Political Science - Constitution, Rights and Government
Domain 3 - Political Science
This section tests the Indian Constitution - rights and duties, organs of government, federal arrangements, elections and local self-government - through definitional and applied questions.
Constitution and rights
- The Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946; the Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and enforced on 26 January 1950. Dr B. R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee.
- The Preamble declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic securing justice, liberty, equality and fraternity.
- Six Fundamental Rights (Articles 12–35) are justiciable; Directive Principles (Part IV) are not enforceable in court; Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) now number eleven.
Government and federalism
- Parliament = President + Lok Sabha (543 elected) + Rajya Sabha (245, of whom 12 nominated).
- Article 32 writ jurisdiction is called the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution by Ambedkar; the five writs are habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari and quo warranto.
- The 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992) gave constitutional status to rural and urban local bodies.
Worked example
'A 12-year-old is hired in a firecracker unit.' The guarantee engaged is Article 24 (right against exploitation), which bans employment of children below 14 in factories, mines and hazardous work; if the child was trafficked or bonded, Article 23 also applies. Remedy: a writ under Article 32 or 226, or a complaint to the labour department or NCPCR. Marks come from naming the right, the age, the hazardous nature of the work and the remedy.
Traps
- Writing that Directive Principles are enforceable in courts.
- Confusing Article 32 (Supreme Court) with Article 226 (High Court).
- Claiming 'socialist' and 'secular' were in the original Preamble; they were inserted by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.