Laxmikanth Test: Making of the Constitution- 2 - UPSC MCQ

Statement-I accurately reflects the impact of the Muslim League's withdrawal on the total strength of the Constituent Assembly. Statement-II correctly details the reduced numbers in Indian provinces and princely states resulting from the withdrawal. Statement-II provides additional context and clarification for Statement-I by specifying the division of the reduced numbers between Indian provinces and princely states. Hence, Option A is the correct answer as both statements are correct, and Statement-II elucidates Statement-I.

M.N. Roy was the first person to put forward the idea of the Constituent Assembly in 1934. This marked a significant step towards the eventual framing of the Constitution of India. Roy's early advocacy for a Constituent Assembly laid the groundwork for the constitutional development process that followed in subsequent years.

1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad - First President of India (Correct)

2. G.V. Mavlankar - Chairman of the Drafting Committee (Incorrect, he was not the Chairman of the Drafting Committee)

3. Syed Mohammad Saadullah - Member of the Drafting Committee (Correct)

4. N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar - Member of the Drafting Committee (Correct)

Statement 1 is correct. The Constituent Assembly held its first meeting on December 9, 1946, with 211 members attending.

Statement 2 is also correct. The Muslim League boycotted the first meeting and demanded a separate state of Pakistan.

Statement 3 is incorrect. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was not elected as the interim President of the Assembly; Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B.

Statement-I accurately acknowledges the crucial role played by the Congress Experts Committee in shaping India's constitution. Statement-II indicates the specific contributions of the committee, including providing general suggestions on various key aspects of the constitutional framework. Statement-II provides more details supporting the importance of the committee, explaining Statement-I effectively. Thus, Option A is the correct choice.

1. Adoption of the National Flag - July 22, 1947 (Correct)

2. Adoption of the National Anthem - January 24, 1950 (Correct)

3. Adoption of the Constitution - January 26, 1950 (Incorrect, the Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949)

4. Dr. Rajendra Prasad elected as first President - January 24, 1950 (Correct)

1. Correctly matched. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India.

2. Correctly matched. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee.

3. Incorrectly matched. National Flag of India was adopted on July 22, 1947.

4. Correctly matched. India's membership of the Commonwealth was ratified in May 1949.

Let's analyze each pair to determine if they are correctly matched:

1. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar - Chairman of the Drafting Committee

   • Correct. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was indeed the Chairman of the Drafting Committee of the Indian Constitution.

2. T.T. Krishnamachari - Member of the Drafting Committee

   • Correct. T.T. Krishnamachari was a member of the Drafting Committee, replacing D.P Khaitan

3. Dr. K.M. Munshi - Member of the Constituent Assembly, not the Drafting Committee

   • Incorrect. Dr. K.M. Munshi was not only a member of the Constituent Assembly but also a member of the Drafting Committee.

4. N.M. Rau - Member of the Drafting Committee

   • Incorrect. N.M. Rau was a member of Drafting Committe. He replaced B.L. Mitter who resigned due to ill-health.

Conclusion:

• Pair 1 is correct.
• Pair 2 is correct.
• Pair 3 is incorrect.
• Pair 4 is correct.

Correct answer: 3. Only three pairs

1. Correctly matched. The first draft of the Constitution was published in February 1948.

2. Correctly matched. The final draft of the Constitution was introduced on November 4, 1948.

3. Correctly matched. The Constitution was adopted on November 26, 1949.

4. Correctly matched. The Constitution came into force on January 26, 1950.

Statement 1 is correct. The total strength of the Constituent Assembly was indeed 389, with 296 seats allotted to British India and 93 seats to the Princely States.

Statement 2 is also correct. The seats allocated to each British province were to be divided among Muslims, Sikhs, and General (others), based on their population.

Statement 3 is incorrect. Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Constituent Assembly. Therefore, the correct answer is Option B.

The Indian National Congress made its first demand for a Constituent Assembly in 1935. This marked a crucial moment in India's journey towards independence, as the call for a Constituent Assembly reflected the growing aspirations for a self-governing nation and the need to establish a framework for governance that truly represented the will of the Indian people.

