Civics Polity ยท General Awareness

Constitutions and Law

2,587 Questions

Constitutions and Law questions cover fundamental rights, the preamble, critical articles, and amendments from the Indian and United States constitutions. This topic is indispensable for UPSC, state PSC, and SSC exams. Practicing these questions ensures a solid understanding of political frameworks and legal provisions.

Indian Constitution articlesFundamental rights and dutiesConstitutional amendmentsPreamble featuresUS Constitution principles

Constitutions and Law Questions

Multiple choice

The framers of the Constitution adopted the doctrine of judicial review

  1. to ensure proper working of the parliamentary system of government

  2. to ensure proper working of the federal system of Government

  3. to overcome the limitations of a rigid Constitution

  4. to prevent misuse of power by the judiciary

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Correct Answer: to ensure proper working of the parliamentary system of government

Multiple choice

On which of the following grounds does Article 16 of the Indian Constitution debar any kind of discrimination?

  1. Religion
  2. Race and caste
  3. Gender
  4. Descent
  5. Place of birth

  1. Only 1, 2 and 3

  2. Only 1, 3 and 5

  3. Only 1, 2, 3 and 5

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

Article 16 provides that there shall be equality of opportunity for all citizens in the matter of employment or appointment to any office under the State. This Article also provides that no citizen shall be ineligible for any office or employment under the State on grounds only of religion, race, caste, sex, descent and place of birth or any of them.

Multiple choice

What was the decision of the Supreme Court in the Keshavanand Bharati case?

  1. The Parliament is supreme in the matters of legislation.

  2. The Supreme Court has full authority to pronounce on the constitution validity of any state law.

  3. The power under Article 368 to amend the Constitution cannot be so exercised as to alter the basic structure or the essential features of the Constitution.

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

The Keshavananda Bharati case (1973) established that Parliament's power under Article 368 to amend the Constitution is not unlimited and cannot alter the 'basic structure' or essential features of the Constitution. This is correct. Option A incorrectly claims Parliament is supreme (it is subject to basic structure); Option B misstates the scope.

Multiple choice

How many states are required to ratify certain amendments to the constitution?

  1. No less than half the number

  2. Three-fourth of the number

  3. At least 10 states

  4. All states in some cases
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Under Article 368, certain constitutional amendments (those affecting federal structure or requiring ratification) need ratification by at least half of the state legislatures. This means no less than half the states must approve. The required majority in Parliament for such amendments is two-thirds, but the threshold for states is simply 'half'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is incorrect about a constitution?

  1. It is a set of written rules.

  2. All associations need to have a set constitution.

  3. It lays down limits on the powers of a government and outlines the rights of the citizens.

  4. All countries that have constitutions are democratic.

  5. It specifies how the government will be constituted and who will have power to take which decisions.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

All countries that have constitutions are not necessarily democratic, but all countries that are democratic will have constitutions. Thus, this is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a. The Constituent Assembly that wrote the Indian constitution had 299 members. b. H. C. Mookherjee was the Chairman of the drafting committee of the Constituent Assembly. c. The members deliberated for 114 days spread over three years before the constitution was drafted.

  1. a only

  2. b only

  3. c only

  4. a and b

  5. a and c
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

The Constituent Assembly that wrote the Indian constitution had 299 members. The members deliberated for 114 days spread over three years before the Constitution was drafted. This is the correct answer as both the statements are correct.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is incorrect about the preamble to the Indian constitution?

  1. It declares the names of the members who drafted the constitution.

  2. It reads like a poem on democracy.

  3. It contains the philosophy on which the entire constitution has been built.

  4. It provides a standard to examine and evaluate any law and action of the government.

  5. It is a short statement of the basic values of the constitution.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as this statement is incorrect about the preamble to the Indian constitution.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a. The Indian constitution is a sacred, static and unalterable law. b. There are provisions to incorporate changes in the constitution from time to time. c. The Indian constitution lays down a procedure for choosing persons to govern the country. d. The Indian constitution puts limits to what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizen that cannot be violated.

  1. a, c and d

  2. b, c and d

  3. c and d

  4. a only

  5. b only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This is the correct answer as all these statements are correct. There are provisions to incorporate changes in the constitution from time to time. The Indian constitution lays down a procedure for choosing persons to govern the country. The Indian constitution puts limits to what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizens that cannot be violated.

Multiple choice

The Indian Constitution is a Republican because it has:

  1. A Parliament

  2. An elected Prime Minister

  3. A Federal from of Government

  4. An elected President
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

A republican form of government is one where the head of state is an elected representative rather than a hereditary monarch. India's President is elected by an electoral college, making India a republic.

Multiple choice

Indian has been described as in our Constitution:

  1. Union of States

  2. Federation

  3. Indian Union

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

Article 1 of the Indian Constitution declares 'India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.' The term 'Union' emphasizes the indestructible nature of the federation while allowing for flexibility in state boundaries.