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Class 7 The Constitution of India — An Introduction: cheat sheet
CBSE Social Science. How India’s Constitution was made, its key dates and influences, Fundamental Rights and Duties, the Directive Principles and the Preamble.
Key ideas
- A constitution sets out a nation’s basic principles and laws, the framework of government and citizens’ rights and duties, like a rulebook.
- The Constituent Assembly had 389 members at first and later 299, of whom 15 were women.
- Fundamental Rights can be enforced in court; Directive Principles are goals for the government that cannot be.
- Fundamental Duties include respecting the Constitution, the flag and the anthem, and protecting the environment.
- The Preamble’s words: sovereign means India makes its own decisions, justice means no discrimination, fraternity means treating all as one family.
- It is a living document, because it can be amended to meet changing needs.
- The original was handwritten by Prem Behari Narain Raizada, illustrated by Nandalal Bose and his team, and is kept in a helium-filled case.
Remember
| Constituent Assembly formed | 9 December 1946 |
| Constitution adopted | 26 November 1949 |
| Came into effect | 26 January 1950 |
| Chairman / Drafting Committee chair | Dr Rajendra Prasad / Dr B. R. Ambedkar |
| Borrowed ideas | liberty, equality, fraternity (France); Directive Principles (Ireland) |
| Amendments | 73rd (1992): Panchayati Raj; 86th (2002): free education, ages 6 to 14 |
Watch out
- Mixing up adopted (26 November 1949) and came into effect (26 January 1950).
- Saying Directive Principles can be enforced in court: only Fundamental Rights can.
- Mixing up the Chairman of the Assembly (Rajendra Prasad) and the chair of the Drafting Committee (Ambedkar).
Worked example
(a) How many years after the Constitution came into effect (1950) is 2055? (b) How many after it was adopted (1949)?
Working: 2055 − 1950; 2055 − 1949
Answer: (a) 105 years (b) 106 years
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