CBSE Important Questions for Class 9 Political Science Chapter 2 Constitutional Design

Understanding Constitutional Design in Class 9 Civics is essential because it forms the foundation of how a democratic government is created, structured, and run.

This chapter explains how the Indian Constitution was framed, the role of the Constituent Assembly, and why principles like equality, justice, liberty, and rights were included.

To help students prepare effectively, here are the Class 9 Constitutional Design important questions and answers, chosen to cover all key concepts expected in exams.

These questions help strengthen reasoning, improve conceptual clarity, and ensure high scores.

CBSE Important Questions for Class 9 Political Science Chapter 2 Constitutional Design

Below are the CBSE Important Questions for Class 9 Political Science Chapter 2 Constitutional Design-

Section A (1 mark each)

1. What was the native population, known as the Blacks of Africa in the 17th century?
(A) Two-third
(B) Half
(C) Three-fourths
(D) One-fourth
Ans. C

 2. Which of these was the most salient underlying conflict in the making of a democratic constitution in South Africa?
(A) Between South Africa and its neighbours
(B) Between men and women
(C) Between the white majority and the black minority
(D) Between the coloured minority and the black majority
Ans. (D)

 3. Which of these is a provision that a democratic constitution does not have?
(A) Powers of the head of the state
(B) Name of the head of the state
(C) Powers of the legislature
(D) Name of the country
Ans. (D)

 4. What do you mean by Sovereign?
(A) People have the supreme right to make decisions
(B) Head of the state is an elected person
(C) People should live like brothers and sisters
(D) The government will not favour any religion
Ans. (A)

 5. Trains, buses, taxis, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, libraries, cinema halls, theatres, beaches, swimming pools, public toilets, were all separate for the whites and blacks. This was called _____?
(A) Apartheid
(B) Segregation
(C) Racism
(D) Casteism
Ans. (B)

 6. Since the year 1950, the blacks, coloured, and Indians fought against the apartheid system?
(A) 1955
(B) 1949
(C) 1950
(D) 1956
Ans. (C)

 7. The ______ was the umbrella organisation that led the struggle against the policies of segregation.
(A) African People's Congress
(B) African National Congress
(C) Congress of Africa
(D) None
Ans. (B)

 8. When was the national flag of the Republic of South Africa unfurled?
(A) 1994
(B) 1996
(C) 1993
(D) 1995
Ans. (A)

 9. After the emergence of the new democratic South Africa, black leaders appealed to fellow blacks to _________?
(A) Forgive the whites for the atrocities they had committed
(B) Take revenge on the whites
(C) That the whites must leave the country
(D) None
Ans. (A)

 10. How many years did it take South Africa to make its constitution? 

(A) 3 years (B) 2 years (C) Six months (D) 1 year 

 Ans. (B)

Section B (2 marks each)

11. What would have happened in South Africa if the black majority had decided to take revenge on the whites for all their oppression and exploitation? 

 Sol. Violence would have erupted in South Africa. Bloodshed would have taken place. A great loss of life and property would have taken place. 

 12. What is meant by Segregation? 

 Sol. All the public places like trains, buses, schools, hospitals, beaches etc. were separate for the whites and blacks. Even the churches were separate. The black people were forbidden from living in white areas. This is called Segregation. 

 13. Which type of tactics did the white racist government of South Africa use to continue to rule? 

Sol. The white racist government continued to rule by detaining, torturing and killing thousands of black and coloured people.

 14. What is apartheid? 

 Sol. It was a policy of racial segregation under which all people were classified and separated on the basis of race. Many restrictions were imposed on the Blacks, who formed more than 80% of the population. 

 15. Highlight any one similarity between the story of South African struggle for freedom and the Indian National Movement. 

 Sol. Both the movements were fighting against the whites of Europe who had come to these countries as trading companies.

16. "I have cherished the idea of a democratic Asid free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities". Who said these words and to which country did – he belong? 

Sol. ● Nelson Mandela and ● South Africa.

17. Why is India called 'a Republic'?

Sol. India is called a Republic because the head of the state i.e., the President is an elected person, and it is not a hereditary position.

18. What do you mean by political equality?

Sol. Every citizen is entitled to all the constitutional rights and freedom without making distinctions of any kind like gender, race, status, religion etc. Equal voting rights to all adult citizens of a country, be it rich or poor with no discrimination comes under political equality.

