BharatNotes Sovereignty
nounUsage in a UPSC answer
While the Constitution vests sovereignty in "We, the People," India's federal design distributes its exercise between the Union and the States, demonstrating that sovereignty can be shared in practice even as it remains indivisible in principle.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Word Family
sovereign (n/adj), sovereignly (adv), sovereignize (v, rare), co-sovereignty (n)
Root
Old French soverainete → Latin super = above; soverain = supreme; -té/-ty = abstract noun suffix
Etymology
From Old French soverainete, from soverain ("supreme"), based on Latin super ("above"); recorded in English from the 14th century.
Memory Hook
Think "SOVEREIGN" = one who reigns SUPER (above) all — Latin super, "above." The sovereign sits above every other authority, owing allegiance to none.
How This Word Works in UPSC Writing
Supreme authority within a territory and independence from external control. The distinction that carries most GS2 answers is between the internal aspect, supreme authority over everything within the territory, and the external aspect, freedom from subordination to another State. Note also that accepting treaty obligations is an exercise of sovereignty rather than a loss of it, which is the standard reply to arguments that international commitments erode it.
Don’t Confuse It With
Sovereignty is supreme authority within a territory and independence outside it. Autonomy is self-government within a larger sovereign entity. Territorial integrity concerns the inviolability of borders specifically. Jurisdiction is the legal authority to act in a defined sphere, which may extend beyond a State's own territory in limited cases.
Hindi Meaning
संप्रभुता (samprabhutā).
Common Questions
- What is sovereignty?
- Supreme authority within a territory together with independence from external control.
- Do international treaties reduce sovereignty?
- No. Entering treaty obligations is itself an exercise of sovereign choice, and the State retains authority over what commitments it accepts.
Seen in UPSC Question Papers
- Mains 2023 · GS2 · 10 marks — Indian Polity
- Mains 2014 · GS3 · 12.5 marks — Security / Science & Technology
- Mains 2013 · GS3 · 10 marks — Security / Economy
Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Sovereignty” — proof this word earns its place on your list.
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