Class 9 Civics Chapter 2 Previous Year Questions - Constitutional Design

Short Answer Type Questions

Q1: Describe the steps taken to form the Constituent Assembly.     [2025]
Or 
How was the Indian Constituent Assembly formed?    
Ans: The Constituent Assembly was formed to frame the Constitution for independent India. Elections for it were held in July 1946. The members were chosen by the elected members of the Provincial Legislatures through proportional representation. Initially, the Assembly had 389 members, but after partition, only 299 remained. The Assembly met for the first time in December 1946 and adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949. It came into effect on 26 January 1950.

Q2: What are the four main ideals enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?  [2024]

Ans: The ideals written in the Preamble of the Constitution are as under : 
Justice: Every citizen of India will have social, economic and political justice. 
Liberty: Every citizen will have the liberty of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship. 
Equality: Every citizen will be provided with the equality of status and opportunity. 
Fraternity: All the citizens of India have been assured about the dignity of individual and the unity and integrity of the nation.

Q3: What was the 'Drafting Committee'?  [2023] 

Ans: The Drafting Committee was formed to prepare the draft of the Indian Constitution. It was chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. The committee carefully discussed and examined each clause. The Constituent Assembly spent 114 days over nearly 3 years to finalise the Constitution. The process involved open debates and multiple revisions to ensure democratic participation.

Q4: Who was Nelson Mandela? [2023] 
Ans: Nelson Mandela was the leader of the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa. He led the struggle against apartheid and spent 27 years in prison on Robben Island. After his release, he played a key role in establishing democracy in South Africa and became its first black President in 1994.

Q5: What does 'Segregation' mean in South Africa?  [2019] 

Ans: Trains, buses, taxis, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, libraries, cinema halls, theaters, beaches, swimming pools, public toilets, were all separate for the whites and blacks in South Africa. This was called 'Segregation'.  

Long Answer Type Questions

Q1: The formation of the Indian constitution was no less difficult than that of the constitution of South Africa. Do you agree? Explain with five arguments.     [2023] 
Or 
“India emerged as an independent country against heavy turmoil.” Justify the statement.     [2021] 
Ans:  Yes, the making of the Indian Constitution was equally challenging, as:

1. India is a large and diverse country with different languages, religions, and cultures.
2. India gained independence in 1947, transitioning from colonial subjects to citizens.
3. The country was divided during Partition, leading to violence and displacement.
4. The merger of princely states into India was uncertain and difficult.
5. The future of India was unclear at that time, with fears of instability, unemployment, and insecurity.
   Despite all this, the leaders succeeded in drafting a democratic Constitution.

Q2: “The familiarity with political institutions of the colonial rule helped to develop an agreement over the institutional design.” Justify the statement.    [2020] 
Ans: The familiarity with the political institutions of colonial rule helped to develop an agreement over the institutional design in the following ways.
(a) The British rule gave voting rights to only a few. Later Election Commission was set up and voting rights were granted to all.
(b) Elections were held in 1937 for Provincial Legislature,s and Ministries were formed all over British India. The experience gained by Indians in the working of these institutions proved to be very useful for the country in setting up its own institutions and working in them.
(c) The Indian Constitution adopted many institutional details and procedures from colonial laws like the Government of India Act, 1935.
(d) The ideals of the French Revolution, the practice of Parliamentary democracy in Britain, and the Bill of Rights in the US inspired us to set up fundamental rights and duties.
(e) The political institutions of colonial rule are not just copied. They are questioned at every step to suit our nation’s conditions and setup. In a way, they serve as a blueprint for setting up our institutions.

Q3: Explain the importance of the institutional design of the Constitution of India.     [2019] 
Ans: The importance of the institutional design of the Constitution of India as follows:
(a) The constitution is mainly about embodying its values into institutional arrangements.
(b) It is a long and detailed document. Therefore, it needs to be amended quite regularly to keep it updated.
(c) The constitution describes the constitutional arrangements in a very legal language.
(d) The Constitution lays down a procedure for choosing persons to govern the country. It defines who will and how much power one will have to make which decisions.
(e) It also puts limits on what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizens that cannot be violated.