19. What is meant by the term 'Preamble'?

Sol. The Preamble is an introduction to the Constitution which contains the ideals and basic principles of the Indian Constitution.

20. Mention any one feature of a Foreign Constitution which inspired the constitution makers of the Indian Constitution.

Sol. ● Practice of parliamentary democracy in Britain.

● Bill of rights in the United States.

21. What is the Constituent Assembly? 

Sol. The drafting of the document called the Constitution was done by an assembly of elected representatives called the Constituent Assembly.

22. What do we call a state where the head of the state is an elected and not a hereditary person? 

Sol. Republic, because the head of the state i.e., the President is an elected person, and it is not a hereditary position.

Section –C [3 Mark]

23. Explain the term Apartheid. What were its implications?

Sol. Apartheid was the name of a system of racial discrimination unique to South Africa. Implications:

 ● White Europeans imposed this system on South Africa. 

● White rulers treated non-whites as inferiors. 

● Non-whites did not have the right to vote. They were forbidden to live in white areas. They were allowed to work there only with a permit.

 ● Trains, buses, hospitals, schools, cinemas, public places and public toilets were all separate for the whites and blacks. 

24. "The apartheid system was particularly oppressive for the blacks." Justify by giving three reasons. 

 Sol.  ● They were forbidden from living in white areas. They could work in white areas only if they had a permit. 

● Trains, buses, taxis, hotels, hospitals, schools and colleges, libraries, cinema halls, theatres, beaches, swimming pools, public toilets, were all separate for the whites and blacks. This was called segregation.

 ● They could not even visit the churches where the whites worshipped. Blacks could not form associations or protest against the terrible treatment. 

25. What problems existed in the making of the South African constitution? What compromises were made? 

Sol. ● Problems existed because both the black majority and the white minority had their own fears and anxieties. The black majority wanted their constitution to be based on the democratic principle of majority rule. They also wanted substantial, social and economic rights.

• The white minority, on the other hand, wanted to protect its privileges and property. 

• Ultimately both agreed to compromise. The whites agreed to the principle of majority rule and that of one person, one vote.

26. With reference to the Indian Constitution answer the following questions: (i) When was it passed? (ii) When was it enforced? (iii) Why was this date chosen? 

Sol. (i) The Constitution was passed by the Constituent Assembly on 26th November,

(ii) The Constitution was enforced on 26th January, 1950. (iii) In December, 1929, the Congress in its Lahore Session had decided to fight for Poorna Swaraj or Complete Independence, and 26th January, 1930 was celebrated as the Independence Day, since then. That is why our leaders decided to celebrate 26th January, 1950 as the day to enforce the Constitution of India.

27. Assess the Constitution made by the Constitution Assembly to form the Indian Constitution? 

Sol. Assessing the Constitution as: 

● It worked in a systematic, open and consensual manner.
● Basic principles were decided. The Drafting Committee prepared a draft.
● Discussions of several rounds occurred clause by clause.
● They worked for 114 days and spread over three years.
● Every document was recorded and preserved to form twelve bulky volumes of Constituent Assembly debates.

28. "The Indian Constitution adopted many institutional details and procedures from different countries." Justify by giving examples. 

Sol. ● India adopted the principle of liberty, freedom and justice from the French Constitution.
● We have adopted Bill of Rights from the United States of America.
● The practice of Parliamentary democracy has been adopted from Great Britain.

29. "The manner in which the Constituent Assembly worked gives sanctity to the constitution." Justify. 

Sol. First some basic principles were decided and agreed upon. Then a Drafting Committee chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar prepared a draft constitution for discussion. Several rounds of thorough discussion took place on the Draft Constitution, clause by clause. The above-mentioned points prove that the Constituent Assembly maintained a democratic attitude.

30. "Indian Constitution is both rigid and flexible." Explain. 

Sol. The Indian Constitution is neither wholly rigid nor wholly flexible. This is called rigid because some ideals in the constitution like equality, secularism, democracy, sovereignty etc. cannot be changed. This is because the rulers could not misuse their powers. On the other hand, it is also called flexible because there is a provision for amendments. Some of the articles can be changed if the people demand so. That is, there are some rules that can be amended by a simple majority while some need two-third majority. So it is called partly rigid and partly flexible.

