Jonah Patel
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest and most amended national constitution. With 448 articles and 12 schedules, it can be challenging to memorise. As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments, with the constitution being amended roughly twice a year. To remember the amendments, it is recommended to understand the relevance of each one. Additionally, using tricks such as mnemonics, adding and subtracting the number 89, and recognising number patterns can aid memorisation.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Amendments | 106 |
| First Amendment Year | 1951 |
| Number of Schedules | 12 |
| Number of Articles | 448 |
| Number of Union Executives | 3 |
| Union Executives | President, Vice President, Union Council of Ministers |
| Union Council of Ministers Head | Prime Minister |
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What You'll Learn
Understand the relevance of each amendment
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest and most amended constitution. With 448 articles, it can be challenging to memorise all the amendments, but understanding the relevance and context of each amendment is a good way to remember them.
The first amendment, in 1951, added three additional grounds of restrictions, empowered states, and amended Article 15(3). This amendment is easy to remember as it was the first, and the year, 1951, can be remembered with the mnemonic "First time in 1951, 3 Girls Earned 9 Silver".
The 86th Amendment Act guarantees the right to compulsory education for children aged 6-14. This can be remembered by the equation 8+6=14, with 8 and 6 referring to the amendment act, and 14 being the age up to which education is now compulsory.
The 4th Amendment introduced new restrictions on property rights, amending Articles 31, 31A, and 305. A mnemonic to remember this is "In line for property", with "in line" meaning to have things under control, relating to the new restrictions.
The 11th CAA states that no vacancy in the proper electoral college will allow the election of the President or Vice-President to be disputed. The mnemonic "Jo Ek Humara Election Wo Ek Final Election" can be used to remember this, with "ek and ek" referring to the 11th CAA.
Another way to remember the sequence of articles is to note the pattern of unit-digit and tens-digit numbers. For example, Articles 52, 63, and 74 follow the pattern 2,3,4 in the unit-digit place, and adding 89 to 74 results in 163, which refers to the state council of ministers headed by the chief minister.
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Learn the sequence of articles
The Indian Constitution is considered the world's longest constitution, with 448 articles in total. It can be challenging to memorise all the articles, but here are some tips and tricks to help you learn the sequence of articles:
Understand the Relevancy of Each Article
Knowing why an article is important can help you remember its sequence. For example, Article 168 is about the Constitution of Legislatures in States, Article 174 covers the Sessions of the State Legislature, prorogation, and dissolution, and Article 175 is about the Right of the Governor to address and send messages to the House or Houses.
Recognise Number Patterns
The Indian Constitution's articles follow a specific number pattern. For the unit-digit numbers, the pattern is 2, 3, 4, and for the tens-digit places, the pattern is 5, 6, 7. So, you have Article 52, Article 63, and Article 74. To find the article for the state council of ministers headed by the chief minister, add 89 to 74, which gives you 163.
Use Mnemonics
Creating memorable phrases or sentences can help you remember specific articles. For example, "Law removes all doubt" can help you recall Article 14, as "law" stands for the same. Another example is using "Sath Hain" to remember the reorganisation of states and the creation of Union Territories.
Use Arithmetic Operations
Some amendments lend themselves to being remembered through simple arithmetic operations. For instance, the 86th Amendment guarantees the right to compulsory education for children up to 14 years of age. You can remember this by adding 8 and 6, which equals 14.
Group Similar Articles
Some articles follow a similar theme and can be grouped together. For instance, Articles 15, 16, 17, and 18 are about no discrimination, equal opportunity in public employment, untouchability, and the abolition of titles, respectively.
By using these techniques and creating your own variations, you can improve your recall of the sequence of articles in the Indian Constitution.
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Use mnemonics
As of July 2025, the Indian Constitution has been amended 106 times since its enactment in 1950, making it the most amended national constitution in the world. With so many amendments, it can be challenging to remember them all. One effective technique to enhance your memory of the amendments is through the use of mnemonics.
Mnemonics are memory aids that help you recall information by associating it with something easier to remember. A common type of mnemonic is an acronym, where the first letter of each word helps you remember key points. For instance, "Law removes all doubt" helps recall Article 14, where "law" stands for law, "removes" for removal of doubt, and so on.
First Amendment (1951): "First time in 1951, 3 Girls Earned 9 Silver." This mnemonic signifies the year of the amendment, the addition of 3 new Grounds of restrictions, Empowerment of states, and the amendment to Article 15(3).
