What traumatic event does Zitkala-Sa describe at the school?

The forcible cutting of her long hair

Why was the cutting of her hair so humiliating to Zitkala-Sa?

Among her people, shingled hair was worn by cowards and mourners

When was the Constitution framed and when did it come into effect?

It was framed between December 1946 and November 1949 and came into effect on 26 January 1950.

Why was the period of constitution-making described as tumultuous?

It coincided with independence, the Partition of the country and widespread communal violence, making the task of unity especially difficult.

What is the main source for studying the framing of the Constitution?

The Constituent Assembly Debates, the detailed records of the discussions in which clauses were examined one by one.

Who were some key figures in the Constituent Assembly?

Jawaharlal Nehru, who moved the Objectives Resolution; Vallabhbhai Patel; Rajendra Prasad, the president; and B.R. Ambedkar, chairman of the Drafting Committee.

What was the Objectives Resolution?

A resolution moved by Nehru that laid out the guiding ideals of the Constitution, including justice, liberty, equality and the welfare of all.

What was debated about the powers of the centre and provinces?

Members discussed whether to have a strong central government or greater provincial autonomy; the need to hold the country together led to a relatively strong centre.

How did the Assembly deal with minority rights and separate electorates?

After debate, separate electorates by religion were rejected as divisive, and the Constitution instead guaranteed fundamental rights and protections to all citizens.

What provisions were made for depressed castes and tribes?

The Constitution abolished untouchability and provided reservations and safeguards to uplift the scheduled castes and tribes.

How was the language question resolved?

Hindi in the Devanagari script was adopted as the official language, while English was retained for official purposes for a period, balancing different regions.

Why is the Indian Constitution unusually long?

Because the country was very large, diverse and divided, the framers produced an elaborate, carefully worked-out document to keep it united and take it forward.

Framing the Constitution — The Beginning of a New Era

Class 12 History · Themes in Indian History Part III · Chapter 4

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CBSE Class 12 · History

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Summary

This chapter studies how the Indian Constitution, which came into effect on 26 January 1950, was framed between December 1946 and November 1949 amid a tumultuous time of freedom, Partition and communal violence. The Constituent Assembly debated each clause, and its records — the Constituent Assembly Debates — are a major source. A few hundred members, dominated by the Congress but including diverse voices, did the work, guided by leaders such as Jawaharlal Nehru, who moved the Objectives Resolution setting out ideals of justice, liberty and equality; Vallabhbhai Patel, who handled the integration of states and contentious clauses; Rajendra Prasad, who presided; and B.R. Ambedkar, chairman of the Drafting Committee. The Assembly worked to keep a large, diverse and divided country together, nurturing democratic institutions in a society long marked by hierarchy. Major debates concerned the balance between a strong centre and the powers of the provinces, the rights of minorities and whether separate electorates should continue (they were rejected), the protection and upliftment of depressed castes and tribes through reservations and the abolition of untouchability, and the question of national language, settled by adopting Hindi in the Devanagari script while retaining English for official purposes. The result was the longest constitution in the world, reflecting the country's size and diversity. The chapter shows how the framers drew on different traditions and visions to craft a document meant to unite Indians of many classes, castes and communities in a shared democratic experiment.

A tumultuous time and the AssemblyVisions and the Objectives ResolutionCentre, provinces and federalismMinorities, caste and rightsLanguage and the making of a new era

Key terms

Constituent Assembly

The body that framed the Indian Constitution between 1946 and 1949.

Objectives Resolution

The resolution moved by Nehru setting out the ideals and aims of the Constitution.

Drafting Committee

The committee chaired by B.R. Ambedkar responsible for preparing the draft Constitution.

Separate electorates

A system of voting by religious community, debated and ultimately rejected by the Assembly.

Fundamental Rights

The basic rights guaranteed to citizens, a key part of the Constitution.

Federalism

The division of powers between the centre and the provinces, a major subject of debate.

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When did the Indian Constitution come into effect?

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Framing the Constitution — The Beginning of a New Era

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