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Being a fully democratic nation adopting its constitution on January 26th, 1950, India guts the rocky way, manifests, and experiences the world's largest democracy. This article examines the course of India's journey with milestones of social, political, and economic progress, in particular, the various democratic institutions that evolved and significant constitutional amendments.
Illustration by The Geostrata
The transformation of the Indian nation-state from an infant sovereign country into a global power is an extraordinary odyssey in sociopolitical and economic terms.
India's Constitution, 1950, envisaged a democratic republic with a parliament system modeled largely according to the Westminster model. It constitutes directives, and guidelines of good government and conduct, along with that which ensures justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity. The most important are universal suffrage, independent judiciary, and safeguarding civil liberties.
THE DEEDS OF EARLY NATION BUILDING (1950-1970)
Framework: The first twenty years defined the nation-building case. In this period, Jawaharlal Nehru emphasised parliamentarism with all other sorts of institutions, such as an Election Commission in 1950 that was supposed to ensure fair and free elections. The first general elections to be held only two years later would have confirmed its dedication to universal adult suffrage.
Based on an economic perspective, Prime Minister Nehru's policy of self-sufficiency originated within the planning spectrum began with the first five-year plan of 1951. This course, later labeled the "Nehruvian model," emphasised the growth and accountability of the state in industries and infrastructure to diminish the import dependencies and encourage economic resilience.
This policy portrayed an emphasis on heavy industries and investing in high-resource sectors- an approach that is critical to the economic transformation of India. In addition, institutions like the IITs were significant to developing human capital in line with a long-run vision where the skilled workforce, and thereby technological progress and innovation, is central to the economic transformation in India.
Constitutional Amendment Number One (1951): Allowed the state to make provision for socially and economically disadvantaged groups.
The Seventeenth Amendment (1964): Land reforms received a great impetus by the abolition of the Zamindari system.
CHALLENGES AND CONSOLIDATION (1970-1990)
The Green Revolution in agriculture changed the entire agrarian economy of the country into one that provided food security; yet the license raj stayed to drag back economic growth until the the liberalisation of the 1990s pierced through.
Political Dynamics: The 1970s experienced political instability during the Emergency (1975-77), when most civil liberties were suspended. The 1980s on the other hand will witness the growth of the regional parties, so that one may describe it as a period when single party rule came to be replaced by coalition politics.
Constitutional Developments: Twenty-Fourth Amendment (1971): A key moment in the Constitutional history of India was marked by the Twenty-Fourth Amendment. This was in the discharge of the conflict between Parliament and the judiciary as to the amending of Fundamental Rights. It was in response to the Golaknath case, where, in 1967, the Supreme Court declared that Fundamental Rights did not fall within reach of Parliament.
By adding Articles 13(4) and 368(3), the amendment specifically provided that Parliament could amend everything in the Constitution, including Fundamental Rights, if the procedure prescribed in Article 368 is satisfied. Hence, by emphasising parliamentary sovereignty with respect to the constitution, it also pointed out the weaknesses over possible misuse of the same.
Forty-second Amendment (1976): Named as the "Mini-Constitution" for being wide-ranging amendments, the Forty-Second Amendment came into effect during the Emergency (1975-1977) led by the then Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi, trying to create a centre of governance and recast the Constitution's ideology in some extra direction. It included "Socialist," "Secular," and "Integrity" to the Preamble, requiring the same to take care of welfare, divine neutrality, and national unity.
The Directive Principles were extended in order to promote social justice enshrining provisions like free legal aid (Article 39A), worker participation (Article 43A), and environmental protection (Article 48A).
The amendment narrowed the judicial review power over Q of constitutional changes, thus, increasing the scope of power enjoyed by both Parliament and the executive. Striving for some good, the ideology is still labeled "controversial" by critics with its timing within clipped wings of democracy.
ECONOMIC LIBERALISATION AND DEMOCRATIC DEEPENING (1991-2010)
Economic Transformation: The 1991 reforms that were initiated by P.V. Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh broke down the license raj, opened doors for markets and operated globalisation. The IT sector of India has grown: it is a very significant part of GDP, while most of the backbone of services began during that period.
Image Credits: Rightful Owner
Democratic Decentralisation: Local governance was further liberalised through the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments of 1992, which transferred powers to the panchayat institutions of the Panchayati Raj and urban local bodies, respectively, securing grassroots participation.
Judicial Activism: This was the era of public interest litigations, which took place in the courts regarding social and economic injustices and environmental despoliation.
CONTEMPORARY ERA: GLOBAL POWERHOUSE (2010-2025)
Socio-Political Transformation: India's democracy has sustained despite challenges like political polarisation and debates over institutional autonomy. The digital revolution transformed citizen engagement with greater transparency and accountability.
Economic Achievements: By 2025, India had emerged as the world's fifth-largest economy. Policies such as Make in India, Digital India, and Startup India increased manufacturing and innovation. Efforts towards renewable energy, including the International Solar Alliance, marked the commitment of India towards sustainability.
Global Diplomacy: Strategic alliances, active involvement in multilateral forums (BRICS, QUAD, G20), and leadership in global health during the COVID-19 pandemic are among the diplomatic triumphs of India.
IMPORTANT CONSITUTIONAL AMMENDMENTS
The Ninety-Ninth Amendment of 2014 was aimed at establishing the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC), which functioned to replace the collegium system of judicial appointments to the higher judiciary.
The inclusion in the appointment of members from the executive and various representatives from civil society indicated the attempt to ensure the process was transparent and accountable. However, the Supreme Court struck it down in 2015, citing the reason for violating judicial independence, thereby violating what is called the basic structure of the Constitution.
The One Hundred and First Amendment (2016) aimed at transforming the economic system of the nation by introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
GST, as a significant economic reform, ended indirect tax systems that had been prevalent in India and blended them into a single commodity and services charge. Presumably, it reduced economic separatism and largely simplified the movement of goods and services between states by changing multiple taxes into a single tax system.
India's journey from 1950 to 2025 has been remarkable in terms of socio-political and economic progress. The development of democratic institutions along with constitutional adaptability speaks of India's potential as a global power.
As the nation approaches its 75th republic anniversary, its resilience and commitment to democracy, equality, and justice remain its greatest strengths. Addressing challenges like inequality, political polarisation, and environmental sustainability will ensure India's continued ascent on the world stage.
BY PRASUN KASHYAP
TEAM GEOSTRATA
Very well summed up.