Constitution of India

The Constitution is the supreme law of India. The Constituent Assembly adopted it on 26 November 1949. It came into force on 26 January 1950 — Republic Day — which is why 26 January is not the same date as Independence Day (15 August 1947).

Dr B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee. The original book had 395 articles, 22 parts and 8 schedules. Later amendments added parts and schedules (students are commonly taught 12 schedules now). We do not invent a 2026 “new constitution” or a fake article count beyond that classroom map.

Fundamental rights in Part III are six after the 44th Amendment (1978) moved the Right to Property to a legal right under Article 300A. Directive Principles sit in Part IV. Fundamental duties (Article 51A) came through the 42nd Amendment, with an 11th duty added by the 86th. Appointments cited elsewhere on this desk use a September 2026 stamp and can change.

Key points

1. Adopted: 26 November 1949. Enforced: 26 January 1950. Constitution Day is 26 November.
2. Drafting Committee chairman: Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.
3. Original frame: 395 articles, 22 parts, 8 schedules. Later growth: more articles/parts; 12 schedules is the usual textbook figure.
4. Preamble: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic; Justice, Liberty, Equality, Fraternity. Socialist and Secular were inserted by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.
5. Article 1: India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
6. Part III fundamental rights — six: equality, freedom, against exploitation, religion, cultural and educational rights, constitutional remedies.
7. Right to Property is not a fundamental right after the 44th Amendment; it is a legal right (Article 300A).
8. Article 32 (Supreme Court remedies) was called the heart and soul of the Constitution by Ambedkar — a standard line.
9. Right to Education: Article 21A, 86th Amendment.
10. Directive Principles of State Policy: Part IV, non-justiciable in the same way as fundamental rights, but fundamental in governance (Article 37).
11. Fundamental duties: Article 51A — originally 10 (42nd Amendment), then 11 (86th Amendment, education of children).
12. Parliamentary amendment process: Article 368. Some changes also need half the states to ratify.
13. 42nd Amendment (1976) is often nicknamed a mini-constitution. 44th (1978) rolled back several emergency-era pieces, including property.
14. 73rd and 74th Amendments: panchayats and municipalities. 101st: GST. 103rd: EWS reservation. 104th: ended Anglo-Indian nominated Lok Sabha seats.
15. Emergency: Article 352 (national), 356 (state / President’s rule), 360 (financial).
16. Seventh Schedule: Union, State and Concurrent lists.
17. Eighth Schedule: 22 scheduled languages — do not invent a 23rd.
18. Official language of the Union: Hindi in Devanagari; English continues as an associate official language (Official Languages Act 1963 is the usual statute cited).
19. Adult franchise: voting age 18 after the 61st Amendment (lowered from 21).
20. Single citizenship; independent judiciary; judicial review — features every polity list repeats.
21. September 2026 offices (can change): President Droupadi Murmu; Prime Minister Narendra Modi, third term; Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan; CJI Justice Surya Kant from 24 November 2025.
22. Lok Sabha current elected strength 543; Rajya Sabha 245 (233+12). See the seats page for the constitutional ceilings.
23. We do not invent 2026 amendment numbers or a new preamble word.
24. The Constituent Assembly first sat on 9 December 1946 — a frequent extra date.
25. Handwritten calligraphic copies and the whale-sized “longest written constitution” line are cultural facts, not a substitute for article numbers.

Constitution of India — facts (2026)

Exam tip: Two January dates: 26 January 1950 is Republic / enforcement. 15 August 1947 is Independence. Mixing them is the cheapest error.

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