Q1. Who among the following was the first to put forward the idea of a Constituent Assembly for India?
Framing of the Constitution, Preamble and Citizenship: RAS Prelims MCQs
100 RAS Prelims MCQs on the framing of the Constitution, the Preamble and citizenship cover the Constituent Assembly, its members and committees, the sources from which features were borrowed, the Preamble’s words and the rules of citizenship. The explanations give dates, names and countries so that each fact can be placed quickly.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
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Q2. Given below are two statements regarding the demand for the Constituent Assembly:
Statement I: The Indian National Congress officially demanded a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of India in 1935.
Statement II: The British Government accepted this demand for the first time in principle through the Cripps Mission of 1942.
Identify the correct option:
Statement I: The Indian National Congress officially demanded a Constituent Assembly to frame the Constitution of India in 1935.
Statement II: The British Government accepted this demand for the first time in principle through the Cripps Mission of 1942.
Identify the correct option:
Explanation
The Indian National Congress officially demanded a Constituent Assembly to frame India’s Constitution in 1935. While the demand was accepted in principle by the British government, this occurred through the August Offer of 1940, not the Cripps Mission of 1942. The Cripps Mission later proposed a framed constitution after World War II, but the initial acceptance happened earlier.
Q3. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer from the options given below:
| Event | Year |
|---|---|
| A. First official demand by INC for Constituent Assembly | i. 1940 |
| B. August Offer | ii. 1946 |
| C. Cripps Mission | iii. 1935 |
| D. Cabinet Mission Plan | iv. 1942 |
Explanation
The Indian National Congress made the first official demand for a Constituent Assembly in 1935. The British government accepted this demand in principle through the August Offer in 1940. Subsequently, Sir Stafford Cripps brought a draft proposal in 1942, and the Cabinet Mission Plan, which formulated the scheme for the assembly, was finally dispatched to India in 1946.
Q4. Which of the following events directly precipitated the failure of the Cripps Mission and the subsequent launch of the Quit India Movement?
Explanation
The Cripps Mission failed primarily because it offered dominion status instead of the full independence demanded by Indian leaders. Furthermore, it did not provide for an immediate transfer of effective power to Indian hands during the war. This dissatisfaction led the Indian National Congress to reject the proposals entirely and subsequently launch the Quit India Movement to demand British withdrawal.
Q5. Which among the following British initiatives formally rejected the idea of two constituent assemblies and a separate state of Pakistan, though it proposed a scheme that largely satisfied the Muslim League?
Explanation
The Cabinet Mission Plan, sent in 1946, rejected the Muslim League’s demand for two separate Constituent Assemblies and the creation of Pakistan. However, it proposed a unique scheme for the assembly that grouped provinces into three sections. This arrangement provided a level of autonomy to Muslim-majority provinces, which initially persuaded the Muslim League to accept the plan before withdrawing.
Q6. Consider the following statements regarding the historical background of the Indian Constitution:
I. The Constituent Assembly was constituted in November 1946 under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan.
II. The members of the Constituent Assembly were directly elected by the people of India on the basis of universal adult franchise.
III. The representatives of the princely states were to be nominated by the heads of the princely states.
Which of the above combination of statements is incorrect?
I. The Constituent Assembly was constituted in November 1946 under the scheme formulated by the Cabinet Mission Plan.
II. The members of the Constituent Assembly were directly elected by the people of India on the basis of universal adult franchise.
III. The representatives of the princely states were to be nominated by the heads of the princely states.
Which of the above combination of statements is incorrect?
Explanation
The Constituent Assembly was not a directly elected body based on universal adult franchise. Instead, it was a body where members were indirectly elected by the members of the provincial legislative assemblies. This assembly was constituted in November 1946 under the Cabinet Mission Plan. Additionally, representatives of princely states were indeed nominated by the heads of those specific states.
Q7. Who among the following was not a member of the Cabinet Mission of 1946?
Explanation
The Cabinet Mission arrived in India in 1946 consisting of three British cabinet members: Lord Pethick-Lawrence, Sir Stafford Cripps, and A. V. Alexander. Although Lord Wavell was the Viceroy of India at that time and was closely involved in the discussions and negotiations between the mission and Indian leaders, he was not an official member of the three-man mission itself.
