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📘 Chapter 3 – Salient Features of the Constitution | 50 High-Level MCQs with Explanations

1. The Indian Constitution is regarded as:

A) Unitary
B) Federal
C) Quasi-federal
D) Confederation

Answer: C
Explanation: The Constitution is described as quasi-federal because it has a federal framework with a strong unitary tilt (e.g., emergency provisions, residuary powers with Centre).


2. Which Article declares India as a “Union of States”?

A) Article 1
B) Article 2
C) Article 3
D) Article 4

Answer: A
Explanation: Article 1: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” This prevents secession of states unlike a typical federation.


3. The lengthiest written Constitution in the world belongs to:

A) USA
B) UK
C) India
D) Canada

Answer: C
Explanation: India has the lengthiest written Constitution, originally with 395 Articles, 22 Parts, and 8 Schedules.


4. The Indian Constitution borrowed the idea of Fundamental Rights from:

A) UK Constitution
B) US Constitution
C) Irish Constitution
D) Canadian Constitution

Answer: B
Explanation: Fundamental Rights are inspired by the US Bill of Rights.


5. The Directive Principles of State Policy were borrowed from:

A) Canada
B) Ireland
C) South Africa
D) Japan

Answer: B
Explanation: DPSPs were taken from the Irish Constitution (Directive Principles of Social Policy).


6. The parliamentary form of government in India is adopted from:

A) USA
B) UK
C) Canada
D) France

Answer: B
Explanation: The Westminster model of parliamentary government was borrowed from the UK.


7. The concept of the Concurrent List is borrowed from:

A) UK
B) USA
C) Canada
D) Australia

Answer: D
Explanation: Concurrent List idea is borrowed from the Australian Constitution.


8. Which borrowed feature came from Canada?

A) Fundamental Duties
B) Federation with strong Centre
C) Judicial Review
D) Suspension of FRs

Answer: B
Explanation: The idea of federation with a strong Centre, residuary powers with Centre came from Canada.


9. The concept of Fundamental Duties was borrowed from:

A) USSR
B) USA
C) UK
D) France

Answer: A
Explanation: Fundamental Duties are inspired by USSR’s socialist Constitution.


10. Which feature is inspired by the Weimar Constitution of Germany?

A) Fundamental Duties
B) Fundamental Rights
C) Emergency Provisions
D) Directive Principles

Answer: C
Explanation: The Emergency provisions in India were taken from Weimar Constitution of Germany.


11. Which feature is borrowed from South Africa?

A) Procedure for amendment
B) Judicial Review
C) DPSPs
D) Fundamental Duties

Answer: A
Explanation: The procedure for amendment and election of Rajya Sabha members were borrowed from South Africa.


12. Which borrowed feature came from Japan?

A) DPSPs
B) Parliamentary system
C) Rule of Law
D) Procedure established by law

Answer: D
Explanation: The concept of “procedure established by law” was borrowed from the Japanese Constitution.


13. Which of the following is NOT a salient feature of the Indian Constitution?

A) Mixture of rigidity and flexibility
B) Federal system with unitary bias
C) Supremacy of the Parliament
D) Independent judiciary

Answer: C
Explanation: Supremacy of the Constitution (not Parliament) is a salient feature of Indian Constitution.


14. In a federal system like India, residuary powers are vested in:

A) States
B) Centre
C) Both Centre and States
D) President

Answer: B
Explanation: Unlike USA, residuary powers in India lie with the Union (Centre), inspired by Canada.


15. Which provision makes the Indian Constitution flexible?

A) Simple majority amendments
B) Federal structure
C) Fundamental Rights
D) Supremacy of Constitution

Answer: A
Explanation: Many constitutional provisions can be amended by simple majority of Parliament → makes it flexible.


16. Which provision makes the Indian Constitution rigid?

A) Procedure for amending Part III
B) Amendment of Union List
C) Ratification by states for certain amendments
D) All of the above

Answer: D
Explanation: Amendments involving federal provisions require ratification by half of the states → rigidity.


