Amendment of the Constitution

5 min

Master Article 368, Major Amendment Types and Landmark Acts for Competitive Exams

Golden Rule of Article 368

Article 368 in Part XX of the Constitution outlines the power of Parliament to amend the Constitution. It provides for two types of special majorities while some articles require simple majority or special majority plus state ratification.

Why This Topic Matters

Direct questions appear on Article 368 and amendment procedures in SSC and UPSC exams.
Landmark amendments like 42nd, 44th, 73rd and 101st are absolute favourites in State PSCs.
Understanding majority types prevents common trap mistakes in negative marking tests.

Quick Memory Hooks

42nd Amendment = Mini Constitution changing preamble and adding Fundamental Duties.
73rd & 74th Amendments = 1992 twin Acts giving constitutional status to Panchayats and Municipalities.
101st Amendment = GST rollout unifying India under One Nation, One Tax.

Amendment Types at a Glance

Majority Type	Constitutional Scope	Key Examples
Simple Majority	Admission of new states, official language, quorum	Articles 2, 3, 169
Special Majority	Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy	Article 368 core provisions
Special + States	Election of President, federal structure, Supreme Court	Requires 50% state ratification

Landmark Acts Visualizer

42nd Act 1976

(Mini Constitution)

Mini Constitution

Year[ 1976 ]

Added Socialist, Secular, Integrity to Preamble.

44th Act 1978

(Restored Democracy)

Restored Democracy

Year[ 1978 ]

Removed Right to Property from Fundamental Rights.

86th Act 2002

(Right to Education)

Right to Education

Constitution[ ART. 21A ]

Made elementary education a Fundamental Right under Article 21A.

101st Act 2016

(GST Reform)

GST Reform

Year[ 2016 ]

Introduced Goods and Services Tax across the nation.

Exam Traps & Pitfalls

All amendments fall under Article 368Only special & federal amendments need Art 368

Simple majority amendments under Articles 2, 3 and 169 are outside Article 368.

President can veto a Constitution Amendment BillPresident must give assent to CA Bills

The 24th Amendment Act made presidential assent to constitutional amendment bills obligatory.

Joint sitting is allowed for CA BillsNo joint sitting for Constitution Amendment

Article 368 requires both houses to pass the bill separately; joint sitting is not permitted.

Exam Practice Quiz

Q1.Which constitutional amendment is known as the Mini Constitution of India?

Q2.Can there be a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament to resolve a deadlock on a Constitution Amendment Bill?

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