Making of the Indian Constitution: Constituent Assembly, Drafting Committee, Sources of the Constitution and 12 Schedules for SSC
Rahul Kumar
SSC Exam Expert & Content Editor
In this note
- 1.Constituent Assembly: Key Facts
- 2.Members of the Drafting Committee
- 3.Other Important Committees
- 4.Constitution at the Start and Today
- 5.Sources of the Indian Constitution
- 6.Schedules of the Constitution
- 7.Tricks to Remember
- 8.Quick Tips
- 9.Quick Revision Points
- 10.Practice Questions With Answers
- 11.How to Practise This Chapter
- 12.Frequently Asked Questions
PDF Notes: Making of the Indian Constitution: Constituent Assembly, Drafting Committee, Sources of the Constitution and 12 Schedules for SSC
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The way in which the Indian Constitution was made, the sources from which its features were borrowed and its schedules are asked in every SSC exam. This guide on making of the Indian Constitution, sources and schedules for SSC gives the Constituent Assembly’s timeline, the committees, the sources of features and the 12 schedules in tables, with practice questions and FAQs.
Constituent Assembly: Key Facts
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Formation | Under the Cabinet Mission Plan, 1946; members were elected indirectly by the provincial assemblies in July–August 1946 |
| Original strength | 389 (296 from British India and 93 from princely states); 299 after the Partition |
| First meeting | 9 December 1946; Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was the temporary (provisional) president |
| Permanent President | Dr. Rajendra Prasad (elected on 11 December 1946) |
| Vice-Presidents | H. C. Mukherjee and V. T. Krishnamachari |
| Constitutional Adviser | B. N. Rau |
| Objectives Resolution | Moved by Jawaharlal Nehru on 13 December 1946; adopted on 22 January 1947; it became the Preamble |
| Drafting Committee | Formed on 29 August 1947; Chairman: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar |
| Adoption of the Constitution | 26 November 1949 (celebrated as Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas since 2015) |
| Signed by members | 24 January 1950 (also the date when Jana Gana Mana was adopted as the national anthem) |
| Commencement | 26 January 1950 (Republic Day) |
| Time taken | 2 years, 11 months and 18 days; 11 sessions and 165 days of meetings |
Members of the Drafting Committee
B. R. Ambedkar (Chairman), N. Gopalaswami Ayyangar, Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar, K. M. Munshi, Syed Mohammad Saadulla, N. Madhava Rau (who replaced B. L. Mitter) and T. T. Krishnamachari (who replaced D. P. Khaitan).
Other Important Committees
| Committee | Chairman |
|---|---|
| Union Powers Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Union Constitution Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Provincial Constitution Committee | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Committee on Fundamental Rights and Minorities | Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel |
| Steering Committee | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| Rules of Procedure Committee | Dr. Rajendra Prasad |
| States Committee | Jawaharlal Nehru |
| Flag Committee (ad hoc) | J. B. Kripalani |
| Credentials Committee | Alladi Krishnaswami Ayyar |
Constitution at the Start and Today
| Feature | At the Start (1950) | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Articles | 395 | About 448 (in 25 parts) |
| Parts | 22 | 25 |
| Schedules | 8 | 12 |
The original copy of the Constitution was handwritten in calligraphy by Prem Behari Narain Raizada, with decorative art by Nandalal Bose and his students at Shantiniketan, and is kept in the Parliament Library in Helium-filled cases.
