Kerala SSLC Social Science cheat sheet

Kerala SSLC Social Science - Core Reference

• Indian Constitution: adopted 26 November 1949, came into force 26 January 1950; Dr B. R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee; the Preamble declares India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.

• Fundamental Rights (Part III) run from Article 12 to 35; the Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32) is called the 'heart and soul of the Constitution' by Ambedkar; writs are habeas corpus, mandamus, prohibition, certiorari and quo warranto.

• Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV, Articles 36–51) are non-justiciable; Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Amendment (1976) on the Swaran Singh Committee recommendation, Article 51A.

• Union executive: President is elected indirectly by an electoral college (elected MPs and elected MLAs), holds office 5 years, is supreme commander of the armed forces; real executive power rests with the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister (Article 74).

• Indian federalism features a strong Centre: single citizenship, single integrated judiciary, All India Services, emergency provisions (Articles 352, 356, 360) and residuary powers with the Union (Article 248, Union List).

• Kerala-specific civics: the state has 140 Assembly seats; Kerala was formed on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act merging Travancore-Cochin with Malabar; Panchayati Raj in Kerala is noted for decentralised people's planning since 1996.

• Elections: Election Commission of India (Article 324) conducts Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, President and Vice-President polls; the minimum voting age is 18 (61st Amendment, 1988); EVMs with VVPAT are used at polling stations.

• Anti-defection law is the Tenth Schedule (52nd Amendment, 1985); a member disqualified for defection loses the seat; the Speaker/Chairman decides, subject to judicial review.

• Local self-government: the 73rd Amendment (1992) gave constitutional status to Panchayats (Part IX, Eleventh Schedule, 29 subjects) and the 74th Amendment to Urban Local Bodies (Part IXA, Twelfth Schedule, 18 subjects); one-third seats reserved for women.