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October 15, 2024 07:56
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Amendments in the Indian Constitution ensure adaptability, reflecting socio-political changes. Explore how these Amendments in the Indian Constitution drive reforms.
Amendments in the Indian Constitution are required to maintain the relevance and vitality of India’s supreme law. Since its adoption on January 26, 1950, the Indian Constitution has been amended many times to address emerging socio-political and economic challenges. These amendments have been necessary to include modern changes while protecting the core values laid out by the composers of the Constitution. Understanding the significance, process, and important amendments is essential for candidates preparing for prestigious exams like UPSC.
The amendments to the Indian Constitution are changes made to ensure it remains adaptable over time. These amendments can affect any part of the Constitution, including fundamental rights, various institutions’ powers, and governance provisions.
Article 368 of the Indian Constitution summarises the detailed procedure for these amendments. It allows Parliament to make changes either by a simple majority, a special majority, or by involving both the Parliament and State Legislatures in some instances. However, Parliament can not alter the Constitution’s “basic structure.”
Under Article 368, there are three main methods for introducing amendments:
These methods ensure that any Amendments in the Indian Constitution are passed with adequate consideration and representation while maintaining the democratic fabric of the nation.
Over 100 amendments have been made to the Constitution since its inception and adoption. Here is a summary table of the 106 Constitutional Amendments made to the Indian Constitution till 2024.
| List of Important Amendments in the Indian Constitution | ||
| Amendment No. | Year | Purpose/Description |
| 1st | 1951 | Empowered the state to make special provisions for the advancement of socially and economically backward classes. |
| 2nd | 1952 | Re-adjusted the scale of representation in the Lok Sabha. |
| 3rd | 1954 | Changed the limits for legislative seats in the state of Tripura. |
| 4th | 1955 | Restricted property rights and compensation in case of compulsory acquisition by the state. |
| 5th | 1955 | Facilitated the amendment of boundaries of states and union territories. |
| 6th | 1956 | Made special provisions for the administration of tribal areas in Assam, Manipur, and other states. |
| 7th | 1956 | Reorganized states on linguistic lines and created new states and union territories. |
| 8th | 1960 | Extended reservation for SC/ST in legislatures for another 10 years. |
| 9th | 1960 | Adjusted the boundaries of Assam and West Bengal. |
| 10th | 1961 | Incorporated Dadra and Nagar Haveli into the Union of India as a Union Territory. |
| 11th | 1961 | Changed election-related provisions and qualifications of the President and Vice-President. |
| 12th | 1962 | Incorporated Goa, Daman, and Diu into the Union of India. |
| 13th | 1962 | Created the State of Nagaland and made special provisions for it. |
| 14th | 1962 | Incorporated Pondicherry into the Union of India as a Union Territory. |
| 15th | 1963 | Changed the age for retirement of High Court judges and enhanced Parliament’s powers. |
| 16th | 1963 | Tightened restrictions on anti-national activities and required loyalty oaths for public officials. |
| 17th | 1964 | Further restricted property rights, especially regarding land reform laws. |
| 18th | 1966 | Clarified the powers of state and central legislatures over the delimitation of constituencies. |
| 19th | 1966 | Changed powers of election tribunals and courts regarding election disputes. |
| 20th | 1966 | Validated appointments of district judges retrospectively. |
| 21st | 1967 | Added Sindhi as an official language. |
| 22nd | 1969 | Created a new autonomous state in Assam (Meghalaya). |
| 23rd | 1969 | Extended reservation for SC/STs and Anglo-Indians in legislatures for another 10 years. |
| 24th | 1971 | Made it mandatory for the President to assent to Constitutional Amendments. |
| 25th | 1971 | Limited the right to property and prioritized Directive Principles over Fundamental Rights. |
| 26th | 1971 | Abolished privy purses paid to former rulers. |
| 27th | 1971 | Created the Union Territory of Mizoram with a Legislature. |
| 28th | 1972 | Abolished special privileges for ICS officers. |
| 29th | 1972 | Included two Kerala land reform acts in the Ninth Schedule. |
| 30th | 1972 | Changed the basis for determining quotas in the Lok Sabha and state legislatures based on the 1971 Census. |
