Indian Polity for MPSC

MPSC Study Guide · ~15 min read

Indian Polity for MPSC — A Constitution-First Guide

Last updated: April 2026 · Reading time: ~15 minutes

Polity is the highest-ROI subject in MPSC prelims. Every paper carries 12–18 polity questions and the answers are mostly factual — once memorised, retention is high. This guide collects the constitutional framework, Fundamental Rights, DPSPs, the Parliament and President, the executive and judiciary, the Maharashtra state government and the three-tier Panchayati Raj, plus the small number of articles and amendments that show up year after year. Pair it with the MPSC Exam Pattern guide so you know the section weightage.

1. The Constitution at a glance

  • Adopted: 26 November 1949 (Constitution Day).
  • Came into force: 26 January 1950 (Republic Day).
  • Drafting Committee Chairman: Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
  • Constituent Assembly elected: 1946 (under the Cabinet Mission Plan).
  • Original length: 395 articles, 22 parts, 8 schedules.
  • Current length (after amendments): ~448 articles, 25 parts, 12 schedules.
  • Total amendments till 2026: 106+.
  • Inspirations: written constitution (USA), parliamentary government (UK), Fundamental Rights (USA), DPSPs (Ireland), federation with strong centre (Canada), emergency provisions (Germany), procedure of constitutional amendment (South Africa), republic (France).

2. The Preamble

"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 26th day of November 1949 do hereby adopt, enact and give to ourselves this constitution."

  • The words SOCIALIST, SECULAR and INTEGRITY were added by the 42nd Amendment (1976).
  • The Supreme Court has held the Preamble to be a part of the Constitution (Kesavananda Bharati 1973, LIC of India 1995).
  • The Preamble cannot be enforced in court but can be used as an interpretive aid.

3. Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12–35)

Six categories after the deletion of the Right to Property by the 44th Amendment (1978):

  1. Right to Equality (Articles 14–18):
    • Article 14 — Equality before law and equal protection of laws.
    • Article 15 — Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
    • Article 16 — Equality of opportunity in matters of public employment.
    • Article 17 — Abolition of untouchability.
    • Article 18 — Abolition of titles.
  2. Right to Freedom (Articles 19–22):
    • Article 19 — Six freedoms: speech, assembly, association, movement, residence, profession.
    • Article 20 — Protection in respect of conviction (no ex-post-facto law, no double jeopardy, no self-incrimination).
    • Article 21 — Protection of life and personal liberty (Maneka Gandhi 1978; Right to Privacy — Puttaswamy 2017).
    • Article 21A — Right to Education for children 6–14 (added by 86th Amendment, 2002).
    • Article 22 — Protection against arrest and detention.
  3. Right against Exploitation (Articles 23–24): prohibition of human trafficking, forced labour, child labour below 14.
  4. Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25–28): freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
  5. Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29–30): protection of interests of minorities; right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions.
  6. Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32): right to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of FRs through five writs (Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Prohibition, Certiorari, Quo Warranto). Dr. Ambedkar called Article 32 the "heart and soul of the Constitution".

4. Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV, Articles 36–51)

DPSPs are non-justiciable directives to the state to establish a welfare state. They are classified as:

  • Socialist — Articles 38, 39, 39A, 41, 42, 43, 43A, 47.
  • Gandhian — Articles 40 (panchayats), 43 (cottage industries), 46 (educational rights of weaker sections), 47 (prohibition), 48 (cattle protection).
  • Liberal-intellectual — Articles 44 (uniform civil code), 45 (early childhood care), 48 (modern agriculture), 49 (heritage), 50 (separation of judiciary from executive), 51 (international peace).

5. Fundamental Duties (Part IVA, Article 51A)

Added by the 42nd Amendment (1976) on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee. Originally 10; the 11th duty (parents to provide education to child 6–14) was added by the 86th Amendment (2002). Total duties today: 11. Like DPSPs, they are not justiciable.

