CDS Polity · Free notes
The Indian Constitution: CDS Polity
The Indian Constitution has 82 past-year questions in CDS General Knowledge, from 2016 (II) to 2026 (II), and 22 of them are HARD. Every year in that span has at least three. Almost all of them turn on an exact number: an Article, a Schedule, an amendment or a date. The wrong options are the neighbouring numbers, 371C beside 371D or the 35th Amendment beside the 36th, so these pages set each number in a table next to the ones it is confused with. Nothing here needs working out, but nearly everything needs to be learnt exactly.
The handout has every subtopic, worked example, formula and trap with answers shown. The formula sheet is the chapter’s formulas and traps alone, on one page.
Subtopic notes
Making of the Constitution
11 PYQsHow the Constituent Assembly was chosen, who drafted the Constitution, and the steps from the Indian Independence Act of 1947 to the Republic of 26 January 1950.
Sources and the Preamble
5 PYQsWhich features the Constitution borrowed from which country, the exact words of the Preamble in their order, and the three words the 42nd Amendment added in 1976.
Parts, Schedules and Citizenship
15 PYQsWhat each of the twelve Schedules contains, the tribal-area Schedules (Fifth and Sixth) in detail, the languages of the Eighth Schedule, and citizenship under Part II.
The Union and the States
16 PYQsWhy India is a Union of States, how Parliament can make or change a State, the special provisions of Articles 370 and 371, and the rules for Delhi and the Union Territories.
Centre-State Relations
9 PYQsHow the Seventh Schedule divides law-making between the Union, State and Concurrent Lists, and the commissions and councils set up to manage relations between the Centre and the States.
Amending the Constitution
16 PYQsHow Article 368 amends the Constitution, the basic structure that no amendment may destroy, and the amendments CDS names by number and year.
Emergency Provisions
10 PYQsThe three emergencies of Part XVIII (national, President's Rule in a State, financial), their grounds and Articles, and what happens to the Fundamental Rights while one is in force.
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 23 reference tables · 42 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 23 reference tables · 42 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Making of the Constitution
Reference tables (3)
The Constituent Assembly8 rows
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1946 (July to August) | Elections to the Assembly by the provincial legislatures |
| 9 December 1946 | First meeting of the Constituent Assembly |
| 13 December 1946 | Nehru moves the Objectives ResolutionQ CDS 2018 (II): it was 'a declaration, a firm resolve and a pledge' and gave the Constitution its philosophy. |
| 22 January 1947 | Objectives Resolution adopted |
| 29 August 1947 | Drafting Committee set up under Dr B. R. Ambedkar |
| 4 November 1948 | Ambedkar moves the Draft Constitution in the Assembly |
| 26 November 1949 | Constitution adopted |
| 26 January 1950 | Constitution comes into force; India becomes a Republic |
The people behind the Constitution8 rows
| Person | Role |
|---|---|
| Sir B. N. Rau | Constitutional Adviser; prepared the first draftQ CDS 2020 (II): the adviser to the Constituent Assembly was B. N. Rau. |
| Dr B. R. Ambedkar | Chairman of the Drafting Committee |
| Dr Rajendra Prasad | President of the Assembly |
| Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar | Drafting Committee member; backed a strong Supreme CourtQ |
| K. M. Munshi, N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar | Drafting Committee members |
| Jawaharlal Nehru | Moved the Objectives Resolution; chaired the Union Powers Committee |
| Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel | Chaired the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Minorities |
| Justice M. N. Venkatachaliah | Chaired the Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000)Q |
From the 1947 Act to 26 January 19505 rows
| Provision | Came into force |
|---|---|
| Citizenship (Articles 5 to 9) | 26 November 1949 |
| Elections (Article 324) | 26 November 1949 |
