📜 Constitutional Articles — Part 2: Union, State, Emergency & Amendments

11. Part V — The Union Government (Articles 52–151)

The President of India — Key Articles

TNPSC Key: The President's qualifications (Article 58): Must be a citizen of India, must have completed 35 years of age, and must be qualified for election as a member of the Lok Sabha. The minimum age for Lok Sabha membership is 25 years — so 35 years is the bar for President.

President's Pardoning Power — Article 72 vs Governor's Article 161

Key Difference: President (Art. 72) can pardon sentences given under Court Martial and sentences of death. Governor (Art. 161) cannot pardon death sentences or sentences by Court Martial.

12. Parliament — Key Articles (79–122)

13. Supreme Court — Key Articles (124–147)

14. Part VI — State Government (Articles 152–237)

15. Centre-State Relations (Articles 245–263)

The Three Legislative Lists

16. Part XVIII — Emergency Provisions (Articles 352–360)

Comparison of Three Emergencies

17. Article 368 — Amendment of the Constitution

Article 368 in Part XX lays down the procedure for amending the Constitution. The Constitution can be amended by three methods:

• Simple Majority — Some provisions can be amended by a simple majority of Parliament (e.g., creation of new states, citizenship, 5th and 6th Schedule areas). These are NOT governed by Article 368.
• Special Majority — Most constitutional provisions are amended by a majority of total membership of each House AND 2/3rd majority of members present and voting in each House.
• Special Majority + State Ratification — Certain provisions require special majority of Parliament PLUS ratification by at least half of the State Legislatures (e.g., election of President, extent of executive power of Union and States, SC and HC, representation of states in Parliament, distribution of powers between Centre and States, Article 368 itself).

Important SC Cases on Amendment:
— Shankari Prasad Case (1951): Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution including Fundamental Rights.
— Golaknath Case (1967): Parliament cannot amend Fundamental Rights.
— Kesavananda Bharati Case (1973): Parliament can amend the Constitution but cannot alter its Basic Structure.
— Minerva Mills Case (1980): Reaffirmed the Basic Structure doctrine.

18. Other Important Articles for TNPSC

19. Previous Year TNPSC Question Patterns with Answers

20. TNPSC Exam Strategy for Articles

• Memorise the Part-Article mapping first — This helps narrow down answers quickly in MCQs.
• Focus on Part III (Art. 12–35) — This section alone yields 2–4 questions per exam.
• Emergency provisions (Art. 352, 356, 360) — Always 1–2 questions in every TNPSC exam.
• Amendments linked to articles — Know which amendment added/changed which article (42nd, 44th, 61st, 73rd, 74th, 86th, 103rd).
• Writ jurisdiction — Clearly differentiate Article 32 (SC) vs Article 226 (HC).
• Create a one-page article number cheat sheet and revise it daily 2 weeks before the exam.
• Solve at least 100 previous year questions specifically on Constitutional Articles.

21. Final Revision — Most Important Articles (TNPSC Frequency Chart)

22. Conclusion

Mastering the Articles of the Indian Constitution is not just about memorizing numbers — it is about understanding the vision of the Constitution makers and the framework within which India's governance operates. For TNPSC aspirants, especially those targeting Group 1, 2, 2A, 4, and VAO exams, a strong command over constitutional articles is non-negotiable.

The key areas — Fundamental Rights (Part III), DPSPs (Part IV), Fundamental Duties (Part IV-A), Emergency Provisions (Part XVIII), and the Amendment process (Article 368) — form the core of almost every TNPSC polity section. Regular revision of article numbers, combined with understanding of their scope and recent amendments, will significantly improve your score.

Final Advice: Make a daily habit of reading 10 articles each day with their context. In 45 days, you will have covered all major articles. Use mnemonics and association techniques to lock in article numbers permanently. All the best for your TNPSC preparation!