How does a text transform in its life beyond the printed word? What happens when it is a foundational text like the Constitution of India? The classroom resource probes some of these questions, drawing on the History for Peace Conferences on ‘The Idea of the Indian Constitution’ in Calcutta 2019 and in Pune 2020, along with ‘The Idea of Justice’ annual conference held in Calcutta 2023. It offers teachers an interdisciplinary lens towards reading the Constitution drawing on history, political science, legal studies and sociology. It hopes to be able to introduce the Constitution as a powerful symbol of the Indian freedom struggle and trace its journey from the Constituent Assembly’s debates towards a citizen’s text.

The Constitution brought with it a promise of justice, a turning point after years of colonial rule; how does it uphold that promise? Can the text of the Constitution be manipulated? As the ‘law of the land’ what happens when the letter of the law is used to arbitrarily detain and harass, when the procedure of the law in itself becomes injustice? These are some of the issues that will be discussed via this module.

Feedback from Shiv Nadar School, Noida, where the draft of the module was piloted:

The Constitution was presented as a living, contested document that operates in everyday life, not merely as a legal text. Through age-appropriate discussions, case studies, and activities, students explored ideas of justice, rights, dissent, and the balance between state power and citizen freedoms. Concepts from the Constituent Assembly debates and Ambedkar’s vision were selectively introduced to highlight negotiation, disagreement, and social intent behind the Constitution.

Some critical points of discussion that emerged in class included:

• Whether the existence of law automatically ensures justice, and why gaps persist

• How the Constitution can both empower the state and enable citizens to question it

• The role of dissent and protest within a democratic framework

• Tensions between individual rights and collective or national interests

• Why social inequalities continue despite constitutional guarantees

This approach worked well for Grade 9 learners. Students showed strong engagement, made clear connections to current events, and demonstrated improved conceptual understanding beyond rote learning. While abstract ideas required careful scaffolding, overall the resource helped deepen critical thinking and foster early constitutional awareness.—Shefali Ahlawat

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