Q40. The Preamble to the Constitution of India is primarily based on which resolution drafted and introduced by Jawaharlal Nehru?
[RRB NTPC (UG), CBT-I, 15 June 2026, Shift 1]
(A) Fundamental Rights Resolution
(B) Objectives Resolution
(C) Directive Principles Resolution
(D) Fundamental Duties Resolution
Answer: (B) Objectives Resolution
Explanation: The Objectives Resolution was moved by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946 and adopted on 22 January 1947. Its vision of an independent republic, justice, liberty and equality influenced the Preamble subsequently adopted by the Constituent Assembly.
Q39. The Constituent Assembly of India was formed according to the proposals of which mission?
[MP Police Sub-Inspector, 17 January 2026, Shift 2]
(A) Mountbatten Plan
(B) Cripps Mission
(C) Cabinet Mission
(D) Rajagopalachari Plan
Answer: (C) Cabinet Mission
Explanation: The Cabinet Mission of 1946 proposed the framework for establishing the Constituent Assembly. Provincial legislatures indirectly elected representatives, while princely-state representation followed a different procedure. The Mountbatten Plan of 1947 addressed transfer of power and partition, not the original Assembly framework.
Q38. Who chaired the Constituent Assembly, supervised constitution-making, and later became India’s first President?
[Delhi Police Constable (Executive), 5 January 2026, Shift 3]
(A) Rajendra Prasad
(B) B. R. Ambedkar
(C) Jawaharlal Nehru
(D) Sardar Patel
Answer: (A) Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Dr. Rajendra Prasad became the elected permanent President of the Constituent Assembly on 11 December 1946. He presided over its constitutional deliberations and later served as India’s first President when the Constitution commenced on 26 January 1950.
Q37. How long did the Constituent Assembly take to finalise and adopt the Constitution?
[DSSSB TGT (Social Science), 10 November 2025, Shift 3]
(A) 3 years, 2 months, 10 days
(B) 2 years, 11 months, 18 days
(C) 1 year, 6 months, 12 days
(D) 4 years exactly
Answer: (B) 2 years, 11 months, 18 days
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946 and adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949. This interval is traditionally recorded as two years, eleven months and eighteen days. The Constitution entered into force later, on 26 January 1950.
Q36. From where did the Constituent Assembly of India derive its authority to frame the Constitution?
[DSSSB TGT (Social Science), 8 November 2025, Shift 1]
(A) The people of India
(B) The Governor-General of that time
(C) A direct general election held for the purpose
(D) The British Parliament
Answer: (A) The people of India
Explanation: The Preamble locates constitutional authority in the people through its opening words, “We, the People of India.” Although the Assembly was indirectly elected under the Cabinet Mission arrangement, the final Constitution was adopted in the name of India’s people.
Q35. In which year was the Constituent Assembly of India founded?
[MP Excise Constable, 12 September 2025, Shift 2]
(A) 1946
(B) 1947
(C) 1945
(D) 1949
Answer: (A) 1946
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly originated in 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan. Its first meeting took place on 9 December that year. It continued deliberating after independence and eventually approved the Constitution on 26 November 1949, before commencement in 1950.
Q34. Which of the following correctly matches a person with a leadership role in the Constituent Assembly?
[SSC Stenographer, 6 August 2025, Shift 3]
(A) G. V. Mavalankar — Committee on the Functions of the Constituent Assembly
(B) B. R. Ambedkar — Committee on the Functions of the Assembly
(C) N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar — Order of Business Committee
(D) K. M. Munshi — Committee on Fundamental Rights
Answer: (A) G. V. Mavalankar — Committee on the Functions of the Constituent Assembly
Explanation: G. V. Mavalankar chaired the committee concerned with the functions of the Constituent Assembly. B. R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee, while the Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee was chaired by J. B. Kripalani. Committee-chairperson associations are important constitutional-history facts.
Q33. On which date did the Constituent Assembly establish the Drafting Committee chaired by B. R. Ambedkar?
[Gujarat Police Sub-Inspector, 13 April 2025]
(A) 13 December 1946
(B) 22 January 1947
(C) 3 June 1947
(D) 29 August 1947
Answer: (D) 29 August 1947
Explanation: On 29 August 1947, the Constituent Assembly constituted a seven-member Drafting Committee, with Dr. B. R. Ambedkar as its chairman. It studied committee reports and constitutional proposals and developed the draft that was later debated in the Assembly.
