The Constitution of India — An Introduction — Quiz

Q1. A constitution lays out 'the framework of the three organs of the government and their roles and responsibilities.' This means the Constitution mainly

• A. Decides how the legislature, executive and judiciary are formed and what each one does.
• B. Names the persons who will hold government posts.
• C. Lists the festivals and holidays of the country.
• D. Fixes the rates of taxes the government will collect.

Q2. On a kabaddi referee uses an 'official rulebook' to settle a dispute about whether a player was 'out'. The chapter uses this story to show that

• A. A society also needs a written rulebook — a constitution — so that disputes can be settled fairly.
• B. Only sports need written rules.
• C. Kabaddi is the national game of India.
• D. The referee's personal opinion is the final word in any contest.

Q3. The Constitution lays out 'checks and balances amongst the three organs of government'. The BEST reason for having these checks and balances is to

• A. Ensure fairness, responsibility and accountability among the three organs.
• B. Make the work of the government as slow as possible.
• C. Allow the executive to overrule the judiciary when needed.
• D. Stop ordinary citizens from approaching any government office.

Q4. The Constituent Assembly was formed on 9 December 1946 and the Constitution it drafted came into effect on 26 January 1950. About how long did the Assembly take to develop and write the Constitution?

• A. About one year
• B. About ten years
• C. About five years
• D. About three years

Q5. Members of the Constituent Assembly 'were elected by the legislative assemblies of the provinces (whose members had been, in turn, elected by the people).' This means the Constituent Assembly was

• A. Directly chosen by every adult voter in India.
• B. Nominated entirely by the British government.
• C. Indirectly elected by the people through their provincial legislatures.
• D. A group of judges appointed by the Supreme Court.

Q6. Apart from chairing the Drafting Committee, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as 'an eminent social reformer' and

• A. The first Law and Justice Minister of independent India.
• B. The first President of India.
• C. The first Prime Minister of India.
• D. The first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Q7. Priya reads that the Constituent Assembly had 299 members after Partition, 'of which 15 were women.' Her teacher asks what this tells us. The BEST conclusion is that the Assembly

• A. Was made up only of men.
• B. Was the same body as Parliament today.
• C. Was a foreign-controlled body.
• D. Included representatives from diverse social groups, including women.

Q8. The American Constitution helped shape which key feature of the Indian Constitution?

• A. The Directive Principles of State Policy.
• B. The Preamble's word 'fraternity'.
• C. The concept of an independent judiciary.
• D. The Panchayati Raj system.

Q9. Vasudhaiva kutumbakam as one of the civilisational ideas embedded in the Indian Constitution. The chapter translates this phrase as

• A. 'The world is one family.'
• B. 'Truth alone triumphs.'
• C. 'Let noble thoughts come from every side.'
• D. 'May all beings be happy.'

Q10. Why does the chapter say that Fundamental Duties are linked to India's civilisational heritage?

• A. Because traditions like the janapadas, sanghas and Kauṭilya's rājadharma stressed the duties and role of people in governance.
• B. Because Fundamental Duties were borrowed from the constitution of the USA.
• C. Because they were added by the 73rd Amendment in 1992.
• D. Because the Preamble lists them in detail.

Q11. 'The DPSP are more like guidelines than strict rules. Fundamental Rights, on the other hand, are promises that must be kept.' Which conclusion follows BEST?

• A. Fundamental Rights and DPSP are exactly the same thing.
• B. Neither Fundamental Rights nor DPSP can be enforced anywhere.
• C. DPSP are stronger than Fundamental Rights in court.
• D. If a Fundamental Right is violated, a citizen can go to court; DPSP cannot usually be claimed in court that way.

Q12. The law is implemented by the executive, which is headed by the

• A. Chief Justice of India
• B. President of India
• C. Prime Minister
• D. Speaker of the Lok Sabha

Q13. Ravi reads that the Constitution is a 'living document'. He asks his teacher what this means. The BEST reply, based on the chapter, is

• A. It means changes (called amendments) can be made to it when new needs arise, after rigorous debate in Parliament.
• B. It means the Constitution is a religious book that grows over time.
• C. It means the President can rewrite it whenever he wishes.
• D. It means it only applies to people who are living and not to future generations.

Q14. On the Preamble , the word 'Sovereign' tells us that India is a country where

• A. The head of state is chosen by birth.
• B. Wealth is shared by society as a whole.
• C. The people have supreme right to make decisions and no external power can dictate to the government of India.
• D. All religions are treated with equal respect.

Q15. A Class 7 student says: 'Article 44 — Uniform Civil Code is a Fundamental Right because the chapter lists it under the Constitution.' Looking at the infographic the teacher should explain that Article 44 is actually

• A. A Fundamental Duty in Part IV-A.
• B. A heading in the schedule of the Constitution that has no legal meaning.
• C. A part of the Preamble.
• D. A Directive Principle of State Policy, which is a guideline for the government, not a court-enforceable right.