Amendment regarding Representation (1952): "In 1952, 7,50,000 persons were Represented." This mnemonic signifies the year 1952, and the amendment regarding representation in the Lok Sabha, where one member could represent more than 750,000 people.
86th Amendment (Education): "8+6=14." The numbers 8 and 6 indicate the 86th Amendment, and 14 refers to the amendment making education compulsory for children up to 14 years of age.
4th Amendment (Property): "In line for property." "In line" signifies having things under control, and the amendment introduced new restrictions on property rights, amending Articles 31, 31A, and 305.
These mnemonics provide a creative and associative way to remember the key details of the amendments. You can create your own mnemonics or adapt these to better suit your memory and understanding of the material.
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Learn the three types of amendments
The Constitution of India is the world's most amended constitution, with 106 amendments since 1950. It is amended roughly twice a year because it spells out governmental powers in such detail that many matters addressed by statute in other democracies require constitutional amendments in India.
There are three types of amendments to the Constitution of India, of which the second and third types are governed by Article 368. The first type of amendment must be passed by a "simple majority" in each house of the Parliament of India. In other words, it requires a majority of the members present and voting in both Houses of Parliament. Amendments passed in this way include changes to the number of seats in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha and changes to the name of a state.
The second type of amendment must be passed by a prescribed "special majority" of each house of Parliament. This is a majority (more than 50%) of the total membership of the House and a majority of two-thirds of the members of the House present and voting.
The third type of amendment must be passed by a "special majority" in each house of Parliament and ratified by at least one-half of the State Legislatures. This means that more than 50% of the total membership of the House and a majority of two-thirds of the members of the House present and voting must approve the amendment, and then at least half of the State Legislatures must also ratify it.
Article 368 outlines the amendment procedure and allows Parliament to amend any part of the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, but not the 'basic structure' of the Constitution. The 'basic structure' has not yet been defined by the Supreme Court, but the welfare state and the sovereign, democratic, and republican nature of the Indian polity have been deemed 'basic features'.
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Understand the categorisation of articles
The Indian Constitution is the world's longest for a sovereign nation, with 470 articles, 25 parts, 12 schedules, and five appendices. It has been amended 106 times, most recently on 28 September 2023. The articles are grouped into categories as follows:
Preamble
The Preamble to the Constitution contains the words "socialist", "secular", and "integrity", which were added in 1976 by the 42nd amendment.
Part I – The Union and its Territory
This part consists of Articles 1 to 4 and covers the territory of India, the admission or establishment of new states, and the alteration of state boundaries or names.
Part II – Citizenship
Articles 5 to 11 define citizenship, detailing the rights and privileges of citizens, such as the acquisition and termination of citizenship, and the rights of minorities.
Part III – Fundamental Rights
Articles 12 to 35 outline the fundamental rights of Indian citizens, including freedom of speech and expression, protection against discrimination, and the right to constitutional remedies.
Part IV – Directive Principles of State Policy
Articles 36 to 51 provide guidelines for the governance of the country and outline the state's economic and social goals, such as securing a social order for the promotion of welfare, a living wage, and equal pay for equal work.
Subsequent Parts
The remaining parts cover a range of topics, including the Union, the states, relations between the Union and the states, finance, trade, services, elections, and special provisions for various regions and communities.
To remember the categorisation of articles, it is important to understand the structure of the Constitution and the themes covered by each part. Acronyms and mnemonics can aid in recalling the order and content of the articles. For example, the mnemonic "Lazy Elephants Jump Slowly And Sit Regularly" can be used to remember the following:
- L = Legislative
- E = Executive
- J = Judicial
- S = States
- A = Amendment Process
- S = Supremacy of Constitution
- R = Ratification
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Frequently asked questions
One way to remember the amendments is to use mnemonics. For example, "First time in 1951 3 Girls Earned 9 Silver". Here, "First time in 1951" refers to the year 1951 when the First Amendment occurred. "3 Girls" refers to the 3 additional Grounds of restriction that were added.
The best way to remember the important amendments is to understand the relevance of each.
As of July 2025, there have been 106 amendments to the Indian Constitution since its enactment in 1950.
The pattern of unit-digit numbers is 2, 3, 4, and the pattern of tens-digit places is 5, 6, 7. For example, Article 52, Article 63, and Article 74.
