Model Question and Answers for APSC | Discuss each adjective attached to the word ‘Republic’ in the preamble. Are they defendable in the present circumstances?

Ans: The Preamble of the Indian constitution reads ”WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC …”

Sovereign:

• It means that India is independent and not a subject or dominion of any other country. It indicates the sovereignty of Indians and gives them the final say in all matters.
• The importance of sovereignty has not diminished despite the development of multipolar world order and numerous international Although globalisation has increased interconnectedness and limited the ability to make decisions, sovereignty is still an unavoidable element.
• Strategic autonomy and national interest reign supreme in India's foreign policy

Socialist:

• The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976 included Gandhian socialism had already been incorporated into the Directive Principles of State Policy.
• Even though the Indian economy has been opened up by liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation, India follows democratic socialism and welfarism through affirmative actions for the upliftment of weaker groups.

Secular:

• The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act also added Secular to the What was previously implicit in the Indian Constitution was made explicit by the amendment.
• Articles 25 to 28 of Part 3 of the Indian Constitution's Fundamental Rights section laid out a detailed foundation for secularism.

• Secularism continues to be the foundation of Indian democracy. In the SR Bommai case, the Supreme Court acknowledged that it is a part of the Indian Constitution's basic structure that cannot be changed.

Democratic:

• It denotes the type of government India has adopted. We have chosen parliamentary democracy, which includes fair elections, independent judges, the rule of law, no discrimination, and the protection of human rights, among other things.
• The 73rd and 74th constitutional amendment acts have strengthened democracy and given people more opportunities to actively participate in it.

Political analysts have praised the Indian Preamble for its clarity and conciseness. The Supreme Court emphasised its significance in the Kesavananda Bharati case of 1973. In the Preamble, the adjectives following the word Republic reflect the democratic and secular ethos and encapsulate the spirit of the Indian Constitution.