18 multiple-choice (MCQ / objective) questions from this chapter, in every exam-style shape used in the paper. Every question comes with an explanation along with the answer, so you remember why the option is correct, not just which one it is.
1 Direct Questions
Direct Questions
- 1 markOn what date did Nehru introduce the Objectives Resolution in the Constituent Assembly?
(A) 26 January 1950(B) 15 August 1947(C) 9 December 1946(D) 13 December 1946 - 1 markFrom what date did the Indian Constitution come into effect?
(A) 9 December 1946(B) December 1949(C) 15 August 1947(D) 26 January 1950 - 1 markHow were members of the Constituent Assembly chosen?
(A) elected by each princely state’s ruler(B) nominated by the British Viceroy(C) by Provincial Legislatures chosen in the winter 1945-46 provincial elections(D) directly by universal adult franchise - 1 markHow long did the whole Constitution-making process take, and how many volumes did the recorded debate fill?
(A) six months, one volume(B) one year, three volumes(C) three years, eleven bulky volumes(D) five years, twenty volumes - 1 markWho argued on 27 August 1947 for continuing separate electorates?
(A) B. Pocker Bahadur(B) Jaipal Singh(C) Govind Ballabh Pant(D) N.G. Ranga - 1 markJaipal Singh was not asking for separate electorates. What did he feel was essential to allow tribals to represent themselves?
(A) a fully separate state(B) reservation of seats in the legislature(C) no special provision at all(D) nomination of tribal members by the Governor
2 Assertion-Reason
Assertion-Reason
- 1 markAssertion (A): Nehru’s Objectives Resolution placed India within a broad global history of revolutions, while insisting India would not simply copy anyone.
Reason (R): Nehru’s speech placed India alongside the American, French and Russian Revolutions, then said, “We are not going just to copy … whatever system of government we may establish here must fit in with the temper of our people.”
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A(C) A is true, but R is false(D) A is false, but R is true - 1 markAssertion (A): The Draft Constitution created three lists of subjects: Union, State and Concurrent.
Reason (R): The Centre-state power debate also involved disagreement over sharing financial subjects, such as income tax and excise duties.
(A) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A(B) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A(C) A is true, but R is false(D) A is false, but R is true
3 Match the Following
Match the Following
- 1 markMatch List I with List II.
List I: (i) Drafting Committee (ii) Provincial Constitution Committee (iii) Flag Committee (iv) Union Power Committee
List II: (a) Jawaharlal Nehru (b) Vallabhbhai Patel (c) B.R. Ambedkar (d) J.B. Kripalani
(A) i-d, ii-c, iii-a, iv-b(B) i-b, ii-a, iii-c, iv-d(C) i-c, ii-b, iii-d, iv-a(D) i-a, ii-c, iii-b, iv-d - 1 markMatch List I with List II.
List I: (i) R.V. Dhulekar (ii) G. Durgabai (iii) Mahatma Gandhi (iv) Shankarrao Deo
List II: (a) urged Hindustani be kept neither Sanskritised nor Persianised (b) demanded Hindi immediately as the language of constitution-making (c) counselled restraint against aggressive Hindi propaganda (d) voiced the south’s fear of domination
(A) i-a, ii-b, iii-c, iv-d(B) i-b, ii-d, iii-a, iv-c(C) i-d, ii-c, iii-b, iv-a(D) i-c, ii-a, iii-d, iv-b
4 Statement-Based Questions
Statement-Based Questions
- 1 markConsider the following statements.
Statement I: K. Santhanam called the proposed distribution of powers excessively burdensome for the Centre.
Statement II: He warned that the fiscal terms would leave the states unable to fund education, sanitation or roads.
(A) Statement I is false, Statement II is true(B) Both statements are true, but Statement II does not explain Statement I(C) Both statements are true, and Statement II explains Statement I(D) Statement I is true, Statement II is false - 1 markConsider the following statements.
Statement I: Indian secularism was a complete separation between the state and religion.
Statement II: It was a “judicious distance” between state and religion, which also kept legal space for social reform within religious communities.
(A) Both statements are true, but Statement II does not explain Statement I(B) Statement I is true, Statement II is false(C) Both statements are true, and Statement II explains Statement I(D) Statement I is false, Statement II is true
5 Chronological Ordering
Chronological Ordering
- 1 markArrange the following events in chronological order.
1. Muslim League announces Direct Action Day
2. Labour Government comes to power in Britain
3. Constituent Assembly begins its sessions
4. Cabinet Mission announces its constitutional scheme
(A) 2-4-1-3(B) 4-2-1-3(C) 2-1-4-3(D) 3-1-4-2 - 1 markArrange the following events in chronological order.
1. Jinnah is elected President of the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan
2. The Constitution of India is signed
3. Muslim League demands dissolution of the Constituent Assembly
4. Congress forms the Interim Government with Nehru as Vice-President
(A) 3-4-1-2(B) 4-1-3-2(C) 4-3-1-2(D) 1-4-3-2
6 Fill in the Blanks
Fill in the Blanks
- 1 markArticle ______ gave the Centre the power to take over a state’s administration on the Governor’s recommendation.
