CBSE - Constitutional Design

In 1928, Moti Lal Nehru and eight other congress leaders drafted a constitution for India

How independent India’s constitution should look like. 

The Long March to Freedom 

African National Congress 

Here are some false statements. Identify the mistake in each case and rewrite these correctly based on what you have read in this chapter.
(a) Leaders of the freedom movement had an open mind about whether the country should be democratic or not after independence.
(b) Members of the Constituent Assembly of India held the same views on all provisions of the Constitution.
(c) A country that has a constitution must be a democracy.
(d) Constitution cannot be amended because it is the supreme law of a country.

Answer

(a) Leaders of the freedom movement had a consensus that the country should be a democratic nation after independence.
(b) Members of the Constituent Assembly of India held the same views on the basic principles of the constitution.
(c) A country that is a democracy must have a constitution.
(d) Constitution can be amended to keep up with the changes in aspirations of the society.

Which of these was the most salient underlying conflict in the making of a democratic constitution in South Africa?
(a) Between South Africa and its neighbours
(b) Between men and women
(c) Between the white majority and the black minority
(d) Between the coloured minority and the black majority
ANS (d) Between the coloured minority and the black majority

Which of these is a provision that a democratic constitution does not have?
(a) Powers of the head of the state
(b) Name of the head of the state
(c) Powers of the legislature
(d) Name of the country
ANS (b) Name of the head of the state

(a) Motilal Nehru (b) Β.R. Ambedkar (c) Rajendra Prasad (d) Sarojini Naidu

(i) President of the Constituent Assembly (ii) Member of the Constituent Assembly (iii) Chairman of the Drafting Committee (iv) Prepared a Constitution for India in 1928

Answer
 

(a) Why did Nehru use the expression “not wholly or in full measure” in the first sentence?
(b) What pledge did he want the makers of the Indian Constitution to take?
(c) “The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye”. Who was he referring to?

Answer

(a) Nehru used the expression “not wholly or in full measure” because according to him the task of building a nation is a gargantuan task which cannot be fulfilled in one’s lifetime.

(b) The pledge that he wanted the makers of the Indian Constitution to take was to dedicate their lives to the service of India, the Indian people and the humanity at large.

(c) He was referring to Mahatma Gandhi.

(a) Sovereign (b) Republic (c) Fraternity (d) Secular

(i) Government will not favour any religion. (ii) People have the supreme right to make decisions. (iii) Head of the state is an elected person. (iv) People should live like brothers and sisters.

Answer

(a)-(ii), (b)-(iii), (c)-(iv), (d)-(i)

A friend from Nepal has written you a letter describing the political exercises situation there. Many political parties are opposing the rule of the king. Some of them say that the existing constitution given by the monarch can be amended to allow more powers to elected representatives. Others are demanding a new Constituent Assembly to write a republican constitution. Reply to your friend giving your opinions on the subject.

Answer

In my opinion second option is best. Making small amendments does not shift whole power in hands of representatives. This does not make total responsibilty on elected representatives what will happen in next years. So, a new and well drafted constitution is right choice.

Here are different opinions about what made India a democracy. How much importance would you give to each of these factors?
(a) Democracy in India is a gift of the British rulers. We received training to work with representative legislative institutions under the British rule.
(b) Freedom Struggle challenged the colonial exploitation and denial of different freedoms to Indians. Free India could not be anything but democratic.
(c) We were lucky to have leaders who had democratic convictions. The denial of democracy in several other newly independent countries shows the important role of these leaders.

Answer

(a) Democracy in India is a gift of the British rulers. We received training to work with representative legislative institutions under the British rule. 

(b) Freedom struggle was important in spreading the idea of nationalism in India and inculcating the practice of making decisions by consensus.

(c) The leaders had the desire to give freedoms to the people. India’s freedom struggle is the only example of a bloodless freedom struggle in the contemporary history. This could be possible because our nationalist leaders had the maturity to listen to others’ views.

Read the following extract from a conduct book for ‘married women’, published in 1912. ‘God has made the female species delicate and fragile both physically and emotionally, pitiably incapable of self-defence. They are destined thus by God to remain in male protection – of father, husband and son – all their lives. Women should, therefore, not despair, but feel obliged that they can dedicate themselves to the service of men’. Do you think the values expressed in this para reflected the values underlying our constitution? Or does this go against the constitutional values?

Answer

the values expressed in this para is totally contradictory to the values underlying our constitution. Here, women are treated as weak while in our constitution men and women bothare treated equal. The governmental policies also favour women to bring them in mainstream.