Q32. The national executive of which political party called for dissolution of the Constituent Assembly and its re-election on adult suffrage?
[RPSC RAS Preliminary Examination, 2 February 2025]
(A) Hindu Mahasabha
(B) Socialist Party
(C) Swaraj Party
(D) Muslim League
Answer: (B) Socialist Party
Explanation: The Socialist Party challenged the Assembly’s representative basis and sought a fresh election through universal adult suffrage. Members of the existing body had been chosen indirectly through provincial legislatures operating under limited-franchise arrangements, an important issue in contemporary debates.
Q31. How many members were there in the Constituent Assembly on 31 December 1947?
[SSC GD Constable, 11 February 2025, Shift 3]
(A) 334
(B) 299
(C) 200
(D) 195
Answer: (B) 299
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly was originally allotted 389 seats. Following Partition, its total strength fell to 299, comprising 229 representatives from provinces and 70 from princely states. This post-Partition composition is the figure relevant to the date in the question.
Q30. Who was the Provisional President of the Constituent Assembly before Dr. Rajendra Prasad took over?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, GS Paper I, 2024]
(A) C. Rajagopalachari
(B) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
(C) T. T. Krishnamachari
(D) Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
Answer: (D) Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
Explanation: Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha presided temporarily over the first Constituent Assembly meeting on 9 December 1946, following the practice of appointing the senior member. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected the Assembly’s permanent President two days later, on 11 December.
Q29. Which term was used for the states in the Draft Constitution presented by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar on 4 November 1948?
[UPSC CDS-II, General Knowledge, 1 September 2024]
(A) Union of States
(B) Federation of States
(C) Autonomous States
(D) Subsidiary States
Answer: (A) Union of States
Explanation: Ambedkar used “Union of States” to emphasise that India’s federal arrangement was not created by an agreement giving constituent states a right to secede. Article 1 subsequently retained the phrase, declaring India, that is Bharat, a Union of States.
Q28. Consider Granville Austin’s assessment:
(i) The Congress predominated in the Constituent Assembly.
(ii) The Assembly, Congress and government were institutionally distinct but linked through overlapping membership.
Which is correct?
[RPSC Assistant Professor (Political Science), Paper II, 11 September 2024]
(A) Both (i) and (ii) are true
(B) Neither (i) nor (ii) is true
(C) Only (i) is true
(D) Only (ii) is true
Answer: (A) Both (i) and (ii) are true
Explanation: Granville Austin highlighted both Congress predominance and the close organisational connection between the Assembly, Congress and government. The institutions remained formally distinct, but overlapping personnel helped translate the national movement’s political leadership into the Constitution-making process.
Q27. The Constituent Assembly held eleven sessions while framing the Constitution. Over how many days were its sittings spread?
[SSC MTS, 13 November 2024, Shift 2]
(A) 180
(B) 165
(C) 115
(D) 132
Answer: (B) 165
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly held eleven principal sessions, with deliberations extending over 165 sitting days. Its committee system undertook substantial preparatory work between sessions. These meetings were spread across nearly three years, culminating in adoption of the Constitution in November 1949.
Q26. Who introduced the Objectives Resolution in the Constituent Assembly?
[SSC MTS, 21 October 2024, Shift 2]
(A) Rajendra Prasad
(B) Jawaharlal Nehru
(C) Vallabhbhai Patel
(D) B. R. Ambedkar
Answer: (B) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution on 13 December 1946. The Assembly adopted it on 22 January 1947. It stated the guiding ideals of sovereignty, democracy, justice and equality and provided the philosophical foundation for the Constitution’s Preamble.
Q25. In which year was the National Anthem adopted in its Hindi version by the Constituent Assembly?
[SSC CHSL, Tier-I, 10 July 2024, Shift 3]
(A) 1954
(B) 1942
(C) 1950
(D) 1947
Answer: (C) 1950
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly adopted “Jana Gana Mana” as the National Anthem on 24 January 1950, shortly before the Constitution commenced. Rabindranath Tagore composed the song, which was first publicly sung at the 1911 Calcutta session of the Indian National Congress.
Q24. In which month and year were elections to the Constituent Assembly of India held?
