Indian Polity

Indian polity is a discipline that includes a wide range of subjects such as the Constitution of India, its origin and development, citizenship, rights of the Indian citizens, their fundamental rights and duties, directive principles, the structure of parliamentary democracy and its execution, role and power of the president, the prime minister and council of ministers, the role of the judiciary, the power structure of state and local government, election system, etc. Indian polity is an essential discipline for all aspirants preparing for different public service examinations. Apart from that, this discipline is an integral part of social science that makes citizens aware of their rights, democratic participation and governance. 

Indian polity

For easier study, Indian Polity is divided into certain segments such as, 

Democracy- The democracy in India is structured as a parliamentary democracy in India. The parliament is divided into two houses, the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha. The president is the constitutional head of the parliament and is considered the head of the legislature. The president has the full power to summon either of the houses or dissolve the Lok Sabha. 

Voting procedure- Every adult citizen of India has the right to cast a vote in their constituency. The president is the ceremonial head of the country and supreme chief commander of all the three defence forces (Airforce, Navy, and army) of the country. However, the country is led by the prime minister. The party or alliance that has the majority in the national elections or Lok Sabha chooses its leader who becomes the prime minister of the country. The prime minister is the chief advisor to the president and is also the head of the union council of ministers. 

The country is divided into states and union territories, and every state has a chief minister. The chief minister is the leader of the party or alliance that wins majority seats in the state assembly election or commonly known as the Vidhan Sabha election. Union territories are governed by a person appointed by the president of India. The presidents observe the law and order situation of every state by appointing a governor and by his order the governor can take over the power from the chief minister of the state. This happens when the elected representatives are unable to maintain the law and order situation of the state and in this case, a new election is conducted within three months. The previous government is dissolved and a new government will be elected. The Election Commission is a federal agency that conducts elections by making rules and regulations for it, monitoring the whole process, and ensuring transparency during pre-election, election, and post-election as per the statutory regulations. The candidates of Rajya Sabha are not directly elected by the people of India. They are selected by the members of the legislative assembly or are nominated by the president (up to 12 candidates) for their exemplary contributions in the fields of literature, the arts, science, and social services. The tenure of the members of Rajya Sabha is 6 years whereas a parliamentary election is held every 5 years. 

Citizens’ fundamental rights: The Indian constitution guarantees six fundamental rights to its citizens: 1) the right to equality; 2) The right to freedom; 3) The right against exploitation; 4) The right to religious freedom; 5) Cultural and educational rights; and 6) The right to constitutional remedies. Though originally, the right to property (article 31) was also included in the list of fundamental rights.

Conclusion

Indian polity is a vast and complex discipline. The aspirants may find it difficult to memorize it all but it is very important for any government service examination.  

MCQ questions regarding the Indian polity

Indian polity MCQ questions are very important for every aspirant. Some sample MCQ questions on Indian polity are mentioned below.

1. The 10th schedule of the Constitution was added by which amendment of the Constitution? Answer: The 52nd amendment
2. Which article of the Indian Constitution grants citizens access to all public places? Answer: Article 15 (2). It states that all public places are open to all citizens of India without any discrimination.
3. In whose name are all the executive actions of the Government of India taken? Answer. The president
4. What type of body is the Indian parliamentary group? Answer: autonomous
5. Which article of the Indian Constitution empowers the supreme court to safeguard the fundamental rights of citizens? Answer: Article 32
6. In which year was the first national emergency proclaimed due to the Chinese aggression in NEFA (current Arunachal Pradesh, previously known as the Northeast Frontier Area)? Answer: 1962
7. Which constitutional amendment empowers the president to specify the socially and educationally backward classes concerning a state or a union territory? Answer: Amendment No. 102