| Provisional Parliament (Article 379) | 26 November 1949 |
| Fundamental Rights (Part III) | 26 January 1950 |
| Repeal of the 1935 and 1947 Acts (Article 395) | 26 January 1950Q CDS 2016 (II): Article 395 repealed the 1935 and 1947 Acts only, not the Privy Council Act of 1949. |
Watch out for (6)
- Cabinet Mission, not Mountbatten→ The Constituent Assembly
- Indirect election, no adult franchise→ The Constituent Assembly
- B. N. Rau advised; he did not sit on the Drafting Committee→ The people behind the Constitution
- Two chairs, two men→ The people behind the Constitution
- Adopted is not the same as in force→ From the 1947 Act to 26 January 1950
- Article 395 did not repeal every old law→ From the 1947 Act to 26 January 1950
Sources and the Preamble
Reference tables (3)
Features borrowed from other constitutions10 rows
| Source | Features taken |
|---|---|
| Britain | Parliamentary system, rule of law, law-making procedure, single citizenshipQ CDS 2017 (II): independence of the judiciary was the one feature in the list NOT from Britain. |
| USA | Fundamental Rights, independent judiciary, judicial review |
| Ireland | Directive Principles of State Policy |
| Canada | Federation with a strong Centre |
| Australia | Concurrent List, joint sitting |
| USSR | Fundamental Duties |
| France | Republic; liberty, equality and fraternity |
| Weimar Germany | Suspending Fundamental Rights in an emergency |
| South Africa | Procedure for amending the Constitution |
| Government of India Act, 1935 | Federal scheme, Governor, emergency provisions |
The words of the Preamble7 rows
| Part of the Preamble | Words |
|---|---|
| Source of authority | We, the people of India |
| Nature of the State | Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic |
| Justice | Social, economic and political |
| Liberty | Of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship |
| Equality | Of status and of opportunityQ |
| Fraternity | Assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation |
| Date of adoption | 26 November 1949 |
The 42nd Amendment and the Preamble6 rows
| Word or phrase | In the Preamble since |
|---|---|
| Sovereign, Democratic, Republic | 1949 |
| Socialist | 1976 (42nd Amendment) |
| Secular | 1976 (42nd Amendment) |
| Integrity (in 'unity and integrity of the Nation') | 1976 (42nd Amendment)Q CDS 2024 (I): the liberty clause was NOT changed in 1976; only 'unity' became 'unity and integrity'. |
| Fraternity | 1949 |
| Liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship | 1949 |
Watch out for (5)
- Independent judiciary is American, not British→ Features borrowed from other constitutions
- Socialist comes before secular→ The words of the Preamble
- Fraternity is the last ideal→ The words of the Preamble
- Fraternity is original→ The 42nd Amendment and the Preamble
- Integrity was added, unity was not→ The 42nd Amendment and the Preamble
Parts, Schedules and Citizenship
Reference tables (4)
The twelve Schedules and the main Parts12 rows
| Schedule | Contents |
|---|---|
| First | Names of the States and Union Territories, and their territories |
| Second | Pay and allowances of the President, Governors, judges, the CAG and others |
| Third | Forms of oaths and affirmations |
| Fourth | Allocation of Rajya Sabha seats to the States and Union TerritoriesQ CDS 2022 (II): of four Schedule pairs, only the Fifth was correctly matched. |
| Fifth | Administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes |
| Sixth | Tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram |
| Seventh | Union List, State List and Concurrent List |
| Eighth | The 22 official languages |
| Ninth | Laws protected from challenge on Fundamental Rights (First Amendment, 1951)Q |
| Tenth | Anti-defection rules (52nd Amendment, 1985) |
| Eleventh | Powers of Panchayats, 29 subjects (73rd Amendment, 1992) |
| Twelfth | Powers of Municipalities, 18 subjects (74th Amendment, 1992) |
The Fifth and Sixth Schedules4 rows
| Point | Fifth Schedule | Sixth Schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Scheduled Areas in States other than the four | Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| Body | Tribes Advisory Council (advises) | Autonomous District Councils (make laws) |
