What type of democracy is followed in India at the national level under its constitutional system of government?

Introduction / Context:
This question tests basic understanding of the form of democracy that India follows. While democracy as a general concept indicates rule by the people, there are different ways to implement it, such as direct, presidential or parliamentary systems. Knowing the exact nature of Indian democracy is essential for any student of polity.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question refers to democracy in India at the national level.
• It asks for the type of democracy followed under the Constitution.
• Options include direct, presidential, representative and dictatorial forms.
• The correct option must match the actual constitutional arrangements.

Concept / Approach:
India is a sovereign, socialist, secular and democratic republic with a parliamentary form of government. People do not directly make laws themselves at the national level through frequent referendums. Instead, they elect representatives to the Lok Sabha and to State legislative assemblies. The Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. This is the hallmark of representative parliamentary democracy.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Rule out dictatorship and military rule, since India is a constitutional democracy and a republic. Step 2: Direct democracy involves citizens voting directly on laws and policies, which is not the primary model in India. Step 3: Presidential democracy, as in the United States, has a separately elected executive President who is not responsible to the legislature in the same way as a parliamentary cabinet. India does not follow this system. Step 4: India follows a system where the executive is drawn from and responsible to the legislature and where people choose representatives through regular elections. This is representative parliamentary democracy.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can confirm by recalling key features of the Indian system: presence of a nominal head of state, the President; real executive power vested in the Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister; collective responsibility to the Lok Sabha; and regular general elections. These are classic indicators of a parliamentary system. Also, the Preamble and various articles speak of India as a democratic republic where people exercise power through elected representatives, which is representative democracy.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Direct democracy: Found in limited form in some countries through frequent referendums, but India primarily uses representative institutions.
• Presidential democracy: Does not match India structure where the executive is responsible to Parliament and the head of government is the Prime Minister, not an independently elected President with full executive powers.
• Dictatorship: Involves concentration of authority in one person or a small group without effective constitutional checks or free elections, which is opposite to Indian arrangements.
• Military rule: Refers to governance by armed forces through coups and martial law, which does not apply to India constitutional history.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates read only the word democracy and overlook the qualifiers. Others may confuse the presence of an elected President with a presidential system. To avoid this, remember that in India the President is largely a ceremonial head, while the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are responsible to the legislature. This is the core of parliamentary representative democracy.

Final Answer:
India follows a Representative parliamentary democracy under its constitutional system of government.