In its Preamble and basic design, the Constitution of India describes the country as a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic and defines it as which of the following in terms of its political structure?

Introduction / Context:
The way in which the Constitution of India describes the country is very important for understanding Indian federalism and the relationship between the Union and the states. The Preamble and Article 1 use specific words that express the nature of the Indian Union. This question tests whether you remember that India is described as a Union of States rather than as a simple federation or a purely unitary state. Such wording reflects both the unity and the diversity of the Indian nation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to the description of India in the Constitution.
• The Preamble calls India a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic.
• Article 1 of the Constitution uses the phrase India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
• The options list different possible labels such as unitary state, quasi federal arrangement, Union of States and loose federation.

Concept / Approach:
Although India has many features of a federation, the framers deliberately chose the phrase Union of States instead of Federation of States. The idea was to emphasise the indestructible unity of India while still recognising the existence of separate states with powers of their own. Therefore, the correct approach is to recall the exact constitutional phrase from Article 1 and select the option that matches Union of States. The other options either describe a fully unitary system or misrepresent the flexibility of the Indian Union.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall Article 1 of the Constitution, which states that India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States. Step 2: Note that the question is asking how the Constitution describes India in terms of its political structure. Step 3: Examine option C, which states A Union of States. This exactly mirrors the language used in Article 1. Step 4: Option A describes India as a purely unitary state with no division of powers, which is not true because there is a clear division of legislative and administrative subjects between the Union and the states. Step 5: Option B, a quasi federal arrangement, is more of an academic description than a constitutional phrase and therefore cannot be the correct textual answer. Step 6: Option D talks about a loose federation of completely independent states, which does not reflect the strong central features of the Indian Union. Step 7: Conclude that only option C accurately reflects the wording of the Constitution.

Verification / Alternative check:
As an alternative check, you can remember the common exam question India, that is Bharat, is described as what in Article 1. Standard polity books consistently quote the phrase Union of States. The framers of the Constitution, including Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, explained in the Constituent Assembly that the word union was chosen to indicate that the Indian federation was not the result of an agreement among independent states and that states did not have the right to secede. This explanation strongly supports the phrase Union of States as the correct constitutional description and rules out the other options.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A: Calling India a unitary state with no division of powers ignores the federal elements such as the distribution of legislative subjects and the existence of state governments.

Option B: Quasi federal is a useful concept in academic commentary, but it is not the official phrase used in the Constitution, so it cannot answer a text based question.

Option D: A loose federation of completely independent states misrepresents reality, because Indian states do not have the power to secede and are not fully independent entities.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often mix up constitutional language, academic descriptions and political commentary. They may remember reading that India has a quasi federal structure with a strong centre, and then mistakenly choose such a phrase as if it were directly taken from the Constitution. For exam purposes, it is essential to differentiate between what the Constitution actually says in its articles and how scholars describe those provisions. Remembering the exact phrase Union of States and connecting it with Article 1 can help avoid confusion and secure easy marks on such questions.

Final Answer:
A Union of States.