Which of the following best describes why a school needs a written set of rules for the student council?

To ensure fairness, define roles, and prevent disputes

To make the teachers more powerful

To allow only senior students to participate

To punish students who disagree with the council

TOPIC 34 OF 42

What Is a Constitution?

🎓 Class 7 Social Science CBSE Theory Ch 10 — The Constitution of India ⏱ ~15 min

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What Is a Constitution?

NCERT Social Science — Social and Political Life | The Constitution of India: An Introduction

What Is a Constitution? — Meaning and Importance

Opening Quote

If we are able to act according to the Constitution which has been adopted, we shall be able very soon to make our country great. The successful working of democratic institutions requires willingness to respect the viewpoint of others, capacity for compromise and accommodation.

— Dr. Rajendra Prasad, first President of India

Understanding what is a constitution is a key topic in Class 7 NCERT Civics Chapter 10 — The Constitution of India: An Introduction. Every year on 26 January, India celebrates Republic Day^?. This day marks the coming into effect of the Indian Constitution on 26 January 1950. The original handwritten Constitution is carefully preserved in a helium-filled glass case in the Parliament building. But what exactly is a constitution^?, and why is it so important?

Definition

Constitution: A document that spells out a nation's basic principles and laws. It lays out the framework of government, the rights and duties of citizens, and the long-term goals and aspirations of the nation.

The Constitution of India is the document that many important officials pledge to uphold. The President takes an oath to preserve, protect, and defend it. The Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, and judges all promise to follow its provisions.

A constitution typically contains:

🏛

Government Framework

Structure of the three organs — legislature, executive, and judiciary — and their roles and responsibilities.

⚖

Checks & Balances

Mechanisms to ensure fairness, responsibility, and accountability among the organs of government.

✊

Rights & Duties

The rights guaranteed to citizens and the duties expected of them.

🌟

Values & Goals

Long-term aspirations of the nation — equality, justice, fraternity, pluralism, and freedom.

LET'S EXPLORE — The Rulebook Analogy

L3 Apply

Imagine your school has reached the final of a state-level kabaddi tournament. During the match, a dispute breaks out — one team insists a player was safe, but the referee saw the player was out. The referee pulls out the official rulebook. Both captains confer with the referee, check the rules, and agree: the player was indeed out. Your team wins!

Discuss in your group:

What might have happened without an official rulebook?
What ensures everyone agrees to follow the rulebook?
Think of a game you play often. List the rules you follow. Present these rules to the class and try to agree on a common set. What challenges do you face?
What could be the "rulebook" for a country? How would it be made?

Guidance

Without a rulebook, disputes would lead to chaos and unfair outcomes — the stronger team might simply impose its will. A rulebook works only when all parties agree to follow it and accept an impartial referee. Similarly, a country's "rulebook" is its constitution — it sets the rules everyone, including the government, must follow. Making it requires wide consultation and consensus, just as agreeing on game rules among friends can be challenging.

DON'T MISS OUT

L2 Understand

Just as a textbook has sections and chapters, the Constitution of India has 25 Parts and 12 Schedules. Each Part has sections within it. It is the world's largest written constitution! When it came into effect in 1950, it had 22 Parts and 8 Schedules. The number has grown because the Constitution allows for amendments — changes that keep it relevant as the country evolves.

The basic rules in a constitution determine what kind of government a country will have, how it will be formed, and how it will function. Many constitutions, including India's, also state the values and ideals the country is committed to — equality, justice, fraternity, and freedom. These values form the basis for the laws and principles within the constitution.

What Does a Constitution Contain?

L4 Analyse

CONSTITUTION

▼

Values & Ideals
Equality, Justice, Freedom, Fraternity

Rights & Duties
Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties

Government Structure
Legislature, Executive, Judiciary

Political System
Functions, Guiding Principles

Figure: The four pillars that constitute the foundation of the Indian Constitution

📋

Competency-Based Questions

Case Study: Riya's school is forming a new student council. The students argue about whether the president should be elected by all students or selected by teachers. Some want rules about what the council can and cannot do, while others want no rules at all.

Q1. Which of the following best describes why Riya's school needs a written set of rules for the student council?

L2 Understand

(A) To make the teachers more powerful
(B) To ensure fairness, define roles, and prevent disputes
(C) To allow only senior students to participate
(D) To punish students who disagree with the council

Q2. How is the school's need for a student council rulebook similar to a country's need for a constitution?

L3 Apply

Q3. What might happen if a country had no constitution at all? Give two consequences.

L4 Analyse

HOT Q. If you were asked to write three rules for your classroom, what would they be and why?

L6 Create

🎯 Practice Questions

✅ True or False

1. The Indian Constitution came into effect on 15 August 1947.

2. A constitution lays out the rights and duties of citizens.

3. The Indian Constitution is the shortest written constitution in the world.

Answers:
1. FALSE — The Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, not 15 August 1947 (which is Independence Day).
2. TRUE — A constitution defines the rights and duties of citizens.
3. FALSE — It is the world's largest written constitution, not the shortest.

