SSC GD 2025 PYQ — Question 27

The correct answer is option 1 i.e. 42nd Amendment Act.

• The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, was enacted during the Emergency in India.
• It introduced Part IVA to the Constitution, which contains the Fundamental Duties under Article 51A.
• Initially, it listed 10 fundamental duties for every citizen of India.
• The amendment is often referred to as the "Mini-Constitution" due to its extensive and far-reaching changes.
• It sought to enhance the powers of Parliament and curtail the powers of the Judiciary.
• The words “Socialist”, “Secular”, and “Integrity” were added to the Preamble of the Constitution.
• The term of the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies was extended from five to six years.
• Later, the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002, added the 11th Fundamental Duty, which requires parents or guardians to provide their children between the ages of 6 and 14 with education opportunities.

Other Options:

44th Amendment Act:

• The amendment did restore some powers of the Supreme Court of India and the high courts. 
• It replaced the phrase “internal disturbance” with “armed rebellion” as a valid ground for declaring a national emergency.
• It removed the “right to property” from the list of Fundamental Rights and transformed it into a legal/constitutional right (via Article 300A).
• It provided that the fundamental rights under Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended even during a national emergency. 

52nd Amendment Act:

• This amendment act is also known as the Anti-Defection Law.
• It provided for the disqualification of members of Parliament and State Legislatures on the grounds of defection.
• A new Tenth Schedule was added to the Constitution, containing detailed provisions related to defection and disqualification.

46th Amendment Act:

• Concerned with taxation on the sale of goods and services.
• Clarified the scope of sales tax.
• Mainly economic in nature.