DPSP & Fundamental Duties — UPSC Prelims Polity previous year questions

All three pairs are correctly matched.
Pair I is correct. Separation of the judiciary from the executive is in Article 50. It is a Directive Principle.
Pair II is correct. Valuing and preserving the rich heritage of our composite culture is in Article 51A(f). It is a Fundamental Duty.
Pair III is correct. Article 24 bars employing children below 14 in factories. It is a Fundamental Right.
So the answer is all three.
Remember: Article 24 also bars children from mines and other hazardous work.

Source: Constitution of India, Arts. 24, 50 and 51A(f)

Article 39(c) directs the State to ensure that the economic system does not lead to concentration of wealth and means of production to the common detriment.
This is a Directive Principle in Part IV.
The Right to equality and the right to freedom are Fundamental Rights and do not speak of wealth concentration.
'Concept of welfare' is not a constitutional provision.
Remember: Article 39(b) and (c) get priority over Articles 14 and 19 under Article 31C.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 39(c)

Statement 1 is incorrect. Article 37 says Part IV provisions are not enforceable by any court.
Statement 2 is correct for the same reason.
Statement 3 is correct. Article 37 also says the principles are fundamental in governance, and the State must apply them in making laws.
So 2 and 3 only are correct.
Remember: Part IV covers Articles 36 to 51.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 37

Article 50 is a Directive Principle. It asks the State to take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in public services.
The Preamble does not mention this separation. The Seventh Schedule only divides subjects between Union and States. It is not a matter of convention, as it is written in the Constitution.
Remember: Article 50: separation of judiciary from executive.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 50

Statement 1 is incorrect. The Constitution gives no direct way to enforce Fundamental Duties. They are not justiciable.
Statement 2 is incorrect. They are moral and civic duties. They are not necessarily legal duties, though Parliament may make laws on them.
So neither statement is correct.
Remember: Fundamental Duties are in Article 51A, added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 51A

Statement 1 is incorrect. Directive Principles are not enforceable by courts, so they do not bind the legislature.
Statement 2 is incorrect. The same reason applies to the executive. Article 37 says courts cannot enforce them.
Directive Principles are only guidelines. They are duties of moral and political weight, not legal limits.
UPSC's official key gives (d) Neither 1 nor 2.
Remember: Article 37 makes Directive Principles non-justiciable but fundamental in governance.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 37

The 42nd Amendment (1976) added Article 43A. It requires the State to secure workers' participation in the management of industries.
Equal pay for equal work (Article 39(d)) was in the original Constitution.
Right to work, education and public assistance (Article 41) was also original.
Living wage and humane conditions of work (Article 43) was original too.
The 42nd Amendment also added Articles 39A and 48A.
Remember: 42nd Amendment added Articles 39(f), 39A, 43A and 48A to Part IV.

Source: Constitution of India, Part IV; 42nd Amendment Act, 1976

Rights and duties are correlative. A right of one person creates a duty on others to respect it.
The Constitution now lists Fundamental Duties in Article 51A, alongside Fundamental Rights.
Rights are not independent of society, so the second option is wrong.
Saying only rights or only duties matter is also wrong. Both are needed for the individual and the State.
Remember: Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Amendment on the Swaran Singh Committee's advice.

Source: Constitution of India, Part III and Part IV-A

A welfare State works for the social and economic well-being of its people.
Part IV, the Directive Principles of State Policy, sets this goal. Articles 38, 39, 41 and 43 are examples.
The Preamble states general ideals but does not give specific welfare duties.
Fundamental Rights protect individual liberties against the State.
The Seventh Schedule only divides legislative powers.
Remember: Directive Principles aim to build a welfare State, borrowed from the Irish Constitution.

Source: Constitution of India, Part IV (Arts. 36-51)

Statement 1 is correct. Article 51A(f) asks citizens to value and preserve the composite culture.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Protecting weaker sections is a Directive Principle (Article 46), not a duty.
Statement 3 is correct. Article 51A(h) mentions scientific temper and spirit of inquiry.
Statement 4 is correct. Article 51A(j) asks citizens to strive for excellence.
Remember: Article 51A now lists 11 duties; the 11th (education of children) came with the 86th Amendment.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 51A

Statement 1 is not Gandhian. Uniform civil code (Article 44) is a liberal-intellectual principle.
Statement 2 is Gandhian. Article 40 asks the State to organise village panchayats.
Statement 3 is Gandhian. Article 43 asks the State to promote cottage industries in rural areas.
Statement 4 is not counted as Gandhian in the standard classification. It is treated as a socialist principle.
UPSC's key gives (b), 2 and 3 only.
Remember: Gandhian principles include Articles 40, 43, 43B, 46, 47 and 48.