31. Describe main features of the Indian Constitution.

Or

How has the Indian Constitution embodied the basic values into its instructional arrangements? 

Sol. ● The Indian Constitution is a detailed document. It needs to be amended to keep it updated. It has provisions to incorporate changes from time-to-time. These changes are called constitutional amendments.
● It lays down the procedure for choosing persons to govern the country.
● It defines "who will have how much power to take a particular decision".
● It also limits the powers of the government by providing some rights to the citizens which cannot be violated.

32. India is a "Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic." Justify. 

Or

Describe the main features of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution. 

Sol. The Constitution of India lays down certain Basic Features or the Basic Structure, which cannot be amended, altered or modified by any legitimate authority in India. The Constitution declares India to be a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic, Republic. India is Sovereign, as it is independent of any foreign control. It is Socialist, as it aims at social and economic equality. It is Secular, as there is no State religion in India. It is Democratic, as the government is elected by the people directly after every five years. It is a Republic, because the Head of the State in India, namely, the President, is elected for five years by the r members of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the State Legislative Assemblies.

33. Discuss the concept of equality under the objectives of the Indian Constitution. 

Sol. The Preamble speaks of equality of status and opportunity Equality of status means all are equal in the eyes of law and all have equal protection of law. Nobody can be discriminated against only on the basis of his religion, caste, colour, creed or sex (Articles 14 and 15). The Constitution also offers equality of opportunity in matters relating to appointment under two states (Article 16). Untouchability has been abolished (Article 17) and all the titles except those of academic or military distinction have been abolished (Article 18). 

34. What do you mean by Constitutional amendments? What is its importance? State their significance in a democratic country like India. 

Or

What provision has been made to incorporate changes in the Constitution and why? 

Sol. A change in the Constitution made by the supreme legislative body in: the country is known as a Constitutional amendment. In India, it is called the Parliament or "Sansad".
● Constitution can be changed according to the needs and aspirations of the people.
● Major shortcomings of the constitution can be removed. Significance:
● India is a major democratic country and has a long and detailed Constitution.
● Therefore, it needs to be amended quite regularly to keep it updated,
● The makers of the Indian Constitution did not see it as sacred, static and unalterable law.
● As a 'Living Document', it has to be in accordance with people’s aspirations and changes in society.

Section –D [5 Mark]

35. What is meant by\the Apartheid? How did the people of South Africa struggle against it?

Sol. Apartheid is the name of a system of social discrimination’s unique to South Africa. It was the official policy of ill treatment of blacks followed by government of South Africa. The people of South Africa struggled against the apartheid in the following way:

● Blacks and Indians were fighting against the apartheid, since 1950. The racial government did not pay any heed to them.

● Marches and strikes were launched.

● The struggle was led by the African National Congress.

● Many of the sensitive whites also joined the struggle with the African National Congress.

● Beside this many workers' unions and the communist parties joined the movement.

● As the struggle gained momentum, the government realized that the blacks could no longer be held under oppression.

● In continuation to this, discriminatory laws were annulled, bans from media lifted and Nelson Mandela walked out from the jail.

● A new Constitution was formed on 26th April, 1994. The white racial government was overthrown by a multi-racial government.

36. Explain with five facts the transition from Apartheid to democracy and multi-racial government take place in South Africa.

Sol. ● After two years of discussion and debate leaders of South Africa came out with one of the finest Constitutions the world has ever had.
● The new Constitution gave to its citizens the most extensive rights available in any country.
● Together, they decided that in the search for a solution to the problems, nobody should be excluded, no one should be treated as a demon.
● The leaders of the nation agreed that everybody should become part of the solution, whatever they might have done or represented in the past.
● The apartheid government came to an end, paving the way for the formation of a multi- racial government.

37. Explain the major factors which contributed to the making of our Constitution. 

Sol.

● National Movement: Our national movement was not merely a struggle against a foreign rule. It was also a struggle to rejuvenate our country, and to transform our society and politics. 
● Role of Leaders: Leaders like Moti Lai Nehru, Jawahar Lai Nehru and others had played very important role in making of the Indian Constitution. In 1928, Moti Lal Nehru Drafted a Constitution for India.
● Role of British Rule: The familiarity with political institutions of colonial rule also helped develop an agreement over the institutional design.
● British Rule and the Legislative Institutions: The experience gained by Indians in the working of the legislative institutions proved to be very useful for the country in setting up its own institutions.
● World Event or Revolutions: Many of our leaders were inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution, the practice of Parliamentary democracy in Britain and the Bill of Rights in USA. So, they incorporated some good points of the Constitutions of these countries in the Indian Constitution.

