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Class 11 Political Science Chapter 1 Introduction to Indian Society
Section-A Indian Constitution
Selected Questions & Answers
A. Very Short Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 1)
1. Which of the following is not a function of the Constitution:
(a) Right to security of citizens.
(b) Powers of different organs within the government.
(c) Talented persons coming to power.
(d) Right to freedom of expression.
Ans: (c) Talented persons coming to power.
2. Which of the following arguments clearly proves that the authority of the Constitution is supreme?
(a) The Constitution was written before the formation of Parliament.
(b) The framers of the Constitution were more distinguished leaders than the Members of Parliament.
(c) The Constitution determines the structure and powers of Parliament.
(d) The Constitution cannot be amended by Parliament.
Ans: (c) The Constitution determines the structure and powers of Parliament.
3. State whether the following statements about the Constitution are true or false:
(a) The Constitution is a written document about the formation and powers of the government.
(b) A Constitution is required only for democratic countries.
(c) The Constitution is only a legal document; it has no ideals or importance.
(d) The President is the legal head of India.
Ans:
(a) True.
(b) False.
(c) False.
(d) True.
4. Is the Preamble a part of the Constitution?
Ans: No.
Note: The Preamble is considered a part of the Constitution as affirmed by the Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala judgment of the Supreme Court of India.
5. When was the Indian Constitution adopted?
Ans: On 26 November 1949.
6. How many Articles are there in the Indian Constitution?
Ans: 395.
7. The Indian Constitution is a combination of ______ and ______.
(Fill in the blank)
Ans: Flexibility and rigidity.
8. Is there a parliamentary system of government in India?
Ans: Yes.
9. “The President of India is the head of the government.” Is this statement correct?
Ans: Incorrect.
Note: The President is the Head of the State, while the Head of the Government is the Prime Minister.
10. Who said, “India is a Union of States”?
Ans: B. R. Ambedkar.
11. When was the Official Languages Act of India adopted?
Ans: 1963.
12. From when was the Constitution of India brought into force?
Ans: 26 January 1950.
13. What was the total number of members in the Constituent Assembly?
Ans: 389.
14. When did Mahatma Gandhi raise the demand for an Indian Constitution?
Ans: 1922.
15. Who was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the IndianConstitution?
Ans: B. R. Ambedkar.
16. How many Schedules are there in the Indian Constitution?
Ans: 12.
17. Who was the first President of independent India?
Ans: Rajendra Prasad.
18. How long did it take to prepare the Indian Constitution
Ans: 2 years 11 months 18 days.
19. Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly?
Ans: Rajendra Prasad.
20. In which Schedule of the Constitution are the three lists of distribution of powers in India included?
Ans: In the Seventh Schedule.
21. Who was the first Governor-General of independent India?
Ans: Lord Mountbatten.
22. Who was the first Prime Minister of independent India?
Ans: Jawaharlal Nehru.
23. Who presided over the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly?
Ans: Sachchidananda Sinha.
24. In which amendment of the Constitution was the word ‘Secular’inserted?
Ans: In the 42nd Constitutional Amendment in 1976.
25. What level of support from both Houses is required to amend Fundamental Rights?
Ans: Two-thirds of the members.
26. In which country’s Constitution was the Preamble first included?
Ans: In the Constitution of the United States.
27. From which language is the English word ‘Constitution’ derived?
Ans: From the Latin word ‘Constituere’, which means to establish or to form.
28. When did Rajendra Prasad sign the Constitution of India?
Ans: 26 November 1949.
B. Short Questions and Answers: (Marks for each – 2)
1. What is meant by Constitution?
Ans: A Constitution is a set of fundamental principles which clearly describes how the different organs of the government will be formed, what their functions will be, what powers will be given to them, and how their relationship with the people of the country will be maintained.
2. Why is the Indian Constitution called the longest Constitution in the world?
Ans: The Indian Constitution is called the longest Constitution in the world because it contains 395 Articles, 22 Parts, and 12 Schedules. These provisions are discussed in detail in the Constitution. As a result, its length has become quite extensive.
3. Is the Indian Constitution flexible or rigid? Give reasons for your answer.
Ans: The Indian Constitution is neither completely flexible nor completely rigid. It is a combination of flexibility and rigidity. This is because there areseveral Articles in the Constitution which the Parliament can amend easily. On the other hand, there are some Articles which require not only the approval of the amendment proposal by both Houses of Parliament but also the consent of the State Legislatures. Therefore, the Indian Constitution is described as partly flexible and partly rigid.