17. The Constitution of India is described as a “bag of borrowings.” Who said this?

A) B.N. Rau
B) K.C. Wheare
C) Granville Austin
D) Ivor Jennings

Answer: B
Explanation: K.C. Wheare described the Indian Constitution as “a bag of borrowings.”


18. Which feature is borrowed from the Government of India Act, 1935?

A) Bicameral legislature at Centre
B) Federal structure
C) Office of Governor
D) All of the above

Answer: D
Explanation: Federal system, Governor’s office, judiciary, PSCs, emergency provisions etc. were taken from 1935 Act.


19. India has a system of Parliamentary Sovereignty like UK. True/False?

Answer: False
Explanation: In India, it is constitutional supremacy not parliamentary supremacy.


20. The concept of “Secularism” in India means:

A) State has its own religion
B) Equal respect for all religions
C) Irreligious State
D) Atheist State

Answer: B
Explanation: Indian secularism is based on “Sarva Dharma Sambhava” (equal respect for all religions).


21. Which Article declares India as a secular state?

A) Article 25
B) Article 26
C) Article 28
D) Not explicitly, but reflected in Preamble and FRs

Answer: D
Explanation: Constitution does not explicitly say “secular” in Articles, but Preamble and FRs reflect secular character.


22. Which Article provides for single citizenship?

A) Article 5–11
B) Article 12
C) Article 14
D) Article 19

Answer: A
Explanation: Articles 5–11 provide for single Indian citizenship, unlike USA which has dual citizenship.


23. Which Article gives the Constitution supremacy over Parliament?

A) Article 13
B) Article 368
C) Article 245
D) Article 21

Answer: A
Explanation: Article 13 declares laws inconsistent with Fundamental Rights void, ensuring constitutional supremacy.


24. Universal Adult Franchise is guaranteed under:

A) Article 324
B) Article 326
C) Article 325
D) Article 327

Answer: B
Explanation: Article 326 provides for elections to the Lok Sabha and state assemblies based on adult suffrage.


25. Which feature ensures equality of all citizens?

A) Fundamental Duties
B) Fundamental Rights
C) Directive Principles
D) Preamble

Answer: B
Explanation: Fundamental Rights, especially Articles 14–18, ensure equality.


26. The Constitution is called “sacred text of Indian democracy.” Who said this?

A) Rajendra Prasad
B) B.R. Ambedkar
C) Granville Austin
D) Jawaharlal Nehru

Answer: C
Explanation: Granville Austin described the Constitution as the “sacred text of Indian democracy.”


27. Bicameralism in India exists at:

A) Union level only
B) State level only
C) Union level and some states
D) All levels

Answer: C
Explanation: Bicameralism exists at Union (Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha) and in some states (e.g., Bihar, UP, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana).


28. Which feature makes India’s parliamentary system unique compared to UK?

A) Nominal Executive
B) Real Executive
C) Republic character
D) Judicial Review

Answer: C
Explanation: Unlike UK (Constitutional Monarchy), India is a Republic with an elected head of state.


29. Which is NOT a feature of the Indian Constitution?

A) Independent judiciary
B) Fundamental Rights
C) Presidential form of government
D) Universal adult franchise

Answer: C
Explanation: India has a parliamentary, not presidential, form of government.


30. The term “socialist” was added to the Preamble by:

A) 24th Amendment
B) 42nd Amendment
C) 44th Amendment
D) 52nd Amendment

Answer: B
Explanation: 42nd Amendment Act (1976) added “Socialist, Secular, Integrity” to the Preamble.


31. Judicial Review in India is inspired from:

A) UK
B) USA
C) Ireland
D) Canada

Answer: B
Explanation: Judicial Review concept is borrowed from US Constitution.


32. Which Article establishes Supreme Court’s judicial review power?

A) Article 32
B) Article 13
C) Article 131
D) All of the above

Answer: D
Explanation: Judicial review flows from multiple Articles including 13 and 32.


33. Fundamental Duties were inserted by:

A) 42nd Amendment
B) 44th Amendment
C) 46th Amendment
D) 52nd Amendment

Answer: A
Explanation: Fundamental Duties (Part IV-A, Article 51A) were added by 42nd Amendment (1976).


