Who among the following was the advisor to the Drafting Com mittee of the Constituent Assmbly?

1. Genesis of the Constituent Assembly (basic)

Welcome to your first step in understanding the cornerstone of Indian democracy! To understand the Constituent Assembly, we must first look at its Genesis—the journey from a revolutionary idea to a concrete political reality. It wasn’t a gift from the British; it was a hard-won demand that evolved over two decades.

The intellectual seed was sown in 1934 by M.N. Roy, a pioneer of the communist movement in India, who first put forward the idea of a Constituent Assembly Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.11. While Roy provided the initial spark, Jawaharlal Nehru gave it political weight. By 1935, the Indian National Congress (INC) officially demanded an assembly to frame India’s constitution, asserting that such a document must be created "without outside interference" by an assembly elected via adult franchise A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.612.

For years, the British resisted this demand. However, the pressures of World War II and a changing global landscape forced their hand. In 1940, through the 'August Offer', they finally conceded that Indians should primarily determine their own constitution Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.11. This was followed by the Cripps Mission (1942), and finally, the Cabinet Mission Plan of 1946. It was under the recommendations of this 1946 Mission—comprising Pethick-Lawrence, Stafford Cripps, and A.V. Alexander—that the Constituent Assembly was finally formed in November 1946 History (TN Board), Last Phase of Indian National Movement, p.93.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Chapter 2: Making of the Constitution, p.11; Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM., Chapter 35: Making of the Constitution for India, p.612; History, class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.), Chapter 8: Last Phase of Indian National Movement, p.93

2. Composition and Initial Meetings (basic)

The journey of the Constituent Assembly began in a climate of great political tension. On December 9, 1946, the Assembly held its first meeting in the Constitution Hall (now the Central Hall of Parliament). However, this was not a full house; the Muslim League boycotted the meeting, demanding a separate state of Pakistan. As a result, only 207 members attended this historic opening session Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.12.

To get the proceedings started, the Assembly followed a French practice of electing the oldest member as the presiding officer. Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha was thus appointed as the temporary (provisional) President. Two days later, on December 11, 1946, the Assembly moved toward a permanent structure by electing Dr. Rajendra Prasad as its President. It is also important to note that the Assembly had two Vice-Presidents: H.C. Mukherjee and V.T. Krishnamachari Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.12.

While the members debated the political vision, the technical legal work was spearheaded by Sir B.N. Rau, who was appointed as the Constitutional Advisor. Rau was a distinguished jurist who studied various international constitutions to create the foundational framework for India. By October 1947, he submitted the first draft of the Constitution, which contained approximately 240 clauses and 13 schedules. This draft served as the primary working document that the Drafting Committee, under Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, would later scrutinize and refine Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.617.

Role	Personality
Provisional President	Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha
Permanent President	Dr. Rajendra Prasad
Constitutional Advisor	Sir B.N. Rau

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.12; Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.617

3. Objectives Resolution and Constitutional Philosophy (intermediate)

On December 13, 1946, just days after the Constituent Assembly first met, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru moved the historic 'Objectives Resolution'. Think of this as the "North Star" of the Indian Constitution; it wasn't a list of laws, but a declaration of intent that defined the philosophy and fundamentals of the constitutional structure Indian Polity, Chapter 2, p.12. It proclaimed India as an Independent Sovereign Republic and asserted that all power and authority of Independent India, its constituent parts, and organs of government are derived from the people.

The Resolution was not just a political statement; it was a promise of substantive justice. It guaranteed all people of India justice (social, economic, and political), equality of status and opportunity, and fundamental freedoms of speech, belief, and association Themes in Indian History Part III, Chapter: Framing the Constitution, p.322. Crucially, it recognized that a true democracy must protect its most vulnerable, explicitly promising adequate safeguards for minorities, backward and tribal areas, and depressed and other backward classes.

While Nehru provided the vision, the legal architecture was crafted by Sir B.N. Rau, the Constitutional Advisor. He synthesized these lofty ideals into a functional initial draft of 243 articles Indian Polity, Chapter 2, p.15. This philosophy eventually took the form of the Preamble, which serves as the "identity card" of our Constitution, summarizing its entire essence Indian Polity, Chapter 4, p.42.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Chapter 2: Making of the Constitution, p.12, 15; Themes in Indian History Part III, NCERT (2025 ed.), Framing the Constitution, p.322; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Chapter 4: Preamble of the Constitution, p.42