| 31st | 1973 | Increased the size of the Lok Sabha from 525 to 545 members. |
| 32nd | 1974 | Created Sikkim as an Associate State of India. |
| 33rd | 1974 | Amended the procedure for the resignation of members of Parliament and State Legislatures. |
| 34th | 1974 | Added 20 more land reform acts to the Ninth Schedule. |
| 35th | 1975 | Made Sikkim a “Full State” of India. |
| 36th | 1975 | Sikkim was formally recognized as a state of India. |
| 37th | 1975 | Created the Union Territory of Arunachal Pradesh. |
| 38th | 1975 | Enhanced the powers of the President and Governors regarding emergency declarations. |
| 39th | 1975 | Barred the courts from interfering in the election of the Prime Minister, Speaker, and President. |
| 40th | 1976 | Placed more land reform laws in the Ninth Schedule. |
| 41st | 1976 | Raised the retirement age of the High Court and Supreme Court judges to 62. |
| 42nd | 1976 | Known as the “Mini Constitution,” it significantly altered the structure and framework of the Constitution. |
| 43rd | 1977 | Restored some of the powers of the judiciary that had been curtailed by the 42nd Amendment. |
| 44th | 1978 | Reversed many provisions of the 42nd Amendment, especially concerning Fundamental Rights. |
| 45th | 1980 | Extended reservations for SC/ST and Anglo-Indians in legislatures for another 10 years. |
| 46th | 1982 | Allowed the government to levy sales tax on goods, including food. |
| 47th | 1984 | Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule. |
| 48th | 1984 | Allowed the extension of the President’s rule in Punjab. |
| 49th | 1984 | Provided special status for tribal areas in Tripura. |
| 50th | 1984 | Enhanced the service conditions of members of the armed forces. |
| 51st | 1984 | Reserved seats for STs in Assam, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Mizoram. |
| 52nd | 1985 | Introduced the anti-defection law to prevent political defections. |
| 53rd | 1986 | Made special provisions for the state of Mizoram. |
| 54th | 1986 | Increased the salaries of Supreme Court and High Court judges. |
| 55th | 1987 | Granted statehood to Arunachal Pradesh. |
| 56th | 1987 | Granted statehood to Goa, with Daman and Diu as a Union Territory. |
| 57th | 1987 | Reserved legislative seats for STs in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, and Meghalaya. |
| 58th | 1987 | Allowed the President to publish authoritative Hindi translations of the Constitution. |
| 59th | 1988 | Allowed the declaration of emergency in Punjab due to internal disturbances. |
| 60th | 1988 | Increased the ceiling for taxes on professions, trades, callings, and employment. |
| 61st | 1989 | Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years. |
| 62nd | 1989 | Extended reservations for SC/ST and Anglo-Indians in legislatures for another 10 years. |
| 63rd | 1989 | Repealed the 59th Amendment regarding emergency powers in Punjab. |
| 64th | 1990 | Extended President’s rule in Punjab. |
| 65th | 1990 | Established the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. |
| 66th | 1990 | Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule. |
| 67th | 1990 | Extended President’s rule in Punjab. |
| 68th | 1991 | Extended President’s rule in Punjab. |
| 69th | 1991 | Granted special status to Delhi, it was designated as the National Capital Territory. |
| 70th | 1992 | Included members of Delhi and Pondicherry legislatures in the electoral college for Presidential elections. |
| 71st | 1992 | Added Konkani, Manipuri, and Nepali languages to the Eighth Schedule. |
| 72nd | 1992 | Provided for reservations in Tripura’s tribal areas. |
| 73rd | 1993 | Introduced the Panchayati Raj system and strengthened local self-government. |
| 74th | 1993 | Strengthened urban local bodies through Municipalities. |
| 75th | 1994 | Provided for rent control legislation. |
| 76th | 1994 | Placed Tamil Nadu’s reservation law in the Ninth Schedule. |
| 77th | 1995 | Provided reservation for promotions for SC/STs in government jobs. |
| 78th | 1995 | Added more land reform laws to the Ninth Schedule. |
| 79th | 1999 | Extended reservations for SC/ST and Anglo-Indians in legislatures for another 10 years. |
| 80th | 2000 | Altered the revenue-sharing formula between the Centre and States. |
| 81st | 2000 | Allowed the government to fill backlog vacancies in promotions for SC/STs. |
| 82nd | 2000 | Relaxed the qualifying marks for SC/STs in examinations. |
| 83rd | 2000 | Exempted Arunachal Pradesh from reservation in Panchayats. |
| 84th | 2001 | Extended the freeze on parliamentary seats based on the 1971 Census until 2026. |