34. India is a federation with:

A) States free to secede
B) Indestructible Union of destructible states
C) Loose confederation
D) Strong unitary powers

Answer: B
Explanation: Union of States is indestructible; Parliament can alter boundaries of states.


35. Rule of Law is a borrowed feature from:

A) USA
B) UK
C) France
D) Japan

Answer: B
Explanation: Rule of Law comes from British Constitution.


36. Which feature makes the Indian Constitution partly rigid and partly flexible?

A) Amending procedure under Article 368
B) Parliamentary system
C) Federalism
D) Judicial review

Answer: A
Explanation: Some amendments require simple majority (flexible), others require ratification (rigid).


37. The Fundamental Rights are justiciable. This means:

A) Cannot be enforced
B) Can be enforced in court
C) Are mere guidelines
D) Are political rights only

Answer: B
Explanation: FRs are enforceable by courts under Article 32.


38. The DPSPs are:

A) Enforceable
B) Non-justiciable
C) Political rights
D) Both A and C

Answer: B
Explanation: DPSPs are non-justiciable, directive to state for governance.


39. Which Schedule contains Union, State, and Concurrent lists?

A) Seventh Schedule
B) Eighth Schedule
C) Ninth Schedule
D) Tenth Schedule

Answer: A
Explanation: 7th Schedule distributes legislative powers among Union, States, and Concurrent lists.


40. The concept of “welfare state” is enshrined in:

A) Fundamental Duties
B) Fundamental Rights
C) DPSPs
D) Preamble

Answer: C
Explanation: DPSPs aim to make India a welfare state.


41. The Preamble declares India to be:

A) Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic
B) Federal, Secular, Democratic, Socialist, Republic
C) Sovereign, Federal, Democratic, Republic
D) Secular, Federal, Monarchy

Answer: A
Explanation: After 42nd Amendment, Preamble declares India: Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic.


42. India is described as a:

A) Federal State
B) Unitary State
C) Union of States
D) Confederation

Answer: C
Explanation: Constitution calls India a Union of States (Article 1).


43. Which Article empowers Parliament to admit new states?

A) Article 2
B) Article 3
C) Article 4
D) Article 5

Answer: A
Explanation: Article 2 allows Parliament to admit or establish new states.


44. Who said “Indian Constitution is federal in form but unitary in spirit”?

A) K.C. Wheare
B) B.N. Rau
C) Ivor Jennings
D) Ambedkar

Answer: A
Explanation: K.C. Wheare described India as federal in form, unitary in spirit.


45. Who described the Indian Constitution as “a federal Constitution with a strong centralising tendency”?

A) Granville Austin
B) K.C. Wheare
C) Ivor Jennings
D) Jawaharlal Nehru

Answer: C
Explanation: Ivor Jennings described it as “federal Constitution with strong centralising tendency.”


46. Who said, “Indian Constitution is both unitary as well as federal”?

A) Ambedkar
B) Rajendra Prasad
C) Nehru
D) Patel

Answer: A
Explanation: Ambedkar said Indian Constitution is both unitary and federal depending on need.


47. In the Indian federal system, residuary subjects belong to:

A) States
B) Concurrent list
C) Union
D) Judiciary

Answer: C
Explanation: Residuary powers are with the Union (inspired by Canada).


48. Who called the Indian Constitution “lawyers’ paradise”?

A) Granville Austin
B) Ivor Jennings
C) K.C. Wheare
D) Ambedkar

Answer: B
Explanation: Ivor Jennings called it “lawyers’ paradise” because of its complexity.


49. Who described the Constitution as “cornerstone of a nation”?

A) Nehru
B) Granville Austin
C) Ambedkar
D) Rajendra Prasad

Answer: B
Explanation: Granville Austin described it as “cornerstone of a nation.”


50. Which of the following is a salient feature of Indian Constitution?

A) Federalism with secession rights
B) Parliamentary system
C) Absolute sovereignty of Parliament
D) Dual citizenship

Answer: B
Explanation: Parliamentary system is a salient feature; secession and dual citizenship are not allowed, and sovereignty rests with Constitution, not Parliament.

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