Chapter 1 of 20

CBSE Class 11 Political Science★ 4-6 marks · CBSE Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work) Chapter 1

Constitution — Why and How?

Every country has a constitution — but WHY? This chapter answers: a constitution provides the basic rules for how a country is governed, limits government power, and protects citizens' rights. It traces how India's Constitution was MADE — the Constituent Assembly, the borrowing from other constitutions, and the commitment to justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. CBSE Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work) Chapter 1.

⏱ 22 min readEasy difficulty✓ Free · NCERT-aligned

Ask AI about this

🔤Build your vocabulary from this chapterLexiGenome mines the key words, explains them in your language, and schedules them with spaced repetition.Mine words →

By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1State the five functions of a constitution and explain why each is necessary for a functioning state
2Describe the Constituent Assembly: formation, membership, key figures (Prasad, Ambedkar), duration, and process
3Explain the Preamble's five key words: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic — with the meaning of each
4List the four objectives in the Preamble (Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity) and explain what each means in practice
5Identify what India borrowed from at least 6 foreign constitutions and explain why those specific features were borrowed

💡

Why this chapter matters

This chapter answers the most basic political science question: why does any country need a constitution, and how did India's get made? Understanding the Constituent Assembly, the Preamble's values, and what India borrowed from whom is the foundation for every subsequent chapter. The Preamble encapsulates India's founding promise — and understanding it answers why India chose democracy, secularism, and social justice as its core commitments.

Constitution: Why and How?

"The Constitution is not a mere lawyer's document. It is a vehicle of Life, and its spirit is always the spirit of Age." — B.R. Ambedkar

1. Chapter Overview

This chapter answers the FUNDAMENTAL QUESTIONS: What is a constitution? Why does a country need one? And how was India's Constitution MADE? It covers the Constituent Assembly, the philosophical vision of the Constitution, and its key features — including the unique combination of RIGIDITY and FLEXIBILITY that has allowed it to endure for 75+ years.

2. Why Do We Need a Constitution?

Functions of a Constitution

Provides basic rules: Who has the power to make decisions? How is government formed?
Defines the nature of political system: Federal? Unitary? Parliamentary? Presidential?
Limits government power: Sets boundaries — fundamental rights, judicial review
Enables the government to fulfil aspirations: Directive Principles of State Policy — social, economic goals
Expresses the fundamental identity of the people: The PREAMBLE — who we are as a nation

Constitution as a Living Document

Not a rigid, frozen text
Must be AMENDABLE to respond to changing needs (Article 368)
But also must PROTECT basic structure from easy change

3. How Was the Indian Constitution Made?

The Constituent Assembly

Formed: 1946 (under the Cabinet Mission Plan)
First meeting: December 9, 1946
Original members: 389 (296 from British India, 93 from Princely States) — before Partition
After Partition (August 1947): reduced to 299 members from Indian territories — this is the number that actually drafted and adopted the Constitution
Indirectly ELECTED by provincial assemblies (not universal adult franchise — but fairly representative)
Dr. Rajendra Prasad: President of the Assembly
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Chairman of the Drafting Committee
Sat for 2 years, 11 months, and 18 days
Adopted: November 26, 1949 (celebrated as Constitution Day / Samvidhan Divas)
Came into force: January 26, 1950 (Republic Day — anniversary of Purna Swaraj pledge of 1930)

Key Features of the Constituent Assembly

Representative: Members from all provinces, princely states, and communities (Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, etc.)
Deliberative: Every clause DEBATED. Every amendment discussed.
Consensus-building: The Assembly strove for CONSENSUS, not just majority vote
Visible Ambedkar: The Drafting Committee's chairman was the assembly's intellectual giant

4. The Philosophy of the Constitution — The Preamble

"WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC..."

