Preamble of the Constitution

1.Text of the Preamble

• Objectives Resolution as the Basis of the PreambleImportance 4/5
  Who drafted and moved the Objectives Resolution, and on which dates was it moved and adopted? How does it differ from the Preamble, which was enacted later?
• Preamble's Wording and the 42nd Amendment's ChangesImportance 5/5UPSC 1997, 2021
  Learn the Preamble's wording in order. Exactly which words did the 42nd Amendment (1976) add or change, and what did the original Preamble say?

2.Ingredients of the Preamble

• The Four Ingredients of the PreambleImportance 3/5
  What are the Preamble's four ingredients, and what does it state under each? In particular, which words describe the State and which are its objectives?

3.Key Words in the Preamble

• Meaning of SovereignImportance 4/5UPSC 2021
  What does "sovereign" mean for India? Understand what independence in both internal and external affairs involves.
• Commonwealth and UN MembershipImportance 3/5
  Does membership of the Commonwealth or the United Nations reduce India's sovereignty? Know what India declared about the Commonwealth in 1949 and the reason given for each membership.
• Acquiring or Ceding TerritoryImportance 3/5
  How does the power to acquire or cede territory follow from sovereignty? In Berubari (1960), why could Article 3 not be used to cede territory to a foreign state? How is ceding different from settling a boundary, and what role did the Ninth Amendment play?
• India's Political Status Over TimeImportance 3/5UPSC 2021
  What was India's political status before the Indian Independence Act, 1947, between independence and the Republic, and after? Remember the dates that mark each stage, and how a dependency, a dominion and a republic differ.
• Socialism Before the 42nd AmendmentImportance 2/5
  Was socialism a new idea in 1976? Know which parts of the Constitution already had a socialist content, and what the Congress party resolved at its Avadi session in 1955.
• The Kind of Socialism India FollowsImportance 4/5
  How does democratic socialism differ from communistic (state) socialism, and what is Indian socialism described as a blend of? Also, how did the New Economic Policy of 1991 affect India's socialist character?
• Secularism Before the 42nd AmendmentImportance 3/5
  How did the Constitution show a secular intent even before the word was added? Cover the freedom-of-religion provisions, Articles 25 to 28.
• Positive Secularism and Types of StateImportance 5/5
  What is India's positive secularism, and how does it differ from a State that simply stays neutral? How do atheistic, theocratic and secular states differ, and how did the Supreme Court describe secularism in 2024? "Positive" is a study label, not a constitutional term.
• Popular Sovereignty; Direct and Indirect DemocracyImportance 4/5UPSC 2017
  What is popular sovereignty, and how do direct and indirect democracy differ? Remember what each of referendum, initiative, recall and plebiscite does.
• Indian Democracy: Parliamentary Form and Social and Economic DemocracyImportance 4/5UPSC 2002
  What kind of democracy does India have, and which features show it in practice? Understand what "democratic" in the Preamble covers beyond political democracy, and what Dr. Ambedkar said about social democracy in his concluding speech in the Constituent Assembly (25 November 1949).
• Republic versus MonarchyImportance 4/5
  How does a republic differ from a monarchy in how the head of State is chosen? Know how and for what term the President is chosen (Articles 54 and 56), and what a republic implies for political sovereignty and for holding public office.
• Social, Economic and Political JusticeImportance 4/5UPSC 2013
  What do social, economic and political justice each mean, and which two together make up "distributive justice"? How do Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles secure these forms of justice? Which revolution is the ideal of justice taken from?
• Liberty: Its Meaning and LimitsImportance 4/5UPSC 2017, 2018, 2019
  Which five liberties does the Preamble name? Understand why liberty is not the same as licence and what limits apply to it. From which revolution are the ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity taken?
• Civic EqualityImportance 4/5UPSC 2017
  What does equality of status and opportunity mean in the Preamble? What does each of Articles 14 to 18 guarantee towards civic equality?
• Political and Economic EqualityImportance 3/5
  Which provisions on elections secure political equality, and which parts of Article 39 secure economic equality?
• Fraternity and Dignity of the IndividualImportance 3/5UPSC 2020
  What is fraternity, and which provisions promote it (including the Fundamental Duty in Article 51A(e))? What did K.M. Munshi say the phrase "dignity of the individual" signifies?
• Unity and Integrity of the NationImportance 4/5UPSC 2015
  Which two dimensions of national integration does the phrase "unity and integrity of the Nation" cover? What does the phrase "Union of States" imply about secession, and which divisive tendencies is this ideal meant to overcome?

4.Significance of the Preamble

• Tributes to the PreambleImportance 1/5
  Who called the Preamble the "identity card" of the Constitution, the "horoscope" of our sovereign democratic republic, its "key-note", and its "soul" (two people used this word)? Remember the person behind each phrase.

5.Preamble as Part of the Constitution

• Is the Preamble Part of the Constitution? (Berubari, Kesavananda Bharati, LIC)Importance 5/5UPSC 2017, 2020
  What did Berubari (1960) say about whether the Preamble is part of the Constitution, and about its use in interpreting the Constitution? How did Kesavananda Bharati (1973) change this? LIC of India (1995) is often cited on this point, but the judgment mentions it only in passing.
• Limits on the Preamble's ForceImportance 4/5UPSC 2020
  Is the Preamble by itself a source of power for the legislature, or a limit on it? Is it enforceable in a court? Understand how it can be part of the Constitution yet not enforceable, and how this fits with its role in the basic-structure doctrine.

6.Amendability of the Preamble

• Amendability Under Article 368 and the Basic FeaturesImportance 5/5
  Can the Preamble be amended under Article 368? Understand when the question first arose, what was argued, and the position that followed from Kesavananda Bharati, with its condition about basic features.
• The 42nd Amendment's Validity and the 2024 ChallengeImportance 4/5
  How many times has the Preamble been amended? What was the outcome of the 2024 challenge (Balram Singh) to that amendment, and what did the Court say about Parliament's power under Article 368 and the adoption date?

1. 1.

   Consider the following statements regarding the Preamble to the Constitution of India:
   1. It was enacted by the Constituent Assembly before the rest of the Constitution was enacted.
   2. It is neither a source of power to the legislature nor a prohibition upon the powers of the legislature.
   Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

   1. A1 only
   2. B2 only
   3. CBoth 1 and 2
   4. DNeither 1 nor 2
2. 2.

   Consider the following words in the Preamble to the Constitution of India:
   1. Socialist
   2. Secular
   3. Integrity
   4. Fraternity
   How many of the above were added to the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
3. 3.

   Consider the following pairs:

   Person	Description of the Preamble
   1. Thakur Das Bhargava	Soul of the Constitution
   2. K.M. Munshi	Identity card of the Constitution
   3. Ernest Barker	Key-note to the Constitution

   How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. CAll three
   4. DNone
4. 4.

   Match List I with List II:

   List I (Case)	List II (Observation)
   A. Berubari Union (1960)	1. Democratic socialism aims to end poverty, ignorance, disease and inequality of opportunity
   B. Kesavananda Bharati (1973)	2. The Preamble is not a part of the Constitution
   C. G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology (2000)	3. Indian socialism is a blend of Marxism and Gandhism
   D. Nakara (1982)	4. The Preamble can be amended, but not its basic features

   Select the correct answer using the code given below:

   1. AA-2, B-4, C-3, D-1
   2. BA-4, B-2, C-1, D-3
   3. CA-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
   4. DA-4, B-2, C-3, D-1
5. 5.

   Consider the following statements:
   Statement-I: India's declaration in 1949 accepting the British Crown as the head of the Commonwealth of Nations does not affect India's sovereignty.
   Statement-II: India's association with the Commonwealth is an agreement by free will, which can be terminated by free will.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
   2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
   3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
   4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
6. 6.

   Consider the following statements:
   Statement-I: The liberty secured by the Preamble to the Constitution of India is absolute.
   Statement-II: The Preamble secures liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship to all citizens through their Fundamental Rights, which are enforceable in courts of law.
   Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

   1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
   2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
   3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
   4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct
7. 7.

   The ideal of justice—social, economic and political—in the Preamble to the Constitution of India has been taken from

   1. Athe French Revolution
   2. Bthe American Declaration of Independence
   3. Cthe Irish Constitution
   4. Dthe Russian Revolution
8. 8.

   With reference to the term 'Republic' in the Preamble to the Constitution of India, consider the following statements:
   1. It indicates that the head of the State is elected for a fixed period.
   2. It indicates that the head of the State must be elected directly by the people.
   3. It implies the absence of any privileged class, so that all public offices are open to every citizen without discrimination.
   Which of the statements given above are correct?

   1. A1 and 2 only
   2. B2 and 3 only
   3. C1 and 3 only
   4. D1, 2 and 3
9. 9.

   Consider the following Articles of the Constitution of India:
   1. Article 15
   2. Article 325
   3. Article 326
   4. Article 39
   How many of the above are provisions of the chapter on Fundamental Rights that ensure civic equality?

   1. AOnly one
   2. BOnly two
   3. COnly three
   4. DAll four
10. 10.

    Consider the following statements:
    1. Although the word 'secular' was added to the Preamble only in 1976, the Supreme Court held in 1974 that the Constitution-makers wanted to establish a secular state.
    2. The Indian Constitution embodies the negative concept of secularism, under which the State keeps away from all religions and gives none of them any support.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
11. 11.

    Consider the following statements:
    1. Switzerland is an example of a country where people exercise their supreme power directly.
    2. Referendum, Initiative, Recall and Plebiscite are devices of indirect democracy.
    3. Representative democracy is of three kinds: parliamentary, presidential and federal.
    How many of the above statements are correct?

    1. AOnly one
    2. BOnly two
    3. CAll three
    4. DNone
12. 12.

    Consider the following pairs:

    Event	Date
    1. Objectives Resolution moved by Nehru	13 December 1946
    2. Objectives Resolution adopted by the Constituent Assembly	22 January 1947
    3. Date of adoption stated in the Preamble	26 January 1950

    Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?

    1. A1 and 3 only
    2. B2 only
    3. C1 and 2 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3
13. 13.

    Consider the following statements regarding the amendability of the Preamble:
    1. The Preamble has been amended only once so far, and that amendment was held to be valid.
    2. The question whether the Preamble can be amended under Article 368 arose for the first time in the Berubari Union case.
    Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

    1. A1 only
    2. B2 only
    3. CBoth 1 and 2
    4. DNeither 1 nor 2
14. 14.

    Article 1 of the Constitution of India describes India as a 'Union of States'. In the context of the Preamble's phrase 'unity and integrity of the Nation', this description makes it clear that

    1. Athe states may secede from the Union through a referendum
    2. Bthe states have no right to secede from the Union
    3. Cthe states are sovereign in their internal affairs
    4. DIndia is a confederation of sovereign states
15. 15.

    Consider the following statements:
    Statement-I: The Supreme Court has held that the Preamble can be amended under Article 368 of the Constitution of India.
    Statement-II: The provisions of the Preamble are not enforceable in courts of law.
    Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

    1. ABoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
    2. BBoth Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
    3. CStatement-I is correct but Statement-II is incorrect
    4. DStatement-I is incorrect but Statement-II is correct

1. 1.

   UPSC 2002

   The purpose of the inclusion of Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution is to establish:

   1. Apolitical democracy
   2. Bsocial democracy
   3. CGandhian democracy
   4. Dsocial and economic democracy
2. 2.

   UPSC 2015

   "To uphold and protect the Sovereignty, Unity and Integrity of India" is a provision made in the

   1. APreamble of the Constitution
   2. BDirective Principles of State Policy
   3. CFundamental Rights
   4. DFundamental Duties
3. 3.

   UPSC 2021

   Which one of the following best defines the term 'State'?

   1. AA community of persons permanently occupying a definite territory independent of external control and possessing an organized government
   2. BA politically organized people of a definite territory and possessing an authority to govern them, maintain law and order, protect their natural rights and safeguard their means of sustenance
   3. CA number of persons who have been living in a definite territory for a very long time with their own culture, tradition and government
   4. DA society permanently living in a definite territory with a central authority, an executive responsible to the central authority and an independent judiciary
4. 4.

   UPSC 2021

   What was the exact constitutional status of India on 26th January, 1950?

   1. AA Democratic Republic
   2. BA Sovereign Democratic Republic
   3. CA Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic
   4. DA Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic
5. 5.

   UPSC 2020

   The Preamble to the Constitution of India is

   1. Aa part of the Constitution but has no legal effect
   2. Bnot a part of the Constitution and has no legal effect either
   3. Ca part of the Constitution and has the same legal effect as any other part
   4. Da part of the Constitution but has no legal effect independently of other parts
6. 6.

   UPSC 2019

   In the context of polity, which one of the following would you accept as the most appropriate definition of liberty?

   1. AProtection against the tyranny of political rulers
   2. BAbsence of restraint
   3. COpportunity to do whatever one likes
   4. DOpportunity to develop oneself fully
7. 7.

   UPSC 2018

   Which one of the following reflects the most appropriate relationship between law and liberty ?

   1. AIf there are more laws, there is less liberty.
   2. BIf there are no laws, there is no liberty.
   3. CIf there is liberty, laws have to be made by the people.
   4. DIf laws are changed too often, liberty is in danger.
8. 8.

   UPSC 2017

   One of the implications of equality in society is the absence of

   1. APrivileges
   2. BRestraints
   3. CCompetition
   4. DIdeology
9. 9.

   UPSC 2017

   Which one of the following objectives is not embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of India ?

   1. ALiberty of thought
   2. BEconomic liberty
   3. CLiberty of expression
   4. DLiberty of belief
10. 10.

    UPSC 2017

    Democracy's superior virtue lies in the fact that it calls into activity

    1. Athe intelligence and character of ordinary men and women.
    2. Bthe methods for strengthening executive leadership.
    3. Ca superior individual with dynamism and vision.
    4. Da band of dedicated party workers.
11. 11.

    UPSC 2017

    The mind of the makers of the Constitution of India is reflected in which of the following ?

    1. AThe Preamble
    2. BThe Fundamental Rights
    3. CThe Directive Principles of State Policy
    4. DThe Fundamental Duties
12. 12.

    UPSC 2013

    'Economic Justice' as one of the objectives of the Indian Constitution has been provided in

    1. Athe Preamble and the Fundamental Rights
    2. Bthe Preamble and the Directive Principles of State Policy
    3. Cthe Fundamental Rights and the Directive Principles of State Policy
    4. DNone of the above
13. 13.

    UPSC 1997

    In the following quotation, “WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all; FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation; In our Constituent Assembly this ‘X’ ………. do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this Constitution.” ‘X’ stands for

    1. Atwenty-sixth day of January, 1950
    2. Btwenty-sixth day of November, 1949
    3. Ctwenty-sixth day of January, 1949
    4. DNone of the above
14. 14.

    UPSC 2020

    Other than the Fundamental Rights, which of the following parts of the Constitution of India reflect/reflects the principles and provisions of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) ?
    1. Preamble
    2. Directive Principles of State Policy
    3. Fundamental Duties
    Select the correct answer using the code given below :

    1. A1 and 2 only
    2. B2 only
    3. C1 and 3 only
    4. D1, 2 and 3