6. Union Government — the Executive

6.1 The President of India (Articles 52–62)

  • Head of state, supreme commander of the armed forces.
  • Elected indirectly by an Electoral College of elected MPs (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha) and elected MLAs of all states (including Delhi and Puducherry).
  • Voting follows single transferable vote by proportional representation.
  • Term: 5 years; eligible for re-election.
  • Qualifications: citizen of India, 35+, qualified to be a Lok Sabha member, must not hold any office of profit.
  • Impeachment: under Article 61, on grounds of "violation of the Constitution", by special majority in both houses.

6.2 The Vice President (Articles 63–71)

  • Ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha (Article 64).
  • Elected by an Electoral College of MPs only (both houses, both elected and nominated).
  • Term: 5 years.

6.3 The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (Articles 74–75)

  • Article 74: there shall be a Council of Ministers with the PM at the head to aid and advise the President. President is bound to act on advice (added by 42nd and 44th Amendments).
  • Article 75: PM appointed by the President; other ministers appointed on PM's advice.
  • Total ministers (including PM) cannot exceed 15% of the strength of the Lok Sabha (added by 91st Amendment, 2003).
  • Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.

7. Parliament (Articles 79–122)

7.1 Composition

  • Lok Sabha — house of the people. Maximum strength: 552 (530 from states + 20 from UTs + 2 nominated Anglo-Indians; the nominated Anglo-Indian seats were abolished by the 104th Amendment, 2019). Current strength: 543 elected.
  • Rajya Sabha — council of states. Maximum strength: 250 (238 elected by state/UT legislatures + 12 nominated by the President for distinguished service in literature, art, science, social service). Current strength: 245.
  • Lok Sabha term: 5 years (extendable by 1 year during Emergency).
  • Rajya Sabha is a permanent house — 1/3 of members retire every 2 years.

7.2 Powers and procedure

  • Money Bills (Article 110) — can only originate in the Lok Sabha. Rajya Sabha must return within 14 days; Lok Sabha may accept or reject the recommendations.
  • Ordinary Bills — can originate in either house. Disagreement leads to a joint sitting presided by the Speaker (Article 108).
  • Constitutional Amendment Bills (Article 368) — special majority in both houses; some amendments also need ratification by half the state legislatures.
  • Quorum: 1/10th of the total strength of either house.
  • Speaker of the Lok Sabha — elected from among its members; presides over joint sittings.

8. Judiciary

8.1 The Supreme Court (Articles 124–147)

  • Composition: Chief Justice of India + 33 other judges = 34 (current sanctioned strength after 2019).
  • Appointment: by the President under Article 124 — collegium system (since the Three Judges cases, 1993, 1998, 2015 NJAC verdict).
  • Retirement age: 65 years.
  • Original jurisdiction: disputes between Centre and states, states and states.
  • Writ jurisdiction: under Article 32.
  • Appellate jurisdiction: civil, criminal, constitutional matters.
  • Advisory jurisdiction: under Article 143.

8.2 High Courts (Articles 214–231)

  • Each state has a High Court; some states share (e.g., Punjab and Haryana share the High Court at Chandigarh).
  • Maharashtra: Bombay High Court (one of India's three oldest, est. 1862), with benches at Aurangabad, Nagpur and Panaji (Goa).
  • Retirement age: 62 years.
  • Writ jurisdiction: under Article 226 (broader than the SC's — can issue writs for any purpose, not just FR enforcement).

9. The State Government — applied to Maharashtra

  • Governor (Articles 153–162) — appointed by the President; nominal head of state. Maharashtra's Governor sits at Raj Bhavan, Malabar Hill, Mumbai.
  • Chief Minister — head of the Council of Ministers. Maharashtra's first CM was Yashwantrao Chavan (1960). The state secretariat is at Mantralaya, Mumbai.
  • Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha): 288 seats. Term 5 years.
  • Maharashtra Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad): 78 seats — Maharashtra is one of only six Indian states with a bicameral legislature (along with UP, Bihar, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana).
  • Members of the Legislative Council are elected by graduates, teachers, local authorities, the Vidhan Sabha, and 1/6th are nominated by the Governor.
  • The Bombay High Court is the constitutional court for Maharashtra.

