NDA (II) 2022 General Ability Test · Question 88 of 150

Correct — A, Jawaharlal Nehru. Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution in the Constituent Assembly on 13 December 1946, four days after the Assembly first met. It set out the philosophy the Constitution was to rest on — an independent sovereign republic, a federation of autonomous units, guaranteed justice, equality and freedoms for all citizens and safeguards for minorities — and the Assembly adopted it unanimously on 22 January 1947.

• (b)Rajendra Prasad — Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President of the Constituent Assembly on 11 December 1946, so he presided over the sitting at which the Resolution was moved rather than moving it himself.
• (c)B. R. Ambedkar — Ambedkar's decisive role came later — he was appointed chairman of the Drafting Committee on 29 August 1947, more than eight months after this Resolution was introduced.
• (d)Alladi Krishnaswami Aiyar — Alladi Krishnaswami Aiyar was one of the Assembly's leading constitutional lawyers and a member of the Drafting Committee, but the Objectives Resolution was moved by Nehru.

The Objectives Resolution was the Constituent Assembly's statement of first principles — a declaration of what kind of state the Constitution would create, adopted before any drafting began. Its language was carried almost directly into the Preamble of the Constitution, which is why it is treated as the Preamble's parent document.

The distractors are all central figures of the Assembly, so the item is really testing the sequence of who did what and when. A useful ordering to hold on to is that the Assembly met on 9 December 1946 with Sachchidananda Sinha in the chair as temporary President, Rajendra Prasad became permanent President on 11 December, Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution on 13 December, and Ambedkar took charge of drafting only from 29 August 1947.

• Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution on 13 December 1946; the Assembly adopted it unanimously on 22 January 1947.
• The Constituent Assembly held its first sitting on 9 December 1946 with 207 members present, under temporary President Sachchidananda Sinha.
• Rajendra Prasad was elected permanent President of the Assembly on 11 December 1946.
• B. R. Ambedkar was appointed chairman of the Drafting Committee on 29 August 1947; the Constitution was adopted on 26 November 1949.

• Assuming the Assembly's President (Rajendra Prasad) moved the Resolution because he presided.
• Attributing every early landmark of the Assembly to Ambedkar, whose drafting role began only in August 1947.

A who-and-when recall item on the Constituent Assembly's opening weeks — Nehru, 13 December 1946.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  The Objectives Resolution moved in the Constituent Assembly was finally adopted on

  • (a)9 December 1946
  • (b)13 December 1946
  • (c)22 January 1947
  • (d)26 November 1949

  Answer(c) 22 January 1947 — it was moved on 13 December 1946 and adopted unanimously on 22 January 1947.

• practice — not a real PYQ

  Which document of the Constituent Assembly is regarded as the source of the Preamble of the Indian Constitution?

  • (a)The Cabinet Mission Plan
  • (b)The Objectives Resolution
  • (c)The Nehru Report
  • (d)The Government of India Act, 1935

  Answer(b) The Objectives Resolution — its wording was carried into the Preamble.