KSLU Constitutional Law I — Past Questions & Exam Topics
The fastest way to prepare is to study what is actually asked. Below is a unit-wise map of the theory questions and the application (problem) questions compiled from past KSLU Constitutional Law I papers.
How to read the map
Symbol Meaning ⭐⭐⭐ Asked 5+ times — must cover ⭐⭐ Asked 3–4 times — high priority ⭐ Asked 1–2 times [16M]/[10M]Essay marks [6M]/[SN]Short note / brief topic [Prob]Application / problem question
📖 Read the free notes for every topic below on the Constitutional Law I home page, and see worked answers on the 10 Solved Problems page.
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Unit 1 — Constitution, Preamble & Citizenship
📝 Theory Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 1.1 | Meaning, definition & kinds of Constitution; Constitutionalism | [SN] “Constitutionalism” (recurring); [16M] meaning & kinds of Constitution (written vs unwritten, federal vs unitary, rigid vs flexible) ⭐⭐ |
| 1.2 | Salient features of the Indian Constitution | [16M] “The Indian Constitution is neither federal nor unitary but a combination of both — discuss”; [16M]/[SN] salient features ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 1.3 | Preamble — meaning, scope, objects & values | [16M] importance/objectives & values of the Preamble; [16M] “Is the Preamble a part of the Constitution?”; [6M] “Can the Preamble be amended (Art. 368)?”; [SN] objectives; Secularism/Socialism ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 1.4 | Citizenship — modes of acquisition & termination | [10M/16M] “What is citizenship? Explain modes of acquisition and termination”; [6M] acquisition by domicile ⭐⭐ |
✏️ Application Problems
| Approx. years | Problem (with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| ~2016–2019 | A foreign-origin person long resident in India seeks citizenship by domicile/long residence alone (decoy: residence ≠ automatic citizenship) | Modes of acquisition of citizenship (Citizenship Act, 1955) |
Unit 2 — State, Article 13 & Right to Equality (Article 14)
📝 Theory Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 2.1 | “State” under Article 12 & new judicial trends (State action) | [10M/16M] “‘other authorities’ under Article 12 / the widening definition of State”; State-action doctrine ⭐⭐ |
| 2.2 | Meaning of law; pre- & post-constitutional laws; Article 13 | [16M] effect of Art. 13 on pre- and post-constitutional laws ⭐⭐ |
| 2.3 | Doctrine of Severability | [6M/SN] “Write a note on the Doctrine of Severability” ⭐⭐ |
| 2.4 | Doctrine of Eclipse | [6M/SN] “Write a note on the Doctrine of Eclipse” ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 2.5 | Judicial Review (Art. 13) | [SN/16M] judicial review power ⭐ |
| 2.6 | Equality before law & equal protection (Article 14) | [16M] equality before law/equal protection with judicial interpretation; [16M] “Art. 14 permits classification but forbids class legislation — explain the twin test”; arbitrariness (E.P. Royappa, Maneka) ⭐⭐⭐ |
✏️ Application Problems
| Approx. years | Problem (with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| ~2017–2022 | A rule/notification affecting one class of traders is challenged as discriminatory & arbitrary (decoy: any classification looks unequal) | Reasonable classification vs class legislation (twin test); arbitrariness |
| recurring | An air-hostess’s service rules end employment on a fixed age / 4 years / first pregnancy, extendable at the MD’s discretion — challenged under Art. 14 (decoy: a “service condition” looks like valid classification) | Arbitrary & discriminatory classification (Air India v. Nergesh Meerza) |
| recurring | A Public Employment Act reduces the retirement age from 60 to 58 to create jobs — challenged under Art. 14 (decoy: a welfare aim by itself cures inequality) | Whether the object justifies the differentia |
| recurring | A State levies entertainment tax of 30% metros / 20% cities / 10% rural — the graded tax is challenged (decoy: a graded tax is per se unequal) | Wide latitude for classification in taxing statutes |
Unit 3 — Protective Discrimination (Arts. 15–17) & Right to Freedom (Art. 19)
📝 Theory Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 3.1 | Protective discrimination & social justice (Articles 15 & 16) | [16M] “Art. 15(4)/16(4) — advancement of backward classes, with cases”; reservation, creamy layer, Indra Sawhney ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3.2 | Abolition of untouchability (Article 17) | [6M/SN] “Abolition of Untouchability” ⭐⭐ |
| 3.3 | Freedom of speech & expression (Art. 19(1)(a)) | [16M] “nature, scope and dimensions of freedom of speech & expression, with cases” ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 3.4 | Other freedoms & reasonable restrictions (Art. 19(1)(b)–(g)) | [16M] freedoms under Art. 19 and reasonable restrictions; [6M/SN] freedom of association; profession/trade 19(1)(g) ⭐⭐ |
