Indian Constitution and Polity
Indian Constitution and Polity tests the structure of the Constitution, rights, duties, federal institutions and local government. Expect article-number matching, conceptual distinctions and statement-based questions.
Core rules
- Fundamental Rights are in Articles 12-35 and are enforceable in courts; Article 32 is the Supreme Court writ remedy, while Article 226 is the High Court writ remedy.
- Directive Principles of State Policy are in Articles 36-51; they are not directly enforceable but guide policy.
- Fundamental Duties are in Article 51A; the 42nd Amendment added them.
- The 73rd Amendment inserted Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule for panchayats; the 74th Amendment deals with municipalities.
- The Constitution has 12 schedules; the Seventh Schedule divides powers into Union, State and Concurrent Lists.
Worked example
A question asks which Article protects 'right to life and personal liberty'. The answer is Article 21. Reasoning: Article 19 covers six freedoms, Article 20 protects against ex post facto law and double jeopardy, and Article 22 deals with arrest and detention. The phrase 'life and personal liberty' is the exact scope of Article 21.
Traps
Do not treat DPSP as judicially enforceable fundamental rights. Do not confuse Article 32 with Article 226: both are writ powers, but their courts differ. Do not mix the 73rd and 74th Amendments. In statement questions, one wrong word such as 'only' or 'always' can make a statement false.