| Land | Governor may make regulations restricting land transfer by or among Scheduled Tribes | District Councils make laws on land, forests and customsQ CDS 2019 (II): the false statement denied the Governor's power to restrict land transfer. |
| Oversight | Governor reports to the President; the Union can give the State directions | Governor can create, merge or change autonomous districtsQ |
Citizenship3 rows
| Way citizenship ends | What happens |
|---|---|
| Renunciation | The citizen gives up Indian citizenship by declaration |
| Termination | The citizen voluntarily acquires another country's citizenship |
| Deprivation | The government takes it away, for example for fraud or disloyalty |
Watch out for (7)
- Third is oaths, Fourth is Rajya Sabha seats→ The twelve Schedules and the main Parts
- The Ninth Schedule shields laws, not courts→ The twelve Schedules and the main Parts
- District councils belong to the Sixth, not the Fifth→ The Fifth and Sixth Schedules
- Manipur is not a Sixth Schedule State→ The Fifth and Sixth Schedules
- Nepali and Manipuri are older than Maithili and Dogri→ The Eighth Schedule languages
- Citizenship is Part II, not Part I→ Citizenship
- Marriage does not end citizenship→ Citizenship
The Union and the States
Reference tables (4)
A Union of States7 rows
| Feature | Federal or unitary |
|---|---|
| Two levels of government with divided powers | Federal |
| Written Constitution and independent courts | Federal |
| Single citizenship | Unitary |
| Residuary powers with the Centre (Article 248) | Unitary |
| Rajya Sabha seats by population, not equal for each State | Unitary |
| Emergency powers | Unitary |
| Union not formed by agreement of the States | UnitaryQ CDS 2024 (II): the Draft Constitution called India a 'Union of States', not a 'Federation of States'. |
Making and changing States (Articles 2 to 4)4 rows
| Change | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Increase or reduce a State's area | Ordinary law under Article 3Q |
| Change a State's boundary or name | Ordinary law under Article 3 |
| Form a new State | Ordinary law under Article 3, simple majority |
| Hand territory to a foreign country | Constitutional amendment under Article 368 |
Special provisions: Articles 370 and 37110 rows
| Article | State | Added by |
|---|---|---|
| 371 | Maharashtra and Gujarat | Original |
| 371A | Nagaland | 13th Amendment, 1962Q |
| 371B | Assam | 22nd Amendment, 1969Q |
| 371C | Manipur | 27th Amendment, 1971 |
| 371D | Andhra Pradesh (and Telangana) | 32nd Amendment, 1973 |
| 371F | Sikkim | 36th Amendment, 1975 |
| 371G | Mizoram | 53rd Amendment, 1986Q CDS 2024 (II): 371G protects land, not natural resources in general. |
| 371H | Arunachal Pradesh | 55th Amendment, 1986 |
| 371I | Goa | 56th Amendment, 1987Q |
| 371J | Karnataka | 98th Amendment, 2012 |
Delhi and the Union Territories3 rows
| Unit | Council of Ministers limit or fact |
|---|---|
| A State | At most 15 per cent of the AssemblyQ |
| Delhi (Article 239AA) | At most 10 per cent of the Assembly |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Merged by an Act of Parliament; 2 Lok Sabha seats; Bombay High Court |
Watch out for (7)
- India's States did not consent to form the Union→ A Union of States
- Equal seats is American, not Indian→ A Union of States
- A new State is not a constitutional amendment→ Making and changing States (Articles 2 to 4)
- 371D is Andhra Pradesh, not Sikkim→ Special provisions: Articles 370 and 371
- Article 371 itself is Maharashtra and Gujarat→ Special provisions: Articles 370 and 371
- Right to property survived in Jammu and Kashmir→ Special provisions: Articles 370 and 371
- Delhi is 10 per cent, the States 15→ Delhi and the Union Territories
Centre-State Relations
Reference tables (2)
The Union, State and Concurrent Lists8 rows
| Subject | List |
|---|---|
| Insurance | UnionQ |
| Census | Union |
| Public order, land, local government | State |
| Tax on agricultural income; succession and estate duty on agricultural land | StateQ |
| Taxes on lands and buildings | State |
