Our Constitution was prepared after a thorough study of the Constitutions of various countries. Many good ideas were borrowed and included in our constitution according to the needs and conditions of the people of our country. This makes it one of the lengthiest. Let us know about the key features of Indian constitution.

 

Our Constitution can be changed according to the need of the time. This is done by a particular procedure known as an amendment. Amendments have to be passed by both the Houses of Parliament and approved by the President. When our constitution was adopted, it had 395 Articles and eight schedules. After several amendments, our Constitution (till the year 2000) contains 442 Articles and 12 Schedules.

It is possible to change our Constitution, but the process is not easy. With the help of the constitutional amendments, new States have been created, new terms included in the Preamble, and some aspects of the Fundamental Rights changed.

 

Some key features of Indian constitution are discussed below:

 

The preamble to our Constitution

 

The preamble is an opening statement or introduction to a document or speech. It explains its purpose. Each government is supposed to keep the main principles of our Constitution in mind while making the laws. These principles are stated in the Preamble to our Constitution.

 

The Preamble states the aims and objectives of our Constitution. The Preamble points out the source from which our Constitution gets its authority. Take note of the words �We, the people of India�.adopt, enact and give to ourselves this Constitution.�

 

These words declare the freedom of the people of India. It is the people who are stating their aims and giving power to themselves. Although representatives of the people drafted the Indian Constitution, the hopes and the beliefs, of the common people of India are included in it.

 

Key features of Indian constitution: Sovereign

 

Sovereignty means independence and freedom to govern oneself. India gained independence in 1947 from British rule. This gave the people of India the right to govern themselves. Indian people have the power to make laws on any subject. No outside power can interfere in our affairs.

 

Key features of Indian constitution: Democracy

 

A democratic government is one of the most important features of our Constitution. All adult citizens of India have the right to vote and elect their representatives to the government. These representatives make laws to govern our country. The laws made should be for the benefit of the people. Elections are generally held every five years. If the people are not satisfied with the government, they do not vote for it again in the next elections. Thus in a democracy, the ultimate power lies with the people.

 

Key features of Indian constitution: Socialism

 

Socialism is one of our national goals. It means to remove the inequality of income and the standard of living. The aim is to offer equal opportunity to all. Our society is divided into many castes and sub-castes. The aim is to offer equal opportunity to all.

 

Our society is divided into many castes and sub-castes. There is a wide gap between the rich and the poor and this creates dissatisfaction and frustration. This in turn leads to situations of conflict and tension. Thus it is important to provide social and economic equality for all.

 

The Five-Year Plans have been made to set our country on the path of economic progress. This is done by estimating the natural and human resources available in our country. After assessing the needs of the majority of the people, Plans are made for making use of the resource available through development projects, to meet the needs.

 

However, economic disparities still create problems in spite of the best intentions of our planners. Some obstacles in the realization of this goal are-

� Lack of finances
� Corruption and
� An ever-growing population. Thus efforts must be made to allow the benefits to reach the people.

 

Key features of Indian constitution: Justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity

 

The people of India do not want distinctions between persons. Thus, the entire adult population has the right to vote. Both men and women are given equal opportunity in employment and there is no distinction on the basis of caste or creed. In order to remove poverty, wealth and resources should be increased. This wealth should be equally distributed. The aim is to establish a �Welfare State�. The Preamble mentions freedom of thought, belief, faith, and worship. These are important individual rights. These are guaranteed in Part III of our Constitution under Fundamental Rights.

 

The Constitution assures equal status and opportunity to each individual. There should be no discrimination by State. Citizens should not be discriminated against on basis of religion, race caste, sex, or place of birth. The Preamble also shows the spirit of brotherhood, that is that all the people of India are children of the same motherland.

 

National integration is an important goal in our country, which has many regions, languages, cultures, religions, and castes. Despite all these diversities, we should all feel that we are one our Constitution recognizes the Right for everyone to practice their religion and develop their language and culture. Our government does a great deal in this direction too. But regional casteist and communal feelings often develop.

 

This leads to confrontations and violence. Such situations hamper the development of our country and lead to also of life and property of our country. Every citizen of our country should cast aside such feelings and work towards building a strong and united nation. We should try and follow these ideas in every aspect of our lives and communicate them to others as well.

 

Directive Principles of State Policy Part IV of the Constitution states certain Principles. These Principles called Directive Principles are ideals, directions that the government should aim to achieve. These principles should be followed both in administrative matters and in making laws. But, the Directive Principles cannot be put into effect by courts, like the Fundamental Rights.

 

Citizenships

 

The person who is born in India, or even abroad to parents who are Indian citizens of India. Citizenships give people certain rights and responsibilities. The rights to vote and to contest elections are most important. We do not have a system of dual citizenship as in the United States of America. We are citizens of India only. This is known as single citizenship.

 

Foreigners who visit India or stay back for a short period cannot vote for aliens. They can enjoy public facilities in India but have to obey our laws. They do not have the rights of a citizen. But if a person belonging to a foreign country wishes to acquire Indian citizenship, he or she can do so by fulfilling certain conditions. Thus, our Constitution covers all the aspects of the government as well as the citizens� lives.

 

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