What was the exact constitutional description of the Indian Republic on 26 January 1950, the day the Constitution of India was inaugurated and came into force?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests your knowledge of the exact wording of the Preamble and the constitutional status of India on 26 January 1950, the date on which the Constitution came into effect and India became a Republic. It is important to distinguish between the original text of the Preamble and the changes that were introduced later through constitutional amendments. Many exam questions ask you to identify which words were added later and what the original description of India was at the time of inauguration of the Constitution.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The date in focus is 26 January 1950.
• We are asked about the exact constitutional status of the Indian Republic on that date.
• Options include phrases such as Democratic Republic, Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic, Sovereign Democratic Republic, and Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic, as well as Federal Democratic Republic.
• We assume familiarity with the Preamble before and after the Forty Second Amendment.

Concept / Approach:
Originally, the Preamble described India as a Sovereign Democratic Republic. The words Socialist and Secular were inserted later by the Forty Second Amendment Act of 1976, which changed the description to Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic. Therefore, in 1950, the Preamble did not contain the terms Socialist or Secular. It already contained the word Sovereign, so the phrase A Sovereign Democratic Republic is the correct one for that time. The option that includes both Sovereign and Democratic Republic but not Socialist or Secular matches the original position.

Step-by-Step Solution:
1. Recall the original Preamble before the Forty Second Amendment: it began with the words Sovereign Democratic Republic. 2. Note that the words Socialist and Secular were added much later in 1976, long after 1950. 3. Therefore, any option mentioning Socialist or Secular cannot describe the constitutional status on 26 January 1950. 4. The option A Democratic Republic omits the word Sovereign, which was present from the beginning and is thus incomplete. 5. Hence, the correct description for 1950 is A Sovereign Democratic Republic.

Verification / Alternative check:
You may verify this by comparing the Preamble text as printed in older editions of the Constitution or in standard polity textbooks. They clearly show the original wording as Sovereign Democratic Republic, with Socialist and Secular added in brackets or highlighted as later insertions. The Forty Second Amendment is well known precisely because it altered the Preamble in this way. Remembering this sequence is a common exam requirement and confirms that A Sovereign Democratic Republic is the correct option for the year 1950.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• A Democratic Republic: Misses the important word Sovereign and thus does not reflect the full original description.
• A Sovereign Secular Democratic Republic: Includes Secular, which was not part of the Preamble in 1950.
• A Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic: Includes both Socialist and Secular, words inserted by the Forty Second Amendment in 1976, not present in 1950.
• A Federal Democratic Republic: The word Federal is not used in the Preamble in this way, so this is incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent mistake is to memorise only the current Preamble and forget that some words are later additions. As a result, candidates sometimes choose the option with Socialist and Secular even when the question specifically refers to the situation in 1950. The best way to avoid this is to clearly mark in your notes which parts of the Preamble are original and which came via amendment. This will help you handle questions about the Preamble across different years and contexts.

Final Answer:
On 26 January 1950, at the inauguration of the Constitution, India was described in the Preamble as a Sovereign Democratic Republic.