PSIR Optional · Previous year questions
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Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: The Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles; Parliamentary System and Amendment Procedures; Judicial Review and Basic Structure doctrine.
Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: The Preamble, Fundamental Rights and Duties, Directive Principles
| Year | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Answer in about 150 words: The Constitution of India was secular even before the word was included in the Preamble. Comment. (10 marks) | View answer |
| 2025 | Land Reforms programmes led to some constitutional amendments. Comment. | View answer |
| 2024 | Write approximately 150 words on Constitutional morality in the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2024 | Write approximately 150 words on Legal remedies in Part III of the Constitution of India. | View answer |
| 2024 | How far do you agree that the Directive Principles of State Policy are more fundamental than the Fundamental Rights in meeting socio-economic justice as mentioned in the Preamble of the Constitution? | View answer |
| 2023 | The main goal of the fundamental duties in the Indian Constitution is to generate civic responsibility among the citizen. Explain. | View answer |
| 2022 | The Preamble of the Indian Constitution reflects itself as a ‘social contract’. Elucidate. | View answer |
| 2021 | Mention the founding principles that define India's Constitution. (150 words) | View answer |
| 2021 | "Constitutionally reconciling the Fundamental Rights with the Directive Principles of State Policy has led to frequent amendments of the· Constitution and judicial interventions." Comment. | View answer |
| 2020 | Answer in 150 words: Right to Constitutional remedies in India. | View answer |
| 2019 | Comment on the relevance of the Directive Principles of State Policy in an era of liberalization and globalization. | View answer |
| 2018 | Comment in 150 words: Indian Constitution is a 'Lawyers' Paradise'. – Ivor Jennings. | View answer |
| 2017 | Right to privacy is an intrinsic part of the right to life. Comment. | View answer |
| 2016 | Critically examine the provisions made in the Constitution for the protection of Environment. | View answer |
| 2015 | Comment in 150 words: Secularism in the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2015 | In the light of neo-economic policies adopted since 1991, examine the relevance of the term 'socialist' in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2015 | Discuss the 'Right to Education' and the concerns raised by it. | View answer |
| 2014 | Comment in 150 words: Increasingly higher focus on Directive Principles of State Policy. | View answer |
| 2014 | What are the provisions for constitutional protection of right to freedom of religion and how far have they succeeded in promoting secularism in India? | View answer |
| 2013 | Comment in 150 words: Significance of the Preamble. | View answer |
| 2013 | Analyse the significance of Article 32 of the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2013 | Examine the significance of the verdicts of the Supreme Court in the Golaknath and Kashavananda Bharati cases for an understanding of the scope of Article 368 in regard to Fundamental Rights. | View answer |
| 2012 | Discuss the extent to which the Indian Constitution reflects successful reconciliation of alternative perspectives. | View answer |
| 2012 | Examine the relevance of Directive Principles in the era of liberalisation and globalization. | View answer |
| 2011 | Examine the significance of the Directive Principles of State Policy in achieving the goal of socio-economic justice. | View answer |
| 2011 | Critically examine and comment on the assertion in about 200 words: Secularism in Indian politics is a myth. | View answer |
| 2010 | "Minorities are the natural custodians of the secular state [ D.E. Smith] Discuss. | View answer |
| 2010 | In what ways do civil liberties and human rights movements influence the working of Indian democracy? Give your answer with suitable examples. | View answer |
| 2008 | Comment: The type of Government enshrined in the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2007 | Comment: The Directive Principles of State Policy are not mere pious declarations but clear directions for the guidance of state policy. | View answer |
| 2005 | Comment: Fundamental Duties under Article 51A of the Constitution of India. | View answer |
| 2005 | Do you agree with the view that Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Polity constitute the 'Core and Conscience' of the Indian Constitution? Comment on the emerging trends in their interrelationship. | View answer |
| 2004 | Comment: Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution. | |
| 2004 | Explain the main principles embodied in the Preamble to the Constitution of India. What is their significance? Do you think that they are the political horoscope of the country? Discuss. | View answer |
| 2003 | Comment: 'Right against exploitation' under the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2003 | "The Directive Principles of State Policy are not mere pious declarations but clear directions for the guidance of State Policy." Comment and show how far they have been applied in practice. | View answer |
| 1999 | Comment: Right to Constitutional Remedies under Article 32 of the Indian Constitution and application of the principle of Res Judicata. | View answer |
| 1996 | Comment: Kesavananda Bharathi Case. | View answer |
| 1994 | Comment: Reverse discrimination. | View answer |
Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: Parliamentary System
| Year | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Parliamentary Committees are a strong tool of Parliamentary Democracy. It provides for the opportunity for cross-pollination of ideas among members of the Parliament. Discuss. | View answer |
| 2017 | Differentiate parliamentary supremacy from parliamentary sovereignty. Would you consider the Indian Parliament as a Sovereign Parliament, Examine. | View answer |
| 1997 | Discuss the patterns of legislative-executive relationship prevalent in the world today What factors and forces have enabled the executive to overpower the legislature, in most countries? | View answer |
| 1993 | Examine the case for formation of small states in India. | View answer |
| 1992 | Majority in legislatures does not necessarily contribute to the stability of the state Government in India. Discuss. | View answer |
Salient Features of the Indian Constitution: Amendment Procedures; Judicial Review and Basic Structure doctrine
| Year | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | The Doctrine of Basic Structure of the Constitution has enhanced the power of judicial review of the Supreme Court. Examine. | View answer |
| 2021 | Underline the significance of the first constitutional amendment. (150 words) | View answer |
| 2019 | "The basic structure doctrine is implicit in the Indian Constitution; the Supreme Court has only given it an explicit for." Comment. | View answer |
| 2016 | Comment: 'Article 368 does not enable Parliament to alter the basic structure or framework of the Constitution'. | View answer |
| 2016 | Comment: The purpose of the 42nd Constitutional Amendment was to make the economic and social democracy explicitly visible. | View answer |
| 2015 | Comment in 150 words: 99th Amendment of the Indian Constitution. | View answer |
| 2015 | Discuss the efficacy of judicial review in India. | View answer |
| 2012 | Comment on Doctrine of Basic Structure of the Indian Constitution. (150 words) | View answer |
| 1992 | Comment: The 42nd amendment to the Constitution of India. | View answer |
Syllabus unit: Salient Features of the Indian Constitution
Solved PYQs for every PSIR topic
Notes tell you what a thinker said. PSIR Optional PYQ Solutions shows you how UPSC asks it and how a strong answer is written, on every question since 1991.
- 1,394 solved PYQs (1991–2026), Paper-1 and Paper-2
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|---|---|---|
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| Paper 2 notes — Comparative Politics and India and the World | Included | Included — Section A and Section B |
| Topic-wise PYQ bank | 1986–2026, with trend analysis and probables by Dec 2026 | 1991–2025 question papers, free with every notes pack |
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thanks for your efforts
thanks