Sources of the Indian Constitution
| Source | Features Borrowed |
|---|---|
| Government of India Act, 1935 | Federal scheme, office of the Governor, judiciary, Public Service Commissions, emergency provisions, administrative details |
| British Constitution | Parliamentary government, rule of law, single citizenship, cabinet system, legislative procedure, bicameralism, the Speaker, writs |
| US Constitution | Fundamental Rights, judicial review, independence of the judiciary, impeachment of the President, the Vice-President as the chairman of Rajya Sabha, removal of judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, preamble |
| Irish Constitution | Directive Principles of State Policy, nomination of members to the Rajya Sabha, method of election of the President |
| Canadian Constitution | Federation with a strong Centre, residuary powers with the Centre, appointment of state governors by the Centre, advisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court |
| Australian Constitution | Concurrent List, freedom of trade and commerce, joint sitting of the two houses |
| Weimar Constitution of Germany | Suspension of Fundamental Rights during an Emergency |
| Soviet Constitution (USSR) | Fundamental Duties, ideals of justice (social, economic, political) in the Preamble |
| French Constitution | Republic, ideals of liberty, equality and fraternity in the Preamble |
| South African Constitution | Procedure of amendment of the Constitution, election of Rajya Sabha members |
| Japanese Constitution | Procedure established by law |
Schedules of the Constitution
| Schedule | Subject |
|---|---|
| First | Names of states and union territories and their territories |
| Second | Salaries of the President, Governors, Speaker, judges and CAG |
| Third | Forms of oaths and affirmations |
| Fourth | Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha |
| Fifth | Administration of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes |
| Sixth | Administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram |
| Seventh | Union List, State List and Concurrent List |
| Eighth | Recognised languages (22) |
| Ninth | Land reforms and other laws protected from judicial review (added by the 1st Amendment, 1951) |
| Tenth | Anti-defection law (52nd Amendment, 1985) |
| Eleventh | Powers of Panchayats; 29 subjects (73rd Amendment, 1992) |
| Twelfth | Powers of Municipalities; 18 subjects (74th Amendment, 1992) |
Tricks to Remember
- Dates: 9 Dec 1946 (first meeting), 26 Nov 1949 (adoption), 26 Jan 1950 (commencement).
- Ambedkar: Drafting Committee; Rajendra Prasad: President of the Assembly; B. N. Rau: Adviser.
- Fundamental Rights: USA; DPSP: Ireland; Federation: Canada; Concurrent List: Australia; Emergency: Germany; Duties: USSR.
- 10th Schedule: defection; 11th: Panchayats; 12th: Municipalities; 8th: languages.
Quick Tips
- Learn the three key dates of the Constitution.
- Learn the source of each feature by pairing them.
- Remember the schedule numbers with their subjects.
- Remember that the 8th schedule has 22 languages.
Quick Revision Points
- Constituent Assembly first met on 9 December 1946.
- Dr. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee.
- The Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 January 1950.
- Fundamental Rights were borrowed from the USA; DPSP from Ireland.
- The 8th Schedule lists 22 languages.
Practice Questions With Answers
- Who was the permanent President of the Constituent Assembly?
Answer: Dr. Rajendra Prasad - Who chaired the Drafting Committee?
Answer: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar - On which date was the Constitution adopted?
Answer: 26 November 1949 - From which country were the Directive Principles borrowed?
Answer: Ireland - Which schedule deals with languages?
Answer: Eighth Schedule - Which schedule contains the anti-defection law?
Answer: Tenth Schedule - Who moved the Objectives Resolution?
Answer: Jawaharlal Nehru - Which feature was borrowed from Canada?
Answer: Federation with a strong Centre - Who was the Constitutional Adviser?
Answer: B. N. Rau - How many schedules does the Constitution have now?
Answer: 12
How to Practise This Chapter
Practise 10 questions every day and write the steps on paper. Then attempt timed sets from our practice papers and the previous year papers page. See all topics on the Indian Polity notes page and the next topic Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did the Constituent Assembly first meet?
On 9 December 1946.
Who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee?
Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
When was the Constitution adopted?
On 26 November 1949.
When did the Constitution come into force?
On 26 January 1950.
How long did the Constitution take to be made?
2 years, 11 months and 18 days.
How many articles were in the original Constitution?
395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules.
What is the Objectives Resolution?
A resolution moved by Nehru in 1946 which laid down the aims of the Constitution and became the base of the Preamble.
Which country’s constitution gave us Fundamental Rights?
The United States.
Which schedule lists the three legislative lists?
The Seventh Schedule.
Who was the calligrapher of the Constitution?
Prem Behari Narain Raizada.
Is this topic asked in SSC?
Yes. It is among the most frequently asked topics in polity.
Who illustrated the Constitution?
Nandalal Bose and artists of Shantiniketan.
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Prime Minister and Council of Ministers: Articles, Appointment, Powers, Collective Responsibility and Cabinet for SSC
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.