[SSC GD Constable, 27 February 2024, Shift 2]
(A) July 1946
(B) April 1946
(C) March 1946
(D) May 1946
Answer: (A) July 1946
Explanation: Elections to Constituent Assembly seats allocated to the British Indian provinces were conducted in July 1946. Members were chosen indirectly by provincial legislators, using proportional representation and the single transferable vote. The Assembly first met on 9 December 1946.
Q23. Consider two statements:
I. Constitution Day is observed each year on 26 November to promote constitutional values.
II. The Constituent Assembly established Ambedkar’s Drafting Committee on 26 November 1949.
Which is correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, GS Paper I, 2023]
(A) Both statements are correct, and II explains I
(B) Both statements are correct, but II does not explain I
(C) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
(D) Statement I is incorrect but Statement II is correct
Answer: (C) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect
Explanation: Constitution Day is observed on 26 November because the Constitution was adopted on that date in 1949. The Drafting Committee had been appointed much earlier, on 29 August 1947. Thus the first statement is correct and the second is false.
Q22. Who among the following was an original member of the Constituent Assembly’s Drafting Committee?
[SSC CHSL, Tier-I, 17 August 2023, Shift 4]
(A) Dr. K. M. Munshi
(B) B. N. Rau
(C) T. T. Krishnamachari
(D) N. Madhava Rau
Answer: (A) Dr. K. M. Munshi
Explanation: K. M. Munshi belonged to the original seven-member Drafting Committee formed in August 1947. B. N. Rau was Constitutional Adviser rather than committee member. T. T. Krishnamachari and N. Madhava Rau entered later as replacements for other members.
Q21. When did the Drafting Committee publish the first draft of the Indian Constitution?
[SSC CGL, Tier-I, 17 July 2023, Shift 1]
(A) June 1948
(B) May 1948
(C) January 1948
(D) February 1948
Answer: (D) February 1948
Explanation: The Drafting Committee published its draft in February 1948, enabling public scrutiny and further consideration. It had been set up in August 1947 with B. R. Ambedkar as chairman. The Assembly subsequently debated revisions before adopting the final Constitution in November 1949.
Q20. Through which plan was the Constituent Assembly created?
[MPPSC State Service Prelims 2023, 17 December 2023]
(A) Cripps Mission Plan
(B) Cabinet Mission Plan
(C) Simon Commission
(D) None of the above
Answer: (B) Cabinet Mission Plan
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly was constituted under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946. The plan proposed indirect elections from provincial legislatures and provision for representatives of princely states. Its constitutional framework preceded both India’s independence and the final adoption of the Constitution.
Q19. How were members of the Constituent Assembly chosen?
[WBCS (Executive) Preliminary Examination 2023]
(A) Elected by Provincial Assemblies
(B) Elected directly by the people
(C) Nominated by the British Government
(D) Represented only by the Princely States
Answer: (A) Elected by Provincial Assemblies
Explanation: Provincial representatives were indirectly elected by members of their legislative assemblies under the Cabinet Mission scheme. Princely-state representatives followed a nomination process. The Assembly was therefore not elected through universal adult franchise, although it represented diverse regions and political groups.
Q18. Who introduced the Objectives Resolution in the Constituent Assembly on 13 December 1946?
[UPSC NDA-II, General Ability Test, 4 September 2022]
(A) Jawaharlal Nehru
(B) Rajendra Prasad
(C) B. R. Ambedkar
(D) Alladi Krishnaswami Aiyar
Answer: (A) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Nehru introduced the Objectives Resolution on 13 December 1946. It expressed the Assembly’s commitment to a sovereign and democratic constitutional order. The resolution was accepted on 22 January 1947 and later shaped the Preamble’s principles of justice, liberty and equality.
Q17. Who was elected President of the Constituent Assembly of India?
[RRB Group D, 19 September 2022, Shift 1]
(A) Jawaharlal Nehru
(B) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
(C) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
(D) Lal Bahadur Shastri
Answer: (C) Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Explanation: Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President of the Constituent Assembly on 11 December 1946. Sachchidananda Sinha had presided temporarily over its opening meeting. Ambedkar’s separate office was chairman of the Drafting Committee, appointed in August 1947.
Q16. On which date did the Constituent Assembly establish the Drafting Committee under B. R. Ambedkar?
