Quick answer
The Constitution has been amended 106 times so far; the latest Act is the 106th (2023) on women’s reservation, brought into force on 16 April 2026. For Prelims, the most-asked amendments are the 1st, 42nd, 44th, 52nd, 61st, 73rd–74th, 86th, 91st, 101st and 103rd. Three bills are also in the news: the 129th (simultaneous elections) and 130th (removal of ministers held in custody) are with Joint Parliamentary Committees, and the 131st (850-seat Lok Sabha) was defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026.
Key takeaways
- Article 368 has three methods: simple majority (outside 368), special majority, and special majority plus ratification by half the States.
- A Constitution amendment bill can be introduced in either House, by a minister or a private member, without the President’s recommendation.
- There is no joint sitting for an amendment bill, and the President must give assent (24th Amendment).
- UPSC asks amendments by number and subject: 71st and Eighth Schedule (2024), 1st Amendment (2023), 91st (2009).
Most important amendments for Prelims
| Amendment | Year | What it did |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 1951 | Ninth Schedule; reasonable restrictions on Article 19; Article 15(4) for backward classes. Made to overcome court rulings (PYQ 2023) |
| 7th | 1956 | Reorganised States on linguistic lines; abolished Part A, B, C, D States |
| 24th | 1971 | Parliament can amend any part, including Fundamental Rights; President must assent to amendment bills |
| 31st | 1973 | Lok Sabha elected seats raised from 525 to 545 |
| 42nd | 1976 | “Mini-Constitution”: Socialist, Secular, Integrity in the Preamble; Fundamental Duties; new DPSPs; five subjects to the Concurrent List |
| 44th | 1978 | Property out of Part III (now 300A); “armed rebellion” for “internal disturbance”; 20 and 21 never suspended; President can return advice once (PYQ 2002, 2019) |
| 52nd | 1985 | Tenth Schedule: anti-defection law |
| 61st | 1988 | Voting age lowered from 21 to 18 |
| 69th | 1991 | Delhi made the National Capital Territory with an Assembly (239AA, 239AB) (PYQ 2001) |
| 71st | 1992 | Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali added to the Eighth Schedule (PYQ 2024) |
| 73rd / 74th | 1992 | Panchayats (Part IX) and Municipalities (Part IXA) (PYQ 2000) |
| 86th | 2002 | Article 21A, education for 6–14 years; new Article 45; duty 51A(k) (PYQ 2002) |
| 91st | 2003 | Council of Ministers capped at 15% of the House; split exception removed from anti-defection law (PYQ 2009) |
| 92nd | 2003 | Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali added: 22 languages (PYQ 2008) |
| 97th | 2011 | Cooperative societies: Article 19(1)(c), Article 43B, Part IXB |
| 99th | 2014 | National Judicial Appointments Commission (struck down in 2015) |
| 101st | 2016 | Goods and Services Tax; GST Council (Article 279A) |
| 102nd | 2018 | Constitutional status for the National Commission for Backward Classes (338B) |
| 103rd | 2019 | Up to 10% reservation for economically weaker sections (upheld, 2022) |
| 104th | 2020 | Ended Anglo-Indian nominations; SC/ST seat reservation extended to 2030 |
| 105th | 2021 | Restored States’ power to make their own backward-class lists |
| 106th | 2023 | One-third of seats for women in the Lok Sabha and Assemblies; in force from 16 April 2026, but the quota starts after the next delimitation |
Which amendment bills are in the news?
| Bill | Subject | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 129th Amendment Bill, 2024 | Simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies (“One Nation, One Election”) | With a Joint Parliamentary Committee |
| 130th Amendment Bill, 2025 | Removal of the PM, a CM or a minister held in custody for 30 days | With a Joint Parliamentary Committee |
| 131st Amendment Bill, 2026 | Raise the Lok Sabha cap to 850 seats and bring in women’s reservation through delimitation | Defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 (298 for, 230 against: short of two-thirds) |
Bill numbers and Act numbers are different. A bill is numbered when it is introduced; the Act gets the next free number only when it is passed. The 86th Amendment Act, for example, was introduced as the 93rd Amendment Bill.
How is the Constitution amended under Article 368?
| Method | Majority needed | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Simple majority (not under Article 368) | Majority of members present and voting | New States (Art. 2–4), citizenship, quorum, Fifth and Sixth Schedules |
| Special majority | Majority of total membership and two-thirds of those present and voting, in each House | Fundamental Rights, DPSP, most provisions |
| Special majority + States | As above, plus ratification by half the State legislatures | Election of the President, Supreme Court and High Courts, Seventh Schedule lists, GST Council (279A), Article 368 itself |
What is the basic structure doctrine?
In Kesavananda Bharati (1973), the Supreme Court held that Parliament can amend any part of the Constitution but cannot destroy its basic structure. Features held to be part of it include the supremacy of the Constitution, judicial review, free and fair elections, federalism, secularism, the separation of powers and the rule of law. The list is built case by case; the Constitution itself does not define it (PYQ 2020).
Read the full chapter with every UPSC PYQ in our free Amendment & Basic Structure notes.
Sources
- Constitution of India, Article 368 (Legislative Department)
- PRS Legislative Research: Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2026
- Lawstreet: Lok Sabha rejects 131st Amendment Bill
Test yourself: 4 UPSC PYQs on amendments
UPSC Prelims 2024: The Constitution (71st Amendment) Act, 1992 amends the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution to include which of the following languages?
1. Konkani
2. Manipuri
3. Nepali
4. Maithili- 1, 2 and 3
- 1, 2 and 4
- 1, 3 and 4
- 2, 3 and 4
Answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1, 2 and 3. The 71st added Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali. Maithili came with the 92nd (2003).
UPSC Prelims 2023: In India, which one of the following Constitutional Amendments was widely believed to be enacted to overcome the judicial interpretations of the Fundamental Rights?
- 1st Amendment
- 42nd Amendment
- 44th Amendment
- 86th Amendment
Answer and explanation
Answer: (a) 1st Amendment. The 1st Amendment (1951) responded to rulings like Romesh Thapar and Champakam Dorairajan by adding restrictions to Article 19 and Article 15(4).
UPSC Prelims 2022: Consider the following statements:
1. A bill amending the Constitution requires a prior recommendation of the President of India.
2. When a Constitution Amendment Bill is presented to the President of India, it is obligatory for the President of India to give his/her assent.
3. A Constitution Amendment Bill must be passed by both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha by a special majority and there is no provision for joint sitting.- 1 and 2 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Answer and explanation
Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only. No prior recommendation is needed. Assent is obligatory, and there is no joint sitting.
UPSC Prelims 2009: Which one of the following Constitutional Amendments states that the total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Ministers shall not exceed fifteen percent of the total number of members of the House of the People?
- 90th
- 91st
- 92nd
- 93rd
Answer and explanation
Answer: (b) 91st. 91st Amendment, 2003 (Article 75(1A)).
Frequently asked questions
How many times has the Indian Constitution been amended?
106 times. The latest is the Constitution (106th Amendment) Act, 2023, on women's reservation, brought into force on 16 April 2026.
Which amendment is called the mini-Constitution?
The 42nd Amendment, 1976. It added Socialist, Secular and Integrity to the Preamble, the Fundamental Duties and new Directive Principles.
What happened to the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill?
It was defeated in the Lok Sabha on 17 April 2026 because it did not get the required two-thirds majority (298 for, 230 against).
Which amendment lowered the voting age to 18?
The 61st Amendment, 1988.
Can an amendment bill be passed in a joint sitting?
No. Each House must pass a Constitution amendment bill separately by special majority. There is no joint sitting for it.