Q8. Match List I with List II and select the correct answer from the options given below:
| Cabinet Mission Member | Portfolio/Role |
|---|---|
| A. Lord Pethick-Lawrence | i. President of the Board of Trade |
| B. Sir Stafford Cripps | ii. First Lord of the Admiralty |
| C. A. V. Alexander | iii. Viceroy of India (Not a member but involved) |
| D. Lord Wavell | iv. Secretary of State for India |
Explanation
Lord Pethick-Lawrence served as the Secretary of State for India, while Sir Stafford Cripps was the President of the Board of Trade. A. V. Alexander held the position of the First Lord of the Admiralty. Together, they formed the Cabinet Mission. Lord Wavell participated in the negotiations in his capacity as the Viceroy of India but was not a member.
Q9. What was the basis of the allocation of seats to the British Indian Provinces and Princely States in the Constituent Assembly under the Cabinet Mission Plan?
Explanation
Under the Cabinet Mission Plan, seats in the Constituent Assembly were allotted to each province and princely state in proportion to their respective population. Roughly, one seat was to be allotted for every million people. This method ensured that the representation in the assembly reflected the demographic distribution across the British Indian provinces and various princely states at that time.
Q10. Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as
Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The Constituent Assembly of India was a partly elected and partly nominated body.
Reason (R): The members from the British Indian provinces were indirectly elected by the provincial assemblies, while the members from the princely states were nominated by their rulers.
Reason (R).
Assertion (A): The Constituent Assembly of India was a partly elected and partly nominated body.
Reason (R): The members from the British Indian provinces were indirectly elected by the provincial assemblies, while the members from the princely states were nominated by their rulers.
Explanation
The Constituent Assembly was characterized as a partly elected and partly nominated body because of its composition. Members representing the British Indian provinces were elected indirectly by the provincial legislative assemblies using the single transferable vote. In contrast, the seats assigned to the princely states were filled by representatives nominated by the rulers of those states rather than elections.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) M. N. Roy |
| 2 | (a) Statement I is correct but Statement II is incorrect |
| 3 | (a) A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii |
| 4 | (d) The Congress’s rejection of dominion status and lack of immediate power transfer. |
| 5 | (c) The Cabinet Mission Plan |
| 6 | (b) II only |
| 7 | (d) Lord Wavell |
| 8 | (a) A-iv, B-i, C-ii, D-iii |
| 9 | (c) Proportional representation based on respective population. |
| 10 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
Key facts from Framing of the Constitution, Preamble and Citizenship
- M. N. Roy first put forward the idea of a Constituent Assembly; the Cabinet Mission Plan rejected two constituent assemblies.
- Members of the Constituent Assembly were chosen in 1946 by single transferable vote proportional representation; its first meeting was on 9 December 1946.
- The Drafting Committee was set up on 29 August 1947, and Dr B. R. Ambedkar introduced the final draft on 4 November 1948.
- Frank Anthony represented the Anglo-Indian community in the Assembly.
- The Concurrent List was borrowed from Australia; the federal structure with a strong centre follows Canada.
- Liberty of occupation is not named in the Preamble.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on Framing of the Constitution, Preamble and Citizenship?
This page has 100 practice MCQs on Framing of the Constitution, Preamble and Citizenship (Indian Polity and Governance). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
When did the Constituent Assembly first meet?
On 9 December 1946. The Assembly had been elected in July-August 1946 by the members of the provincial legislatures through single transferable vote, and it later took nearly three years to complete the Constitution.
Who introduced the final draft of the Constitution?
Dr B. R. Ambedkar, the Chairman of the Drafting Committee, introduced it in the Constituent Assembly on 4 November 1948. The Drafting Committee itself had been constituted on 29 August 1947.
From which country was the Concurrent List borrowed?
From Australia. The Constitution takes the idea of a list of subjects shared between the Union and the States from the Australian model, while the strong-centre federal scheme follows Canada.