Indian Polity & Constitution
🔒 Log in to trackMaking of the Constitution & borrowed features
🔒 Log in to trackThe Constituent Assembly wrote the Constitution. It was formed in 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan. Its members were elected indirectly by the provincial assemblies. The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
Who wrote the Constitution
The Constituent Assembly was formed in 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan. The provincial assemblies elected its members indirectly.
| Role | Person |
|---|---|
| Temporary chairman (first meeting) | Dr Sachchidananda Sinha |
| Permanent President (11 Dec 1946) | Dr Rajendra Prasad |
| Vice-President | H.C. Mukherjee |
| Constitutional Adviser | Sir B.N. Rau |
| Chairman, Drafting Committee | Dr B.R. Ambedkar |
Watch: Ambedkar chaired only the Drafting Committee. The Assembly's President was Rajendra Prasad.
Key dates in order
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 9 Dec 1946 | First meeting, in the Central Hall of Parliament |
| 13 Dec 1946 | Nehru moves the Objectives Resolution |
| 22 Jan 1947 | Objectives Resolution adopted. It became the seed of the Preamble |
| 29 Aug 1947 | Drafting Committee formed (7 members) |
| 4 Nov 1948 | Draft Constitution introduced |
| 26 Nov 1949 | Constitution adopted (Constitution Day) |
| 24 Jan 1950 | 284 members sign. 'Jana Gana Mana' adopted as anthem |
| 26 Jan 1950 | Constitution comes into force |
The date 26 January honours Purna Swaraj Day. The Congress had decided on complete independence at the Lahore session (Dec 1929).
Numbers to remember
- Time taken: 2 years, 11 months, 18 days, in 11 sessions.
- Strength: 389 at first (292 provinces, 93 princely states, 4 chief commissioners' provinces). It fell to 299 after Partition.
- Signatures: 284 members signed.
- Cost: about ₹64 lakh.
- Handwritten by Prem Behari Narain Raizada. The seal showed an elephant.
- The Assembly then served as the provisional Parliament until the first general election (1951-52).
Committees and chairmen
| Chairman | Committees |
|---|---|
| Jawaharlal Nehru | Union Powers, Union Constitution, States |
| Sardar Patel | Provincial Constitution; Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Minorities |
| Rajendra Prasad | Rules of Procedure, Steering, Flag |
| B.R. Ambedkar | Drafting |
Tip: Nehru took the national committees, Patel the state and rights ones, and Prasad the procedure ones. Ambedkar held the drafting pen.
Borrowed features
| Source | What India took |
|---|---|
| Government of India Act, 1935 | Federal scheme, Governors, judiciary, Public Service Commissions, emergency powers (the biggest source) |
| UK | Parliamentary system, rule of law, single citizenship, cabinet, bicameralism, writs |
| USA | Fundamental Rights, judicial review, independent judiciary, impeachment of the President |
| Ireland | Directive Principles, method of electing the President, 12 nominated Rajya Sabha members |
| Canada | Strong Centre, residuary powers with the Centre, Governors' appointment, advisory jurisdiction |
| Australia | Concurrent List, freedom of trade and commerce, joint sitting |
| USSR | Fundamental Duties, ideal of justice in the Preamble |
| France | Republic; liberty, equality, fraternity |
| Germany (Weimar) | Suspension of Fundamental Rights in an Emergency |
| South Africa | Amendment procedure, election of Rajya Sabha members |
| Japan | 'Procedure established by law' |
Famous labels
- Part III of the Constitution is the Magna Carta of India.
- Article 32 is the heart and soul of the Constitution (Ambedkar's phrase).
- The 42nd Amendment is the Mini-Constitution.
- The CAG is the guardian of the public purse.
Rule: The UK has no written constitution. So 'written constitution from Britain' is always a wrong option.
Question types you will see
Each type: how to recognise it, the method step by step, and one question to try.
Assembly: people, dates and numbers
The question asks who was temporary or permanent President, when the Assembly first met, how long it took, or how many signed.
Fix the four anchor dates: 9 Dec 1946, 26 Nov 1949, 24 Jan 1950, 26 Jan 1950.
Match the person to the role: Sinha, Prasad, Mukherjee, Rau, Ambedkar.
Recall the numbers: 389 then 299, 284 signatures, 11 sessions, ₹64 lakh.
These facts are asked directly, so a short fact list settles the answer.
The Constituent Assembly met for the first time on which date?
Show solutionHide solution
The first meeting was in the Central Hall of Parliament.
Dr Sachchidananda Sinha was temporary chairman.
9 December 1946
Borrowed feature and source country
A feature such as DPSP, joint sitting, Fundamental Duties, Concurrent List or writs is named. The source country is asked.
Recall the map: FRs and judicial review from the USA, DPSP from Ireland, Duties from the USSR.
Recall the structure ones: strong Centre from Canada, Concurrent List and joint sitting from Australia.
Then amendment procedure from South Africa, 'procedure established by law' from Japan, Emergency rights from Germany.
