Static GK
Indian Constitution — Articles & Schedules
The Indian Constitution is the longest written constitution in the world — currently 470+ articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules. The exam-relevant subset below is a high-yield revision sheet.
Why this matters: Polity is a core section in UPSC, State PCS, SSC and RRB. Expect 1–3 questions per paper on parts, schedules and key articles.
Parts of the Constitution (most asked)
| Part | Subject | Articles |
|---|---|---|
| Part I | Union & its Territory | 1–4 |
| Part II | Citizenship | 5–11 |
| Part III | Fundamental Rights | 12–35 |
| Part IV | Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) | 36–51 |
| Part IV-A | Fundamental Duties | 51A |
| Part V | The Union (President, PM, Parliament, SC) | 52–151 |
| Part VI | The States (Governor, CM, HC) | 152–237 |
| Part IX | Panchayats | 243–243-O |
| Part IX-A | Municipalities | 243P–243ZG |
| Part XI | Centre–State Relations | 245–263 |
| Part XIV-A | Tribunals | 323A–323B |
| Part XVIII | Emergency Provisions | 352–360 |
Important articles (high-frequency)
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| Art. 1 | Name & territory of the Union |
| Art. 14 | Equality before law |
| Art. 15 | Prohibition of discrimination |
| Art. 17 | Abolition of untouchability |
| Art. 19 | Six fundamental freedoms |
| Art. 21 | Right to life and personal liberty |
| Art. 21A | Right to education (added by 86th Amendment) |
| Art. 25 | Freedom of religion |
| Art. 32 | Right to constitutional remedies (Dr. Ambedkar's 'heart and soul') |
| Art. 44 | Uniform Civil Code (DPSP) |
| Art. 51A | Fundamental Duties |
| Art. 72 | Pardoning power of the President |
| Art. 80 | Composition of Rajya Sabha |
| Art. 81 | Composition of Lok Sabha |
| Art. 110 | Money Bill |
| Art. 123 | Ordinance-making power of the President |
| Art. 143 | Advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court |
| Art. 148 | Comptroller & Auditor General |
| Art. 226 | Writ jurisdiction of High Courts |
| Art. 280 | Finance Commission |
| Art. 312 | All-India Services |
| Art. 324 | Election Commission |
| Art. 343 | Hindi as official language of the Union |
| Art. 352 | National Emergency |
| Art. 356 | President's Rule (State Emergency) |
| Art. 360 | Financial Emergency |
| Art. 368 | Amendment of the Constitution |
| Art. 370 | Special provisions for J&K (effectively abrogated, 2019) |
12 Schedules of the Constitution
| Schedule | Deals with |
|---|---|
| First | Names of States and UTs |
| Second | Salaries of President, Governors, Judges etc. |
| Third | Forms of oaths and affirmations |
| Fourth | Allocation of Rajya Sabha seats |
| Fifth | Administration of Scheduled Areas / STs |
| Sixth | Tribal areas of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram |
| Seventh | Union, State, Concurrent Lists |
| Eighth | 22 official languages |
| Ninth | Validation of land-reform laws (added 1951) |
| Tenth | Anti-defection law (added 1985) |
| Eleventh | Powers of Panchayats (added 1992, 73rd Amend.) |
| Twelfth | Powers of Municipalities (added 1992, 74th Amend.) |
Quick Revision Facts
- The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
- The original Constitution had 8 schedules; today it has 12.
- The 8th Schedule lists 22 official languages.
- Article 32 is called the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar.
- The 42nd Amendment (1976) is called the 'Mini-Constitution'.
- Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Amendment based on the Swaran Singh Committee.
- Right to Education (Art. 21A) was added by the 86th Amendment, 2002.
- Art. 370 was effectively abrogated on 5 August 2019.
Quick Quiz — Constitution — Articles & Schedules
5 random questions from our bank. Refresh or retake for a new set.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many schedules are there in the Indian Constitution?
Twelve. The original had eight; four were added later.
Which article is called the heart and soul of the Constitution?
Article 32 — the right to constitutional remedies.
Which schedule lists official languages?
The 8th Schedule, currently containing 22 languages.
Which amendment is known as the 'Mini-Constitution'?
The 42nd Amendment, 1976.
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