Read the following statements about a constitution. Give reasons why each of these is true or not true.
(a) The authority of the rules of the constitution is the same as that of any other law.
(b) Constitution lays down how different organs of the government will be formed.
(c) Rights of citizens and limits on the power of the government are laid down in the constitution.
(d) A constitution is about institutions, not about values.

Answer

(a) Not True
Constitution is the supreme law. It describes how government elects and their powers, rights of citizens and their protection. This is totally different than any other law.

(b) True

Constitution defines the role of the legislature, the executive and the judiciary and how they should be formed and by whom. 
(c) True
Constitutional setup limits the power of government through dfferent institutions and also talks about the right of citizens.

(d) Not True
The Constitution contains all the values which the institutions have to promote. The Preamble to the Constitution is a shining example of this and states clearly that justice, liberty, equality and fraternity have to be promoted. Secularism has to be followed and socialism and democracy should be the basis of the government. 

1. Somnath lahiri ( 1901-1984)

2. Born- West Bengal

3. Writer and Editor.

4. Leader of Communist Party of India.

5. Later member of West Bengal legislative Assembly 

1. We the people of United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insecure domestic tranquility.

2. Provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.

3. Do ordain and establish the constitution for the United States of America. 

1. Apartheid refers to the official policy of racial separation and ill treatment of blacks followed by the white government of South Africa between 1948 and 1989.

2. This practice of racial discrimination remained for the longest period in South Africa. 

1. The rulers should lay down how the rulers are to be chosen in future.  

2. These rules should also determine what the elected governments are empowered to do and what they cannot do.

3. These rules should decide the rights of the citizens. 

1. The drafting of the document called the constitution was done by an assembly elected representatives called Constituent Assembly.

2. Elections to Constituent Assembly were held in July 1946.

3. Its first meeting was held in December 1946.

4. The Constituent Assembly was also divided into the Constituent Assembly of India and Pakistan after the Partition.

5. The Constituent Assembly that wrote the Indian Constitution constituted as many as 299 members. 

1. Sovereign: People have supreme right to make decisions on internal as well as external matters. No external power can dictate the government of India.  

2. Socialist: Wealth is generated socially and should be shared equally by society. Government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce socioeconomic inequalities.

3.  Secular: Citizens have complete freedom to follow any religion. But there is no official religion. Government treats all religious beliefs and practices with equal respect.

4. Democratic: A form of government where people enjoy equal rights, elect their rulers and hold them accountable. The government is run according to some basic rules.

5. Republic: The head of the state is an elected person and not a hereditary position. 

1. Justice: Citizens cannot be discriminated on the ground of caste, religion and gender. Social inequalities have to be reduced. Government should work for the welfare of all, especially of the disadvantaged group.  

2. Liberty: There are no unreasonable restrictions on the citizens in what they wish to express their thoughts and the way they wish to follow up their thought in action.

3. Equality: All are equal before the law. The traditional social inequalities have to be ended. The government should ensure equal opportunity for all.

4. Fraternity: All should behave as if we are members of the same family. No one should treat a fellow citizen as inferior. 

July 1946 

Dr Rajinder Prasad 

Dr B.R. Ambedkar 

Lord Mount Batten 

1. The Constituent Assembly completed the constitution on 26th November 1949.

2. But it was imposed on 26th January 1950 to give due importance to the date, 26th January.

3. To mark this day we celebrate it as the Republic Day every year. 

1. Constituent Assembly was not elected directly by all the people of India.

2. It was elected mainly by the members of the existing Provincial Legislatures.

3. The Assembly was dominated by the Indian National Congress. 

1. Over the last half of century, several groups have questioned some provisions of the constitution.

2. But no large social group or political party has ever questioned the legitimacy of the constitution itself.

3. This is an unusual achievement for any constitution. 

1. The whites agreed to the principle of majority rule and that of one person, one vote.

2. They also agreed to accept some basic rights for the poor and the workers.  

3. The Blacks agreed that majority would not be absolute.

4. They agreed that the majority would not take away the property of the white people

1. Dr Ambedkar was the chairman of the Drafting Committee.

2. He was a social revolutionary thinker and agitator against caste divisions and caste based inequalities.

3. He played a very important role in the making of the constitution but had a different understanding of how inequalities could be removed.

4. He often bitterly criticized Mahatma Gandhi and his vision. 

1. It is true that the constitution is the supreme law of a country.

2. It is the foundation of a democratic entity.

3. The rules laid down in the constitution are basis on which all the other laws are framed.

4. It follows that the constitutional rules have the same authority, perhaps even greater, as any other law of a country. 

