The 42^nd Amendment of the Indian Constitution (1976) states that India is a/an ____________ nation.

Key Points

• The 42nd Amendment of the Indian Constitution, enacted in 1976, added the term secular to the Preamble, declaring India as a secular nation.
• A secular state is one that does not uphold any religion as the state religion and treats all religions equally.
• This amendment aimed to emphasize the commitment of the Indian state to maintain neutrality in religious matters and ensure that all citizens are treated equally, irrespective of their religion.
• The amendment also added the terms "socialist" and "integrity" to the Preamble, among other significant changes.

Additional Information

• The 42nd Amendment is also known as the "Mini-Constitution" due to its comprehensive nature and the wide-ranging changes it introduced.
• It was enacted during the Emergency period under Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's government.
• Besides the Preamble, the amendment also made significant changes to the Constitution in areas such as the judiciary, the executive, and the federal structure.
• The amendment has been subject to criticism and subsequent modifications, particularly through the 44th Amendment, which aimed to restore some of the checks and balances that were altered by the 42nd Amendment.