SSC CGL 2027 Major Constitutional Amendments for SSC Preparation

10/16/2026

SSC CGL 2027 Major Constitutional Amendments for SSC Preparation

The Constitution of India is a living document that can be amended to address changing social, political and administrative needs. Constitutional amendments are an important topic in Indian Polity for SSC CGL 2027, SSC CHSL and other competitive examinations.

Questions often focus on the year of an amendment, its major provisions, the articles affected and important changes relating to Fundamental Rights, Parliament, elections, local government and the judiciary. This guide covers key constitutional amendments, quick revision tables and practice questions to help aspirants prepare effectively.

What Is a Constitutional Amendment?

A constitutional amendment is a formal change to the Constitution. Article 368 lays down the principal procedure for Parliament to amend the Constitution, although certain constitutional changes are made through other procedures prescribed by the Constitution.

Depending on the subject, an amendment may require a simple majority, a special majority in Parliament, or a special majority along with ratification by at least half of the state legislatures.

Types of Constitutional Amendments

1. Amendment by Simple Majority

Certain provisions can be changed by a simple majority of members present and voting in Parliament. Such changes are generally not treated as amendments under Article 368.

2. Amendment by Special Majority

Most amendments under Article 368 require a majority of the total membership of each House of Parliament and a two-thirds majority of members present and voting in each House.

3. Special Majority Plus State Ratification

Some amendments affecting federal provisions also require ratification by at least half of the state legislatures. These include specified changes concerning the election of the President, the distribution of legislative powers, representation of states in Parliament and Article 368 itself.

Important Constitutional Amendments for SSC CGL 2027

Amendment	Year	Important Provision
1st Amendment	1951	Added the Ninth Schedule and made changes concerning restrictions on certain rights and land reform laws.
7th Amendment	1956	Implemented major changes to the organisation of states and the constitutional framework for states and Union Territories.
24th Amendment	1971	Clarified Parliament's power to amend the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, subject to constitutional limitations.
42nd Amendment	1976	Known as the “Mini Constitution”; added Fundamental Duties and inserted the words Socialist, Secular and Integrity into the Preamble.
44th Amendment	1978	Removed the Right to Property from Fundamental Rights and introduced safeguards relating to emergency provisions.
52nd Amendment	1985	Added the Tenth Schedule concerning disqualification on grounds of defection.
61st Amendment	1988	Reduced the voting age for Lok Sabha and state legislative assembly elections from 21 to 18 years.
69th Amendment	1991	Provided a special constitutional framework for the National Capital Territory of Delhi, including Articles 239AA and 239AB.
73rd Amendment	1992	Gave constitutional recognition to Panchayati Raj institutions through Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule.
74th Amendment	1992	Provided constitutional recognition to municipalities through Part IXA and the Twelfth Schedule.
86th Amendment	2002	Introduced Article 21A on education for children aged 6–14 and added a related Fundamental Duty.
91st Amendment	2003	Restricted the size of the Council of Ministers and strengthened provisions relating to defection.
97th Amendment	2011	Addressed cooperative societies; part of its provisions concerning state cooperative societies was later held invalid by the Supreme Court for lack of required state ratification.
101st Amendment	2016	Introduced the constitutional framework for the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
102nd Amendment	2018	Gave constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes.
103rd Amendment	2019	Enabled up to 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), subject to constitutional provisions.
104th Amendment	2020	Extended reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies for a further period, while ending the provision for nomination of Anglo-Indian members to these bodies.
105th Amendment	2021	Restored the power of states and Union Territories to identify socially and educationally backward classes for their own purposes, subject to the constitutional framework.
106th Amendment	2023	Provided for reservation of approximately one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the Delhi Legislative Assembly, subject to the implementation provisions in the amendment.

The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976

The 42nd Amendment is one of the most frequently discussed constitutional amendments in Indian Polity. It introduced several significant changes during the Emergency period and is popularly known as the “Mini Constitution.”

Important provisions include:

Inserted the words Socialist and Secular into the Preamble and added the word Integrity.
Added Part IVA, containing Fundamental Duties under Article 51A.
Added the words “Socialist” and “Secular” to the description of the Republic in the Preamble.
Made changes to the relationship between Parliament, the executive and the judiciary.
Added the Eleventh Schedule? No. The Eleventh Schedule was added by the 73rd Amendment Act, 1992.

For SSC CGL, remember the connection between the 42nd Amendment, the Preamble and Fundamental Duties.

The 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978

The 44th Amendment was enacted after the Emergency period and introduced important safeguards in the constitutional framework.

Removed the Right to Property from the list of Fundamental Rights.
Inserted Article 300A, under which no person can be deprived of property except by authority of law.
Introduced safeguards relating to the proclamation of a National Emergency.
Changed certain provisions concerning preventive detention and civil liberties.

Remember: the Right to Property is now a constitutional right under Article 300A, not a Fundamental Right under Part III.

The 61st Constitutional Amendment Act, 1988

The 61st Amendment reduced the voting age for elections to the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies from 21 years to 18 years. It amended Article 326, which concerns elections based on adult suffrage.

This amendment is a common factual question in competitive examinations because the change is direct and easy to test.

The 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments

The 73rd and 74th Amendments, both enacted in 1992, strengthened local self-government in rural and urban areas.

73rd Amendment: Panchayati Raj

Added Part IX to the Constitution.
Added the Eleventh Schedule, which lists 29 subjects.
Provides the constitutional framework for Panchayats.
Includes provisions relating to regular elections and reservation of seats, subject to constitutional provisions.