10. Panchayati Raj (Part IX, Articles 243–243O)

Three-tier system institutionalised by the 73rd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1992 (came into force 24 April 1993 — celebrated as Panchayati Raj Day).

  • Gram Panchayat — village level.
  • Panchayat Samiti — block / taluka level.
  • Zilla Parishad — district level.
  • 33% reservation for women (raised to 50% in many states including Maharashtra).
  • State Election Commission conducts elections every 5 years.
  • Maharashtra was the first state to adopt the Panchayati Raj system on the recommendations of the Balwantrai Mehta Committee (1957) — implemented in 1962 in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh first (Maharashtra in 1962 too via the Maharashtra Zilla Parishad & Panchayat Samiti Act 1961, effective 1 May 1962).

11. Municipalities (Part IXA, Articles 243P–243ZG)

Inserted by the 74th Amendment, 1992. Three types of urban bodies: Nagar Panchayat (transitional area), Municipal Council (smaller urban area), and Municipal Corporation (larger urban area). Maharashtra has 29 Municipal Corporations including Mumbai (BMC — Asia's richest civic body), Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Thane and Pimpri-Chinchwad.

12. Constitutional bodies and key offices

  • Election Commission of India (Article 324) — CEC + 2 ECs.
  • Comptroller and Auditor General (Article 148) — the "guardian of the public purse".
  • Attorney General of India (Article 76) — first law officer.
  • UPSC (Article 315) and the State Public Service Commissions (such as MPSC).
  • Finance Commission (Article 280) — quinquennial, recommends Centre-State revenue sharing.
  • NITI Aayog — established by Government Resolution (1 January 2015) to replace the Planning Commission. Not a constitutional or statutory body.

13. Schedules of the Constitution

Today there are 12 schedules:

  1. Names of states and UTs and their territories.
  2. Salaries and allowances of constitutional offices.
  3. Forms of oaths and affirmations.
  4. Allocation of Rajya Sabha seats among states/UTs.
  5. Administration of scheduled and tribal areas.
  6. Administration of tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, Mizoram (Sixth Schedule).
  7. Three lists — Union (97), State (66), Concurrent (47).
  8. 22 official languages of India.
  9. Land reforms — kept out of judicial review.
  10. Anti-defection law (added by 52nd Amendment, 1985).
  11. Powers, authority and responsibilities of Panchayats — 29 functional items (added by 73rd Amendment).
  12. Powers and responsibilities of Municipalities — 18 functional items (added by 74th Amendment).

14. Key amendments to memorise

  • 1st (1951) — added Ninth Schedule.
  • 7th (1956) — reorganisation of states on linguistic basis.
  • 42nd (1976) — "mini-constitution"; added SOCIALIST, SECULAR, INTEGRITY to Preamble; Fundamental Duties; transferred Education to Concurrent List.
  • 44th (1978) — undid many Emergency-era changes; Right to Property removed from FRs.
  • 52nd (1985) — Anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule).
  • 61st (1989) — voting age reduced from 21 to 18.
  • 73rd & 74th (1992) — Panchayati Raj and Municipalities.
  • 86th (2002) — Right to Education (Article 21A); Article 51A clause (k); Article 45 reframed.
  • 91st (2003) — cap of 15% on Council of Ministers' size.
  • 101st (2016) — Goods and Services Tax (GST).
  • 103rd (2019) — 10% reservation for EWS.
  • 104th (2020) — extended SC/ST reservation in Lok Sabha and state assemblies; abolished nominated Anglo-Indian seats.
  • 105th (2021) — restored states' powers to identify SEBCs (OBCs).
  • 106th (2023) — Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam — 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and state legislative assemblies.

Next steps

  • Memorise the article numbers in section 3 (FRs) and the amendment list in section 14 — these alone will cover ~6–8 marks per prelim.
  • Read the Maharashtra History guide for the political background to state formation.
  • Solve a polity-heavy PYQ paper from /exams and identify your weak topics.