PYQ Vault · Paper 1 · Indian Constitution

Mention the founding principles that define India’s Constitution.

How the answer moves

The flow snapshot — the routes in, the body, the counter-view and the routes out.

Flow snapshot — how the answer moves
Intro routes

Route 1 authority belongs to the people, not Crown/class/ruler sovereignty is the base

Route 2 Austin: “social document” unity + democracy + social revolution as the frame

Body flow

popular sovereignty (“We, the People”) republic + democracy (adult franchise, responsible executive) rule of law / Article 14 Fundamental Rights (Part III political democracy) DPSP (Part IV social-economic democracy) secularism (Articles 25–30, S.R. Bommai) federalism with strong Union independent judiciary

Counter-view

Austin’s social aim vs K.T. Shah — Constitution “almost entirely political and not at all social or economic”

Conclusion routes

Route 1 these principles fuse a plural society into one democratic community

Route 2 political democracy + social democracy together peaceful social revolution

Model answer

Handwritten, in the form it would be written in the examination hall.

Handwritten model answer — UPSC PSIR 2021, Indian Constitution