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct. Statement-II explains Statement-I. The criticism directed towards the Constituent Assembly for its composition and dominance by certain groups is accurately reflected in both statements.

Only Statement 1 is correct. The total strength of the Constituent Assembly was indeed 389 (Statement 1). Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Constituent Assembly (Statement 2 is incorrect). Although the Indian National Congress did win 208 seats, this statement is given in the context of the seats allotted to British India, making Statement 3 factually correct . 

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct. Statement-II explains Statement-I. The majority of the Indian Constitution indeed came into force on January 26, 1950, and this date symbolizes the culmination of the independence movement, marking it as Republic Day.

Statement 1: Correct. The election for the 296 seats allotted to the British Indian Provinces was indeed held in July-August 1946.

Statement 2: Correct. The Indian National Congress won 208 seats in the Constituent Assembly.

Statement 3: Incorrect. The Muslim League won 73 seats, not 93 seats.

Statement-I correctly highlights the demand by the Indian National Congress in 1935 for a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of India. Statement-II accurately mentions the formation of the Constituent Assembly in November 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan. Statement-II provides the chronological continuation and implementation of Statement-I, making it explanatory. Thus, Option A is the correct answer as both statements are correct, and Statement-II logically explains Statement-I.

• Statement-I is correct. Prem Behari Narain Raizada was indeed the calligrapher of the Indian Constitution.
• Statement-II is correct. The elephant was adopted as the symbol of the Constituent Assembly. Both statements are correct but are not explanatory of each other.

Correct option is  2 and 3 only. 

Statement 1 is incorrect:  On December 13, 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the historic 'Objectives Resolution' in the Assembly. It contains the fundamentals and philosophy of the constitutional structure. This Resolution was unanimously adopted by the Assembly on January 22, 1947.

Statement 3 is correct: On 9 December 1946, after the first Constituent Assembly election, the first meeting of Constituent Assembly was held in which Sinha was appointed as the interim President of Constituent Assembly as he was the eldest member, following the French Practice.

Statement 1 is wrong as The Objectives Resolution was moved by Jawaharlal Nehru. It laid down the principles of the constitution.

• Statement-I is correct. The majority of the Indian Constitution, excluding specific provisions, did indeed come into force on January 26, 1950.
• Statement-II explains Statement-I. The formation of the Constituent Assembly Experts Committee was indeed initiated on July 8, 1946, which was part of the process leading to the eventual enactment of the Indian Constitution on January 26, 1950.

Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct. Statement-II explains Statement-I. The Congress Experts Committee, with Jawaharlal Nehru as the chairman, significantly influenced India's constitution within the framework of the Cabinet Mission Scheme.

All three statements are correct. The Constituent Assembly initially had 93 seats allocated to the princely states (Statement 1). The members from British India were indeed elected by the provincial legislative assemblies (Statement 2). Additionally, the Muslim League boycotted the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly (Statement 3).

Statement 1 is correct. The representatives of each community were indeed to be elected by members of that community in the provincial legislative assembly.

Statement 2 is also correct. Voting was to be done using the method of proportional representation with a single transferable vote.

Statement 3 is correct as well. The election for the 296 seats allotted to the British Indian Provinces was held in July-August 1946. Therefore, the correct answer is Option D.

M.N. Roy was the first person to put forward the idea of the Constituent Assembly in 1934. This significant proposal laid the groundwork for the eventual formation of the Constituent Assembly, a pivotal body in the framing of the Indian Constitution. Roy's early advocacy for this assembly set the stage for the subsequent developments that led to the realization of a sovereign and democratic India.

Sir Stafford Cripps presented a draft proposal on the framing of an independent Constitution to be adopted after World War II in India. Known as the "Cripps Mission," this initiative aimed to address India's constitutional future and paved the way for further deliberations and negotiations regarding the country's governance and constitutional framework.

Statement-I correctly states that specific provisions of the Indian Constitution came into force on November 26, 1949. Statement-II is also accurate, mentioning that the majority of the Constitution, excluding those provisions, became effective on January 26, 1950, celebrated as Republic Day. Therefore, Statement-II explains the sequence and significance of the dates accurately, making Option A the correct answer.