| 85th | 2001 | Provided for “consequential seniority” in promotions for SC/STs. |
| 86th | 2002 | Made education a Fundamental Right for children aged 6 to 14 years. |
| 87th | 2003 | Provided for delimitation of constituencies based on the 2001 Census. |
| 88th | 2003 | Introduced service tax and included it in the Union List. |
| 89th | 2003 | Bifurcated the National Commission for SC/ST into two separate commissions. |
| 90th | 2003 | Provided for provisions in Assam’s autonomous districts for the ST population. |
| 91st | 2004 | Imposed limits on the size of the Council of Ministers and strengthened anti-defection laws. |
| 92nd | 2004 | Added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, and Santhali to the Eighth Schedule. |
| 93rd | 2006 | Allowed for reservations for OBCs in educational institutions. |
| 94th | 2006 | The provision for a separate Minister for Tribal Welfare in Bihar and Jharkhand was removed. |
| 95th | 2010 | Extended reservation for SC/ST and Anglo-Indians in legislatures for another 10 years. |
| 96th | 2011 | Substituted “Odia” for “Oriya” in the Eighth Schedule. |
| 97th | 2012 | Gave constitutional status to cooperative societies. |
| 98th | 2013 | Empowered the Governor of Karnataka to take special steps for the development of the Hyderabad-Karnataka Region. |
| 99th | 2014 | Established the National Judicial Appointments Commission (later struck down by the Supreme Court). |
| 100th | 2015 | Amended the India-Bangladesh land boundary agreement. |
| 101st | 2016 | Introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST). |
| 102nd | 2018 | Gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes. |
| 103rd | 2019 | Provided for 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) in educational institutions and government jobs. |
| 104th | 2020 | Extended reservations for SC/ST in Lok Sabha and State Assemblies but ended Anglo-Indian representation. |
| 105th | 2021 | Restored the power of states to identify and notify Other Backward Classes (OBCs). |
| 106th | 2024 | It reserved 1/3 of the seats for the women in the Lok Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and the Delhi Legislative Assemblies, including those seats reserved for SCs and STs. |
As of the year 2024, there have been 106 total amendments in the Indian Constitution till date. Each of the amendments highlights the evolving needs of Indian society and governance. From land reforms and reservation policies to taxation and fundamental rights, these amendments cover a wide range of issues that are essential to the nation’s development.
The Parliament has the power to amend the Constitution, but it cannot change the “basic structure” as per the landmark 1973 Kesavananda Bharati case. The Supreme Court ruled that certain elements of the Constitution, such as its federal nature, secularism, democracy, and the separation of powers, cannot be amended. This doctrine ensures that the fundamental identity of the Constitution remains intact despite the total amendments in the Indian Constitution.
For aspirants and researchers, having access to constitutional amendment pdf can be very helpful. These PDF versions will provide a chronological record of amendments, helping in a better understanding of the evolution of the Constitution. Physics Wallah and official government portals offer amendments in the Indian Constitution PDF for download.
| Get the Amendments in the Indian Constitution PDF |
| Click Here |
Understanding the amendments in the Indian Constitution is crucial for aspiring candidates preparing for civil services, especially the UPSC exam. Questions often revolve around the most significant amendments, their implications, and the amendment process itself. A factual and reliable understanding of this topic will help in multiple sections like polity, governance, and essay writing in the UPSC exams.
The Amendments in the Indian Constitution play an essential role in ensuring that the Constitution remains a living document, capable of meeting the changing needs of society. For UPSC aspirants and those interested in governance, understanding these amendments is crucial for learning the nuances of India’s legal and political system. By studying the list of important amendments in the Indian constitution, and accessing amendments in the Indian constitution pdf, one can get a comprehensive view of the evolution of Indian democracy. With the total amendments in Indian constitution till date standing at 106, it is clear that the Indian Constitution has been and will continue to be a dynamic and evolving framework for governance.
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