CBSE Class 7 Social Science Chapter 10 The Constitution Of India An Introduction MCQs Set 01

Answer: (C) 26 January 1950

Explanation:
The chapter clearly states that the drafting work was completed on 26 November 1949, but the Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, which is why we celebrate Republic Day annually on this date.

Answer: (B) 389 members

Explanation:
The Constituent Assembly was initially formed with 389 members, later reduced to 299 after the Partition of India, with 15 of them being women representing diverse regions, professions and social groups.

Answer: (B) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Explanation:
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, an eminent social reformer and the first Law and Justice minister of independent India, chaired the Drafting Committee responsible for preparing the initial text of the Constitution.

Answer: (C) Helium, which does not react with paper or ink

Explanation:
Helium is used because it doesn't react with paper or ink, helping to preserve the Constitution over time. The document is carefully stored in a helium-filled glass case in Parliament.

Answer: (A) 42nd Amendment in 1976

Explanation:
According to the chapter, 'Part IV-A: Fundamental Duties' was added to the Constitution in 1976, demonstrating how the Constitution can be amended to address emerging needs.

Answer: (B) Vasudhaiva kutumbakam

Explanation:
The chapter mentions vasudhaiva kutumbakam, which translates to 'the world is one family,' as one of the fundamental principles embedded in Indian culture that influenced the Constitution.

Answer: (C) France

Explanation:
The Constitution makers studied the constitutions of several democratic countries and adopted the ideals of 'liberty, equality, fraternity' from France's constitution, which had enshrined them from the French Revolution of 1789.

Answer: (B) 1992

Explanation:
The Panchayati Raj System was not part of the original Constitution; it was integrated in 1992 with the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, showing how the Constitution evolves over time.

Answer: (B) Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote the text; Nandalal Bose and his team illustrated it

Explanation:
Calligrapher Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote the Constitution's text by hand, while Nandalal Bose and his team illustrated its pages with scenes from Indian history, spanning from Mohenjo-daro to the freedom movement.

Answer: (C) The right to fly the national flag at home as part of Freedom of Expression

Explanation:
A citizen challenged the rule preventing people from flying the flag at their homes, and the Supreme Court agreed that flying the flag is part of the Fundamental Right to Freedom of Expression, allowing citizens to fly the tricolour with pride.

Answer: (C) The people have supreme right to make decisions on internal and external matters without external interference

Explanation:
Sovereignty means the people have supreme right to make decisions on internal as well as external matters, and no external power can dictate the government of India—a concept central to India's independence and democratic authority.

Answer: (B) Checks and balances amongst the three organs

Explanation:
The Constitution includes checks and balances amongst the three organs of government—legislature, executive, and judiciary—to ensure fairness, responsibility and accountability in their functioning.

Answer: (A) To ensure the Constitution reflected the views and needs of India's diverse population and contexts

Explanation:
Having diverse representatives was crucial because India is a large, culturally complex and diverse country with many different regions and communities, so the Constitution needed to address the varied experiences, concerns, and aspirations of all these groups.

Answer: (B) Citizens have complete freedom to follow any religion, but the government treats all religious beliefs and practices with equal respect and has no official religion

Explanation:
Secularism in the Preamble means citizens have complete freedom to follow any religion without government interference, but there is no official state religion—the government treats all religious beliefs and practices with equal respect.

Answer: (B) It is a rulebook that establishes the basic principles, governmental structure, and rights and duties of citizens

Explanation:
A constitution spells out a nation's basic principles and laws, lays out the framework of government organs, establishes checks and balances, defines citizen rights and duties, and outlines long-term goals. It is not merely a historical record or optional guideline, but a foundational document that governs how a country operates.

Answer: (B) 15 women

Explanation:
The text explicitly states that the Constituent Assembly was initially formed with 389 members (later reduced to 299 after Partition), 'of which 15 were women.'

Answer: (B) Fundamental Rights are immediately enforceable promises while Directive Principles are aspirational goals the government should pursue over time

Explanation:
• The chapter clarifies that Directive Principles are goals the government should try to achieve and reflect directions for the country's progress, but citizens cannot file a legal complaint if the government fails to pursue them
• Fundamental Rights, by contrast, are promises that must be kept, and if someone is treated unfairly, they can go to court and a judge can help them
• The Constitution makers deliberately created this dual system to have some rights demandable immediately and some bigger goals that might take time to achieve

Answer: (C) Willingness to respect differing viewpoints and ability to compromise and accommodate

Explanation:
The opening quotation from Dr. Rajendra Prasad states that successful democratic institutions require 'willingness to respect the viewpoint of others, capacity for compromise and accommodation,' directly emphasizing these human qualities rather than technical skills or authoritarian decision-making.

Answer: (B) Sarve bhavantu sukhinah

Explanation:
The text states that 'sarve bhavantu sukhinah' means 'an invocation for the well-being of all creatures,' which aligns with the Preamble's concept of fraternity—behaving as members of the same family and ensuring the dignity of all individuals.

Answer: (B) To follow the Indian tradition of seeking noble thoughts from all sides and explore what would be useful for India's democratic context

Explanation:
The chapter explains the makers followed the tradition of 'ā no bhadrāh kratavo yantu viśhwatah'—'Let noble thoughts come to me from every side'—and studied other democracies to explore what would be useful for India's specific needs, such as adopting liberty and equality ideals from France and the concept of an independent judiciary inspired by America.

Answer: (B) The need for an agreed-upon rulebook and neutral authority to settle disputes fairly and ensure everyone accepts the decision

Explanation:
Just as the referee consulted the official rulebook and team captains agreed to abide by it to settle the kabaddi dispute fairly, a constitution serves as a country's rulebook that all institutions and citizens agree to follow, enabling fair resolution of conflicts and ensuring acceptance of decisions.

Answer: (B) Part IV-A on Fundamental Duties was added in 1976, and the Panchayati Raj System was integrated through the 73rd Constitutional Amendment in 1992

Explanation:
The chapter specifically mentions the addition of Fundamental Duties in 1976 and the integration of the Panchayati Raj System through the 73rd Amendment in 1992 as examples of how the Constitution evolves, noting that any amendments undergo rigorous debate in Parliament and sometimes in legislative assemblies before acceptance.

Answer: (B) India's people possess the supreme right to make decisions on both internal and external matters, and no external power can dictate to India's government

Explanation:
The Preamble explanation in the chapter clearly defines sovereignty as: 'The people have supreme right to make decisions on internal as well as external matters. No external power can dictate the government of India.' This reflects India's independence and ability to govern itself without external interference.

Answer: (C) The Constitution only focused on economic development and ignored lessons from the freedom struggle

Explanation:
The chapter demonstrates that key ideals from the freedom struggle—such as equality, justice, freedom, fraternity, and preservation of cultural heritage—were deliberately enshrined in the Constitution. Members of the freedom movement served in the Constituent Assembly and carried these lived experiences into the document, making it a cornerstone for realizing their independence goals.

Answer: (B) In a republic, the head of state is an elected person, not someone who inherits the position through heredity

Explanation:
The chapter's explanation of 'Republic' in the Preamble states: 'The head of the state is an elected person and not a hereditary position,' directly contrasting it with monarchical systems where power is inherited rather than earned through election.