🔗 Match the Following

1. Legislature

→

(a) Interprets laws

2. Executive

→

(b) Makes laws

3. Judiciary

→

4. Republic Day

→

(d) Implements laws

5. Constitution

→

(e) Supreme rulebook of a nation

Answers: 1→(b), 2→(d), 3→(a), 4→(c), 5→(e)

✨ Think & Create

✨ Imagine you are forming a new club at your school. You need to write a short "constitution" for it. What five rules would you include? Think about: who can join, how leaders are chosen, what rights members have, and how disputes are resolved.

Guidance

Your club's "constitution" should cover: (1) Membership — who can join and how; (2) Leadership — how the president/secretary are elected; (3) Rights — what members can do (e.g., vote, propose activities); (4) Duties — what members must do (e.g., attend meetings, contribute); (5) Dispute resolution — how disagreements are settled fairly. Compare your rules with those of the Indian Constitution!

Who Wrote the Constitution of India? — The Constituent Assembly

Constituent Assembly Address

I wish your labours success, and invoke Divine blessings that your proceedings may be marked not only by good sense, public spirit, and genuine patriotism, but also by wisdom, toleration, justice, and fairness to all; and above all with a vision which may restore India to her pristine glory.

— Dr. Sachidananda Sinha, President of the Constituent Assembly

While India was struggling for independence from British rule, it was necessary to start planning how the country would govern itself. Questions like: What type of government should India have? What rules and principles should guide the nation? Who should have the right to vote?

To answer these questions, a Constituent Assembly^? was formed in 1946 with 389 members (later reduced to 299 after the Partition of India), of which 15 were women. These members represented India's diverse regions, professions, and social groups.

Key Facts

The Constituent Assembly was formed on 9 December 1946
Chairman: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
The drafting work was done by a Drafting Committee chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar
The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949
It came into effect on 26 January 1950 — celebrated as Republic Day

Timeline: Making of the Indian Constitution

L4 Analyse

9 December 1946

Constituent Assembly Formed

389 members initially elected by provincial legislative assemblies. Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as Chairman.

29 August 1947

Drafting Committee Appointed

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar was appointed chairman of the Drafting Committee to prepare the initial text of the Constitution.

26 November 1949

Constitution Adopted

After nearly three years of deliberation and debate, the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India.

26 January 1950

Constitution Comes into Effect

The Constitution came into force, making India a sovereign, democratic republic. This day is celebrated as Republic Day.

Figure: Key milestones in the making of the Indian Constitution

LET'S EXPLORE — Constituent Assembly Members

L3 Apply

In small groups, try to find out the names of people from your region who may have participated in the making of the Constitution. What sources can you use to gather this information?

Hint: Look for books in your school or local library. You could ask your teacher, parents, or other elders.

Guidance

The Constituent Assembly had members from all regions and social groups of India. To find names from your region, check the list of Constituent Assembly members available in reference books or from Parliament records. You will likely find local leaders, lawyers, social reformers, and women activists who represented your area.

What Shaped and Influenced the Indian Constitution?

While the Constitution was developed by the Constituent Assembly, it had many influences. Three main streams shaped it:

1. Influence of the Indian Freedom Movement

Many key ideals of the freedom struggle^? were enshrined in the Constitution. A number of freedom movement leaders were members of the Constituent Assembly and carried their experience and ideas into the Constitution. Values like equality of all, justice, freedom, and fraternity were core to both the freedom struggle and the Constitution.

The freedom struggle also provided practical answers to important governance questions:

How to ensure every adult citizen has a right to vote?
How to keep the powers of legislature, executive, and judiciary separate?
How to guarantee fundamental rights for every individual?
What should be the process for amending the Constitution?
What should be the relationship between Central and State governments?

2. India's Civilisational Heritage and History

Some fundamental principles are embedded in Indian culture and civilisation — acceptance of different viewpoints, nature as sacred, the pursuit of learning, respect for women, and the concepts of vasudhaiva kutumbakam^? ("the world is one family") and sarve bhavantu sukhinah (an invocation for the well-being of all creatures). All these principles find a place in the Constitution.

Civilisational Heritage

India's history includes diverse governance systems — from janapadas and sanghas to rulers with their councils, Kautilya's concept of saptanga (seven limbs of the state), and the ideal of rajadharma (the ruler's duty to the people). The emphasis on people's role in governance naturally influenced the Constitution makers to include Fundamental Duties as part of the Constitution.

3. Learnings from Across the World

In the Indian tradition of "Let noble thoughts come to me from every side" (a no bhadrah kratavo yantu vishwatah), the Constitution makers studied the constitutions of France, USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, and other democratic countries. For example:

🇫🇷

France

Ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity from the French Revolution of 1789.

🇮🇪

Ireland

The concept of Directive Principles of State Policy was inspired by the Irish Constitution.

🇺🇸

USA

The American Constitution helped shape the concept of an independent judiciary.

The Art of the Constitution

The original Constitution of India features beautiful illustrations by Nandalal Bose and his team from Shantiniketan. These depict scenes from Indian history and civilisation — from the ancient gurukula system and scenes from the Ramayana and Mahabharata, to Orissan sculptures, Nataraja, and Mughal architecture. Each illustration represents a part of India's rich cultural heritage that the Constitution seeks to preserve.

