Bare ActOfficial Text of Article 11
11. Parliament to regulate the right of citizenship by law.—
Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this Part shall derogate from the power of Parliament to make any provision with respect to the acquisition and termination of citizenship and all other matters relating to citizenship.
Articles 5 to 10 only sorted out citizenship on day one. Article 11 says: nothing in those Articles limits Parliament.
Parliament has full power to make laws on how citizenship is acquired (gained), how it is terminated (lost), and everything else about citizenship.
Using this power, Parliament passed the Citizenship Act, 1955. It lists five ways to become a citizen: by birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory; and three ways to lose it: renunciation, termination and deprivation.
Parliament has amended this Act many times, and every change, from the birth rules to the OCI card, comes from the power in Article 11.
🏠 Everyday Analogy
Think of the Constitution as the foundation of a house, and Parliament as the builder. Part II laid the foundation in 1950: who lives in the house on day one. Article 11 hands the builder the right to add floors, fix the entry rules and decide who can move in or out in future.
🇮🇳 Real Indian Example
A baby born in Bhopal in 1980 became a citizen by birth regardless of the parents' nationality. After Parliament amended the law, a baby born in Bhopal after 3 December 2004 is a citizen by birth only if both parents are Indian, or one is Indian and the other is not an illegal migrant. Same city, different rule, because Article 11 lets Parliament change it.
Quick RevisionKey Points to Remember
- Part II's earlier Articles do not limit Parliament's power.
- Parliament controls acquisition, termination and all other matters of citizenship.
- Main law: Citizenship Act, 1955.
- Five ways to acquire: birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, incorporation of territory.
- Three ways to lose: renunciation, termination, deprivation.
Citizenship Act TimelineHow Parliament Has Used Article 11
| Year | Change |
|---|---|
| 1955 | Citizenship Act passed: 5 ways to acquire and 3 ways to lose citizenship. |
| 1986 | Birth rule tightened: for births from 1 July 1987, at least one parent must be an Indian citizen. |
| 2003 | For births from 3 December 2004, both parents must be citizens, or one a citizen and the other not an illegal migrant. Overseas citizenship introduced. |
| 2015 | PIO card scheme merged into the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) Cardholder scheme. |
| 2019 | Citizenship (Amendment) Act: faster citizenship for Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who entered India on or before 31 December 2014. Rules notified in March 2024. |
UPSC · State PSC · JudiciaryExam Corner
- Entry 17, Union List (Seventh Schedule) covers "citizenship, naturalisation and aliens", so only Parliament can legislate on it.
- Naturalisation usually needs 12 years' residence in India (Third Schedule of the Act); under the 2019 amendment it is 5 years for the covered migrant groups.
- Incorporation of territory: when new land joins India (e.g. Goa, Puducherry, Sikkim), the Government notifies who among its people become citizens.
- The validity of the CAA, 2019 has been challenged before the Supreme Court.
Practice MCQTest Yourself: Article 11
The Citizenship Act, 1955 was made under the power given by which Article?
Doubts ClearedFrequently Asked Questions
Which law decides citizenship in India today?
The Citizenship Act, 1955, made by Parliament under Article 11, with its later amendments.
Can a State Legislature make a citizenship law?
No. Citizenship is Entry 17 of the Union List, and Article 11 gives the power to Parliament.
What are the ways to acquire Indian citizenship?
Five ways under the Citizenship Act, 1955: birth, descent, registration, naturalisation and incorporation of territory.