4. Major Committees of the Assembly (intermediate)

Imagine the Constituent Assembly as a massive construction project. To build something as complex as a nation’s supreme law, you cannot have 300 people shouting in one room about everything at once. Instead, the Assembly functioned through a division of labor. It appointed several Committees to deep-dive into specific tasks. These were broadly categorized into Major Committees (handling the core structural pillars) and Minor Committees (handling procedural and administrative details) Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.14. Most of the heavy lifting for the Major Committees was shared among four giants of the movement: Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, and Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. While Ambedkar famously chaired the Drafting Committee, it is crucial to recognize the foundational role of Sir B.N. Rau. Appointed as the Constitutional Advisor, Rau prepared the initial 'master draft' in October 1947, which contained 243 articles and 13 schedules. This draft served as the primary working document for Ambedkar’s committee to refine Spectrum, Making of the Constitution for India, p.617. To keep the roles clear, notice the pattern of leadership in the Major Committees:

Leader	Key Committees	Focus Area
Jawaharlal Nehru	Union Powers, Union Constitution, States Committee	Central Authority & Princely States
Sardar Patel	Provincial Constitution, Advisory Committee on FR & Minorities	State structures & Individual Rights
Dr. Rajendra Prasad	Rules of Procedure, Steering Committee	Internal management of the Assembly

One of the most vital bodies was the Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal Areas, headed by Patel. This committee was so vast that it operated through five sub-committees. For instance, the Fundamental Rights Sub-Committee was chaired by J.B. Kripalani, and the Minorities Sub-Committee by H.C. Mukherjee Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.14. Interestingly, not all committee members were members of the Assembly; for example, S. Varadachari (Ad-hoc Committee on the Supreme Court) was an outside expert brought in for his legal brilliance Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.15.

Sources: Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.14-15; Spectrum: A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.617; NCERT Class XII History: Themes in Indian History Part III, Framing The Constitution, p.320

5. Sources and Borrowed Features (intermediate)

When we look at the Indian Constitution, it is often described as a "patchwork quilt" of global wisdom. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously stated that the Constitution was framed after "ransacking all the known Constitutions of the world." This wasn't a matter of simple plagiarism; rather, the framers sought to adapt proven legal mechanisms to the unique socio-political soil of India. Laxmikanth, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.28

The foundational research for this massive undertaking was led by Sir B.N. Rau, the Constitutional Advisor. Before the Drafting Committee even met, Rau prepared an initial draft in October 1947, consisting of 243 articles and 13 schedules. He traveled to the USA, Canada, Ireland, and the UK to consult with legal experts, ensuring that the Drafting Committee, headed by Dr. Ambedkar, had a solid comparative framework to build upon. Laxmikanth, Making of the Constitution, p.15

The sources can be categorized into three distinct parts:

• Structural Part: Derived largely from the Government of India Act of 1935. This includes the federal scheme, the office of the Governor, the judiciary, and administrative details. In fact, more than half of our Constitution is identical to or bears a close resemblance to this Act. Laxmikanth, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.28, 41
• Philosophical Part: Inspired by the American (Fundamental Rights) and Irish (Directive Principles of State Policy) Constitutions.
• Political Part: Drawn from the British Constitution, which gave us the Parliamentary system and the principle of the Rule of Law.

Source	Key Features Borrowed
GoI Act 1935	Federal Scheme, Office of Governor, Public Service Commissions, Emergency provisions.
British Constitution	Parliamentary government, Rule of Law, Single citizenship, Bicameralism, Prerogative writs.
US Constitution	Fundamental Rights, Independence of judiciary, Judicial review, Removal of judges.

Critics like N. Srinivasan and P.R. Deshmukh once argued that the Constitution was a "Carbon Copy" of the 1935 Act. However, the framers argued that there is no "patent right" in the fundamental ideas of a Constitution, and their goal was to remove the faults of the 1935 Act while retaining its administrative stability. Laxmikanth, Salient Features of the Constitution, p.34

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Making of the Constitution, p.15; Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.), Salient Features of the Constitution, p.28, 34, 41

6. The Drafting Committee and its Members (exam-level)

While the Constituent Assembly had several committees tasked with specific subjects, the Drafting Committee was undoubtedly the most critical. It was the "engine room" of the Assembly, responsible for synthesizing the various reports and proposals into a cohesive legal document. However, the process actually began with a foundational figure: Sir B.N. Rau. As the Constitutional Advisor, Rau prepared the initial draft of the Constitution in October 1947, which consisted of 243 articles and 13 schedules. This served as the primary working document for the Drafting Committee Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Chapter 2, p.15.

