WHAT Exactly Is the Biggest Challenge in Studying the Indian Constitution?
To understand the “what,” imagine two kinds of subjects:
- Fixed subjects — like Contract or IPC, where rules are mostly stable.
- Evolving subjects — where meanings change depending on new judgments.
The Constitution belongs to the second category.
So the biggest challenge is this:
The Constitution of India is a living, evolving document, and its meaning keeps changing through Supreme Court judgments.
Now let’s break down what this means, step by step.
The Constitution Doesn’t Stay the Same — Its Interpretation Keeps Changing
Even though the text of the Constitution hardly changes day to day, its meaning does.
Why?
Because every time the Supreme Court delivers a big judgment, the interpretation of an Article can:
- expand,
- shrink,
- or completely transform.
Example:
Article 21 originally meant “protection from unlawful detention.”
After decades of judgments, it now includes:
- right to privacy
- right to a clean environment
- right to dignity
- right to livelihood
- right to the internet (in certain contexts)
So the text stayed the same, but the meaning grew massively.
This constant change is the core difficulty.
Students Must Learn Judgments, Not Just Articles
In most subjects, you study the law → then case law explains it.
But in constitutional law, case law creates the law.
That means a student studying Article 19 or 21 cannot rely on the Article alone.
They must understand:
- what the Supreme Court has said,
- how it has changed over time,
- which interpretation is still valid.
This turns a simple Article into a massive, layered topic.
Old Interpretations Get Replaced Often
Another challenge is that constitutional law evolves in phases.
For example:
- The meaning of “personal liberty” changed after Maneka Gandhi.
- The meaning of “arbitrariness” changed after Shayara Bano.
- The meaning of “privacy” changed after Puttaswamy.
So students must constantly track:
- which phase
- which interpretation
- which case
- and which doctrine
is currently accepted.
There Is No Single “Correct Answer” — Only Evolving Answers
Unlike the IPC (where the ingredients of an offence stay mostly the same), constitutional questions depend on:
- historical context
- judicial philosophy
- precedents
- doctrine development
This often makes answers open-ended rather than fixed.
Students feel confused because they expect certainty, but constitutional law demands understanding, not memorization.
The Constitution Is Huge, Interconnected, and Multi-Layered
Another part of the challenge is the structure of the Constitution itself.
It covers:
- fundamental rights
- directive principles
- federalism
- judiciary
- emergency powers
- separation of powers
- amendments, etc.
And each of these topics connects to others.
Example:
To fully understand Article 14 (equality), you must also understand:
- Article 15
- Article 16
- Reasonable classification
- Arbitrariness
- Proportionality
- Basic structure
- Fundamental rights doctrine
This interconnected nature makes it difficult to isolate one topic.
Judgments Are Long, Technical, and Multi-Opinion
A constitutional case isn’t a 2-page judgment.
It often has:
- multiple judges
- concurring opinions
- dissents
- complex reasoning
- references to international law
- historical analysis
Understanding one constitutional bench case can take hours — sometimes days.
Small Tips to Make It Easier
1. Start with the Bare Act — always
Read the Article first to know what the law actually says.
Then move to cases.
2. Learn 1 landmark case per Article first
Don’t try to memorize dozens.
Begin with ONE defining case for each Article, like:
- A.K. Gopalan / Maneka Gandhi (Art. 21)
- Kesavananda Bharati (Basic Structure)
- Puttaswamy (Privacy)
This builds a foundation.
3. Make small “doctrine maps”
Example for Article 14:
Equality → Arbitrariness → Classification → Proportionality
This helps you instantly recall how a doctrine evolved.
4. Use short case briefs, not full judgments
Read 1–2 page summaries first.
Only go to the full judgment if you need deeper understanding.
5. Update yourself with major new judgments monthly
Just reading the latest Constitution Bench rulings helps you stay ahead.
6. Don’t study it in one stretch
Constitutional law is heavy.
Study it in small sections—Rights, Structure, Federalism, Judiciary, Amendments.
7. Use referencers (like M.P. Jain / VN Shukla)
They organize concepts clearly, reducing the confusion of scattered notes.
