Constitutional Design
Grade 9
Class Notes
Concepts Covered
Our
Constitution
Case Study : Making of the
South Indian
Africa’s Constitution
democratic and its guiding
constitution values
What is
constitution Preamble and
and why do its key terms
we need it?
Case Study : South Africa’s Democratic
Constitution
Apartheid: What Is It?
Apartheid in South Africa was the official policy of racial
separation and ill-treatment of blacks and coloured people
followed by the government of South Africa between 1948 and
1989.
Practise of apartheid:
• The non-whites 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, colleges, libraries,
'cinema halls, beaches, swimming pools, and public toilets were
separate for whites and blacks.
Struggle against apartheid:
• The African National Congress (ANC) led the struggle against the
policies of segregation. ANC included many workers’ unions and
the Communist Party and some sensitive whites.
• Nelson Mandela was against the Apartheid regime in South
Africa. He fought for the equal rights of the non-whites. He spent
28 years in Robben Island, South Africa’s most dreaded prison
Making of South Africa’s democratic
constitution:
• Following the emergence of the new
democratic South Africa, the party that
led the freedom struggle drafted a
common constitution.
• This 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.
Constitutional Design
A constitution is a set of basic
rules that is accepted by all the
people living together in
a country.
It is the supreme law of the land
that determines the relationship
among citizens and the
relationship between the
citizens and the government.
It generates a degree of trust necessary for a diverse
group of people to live together.
Need for a constitution
It specifies how the government will be constituted and
the powers of different government offices.
It limits the powers of the government and guarantees
some basic rights to the citizens.
It reflects people's ambition for a better society.
Important Questions
Question 1: Who was Nelson Mandela? (1 mark)
Question 2: “The apartheid system was particularly oppressive to
the blacks’. Justify by giving three reasons. (3 marks)
Question 3: Analyse the efforts made to form a new Constitution
after attaining democracy in South Africa (5 marks)
Did You Know?
South Africa is called a rainbow nation because of the unity of
various cultural, racial, and ethnic groups seen in the country in
the post-apartheid era.
Making of the Indian Constitution: A Timeline
March, 1946
The Cabinet
Mission Plan is sent
to India for a
smooth transfer of May, 1946
power. The Mission
recommends forming
a constituent
December, 1946 assembly.
India’s Constituent
Assembly meets
for the first time.
August, 1947
A drafting
committee is
constituted.
November, 1949
The Indian
constitution is
adopted by the
January, 1950
assembly.
The Indian
constitution
comes into effect.
Constituent Assembly
Role: To oversee the process of
constitution-making
Members: 389 (pre-partition) and
299 (post-partition)
President: Dr. Rajendra Prasad
First meeting: 9 December 1946
Working: Discussed and disposed
of 2,473 amendments, out of the
7,635 tabled
Drafting Committee
Role: To prepare the first draft of
the Indian constitution
Members: 7
Chairman: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar
Constitutional Advisor: Dr. B. N. Rau
Formed on: 29 August 1947
Working: Studied the constitutions
of more than 60 countries and
presented the first draft of the
Indian constitution
Think It Over
Why should we accept a constitution made by
the Constituent Assembly more than seven decades ago?
The Constitution does not only reflect the views of its members
but the broad consensus of the time.
The Constituent Assembly represented the people of India as it
had members from different social groups and
geographical regions.
The transparent working of the Constituent Assembly gives
sanctity to the Constitution of India.
Guiding Values of the Indian Constitution
The dream and Philosophy of
the promise the Constitution
End of untouchability is Values that inspired and guided
more important in the our freedom struggle went on to
society than the form the very foundations of
freedom itself. our democracy.
The Preamble of the Indian
Freedom and power
constitution lays down
come with a
these values.
responsibility to end
inequality.
Socio-economic
equality is as
important as political
equality.
Did You Know?
The idea of the Preamble in
the Indian constitution is
borrowed from the
constitution of America.
Preamble of the Indian constitution
• It contains the philosophy on which the Constitution has
been based.
• It provides a standard against which the actions and decisions
of a government are evaluated.
WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA,
having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a
SOVEREIGN, SOCIALIST, SECULAR, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC
and to secure to all its citizens:
JUSTICE, social, economic and political;
LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship;
EQUALITY of status and of opportunity;
and to promote among them all FRATERNITY assuring
the dignity of the individual and the unity and
integrity of the Nation;
IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of
November, 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT,
ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.
We, the people of India Socialist
The constitution has been drawn Wealth is generated and should
up and enacted by the people be shared equally by the society.
through their representatives.
Sovereign Secular
People have the supreme right Citizens have complete freedom
to make decisions on internal as to follow any religion.
well as external issues. There is no official religion.
Democratic Liberty
A form of government where Citizens are free to think and
people enjoy equal rights and express their thoughts without
elect their leaders. any restriction.
Republic Equality
The head of the state is an All are equal before the law.
elected person and not a The government should ensure
hereditary position. equal opportunities for all.
Justice Fraternity
Citizens cannot be discriminated All citizens should behave as the
against on the grounds of caste, members of the same family.
religion, or gender.
Did You Know?
The words ‘socialist’, ‘secular‘, and ‘integrity’ were added to the
Preamble through the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act in 1976.
Important Questions
Question 1: Who was the President of the Constituent
Assembly? (1 mark)
Question 2: Why is the Preamble of the Constitution very
important? (3 marks)
Question 3: Analyse the journey of the formation of Indian
constitution?(5 marks)
