The Indian Constitution has
undergone several amendments since its adoption in 1950. These amendments have
been made to update the Constitution and to meet the changing needs of the
society. Here are some of the important amendments in the Indian Constitution:
1. 42nd Amendment (1976): It is also
known as the Mini Constitution. It was introduced during the Emergency period
and made several changes to the Constitution. It introduced the Fundamental
Duties of citizens, the three-tier system of Panchayati Raj, and gave more
powers to the central government.
2. 44th Amendment (1978): It was
introduced to undo some of the changes made by the 42nd Amendment. It restored
the power of the judiciary, limited the power of the central government during
emergency, and removed the right to property as a fundamental right.
3. 73rd and 74th Amendments (1992):
These amendments provided for the establishment of Panchayati Raj institutions
and urban local bodies, respectively. They aimed to strengthen the local
self-government system in the country.
4. 86th Amendment (2002): It made education
a fundamental right for all children between the ages of six and fourteen
years.
5. 97th Amendment (2011): It added
cooperative societies to the Concurrent List, which means that both the central
and state governments can make laws on cooperatives.
6. 101st Amendment (2016): It
introduced the Goods and Services Tax (GST), a unified tax system for the
entire country.
7. 103rd Amendment (2019): It
introduced the 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (EWS) in
educational institutions and government jobs.
8. 104th Amendment (2020): It gave
constitutional status to the National Commission for Backward Classes, which
was previously a statutory body.
These are some of the important amendments in the
Indian Constitution. The amendments have played a significant role in
strengthening the democratic system in the country, promoting social justice
and ensuring the rights of citizens.