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 article, introduced by Constitution's 28th Amendment Act, empowers the Parliament to vary or revoke conditions of service of persons appointed to the Civil Service of the Crown appointed in India before the commencement of the Constitution?

  1. Article 306B

  2. Article 312A

  3. Article 322D

  4. Article 316 and 317
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

According to Article 312a, Parliament may by law- vary or revoke, whether prospectively or retrospectively, the conditions of services as respects remuneration, leave and pension and the rights as respects disciplinary matters of persons who, having been appointed by the Secretary of State or Secretary of State in Council to a civil service of the Crown in India before the commencement of this Constitution, continue on and after the commencement of the Constitution (Twenty-eighth Amendment) Act, 1972, to serve under the Government of India or of a State in any service or post.

Multiple choice

Which amendment reorganised Punjab into Punjab, Haryana and UT of Chandigarh?

  1. Thirteenth Amendment, 1962

  2. Eighteenth Amendment, 1966

  3. Twenty First Amendment, 1967

  4. Twenty Third Amendment, 1969
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Eighteenth Amendment of the Constitution of India, officially known as The Constitution (Eighteenth Amendment) Act, 1966, Parliament may by law (a) form a new State by separation of territory from any State or by uniting two or more States or parts of States or by uniting any territory to a part of any State; (b) increase the area of any State; (c) diminish the area of any State; (d) alter the boundaries of any State; (e) alter the name of any State: Hence, this amendment reorganised Punjab into Punjab, Haryana and UT of Chandigarh.

Multiple choice

The Constitution's 55th Amendment Act granted statehood to Arunachal Pradesh. It became the ____ state of the Indian Union.

  1. 21st

  2. 22nd

  3. 23rd

  4. 24th
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Constitution (55th Amendment) Act, 1986 and the State of Arunachal Pradesh Bill, 1986—The Bill vests special powers in the Government besides stipulating that the new State Assembly shall consist of not less than 30 members. The second provides for the establishment of the new State of Arunachal Pradesh. The Bill has already become an Act. Thus, Arunachal Pradesh became the 24th state of the Indian Union.

Multiple choice

Under the Constitution's 31st Amendment Act,1. the strength of Lok Sabha was increased from 525 to 545

  1. the upper limit of representatives of states was increased from 500 to 525
  2. the upper limit of representatives of Union Territories was increased from 20 to 25

Which of the above are true?

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2 and 3

  3. 1 and 3

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

The Constitution (31st Amendment) Act, 1973: increased the elective strength of the Lok Sabha from 525 to 545. Under the Act, the upper limit of representatives of the States went up from 500 to 525 and that of the Union Territories decreased from 25 to 20.

Multiple choice

Which amendment introduced Schedule 9 in the Indian Constitution?

  1. 1st Amendment Act

  2. 10th Amendment Act

  3. 21st Amendment Act

  4. 42nd Amendment Act
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The objectives of the Constitution First Amendment Act were - To fully secure the constitutional validity of zamindari abolition laws and to place reasonable restriction on freedom of speech. A new constitutional device, called Schedule 9 was introduced by the same amendment.

Multiple choice

By which amendment were clauses (4) and (5) added in Article 368 to dilute the limitations of the ‘basic structure’ while amending the Indian Constitution?

  1. 24th Amendment Act

  2. 42nd Amendment Act

  3. 44th Amendment Act

  4. 76th Amendment Act
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The 42nd Amendment Act introduced clause (4) and (5) in the Indian Constitution. These clauses say that (a) there are no limitations, expressed or implied, upon the amending power of the Parliament, and that (b) a Constitution Amendment Act would not, therefore, be subject to judicial review on any ground.

Multiple choice

As a ruling, in which of the following cases did the Supreme Court first strike down a constitutional amendment?

  1. Minerva Mills v. India

  2. Golakh Nath v. the state of Punjab

  3. Kesavananda v. state of Kerala

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Golaknath v. State Of Punjab (1967 AIR 1643, 1967 SCR (2) 762), or simply the Golaknath case, was a 1967 Indian Supreme Court case, in which the Court ruled that Parliament could not curtail any of the fundamental rights in the Constitution. In this case, the Supreme Court first strikes down a constitutional amendment.

Multiple choice

Which of the following amendments is related with decentralisation and increased democratisation in Indian political setup?

  1. 17th Amendment Act

  2. 42nd Amendment Act

  3. 73rd Amendment Act

  4. 96th Amendment Act
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Constitution (73rd Amendment) Act granted constitutional recognition to the pre-existing institution of Panchayati Raj. It was passed in the year 1992, along with Constitution (74th Amendment) Act, which granted constitutional recognition to municipalities.