🔍 Introduction: Why Citizenship Matters in Indian Polity Citizenship defines the legal and political relationship between an individual and the State . In India, the concept of citizenship gained exceptional importance during Partition (1947) due to large-scale migration across newly drawn borders. To address this historic challenge, the Constitution of India (Articles 5 to 11) laid down initial provisions of citizenship at the commencement of the Constitution (26 January 1950) and empowered Parliament to regulate future citizenship laws. 📘 Reference Source: India Year Book – Ministry of Information & Broadcasting 📜 Constitutional Provisions: Articles 5 to 11 Explained Article 5 – Citizenship at the Commencement of the Constitution A person was deemed a citizen of India if he/she: Had domicile in India, and Was born in India, or Had either parent born in India, or Had ordinarily resided in India for 5 years immediately before 26 Jan 1950 📌 Key UPSC Angle : Domi...
Union and Territories & Citizenship in India – Complete UPSC Polity Guide with Examples, Current Affairs & PYQ Analysis.
Introduction Union and Territories and Citizenship are foundational chapters of Indian Polity . UPSC consistently asks questions from these areas because they explain India’s territorial structure and who legally belongs to the Indian State . Clear conceptual understanding here helps in Prelims MCQs, Mains answers, and Essay writing . Part I: Union and Territories of India (Articles 1–4) Article 1: India as a “Union of States” The Constitution describes India as a “Union of States” , not a federation of states. Why “Union”? States do not have the right to secede The Union is indestructible States are destructible and reorganizable 🔹 Daily-life example: Even if a state assembly demands separation, it has no constitutional authority to do so. Types of Territories in India India consists of: States Union Territories (UTs) 🔹 Example: Police and public order in Del...