Reject any option that gives a written constitution to the UK.
Each feature has one source, so a single memory map answers every match question.
The Concurrent List and the joint sitting of the two Houses were borrowed from which country?
Show solutionHide solution
Both belong to the Australian constitution.
Joint sitting resolves a deadlock between the two Houses.
Australia
Committee and chairman pairing
The question names a committee and asks for its chairman, or gives a four-row match.
Sort committees into four groups: national, provincial and rights, procedure, drafting.
Give the groups to Nehru, Patel, Prasad and Ambedkar.
Watch for the two traps: the Advisory Committee is Patel's, and the Assembly's President is Prasad.
The four chairmen split the committees in a clear pattern.
Who chaired the Provincial Constitution Committee of the Constituent Assembly?
Show solutionHide solution
The provincial subjects sit in Patel's cluster.
Nehru's cluster covers the Union and the States committee.
Sardar Patel
Government of India Act 1935 and famous labels
The question asks for the main source of the Constitution, or a nickname such as Mini-Constitution or heart and soul.
The largest single source is the Government of India Act, 1935.
Recall the labels: 42nd Amendment is the Mini-Constitution, Part III is the Magna Carta, Article 32 is the heart and soul.
The CAG is the guardian of the public purse.
Labels are fixed phrases, so learn each with its owner.
Which Article is called the 'heart and soul' of the Indian Constitution?
Show solutionHide solution
Ambedkar used this phrase.
The article gives the right to constitutional remedies, which makes the other rights real.
Article 32
Objectives Resolution and the date ladder
The question asks who moved the Objectives Resolution, when it was adopted, or the order of events.
Place the events on one ladder: 9 Dec 1946, 13 Dec 1946, 22 Jan 1947, 29 Aug 1947, 4 Nov 1948, 26 Nov 1949, 26 Jan 1950.
Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution. It became the seed of the Preamble.
Read the question for 'moved' (13 Dec 1946) or 'adopted' (22 Jan 1947).
The same resolution has two dates, so the verb in the question decides.
The Objectives Resolution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on which date?
Show solutionHide solution
Nehru moved it on 13 Dec 1946.
The Assembly adopted it later.
22 January 1947
Assembly strength and the Drafting Committee
The question asks how many members the Assembly had, how the 389 seats split, or how many served on the Drafting Committee.
Recall 389 at first and 299 after Partition.
Split the 389 as 292 provinces, 93 princely states and 4 chief commissioners' provinces.
Recall the Drafting Committee: formed 29 Aug 1947, 7 members, chairman Ambedkar.
Numbers are easy to swap, so fix each with its source.
How many members of the Constituent Assembly signed the Constitution on 24 January 1950?
Show solutionHide solution
The Assembly had 299 members after Partition.
The signing count is a separate figure.
284 members
Shortcuts that save time
Nehru took Union Powers, Union Constitution and States. Patel took Provinces and Rights. Prasad took Rules, Steering and Flag. Ambedkar took Drafting.
Who chaired the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights and Minorities?
Show solutionHide solution
Rights belong to Patel's cluster.
Patel also chaired the Provincial Constitution Committee.
Sardar Patel
UK: Parliament. USA: Rights. Ireland: DPSP. Canada: strong Centre. Australia: Concurrent List. USSR: Duties. France: Republic. Germany: Emergency. Japan: law procedure.
Fundamental Duties are inspired by which constitution?
Show solutionHide solution
Duties bind citizens.
The USSR constitution is the source. Ireland gave the DPSP.
USSR (Russia)
Mistakes to avoid
Where most students lose marks on this subtopic.
Mixing up the adoption date (26 Nov 1949) and the enforcement date (26 Jan 1950).
Adopted 1949, in force 1950.
Saying Ambedkar presided over the Assembly.
Rajendra Prasad presided. Ambedkar chaired only the Drafting Committee.
Giving the joint sitting to Canada.
The joint sitting came from Australia.
Giving Fundamental Duties to Ireland.
Duties came from the USSR. Ireland gave the Directive Principles.
Forgetting that the Advisory Committee on Rights was Patel's.
Patel chaired it, not Ambedkar.
Quick revision
Read this the night before the exam.
Cabinet Mission Plan 1946. Indirect election. 389 members, then 299 after Partition.
First meeting 9 Dec 1946. Sinha was temporary chairman. Prasad was permanent President.
Drafting Committee: 29 Aug 1947, 7 members, Ambedkar as chairman.
Adopted 26 Nov 1949. In force 26 Jan 1950. Time taken: 2 years 11 months 18 days.
Nehru: Objectives Resolution and Union committees. Patel: provinces and rights. Prasad: rules and flag.
Biggest source: Government of India Act, 1935. Then UK, USA, Ireland, Canada, Australia.
Practice: 12 questions
Sets of 10, mixed across the question types above. Every answer has a step-by-step explanation.
Topic test · 12 questions
Suggested time 4 min · wrong answers go to your mistake notebook automatically.