| Criminal law, criminal procedure, civil procedure | ConcurrentQ CDS 2024 (II): criminal law is NOT a State List subject; it is Concurrent. |
| Economic and social planning, price control | ConcurrentQ |
| Forests, education (moved in 1976) | Concurrent |
Commissions and councils on Centre-State relations5 rows
| Body | Year | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Zonal Councils (5) | 1956 | Set up by the States Reorganisation ActQ |
| Rajamannar Committee | 1969 | Set up by Tamil Nadu to study Centre-State relations |
| Sarkaria Commission | 1983 | Recommended a permanent Inter-State Council |
| Inter-State Council | 1990 | Set up under Article 263; chaired by the Prime Minister |
| Punchhi Commission | 2007 | Six months to decide a State Bill reserved for the PresidentQ |
Watch out for (5)
- Criminal law is Concurrent→ The Union, State and Concurrent Lists
- Forests left the State List in 1976→ The Union, State and Concurrent Lists
- Planning is shared→ The Union, State and Concurrent Lists
- Sarkaria came before Punchhi→ Commissions and councils on Centre-State relations
- Five Zonal Councils, not six→ Commissions and councils on Centre-State relations
Amending the Constitution
Reference tables (4)
Article 368: how an amendment passes3 rows
| Kind of change | Majority needed | State ratification |
|---|---|---|
| New States, names, boundaries (Articles 2 to 4) | Simple majority | Not needed |
| Most of the Constitution, for example Fundamental Rights or the First Schedule | Special majority in each House | Not neededQ CDS 2016 (II): the 2015 land transfer to Bangladesh used Parliament's amending power alone, with no State ratification. |
| Federal provisions, for example the Supreme Court or the Lists | Special majority in each House | Half the States |
The basic structure5 rows
| Case or law | Year | Held |
|---|---|---|
| Shankari Prasad | 1951 | Fundamental Rights can be amended |
| Golaknath | 1967 | Fundamental Rights cannot be amended |
| 24th Amendment | 1971 | Parliament may amend any part |
| Kesavananda Bharati | 1973 | Any part may be amended, but not the basic structureQ |
| Minerva Mills | 1980 | Limited amending power is a basic feature |
Amendments from 1951 to 199215 rows
| Amendment | Year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1951 | Ninth Schedule and Article 31B |
| 7th | 1956 | States reorganised on linguistic lines |
| 13th | 1962 | Nagaland: Article 371AQ CDS 2026 (II): pairing Nagaland with the 14th Amendment was the mismatch. |
| 14th | 1962 | Puducherry made a Union Territory; legislatures for Union Territories |
| 21st | 1967 | Sindhi added to the Eighth Schedule |
| 35th | 1974 | Sikkim an associate State |
| 36th | 1975 | Sikkim a full State |
| 42nd | 1976 | Socialist, secular, integrity; Fundamental Duties |
| 44th | 1978 | Right to Property removed from Part IIIQ |
| 52nd | 1985 | Anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule) |
| 53rd | 1986 | Mizoram becomes a State |
| 55th | 1986 | Arunachal Pradesh becomes a State |
| 56th | 1987 | Goa becomes a State |
| 61st | 1988 | Voting age lowered from 21 to 18 |
| 73rd and 74th | 1992 | Panchayats and Municipalities |
Amendments since 20009 rows
| Amendment | Year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 86th | 2002 | Right to Education, Article 21AQ |
| 91st | 2003 | Council of Ministers capped at 15 per centQ |
| 92nd | 2003 | Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali in the Eighth Schedule |
| 100th | 2015 | Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh |
| 101st | 2016 | Goods and Services Tax (Articles 246A, 269A)Q |
| 102nd | 2018 | National Commission for Backward Classes |
| 103rd | 2019 | Reservation for the Economically Weaker Sections |
| 105th | 2021 | States may keep their own backward class listsQ |
| 106th | 2023 | One-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and State AssembliesQ CDS 2025 (II): the 106th covers neither the Rajya Sabha nor the Legislative Councils. |
Watch out for (7)
- Not every amendment needs the States→ Article 368: how an amendment passes
- Ceding territory is an amendment; forming a State is not→ Article 368: how an amendment passes
