Civics 1 Flashcards
Define Constitution?
A constitution is defined as the set of written rules, that are accepted by all the people living together in a country.
Why do we celebrate Republic Day?
Republic Day is a day to remember when the Constitution of India officially came into force on January 26, 1950.
Who was elected as the first president of the Constituent Assembly?
Dr. Rajendra Prasad
List four features of our constitution that have been borrowed from other countries.also mention the countries from where these features have been borrowed.
Fundamental Rights from USA
Rule of Law from British
Freedom of trade from Australia
The ideals of liberty in the Preamble from France
What do you understand by social justice?
Social justice means providing equal social, political, economic opportunities and rights.
Why was the Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 passed ? What amendments were made to it?
Dowry Prohibition Act, Indian law, enacted on May 1, 1961, intended to prevent the giving or receiving of a dowry. Under the Dowry Prohibition Act, dowry includes property, goods, or money given by either party to the marriage, by the parents of either party, or by anyone else in connection with the marriage.
What do you understand by the concept of Rule of Law?
Rule of law means no one is above the law.
Those in power must follow the law and the citizens have equal rights and responsibilities.
It protects against power abuse and supports a democratic system.
Every citizen of the country has a right to approach the courts in case laws are violated.
Trace the formation of the Indian Constitution?
Formation of the Constitution of India have faced series of vents which are as follows;
1. Cabinet Mission plan,
2. Constituent Assembly,
3. Different Committees ,
4. Debates and Discussions,
5. Freedom Struggle ideologies,
6. Republic India,
7. Democratic System.
The constitution came into effect on 26 January 1950 and India was Declared a Republic
Why is the Preamble so important to the Constitution?
It contains ideals that the Constitution seeks to achieve. It gives direction and purpose to the Constitution. The list of the keywords in the preamble of Indian constitution includes, secular, socialist, sovereign, democratic, fraternity, republic, justice, liberty, equality.
Write a brief note on separation of powers ?
Separation of powers is a system of government in which the three branches of government—the legislative, executive, and judicial branches—have separate and distinct powers. This system is designed to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful and to protect the rights of the people.
Separation of powers is an important principle of democracy.
How has the Untouchability Act helped in reducing inequality in the society?
The Untouchability Offenses act of 1955 aimed to achieve the following:
- Banned untouchability: Made caste-based discrimination illegal and punishable by law.
- Protected marginalized groups: Gave lower castes legal rights to access public places like schools, temples, and water sources.
- Promoted fairness: Helped ensure that everyone is treated equally, regardless of caste.
- Raised awareness: Helped people understand the wrongs of untouchability and caste discrimination.
- Led to more laws: Inspired future laws and reforms to keep supporting equality and fight discrimination in society.
Discuss the importance of fraternity as an objective of the Constitution.
Fraternity is crucial for promoting unity and brotherhood in India’s diverse society.
It ensures that all citizens are treated equally and that individual dignity is upheld.
The Constitution supports this by:
1. guaranteeing fair livelihoods using the directive principles
2. Providing humane working conditions
3. providing a decent standard of living
4.abolishing untouchability.
By emphasizing these principles, the Constitution fosters a sense of equality and mutual respect, essential for maintaining national harmony and ensuring that all individuals are valued and respected.
Discuss how federalism is practiced in India.
Federalism means existence of two or more tiers of government.
India has 2 levels of government, central government and state government.
India adopted this concept from Canada. In addition, a 3rd tier exists as Panchayati Raj (for villages).
The constitution defines the powers of both the union and state government, which means that the union government cannot take away the powers of the state governments without their consent. Both of the governments operate within the limits prescribed by the constitution.
Their powers are divided based on 3 lists. The division of taxes between the centre and states is also outlined in these lists. They are:
- Union list: includes subjects such as finance and foreign relations on which only the central government (also known as union government) can make laws.
- State list: includes subjects such as housing and transportation on which only the state government can make laws
- Concurrent list: Includes subjects on which both the central and state government can make laws, but in case of disagreement, the central government will have the final say.