[RRB NTPC, CBT-II Level 6, 9 May 2022, Shift 1]
(A) 29 August 1947
(B) 20 August 1947
(C) 18 August 1947
(D) 25 August 1947
Answer: (A) 29 August 1947
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly formed the Drafting Committee on 29 August 1947. Ambedkar led the seven-member body responsible for refining constitutional proposals into a coherent text. After extensive debate and amendment, the Assembly adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949.
Q15. The Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly consisted of how many members?
[SSC CGL, Tier-I, 21 April 2022, Shift 3]
(A) 9
(B) 7
(C) 14
(D) 8
Answer: (B) 7
Explanation: The original Drafting Committee comprised seven members, including chairman B. R. Ambedkar. Other original members included Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar, K. M. Munshi, Mohammad Saadulla, B. L. Mitter and D. P. Khaitan; two were subsequently replaced.
Q14. Consider:
(i) The Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946.
(ii) Its first permanent President was Sachchidananda Sinha.
(iii) The Muslim League boycotted its first meeting.
Which statements are true?
[Chhattisgarh PSC (CGPSC), State Service Prelims 2022, Paper I]
(A) (i), (ii) and (iii)
(B) (i) and (iii)
(C) (i) and (ii)
(D) None of the above
Answer: (B) (i) and (iii)
Explanation: The first meeting was held on 9 December 1946, and the Muslim League stayed away. Sachchidananda Sinha was the temporary presiding officer, not the permanent President. Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President on 11 December 1946; therefore statements (i) and (iii) hold.
Q13. What was the exact constitutional status of India on 26 January 1950?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, GS Paper I, 2021]
(A) A Democratic Republic
(B) A Sovereign Democratic Republic
(C) A Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic
(D) A Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic
Answer: (B) A Sovereign Democratic Republic
Explanation: The original Preamble described India as a Sovereign Democratic Republic. The expressions “Socialist” and “Secular” were inserted into the Preamble by the Forty-second Constitutional Amendment in 1976. Their later addition makes the broader descriptions anachronistic for January 1950.
Q12. Who said in Constituent Assembly debates that separate electorates were a mischief left behind by British rule?
[UPPSC Combined State Examination, GS Paper I, 24 October 2021]
(A) Somnath Lahiri
(B) Jawaharlal Nehru
(C) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(D) N. G. Ranga
Answer: (C) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
Explanation: Vallabhbhai Patel strongly criticised separate electorates during the constitutional debates. He argued that perpetuating religious divisions through electoral machinery would harm national cohesion. After independence and Partition, the Assembly favoured joint electorates instead of retaining separate communal representation.
Q11. When did the Constituent Assembly officially adopt “Jana Gana Mana” as India’s National Anthem?
[RRB NTPC, CBT-I, 12 March 2021, Shift 1]
(A) 26 January 1949
(B) 27 December 1911
(C) 26 January 1950
(D) 24 January 1950
Answer: (D) 24 January 1950
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly adopted “Jana Gana Mana” on 24 January 1950. The song, written by Rabindranath Tagore, had first been sung in 1911. Its formal adoption preceded Republic Day by two days and was one of the Assembly’s final decisions.
Q10. On which date did the Constituent Assembly of India adopt the National Flag?
[UPPSC Civil Services Prelims, GS Paper I, 2020]
(A) 22 January 1950
(B) 24 January 1950
(C) 22 July 1947
(D) 22 July 1948
Answer: (C) 22 July 1947
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly adopted the national tricolour on 22 July 1947, before India gained independence. Its central white band carries the navy-blue Ashoka Chakra with twenty-four spokes. The decision established the flag of independent India ahead of the constitutional settlement.
Q9. Who was not a member of the Constituent Assembly that framed the Constitution of India?
[SSC MTS, 21 August 2019, Shift 3]
(A) Mahatma Gandhi
(B) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
(C) Jawaharlal Nehru
(D) Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Answer: (A) Mahatma Gandhi
Explanation: Mahatma Gandhi influenced the freedom movement and the ethical climate of constitution-making but was not a Constituent Assembly member. Patel, Nehru and Ambedkar participated directly, heading important committees or engaging in discussions about the constitutional framework.
Q8. At which session did the Indian National Congress put forward the demand for a Constituent Assembly in 1936?
