Civics Polity

Constitutional Amendments

599 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

The proposals for amendment of Constitution can be initiated by

  1. the people alone

  2. the State Legislature

  3. State Legislatures as well as the Parliament

  4. Parliament alone
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

An amendment of constitution may be initiated only by the introduc­tion of a Bill for the purpose in either house of Parliament.

Multiple choice

An amendment of Constitution of India for the purpose of creating a new state in the country must be passed by

  1. a simple majority of the Parliament

  2. a simple majority of the Parliament and the ratification by not less than half of the states

  3. the 2/3rd majority in the Parliament and the ratification by not less than 2/3rd majority of the states

  4. the 2/3rd majority of the members of both the Houses of the Parliament present and voting
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

An amendment of Constitution of India for the purpose of creating a new state in India must be passed by a simple majority of the Parliament.

Multiple choice

Non-amendability of the Basic Structure of the Constitution was declared firstly in

  1. Sajjan Singh Vs. State of Rajasthan, 1965

  2. Minerva Mills Vs. Union of India, 1983

  3. Sankari Prasad Vs. Union of India, 1951

  4. Kesavananda Bharathi Vs. State of Kerala, 1973
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Kesavananda Bharati (1973) established the Basic Structure doctrine, declaring that Parliament's amending power cannot alter the Constitution's basic features. Earlier cases like Sajjan Singh (1965) and Sankari Prasad (1951) had upheld unlimited amending power, while Minerva Mills (1983) came later and applied the Basic Structure doctrine.

Multiple choice

The Supreme Court in a number of cases held that the Parliament, by exercising its amending power under Art 368, can amend even Part III. Which of the following choices confirms the same ruling?

  1. Shankari Prasad vs Union of India
  2. Sajjan Singh vs State of Rajasthan
  3. Golaknath vs State of Punjab
  4. Keshvanada vs State of Kerala

  1. Only 1 and 4

  2. Only 1 and 2

  3. Only 1, 2 and 4

  4. Only 1, 3 and 4
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Shankari Prasad vs Union of India case (1952) and Sajjan Singh vs State of Rajasthan (1965) ruling, the Supreme Court explicitly gave the Parliament the power to amend the Constitution. Hence, both these cases should be there in the correct option.

In Golaknath vs State of Punjab case, Fundamental Rights were given a ‘Transcendental Position’, whereby no authority including the Parliament was competent to amend the Constitution. Hence, it should not be in the correct choice.

Now the trap is Keshvanada vs State of Kerala case. A student may keep in his mind the idea of ‘basic structure’ that was propounded by this ruling, and may commit a mistake. But, we need to understand that this ruling didn’t disallow the Parliament to amend the Constitution. It only ruled out that, “Nothing that infringes the ‘basic structure’ of the Constitution can be amended”. Thus, option (2) is wrong and option (3) is the correct choice.
Multiple choice

Under which of the following Amendments were the privy purses of erstwhile rulers of princely states abolished?

  1. 29th

  2. 28th

  3. 27th

  4. 26th
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

'Privy purse' refers to payments made by the Indian Government to the rulers of erstwhile princely states as a part of their agreement merge with the Indian state, whereby they lost all their ruling rights. The 26th Amendment, enacted in 1971, amended article 366 of the Indian Constitution, leading to the abolition of privy purses of erstwhile royal families. The 27th Amendment Act (1972) led to the reorganization of Mizoram into a Union Territory with a legislature and council of ministers. The 28th Amendment Act (1972) rationalized civil service rules to bring in uniformity among the appointments made prior to and post independence. The 29th Amendment Act (1972) amended Schedule 9 of the Indian Constitution and placed land reform acts and amendments to this act under Schedule 9.

Multiple choice

96th Constitutional Amendment deals with

  1. taxation for the service sector

  2. fixation of electoral constituencies on the basis of the 2001 census

  3. reservation for women

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

The 96th Constitutional Amendment (2003) dealt with freezing the delimitation of constituencies until after the first census after 2026, effectively maintaining constituencies based on the 2001 census. This was done to encourage population control measures by states. Option A refers to service tax (not relevant to this amendment). Option C refers to the 108th Amendment (Women's Reservation Bill which was lapsed). This amendment specifically halted constituency readjustment based on future population growth.

Multiple choice

Which of the following judgements is/are historical in respect of amendment to Article 368 of the Constitution?

  1. Kesavananda vs. State of Kerala and Minerva Mill vs. Union of India

  2. Shankari Prasad vs. Union of India

  3. Golak Nath vs. State of Punjab

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

Article 368 of the Constitution governs constitutional amendments. The provisions were inserted by the Forty-second Amendment Act, but have been declared invalid by the Supreme Court in the Minerva Mills case. All the given options are the judgements which are historical in respect of amendment to Article 368 of the Constitution.

Multiple choice

Which of the following amendments and their subject matter is incorrectly matched?

  1. 26th<font size="2"> Amendment - Abolition of titles and privileges of former rulers of princely states </font>

  2. 61st Amendment - Reduced voting age

  3. 51st Amendment - Reservation to Scheduled Tribes

  4. 21st Amendment - Curtailed the right to property
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

21st Amendment was related to Schedule 8. It included Sindhi as an official language on 10 April, 1967.