Constitution: Why and How?

A constitution is the basic framework of a political system. It establishes institutions, distributes governmental powers, sets procedures, and places limits on rulers so that authority is not exercised arbitrarily. It may also address rights, elections, and public responsibilities, but it is not restricted to any one of them. Therefore B is correct; A contradicts constitutional government, while C and D describe only narrow administrative functions.

The Constituent Assembly was the body that debated and framed the Constitution. Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected its President and presided over its important proceedings. Jawaharlal Nehru played a major role and moved the Objectives Resolution, while Sardar Patel led important committees, but neither was the Assembly’s President. Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Constituent Assembly. Therefore, option A is the only correct answer.

The Drafting Committee prepared and refined the text of the Constitution on the basis of decisions taken by the Constituent Assembly. Dr B R Ambedkar served as its Chairman and played a central role in organising the draft and presenting it for discussion. Dr Rajendra Prasad was President of the Assembly, while Maulana Azad and Jayaprakash Narayan did not chair this committee. Hence, option A is correct.

The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on 26 November 1949. Adoption means that the Assembly formally approved and accepted the constitutional text. This date is different from 26 January 1950, when the Constitution came into force and India became a republic. 15 August 1947 marks Independence Day, and 2 October is Gandhi Jayanti. Therefore, option A is correct.

The Indian Constitution came into force on 26 January 1950. This is the enforcement date, when the constitutional system formally began operating and India became a republic; the date is therefore celebrated as Republic Day. The Constitution had been adopted earlier, on 26 November 1949. 15 August 1947 marks independence, while 9 December 1946 relates to the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly. Option A is correct.

The relevant historical fact is that Dr B. R. Ambedkar served as the Chairman of the Constituent Assembly’s Drafting Committee. This committee organised and refined the constitutional text, although constitution-making involved many members and committees. Option A is therefore correct. Option B refers to a different presiding role, option C is incorrect because Ambedkar was not India’s first President, and option D assigns him no such secretarial position.

Adoption means that the Constituent Assembly formally approved and enacted the Constitution, whereas enforcement means that its provisions began to operate as the supreme law. India adopted the Constitution on 26 November 1949, but it came into force on 26 January 1950. Thus option A is correct. The other options confuse the dates, reverse the sequence, or deny an established historical event.