Civics Polity

Constitutional Amendments

529 Questions

Constitutional amendments questions evaluate knowledge of the historical adoption of the Indian Constitution and its subsequent modifications. Key themes include specific amendment acts, the insertion of new articles, and changes to the Preamble. Mastery of this topic is essential for general awareness sections in UPSC and state civil services exams.

Major amendment actsFundamental rights amendmentsConstitution adoptionPreamble amendmentsNew article insertions

Constitutional Amendments Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following options is related to simple majority in voting is enough to amend provisions?

  1. Citizenship

  2. Creation and abolition of states

  3. Administration of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

All the listed provisions (citizenship, state boundaries, scheduled areas) can be amended by a simple majority in Parliament. These are less significant constitutional changes that don't require the special majority needed for fundamental amendments.

Multiple choice

In which of the following cases did the Supreme Court hold that ‘Basic features of the Constitution of India cannot be amended by exercising the power of amendment under Article 368'.

  1. Sajjan Singh vs. State of Rajasthan

  2. Sankari Prasad vs. Union of India

  3. Keshavananda Bharati vs. State of Kerala

  4. Golaknath vs. State of Punjab
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Option (4) is correct: The Supreme Court, in the case of 'Golaknath vs. State of Punjab', held that ‘Basic features of the Constitution of India cannot be amended by exercising the power of amendment under Article 368'.

Multiple choice

What was the exact Constitutional Status of the Indian Republic on Jan. 26, 1950 ?

  1. A Democratic Republic

  2. A Sovereign Democratic Republic

  3. A Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic

  4. A Sovereign Social Secular Democratic Republic
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

On January 26, 1950, the Preamble described India as a 'Sovereign Democratic Republic.' The words 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were added later by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1976. Therefore, the status in 1950 did not include those two terms.

Multiple choice

The constitution (79th Amendment) Act 1999 relates to

  1. extension of reservation of seats for SC/STs in Lok Sabha and State Vidhan Sabha till January 25, 2010

  2. the grant of 33% reservation of seats in India legislatures including Parliament to women

  3. clearing the way for reservation in promotion to union and state services to the candidates of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes

  4. grant of statehood to union territory of Pondicherry
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The 79th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1999 extended the reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies for another ten years.

Multiple choice

Which of the following was/were the objective(s) of Constitution's 40th Amendment Act, 1976?

  1. To place beyond challenge in courts certain central laws
  2. To spell out that the limits of the territorial waters, the Continental Shelf, the Exclusive Economic Zone and the Maritime Zones of India shall be specified from time to time by law made by Parliament

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Option (3) is correct.

Multiple choice

The 91st Amendment Act –

  1. amends articles 75 and 164, and a new article 361B
  2. places a limit on the number of Ministers, who cannot be more than 20% of the House of the People at the Union level and concerned Vidhan Sabha at the State level

  1. 1 only

  2. 2 only

  3. 1 and 2 both

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

According to the Constitution, the 91st Amendment Act, the number of Ministers cannot be more than 15% of the House of People at the Union level and the concerned Vidhan Sabha at the State level.

Multiple choice

The majority of the provisions of the Indian Constitution can be amended

  1. by the State Legislatures acting together

  2. by the Parliament alone

  3. with the major approval of the Parliament and State Legislatures

  4. only on ratification by half of the States
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The majority of the provisions of the Indian Constitution can be amended by a special majority of the Parliament alone, without requiring ratification by state legislatures.

Multiple choice

The Constitution of India was amended for the first time in

  1. June 1951

  2. January 1950

  3. June 1952

  4. July 1952
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The First Amendment to the Constitution of India was enacted in 1951. It made several changes, including additions to the Ninth Schedule and modifications to Article 19.

Multiple choice

The Constitution of India as a whole, came into force on

  1. 26 January 1950

  2. 15 August 1947

  3. 15 August 1948

  4. 26 November 1949
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Constitution of India was adopted on 26 November 1949, but it officially came into force on 26 January 1950, which is celebrated as Republic Day.