- Basic structure is Kesavananda, not Golaknath→ The basic structure
- 35th associated Sikkim, 36th admitted it→ Amendments from 1951 to 1992
- Property is still a right, just not a Fundamental one→ Amendments from 1951 to 1992
- 101st is GST, 102nd is backward classes→ Amendments since 2000
- Women's reservation leaves out the upper Houses→ Amendments since 2000
Emergency Provisions
Reference tables (3)
The three emergencies3 rows
| Emergency | Article | Ground |
|---|---|---|
| National Emergency | 352 | War, external aggression or armed rebellionQ CDS 2021 (II): 'internal disturbance' is not a ground; it was removed in 1978. |
| President's Rule | 356 | Failure of constitutional machinery in a State |
| Financial Emergency | 360 | Threat to financial stability or creditQ CDS 2017 (II): a Governor cannot declare a financial emergency; only the President can. |
President's Rule (Article 356)5 rows
| Point | Fact |
|---|---|
| Article | 356 |
| Approval by Parliament | Within two months, simple majority |
| Longest duration | Three years |
| Ambedkar's promise | A dead letter, used only as a last resort |
| Used most often among Bihar, Karnataka, Manipur, Punjab | ManipurQ |
Fundamental Rights during an emergency4 rows
| Right | During a national emergency |
|---|---|
| Article 19 freedoms (speech, movement and others) | Suspended automatically if the ground is war or external aggression |
| Equality before law, constitutional remedies and the rest | Enforcement can be suspended by the President (Article 359) |
| Article 20: protection in respect of conviction for offences | Never suspendedQ CDS 2023 (II): protection in respect of conviction for offences was the right NOT suspended. |
| Article 21: life and personal liberty | Never suspended |
Watch out for (5)
- Armed rebellion, not internal disturbance→ The three emergencies
- Governors cannot declare emergencies→ The three emergencies
- President's Rule is Article 356, not 352→ President's Rule (Article 356)
- Articles 20 and 21, not 21 and 22→ Fundamental Rights during an emergency
- Movement is suspended, conviction rights are not→ Fundamental Rights during an emergency
PYQ weightage by concept
23 concepts · 82 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
PYQ weightage by concept
23 concepts · 82 PYQs — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
Making of the Constitution11 PYQs · 13%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The people behind the Constitution | 5 | 6% |
| The Constituent Assembly | 3 | 4% |
| From the 1947 Act to 26 January 1950 | 3 | 4% |
Sources and the Preamble5 PYQs · 6%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The words of the Preamble | 2 | 2% |
| The 42nd Amendment and the Preamble | 2 | 2% |
| Features borrowed from other constitutions | 1 | 1% |
Parts, Schedules and Citizenship15 PYQs · 18%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The twelve Schedules and the main Parts | 4 | 5% |
| The Fifth and Sixth Schedules | 4 | 5% |
| Citizenship | 4 | 5% |
| The Eighth Schedule languages | 3 | 4% |
The Union and the States16 PYQs · 20%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Special provisions: Articles 370 and 371 | 7 | 9% |
| A Union of States | 5 | 6% |
| Making and changing States (Articles 2 to 4) | 2 | 2% |
| Delhi and the Union Territories | 2 | 2% |
Centre-State Relations9 PYQs · 11%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The Union, State and Concurrent Lists | 5 | 6% |
| Commissions and councils on Centre-State relations | 4 | 5% |
Amending the Constitution16 PYQs · 20%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Amendments since 2000 | 7 | 9% |
| Article 368: how an amendment passes | 4 | 5% |
| Amendments from 1951 to 1992 | 3 | 4% |
| The basic structure | 2 | 2% |
Emergency Provisions10 PYQs · 12%
| Concept | PYQs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The three emergencies | 5 | 6% |
| Fundamental Rights during an emergency | 3 | 4% |
| President's Rule (Article 356) | 2 | 2% |
Test yourself on Indian Constitution — Making, Foundation and Amendments
20 past CDS questions from this chapter, timed at 20 minutes and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.