Let's analyze the two statements:

Statement-I:
"The Constituent Assembly of India faced criticisms for not being a representative and sovereign body."

• This statement is correct. The Constituent Assembly was criticized by some because it was not directly elected by the people; instead, its members were elected by the provincial assemblies, which were themselves elected on a limited franchise. Additionally, the Assembly was initially convened under the framework of British rule, leading to questions about its sovereignty.

Statement-II:
"The dominance of lawyers and politicians in the Assembly overshadowed the representation of other professionals."

• This statement is also correct. The Constituent Assembly was indeed dominated by lawyers, politicians, and other public figures, which led to concerns that it did not fully represent the diversity of Indian society, particularly in terms of other professions and social classes.

Conclusion:

Both statements are correct, and the dominance of lawyers and politicians (Statement-II) could be seen as one of the factors that contributed to the criticism of the Assembly's representativeness (Statement-I). However, Statement-II does not fully explain Statement-I since the criticism of the Assembly's representativeness and sovereignty stemmed from a broader context, including the method of its election and its initial status under British rule.

Thus, the correct answer is:

1: Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I.

Statement-I accurately lists the members of the Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly. Statement-II correctly points out a significant criticism of the Assembly regarding the overrepresentation of lawyers and politicians. Statement-II elaborates on the composition of the Assembly mentioned in Statement-I, explaining why this criticism arose. Hence, Option A is the correct choice as both statements are correct, and Statement-II provides an explanation for Statement-I.

1. Correctly matched. Provisions of citizenship, among others, came into force on November 26, 1949.

2. Correctly matched. National Anthem was adopted on January 24, 1950.

3. Correctly matched. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected as President on January 24, 1950.

4. Incorrectly matched. The final session of the Constituent Assembly was held on January 24, 1950, not January 26, 1950.

Indian Response to the Cripps Mission and its Failure

The British had only undertaken this exercise to show the world that they cared about Indian sentiments rather than to do anything concrete. The Cripps Mission’s proposals fell short of appeasing Indian nationalists and ended up serving only as a US and Chinese propaganda tool. Various parties and organisations objected to the proposals on various grounds:

• Gandhi: He called Cripps Mission proposals a “Post-dated Cheque drawnon a failing bank”. This was due to the promise of granting dominion status after the end of the Second World War. 
• Congress: 
  • The right of the Princely States to send representatives to the Constituent Assembly and authority for the Provinces to opt out of the Indian Union was not well received by Congress. 
  • Congress wanted immediate independence and pan-India cooperation. The offer of the “Dominion Status” was dead at that moment. 
  • Congress also wanted Indians to have full control over the defence.
  • The Congress Working Committee rejected the Cripps’ proposals officially on 7 April 1942.
• Muslim League: 
  • The draft Declaration implicitly appeased the Muslim League’s demand for Pakistan by stating that any province unwilling to accept the constitution would be granted ‘the same status as the Indian Union. 
  • Still, the League disagreed with the proposal because it did not make a clear statement supporting the establishment of a separate state for Muslims.
• Liberals and Mahasabha: They also rejected the Cripps proposals, as they considered the secession proposals to be against the unity and security of India. 
• Other: Other groups, such as Sikhs, Indian Christians, Depressed Classes, and Anglo-Indians, did not find anything in the proposals for their interests. 

Let's evaluate each statement:

Statement-I: In November 1946, the Constituent Assembly was constituted under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan.

• This is correct. The Constituent Assembly was indeed constituted in November 1946 as per the Cabinet Mission Plan.

Statement-II: The Indian Independence Act of 1947 and the Government of India Act of 1935, along with all enactments amending or supplementing the latter Act, were repealed with the commencement of the Constitution.

• This is also correct. The commencement of the Constitution of India on January 26, 1950, repealed the Indian Independence Act of 1947, the Government of India Act of 1935, and all subsequent amendments.

However, Statement-II does not directly explain Statement-I. Statement-II is about the legal changes that occurred with the commencement of the Constitution, whereas Statement-I is about the formation of the Constituent Assembly.

Therefore, the correct answer is:

    3. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I