C. Medium Answer Type Questions: (Marks for each – 4)
1. What are the non-federal features of the Indian Constitution? Write them.
Ans: The Indian Constitution has some features that resemble non-federal characteristics. These are as follows:
(1) In a federal system, there is a provision of dual citizenship. But in India, there is only single citizenship. The system of single citizenship is a nonfederal feature.
(2) In a federal system, the constituent states have their own constitutions. But the states of India do not have separate constitutions. There is only one Constitution for the whole country.
(3) According to federal principles, the Governor of a state should be elected by the people of that state. But in India, the Governors of the states are appointed by the President of India. This is a non-federal feature.
(4) The Constitution of India grants emergency powers to the President of India. In such situations, India may function like a unitary state.
2. Why is a Constitution necessary for a country?
Ans: A Constitution is a document that contains the rules, principles, and laws for governing a country. It is essential for the administration of a country for the following reasons:
(1) A Constitution is necessary to establish harmony and provide assurance among people of different religions, languages, and cultures living in a country.
(2) In a democratic state, the Constitution limits the powers of the government over citizens. If the powers of the government are not controlled,
Citizens may lose their rights.
(3) The Constitution provides arrangements to fulfill the hopes, aspirations, and needs of the citizens. It also contributes to the creation of a free, equal, and just society by removing different kinds of inequalities present in society.
(4) The Constitution determines what type of government will be formed in a country, the powers and functions of the government, and how the powers will be divided between the central government and the states. For these reasons, a Constitution is necessary for a country.
D. Essay Type Questions and Answers: (Marks for each – 6)
1. How was the Constitution of India prepared? Discuss.
Ans: The need for a Constitution for India began to be felt from the beginning of the third decade of the twentieth century. Mahatma Gandhi proposed in 1922 that India should have its own Constitution, but due to various reasons, the work was delayed for a long time. Finally, in 1937 at the Faizpur session of the Indian National Congress, a resolution was adopted rejecting the Government of India Act 1935 and demanding the establishment of an independent government in India. It was also demanded that a Constituent Assembly composed of representatives elected through adult franchise should be formed to frame a Constitution for India. Meanwhile, in 1939, World War II began. In this war, the Congress agreed to assist the British conditionally. Through the “August Offer” of 1940, the government accepted in principle the main demand of the Congress for the formation of a Constituent Assembly.
After the war, the Labour Party formed the government in England. In 1946, the Cabinet Mission to India came to India. According to the plan of this mission, elections to the provincial legislative assemblies of India were held in July 1946. On 9 December of the same year, the first meeting of the body that was to frame the Constitution was held. This body was not a sovereign institution. It was formed according to the plan of the Cabinet Mission and was controlled by the British Parliament. The prominent leaders of India at that time were included in this body. In its first meeting, Rajendra Prasad was elected as the permanent chairman. The fifth meeting of the body was held on 14 August 1947. On that very day, the body was named the Constituent Assembly. In the Constituent Assembly, various committees were formed under the chairmanship of different leaders. On 9 August 1947, a seven-member Drafting Committee was formed with B. R. Ambedkar as its chairman. The Constitution Committee completed the work of drafting the Constitution in November 1949, and on 26 November, Rajendra Prasad signed the completed Constitution. Immediately, it received recognition as the Constitution of independent India.
The Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. The Constitution of India was the result of the thoughtful deliberation and wisdom of the political
thinkers of the country at that time. It took nearly three years to prepare it.
2. Discuss the main features of the Constitution of India.
Ans: The Constitution of India, which came into force on 26 January 1950, has several important features. These are as follows:
(1) The Constitution of India is the longest written Constitution in theworld. It contains 395 Articles, 22 Parts, and 12 Schedules.
(2) The Constitution of India provides special safeguards and facilities for the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes.
(3) The Constitution of India provides equal rights, a uniform criminal law, and civil law for all the citizens of the country.
(4) The Constitution of India recognizes the President of India as the constitutional head of the country, although India follows the parliamentary system of government.
(5) One important feature of the Constitution is that in Part IV it includes certain Directive Principles in order to establish India as a welfare state.
(6) The Constitution of India is a combination of flexibility and rigidity. This is because there are several Articles which Parliament can amend easily, while some others require not only approval by both Houses of Parliament but also the consent of the State Legislatures.
(7) The Constitution of India provides a system of single citizenship in thecountry.
(8) On the basis of the Directive Principles of State Policy, importance hasbeen given to establishing a socialist pattern of society in India.
(9) The Constitution of India describes India as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.
