Important Amendments, Schedules & Key Articles
✈️ POA12 · Indian Polity · AFCAT GA
AFCAT Level
★ Moderate Priority
📌 AFCAT Focus: Match Amendment → What it introduced. Key: 42nd (Mini Constitution), 44th (restored FRs), 61st (voting age 18), 86th (Art 21A), 101st (GST). Match Schedule → What it contains. 7th Schedule (three lists) and 10th Schedule (anti-defection) are most tested.
1. Most Important Constitutional Amendments
42
42nd Amendment (1976)
"Mini Constitution"
- Added "Socialist," "Secular," "Integrity" to Preamble
- Added Part IVA — Fundamental Duties (Article 51A)
- Added Article 48A (environment protection) to DPSP
- Education and Forests moved to Concurrent List
- Curtailed judicial review; Parliament's term extended to 6 years (reversed)
44
44th Amendment (1978)
Restored rights after Emergency
- Removed Right to Property from FRs → legal right (Article 300A)
- Arts 20 and 21 cannot be suspended during Emergency
- President must act on written advice of Cabinet (not just PM)
- National Emergency: "armed rebellion" replaces "internal disturbance"
- Restored balance between FRs and DPSPs
52
52nd Amendment (1985)
Anti-Defection Law
- Added 10th Schedule — Anti-Defection provisions
- Members disqualified for defection from party
- Decision by Presiding Officer (Speaker/Chairman)
- Kihoto Hollohan case (1992): Speaker's decision subject to judicial review
61
61st Amendment (1988)
Voting age reduced
- Reduced voting age from 21 to 18 years
- Universal adult suffrage extended to younger citizens
- One of the most directly tested amendment facts in AFCAT
86
86th Amendment (2002)
Right to Education
- Added Article 21A — Right to Education (6–14 years)
- Added 11th Fundamental Duty (education of child)
- RTE Act 2009 enacted to implement Article 21A
101
101st Amendment (2016)
GST — One nation one tax
- Introduced Goods and Services Tax (GST); came into effect 1 July 2017
- Replaced multiple central and state indirect taxes
- Added Articles 246A, 269A, 279A (GST Council)
- GST Council: representation of Centre and all States
2. Key Schedules — Quick Reference
📄 Schedules 1–6
- 1st: Names of States and Union Territories
- 2nd: Salaries of President, VP, Governors, Judges, CAG
- 3rd: Forms of Oaths and Affirmations
- 4th: Allocation of seats in Rajya Sabha to States
- 5th: Administration of Scheduled Areas (tribal areas)
- 6th: Tribal Areas in NE States (Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram)
📄 Schedules 7–12
- 7th: Three Lists — Union (100), State (61), Concurrent (52)
- 8th: 22 official languages (originally 14 in 1950)
- 9th: Acts protected from judicial review (added by 1st Amendment 1951)
- 10th: Anti-Defection Law (52nd Amendment 1985)
- 11th: 29 subjects for Panchayats (73rd Amendment 1992)
- 12th: 18 subjects for Municipalities (74th Amendment 1992)
📝 AFCAT PYQ Practice — POA12
Q1. The voting age in India was reduced from 21 to 18 years by which Amendment? AFCAT PYQ
(a) 52nd Amendment(b) 61st Amendment(c) 73rd Amendment(d) 86th Amendment
✔ Answer: (b) 61st Amendment
The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988 reduced the voting age for Lok Sabha and State Legislature elections from 21 to 18 years, giving youth greater participation in democracy. 52nd Amendment = Anti-Defection Law; 73rd Amendment = Panchayati Raj; 86th Amendment = Right to Education (Article 21A).
Q2. The 10th Schedule of the Indian Constitution relates to: AFCAT PYQ
(a) Official languages(b) Anti-Defection Law(c) Panchayati Raj subjects(d) Salaries of constitutional functionaries
✔ Answer: (b) Anti-Defection Law
The 10th Schedule contains the Anti-Defection Law, added by the 52nd Amendment 1985. 8th Schedule = 22 official languages; 2nd Schedule = salaries of constitutional functionaries; 11th Schedule = 29 Panchayati Raj subjects. The 10th Schedule provides for disqualification of members who defect from their party.
Q3. Which Amendment is popularly known as the "Mini Constitution"? AFCAT PYQ
(a) 24th Amendment(b) 42nd Amendment(c) 44th Amendment(d) 52nd Amendment
✔ Answer: (b) 42nd Amendment
The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 is called the "Mini Constitution" due to its sweeping changes: added "Socialist," "Secular," "Integrity" to Preamble; added Fundamental Duties (Art 51A); moved education and forests to Concurrent List; curtailed judicial review; extended Parliament's term. The 44th Amendment (1978) reversed many of these changes.
Q4. Article 368 of the Indian Constitution deals with: AFCAT PYQ
(a) National Emergency(b) President's pardoning power(c) Amendment of the Constitution(d) Financial Emergency
✔ Answer: (c) Amendment of the Constitution
Article 368 — Amendment of the Constitution — requires special majority (majority of total membership + 2/3 of members present and voting in each House). Some amendments also require ratification by at least half of state legislatures. Art 352 = National Emergency; Art 72 = pardoning power; Art 360 = Financial Emergency.
🌟 Memory Chart — POA12 Amendments & Articles
📄 Critical Amendments
- 1st (1951): 9th Schedule
- 42nd (1976): Mini Constitution; Socialist+Secular; FDs
- 44th (1978): Restored FRs; Arts 20+21 unsuspendable
- 52nd (1985): Anti-Defection (10th Schedule)
- 61st (1988): Voting age 21→18
📄 More Amendments
- 73rd/74th (1992): Local bodies
- 86th (2002): Art 21A (Education)
- 101st (2016): GST
- 103rd (2019): 10% EWS quota
- 105th (2021): OBC by states
⚖ Must-Know Articles
- Art 21: Right to Life (most litigated)
- Art 32: Heart & Soul of Constitution
- Art 51A: Fundamental Duties
- Art 72: Pardoning Power (5 types)
- Art 368: Amendment procedure
📋 Quick Reference — POA12
📄 Key Amendments
- 42nd (1976): Mini Constitution; Socialist+Secular added
- 44th (1978): Property removed from FRs; 20+21 safe
- 52nd (1985): Anti-Defection (10th Schedule)
- 61st (1988): Voting age 18
📄 Key Schedules
- 7th: Three Lists (Union/State/Concurrent)
- 8th: 22 official languages
- 9th: Acts outside judicial review
- 10th: Anti-defection
- 11th: Panchayati Raj (29 subjects)
- 12th: Municipalities (18 subjects)
⚖ Key Articles
- Art 21: Right to Life
- Art 32: Constitutional Remedies
- Art 72: Pardoning power
- Art 123: Ordinance power
- Art 324: ECI
- Art 368: Amendment procedure
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