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Important Constitutional Amendments of India

September 27, 2025
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1st Amendment - 1951 - Added 9th Schedule to protect land reform laws; imposed reasonable restrictions on Freedom of Speech.

7th Amendment - 1956 - Reorganization of States on linguistic basis; creation of Union Territories.

10th Amendment - 1961 - Inclusion of Goa, Daman & Diu as Union Territories.

12th Amendment - 1962 - Inclusion of Puducherry (Pondicherry) into India.

13th Amendment - 1962 - Created Nagaland State with special status (Art. 371A).

14th Amendment - 1962 - Incorporation of Puducherry Assembly and UT provisions.

21st Amendment - 1967 - Sindhi language added to 8th Schedule.

24th Amendment - 1971 - Parliament given power to amend Fundamental Rights (in response to Kesavananda Bharati case).

25th Amendment - 1971 - Inserted Article 31C – Directive Principles over Fundamental Rights.

26th Amendment - 1971 - Abolition of Privy Purses of former rulers.

31st Amendment - 1973 - Increased Lok Sabha seats from 525 to 545.

35th Amendment - 1974 - Sikkim became an associate state of India.

36th Amendment - 1975 - Sikkim became the 22nd state of India.

38th Amendment - 1975 - Emergency declaration by President made non-justiciable.

39th Amendment - 1975 - Election of President, VP, PM & Lok Sabha Speaker cannot be challenged in court (during Emergency).

42nd Amendment (Mini Constitution) - 1976 Added words “Socialist, Secular, Integrity” to Preamble; Fundamental Duties (Art. 51A); DPSPs strengthened; reduced judiciary’s power.

43rd Amendment - 1977 - Restored powers of judiciary curtailed by 42nd Amendment.

44th Amendment - 1978 - Replaced “internal disturbance” with armed rebellion for Emergency; strengthened Fundamental Rights.

52nd Amendment - 1985 - Anti-defection Law – Added 10th Schedule.

61st Amendment - 1989 - Reduced voting age from 21 to 18 years.

69th Amendment - 1991 - Gave special status to Delhi – National Capital Territory (NCT) with Legislative Assembly.

73rd Amendment - 1992 - Panchayati Raj system introduced – Added Part IX & 11th Schedule.

74th Amendment - 1992 - Urban Local Bodies / Municipalities – Added Part IXA & 12th Schedule.

76th Amendment - 1994 - Tamil Nadu’s 69% reservation included in 9th Schedule.

77th Amendment - 1995 - Reservation in promotions for SC/ST in government jobs.

86th Amendment - 2002 - Right to Education (RTE) made Fundamental Right (Art. 21A).

91st Amendment - 2003 - Limit on Council of Ministers to 15% of legislative strength; strengthened Anti-defection law.

92nd Amendment - 2003 - Added Bodo, Dogri, Maithili & Santhali languages to 8th Schedule.

93rd Amendment - 2005 - Reservation for OBCs in private educational institutions.

97th Amendment - 2011 - Added cooperative societies as Fundamental Right (Art. 19).

99th Amendment (Struck down in 2015) - 2014 -  National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) – struck down by Supreme Court.

100th Amendment - 2015 - India-Bangladesh Land Boundary Agreement.

101st Amendment - 2016 - Introduction of GST (Goods & Services Tax).

102nd Amendment - 2018 - Constitutional status to National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC).

103rd Amendment - 2019 - 10% reservation for EWS (Economically Weaker Sections) in education and government jobs.

104th Amendment - 2020 - Extended reservation for SC/ST in Lok Sabha & State Assemblies till 2030; Anglo-Indian nomination abolished.

105th Amendment - 2021 - Gave states power to identify OBCs for reservation.

Most Important for Exams

  • 7th (1956), which reorganized states and introduced Union Territories
  • Panchayati Raj → 73rd Amendment (1992)
  • Municipalities → 74th Amendment (1992)
  • GST → 101st Amendment (2016)
  • Right to Education → 86th Amendment (2002)
  • Voting Age 18 → 61st Amendment (1989)
  • Anti-Defection → 52nd Amendment (1985)
  • Emergency Powers → 42nd (1976) & 44th (1978) Amendments
  • EWS Reservation → 103rd Amendment (2019)