✏️ Application Problems
| Approx. years | Problem (with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| ~2016–2023 | A reservation scheme gives >50% seats / fails to exclude the creamy layer (decoy: more reservation = more social justice) | 50% ceiling & creamy-layer exclusion (Indra Sawhney) |
| ~2018–2022 | A restriction bars a person from an occupation/trade under Art. 19(1)(g) (decoy: any State regulation looks valid) | Whether the restriction is “reasonable” under Art. 19(6) |
| recurring | “X”, a film producer, is refused a ‘U’ certificate / ordered cuts by the Censor Board — challenges the pre-censorship (decoy: “all censorship of speech is void”) | Validity of prior restraint on film under Art. 19(2) (K.A. Abbas) |
Unit 4 — Rights of the Accused, Life & Liberty, Exploitation & Religion
📝 Theory Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 4.1 | Rights of the accused (Article 20) | [16M] protection under Art. 20 (three clauses); [6M/SN] double jeopardy (frequent); ex post facto; self-incrimination 20(3) ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.2 | Arrested person & preventive detention (Article 22) | [16M] “safeguards against arbitrary arrest & detention under Art. 22” ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.3 | Right to life & personal liberty (Article 21) | [16M/10M] “facets of right to life & personal liberty”; “procedure established by law — with cases” (Maneka Gandhi) ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 4.4 | Right against exploitation (Articles 23–24) | [6M/SN] “right against exploitation” — trafficking, forced & child labour ⭐⭐ |
| 4.5 | Freedom of religion & secularism (Articles 25–28) | [16M] “freedom of religion under the Constitution”; essential religious practices; restrictions ⭐⭐⭐ |
✏️ Application Problems
| Approx. years | Problem (with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| ~2011–2024 | A magistrate orders “X” to give specimen handwriting & fingerprints — X pleads Art. 20(3) (decoy: “any compelled production = self-incrimination”) | Whether specimens = “being a witness against himself” (Kathi Kalu Oghad — they are not) |
| ~2017–2023 | A detenu is held without being furnished grounds for months (decoy: detention “for security” looks valid) | Art. 22 safeguards — grounds, advisory board, time limits |
| ~2016–2025 | “Y” is denied a religious rite the State calls non-essential / restricts on public order (decoy: “all religious practice is absolutely protected”) | Essential-religious-practices test & restrictions (Arts. 25–26) |
| recurring | School children refuse to sing the National Anthem on genuine religious grounds but stand respectfully — they are expelled (decoy: “refusing to sing = disrespect”) | Freedom of conscience (Arts. 19(1)(a) & 25) — Bijoe Emmanuel |
| recurring | Police make domiciliary visits and keep “X” under day-and-night surveillance (decoy: “surveillance of a suspect is always valid”) | Personal liberty & privacy (Arts. 21 & 19(1)(d)) — Kharak Singh / Govind |
Unit 5 — Minority Rights, Constitutional Remedies, Property & DPSP
📝 Theory Questions
| # | Topic (syllabus) | Questions & frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1 | Cultural & educational rights of minorities (Articles 29–30) | [16M] “rights of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions” (very frequent); T.M.A. Pai, St. Stephen’s ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5.2 | Constitutional remedies — Articles 32 & 226; the writs | [16M] “constitutional remedies for enforcement of FRs” / Art. 32 vs 226; the five writs ⭐⭐⭐ |
| 5.3 | Right to property (Art. 300A) | [16M/SN] right to property — from a fundamental right to a legal right (44th Amendment) ⭐ |
| 5.4 | DPSP, Fundamental Duties & the FR–DPSP relationship | [16M] relationship between FRs and DPSP (Minerva Mills, Kesavananda); [6M/SN] Fundamental Duties (frequent) ⭐⭐⭐ |
✏️ Application Problems
| Approx. years | Problem (with the decoy) | Key issue |
|---|---|---|
| ~2018–2024 | A minority institution’s admission policy (preference for its own community / women) is challenged (decoy: “any preference = discrimination”) | Art. 30 autonomy vs regulation & Art. 29(2) (St. Stephen’s, T.M.A. Pai) |
| ~2017–2022 | A petitioner seeks a directive-principle goal (minimum living standard / food) as a right under Art. 32 (decoy: DPSP is non-justiciable) | Reading DPSP into Art. 21 (Olga Tellis, Unni Krishnan) |
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💎 Want model answers to all of these? The Constitutional Law I Notes + Question Bank — ₹199 has full 16-mark essay blueprints and solved IRAC answers to every previously-asked KSLU question, in one printable PDF.