[RRB Junior Engineer, CBT-I, 29 May 2019, Shift 2]
(A) Faizpur
(B) Bombay
(C) Kanpur
(D) Lahore
Answer: (A) Faizpur
Explanation: The Faizpur Congress session of December 1936 is associated with a demand for a representative Constituent Assembly. The idea had been advanced earlier in nationalist debates, while the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 ultimately provided the machinery for creating the Assembly.
Q7. What was the date of the final meeting of the Constituent Assembly of India?
[UPPSC Civil Services Prelims, Paper I, 2018]
(A) 26 November 1949
(B) 5 December 1949
(C) 24 January 1950
(D) 25 January 1950
Answer: (C) 24 January 1950
Explanation: The Constituent Assembly met for the final time on 24 January 1950, when members signed the completed Constitution and important national decisions were made. Although the Constitution had been adopted on 26 November 1949, its principal provisions commenced on 26 January 1950.
Q6. Who was not among the original members of the Drafting Committee appointed on 29 August 1947?
[Intelligence Bureau ACIO Grade-II, Paper I, 22 February 2015]
(A) N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar
(B) Jawaharlal Nehru
(C) K. M. Munshi
(D) Alladi Krishnaswami Iyer
Answer: (B) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru chaired the Union Constitution and Union Powers Committees, not the Drafting Committee. The Drafting Committee was chaired by B. R. Ambedkar and included Gopalaswami Ayyangar, K. M. Munshi and Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar among its original members.
Q5. Who was the Constitutional Adviser to the Constituent Assembly?
[UPPSC Civil Services Prelims, Paper I, 2014]
(A) Sachchidananda Sinha
(B) K. M. Munshi
(C) B. N. Rau
(D) T. T. Krishnamachari
Answer: (C) B. N. Rau
Explanation: B. N. Rau served as the Constitutional Adviser and prepared an early draft drawing on committee reports and comparative constitutional research. The Drafting Committee led by B. R. Ambedkar subsequently scrutinised and revised that material before its submission for Assembly debate.
Q4. With reference to Indian history, members of the Constituent Assembly from the provinces were how selected?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, GS Paper I, 2013]
(A) Directly elected by the people of those provinces
(B) Nominated by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League
(C) Elected by the Provincial Legislative Assemblies
(D) Selected by the government for constitutional expertise
Answer: (C) Elected by the Provincial Legislative Assemblies
Explanation: Provincial legislators indirectly elected the Assembly’s provincial representatives under the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946. Election used proportional representation with a single transferable vote. This differed from universal adult-franchise elections and from the nomination arrangements associated with princely states.
Q3. Who was the Chairman of the Union Constitution Committee of the Constituent Assembly?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2005]
(A) B. R. Ambedkar
(B) J. B. Kripalani
(C) Jawaharlal Nehru
(D) Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar
Answer: (C) Jawaharlal Nehru
Explanation: Jawaharlal Nehru chaired the Union Constitution Committee, which considered the framework and powers of the Union. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee, while J. B. Kripalani led the Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee. Distinguishing these committees is essential to understanding constitution-making.
Q2. Which statement about the Indian Constituent Assembly is correct?
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2004]
(A) It was elected by Provincial Assemblies in 1946
(B) Jawaharlal Nehru, M. A. Jinnah and Sardar Patel were all members
(C) Its first session was held in January 1947
(D) The Constitution was adopted on 26 January 1950
Answer: (A) It was elected by Provincial Assemblies in 1946
Explanation: Provincial legislatures elected the provincial representatives in 1946. The Assembly first met on 9 December that year, not January 1947. The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and brought fully into force on 26 January 1950.
Q1. The members of the Constituent Assembly which drafted the Constitution of India were:
[UPSC CSE Prelims, 2002]
(A) Nominated by the British Parliament
(B) Nominated by the Governor-General
(C) Elected by the Legislative Assemblies of various provinces
(D) Elected by the Indian National Congress and the Muslim League
Answer: (C) Elected by the Legislative Assemblies of various provinces
Explanation: Members representing British Indian provinces were chosen by elected provincial legislatures through an indirect electoral process. The Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946 prescribed proportional representation by the single transferable vote. Political parties influenced selections but did not themselves constitute the electoral colleges.