38. "The making of the Constitution for a huge and diverse country like India was not an easy affair." Justify the statement.

Or

Highlight any five difficult circumstances under which the Indian Constitution was drawn up.

Or

"India's Constitution was also drawn up under very difficult circumstances." Elaborate this statement with the help of any four circumstances during it.

Or

What were the difficulties faced during the making of Indian Constitution?

Sol.

● Making a constitution for a huge and diverse country like India was not an easy task.

● The-people of India at that time were emerging from the status of subjects to citizens.

● The country was born through a partition on the basis of religious differences.

● The British had left the princely states to decide their future on their own.

● At that time, future of the country did not look very secure.

● Makers of the Constitution had anxieties about the present as well as the future.

39. State the steps involved in the framing of Indian Constitution.

Or

Mention the landmark years in the making of the Indian Constitution.

Sol.

● As per the Cabinet Mission Plan (1946), a constitution-making body, called the Constituent Assembly, was formed. Elections to the Constituent Assembly were held in July, 1946.

● The Constituent Assembly worked in a systematic, open and consensual manner. It became a fully sovereign body.
● First, Pandit Jawahar Lai Nehru moved in the Constituent Assembly the historic 'Objectives Resolution' which was unanimously passed. It was India's 'Charter of Freedom'. Then some basic principles were decided and agreed upon.
● After passing of the Resolution, an Advisory Committee and various other committees were formed by the Constituent Assembly. The Drafting Committee, chaired by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, prepared a 'Draft Constitution' for discussion.
● Several rounds of thorough discussion took place on the Draft Constitution, clause by clause. The members considered carefully and debated all the clauses for 114 days, spread over nearly three years. All the proceedings and discussions in the Constituent Assembly have been recorded and preserved as what we call the ‘Constituent Assembly Debates’.
● The Draft Constitution was passed or adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949. It came into force on January 26, 1950.

40. What was Mahatma Gandhi's contribution to the Constitution of Indian? 

Sol. ● Although Mahatma Gandhi was not a member of the Constituent Assembly, there were many members who followed his vision.
● According to his magazine, Young India in 1931, he wanted to release India from all thraldom and patronage.
● He emphasised on political equality.
● He thought of India as a country where the people of all communities would live in perfect harmony.
● He wanted India where there could be no room for the curse of untouchability. Women would enjoy the same rights as men.

41. Describe any five salient features of the Constitution of India.

Sol. ● Sovereign—People are masters and have supreme right to take decisions.

● Socialist—Wealth to be shared equally.

● Secular—It is based on the freedom of religion. All religions should be treated equally.

● Democratic—People have political equality.

● Republic—Head of the state is a common man elected by the people.

42. What is Constitution? What is its importance?

Or

Why do countries need a constitution? Explain.

Or

Why do we need a constitution and what do Constitution do? Explain?

Sol. The Constitution of a country is a set of written rules that are accepted by all the people living together in a country. The Constitution is the supreme law that determines the relationship among the people living in a territory (called citizens), and also the relationship between the people and the government. Importance:

● Specifications: It specifies how the government will be constituted, who will have the power to take which decisions.

● Trust and Co-ordination: It generates a degree of trust and co-ordination that is necessary for different kinds of people to live together.

● Rights and Duties: It lays down the limits on the powers of the government and tells us what the rights of the citizens are.

● Good Society: It expresses the aspirations of the people about creating a good society.

43. Express the basic ideas accepted by all leaders before the drafting of the Constitution.

Or

Examine three basic guidelines agreed upon before the drafting of the Indian Constitution.

Sol. (i) Prior to framing of the Indian Constitution, our Constitution-makers had gone through the Constitutions of nearly 60 countries. They had also studied the various Acts passed by the British Government and adopted by the Congress Party. This study enabled the makers of the Constitution to select the best provisions from different sources but on our own terms.

(ii) Some of the main provisions of our Constitution and their original sources are

given below:

(iii) (a) This is to be noted that our Constitution- makers did not imitate what others had done. They selected and modified the contents according to India's perspective.