Word	Meaning
Sovereign	India is INDEPENDENT — no external authority controls it
Socialist	Commitment to reducing inequality; state plays a role in welfare (added by 42nd Amendment, 1976)
Secular	No official religion; equal respect for all religions (added by 42nd Amendment, 1976)
Democratic	Government by the people, through elections, accountable to the people
Republic	Head of state (President) is ELECTED, not hereditary

The Preamble's Objectives

JUSTICE: Social, economic, and political
LIBERTY: Of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship
EQUALITY: Of status and of opportunity
FRATERNITY: Assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation

5. Key Features of the Indian Constitution

Lengthiest written constitution in the world (originally 395 articles, now 470+)
Parliamentary form of government: Executive responsible to the legislature
Federal with unitary features: Strong centre (residuary powers with Union; Article 356 — President's Rule)
Fundamental Rights (Part III): Justiciable — citizens can approach courts
Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV): Non-justiciable — guidelines for governance
Fundamental Duties (Part IVA): Added by 42nd Amendment (1976)
Independent Judiciary: Supreme Court — guardian of the Constitution
Single citizenship: Unlike USA (dual — federal + state citizenship)
Universal Adult Franchise: Every citizen 18+ can vote

6. Borrowings from Other Constitutions

Feature	Source
Parliamentary system, Rule of Law, Single Citizenship	United Kingdom
Fundamental Rights, Judicial Review, Independence of Judiciary	USA
Directive Principles of State Policy	Ireland
Federal system with strong centre	Canada
Amendment procedure (rigid + flexible)	South Africa
Concurrent List	Australia
Emergency provisions	Germany (Weimar)
Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (in Preamble)	France (Revolution slogan)

7. Exam Focus

Why do we need a constitution? (5 functions)
Constituent Assembly — formation, duration, key figures (Prasad, Ambedkar)
Preamble — key words (sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic, republic)
Key features (at least 5 with explanation)
Borrowings from other constitutions (table)

8. Conclusion

The Indian Constitution is not just a legal document — it's a MORAL COMMITMENT:

Made by a REPRESENTATIVE Constituent Assembly over nearly 3 years
Rooted in the values of the FREEDOM STRUGGLE — justice, liberty, equality, fraternity
A LIVING DOCUMENT — amended 100+ times, yet its basic structure endures
Both RIGID (some amendments need special majority + state ratification) and FLEXIBLE (other amendments by simple majority)

Ambedkar said: 'I feel the Constitution is workable; it is flexible and it is strong enough to hold the country together both in peacetime and in wartime.' 75+ years later — he was right.

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Five Functions of a Constitution

1. Provides basic rules of governance | 2. Defines nature of political system | 3. Limits government power (FR + judicial review) | 4. Enables government to fulfil aspirations (DPSP) | 5. Expresses fundamental identity of the people (Preamble)

These 5 functions answer 'why do we need a constitution?' — each function corresponds to a specific part of India's Constitution (e.g., Function 3 = Fundamental Rights; Function 4 = DPSP)

Constituent Assembly Facts

Formed: 1946 (Cabinet Mission Plan) | First meeting: December 9, 1946 | Members (after Partition): 299 | Duration: 2 years, 11 months, 18 days | Adopted: November 26, 1949 (Constitution Day) | Effective: January 26, 1950 (Republic Day)

President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad. Drafting Committee Chairman: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. Dr. Ambedkar is called 'Father of the Indian Constitution.'

Preamble Keywords

Sovereign: India is fully independent — no external authority | Socialist: reduce inequality, state role in welfare (added 42nd Amendment, 1976) | Secular: no state religion, equal respect for all | Democratic: government by the people | Republic: elected head of state (President), not hereditary

Original 1950 Preamble: 'Sovereign Democratic Republic.' 'Socialist' and 'Secular' added by 42nd Amendment (1976) during Emergency.

Constitutional Borrowings

UK: Parliamentary system + Rule of Law + Single Citizenship | USA: Fundamental Rights + Judicial Review + Independence of Judiciary | Ireland: Directive Principles of State Policy | Canada: Federal system + strong Centre | South Africa: Amendment procedure | Australia: Concurrent List | Germany (Weimar): Emergency provisions | France: Liberty, Equality, Fraternity in Preamble

These borrowings reflect pragmatic constitution-making: India chose the best features from multiple democracies rather than following any single model

⚠️

Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT

✗ Saying the Constituent Assembly was directly elected by the people

✓ The Constituent Assembly was INDIRECTLY ELECTED — members were elected by provincial legislative assemblies (not by direct popular vote). This was because universal adult franchise elections weren't possible in the chaos of Partition. However, the Assembly was representative: all communities, provinces, women, and minority groups were included.