Source: Constitution of India, Part IV; M. Laxmikanth, Indian Polity (classification of DPSP)

The National Social Assistance Programme (1995) gives pensions and family benefit to the poor.
It follows Article 41 of the Directive Principles. That article asks the State to give public assistance in old age, sickness and disablement.
Fundamental Rights are enforceable rights against the State. They do not create welfare schemes.
Fundamental Duties are obligations of citizens, not of the State.
So only the Directive Principles apply.
Remember: NSAP implements Article 41 and Article 42 of Part IV.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 41; Ministry of Rural Development, NSAP

Fundamental Rights are justiciable. A person can move the Supreme Court (Article 32) or a High Court (Article 226) to enforce them.
Directive Principles are non-justiciable under Article 37. Courts cannot enforce them.
The first option is wrong because both bind Union and State governments.
The second option is wrong because both are parts of the Constitution (Part III and Part IV).
Remember: Fundamental Rights restrain the State; Directive Principles guide it.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 37 and Part III

Statement 1 is incorrect. Prohibition of trafficking and forced labour is in Article 23, a Fundamental Right.
Statement 2 is correct. Article 47 directs the State to prohibit intoxicating drinks and harmful drugs, except for medicinal use.
Remember: Article 47 also asks the State to raise nutrition levels and public health.

Source: Constitution of India, Arts. 23 and 47

Directive Principles aim at social and economic democracy. They ask the State to reduce inequality and secure a fair living for all.
Political democracy is already provided by Fundamental Rights and elections.
Social democracy alone is incomplete, as it leaves out economic equality.
Gandhian democracy is wrong because only some Directive Principles are Gandhian.
Remember: Ambedkar said Directive Principles aim at economic democracy.

Source: Constitution of India, Part IV; Constituent Assembly Debates (Ambedkar)

Article 51 asks the State to promote international peace and security.
It also asks the State to maintain just relations between nations and respect international law.
Article 48A is about protecting the environment.
Article 43A is about workers' participation in management.
Article 41 is about the right to work, education and public assistance.
Remember: Article 51 is the last Article of Part IV.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 51

Article 50 directs the State to separate the judiciary from the executive. This pair is correct.
Article 46 promotes educational and economic interests of SCs, STs and weaker sections. This pair is correct.
Article 43A concerns workers' participation in the management of industries. Promotion of co-operative societies is Article 43B, added by the 97th Amendment (2011). So this pair is wrong.
Article 40 directs the State to organise village panchayats. This pair is correct.
Remember: Article 43A and 43B are different. 43A is workers, 43B is co-operatives.

Source: Constitution of India, Part IV, Arts. 40, 43A, 43B, 46, 50

Assertion (A) is true. Article 21A requires the State to provide free and compulsory education to children aged 6 to 14.
Reason (R) is true. Education is a basic condition for development as a human right.
(R) gives the reason for making education a right. So (R) explains (A).
Remember: The Right to Education Act, 2009 gives effect to Article 21A.

Source: Constitution of India, Art. 21A

Article 39A is correctly matched. It provides equal justice and free legal aid.
Article 40 is correctly matched. It directs the State to organise village panchayats.
Article 44 is correctly matched. It speaks of a uniform civil code.
Article 48 is wrongly matched. It deals with organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry, including banning cow slaughter.
Separation of the judiciary from the executive is in Article 50.
Remember: Article 50 is the Directive Principle on separating the judiciary from the executive.

Source: Constitution of India, Arts. 39A, 40, 44, 48, 50

Assertion (A) is true. The MGNREGA 2005 guarantees 100 days of wage employment a year to every rural household whose adult members volunteer for unskilled manual work.
Reason (R) is false. The right to work is not in Part III.
It appears in Article 41, a Directive Principle in Part IV, which is not enforceable in court.
The Act, however, gives a statutory right to work.
So A is true and R is false.
Remember: MGNREGA gives a legal guarantee, not a Fundamental Right.

Source: Constitution of India: Article 41; MGNREGA 2005