Preamble – NDA Polity PYQs

NDA 2021-I

Q. 1. With regard to the Constitution of India, which one of the following statements is not correct?

(a)  The words: Socialist and Secular, were not originally part of the Constitution

(b)  The Preamble states the objects of the Constitution of India

(c)  The Preamble is enforceable in a Court of Law

(d)  A Republic refers to the people as the source of all authority under the Constitution

Answer: (c)  The Preamble is enforceable in a Court of Law

Explanation: This is a negation question: the task is to find the statement that is NOT correct. Option (a) is correct: ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ were not in the original Preamble; they were added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976. Option (b) is correct: the Preamble does state the objectives of the Constitution: Justice, Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. Option (c) is incorrect: the Preamble is NOT enforceable in a court of law. It serves as an interpretive guide to constitutional provisions, but it does not by itself create justiciable rights. No citizen can approach a court to enforce the Preamble’s promises on the basis of the Preamble alone. Option (d) is correct: a Republic means the head of state is elected, not hereditary, making the people the ultimate source of authority. The incorrect statement is (c). That is the answer. Concept Tested: Non-enforceability (non-justiciability) of the Preamble: Preamble as interpretive guide, not operative provision

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Being part of the Constitution and being enforceable in court are two separate questions with two separate answers. The Preamble IS part of the Constitution (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973). The Preamble is NOT enforceable on its own: rights must be traced to operative provisions in Part III.

NDA 2018-II

Q. 2. The word ‘socialist’ was inserted into the Preamble to the Constitution of India through which one of the following Amendment Acts?

(a)  41st Amendment Act

(b)  42nd Amendment Act

(c)  43rd Amendment Act

(d)  44th Amendment Act

Answer: (b)  42nd Amendment Act

Explanation: The word ‘Socialist’ was inserted into the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. The same amendment also inserted ‘Secular’ and ‘Integrity’ into the Preamble. The 41st, 43rd, and 44th Amendment Acts did not alter the Preamble. The 42nd is the only amendment that has changed the Preamble’s text. Concept Tested: 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976: insertion of ‘Socialist’ into the Preamble

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: NDA used adjacent amendment numbers (41st, 43rd, 44th) as distractors in this question. The 42nd Amendment (1976) is the only amendment that has ever altered the Preamble. It inserted three words: Socialist, Secular, and Integrity.

NDA 2015-II

Q. 3. The word ‘Secular’ was inserted into the Constitution of India by:

(a)  44th Amendment Act

(b)  52nd Amendment Act

(c)  42nd Amendment Act

(d)  34th Amendment Act

Answer: (c)  42nd Amendment Act

Explanation: The word ‘Secular’ was inserted into the Preamble of the Constitution of India by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. This amendment, enacted during the Emergency period, also inserted ‘Socialist’ and ‘Integrity’ into the Preamble at the same time. The 44th Amendment Act (1978) reversed several Emergency-era changes but did not alter the Preamble. Concept Tested: 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976: insertion of ‘Secular’ into the Preamble

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: The 44th Amendment (1978) is the most common wrong answer: it is historically prominent and numerically close to the 42nd. Only the 42nd Amendment has ever changed the Preamble text. The 44th Amendment did not alter the Preamble.

NDA 2012-II

Q. 4. Which of the following statements regarding the Preamble of the Constitution of India is/are correct?

1.  The Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution.

2.  The words ‘secular’ and ‘socialist’ have been a part of the Preamble since its inception.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

(a)  1 only

(b)  2 only

(c)  Both 1 and 2

(d)  Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (a)  1 only

Explanation: Statement 1 is correct. The Preamble is an integral part of the Constitution. This was established by the Supreme Court in Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973), which overruled the earlier Berubari Union case (1960). Statement 2 is incorrect. The words ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ were not part of the original Preamble. They were inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. Only Statement 1 is correct. The answer is (a). Concept Tested: Legal status of the Preamble as part of the Constitution: original text versus 42nd Amendment additions

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Statement 1 tests legal status; Statement 2 tests amendment history. These are two separate facts requiring separate verification. The Preamble IS part of the Constitution (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973). ‘Socialist’ and ‘Secular’ were NOT always there: the 42nd Amendment (1976) added them.

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