WATCH OUT

✗ Saying 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were always in the Preamble

✓ The original Preamble (1950) said 'Sovereign Democratic Republic.' 'Socialist' and 'Secular' were added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976 during the Emergency. This is a controversial fact — the addition was made when Parliament lacked a free opposition. Some argue the original makers' intent was already secular and socialist through the DPSP and Fundamental Rights.

WATCH OUT

✗ Confusing 'Republic' with 'Democracy'

✓ Democracy = government by the people (citizens elect representatives). Republic = head of state is ELECTED (not hereditary). USA is both a democracy and a republic (elected President). UK is a democracy but NOT a republic (hereditary monarchy as head of state). India is both — it has democratic elections AND an elected President.

WATCH OUT

✗ Saying Jawaharlal Nehru was Chairman of the Drafting Committee

✓ Nehru was India's first Prime Minister and played a huge role in the Constituent Assembly, BUT he was NOT Chairman of the Drafting Committee. DR. B.R. AMBEDKAR was the Chairman of the 7-member Drafting Committee that actually wrote the constitutional text. Rajendra Prasad was the President of the entire Assembly.

NCERT exercises (with solutions)

Every NCERT exercise from this chapter — what it covers and how many questions to expect.

Chapter Ex s

Chapter Exercises

Functions of constitution; Constituent Assembly formation; Preamble analysis; constitutional borrowings; comparison of constitutions; significance of November 26 and January 26

Questions

Practice problems

Try each one yourself before tapping "Show solution". Active recall > rereading.

Q1EASY· Preamble Analysis

Read the Preamble excerpt: 'We, the People of India, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE (social, economic, political); LIBERTY (of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship); EQUALITY (of status and of opportunity); and to promote among them all FRATERNITY.' Explain any TWO of the underlined terms in the context of India's constitutional values.

▶ Show solution

**SECULAR**:
Secularism in the Indian Constitution means: (i) The state has NO official religion — unlike Pakistan (Islam) or Israel (Judaism). (ii) The state treats all religions with EQUAL RESPECT (positive secularism), not separation (US-style). (iii) No religious instruction in government-aided schools. (iv) Personal laws (Hindu, Muslim, Christian) are respected but must comply with constitutional rights. Added to Preamble by 42nd Amendment (1976). In practice: India has Muslim Personal Law Board, Hindu temples under government control, Christian missionary schools funded by state — a complex pluralism, not American-style strict separation.

**FRATERNITY**:
Fraternity means a sense of BROTHERHOOD — that all citizens, regardless of caste, religion, gender, or region, are part of ONE national community. It specifically 'assures the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.' Fraternity is the VALUE that makes the other three possible: without a sense of common belonging, equality (removing caste discrimination) and liberty (of minorities) are contested. Ambedkar particularly emphasised fraternity because caste division was India's deepest obstacle to constitutional citizenship — formal equality on paper means nothing without social recognition of equal human dignity.

Q2MEDIUM· Constitutional Borrowings

India borrowed features from many constitutions. For each feature below, name the source country and explain briefly WHY India chose to adopt it: (a) Parliamentary form of government, (b) Directive Principles of State Policy, (c) Judicial Review, (d) Concurrent List.

▶ Show solution

(a) **Parliamentary system → United Kingdom**:
Why borrowed: India had experience with parliamentary institutions under British rule (provincial legislatures, Central Legislative Assembly). The system makes the executive ACCOUNTABLE to the legislature — the Prime Minister and Cabinet can be removed by a vote of no confidence. This accountability suits a multi-party democracy more than the US presidential system (where the President serves a fixed term regardless of legislative support). The Constituent Assembly debated this and chose parliamentary over presidential — fearing that in a diverse India, a directly elected president might concentrate too much power.

