Important Constitutional Amendments Notes for SSC Exams
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
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PDF Notes: Important Constitutional Amendments Notes for SSC Exams
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The Constitution of India can be changed by amendments, and the process is given in Article 368. SSC exams ask questions like "Which Amendment introduced GST?" or "Which Amendment is called the mini-Constitution?". These important constitutional amendments notes for SSC give the key amendments with the year and the main change in one table, along with the types of amendment and practice questions.
How the Constitution Is Amended
| Type | Process | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Simple majority | Like an ordinary law; a simple majority of members present and voting in Parliament | Creating new states, changing names and boundaries of states |
| Special majority | A majority of the total membership and two-thirds of members present and voting in each House | Fundamental rights, DPSP, most of the Constitution |
| Special majority and ratification by states | Special majority and approval by at least half of the state legislatures | Election of the President, powers of the Supreme Court and High Courts, representation of states in Parliament, GST |
- The procedure of amendment is given in Article 368 in Part XX.
- The Constitution can be amended only by Parliament, and a bill for it can be started in either House.
- In the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), the Supreme Court said that Parliament cannot change the basic structure of the Constitution.
Important Amendments in a Table
| Amendment | Year | Main change |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1951 | Added the Ninth Schedule and put reasonable restrictions on freedom of speech |
| 7th | 1956 | Reorganisation of states; abolished Part B and Part C states |
| 24th | 1971 | Parliament got the power to amend fundamental rights |
| 42nd | 1976 | Called the "mini-Constitution"; added the words socialist, secular and integrity to the Preamble; added fundamental duties |
| 44th | 1978 | Removed the right to property from fundamental rights (Article 300A) |
| 52nd | 1985 | Anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule) |
| 61st | 1989 | Reduced the voting age from 21 to 18 years |
| 69th | 1991 | Gave Delhi the status of National Capital Territory |
| 73rd | 1992 | Panchayati Raj (Part IX and Eleventh Schedule) |
| 74th | 1992 | Municipalities (Part IXA and Twelfth Schedule) |
| 86th | 2002 | Right to education as Article 21A |
| 91st | 2003 | Council of Ministers limited to 15 per cent of the House; stronger anti-defection rules |
| 101st | 2016 | Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 102nd | 2018 | Constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes |
| 103rd | 2019 | 10 per cent reservation for economically weaker sections |
| 104th | 2019 | Ended the nominated seats of the Anglo-Indian community; extended reservation of SC and ST seats |
| 105th | 2021 | Power of states to prepare their own list of OBCs |
| 106th | 2023 | One-third reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and state assemblies |
Amendments Related to Schedules
| Schedule | Subject | Added by |
|---|---|---|
| Ninth Schedule | Laws protected from judicial review | 1st Amendment |
| Tenth Schedule | Anti-defection law | 52nd Amendment |
| Eleventh Schedule | Panchayats | 73rd Amendment |
| Twelfth Schedule | Municipalities | 74th Amendment |
Tips to Learn the Amendments
- Learn the amendments in groups: the early ones (1st, 7th, 24th), the big ones (42nd, 44th) and the local government ones (73rd and 74th).
- Learn the recent ones, from 101st to 106th, with the year, because exams ask them often.
- Link the amendments with the subject: GST (101st), EWS (103rd) and women's reservation (106th).
Quick Tips
- Remember the 42nd Amendment as the mini-Constitution and the 44th as the one that removed the right to property.
- Learn the recent amendments with their subjects first, because they are asked more often.
- Link the 73rd with villages and the 74th with cities.
- Remember that the amendment process is in Article 368.
Quick Revision Points
- Article 368 gives the procedure of amendment.
- The 42nd Amendment is the mini-Constitution.
- The 73rd Amendment is about Panchayati Raj and the 74th about municipalities.
- The 101st Amendment introduced GST.
- The 106th Amendment gave 33 per cent reservation to women.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Which Article of the Constitution deals with amendment?
Answer: Article 368 - Which Amendment is called the mini-Constitution?
Answer: 42nd Amendment (1976) - Which Amendment introduced GST?
Answer: 101st Amendment (2016) - Which Amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj?
Answer: 73rd Amendment (1992) - Which Amendment reduced the voting age to 18 years?
Answer: 61st Amendment (1989) - Which Amendment added the anti-defection law?
Answer: 52nd Amendment (1985) - Which Amendment gave 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections?
Answer: 103rd Amendment (2019) - Which Amendment made the right to education a fundamental right?
Answer: 86th Amendment (2002) - Which Amendment gave reservation to women in the Lok Sabha?
Answer: 106th Amendment (2023) - Which case gave the doctrine of basic structure?
Answer: Kesavananda Bharati case (1973)
How to Practise This Chapter
Make a one-page list of amendments with year and subject, and read it every day for a week. Then solve questions from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. Read the previous chapter, Fundamental Rights, and see all topics on the Indian Polity notes page. For the GST amendment, also read the Indian Economy notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a constitutional amendment?
A constitutional amendment is a change in the text of the Constitution made by Parliament in the way given in Article 368.
Which Article deals with the amendment of the Constitution?
Article 368 in Part XX gives the power and the procedure of amendment.
How many types of amendment procedures are there?
There are three: by simple majority, by special majority, and by special majority along with ratification by half of the state legislatures.
Which Amendment is called the mini-Constitution?
The 42nd Amendment of 1976 is called the mini-Constitution because it made many big changes.
Which Amendment introduced GST?
The 101st Amendment Act of 2016 introduced the Goods and Services Tax.
What did the 73rd and 74th Amendments do?
The 73rd Amendment gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj, and the 74th Amendment gave it to urban local bodies (municipalities).
Which Amendment introduced the anti-defection law?
The 52nd Amendment of 1985 added the Tenth Schedule for the anti-defection law.
What is the 106th Amendment?
The 106th Amendment (2023) gives one-third reservation to women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies.
What is the basic structure doctrine?
It is the principle given in the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973) that Parliament cannot change the basic features of the Constitution.
How can I remember the amendments easily?
Make a table of amendment number, year and subject, learn it in groups and revise it every week.
Which are the most asked amendments in SSC?
The 42nd, 44th, 52nd, 61st, 73rd, 74th, 86th, 101st, 103rd and 106th Amendments are asked the most.
How many questions come from amendments in SSC exams?
Usually one question comes from amendments in SSC General Awareness papers, but the number changes from year to year.
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Fundamental Rights Notes for SSC Exams
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Parliament of India Notes for SSC Exams: Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and Procedures
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
Rahul is a senior SSC exam strategist with 8+ years of experience helping aspirants crack CGL, CHSL and MTS exams. He writes in-depth notification breakdowns, exam pattern guides and preparation strategies.