NCERT Class 9 Political Science — Chapter 2: Constitutional design

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Assertion (A): The Indian Constitution is the longest written constitution in the world. Reason (R): It establishes a federal system with a unitary bias.

Official previous-year question

Verified 1 Aug 2026.

Options

ABoth A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A
BBoth A and R are true but R is NOT the correct explanation of A
CA is true but R is false
DA is false but R is true

Did you get this right?

Solution

Correct Option

The correct option is (b).

Explanation

The Indian Constitution is a comprehensive document that defines the political structure, administrative machinery, and fundamental rights of the country. It is characterized by its immense volume and its unique blend of federal and unitary features.

Statement-wise Analysis

Assertion (A): Correct
The Constitution of India is indeed the lengthiest written constitution in the world. Originally, it contained a Preamble, 395 Articles (divided into 22 Parts), and 8 Schedules. Currently, it consists of a Preamble, about 470 Articles (divided into 25 Parts), and 12 Schedules. No other constitution in the world has so many articles and schedules.
Reason (R): Correct
The Constitution establishes a federal system of government with a unitary bias. It possesses standard federal features such as two governments, division of powers, written constitution, supremacy of the constitution, and an independent judiciary. However, it also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features, such as a strong Centre, single constitution, single citizenship, flexibility of the constitution, integrated judiciary, appointment of state governors by the Centre, and emergency provisions.
Reasoning for the Relationship:
While both statements are factually true, the federal system with a unitary bias is not the correct explanation for the Constitution being the lengthiest. The sheer volume of the Constitution is primarily due to four distinct factors:
1. Geographical factors: The vastness of the country and its diversity.
2. Historical factors: The influence of the Government of India Act of 1935, which was bulky.
3. Single Constitution: It serves as the constitution for both the Centre and the States (except Jammu & Kashmir historically).
4. Dominance of legal luminaries: The Constituent Assembly consisted largely of lawyers, leading to detailed legal language.
Therefore, the nature of the polity (federal with unitary bias) is a feature, but not the primary cause of the document's length.

Key Takeaway

The length of the Indian Constitution is attributed to the detailed codification of administrative provisions, the inclusion of laws for both the Union and States, and historical borrowings, rather than the specific balance of power between the Centre and States.

Your note

More from Chapter 2: Constitutional design

Consider the following statements regarding the relationship between democracy and constitutions: 1. All countries that have a constitution are necessarily democratic. 2. All countries that are democratic will have a constitution. 3. The practice of having a written constitution became common only after the Russian Revolution. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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The "supreme law" of a country that determines the relationship among people living in a territory and also the relationship between the people and government is known as:

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What was the total membership of the Constituent Assembly of India immediately following the partition?

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Consider the following statements about the working of the Constituent Assembly: 1. The Drafting Committee was chaired by Dr. Rajendra Prasad. 2. The members deliberated for 114 days spread over three years. 3. More than two thousand amendments were considered during the drafting process. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Consider the following statements about the preamble of the US Constitution: 1. It begins with the phrase "We, the States of the United States". 2. It aims to form a "more perfect union". 3. It explicitly mentions "Justice" and "Liberty" as core values. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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Correct Option

The correct option is (b).

Explanation

Statement-wise Analysis

Assertion (A): Correct
The Constitution of India is indeed the lengthiest written constitution in the world. Originally, it contained a Preamble, 395 Articles (divided into 22 Parts), and 8 Schedules. Currently, it consists of a Preamble, about 470 Articles (divided into 25 Parts), and 12 Schedules. No other constitution in the world has so many articles and schedules.
Reason (R): Correct
The Constitution establishes a federal system of government with a unitary bias. It possesses standard federal features such as two governments, division of powers, written constitution, supremacy of the constitution, and an independent judiciary. However, it also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features, such as a strong Centre, single constitution, single citizenship, flexibility of the constitution, integrated judiciary, appointment of state governors by the Centre, and emergency provisions.
Reasoning for the Relationship:
While both statements are factually true, the federal system with a unitary bias is not the correct explanation for the Constitution being the lengthiest. The sheer volume of the Constitution is primarily due to four distinct factors:
1. Geographical factors: The vastness of the country and its diversity.
2. Historical factors: The influence of the Government of India Act of 1935, which was bulky.
3. Single Constitution: It serves as the constitution for both the Centre and the States (except Jammu & Kashmir historically).
4. Dominance of legal luminaries: The Constituent Assembly consisted largely of lawyers, leading to detailed legal language.
Therefore, the nature of the polity (federal with unitary bias) is a feature, but not the primary cause of the document's length.