44. Define the following terms mentioned in the preamble to the Constitution of India. (i) Sovereign, (ii) Socialist, (iii) Secular, (iv) Republic, (v) Liberty, (vi) Equality, (vii) Fraternity (viii) Justice.

Or

Describe any five values / goals of the Indian Constitution included in the Preamble. 

Sol. (i) Sovereign: People have supreme right to make decisions on internal as well as external matters. No external power can dictate the government of India. 

(ii) Socialist: Wealth is generated socially and should be shared equally by society. Government should regulate the ownership of land and industry to reduce socio-economic inequalities. 

(iii) Secular: Citizens have complete freedom to follow any religion. But there is no official religion. Government treats all religious beliefs and practices with equal respect.

(iv) Republic: The head of the state is an elected person and not a hereditary position.

(v) Liberty: There are no unreasonable restrictions on the citizens in what they think, how they wish to express their thoughts and the way they wish to follow up their thoughts in action. 

(vi) Equality: All are equal before the law. The traditional social inequalities have to be ended. The government should ensure equal opportunity for all. 

(vii) Fraternity: All of us should behave as if we are members of the same family. No one should treat a fellow citizen as inferior. 

(viii)Justice: Citizens cannot be discriminated against on the grounds of caste, religion and gender. Social inequalities have to be reduced. Government should work for the welfare of all, especially of the disadvantaged groups.

45. "The Constituent Assembly was the representative body of the people of India." Explain with examples.

Sol.

● The Assembly was dominated by the Indian National Congress.

● Many important political leaders were also its members. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Mrs. Sarojini Naidu and Sardar Baldev Singh were its important members, who guided the discussion in the Constituent Assembly.

● There were more than 30 members belonging to the Scheduled Caste.

● Minorities like the Anglo-Indians had Frank Anthony as their representative.

● The Parsee community was represented by H.P Modi. _

● Some Constitutional experts like Alladi Krishna Swarny Aiyer, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, and K.M. Munshi were also there.

● Mrs. Sarojini Naidu and Mrs. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit were the two leading women of India in the Constituent Assembly.

Section E [4 Marks]

46. Case Based: A Constitution is not merely a statement of values and philosophy. As we noted above, a constitution is mainly about embodying these values into institutional arrangements. Much of the document called Constitution of India is about these arrangements. It is a very long and detailed document. Therefore, it needs to be amended quite regularly to keep it updated. Those who crafted the Indian Constitution felt that it has to be in accordance with people’s aspirations and changes in society. They did not see it as a sacred, static and unalterable law. So, they made provisions to incorporate changes from time to time. These changes are called Constitutional amendments. The Constitution describes the institutional arrangements in a very legal language. If you read the Constitution for the first time, it can be quite difficult to understand. Yet the basic institutional design is not very difficult to understand.Answer the following question:

(i) What are constitutional amendments?
Sol. The makers of the Constitution made a provision for making amendments to the Constitution from time to time. These changes are called constitutional amendments. 

(ii) Mention the two major aspects in the working of institutional design. 

Sol. The two major aspects in the working of institutional design are:
(i) It lays down the procedure for choosing persons to govern the country, i.e., about elections.
(ii) It defines who will have much power to take the decision, i.e., distribution of power among the Legislature, Executive and Judiciary. 

(iii) In what way institutional design puts limits to what the government can do?
Sol. Institutional design puts limits to what the government can do by providing some rights to the citizen that cannot be violated and are called fundamental rights.

How to Use Constitutional Design Class 9 Important Questions and Answers

Using important questions the right way can help you score full marks in Civics. Here is how you should study them effectively:

1. Before answering anything, read Chapter 2 once from the textbook. This helps you understand the background stories like South Africa’s apartheid and India’s constitutional process. This makes the questions easier.

2. Start with short questions, then move to long ones. This improves your confidence and builds your understanding gradually.

3. Always write answers in your notebook. Writing improves memory, helps you learn keywords, and trains you for exam-style answer presentation.

4. After writing, match your response with the Class 9 Constitutional Design important questions and answers. Check whether you used the correct keywords. Make sure your explanation is clear and your answer follows the NCERT logic.

5. Use key terms such as Constituent Assembly, Preamble, Sovereign Democratic Republic, Apartheid, and Framers of the Constitution.