1. Indian constitution begins with a short statement of its basic values. This is called Preamble.

2. It is very long and detailed document.

3. It has to be in accordance with people’s aspiration and changes in society.

4. Indian constitution lays down a procedure for choosing persons to govern the country.

5. It is very rigid.

6.     It puts limits to what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizens that cannot be violated. 

1. It declares India to be a sovereign, Socialist, Secular Democratic Republic.  

2. It envisages Justice-Social, Economic and political for all the citizens of the Republic.

3. It ensures all types of freedom necessary for the individuals that are freedom of thought and expression.

4. It strives for equality of status and opportunity to all individuals and safeguards their dignity irrespective of their religious belief or section.

5. It promotes a sense of brotherhood among the citizens. 

Q.1. On what charges was Nelson Mandela sentenced to life imprisonment?
(a) For treason (b) For breaking the laws
(c) For corruption charges (d) for possessing illegal property

Q.2. what is apartheid?

(a) Election in proportion to population (b) Official policy of discrimination against the Blacks
(c) Equality among all (d) None of the above

Q.3. In which way did the system of apartheid discriminate among the South Africans?
(a) Restricted social contacts between the races (b) Segregation of public facilities
(c) Created race­specific job categories (d) All the above

Q.4. Name the organisation that led the struggle against the policies of segregation.
(a) African National Conference (b) African Neutral Congress
(c) African National Congress (d) All National Party

Q.5. why did the white regime decide to change its policies?
(a) Increase in protests and struggles
(b) Government realised that repression was becoming difficult
(c) Rise of sympathetic attitude in government for the blacks
(d) Both (a) and (b)

Q.6. which of these did not form a part of the changed attitude of South African government?
(a) Discriminatory laws were repealed (b) Ban on political parties and media was lifted
(c) Nelson Mandela was freed from imprisonment (d) More discriminatory laws were passed

Q.7. when did South Africa become a democratic country?
(a) 26 April, 1995 (b) 26 April, 1994 (c) 24 March, 1994 (d) 27 April, 1996

Q.8. With the end of apartheid, who became the first President of South African Republic?
(a) F.W. de Klerk (b) P.W. Botha (c) Nelson Mandela (d) None of the above

Q.9. Name the autobiography of Nelson Mandela.
(a) The Long Walk to Freedom (b) South Africa Wins Freedom (c) Walk to Freedom (d) Our Freedom

Q.10. what did the black population want in the new Constitution?
(a) A black President (b) Substantial social and economic rights
(c) Whites should be turned out of the country (d) Apartheid for the whites

Q.11. what did the white minority want from the new Constitution?
(a) Protect its privileges and property (b) A separate country for themselves
(c) Reservation in legislature (d) some special rights

Q.12. During negotiations for making the Constitution, the whites agreed to
(a) The principle of majority rule (b) One person one vote
(c) Accept some basic rights for the poor and the workers (d) All the above

Q.13. which of the following sentences is correct?
(a) All countries that have constitutions are necessarily democratic
(b) All countries that are democratic necessarily have constitutions
(c) Both (a) and (b) (d) None of the above)

Q.14. when did Motilal Nehru draft a Constitution for India?
(a) 1927 (b) 1926 (c) 1929 (d) 1928

Q.15. Where was the 1931 session of Indian National Congress held?
(a) Nagpur (b) Karachi (c) Calcutta (d) Delhi

Q.16. which of these features were accepted by all the Indian leaders much before they satDown to make the Constitution?
(a) Universal adult franchise (b) Right to freedom
(c) Protection of the rights of minorities (d) All the above

Q.17. According to which Act were the elections held to provincial legislatures in India in 1937?
(a) Government of India Act, 1935 (b) Government of India Act, 1919
(c) Government of India Act, 1909 (d) None of the above

Q.18. which of these inspired our leaders while framing the Constitution?
(a) Ideals of the French Revolution (b) Parliamentary democracy in Britain
(c) Bill of Rights in US (d) All the above

Q.19. which revolution in the world inspired the Indians to set up a socialist economy?
(a) French Revolution (b) Turkish Revolution
(c) Russian Revolution (d) American War of Independence

Q.20. Name the body which framed the Constitution of India?
(a) General Assembly (b) Constituent Assembly (c) Constitutional Assembly (d) People’s Assembly
 

