RAS question
Who was the permanent chairman (president) of the Constituent Assembly?
Correct answer: (C) Dr. Rajendra Prasad.
Dr. Rajendra Prasad was elected the permanent chairman, or president, of the Constituent Assembly on 11 December 1946.
Explanation
The Constituent Assembly debate for 11 December 1946 records the item as the election of the permanent Chairman. Dr. Rajendra Prasad's name was proposed for the Chairmanship of the Constituent Assembly, with his consent recorded. After considering the valid nominations and noting that there was no other nomination before him, the temporary Chairman, Dr. Sachchidananda Sinha, declared Dr. Rajendra Prasad the duly elected permanent Chairman. The proceedings immediately treated this office as the presidency of the House, asking members to bring the duly elected President to the platform and then offering congratulations to the permanent Chairman. This is why the MCQ answer is Dr. Rajendra Prasad, not another senior leader associated with the Assembly's work.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) Sardar Patel was associated with committee work and even seconded Rajendra Prasad's nomination, but he was not elected president of the Constituent Assembly.
- (B) Dr. B.R. Ambedkar chaired the Drafting Committee, so his role was central to drafting but different from presiding over the Assembly.
- (D) Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution, but that did not make him the permanent chairman or president of the Constituent Assembly.
Concept
This tests the organisation and key office-holders of the Constituent Assembly, a recurring RAS theme in modern Indian history and polity. Such questions check whether candidates can distinguish between famous leaders' Assembly roles rather than memorising names loosely.