(b) **Directive Principles of State Policy → Ireland**:
Why borrowed: India's challenge was not just political freedom but social and economic transformation (poverty, untouchability, landlessness). DPSPs give the government GOALS to achieve over time — equal pay for equal work (Art 39), free legal aid (Art 39A), village panchayats (Art 40) — without making them legally enforceable (which courts couldn't enforce against resource constraints). Ireland had a similar approach in its 1937 Constitution for a newly independent, economically challenged nation.

(c) **Judicial Review → USA**:
Why borrowed: Judicial review — the court's power to strike down laws that violate the Constitution — protects Fundamental Rights from parliamentary majority. The USA's experience (Marbury v. Madison, 1803) demonstrated that without judicial review, the Bill of Rights is meaningless paper. India's Constituent Assembly wanted courts to be the GUARDIAN of the Constitution, not Parliament.

(d) **Concurrent List → Australia**:
Why borrowed: In federal systems, some subjects (education, marriage, forests, trade unions) cannot be neatly assigned to either Centre or States — they affect both. Australia's constitution had a Concurrent List allowing BOTH Parliament and State Legislatures to make laws on these subjects, with central law prevailing in case of conflict. This flexibility suited India's complex governance needs better than a strict two-list system.

Q3HARD· Constituent Assembly

Critically evaluate whether the Constituent Assembly was truly 'representative' of India. Include: who was represented, who was not, what processes ensured diverse voices were heard, and whether the resulting Constitution reflects the concerns of all sections.

▶ Show solution

**Who WAS represented**:
(i) Geographic diversity: Members from all provinces of British India (296) and Princely States (93) — after Partition, 299 members from Indian territory.
(ii) Community representation: Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Parsis, Anglo-Indians — through communal/minority seat allocation.
(iii) Women: 15 women members including Sarojini Naidu, Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Amrit Kaur (Minorities Sub-Committee), G. Durgabai.
(iv) Dalits/Scheduled Castes: Ambedkar himself was the most prominent Dalit representative — his chairmanship of the Drafting Committee ensured Dalit concerns were central.
(v) Political diversity: Congress majority but also League members (briefly), Communists, Socialists, Liberals.

**Limitations — who was underrepresented**:
(i) Indirectly elected: Members were chosen by provincial legislatures (themselves elected on limited franchise with property qualification before 1947). Not directly elected by universal adult franchise.
(ii) Overwhelmingly English-educated elite: Most members were lawyers, professionals, intellectuals. The landless peasant, factory worker, or tribal community had no direct voice — their interests were represented BY elite members who CLAIMED to speak for them.
(iii) Women grossly underrepresented: Only 15 women out of 299 — 5%. India's female population was 50%.
(iv) Tribal communities: Scheduled Tribes had some representation but minimal — the Constitution's tribal provisions (Fifth Schedule, Sixth Schedule) were negotiated primarily by educated tribal representatives and sympathetic non-tribal leaders.

**Processes ensuring diverse voices**:
(i) 22 Committees: Fundamental Rights Committee, Advisory Committee on Minorities, Drafting Committee — each consulted widely.
(ii) Extensive floor debates: Every clause was debated over 165 days of Assembly sittings. Members spoke in English AND Indian languages.
(iii) Public submissions: Provincial assemblies and public organisations submitted memoranda.
(iv) Consensus approach: Rather than voting on contested issues, the Assembly sought consensus — minority objections were heard and accommodated where possible.

**Does the Constitution reflect all sections?**:
Fundamental Rights (Part III) directly addressed elite concerns (property right, free speech, equality). DPSPs addressed working-class, peasant, and welfare concerns (living wage, free legal aid, protection of health). However, critics note: (i) No socioeconomic rights (right to work, housing) as justiciable FRs; (ii) Tribal land rights inadequately protected initially (Fifth Schedule was weak); (iii) Women's personal law reform (uniform civil code) was deferred to a DPSP (Art 44) rather than a FR, reflecting political compromise over Muslim personal law. Overall, the Assembly produced a document remarkable for its time — but reflecting the constraints of a newly independent, socially unequal, politically diverse nation.

