What are the major changes in the 42nd amendment?
Asked by: Ursula Wiegand V | Last update: April 9, 2026Score: 4.7/5 (54 votes)
The 42nd Amendment (1976) in India, often called the "Mini Constitution," made sweeping changes by adding "Socialist," "Secular," and "Integrity" to the Preamble, introducing Fundamental Duties (Article 51A), shifting subjects like Education and Forests to the Concurrent List, curtailing judicial review, empowering Parliament over courts, and increasing central government power. It also extended the Lok Sabha's term to six years and made the President bound by cabinet advice.
What are the major changes brought by the 42nd Amendment?
The 42nd Amendment also added a new section to the Article on "Fundamental Duties" in the Constitution. The new section required citizens "to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood among all the people of India, transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities."
What changes did the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 bring to the Preamble?
The 42nd Amendment was introduced in 1976 during Indira Gandhi's Emergency period. It added the words 'Socialist,' 'Secular,' and 'Integrity' to the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. The amendment expanded the list of Fundamental Duties for Indian citizens.
What words were added by the 42nd Amendment Act 1976?
The words Socialist Secular Unity and Integrity of the Nation were added to the Preamble by the 42nd Constitution Amendment Act of 1976. It came into effect on January 3 1977.
Which are the processes added to our Constitution through the 42 Amendment?
The correct answer is Equal justice and free legal aid. Four Directive Principles were added by the 42nd amendment as follows: To secure opportunities for the healthy development of children (Article 39). To promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor (Article 39 A).
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Why is part 7 removed?
Part VII of the Indian Constitution was repealed by the Seventh Amendment Act of 1956 because it dealt with Part B States (former princely states) that became redundant after India reorganized its states on a linguistic basis, making the old classification of Part A, B, C states obsolete and establishing the modern system of States and Union Territories, as explained in sources like IAS Origin and Testbook.
What were the key features of the 42nd Amendment?
42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976
- Reduce the power of the supreme court and the high court.
- Laid down fundamental duties for citizens.
- Terms- socialist, secular and integrity were added to the Preamble.
What are the three new words added to the Preamble?
It has been amended by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 which added three new words – Socialist, Secular, and Integrity.
Which words are not mentioned in the Indian Constitution?
Therefore, out of the words listed – Belief, Faith, Worship, and Language – the word "Language" is the one that is not included in the Preamble of the Constitution of India.
What is the difference between 42nd & 44th Amendments?
Ans. The 42nd Amendment significantly expanded executive powers and restricted civil liberties, while the 44th Amendment aimed to restore democratic principles, limit executive authority, and safeguard Fundamental Rights.
Which 3 new words were added to the Preamble by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act 1976?
The 42nd Amendment Act: It was enacted by Indian National Congress headed by Indira Gandhi. Words 'Socialist', 'Secular' and 'Integrity' were added in Preamble.
What are the fundamental duties added by the 42nd Amendment?
The fundamental duties which were added by the 42nd Amendment Act of the Constitution in 1976, in addition to creating and promoting culture, also strengthen the hands of the legislature in enforcing these duties vis-a-vis the fundamental rights.
How many directive principles were added by the 42nd Amendment of 1976?
First 42nd Amendment 1976 – It added four new directive principles- Article 39, Article 39A, Article 43A and Article 48A.
What was the last Amendment to be changed?
Constitutional Amendments – Amendment 27 – “Financial Compensation for the Congress” Amendment Twenty-seven to the Constitution was ratified on May 7, 1992. It forbids any changes to the salary of Congress members from taking effect until the next election concludes.
What were the three major amendments to the Constitution that were passed during reconstruction and expanded civil rights?
The Reconstruction Amendments, or the Civil War Amendments, are the Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth amendments to the United States Constitution, adopted between 1865 and 1870.
Who proposed the 42nd Amendment?
The 42nd Amendment Act was enacted by Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. It transformed India from a unitary system of governance to a federal one. This amendment effectively changed the “Indian Union” into a federation with three federal systems of government in addition to the Indian Union.
Which word is never used in the US Constitution?
The word slavery is the correct answer as it is never explicitly used in the U.S. Constitution. The Constitution, drafted in 1787, addressed the issue of enslaved individuals without directly mentioning the term 'slavery.
Which word is not written in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?
Explanation: The Preamble of the Constitution of India includes the words 'Liberty', 'Equality', 'Fraternity', and 'Dignity'. The word 'Modesty' is not included in the Preamble.
What words don't appear in the Constitution?
The word “privacy” does not appear anyone in the Constitution.
What is the difference between socialism and secularism?
Socialist signified the state's commitment to reducing inequality and ensuring distributive justice through a mixed economy model. Secular reaffirmed the principle of equal respect for all religions, ensuring that the state maintains neutrality in religious matters without endorsing any faith.
Is a Preamble legally binding?
A preamble is not legally enforceable, but it is an important aid in gaining an understanding of why an agency is acting or refusing to act.
Who wrote the Indian Constitution?
The authors of the Indian Constitution are B.R. Ambedkar (chairman of the drafting committee), Surendra Nath Mukherjee (chief draftsman of the Constituent Assembly), and B.N. Rau (constitutional advisor to the Constituent Assembly)
Was India secular before the 42nd Amendment?
With the Forty-second Amendment of the Constitution of India enacted in 1976, the Preamble to the Constitution asserted that India is a secular nation. However, the Supreme Court of India in the 1994 case S. R. Bommai v. Union of India established the fact that India was secular since the formation of the republic.
What are the elements added to the constitution by the 42 Amendment?
The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976: A Significant Shift
It fundamentally altered the Preamble by adding three new words: 'Socialist,' 'Secular,' and 'Integrity. ' The Preamble now reads: "Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic... assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation."
What is article number 7?
Article 7 of Indian Constitution deals with the complex migration issues that followed Partition . It aims to set clear criteria for determining who retains Indian citizenship . Key Provisions: No Citizenship: Post-March 1 migrants to Pakistan are not Indian citizens.