9th Standard, Social, Political Science Chapter 5
OUR CONSTITUTION
EXERCISES
I. Fill in the blanks with suitable words.
1. The Law which governs the States is Constitution.
2. The first meeting of Constituent Assembly was held on 9th December, 1946.
3. The Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Constitution was Dr.B.R.Ambedkar.
4. Our Constitution provides for a Parliamentary/Federal system of Government. (Both answer is correct)
5. Our Constitution provides for single citizenship to its citizens.
6. The Right for Constitutional Remedies has been incorporated in Article 32.
7. The Directive Principles of State Policy are borrowed from Irish Constitution.
II. Answer the following questions.
8. Who was the President of the Constituent Assembly?
Answer: Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the president of the Constituent assembly.
9. When did the constitution come into force?
Answer: The Indian Constitution was came into force on 26 January, 1950. This day (January 26) is celebrated as Republic Day.
10. What does the Preamble to the Constitution contain?
Answer: The Preamble of the constitution contains the fundamental policies and ideals of the constitution. It is the sum of the structure, values, principles and goals of the constitution. It is based on the aspirations and ideals of the people of India.
11. What do you mean by ‘Secularism’?
Answer: Secularism is the assertion that all religions are treated equally. Secularism is to follow the policy of inter faith equality or equality among all religions.
12. Explain the salient features of our Constitution.
Answer: The salient features of our Constitution are as follows.
Written and Lengthy Constitution: Our Constitution is in written form. The powers and functions of the organs of the government like the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary have been delineated in the constitution. Fundamental Rights, Duties, Directive Principles of State Policy etc. are all in the written form. After many amendments, our constitution has become a lengthy constitution with 25 parts, 12 schedules and approximately 470 Articles.
Flexible and Rigid Constitution: The constitution which can be easily amended is called flexible or simple constitution. Constitutions that have special procedures for amendment are called rigid or complicated constitutions. Our constitution is neither too flexible nor too rigid.
Parliamentary Form of Government: Our Constitution provides for a Parliamentary form of Government. The sovereign power of the nation is vested in the elected Parliament. Republican System: The Constitution has declared India a republic. Therefore, no one can come to power through hereditary principle. The word Republic indicated that India was not ruled by any hereditary kingdom or queen.
Federal System: Our Constitution provides for a Federal System of Government because our country consists of different languages, castes, races and geographical regions. Administrative powers are shared by the Central and the State Governments.
Fundamental Rights: The rights that the constitution has given to the people are called Fundamental Rights. Six Fundamental Rights are, Right to Liberty, Right to Equality, Right against Exploitation, Right to Religion, Right to Education and Culture, and Right to Constitutional Remedy. Hence, the Supreme Court is referred to as ‘The Protector of Fundamental Rights’.
Fundamental Duties: Fundamental Rights and Duties are the two faces of the same coin. Through the 86th Amendment Act of constitution 2002. It has been made a duty of parents to provide an opportunity for education to the children for the aged between 6 to 14 years. This is the 11th fundamental duty mentioned in part 4A constitution.
Directive Principles of State Policy: Directive principles have been adopted from the Ireland country Constitution. They are the basis for the establishment of social and economic equality. They are the basic principles required for the administration of the country. Independent and Centralized Judicial System: Our judiciary is independent and centralized. The courts have the authority to give bold judgments in order to protect the rights of people. Neither the legislature nor the executive has any right to interfere with the working of the judiciary. The Supreme Court is the highest court in the land.
Single Citizenship: The Constitution makes provision for a single citizenship in order to curb narrow-minded regionalism, and promote nationalism.
Universal Adult Franchise: The Constitution provides for adult franchise. All citizens above 18 years of age may exercise their right to vote.
Bicameral Legislature or Central Legislature: Central Legislature is called as the Parliament which consists of two Houses – the Lower House (Lok Sabha) and the Upper House (Rajya Sabha).
Party System: Political parties are the pillars of a democracy. There is a multi-party system in India. The party which wins the majority of votes in the general election becomes the ruling party whereas the rest will be the opposition parties.
13. Which are the Fundamental Rights incorporated in our Constitution?
Answer: The Fundamental Rights incorporated in our Constitution are as follows.
- Right to Liberty
- Right to Equality
- Right against Exploitation
- Right to Religion
- Right to Education and Culture
- Right to Constitutional Remedy.
14. Make a list of the Fundamental Duties.
Answer: Fundamental Rights and Duties are the two faces of the same coin. The Fundamental Duties are,
1. To respect the Constitution, National Flag and National Anthem.
2. To follow the noble ideals that inspired our National Struggle for Freedom.
3. To protect the integrity of India.
4. To defend the motherland when called upon to do so.
5. To promote the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India.
6. To preserve our rich heritage.
7. To protect and improve the natural environment.
8. To develop the scientific temper and the spirit of enquiry.
9. To safeguard public property and to give up violence.
10. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activities.