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•5 Functions: basic rules + defines political system + limits power + fulfils aspirations + expresses identity
•Constituent Assembly: formed 1946, 299 members (after Partition), Prasad (President), Ambedkar (Drafting Committee Chair), 2 yrs 11 months 18 days, adopted Nov 26 1949, effective Jan 26 1950
•Preamble: Sovereign (independent) + Socialist (equality, added 1976) + Secular (no state religion, added 1976) + Democratic (elections) + Republic (elected head) = SSSDR
•4 Preamble objectives: JELF — Justice (social, economic, political) + Equality (status, opportunity) + Liberty (thought, expression, belief) + Fraternity (dignity + unity)
•8 constitutional borrowings: UK (Parliament), USA (FRs + JR), Ireland (DPSP), Canada (federal), S.Africa (amendment), Australia (Concurrent List), Germany (Emergency), France (Preamble)
•Ambedkar's contribution: Drafting Committee, drafted text, argued for individual rights vs. community rights, 'Father of the Constitution'

CBSE marks blueprint

Where the marks come from in this chapter — so you can plan your prep.

Typical chapter weightage: 4-6 marks

Question type	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
Short Answer (SA-I)	2	1-2	Name the Chairman of Drafting Committee; state when Constitution was adopted vs came into force; define 'secular' or 'republic' in Preamble
Short Answer (SA-II)	4	1	Explain functions of a constitution; describe Constituent Assembly formation; explain 3 borrowings from other constitutions with reasons
Long Answer (LA)	6	1	Explain all 5 functions of constitution with examples; describe Constituent Assembly in detail with key facts; evaluate whether the Assembly was representative; analyse the Preamble

Prep strategy

The constitutional borrowings table (8 countries + features + reasons) is guaranteed to appear every year in some form. Memorise UK (parliamentary system), USA (Fundamental Rights + judicial review), Ireland (DPSP), Canada (federal + strong centre), Australia (Concurrent List), South Africa (amendment procedure), Germany (Emergency), France (Preamble values).
Constituent Assembly facts to memorise exactly: formed 1946, first meeting Dec 9 1946, after Partition 299 members, Rajendra Prasad = President, B.R. Ambedkar = Drafting Committee Chairman, duration 2 yrs 11 months 18 days, adopted Nov 26 1949 = Constitution Day, effective Jan 26 1950 = Republic Day.
Preamble is a guaranteed 4-6 mark question. Either explain ALL 5 key words OR explain the 4 objectives (Justice/Liberty/Equality/Fraternity). Always give examples for each — 'Secular means no state religion, e.g., government schools cannot force religious instruction' is better than just 'Secular means no official religion.'

Where this shows up in the real world

This chapter isn't just an exam topic — it lives in the world around you.

Preamble as Political Touchstone

The Preamble is invoked in every major constitutional debate: CAA opponents cite 'Secular'; CAA supporters cite 'Sovereign.' Courts have held that while the Preamble is not directly enforceable, it is the 'key to open the minds of the makers' (Berubari Case, 1960) and must guide interpretation of all provisions. Understanding the Preamble means you can participate in any citizenship debate.

Constitution Day in Schools

Since 2015, November 26 is officially Constitution Day — schools across India read the Preamble aloud. This chapter is literally the syllabus for that event. The Preamble's values (the 4 objectives: Justice, Equality, Liberty, Fraternity) are read every year in millions of classrooms — understanding what they mean is civic education at its most fundamental.

Exam strategy

Battle-tested tips from teachers and toppers for this chapter.

