Home › UPPCS › Polity › Gap Sheets › Sources and the Constituent Assembly

UPPCS Polity Gap Sheet: Sources and the Constituent Assembly.

UPPCS has asked 24 of these. 5 have not been asked yet. Lock the first list, then read the second: it holds what UPPCS has not used yet.

First, the concept

About two-thirds of the Constitution's structure came from the Government of India Act 1935 (federal scheme, Governor, emergency, public service commissions). Ideas came from abroad; the frame came from 1935.

The Assembly was elected indirectly by the provincial assemblies (Cabinet Mission plan, 1946). It met first on 9 December 1946, adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949, and it came into force on 26 January 1950.

✅ Already asked (24)

Borrowed features

  • Britain · Parliamentary system, rule of law, single citizenship, writs, bicameralism
  • USA · Fundamental Rights, judicial review, impeachment, Vice-President, removal of judges
  • Ireland · Directive Principles; nomination to the Rajya Sabha; method of electing the President
  • Canada · Federation with a strong centre; residuary powers with the centre; Governor appointed by the centre
  • Australia · Concurrent List; joint sitting; freedom of trade between States
  • Former USSR · Fundamental Duties; ideal of justice in the Preamble
  • Germany (Weimar) · Suspension of Fundamental Rights during Emergency
  • France · Republic; liberty, equality, fraternity
  • South Africa · Amendment procedure; election of Rajya Sabha members
  • Japan · 'Procedure established by law'

The Assembly

  • Idea first put forward by M. N. Roy (1934) · Congress adopted the demand in 1935; Nehru voiced it
  • Sachchidananda Sinha · Temporary chairman of the first sitting
  • Rajendra Prasad · Permanent President, elected 11 December 1946
  • H. C. Mukherjee and V. T. Krishnamachari · Vice-Presidents of the Assembly
  • B. N. Rau · Constitutional Adviser; prepared the first draft
  • Objectives Resolution · Moved by Nehru 13 December 1946; adopted 22 January 1947; became the Preamble
  • Time taken · 2 years, 11 months, 18 days; 11 sessions
  • National flag adopted 22 July 1947; anthem and song 24 January 1950 · Rajendra Prasad elected first President the same day (24 January 1950)
  • Elephant · Symbol (seal) of the Constituent Assembly

Committees and chairmen

  • Drafting Committee · B. R. Ambedkar; seven members; formed 29 August 1947
  • Provincial Constitution Committee · Vallabhbhai Patel
  • Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities, Tribal Areas · Vallabhbhai Patel; sub-committees under J. B. Kripalani (Rights) and H. C. Mukherjee (Minorities)
  • Rules of Procedure and Steering Committees · Rajendra Prasad
  • Flag Committee (ad hoc) · Rajendra Prasad

❌ Not asked yet (5)

🔒 5 items not asked yet

The Assembly: 2 · Committees and chairmen: 3

The UPPCS Pass opens every Repeat List and Gap Sheet, in English and Hindi.

Unlock the UPPCS Pass · ₹149
Already bought? Enter your key

An All Access key works too.

⚠️ Directive Principles came from Ireland, Fundamental Duties from the USSR, the Concurrent List from Australia. The Assembly's first sitting was chaired by Sachchidananda Sinha; Rajendra Prasad was its elected President; B. N. Rau was the adviser, not a member of the Drafting Committee.

'Asked' and 'not asked' are checked against every UPPCS question on this site. 'Not asked yet' does not mean it will surely come.

All Polity Gap Sheets ›