Important Constitutional Amendments: Quick Answer
The Constitution of India is amended under Article 368. As of October 2026 it has been amended 106 times; the latest is the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023 (Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, women's reservation), which the Ministry of Law and Justice brought into force from 16 April 2026. The most asked amendments in SSC and bank exams are the 1st, 7th, 42nd, 44th, 52nd, 61st, 73rd, 74th, 86th, 91st, 101st, 103rd and 106th.
Key takeaway: Memorise the "big 13" above with their year and one-line change. Most amendment MCQs ask "which amendment did X" or "X was added by which amendment".
The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026, which sought to raise the Lok Sabha cap to 850 and change how women's reservation is linked to delimitation, was defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 (298 for, 230 against; 352 needed). A bill number is not the amendment number: the 106th Amendment Act was passed as the 128th Amendment Bill.
Constitutional Amendments List with Year (Most Important)
| Amendment | Year | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1951 | Added Ninth Schedule; Art 15(4) for backward classes; more reasonable restrictions on free speech (Art 19(2)) |
| 7th | 1956 | States reorganised on linguistic basis; Part A, B, C, D states abolished; 14 states and 6 UTs |
| 10th | 1961 | Dadra and Nagar Haveli made part of India |
| 12th | 1962 | Goa, Daman and Diu added as a Union Territory |
| 14th | 1962 | Puducherry added as a Union Territory |
| 21st | 1967 | Sindhi added to the Eighth Schedule |
| 24th | 1971 | Parliament can amend any part including Fundamental Rights; President bound to assent to amendment bills |
| 26th | 1971 | Privy purses of former rulers abolished |
| 31st | 1973 | Upper limit of Lok Sabha seats raised from 525 to 545 |
| 36th | 1975 | Sikkim made a full state |
| 42nd | 1976 | "Mini Constitution": socialist, secular, integrity in Preamble; Fundamental Duties (Art 51A); five subjects moved to Concurrent List |
| 44th | 1978 | Right to Property removed from Fundamental Rights (now Art 300A); "armed rebellion" replaced "internal disturbance" for emergency |
| 52nd | 1985 | Anti-defection law, Tenth Schedule |
| 61st | 1988 | Voting age lowered from 21 to 18 |
| 69th | 1991 | Delhi made National Capital Territory with a legislature (Art 239AA) |
| 71st | 1992 | Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali added to Eighth Schedule |
| 73rd | 1992 | Panchayati Raj: Part IX, Eleventh Schedule (29 subjects) |
| 74th | 1992 | Municipalities: Part IXA, Twelfth Schedule (18 subjects) |
| 86th | 2002 | Right to Education, Art 21A (age 6–14); Fundamental Duty 51A(k) |
| 91st | 2003 | Council of Ministers capped at 15% of Lok Sabha / Assembly strength |
| 92nd | 2003 | Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali added; Eighth Schedule now has 22 languages |
| 97th | 2011 | Cooperative societies: Part IXB, right to form cooperatives in Art 19(1)(c), Art 43B |
| 99th | 2014 | National Judicial Appointments Commission (struck down by the Supreme Court in 2015) |
| 100th | 2015 | Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh (exchange of enclaves) |
| 101st | 2016 | Goods and Services Tax; GST Council under Art 279A |
| 102nd | 2018 | Constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes (Art 338B) |
| 103rd | 2019 | 10% reservation for Economically Weaker Sections (Art 15(6), 16(6)) |
| 104th | 2020 | SC/ST seat reservation extended to 2030; Anglo-Indian nomination ended |
| 105th | 2021 | Restored states' power to make their own SEBC lists (Art 342A) |
| 106th | 2023 | One-third seats for women in Lok Sabha, State Assemblies and Delhi Assembly (Art 330A, 332A, 334A); in force from 16 Apr 2026 |
Sources: legislative.gov.in (Constitution of India, amendment Acts), PIB release of 25 July 2026 listing amendments enacted in the last 12 years, PRS Legislative Research (131st Amendment Bill).
42nd and 44th Amendment: Most Asked Details
42nd Amendment (1976) changes asked in exams:
- Preamble: "sovereign democratic republic" became "sovereign socialist secular democratic republic"; "unity of the nation" became "unity and integrity of the nation".
- Part IVA, Fundamental Duties (Art 51A), on the Swaran Singh Committee's recommendation; it added ten duties.
- Subjects moved from State List to Concurrent List: education, forests, weights and measures, protection of wild animals and birds, and administration of justice.
- Tribunals (Part XIVA) and new Directive Principles such as Art 39A (free legal aid) and Art 48A (environment).
44th Amendment (1978) largely undid the emergency-era changes: Right to Property moved to Art 300A, Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended during an emergency, and a national emergency needs the Cabinet's written advice.
73rd and 74th Amendment: Local Government
| Point | 73rd (Panchayats) | 74th (Municipalities) |
|---|---|---|
| Part added | Part IX (Art 243 to 243O) | Part IXA (Art 243P to 243ZG) |
| Schedule | Eleventh, 29 subjects | Twelfth, 18 subjects |
| In force | 24 April 1993 (National Panchayati Raj Day) | 1 June 1993 |
| Reservation for women | Not less than one-third of seats | Not less than one-third of seats |
| Term | 5 years | 5 years |
Amendment Procedure Under Article 368
| Type | Majority needed | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Simple majority of Parliament (outside Art 368) | Ordinary law | Creating new states (Art 2, 3), citizenship rules |
| Special majority | Majority of total membership + two-thirds of members present and voting, in each House | Fundamental Rights, DPSP |
| Special majority + ratification by half the states | As above + at least half the state legislatures | 101st (GST), election of President, Seventh Schedule |
There is no joint sitting for a Constitution Amendment Bill. In Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala (1973) the Supreme Court held that Parliament cannot alter the basic structure of the Constitution.
Constitutional Amendments MCQs with Answers
- Fundamental Duties were added by which amendment? Answer: 42nd (1976).
- Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18? Answer: 61st (1988).
- The anti-defection law (Tenth Schedule) came through? Answer: 52nd (1985).
- Right to Education (Art 21A) was added by? Answer: 86th (2002).
- GST was introduced by which amendment? Answer: 101st (2016).
- 10% EWS reservation was provided by? Answer: 103rd (2019).
- Which amendment made Sikkim a full state? Answer: 36th (1975).
- The Eleventh Schedule has how many subjects? Answer: 29.
- Women's reservation in legislatures came into force on? Answer: 16 April 2026 (106th Amendment Act, 2023).
- Which amendment removed the Right to Property from Fundamental Rights? Answer: 44th (1978).
Common Traps on Constitutional Amendments
- The 106th is an Amendment Act; "131st" is a Bill number (it was defeated), not a 131st amendment.
- The Ninth Schedule came from the 1st Amendment, not the 42nd.
- Fundamental Duties were 10 in 1976; the 11th (51A(k)) came in 2002 through the 86th.
- The 99th (NJAC) was enacted but struck down; it is still counted as an amendment.
Important Constitutional Amendments FAQs
What is the latest constitutional amendment in India 2026?
The 106th Amendment Act, 2023 (women's reservation), in force from 16 April 2026. No later amendment Act had been passed as of October 2026.
How many times has the Indian Constitution been amended?
106 times, as of October 2026.
Which amendment is called the mini constitution?
The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
Which article deals with the amendment of the Constitution?
Article 368, in Part XX.
Which amendment added Panchayati Raj to the Constitution?
The 73rd Amendment Act, 1992 (Part IX and the Eleventh Schedule).
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