Important Constitutional Amendments & Key Articles
⚖ PON12 · Indian Polity · NDA GAT
NDA Level
★ Moderate Priority
📌 NDA Focus: Match Amendment → What it added/changed. The 42nd, 44th, 52nd, 61st, 73rd, 74th, 86th, 101st amendments are most commonly tested. Also match Article → constitutional provision. Article numbers 14, 19, 21, 32, 51A, 72, 352, 356, 368 are high-yield.
1. Most Important Constitutional Amendments
42
42nd Amendment, 1976
"Mini Constitution" — sweeping changes
- Added "Socialist", "Secular", "Integrity" to Preamble
- Added Part IVA — Fundamental Duties (Article 51A) — 10 duties initially
- Added Article 48A (environment protection) to DPSP
- Made DPSP superior to FRs (partly reversed by 44th)
- Education and Forests moved to Concurrent List
44
44th Amendment, 1978
Reversed Emergency era excesses
- Removed Right to Property from FRs → made legal right (Article 300A)
- Articles 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 can be disqualified for defection from party
- Decision by Presiding Officer (Speaker/Chairman)
61
61st Amendment, 1988
Voting Age Reduced
- Reduced voting age from 21 to 18 years
- Universal adult suffrage extended to 18-year-olds
73
73rd & 74th Amendments, 1992
Local Self-Government
- 73rd: Added Part IX — Panchayati Raj (11th Schedule)
- 74th: Added Part IXA — Urban Local Bodies (12th Schedule)
- Constitutional status to grassroots democracy
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 this
2. The 12 Schedules — Quick Reference
📄 Schedules 1–6
- 1st: Names of States and Union Territories
- 2nd: Salaries of President, VP, Judges, CAG, etc.
- 3rd: Forms of Oaths/Affirmations
- 4th: Allocation of seats in Rajya Sabha
- 5th: Administration of Scheduled Areas (tribal)
- 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)
- 9th: Acts protected from judicial review (added 1st Amendment 1951)
- 10th: Anti-Defection (52nd Amendment 1985)
- 11th: 29 subjects for Panchayats (73rd Amendment)
- 12th: 18 subjects for Municipalities (74th Amendment)
📝 NDA PYQ Practice — PON12
Q1. By which Constitutional Amendment was the voting age in India reduced from 21 to 18 years? NDA 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. This was done to give youth greater participation in democracy. The 52nd Amendment (1985) added Anti-Defection Law; 73rd Amendment (1992) = Panchayati Raj; 86th Amendment (2002) = Right to Education (Article 21A).
Q2. The 9th Schedule of the Indian Constitution was added by: NDA PYQ
(a) Original Constitution(b) 1st Amendment, 1951
(c) 42nd Amendment, 1976(d) 52nd Amendment, 1985
✔ Answer: (b) 1st Amendment, 1951
The 9th Schedule was added by the 1st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1951 to protect certain laws from judicial review on grounds of inconsistency with Fundamental Rights. Initially 13 laws were included; now 282. However, the Supreme Court in I.R. Coelho v. State of Tamil Nadu (2007) held that laws included after 24 April 1973 (Kesavananda Bharati judgment) can be subjected to judicial review if they violate the basic structure.
Q3. The 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with: NDA PYQ
(a) Anti-Defection Law(b) Official languages of India
(c) Union, State, and Concurrent Lists(d) Panchayati Raj subjects
✔ Answer: (b) Official languages of India
The 8th Schedule contains the list of 22 official languages of India (originally 14; added Sindhi in 1967, Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali in 1992, and Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santhali in 2003). The 7th Schedule = Three Lists; 10th Schedule = Anti-Defection; 11th Schedule = Panchayati Raj subjects. The 22 languages have certain constitutional recognition including use in Parliament.
Q4. Which of the following Constitutional Amendments introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST)? NDA PYQ
(a) 99th Amendment(b) 100th Amendment
(c) 101st Amendment(d) 103rd Amendment
✔ Answer: (c) 101st Amendment
The 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016 introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST) in India. GST came into effect on 1 July 2017. It replaced multiple central and state indirect taxes. The amendment inserted Articles 246A (power to make laws on GST), 269A (levy and collection of GST), and 279A (GST Council). 99th Amendment = NJAC (struck down); 100th = territory exchange with Bangladesh; 103rd = 10% EWS reservation.
📋 Quick Reference — PON12
📄 Key Amendments
- 1st (1951): 9th Schedule added
- 42nd (1976): Socialist, Secular; FDs; Mini Constitution
- 44th (1978): Property removed from FRs; Art 20,21 no suspension
- 52nd (1985): Anti-Defection (10th Schedule)
📄 More Amendments
- 61st (1988): Voting age 21→18
- 73rd/74th (1992): Panchayati Raj + Urban Bodies
- 86th (2002): Art 21A (Right to Education)
- 101st (2016): GST
- 103rd (2019): 10% EWS reservation
⚖ Key Articles
- Art 21: Right to Life (most expansive)
- Art 32: Heart & Soul (Ambedkar)
- Art 51A: Fundamental Duties
- Art 72: President's pardoning power
- Art 352/356/360: Three Emergencies
- Art 368: Constitutional Amendment
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