- Part III (Articles 12-35) guarantees six fundamental rights; the Right to Property was removed by the 44th Amendment in 1978 and made a legal right under Article 300A.
- The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992 gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies respectively.
- The Vice-President of India is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
- The 42nd Amendment of 1976 added Fundamental Duties as Article 51A and the words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble.
Why Polity Matters for RRB Group D
About 4-6 of the 20 General Awareness questions touch Indian polity and Constitution — the highest sub-share within GA after current affairs. RRB asks about constitutional offices, fundamental rights, amendments, Parliament, Panchayati Raj, and the federal structure. You do not need law-school depth; you need a firm grasp of names, articles, numbers, and the working of the Union and State executives.
The Making of the Constitution
The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949, and it came into force on 26 January 1950 (Republic Day). Dr B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee. The Assembly took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days. The Constitution borrowed features from earlier Acts and other countries: parliamentary system and rule of law from Britain, fundamental rights and judicial review from the United States, directive principles from Ireland, concurrent list from Australia, and fundamental duties from the USSR.
Parts, Schedules, and Articles at a Glance
The original Constitution had 22 parts, 395 articles, and 8 schedules. After amendments it now has 25 parts and 12 schedules. Important parts:
| Part | Articles | Subject |
|---|---|---|
| Part III | 12-35 | Fundamental Rights |
| Part IV | 36-51 | Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) |
| Part IVA | 51A | Fundamental Duties (added by 42nd Amendment, 1976) |
| Part V | 52-151 | Union Executive, Parliament, Supreme Court |
| Part VI | 152-237 | State Executive, Legislature, High Courts |
| Part IX | 243-243O | Panchayati Raj (added by 73rd Amendment, 1992) |
| Part IXA | 243P-243ZG | Municipalities (74th Amendment, 1992) |
Fundamental Rights
Six fundamental rights are guaranteed under Part III, enforceable in court. Originally seven, the Right to Property was removed by the 44th Amendment (1978) and made a legal right under Article 300A.
| Right | Article | Key feature |
|---|---|---|
| Equality | 14-18 | Equality before law, equal protection, abolition of untouchability (Art 17), titles abolished (Art 18) |
| Freedom | 19-22 | Six freedoms (speech, assembly, association, movement, residence, profession); protection from arbitrary arrest |
| Against exploitation | 23-24 | Prohibition of traffic in human beings, forced labour, and child labour in factories |
| Religion | 25-28 | Freedom of conscience, religion, and managing religious affairs |
| Cultural & educational | 29-30 | Protection of minorities' language, script, and culture; right to establish educational institutions |
| Constitutional remedies | 32 | Right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement; called the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution by Ambedkar |
Habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, and quo warranto are the five writs the Supreme Court (Article 32) and High Courts (Article 226) can issue.
DPSP and Fundamental Duties
DPSP are non-justiciable directions to the State — goals such as equal pay, living wage, free legal aid, environmental protection, and uniform civil code. Fundamental Duties (Article 51A, added by the 42nd Amendment) list 11 duties of citizens — including respecting the Constitution, the National Flag and Anthem, protecting the environment, and (added by the 86th Amendment) providing education to children aged 6-14.
Union Executive and Parliament
The President is the constitutional head, elected by an electoral college of elected MPs and MLAs (Articles 54-55), serves a 5-year term, and can be impeached under Article 61. The Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
Parliament consists of the President, Lok Sabha (max 550 members, 5-year term), and Rajya Sabha (245 members, permanent body, 6-year term, 1/3 retiring every 2 years). Legislative subjects are split across three lists in the Seventh Schedule. The original Constitution had 97 items in the Union List, 66 in the State List and 47 in the Concurrent List; after amendments the current counts are 98, 59 and 52 respectively. RRB has asked both sets, so note which one the question wants. Residuary powers rest with the Union.
The Supreme Court is the highest court — Chief Justice plus 33 judges (sanctioned strength 34 including the CJI), with original, appellate, advisory, and special leave petition jurisdiction (Article 136).
State Executive
The Governor is the constitutional head of a State, appointed by the President (Article 155), and holds office during the President's pleasure. The Chief Minister heads the Council of Ministers. The State Legislature can be bicameral (Vidhan Sabha + Vidhan Parishad) or unicameral.
Federal Structure with Unitary Bias
India is a 'Union of States' — a federation with strong unitary features: single Constitution, single citizenship, emergency provisions (Articles 352, 356, 360), and residuary powers with the Union.
Panchayati Raj
The 73rd Constitutional Amendment (1992) gave Panchayati Raj constitutional status. Three-tier structure: Gram Panchayat (village), Panchayat Samiti (block), Zila Parishad (district). Elections every 5 years; one-third of seats reserved for women (now 50% in many States); seats reserved for SC/ST in proportion to population. The 74th Amendment did the same for urban local bodies — Nagar Panchayat, Municipal Council, Municipal Corporation.
Important Amendments to Remember
| Amendment | Year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 42nd | 1976 | 'Mini-Constitution' — added Fundamental Duties, words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' to the Preamble |
| 44th | 1978 | Removed Right to Property as a fundamental right |
| 73rd & 74th | 1992 | Panchayati Raj and Municipalities |
| 86th | 2002 | Right to Education as fundamental right (Art 21A) |
| 101st | 2016 | Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 103rd | 2019 | 10% EWS reservation |
Exam Scenario
A typical RRB question: 'Which amendment added the Fundamental Duties?' Answer: the 42nd Amendment, 1976. Or: 'Who is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha?' Answer: the Vice-President of India. Stay alert to such one-line facts — they recur every cycle.
Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly?
The Right to Property was removed from the list of Fundamental Rights by which amendment?
Who is the ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha?