Indian Constitution and Government Institutions
Indian Constitution and Government Institutions
This domain tests the Constitution's making, structure and working institutions: Parliament, President, Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, judiciary, federalism and amendment. The exam rewards exact articles and institutional logic.
Core rules and concepts
- The Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949; it was enforced on 26 January 1950.
- Article 74 provides a Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister to aid and advise the President, making the President a constitutional head.
- Parliament consists of the President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Money bills originate only in the Lok Sabha.
- The judiciary has judicial review; Kesavananda Bharati 1973 established the basic structure doctrine, limiting amendments under Article 368.
- Federalism divides powers through the Union, State and Concurrent Lists, with a unitary bias in emergency provisions and Article 356.
- The Sixth Schedule provides autonomous districts in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram.
Worked example
Why is the basic structure doctrine significant? Reasoning: Article 368 allows constitutional amendment, but Kesavananda Bharati held that Parliament cannot destroy essential features such as supremacy of the Constitution, secularism or judicial review. The reasoning protects constitutional identity without freezing all change.
Traps that cost marks
- Do not confuse adoption 1949 with enforcement 1950.
- The President does not ordinarily exercise substantive executive power.
- A money bill is not the same as a financial bill.
- The Sixth Schedule is not the Fifth Schedule.