Why I’m Building a Modern Indian Constitution App (And Why It Matters)

Bridging Democracy and Technology

Every year, millions of Indians prepare for competitive exams like UPSC, SSC, State PSCs, and Judicial Services. The Indian Constitution forms the foundational core of these exams. For law students, journalists, policy aspirants, and curious citizens, understanding the Constitution is not just academic — it’s essential.

And yet, even in 2025, the Constitution is primarily accessed via clunky PDFs or outdated websites. There is no simple, well-designed, developer-friendly, or learner-friendly version of this national document. I want to change that.

The Vision: Indian Constitution, Reimagined for the Digital Era

I’m building an open-source web app and Ruby gem to make the Indian Constitution accessible, searchable, and interactive.

Here’s what the project aims to do:

✅ Phase 1: Digital Constitution App (Rails + Hotwire)

• Clean, user-friendly interface

• Organized by Parts, Articles, Schedules

• Article-by-article navigation

• Keyword-based search

• Available in English (with future multilingual support)

🔍 Phase 2: UPSC & SSC Enhancements

• Tagging of priority articles based on previous years’ questions (PYQs)

• MCQs linked article-wise

• Track progress by sections

• UPSC/State PSC preparation modes

🔧 Phase 3: Developer API & Open-Source Expansion

• Provide an open API for civic-tech tools, legal researchers, and educators

• Collaborate with open-source contributors for feature ideas

• Release a Rails gem version for developer integration

Why This is Needed

• Over 10 lakh aspirants write the UPSC Civil Services Exam each year

• Another 2-3 lakh attempt SSC CGL

• Each Indian state has State PSC exams requiring deep understanding of the Constitution

• Lawyers, journalists, and citizens often refer to the Constitution

Yet, we all rely on:

• The MHA's PDF copy (great, but not searchable or interactive)

• Commercial guidebooks like Laxmikanth's (which has sold millions of copies)

• Websites that are either ad-filled or badly organized

This project will fill that gap with a clean, civic-focused, and open-source alternative.

Call for Collaborators

I’m looking for:

• Ruby on Rails developers (new or experienced) who are UPSC/SSC aspirants or alumni

• People passionate about legal tech, civic tech, or open-source education tools

• Mentors who can help with deployment, testing, or architecture

If you’d like to contribute, share ideas, or just follow along:

• Star the repo

• Drop me a DM on LinkedIn

• Suggest ideas in the comments

Final Word

India deserves a Constitution app as beautiful as the ideals it contains. Let’s build it together.

Thank you for reading — and more soon!