Preamble and Salient Features of the Constitution — Quick Revision

The Preamble, the salient features and the sources of the Constitution on one page. For explanations, go back to the chapter.

How to use this sheet

Scan it top to bottom in the week before Prelims. Bold entries are the facts examiners return to most often.

The Preamble

Fact	Detail
Based on	Objectives Resolution, moved by Nehru on 13 Dec 1946, adopted 22 Jan 1947
Debated in the Assembly	17 October 1949
Date in the text	26 November 1949 (adoption); some provisions in force that day (Art 394)
Commencement	26 January 1950
Source of authority	“We, the People of India”
Nature of the State	Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic
Justice	Social, economic and political (traced to the Russian Revolution)
Liberty	Of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship
Equality	Of status and of opportunity
Fraternity	Assuring dignity of the individual and unity and integrity of the Nation
Amended	Once: 42nd Amendment, 1976: Socialist, Secular, Integrity
2024 ruling	25 Nov 2024: Supreme Court (CJI Sanjiv Khanna, Justice Sanjay Kumar) dismissed challenges to “socialist” and “secular”
Justiciable?	No; neither a source of nor a limit on legislative power; aid to interpretation
Constitution Day	26 November (observed since 2015)

Case	Year	Held
In re Berubari Union	1960	Preamble not a part of the Constitution
Kesavananda Bharati	1973	Preamble is a part; amendable, but not the basic structure
S.R. Bommai	1994	Secularism (and federalism) are basic features
LIC of India	1995	Preamble an integral part (reaffirmed)
Balram Singh v. Union of India	2024	Art 368 covers the Preamble; 1976 additions upheld

Person	Description
N.A. Palkhivala	Identity card of the Constitution
K.M. Munshi	Horoscope (“political horoscope”)
Thakur Das Bhargava	Soul of the Constitution
Ernest Barker	Key-note
(Ambedkar — on Art 32, not the Preamble)	“Heart and soul”

Item	1950	As of 2026
Articles	395	About 470 (textbook count; numbering still ends at 395)
Parts	22	25
Schedules	8	12
Amendments	—	106 (latest: 106th, 2023)

Feature	Key fact
Federal character	Art 1: “Union of States”; “quasi-federal” (K.C. Wheare)
Residuary powers	Centre (Art 248)
Parliamentary system	Arts 74, 75 (Centre); 163, 164 (States)
Amendment	Art 368: special majority; + half the States for federal provisions
Simple majority (not Art 368)	Arts 2, 3, 4 (new States), 169 (Legislative Councils), citizenship
Fundamental Rights	Part III, Arts 12–35
DPSP	Part IV, Arts 36–51 (Ireland)
Fundamental Duties	Part IVA, Art 51A: 42nd (1976), 10 duties; 11th by 86th (2002)
Universal adult franchise	Art 326; age 21 → 18 by 61st Amendment, 1988
Single citizenship	Arts 5–11
Independent bodies	ECI (324), CAG (148), UPSC and SPSCs incl. CGPSC (315), Finance Commission (280)
Emergencies	352 national; 356 State; 360 financial (never proclaimed)
Third tier	73rd and 74th Amendments, 1992 (Parts IX, IXA)
Co-operatives	97th Amendment, 2011: Art 19(1)(c), Art 43B, Part IXB
Basic structure	Kesavananda Bharati, 1973 (13 judges, 7:6)
CG High Court	Bilaspur, 1 November 2000

Source	Borrowings
GoI Act, 1935	Federal scheme, Governor, judiciary, PSCs, emergency provisions, administrative details
UK	Parliamentary govt, rule of law, legislative procedure, single citizenship, cabinet, writs, privileges, bicameralism
USA	Fundamental Rights, independent judiciary, judicial review, impeachment of President, removal of judges, Vice-President
Ireland	DPSP, nomination to Rajya Sabha, method of electing the President
Canada	Strong Centre, residuary powers with Centre, Governor appointed by Centre, advisory jurisdiction of SC
Australia	Concurrent List, freedom of trade and commerce, joint sitting
Weimar Germany	Suspension of FRs during emergency
USSR	Fundamental Duties; social, economic, political justice
France	Republic; liberty, equality, fraternity
South Africa	Amendment procedure; election of Rajya Sabha members
Japan	Procedure established by law

Fact	Detail
First meeting	9 December 1946
Drafting Committee	Chair B.R. Ambedkar (29 August 1947)
Constitutional Adviser	B.N. Rau
Hindi translation committee	Chair Ghanshyam Singh Gupta (Durg)
Members from the CG region (examples)	Pt. Ravishankar Shukla, Barrister Thakur Chhedilal, Ghanshyam Singh Gupta, Kishori Mohan Tripathi, Ramprasad Potai, Raghuraj Singh

This	vs	That
26 Nov 1949 — adoption	vs	26 Jan 1950 — commencement
Berubari (1960) — not part	vs	Kesavananda (1973) — part
Preamble — “soul” (Bhargava)	vs	Art 32 — “heart and soul” (Ambedkar)
Preamble liberty: thought, expression, belief, faith, worship	vs	Art 19: six freedoms
Eleventh Schedule — Panchayats (29)	vs	Twelfth Schedule — Municipalities (18)
Canada — residuary powers, strong Centre	vs	Australia — Concurrent List, joint sitting
Ireland — DPSP, President’s election	vs	USA — Fundamental Rights, President’s impeachment
USSR — Fundamental Duties	vs	USA — Fundamental Rights
Rajya Sabha nomination — Ireland	vs	Rajya Sabha election — South Africa
Japan — procedure established by law	vs	USA — due process of law

Favourite MCQ traps

The Preamble was amended (once, 1976). “Sovereign” was not one of the additions.
Art 1 says “Union of States”. The word “federation” is not in the Constitution.
New States (like Chhattisgarh in 2000) are created by an ordinary law under Arts 2–4, not an Art 368 amendment.
DPSP from Ireland, not the USSR; Concurrent List from Australia, not Canada; judicial review from the USA, not the UK.