(A) 1(B) 356(C) 395(D) 370
7 Odd One Out
Odd One Out
- 1 markWhich of the following person-role pairs is INCORRECT?
(A) S.N. Mukherjee: Chief Draughtsman(B) B.N. Rau: Constitutional Advisor(C) N.G. Ranga: President of the Constituent Assembly(D) B.R. Ambedkar: Chairman of the Drafting Committee
8 Passage-Based Questions
Passage-Based Questions
Passage
“… it is conceivable, of course, that a republic may not be democratic but the whole of our past is witness to this fact that we stand for democratic institutions… We are not going just to copy, I hope, a certain democratic procedure or an institution of a so-called democratic country… whatever system of government we may establish here must fit in with the temper of our people and be acceptable to them… We have given the content of democracy in this Resolution…”
— Jawaharlal Nehru, speech on the Objectives Resolution, 13 December 1946 (Source 1)
— Jawaharlal Nehru, speech on the Objectives Resolution, 13 December 1946 (Source 1)
- 1 markAccording to the passage above (Nehru, Source 1), what condition did Nehru set for India’s system of government?
(A) It must fit the temper of India’s own people and be acceptable to them(B) It must make no mention of democracy at all(C) It must be based entirely on the British model(D) It must be an exact copy of some other country’s constitution
9 True / False
True / False
- 1 markConsider the following statements.
(i) The Acts of 1909, 1919 and 1935 should be seen as a smooth, continuous lead-up to the Constituent Assembly.
(ii) Even by 1935 the franchise covered only 10-15 per cent of adults, and elected legislatures still answered to a British-appointed Governor.
(A) Both are true(B) Only (ii) is true(C) Only (i) is true(D) Both are false
Answer Key and Explanations
Direct Questions
- (D) Nehru introduced the Objectives Resolution on 13 December 1946, proclaiming India an “Independent Sovereign Republic” guaranteeing justice, equality and freedom.
- (D) The Indian Constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950, though it had already been signed in December 1949.
- (C) Members were not elected by universal franchise: the winter 1945-46 provincial elections chose Provincial Legislatures, which then selected representatives to the Constituent Assembly.
- (C) The process took three years in all, with the printed record of the discussions taking up eleven bulky volumes, across eleven sessions and 165 sitting days.
- (A) B. Pocker Bahadur argued on 27 August 1947 that only separate electorates could guarantee Muslims a meaningful political voice.
- (B) Jaipal Singh did not ask for separate electorates but argued that reservation of seats in the legislature was essential so tribal voices would actually be heard.
Assertion-Reason
- (B) Both statements are true, but R only repeats the speech that A describes (the revolutions reference and the ‘not going just to copy’ line). It gives no reason for A, so R does not explain A.
- (B) Both statements are true, but R does not explain why three lists were created in the first place; it only mentions a separate, parallel dispute over fiscal sharing, so R does not explain A.
Match the Following
- (C) The Drafting Committee was chaired by Ambedkar (i-c), the Provincial Constitution Committee by Patel (ii-b), the Flag Committee by Kripalani (iii-d), and the Union Power Committee by Nehru (iv-a).
- (B) Dhulekar demanded Hindi immediately (i-b), Durgabai voiced the south’s fear of domination (ii-d), Gandhiji urged a balanced Hindustani (iii-a), and Shankarrao Deo counselled restraint (iv-c).
Statement-Based Questions
- (B) Both statements are true, but Statement II does not explain Statement I. Santhanam made two separate points: an overburdened Centre could not function effectively (Statement I), and the fiscal provisions would impoverish the provinces (Statement II); the second is about the states, not the reason the Centre was overburdened.
- (D) Statement I is false: Indian secularism was never an absolute state-church separation. Statement II is true and states the actual position, so it disproves Statement I.
Chronological Ordering
- (A) The Labour Government came to power on 26 July 1945, the Cabinet Mission scheme was announced on 16 May 1946, Direct Action Day was announced on 16 August 1946, and the Constituent Assembly began its sessions on 9 December 1946: order 2-4-1-3.
- (C) The Congress formed the Interim Government on 2 September 1946, the League demanded dissolution of the Constituent Assembly on 29 January 1947, Jinnah was elected President of Pakistan’s Constituent Assembly on 11 August 1947, and the Constitution was signed in December 1949: order 4-3-1-2.
Fill in the Blanks
- (B) Article 356 gave the Centre the power to take over a state’s administration on the Governor’s recommendation, part of the Constitution’s tilt toward a strong Centre.
Odd One Out
- (C) Rajendra Prasad was President of the Constituent Assembly; N.G. Ranga was a socialist peasant leader who redefined “minority” in economic terms. The other three pairs are correct.
Passage-Based Questions
- (A) The passage has Nehru saying the system of government “must fit in with the temper of our people and be acceptable to them”: adaptation, not copying.
True / False
- (B) (i) is false: this is a common mistake, since the 1946 Assembly was a genuine break from that pattern, not its natural continuation. (ii) is true and is exactly why the earlier Acts were not real democracy.
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