About Constitution Day
Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Divas, marks 26 November 1949, the day the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India, two months before it came into force on Republic Day. The government notified it in 2015, and it was earlier known as National Law Day. In 2026 it falls on Thursday, 26 November 2026.
India has two birthdays for its Constitution. On 26 November 1949 the Constituent Assembly adopted it. On 26 January 1950 it came into force. The second is Republic Day, a national holiday with a parade. The first is Constitution Day, a working day on which schools, courts and offices stop for a few minutes to read the Preamble aloud.
What is the history of Constitution Day?
Constitution Day marks 26 November 1949, when the Constituent Assembly adopted the final text of the Constitution of India after nearly three years of drafting and debate, and it became an official observance in 2015. Before that, lawyers and courts marked the date as National Law Day. On 19 November 2015 the central government notified it as Constitution Day, or Samvidhan Divas, and the first official observance was held that year, the 125th birth anniversary year of B. R. Ambedkar, who chaired the Drafting Committee. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the decision on 11 October 2015 at an event for the Ambedkar memorial in Mumbai.
How was India's Constitution made?
India's Constitution was made by the Constituent Assembly, which first met on 9 December 1946 and worked for 2 years, 11 months and 18 days over eleven sessions. It began with 389 members; after Partition in 1947 the number fell to 299. Rajendra Prasad presided, B. N. Rau served as constitutional adviser, and B. R. Ambedkar chaired the seven-member Drafting Committee. Women members, including Sarojini Naidu, Hansa Mehta and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur, shaped the provisions on equality and justice.
- 9 Dec 1946First sitting
The Constituent Assembly meets in New Delhi with 207 members present.
- 13 Dec 1946Objectives Resolution
Jawaharlal Nehru moves the resolution that later becomes the Preamble.
- 29 Aug 1947Drafting Committee
A committee chaired by B. R. Ambedkar is set up to prepare the draft.
- 26 Nov 1949Constitution adopted
The Assembly passes the final text: Constitution Day.
- 24 Jan 1950Signed
284 members sign the hand-lettered Hindi and English copies.
- 26 Jan 1950In force
The Constitution takes effect and India becomes a republic: Republic Day.
The original copies were written by hand. The calligrapher Prem Behari Narain Raizada lettered the English text, and artists from Santiniketan, including Nandalal Bose and Beohar Rammanohar Sinha, decorated each page. At about 1,45,000 words, it is the longest written national constitution in the world.
The day before adoption, Ambedkar made his closing speech to the Assembly, warning that political democracy would not last without social democracy.
Without fraternity, equality and liberty will be no deeper than coats of paint.
How is Constitution Day observed in India?
Constitution Day is observed mainly by reading the Preamble. Schools, colleges, government offices and courts gather staff or students in the morning to read it together, in English, Hindi or the state language. Schools hold quizzes, essay and poster competitions on the Constitution, colleges hold mock parliaments and debates, and bar associations and courts hold law-day events. It is not a public holiday.
The government often uses the day to release the Constitution in new languages. In 2023 Manipur released an edition in Meetei Mayek script with English. On Constitution Day 2024, the 75th anniversary of adoption, the President released a Maithili translation, and in November 2025 official translations into Kashmiri and several other languages followed.
| Compare | Constitution Day | Republic Day |
|---|---|---|
| Date | 26 November | 26 January |
| Marks | Adoption of the Constitution, 1949 | Constitution coming into force, 1950 |
| Status | Observance; offices and schools open | National holiday |
| Main event | Reading of the Preamble | Parade on Kartavya Path, New Delhi |
| Also known as | Samvidhan Divas, National Law Day | Gantantra Diwas |
What are the Fundamental Duties?
The Fundamental Duties are a list of obligations of every citizen in Article 51A of the Constitution. They were not in the original text. Ten duties were added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976, on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee, and an eleventh, the duty of parents to provide opportunities for education to children aged six to fourteen, was added by the 86th Amendment in 2002. They include respecting the Constitution, the flag and the anthem, protecting the environment, developing scientific temper and renouncing practices derogatory to the dignity of women. Many schools read them out on Constitution Day alongside the Preamble.
What should you write on Constitution Day?
A Constitution Day message is best when it names one right or duty and what it means in daily life: a vote that counts the same as anyone's, a court that anyone can approach, a faith anyone can follow. Quoting the Preamble is always safe.
Happy Constitution Day. "Justice, liberty, equality, fraternity" still fit on one line and still ask a lot of all of us.
Happy Samvidhan Divas. Read the Preamble today, slowly. Every word in it was argued over for three years by people who had just won freedom.
Warm wishes on Constitution Day, the day the profession calls Law Day. Thank you for keeping every article of it alive in courtrooms every day.
Happy Constitution Day. Dadaji's vote, Didi's right to study what she wanted, our freedom to pray as we like: all of it is written down in one book.
Happy Constitution Day. Thank you for making us read the Preamble aloud until we meant it.
On Constitution Day, we remember the 299 members of the Constituent Assembly who gave India a Constitution that belongs to every citizen equally.
Do
- Quote the Preamble or the Assembly debates rather than viral "facts".
- Credit the Assembly and the Drafting Committee, not a single person only.
- Mention duties as well as rights; the day is about both.
Avoid
- Don't mix it up with Republic Day or send "Happy Republic Day" in November.
- Avoid using the Constitution as a weapon in a greeting against a party or group.
- Don't forward claims about the handwritten copies without checking them.
For the man who chaired the Drafting Committee, see Ambedkar Jayanti. The Election Commission, set up under Article 324, marks its own day on National Voters' Day.
How to wish someone on Constitution Day
A Constitution Day message is about what the document promises every citizen: equal rights, the vote, freedom of speech and faith, and the duties that go with them. Quote the Preamble or a line from the Assembly debates rather than a slogan, credit the 299 members and the drafting committee, not one person alone, and keep it free of party politics.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is Constitution Day in 2026 and 2027?
Constitution Day is on 26 Nov every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
Why is Constitution Day celebrated on 26 November?
Constitution Day is celebrated on 26 November because the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution of India on that date in 1949. The Constitution then came into force on 26 January 1950, which is Republic Day.
When was Constitution Day first celebrated?
The central government notified 26 November as Constitution Day on 19 November 2015, and the first official Samvidhan Divas was held that year, during B. R. Ambedkar's 125th birth anniversary year. Before that, the date was marked as National Law Day.
What is the difference between Constitution Day and Republic Day?
Constitution Day on 26 November marks the adoption of the Constitution in 1949. Republic Day on 26 January marks the day it came into force in 1950 and India became a republic, and only Republic Day is a national holiday.
How many members signed the Constitution of India?
284 members of the Constituent Assembly signed the Constitution on 24 January 1950. Each signed two hand-lettered copies, one in Hindi and one in English.
How long did it take to make the Constitution of India?
The Constituent Assembly took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days, from its first sitting on 9 December 1946 to the adoption of the Constitution on 26 November 1949.
Who wrote the original Constitution of India by hand?
The calligrapher Prem Behari Narain Raizada wrote out the original English text by hand. Artists from Santiniketan, including Nandalal Bose and Beohar Rammanohar Sinha, illustrated its pages.
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