📋

Competency-Based Questions

Case Study: A school in Delhi is hosting an inter-school debate competition on the topic "Should India have adopted its Constitution from a single foreign country instead of studying multiple constitutions?" Team A says yes — it would have been simpler. Team B says no — India needed a unique blend.

Q1. Which of the following was NOT a source of influence on the Indian Constitution?

L2 Understand

(A) The Indian freedom movement
(B) India's civilisational heritage
(C) The Japanese monarchy system
(D) The Irish Constitution

Q2. Why did the Constitution makers study constitutions from many countries rather than adopting just one?

L3 Apply

Q3. How did India's civilisational heritage shape the Constitution? Give one example.

L4 Analyse

HOT Q. If you were in the Constituent Assembly, which value from India's heritage would you most want to include in the Constitution, and why?

L6 Create

🎯 Practice Questions

✅ True or False

1. The Constituent Assembly was formed in 1950.

2. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee of the Constitution.

3. The ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity were adopted from the American Constitution.

4. India's civilisational heritage influenced the inclusion of Fundamental Duties.

Answers:
1. FALSE — The Constituent Assembly was formed in 1946, not 1950.
2. TRUE — Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee.
3. FALSE — These ideals were adopted from the French Constitution (French Revolution of 1789), not the American one.
4. TRUE — India's long tradition of emphasising duties in governance influenced this inclusion.

🔗 Match the Following

1. Dr. Rajendra Prasad

→

(a) Drafting Committee Chair

2. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

→

(b) Liberty, Equality, Fraternity

3. France

→

4. Ireland

→

(d) The world is one family

5. Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam

→

(e) Directive Principles of State Policy

Answers: 1→(c), 2→(a), 3→(b), 4→(e), 5→(d)

✨ Think & Create

✨ Imagine you are a member of the Constituent Assembly in 1946. You have been asked to suggest one value from India's ancient heritage that should be included in the new Constitution. Write a short speech (3–4 sentences) explaining your choice and why it matters for India's future.

Guidance

Choose a value like vasudhaiva kutumbakam, respect for diverse viewpoints, protection of nature, or the pursuit of knowledge. Explain how this value is rooted in India's history and why it would help build a just, fair, and united nation. Speak as though you are addressing the Assembly — be persuasive and passionate!

Frequently Asked Questions — What Is a Constitution? (Class 7)

What is a constitution in simple words?

A constitution is a supreme legal document that lays down the basic principles, laws, and structure of a country's government. It defines the roles of the legislature, executive, and judiciary, guarantees the rights and duties of citizens, and states the values and goals the nation aspires to. The Indian Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950 and is the longest written constitution in the world.

Why is the Constitution of India important for Class 7 students to learn?

The Constitution of India is important because it is the rulebook that governs how the country functions. It protects citizens' Fundamental Rights like the right to equality, freedom, and education. It also defines the structure of government and ensures no person or group can misuse power. Learning about the Constitution helps Class 7 students understand their rights, duties, and how democracy works in India.

Who wrote the Constitution of India?

The Constitution of India was written by the Constituent Assembly, a body of 389 elected representatives (later reduced to 299 after Partition) formed on 9 December 1946. Dr. Rajendra Prasad was the Chairman of the Assembly, while Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee that prepared the text. The Assembly debated for nearly 3 years before adopting the Constitution on 26 November 1949.

When did the Indian Constitution come into effect?

The Indian Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950. This date was chosen because the Indian National Congress had declared Purna Swaraj (complete independence) on 26 January 1930. The day is celebrated every year as Republic Day with a grand parade at Kartavya Path in New Delhi.

What is the Constituent Assembly and when was it formed?

The Constituent Assembly was a body of elected representatives tasked with drafting the Constitution of India. It was formed on 9 December 1946 with 389 members, including 15 women. After the Partition of India, the number was reduced to 299. Dr. Rajendra Prasad served as Chairman and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar led the Drafting Committee. The Assembly met for 2 years, 11 months, and 17 days across 11 sessions.

What were the main influences on the making of the Indian Constitution?

Three main streams shaped the Indian Constitution: (1) The Indian freedom movement, which contributed ideals of equality, justice, freedom, and universal adult franchise. (2) India's civilisational heritage, including concepts like vasudhaiva kutumbakam, rajadharma, and governance through assemblies (sabhas and sanghas). (3) Constitutions of other countries — liberty, equality, and fraternity from France, Directive Principles from Ireland, and independent judiciary from the USA.

Why is 26 January celebrated as Republic Day in India?

26 January is celebrated as Republic Day because the Constitution of India came into effect on this date in 1950, making India a sovereign democratic republic. The date was chosen to honour 26 January 1930, when the Indian National Congress declared Purna Swaraj (complete independence) from British rule. Republic Day is marked by a grand parade showcasing India's military strength, cultural diversity, and constitutional values.

Continue Learning — Chapter 10: The Constitution of India

Related NCERT Resources

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