11. The Parents or the guardians should provide an opportunity for education to their children between 6 and 14 years.
15. Which are the Directive Principles of State Policy?
Answer: The Directive Principles of State Policy are,
1. To provide adequate means of livelihood to all citizens.
2. To prevent the community wealth and resources from becoming the private property of a few people.
3. To provide equal pay for equal work to both men and women and to protect labour welfare.
4. To provide public assistance to those who are old, sick and weak or helpless.
5. To implement a Uniform Civil Code throughout the country.
6. To provide opportunities for the development of health and pre-school education to all children below 6 years.
7. To protect historical monuments and maintain places of historical interest.
8. To separate the Executive from the Judiciary.
9. To protect international peace and to respect international law. To encourage the settlement of International disputes through arbitration.
10. To establish Gram Panchayats.
11. To encourage rural and cottage industries.
12. To organise and develop agriculture and animal husbandry on modern lines.
13. To ensure prohibition of liquor.
14. To ensure development of farming based on scientific methods.
III. Activities.
- Collect information with figures about the prominent leaders who were members of the Constituent Assembly.
Answer:
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar: Chairman of the Drafting Committee, a key architect of the Constitution.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad: President of the Constituent Assembly and later the first President of India.
Jawaharlal Nehru: First Prime Minister of India, also a prominent leader in the Assembly.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, played a significant role in integrating princely states.
Maulana Abul Kalam Azad: First Minister of Education, a senior Congress leader.
Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar: A prominent lawyer and member of the Drafting Committee.
Hansa Mehta: An advocate for women’s rights and education.
Rajkumari Amrit Kaur: First Health Minister of India.
Sarojini Naidu: A women’s rights activist who advocated for gender equality.
2. List out the Fundamental Rights we enjoy.
Answer: The Fundamental Rights incorporated in our Constitution are as follows.
- Right to Liberty
- Right to Equality
- Right against Exploitation
- Right to Religion
- Right to Education and Culture
- Right to Constitutional Remedy.
3. List out the Fundamental duties.
Answer: Fundamental Rights and Duties are the two faces of the same coin. The Fundamental Duties are,
1. To respect the Constitution, National Flag and National Anthem.
2. To follow the noble ideals that inspired our National Struggle for Freedom.
3. To protect the integrity of India.
4. To defend the motherland when called upon to do so.
5. To promote the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India.
6. To preserve our rich heritage.
7. To protect and improve the natural environment.
8. To develop the scientific temper and the spirit of enquiry.
9. To safeguard public property and to give up violence.
10. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activities.
11. The Parents or the guardians should provide an opportunity for education to their children between 6 and 14 years.
4. Discuss the hurdles to implement uniform civil code in our country.
Answer: Implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in India faces significant hurdles due to the country’s diverse religious and cultural landscape, along with political and logistical complexities. A major challenge lies in balancing the concept of religious freedom with the pursuit of legal equality. India’s vast population comprises numerous religious and cultural communities, each with its own set of personal laws governing aspects like marriage, divorce, inheritance, and adoption. These laws are often based on religious texts, customs, and traditions, leading to significant variations across different groups. Many communities, particularly minority groups, view the ‘uniform civil code’ as an infringement on their religious freedom and cultural autonomy, fearing it may erode their unique identities. Some articles of our Constitution guarantees the freedom of conscience and the right to freely profess, practice, and propagate religion. Finding a balance between secularism and the protection of religious freedom is a major challenge in implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC).
IV. Project.
- Write an essay on Fundamental Rights and Duties with the help of your teacher, and discuss them.
Answer:
Fundamental Rights provide the social and political atmosphere necessary for the development of the personality of citizens. They are required for a person to lead a civilised life in society. They are also essential for the success of a democracy. There were 7 Fundamental Rights mentioned in the part 3 of our Constitution. However, after the 44th Amendment Act, in 1978 the right to property has been abolished. There are 6 Fundamental Rights at present. They are, Right to Liberty, Right to Equality, Right against Exploitation, Right to Religion, Right to Education and Culture and Right to Constitutional Remedy.
Rights and Duties are the two faces of the same coin. Rights without duties have no value or significance. Part 4A through the 42nd Amendment Act of constitution in 1976, 10 Fundamental Duties were included later in 2002 through the 86th Amendment act of constitution 11 Fundamental duties was added. They are,
1. To respect the Constitution, National Flag and National Anthem.
2. To follow the noble ideals that inspired our National Struggle for Freedom.
3. To protect the integrity of India.
4. To defend the motherland when called upon to do so.
5. To promote the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India.
6. To preserve our rich heritage.
7. To protect and improve the natural environment.
8. To develop the scientific temper and the spirit of enquiry.
9. To safeguard public property and to give up violence.
10. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activities.
11. The Parents or the guardians should provide an opportunity for education to their children between 6 and 14 years.
