On-Line Course on Indian Constitution

Sponsored by
Department of Legal Affairs, Ministry of Law & Justice,
Government of India, New Delhi

Conducted By
NALSAR University of Law, Hyderabad

Instructor: Prof. Faizan Mustafa,

President, Consortium of National Law Universities
Insert original logo of constitution
Insert government of India and NALSAR logo on each slide
Why we should do this course?
 It will make us better citizens & Help in Understanding our
Constitutional Journey
 Constitution is Supreme Law of the Country
 Constitution tells us about our Fundamental Rights
 Constitution describes powers of various organs of the
Government & details of the Centre-State Relations
 To get familiarized with the text of the Constitution &
Leading Judgments
 To better appreciate current constitutional developments
 Course Details
Eligibility: Anyone who has passed Class X

Duration of Course: Fifteen Lectures

Fee: Rs.500/-

Examination: Online test of 50 multiple choice

questions. To pass the course and get NALSAR’s
certificate at least 50% marks be secured.

Language: English
 Course Syllabus

 Why constitutions are drafted, when they are drafted, what

they should contain, what are their types.

 Constituent Assembly Debates and Choices made by the

framers of the Constitution

 Preamble- What it includes, how it is amended, how it is used.

 Citizenship (Articles 5 to 11)

 Right to Equality- Reasonable Classification

 Continued..

 Affirmative Action- Reservation- Need and how long should it continue?

Why improvements are to be made?

 Freedom of Speech- Limits- Sedition, Blasphemy, Defamation,

controlling online speech.

 Right to Life & Liberty- Aadhar, Privacy

 Freedom of Religion- Essentiality test- Prayers in Schools

 Rights of Minorities- Right to Culture, Mother Tongue & NEP

 Directive Principles- Non-Justifiable Relationship Between

Fundamental Rights & Directive Principles

 Continued..

 Union Executive- Prime Minister – President Relations -

Ordinance Making Article 51-A- Fundamental Duties:

Relationship Between Fundamental Duties & Fundamental

Rights.

 Judiciary- appointment of judges- Is judicial review anti -

democratic?

 Amending Powers – Need, Important Amendments

 Basic Structure – Distinction between the Constituent Power

and ordinary legislative powers.

First Lecture
 What is Constitution?

 Constitution is the Supreme Law of any country

 It is the solemn contract between State and People

 It incorporates people’s aspirations about their society

 It tells us about our Fundamental Rights and how to use these rights

 It informs us about our Fundamental Duties

 It describes powers of various organs of the Government

 It gives details of the Centre-State Relations

 Why a country drafts a Constitution?

 To achieve Constitutionalism

 To limit the powers of the State

 To ensure that no organ of Government crosses its

‘Constitutional Boundaries’

 To recognise people’s rights

 When a country drafts its Constitution?

 When there is break from Past

 What can be termed such a “Break”

 Independence from Colonial Rule

 Revolution

 Partition

 Merger of Two Countries

 What are the various Types of Constitutions?

 Written & Unwritten

 Federal & Unitary

 Parliamentary & Presidential

 Rigid & Flexible

What a Constitution should contain?

• The Minimum: United States Constitution

• Lengthiest Constitution of the World:

Indian Constitution

Original Constitution:
 Articles -395
 Parts -22
 Schedules- VIII
 Summary

 Constitution is Supreme Law

 Constitution signifies a compact between People & State.
 Constitution limits powers of the state.
 Constitution tells us about our Rights.
 Constitution tells us about our duties.
 Constitution tells us about power structure of state.
 Constitution is drafted when there is break from Past.
 Constitutions must be brief
 Next Lecture

We will discuss

 The British rule and Indian National Movement.

 How British agreed to formation of Constituent Assembly?

 The process of drafting of Indian Constitution and kinds of

choices we made.

 Who were leading members of our Constituent Assembly?

Thank You

See you in the next lecture….

 Disclaimer
The views which have been expressed by the speaker in the lecture are his personal
views.