Know about Important Articles in Indian Constitution

Indian Polity is a very important subject in the Civil Services Examination (CSE) conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC.) Now, the subject has a vast syllabus and each topic is equally important for the examination. Here we are going to talk about the articles in Indian Constitution which makes one of the most important topics of Indian Polity. You can read on how this topic can be read for the three stages of the CSE — Prelims, Mains & Interview.

What are articles in Indian Constitution?

Articles are a set of legal rules in the Indian rule of land called the Indian Constitution. The administration of the country along with its states is governed by the Indian articles. Candidates should know that there are 448 articles in the Indian Constitution. Each has a guiding law that directs the governance of the states and the country. While the numbers are many, there are a few important articles in the Indian Constitution which are very useful for the candidates preparing for the IAS Exam. Let us talk about those:

Parts & 448 Articles – Constitution of India

There are 22 parts in the Indian Constitution and each part is guided by a set of articles. Those 22 parts which cover 448 articles are given below:

1. Union & its Territories 
2. Citizenship 
3. Fundamental Rights 
4. Directive Principles of State Policy

4A. FundamentL Duties

5. The Union
6. The States
7. Part 7 has been repealed by the 7th Amendment Act. 
8. Union Territories
9. Panchayats

9A. Municipalities

9B. Cooperative Societies

10. Scheduled & Tribal Areas
11. Relations Between Union & States
12. Finance, Property, Contracts and Suits
13. Trade & Commerce 
14. Services Under Union & States

14A. Tribunals

15. Elections
16. Special Provisions relation to certain classes
17. Official Languages
18. Emergency
19. Miscellaneous
20. Amendments of Indian Constitution
21. Temporary, Transitional & Special Provisions
22. Short Title & Date of Commencement

The above-mentioned 22 parts of the Indian Constitution are governed by the 448 articles. However, for the UPSC examination all 448 articles are not important. The important articles of the Indian Constitution can be decided on the basis of the two reasons.The current constitutional update – For example, if the Amendments of Indian Constitution bring a change in the article or its provisions, that article will hold importance for that particular year of the examination. Take for instance, the recent 104th amendment act that amends Article 334 of the Indian Constitution. Hence, for an IAS candidate it is important to read about Article 334. The evergreen articles – These are those articles which are important regardless of the changes in its nature. For instance, articles covering Fundamental Rights are important. Similarly, articles related to the executive, President’s power of making ordinances, budget, basic structure of  the constitution will remain important for every year of the examination.

Topics and Important Articles

The following topics along with important articles are important for the CSE:

1. Fundamental Rights 
   1. Article 19
   2. Article 21
   3. Article 32
   4. Article 27, etc.
2. Directive Principles of State Policy
   1. Article 39
   2. Article 41
   3. Article 47
3. The Union
   1. Article 75
   2. Article 78
   3. Article 52
4. Scheduled Caste & Tribes
   1. Article 341
   2. Article 342
5. Panchayati Raj Institutions
   1. Article 243
   2. Article 243 H
6. Elections
   1. Article 324
   2. Article 328
7. Official Languages
   1. Article  343 (1)
8. Budget
   1. Article 112
9. Amendments in Indian Constitution
   1. Article 368

Best Resources to Study Indian Constitutional Articles

Aspirants should know the following resources that they can refer to for important article of India:

1. PRS India – It is a non-profit organisation that tracks the functioning of the Indian Parliament by compiling updates in legislative processes. The recent bills and constitutional amendments can be read from this website. 
2. M. Laxmikanth’s Book – Indian Polity – This book is considered as the bible for IAS Exam aspirants. This book has compiled the entire constitution in such a way that makes it helpful for the candidates to understand the fundamentals of Indian Polity. 
3. Newspapers – One should refer to a daily newspaper for the current political updates related to the legislature and the executive.

The IAS Exam for the year 2020 is going to take place in three stages. Preliminary examination is scheduled for 4th October 2020 and Mains Examination will start from 8th January 2021. Aspirants have a fine amount of time to focus on the topic, ‘Articles in Indian Constitution,’ along with other important topics. 

Aspirants should also note that the above mentioned approach will help candidates for other topics of Indian Polity. Similar important topics can be read following the resources mentioned in this article above.