The Constitution of India, adopted on 26th January 1950, is the supreme law of the land.
It originally consisted of 395 Articles and 8 Schedules, but through subsequent amendments, it has grown to 470+ Articles in 25 Parts and 12 Schedules.
Certain Articles and Schedules hold special importance for competitive exams as they directly relate to governance, rights, and administration.
Important Articles of the Indian Constitution
| Article | Subject / Provision |
|---|---|
| Article 12–35 | Fundamental Rights |
| Article 14 | Equality before law |
| Article 19 | Six freedoms (speech, assembly, movement, etc.) |
| Article 21 | Right to life and personal liberty |
| Article 32 | Remedies for enforcement of Fundamental Rights (writs) |
| Article 36–51 | Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs) |
| Article 51A | Fundamental Duties |
| Article 72 | Power of President to grant pardons |
| Article 110 | Definition of Money Bill |
| Article 112 | Union Budget (Annual Financial Statement) |
| Article 123 | President’s Ordinance-making power |
| Article 143 | Advisory jurisdiction of Supreme Court |
| Article 148 | Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) |
| Article 152–237 | Provisions relating to States |
| Article 280 | Finance Commission |
| Article 300A | Right to property (legal right, not fundamental) |
| Article 324 | Election Commission of India |
| Article 352 | National Emergency |
| Article 356 | President’s Rule in State |
| Article 360 | Financial Emergency |
| Article 368 | Procedure to amend the Constitution |
| Article 370 (Abrogated in 2019) | Special status of Jammu & Kashmir |
| Article 371A–J | Special provisions for some states |
| Article 395 | Repeal of Indian Independence Act and Government of India Act, 1935 |
Important Schedules of the Indian Constitution
| Schedule | Content / Provision |
|---|---|
| Schedule I | Names of States and Union Territories |
| Schedule II | Salaries and allowances of President, Governors, Judges, etc. |
| Schedule III | Oaths and affirmations for Union & State officials |
| Schedule IV | Allocation of Rajya Sabha seats to States & UTs |
| Schedule V | Administration and control of Scheduled Areas & Tribes |
| Schedule VI | Provisions for administration of Tribal Areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| Schedule VII | Division of powers – Union List, State List, Concurrent List |
| Schedule VIII | Official Languages (22 recognized languages) |
| Schedule IX | Laws placed beyond judicial review (added by 1st Amendment, 1951) |
| Schedule X | Anti-defection law (52nd Amendment, 1985) |
| Schedule XI | Powers, authority, responsibilities of Panchayats (73rd Amendment, 1992) |
| Schedule XII | Powers, authority, responsibilities of Municipalities (74th Amendment, 1992) |
Key Facts for Exams
- Constitution originally had 8 Schedules → Now it has 12 Schedules.
- Article 368: Describes procedure to amend the Constitution.
- Fundamental Rights (Art. 12–35) are enforceable in courts; Fundamental Duties (Art. 51A) are moral obligations.
- Schedules V & VI safeguard rights of tribal communities.
- Schedules XI & XII strengthen local self-government through Panchayati Raj and Municipalities.
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