BOY’S HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEDGE

Class(IX)

Assignment(1) (Chap1:Our constitution)

Scope: • Definition of Constitution.

• Date of adoption.

•Date of enforcement and it’s significance. (Pg.1)

(Pg2)

(Pg.3)

( Pg.4)

(Pg.5)

*Points to Learn

1. Constitution is a body of well defined laws to govern a state .It explains

• Organisation and structure of 3 organs of the government namely. (a) Legislature

(b) Executive

(c) Judiciary

• Their powers and functions.

• Their mutual relations.

• Their limitations.

It also lays down 6 fundamental rights, fundamental duties, directive principles of state

policy.

It is the supreme law of the land every citizen must respect the constitution and must

act according to it.

2.The constitution of India was adopted and enacted on 26th of Jan 1949.

3. The Indian constitution was enforced on 26th of Jan 1950.

4. The constitution establishes ‘Rule of Law’ which means the absence of arbitrary powers

equality before the law and freedom for illogical unfair and unjust laws.

5. Our Constitution is known as the fundamental law of the land because it is superior to the

ordinary laws enacted by the parliament or state legislature. A law which violates any provisions

of the constitution shall be void or have no value.

6. The constituent assembly meant for undivided India consisted of 385 members after

partition the number of members got 308.

7. Constituent assembly was convened for drawing up the constitution.

8. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the president of the Constituent Assembly.

9. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the chairman of the drafting committee.

10. January 26th has a great significance for India’s struggle for freedom. The congress

Session at Lahore on Dec. 29 1929 had passed a resolution . Declaring Purna Swaraj or complete

independence as India’s goal. It was decided that 26th of January would be observed all over as

Purna Swaraj day. The complete independence was celebrated for the first time on 26th of Jan

1930,it continued to be observed till 1947. Later because of its significance 26th of Jan who was

selected as the date of commencement of the new constitution.

11. A written constitution is one which sets forth in a single written instrument most o f the

principles under which government shall be organised and conducted .Constitution of this type is

enacted by the constituent assembly at a particular date.

Eg : Indian Constitution.

Answer the following

Q1. Define the term constitution.

Q2. When was the Indian Constitution adopted?

Q3. When was the Indian Constitution enforced?

Q4. What is meant by ‘rule of the Law?

Q5. Why is the constitution known as the fundamental law of the land?

Q6. How many members were in the first constituent assembly?

Q7. Name the body formed /convened for framing the constitution of India?

Q8. Who was the president of the constituent assembly?

Q9. Who was the head / chairman of the drafting committee of the constituent assembly?

Q10. What is the significance of 26th Jan in Indian struggle for Swaraj, why was 26th Jan taken for

commencement of the new constitution?

Q11. What do you understand by the term written constitution?

●Note the above questions are to be done in the history registers. The work will be corrected

when the school reopens.

Assignment (1) (continued)

(Chap2: Salient Features Of Our Constitution)

Scope: • Features: Single citizenship.

• Universal Adult Franchise.

• Fundamental Rights and Fundamental Duties.

• Directive principal of state policy (meaning).

• Welfare State

*Points to learn

The features of our constitution are as follows:

1. A written constitution: The Indian Constitution is qualified by constituent assembly.

It was enacted on 26th January 1950 it is one which sets forth in a single written

instrument most of the principal under which the government shall be organised

and conducted.

2. Lengthiest Constitution: The Indian Constitution is the lengthiest constitution in the

world it contains 395 articles and 12 schedules.

3. Effect of other Constitution: Our tuition has been affected and influenced by other

constitutions of the world. Like Great Britain, Canada and Australia India believes in

parliamentary Government and the rule of law and following the example of USA

are the constitution laid down the principle of Judicial review.

4. Democratic and Republican features: The Constitution proclaims that sovereign

resides in the hands of the people. The head of the Indian Constitution is the

president elected by electoral college through the process of indirect election for a

period of 5 years.

• Democracy implies (a) Free and fair elections based on adult franchise.

(b) Give Liberty such as freedom of speech and religion.