74th Amendment: Municipalities

Added Part IXA to the Constitution.
Added the Twelfth Schedule, which lists 18 functional subjects.
Provides the constitutional framework for urban local bodies.
Includes provisions for municipal elections, representation and functions.

The 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002

The 86th Amendment introduced Article 21A, providing for free and compulsory education for children aged six to fourteen years in the manner determined by law.

It also modified Article 45 and added a Fundamental Duty under Article 51A(k), requiring parents or guardians to provide opportunities for education to children or wards aged six to fourteen years.

The 101st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2016

The 101st Amendment established the constitutional framework for the Goods and Services Tax (GST). It introduced important changes to the division of taxation powers between the Union and states.

Article 279A provides for the GST Council, which makes recommendations on important GST-related matters. The GST framework brought many indirect taxes into a more integrated system, subject to constitutional provisions and the applicable laws.

The 103rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 2019

The 103rd Amendment enabled reservation of up to 10% for Economically Weaker Sections in specified educational admissions and public employment, subject to constitutional provisions.

It introduced Articles 15(6) and 16(6). The Supreme Court upheld the amendment in 2022.

The 106th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2023

The 106th Amendment, also known as the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023, provides for reservation of approximately one-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha, state legislative assemblies and the Delhi Legislative Assembly.

The amendment contains implementation provisions linked to a census and subsequent delimitation exercise. Therefore, the reservation is not automatically applied to the existing seats immediately upon enactment.

Quick Revision: Important Amendments at a Glance

Topic	Amendment to Remember
Fundamental Duties	42nd Amendment, 1976
Right to Property removed from Fundamental Rights	44th Amendment, 1978
Anti-Defection Law	52nd Amendment, 1985
Voting age reduced to 18 years	61st Amendment, 1988
Panchayati Raj	73rd Amendment, 1992
Municipalities	74th Amendment, 1992
Right to Education	86th Amendment, 2002
Goods and Services Tax	101st Amendment, 2016
EWS reservation	103rd Amendment, 2019
Women's reservation framework	106th Amendment, 2023

Practice MCQs for SSC CGL 2027

Question 1

Which Constitutional Amendment Act is popularly known as the “Mini Constitution”?

A) 24th Amendment
B) 42nd Amendment
C) 44th Amendment
D) 52nd Amendment

Question 2

Which amendment reduced the voting age from 21 years to 18 years?

A) 52nd Amendment
B) 61st Amendment
C) 73rd Amendment
D) 86th Amendment

Question 3

Which amendment introduced the Anti-Defection Law through the Tenth Schedule?

A) 42nd Amendment
B) 44th Amendment
C) 52nd Amendment
D) 61st Amendment

Question 4

Which amendment introduced the constitutional framework for GST?

A) 91st Amendment
B) 97th Amendment
C) 101st Amendment
D) 103rd Amendment

Question 5

Which amendment introduced Article 21A on the Right to Education?

A) 73rd Amendment
B) 74th Amendment
C) 86th Amendment
D) 91st Amendment

Question 6

Which amendment added the Eleventh Schedule to the Constitution?

A) 42nd Amendment
B) 52nd Amendment
C) 73rd Amendment
D) 74th Amendment

Question 7

Which amendment is associated with the constitutional framework for the EWS reservation?

A) 86th Amendment
B) 91st Amendment
C) 101st Amendment
D) 103rd Amendment

Question 8

Which Article provides for the GST Council?

A) Article 263
B) Article 279A
C) Article 300A
D) Article 326

Question 9

Which amendment removed the Right to Property from the list of Fundamental Rights?

A) 24th Amendment
B) 42nd Amendment
C) 44th Amendment
D) 52nd Amendment

Question 10

The constitutional framework for reservation of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies was introduced by which amendment?

A) 101st Amendment
B) 103rd Amendment
C) 104th Amendment
D) 106th Amendment

Answer Key with Explanations

Question	Correct Answer	Explanation
1	B) 42nd Amendment	It made wide-ranging changes and added Fundamental Duties.
2	B) 61st Amendment	It reduced the voting age to 18 years for Lok Sabha and state assembly elections.
3	C) 52nd Amendment	It introduced the Tenth Schedule concerning defection.
4	C) 101st Amendment	It established the constitutional framework for GST.
5	C) 86th Amendment	It introduced Article 21A on education for children aged six to fourteen years.
6	C) 73rd Amendment	It added the Eleventh Schedule concerning Panchayats.
7	D) 103rd Amendment	It enabled the EWS reservation framework through Articles 15(6) and 16(6).
8	B) Article 279A	It provides for the GST Council.
9	C) 44th Amendment	It removed the Right to Property from Fundamental Rights; Article 300A now protects it as a constitutional right.
10	D) 106th Amendment	It introduced the women's reservation framework with implementation provisions.

How to Prepare Constitutional Amendments for SSC CGL

Create a timeline of amendments and revise the year alongside each major provision.
Focus on amendments linked to Fundamental Rights, Parliament, elections and local government.
Practise questions that ask you to match an amendment with its year or constitutional change.
Use short revision tables to distinguish similar amendments.
Review official constitutional sources when studying recent amendments and implementation details.

Conclusion

Constitutional amendments are an important part of Indian Polity for SSC CGL 2027. Candidates should prioritise the 42nd, 44th, 52nd, 61st, 73rd, 74th, 86th, 101st, 103rd and 106th Amendments, while also understanding the amendment procedure under Article 368.

Regular revision, accurate understanding of constitutional provisions and topic-wise MCQ practice can help improve General Awareness preparation. Stay connected with Katara Academy for more SSC CGL revision notes and competitive exam study resources.