ConstitutionThe making of the Constitution
How the Constituent Assembly wrote the Constitution: the people, the dates and the numbers.
A constitution is the highest law of a country. It sets up the organs of government, limits their powers and protects the rights of the people. India's Constitution was not handed down by anyone. It was written by Indians, through debate, over almost three years.
The Constituent Assembly
The body that wrote the Constitution was the Constituent Assembly. Its members were chosen in 1946 by the provincial assemblies, under the Cabinet Mission Plan. It met for the first time on 9 December 1946. Dr Sachchidananda Sinha, the oldest member, was its temporary president. On 11 December 1946, Dr Rajendra Prasad was elected its permanent President.
On 13 December 1946, Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution, which set out the ideals of the future Constitution. It was adopted on 22 January 1947 and later became the basis of the Preamble.
The Drafting Committee
The Assembly worked through many committees. The most important was the Drafting Committee, set up on 29 August 1947 with Dr B. R. Ambedkar as its chairman. It had seven members. Its task was to prepare the draft of the Constitution and steer it through the Assembly. For this work Dr Ambedkar is remembered as the chief architect of the Constitution. B. N. Rau, the constitutional adviser to the Assembly, prepared the first draft for the committee to work on.
The important dates
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 9 December 1946 | First meeting of the Constituent Assembly |
| 13 December 1946 | Objectives Resolution moved by Jawaharlal Nehru |
| 22 July 1947 | National flag adopted |
| 29 August 1947 | Drafting Committee set up |
| 26 November 1949 | Constitution adopted (now observed as Constitution Day) |
| 24 January 1950 | Members signed the Constitution; national anthem and national song adopted; Dr Rajendra Prasad elected first President of India |
| 26 January 1950 | Constitution came into force (Republic Day) |
26 January was chosen for the commencement because on that day in 1930 the Indian National Congress had first celebrated Purna Swaraj Day.
The numbers
- The work took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days.
- The original Constitution had a Preamble, 395 articles in 22 parts, and 8 schedules.
- After more than a hundred amendments, it now has 25 parts and 12 schedules. Articles added later carry a letter, such as 21A or 243ZG, so the last article is still numbered 395.
- It is the longest written constitution of any country in the world.
A handwritten book
The original Constitution was not printed. It was written out by hand in flowing calligraphy by Prem Behari Narain Raizada, and its pages were decorated by artists from Shantiniketan led by Nandalal Bose. The original copies are preserved in the Parliament of India.
Key articles on this page
| Article | What it says, in short |
|---|---|
| 393 | Short title: this Constitution may be called the Constitution of India. |
| 394 | Commencement: a few articles came into force on 26 November 1949 and the rest on 26 January 1950. |
| 395 | Repeals the Indian Independence Act, 1947 and the Government of India Act, 1935. |
Quick questions
Think of the answer first, then tap to check.
When did the Constituent Assembly first meet?
On 9 December 1946.
Who was the chairman of the Drafting Committee?
Dr B. R. Ambedkar.
How long did it take to make the Constitution?
2 years, 11 months and 18 days.
How many articles, parts and schedules did the original Constitution have?
395 articles, 22 parts and 8 schedules.
This page explains the Constitution in simple words for students and general readers. It is not the official text and is not legal advice. The official text is published by the Legislative Department, Government of India (legislative.gov.in). Last checked: 11 November 2026.