On August 29, 1947, the Assembly formally appointed the Drafting Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. As the Law Minister and a brilliant legal mind, Ambedkar "piloted" the draft through the Assembly, meticulously defending every clause during the debates Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), p.20. The committee consisted of seven members who brought immense legal expertise to the table:

No.	Member Name	Note
1	Dr. B.R. Ambedkar	Chairman
2	N. Gopalaswamy Ayyangar	-
3	Alladi Krishnaswamy Ayyar	-
4	Dr. K.M. Munshi	-
5	Syed Mohammad Saadullah	-
6	N. Madhava Rau	Replaced B.L. Mitter (resigned due to ill-health)
7	T.T. Krishnamachari	Replaced D.P. Khaitan (died in 1948)

The committee worked with remarkable speed. After considering the proposals of other committees and the initial work of B.N. Rau, they published the first draft in February 1948 Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Chapter 2, p.15. This draft was then opened to the public, provincial assemblies, and the press for criticism and suggestions for eight months before the final revisions began.

Sources: Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth (7th ed.), Chapter 2: Making of the Constitution, p.15; Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.), THE MAKING OF THE CONSTITUTION, p.20; A Brief History of Modern India, Rajiv Ahir (Spectrum), Chapter 35: Making of the Constitution for India, p.616-617

7. Sir B.N. Rau: The Constitutional Advisor (exam-level)

While Dr. B.R. Ambedkar is celebrated as the Father of the Indian Constitution, the foundational blueprint upon which he worked was prepared by Sir Benegal Narsing Rau (B.N. Rau). Appointed as the Constitutional Advisor to the Constituent Assembly in 1946, Rau was a distinguished jurist and a judge of the Calcutta High Court who brought immense legal expertise to the table Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.616.

Rau’s role was essentially that of a master researcher and architect. He performed an exhaustive study of comparative constitutional law, analyzing the constitutions of various countries to identify best practices suitable for India. By October 1947, based on his research and the reports submitted by various internal committees (like the Union Constitution Committee), he prepared the initial draft of the Constitution. This original draft contained 243 Articles and 13 Schedules M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Making of the Constitution, p.15. It was this document that served as the primary working text for the Drafting Committee led by Dr. Ambedkar.

To understand the machinery of the Assembly, it is vital to distinguish between the different leadership roles to avoid common exam traps:

Personality	Specific Role in the Assembly
Dr. Sachchidanand Sinha	Provisional/Temporary President (Oldest member) Rajiv Ahir, A Brief History of Modern India, Making of the Constitution for India, p.617.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad	Permanent President of the Constituent Assembly.
Sir B.N. Rau	Constitutional Advisor; Prepared the 1st Draft.
Dr. B.R. Ambedkar	Chairman of the Drafting Committee; Piloted the final draft.

Rau’s contribution was so significant that Dr. Ambedkar himself acknowledged that the groundwork for the Constitution was laid by the Advisor's meticulous research. Rau later went on to become the first Indian judge at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), highlighting his global legal standing.

Sources: A Brief History of Modern India (Spectrum), Making of the Constitution for India, p.616-617; Indian Polity (M. Laxmikanth), Making of the Constitution, p.15

8. Solving the Original PYQ (exam-level)

Now that you've mastered the timeline of the Constituent Assembly, this question tests your ability to distinguish between the political leadership and the legal machinery behind the Constitution. You have learned that while the Assembly was a representative body, it required a bridge to global legal standards. This bridge was the Constitutional Advisor, a role designed to synthesize international legal frameworks into a working document. Think of this role as the architect who draws the initial blueprint before the engineers and builders (the Drafting Committee) begin their work. This distinction between the initial draft and the final refinement is a core concept in the M. Laxmikanth’s Indian Polity chapter on the Making of the Constitution.

To arrive at the correct answer, remember the sequence of events: before the Drafting Committee even met, a foundational document had to be prepared. This task fell to B.N. Rau, who was appointed as the Constitutional Advisor in 1946. He prepared the first draft of the Constitution in October 1947, which contained 243 articles. Therefore, (D) B.N. Rau is the correct choice. A common trap here is selecting Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (Option B); however, while Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee and the "Father of the Constitution," his role was to scrutinize and refine the draft that Rau had already provided.

UPSC often uses other prominent names to distract you. Sachidananda Sinha (Option C) was the interim/provisional President of the Assembly, a role he held briefly during the first meeting based on seniority. B. Shiva Rao (Option A) was indeed a member and a noted chronicler of the Constitution’s framing, but he did not hold the specific title of Advisor. As a coach, I advise you to always separate the 'Administrative heads' (like Sinha) from the 'Technical experts' (like Rau) and the 'Committee leaders' (like Ambedkar) to avoid these common pitfalls often highlighted in Rajiv Ahir’s A Brief History of Modern India.