(c) The rule of tan.

(d) Independence of the judiciary.

(e) Prohibition of discrimination based on religion race caste or

sex.

5. Universal adult franchise: Our constitution is based on the principle of Universal

adult franchise. The constitution gives voting rights to every citizen of India who is

18 years and above, citizen of India who is not disqualified under any law.

6. Quasi Federal government: A Federal government is a system in which the powers

of the government are divided between the central government and the

governments of the operating units called States. Our constitution is tablatures a

dual polity in which the powers are divided between the Union and the state

government. The supreme court as final interpreter of the constitution. The

constitution is said to be Federal in form but unitary in Spirit.

Characteristics of a federation

• A written constitution.

• A dual polity.

• Division of powers.

• Supreme Court.

7. Single citizenship: the Indian Constitution recognises Single citizenship . Every Indian

is a citizen of India and has the same right of citizenship no matter in which state

they reside.

8. Parliamentary and cabinet system of government: The two main features of

parliamentary and cabinet form of the government are as follows÷

• The head of the state functions as the nominal head of the executive. His functions

are chiefly formal or ceremonial in nature.

• The real executive is the Council of Ministers with the prime minister at its head. The

Prime Minister and other Ministers are responsible to the legislature for their

executive is council of Ministers at National level who are collectively responsible to

the house of people that is Lok Sabha

9. Fundamental rights and duties: fundamental rights are justiciable. There is a

provision for their enforcement if they are violated. Fundamental rights are Grove in

6 categories-

• Right to Equality.

• Right to Religion.

• Right to Freedom.

• Right against exploitation.

● Cultural and educational rights

● Right to constitutional remedies.

# rights are those essential conditions of life without which no one can lead, full, happy and

purposeful life.

• Fundamental duties: The 42nd amendment act of 1976, added part IVA , to

the constitution. It contains several fundamental duties of which the

following are most important.

# duty to uphold and protect the unity and integrity of India. The duty

safeguard public property.

#There were 10 fundamental duties.

# the 86 Constitutional Amendment Act 2002 has added more one more

10. Directive Principles of State Policy: Directive principles are and did to create a social

order in which justice of everything prevails. This principles are not justiciable or

enforceable yet they are fundamental in in the Governance of the country. It is the

duty of the state to apply this principles and making laws.

• Citizen should have adequate means of livelihood.

• The economic system does not result in the concentration of wealth in few

hands.

11. Secularism: secular state allows equal freedom of faith and worship to all.” Sarva

Dharma Sambhav”.

12. Reservation of seats: seats are reserved for the scheduled castes and Scheduled

Tribes in the Lok Sabha and Legislature assemblies of the state.

13. A welfare state: The state is directed to ensure to the people, employment,

education and assistant in cases of old age sickness and disablement.

14. Combination of rigidity and flexibility: the provisions of the Indian Constitution are

commendable in three ways

15. Constitution is a beautifully balanced document: no signal branch of the

government can claim absolute authority or power.

Answer the following questions

Q1) Name any two prominent features of the Indian Constitution.

Q2) Define the term Universal adult franchise.

Q3) What is meant by the term written constitution?

Q4) Mention any two implications of democratic government as established by the

constitution of India.

Q6) Examine the silent features of the Constitution with reference to

• Single citizenship

• India in a secular state

• Fundamental duties

Q7) As per article 51 A how many fundamental duties have been listed, mention

any two fundamental duties of the Indian citizen.

Q8) What is meant by fundamental right?

Q9) What do we mean when we say fundamental rights are justiciable.

Q10) Mention any two categories of fundamental rights.

Q11) how many fundamental rights have been enshrined in the Indian

Constitution?

Q12) what is the basic purpose of Directive principles of state policies.

Q13) explain the term directive principle of State Policy.

*Note: all the questions of chapter 1(Our Constitution) chapter2(The Salient Features Of Our

Constitution) are to be done in the History/Civics register. As soon as the school reopens the

registers will be checked.

Regards,

History/Civics Teacher,

Mrs Monika Datt.