ANSWER

1(a) 2 (b) 3 (d) 4 (c) 5 (d) 6 (d) 7 (b) 8 (c) 9 (a) 10(b)
11 (a) 12(d) 13(b) 14 (d) 15 (b) 16 (d) 17 (a) 18(d) 19 (c) 20 (b)

Q.21. when did the Assembly adopt the Constitution?
(a) 26 November, 1949 (b) 26 December, 1949 (c) 26 January, 1950 (d) 26 January, 1949

Q.22. Who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly?
(a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (b) Jawaharlal Nehru (c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (d) Abul Kalam Azad

Q.23. How many amendments were considered before adopting the Constitution?
(a) Around 500 (b) Around 2000 (c) Around 1550 (d) Around 1000

Q.24. Who said the following?
“I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country
..... InWhich all communities shall live in perfect harmony?”
(a) Mahatma Gandhi (b) Jawaharlal Nehru (c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (d) Sarojini Naidu

Q.25. Who among these leaders was a bitter critic of Mahatma Gandhi?
(a) Maulana Abul Kalam Azad (b) Sarojini Naidu (c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Q.26. “The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from Every eye.” Who was Nehru referring to in his speech?
(a) Abdul Ghaffar Khan (b) Mahatma Gandhi (c) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (d) Vallabhbhai Patel

Q.27. The Constitution begins with a short statement of its basic values. What is it called?
(a) Preface (b) Preamble (c) Introduction (d) Article

Q.28. Match these guiding values with their meanings.
(A) Sovereign (i) government will not favour any particular religion
(B) Republic (ii) People will have supreme right to make decisions without outsideInterference
(C) Fraternity (iii) Head of the state is an elected person
(D) Secular (IV) There should be a feeling of brotherhood among all the people 
(a) A­(iii), B­(i), C­(ii), D­(IV) 
(b) A­(ii), B­(iii), C­(iv), D­(i)
(c) A­(i), B­(IV), C­(iii), D­(ii) 
(d) A­(IV), B­(iii), C­(i), D­(ii)

Q.29. which of these countries is/are examples of a Republic?
(a) USA (b) India (c) South Africa (d) All the above

Q.30. what kind of ‘Justice’ does our Preamble provide?
(a) Economic Justice (b) Political Justice (C) Social Justice (d) All the above

Q.31. which of these positions is correct in relation to the ‘Sovereign’ status of India?
(a) USA can decide India’s foreign policy
(b) USSR can support the CPI (M) in setting up its government here
(c) The Indian government only can decide its internal and external policies
(d) Pakistan can control India’s Armed Forces

Q.32. Who was the chairman of the Constituent Assembly?
(a) Jawaharlal Nehru (b) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (c) B.R. Ambedkar (d) Mahatma Gandhi

Q.33. which of the following days is celebrated to mark the enforcement of the constitution?
(a) Republic Day (b) Independence Day (c) Gandhi Jayanti (d) Constitution Enforcement Day

Q.34.The Indian constitution has borrowed from
(i) Ideas from French Revolution (ii) The British Constitution
(iii) The Bill of Rights of the US (IV) Israeli Constitution
(a) i, ii, iv (b) i, ii, iii, (c) ii, iii, iv (d) i, ii, iv

Q.35.The Constituent Assembly met for how many days?
(a) 114 (b) 280 (c) 365 (d) 150

Q36. Who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian constitution?
(a) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (b) Jawaharlal Nehru (c) C. Rajgopalachari (d) Dr. Rajendra Prasad

Q.37. When did the Indian constitution come into force?
(a) 26th Nov, 1949 (b) 15th August, 1947 (c) 26th Jan, 1950 (d) 26th Jan, 1930

Q.38. Who prepared the draft of a constitution for India in 1928?
(a) Motilal Nehru (b) B. R. Ambedkar (c) Dr. Rajendra Prasad (d) Jawaharlal Nehru

Q.39 When was the Constitution of India adopted?
(a) 26th Nov, 1949 (b) 26th Jan, 1949 (c) 26th Jan, 1950 (d) 26th Nov, 1950

Q.40. Drafting Committee was chaired by:
(a) Gandhiji (b) Pt. J.L. Nehru (c) Baldev Singh (d) Dr B.R. Ambedkar

ANSWER

21(a) 22 (c) 23 (b) 24 (a) 25 (c) 26 (b) 27 (b) 28 (b) 29 (d)30 (d)
31(c) 32 (b) 33(a) 34(b) i, ii, iii, 35 (a) 36.(a) 37(c) 38 (a) 39 (a) 40(d)