For Preamble questions: memorise the exact order SSSDR + JELF (Justice, Equality, Liberty, Fraternity). Examiners give 2 marks for just correctly listing Preamble features; 4 marks for explaining them with examples.
For Constituent Assembly questions: always include THREE types of facts — composition (299 members, indirect election), process (165 days debates, 22 committees), and outcome (Nov 26 1949 adoption). Don't just state facts — explain WHY the process ensured legitimacy.
Borrowings question: never write more than 1-2 sentences per country. Aim for 6 countries in 4 marks. Structure: 'From UK: Parliamentary system — India adopted this because it ensures executive accountability to elected legislature.' One sentence per country is sufficient.

Going beyond the textbook

For olympiad aspirants and curious learners — topics that build on this chapter.

Compare India's Constituent Assembly with South Africa's (1994–1996). South Africa's post-apartheid constitution-making was also by an elected assembly but used far more public participation (2 million public submissions). Compare the legitimacy-building processes and outcomes — did more participation produce a 'better' constitution?
Study Dr. Ambedkar's 'Annihilation of Caste' (1936) speech — written before the Constitution, it reveals his vision for constitutional citizenship. Compare what he wanted (complete annihilation of caste through intermarriage, common worship) with what the Constitution actually achieved (reservation + anti-discrimination laws). Did the Constitution go far enough?

Where else this chapter is tested

CBSE board isn't the only one — other exams test this chapter too.

CBSE Class 11 BoardHigh

CUET Political ScienceHigh

UPSC Prelims + Mains (GS-2: Polity)Very High

AI helpers for this chapter

Generate more practice on the fly, or have the chapter explained at a different level.

⚡

Generate 5 more questions

Fresh MCQs + short-answer items based on this chapter, plus answer keys.

🧠

Explain at a different level

Re-explain the chapter at the level you actually want.

📝 My notes

Saved on this device — sign in to sync · how this works

0/600

Questions students ask

The real ones — pulled from the Q&A community and tutor sessions.

The Constituent Assembly debated this. Presidential system (USA): directly elected president with fixed term, separate from legislature. Parliamentary system (UK): PM chosen by legislature, accountable to it through confidence votes. India chose parliamentary because: (i) Indians had experience with parliamentary institutions under British rule. (ii) India's diversity made it essential that the executive be continuously accountable — a directly elected president with 5-year guaranteed tenure could become authoritarian. (iii) Parliamentary system allows governments to change without elections when they lose majority — more flexible.

November 26, 1949 = Constitution was ADOPTED (signed by Constituent Assembly members). Now celebrated as 'Constitution Day' or 'Samvidhan Divas' (declared by Modi government in 2015, to mark 125th birth anniversary of Ambedkar). January 26, 1950 = Constitution came INTO FORCE (implemented). Celebrated as 'Republic Day' — marking India becoming a sovereign republic. The date January 26 was deliberately chosen to coincide with the anniversary of the 1930 Purna Swaraj (Complete Independence) pledge of the Indian National Congress.

Practice more, ask doubts, find a tutor

CBSE Class 11 mock tests

CBSE Class 11 PYQs

Ask in Q&A

Political Science flashcards

Related chapters

Students who read Constitution — Why and How? usually read these next.

Rights in the Indian Constitution (Fundamental Rights)

The Constitution doesn't just create government — it PROTECTS citizens from government. This chapter covers the 6 Fundamental Rights (Part III), the difference between rights and Directive Principles, and the remedy when rights are violated: writs and the Supreme Court. CBSE Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work) Chapter 2.

Election and Representation

Democracy means rule by the people — but HOW do the people choose their representatives? This chapter covers India's electoral system: First-Past-The-Post, universal adult franchise, the Election Commission, and electoral reforms. CBSE Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work) Chapter 3.

Executive

Who actually RUNS the country? The Executive — from the President (nominal head) to the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (real executive). This chapter explains India's parliamentary executive, the distinction between nominal and real executive power, and the bureaucracy that implements decisions. CBSE Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work) Chapter 4.

Legislature

Parliament is where laws are made, the government is held accountable, and the people's voice finds expression. This chapter covers the structure of India's Parliament (Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha), how a bill becomes a law, and Parliament's role in controlling the executive. CBSE Class 11 Political Science (Indian Constitution at Work) Chapter 5.