Daily Static Quiz Prelims Practice 2027
- Fundamental Duties are enforceable by courts.
- They were inspired by the Constitution of the erstwhile USSR.
- They were originally part of the Constitution enacted in 1950.
Statement 1 is incorrect — Fundamental Duties are non-justiciable; no one can be compelled by courts to perform them, and Article 32 cannot be invoked for their enforcement (though Parliament may enact laws to operationalise them, e.g. the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act). Statement 2 is correct — they were inspired by the Constitution of the erstwhile USSR. Statement 3 is incorrect — the 1950 Constitution had only Fundamental Rights and DPSPs; Duties were added later by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 on the Swaran Singh Committee's recommendation.
Fundamental Duties are placed under Part IVA, which contains the single Article 51A (added by the 42nd Amendment). For contrast: Part III → Fundamental Rights (Arts. 12–35, justiciable); Part IV → DPSPs (Arts. 36–51, non-justiciable); Part V → Union Government (President, Parliament, Attorney General, etc.).
The original 10 Duties came via the 42nd Amendment, 1976. The 11th Duty — Article 51A(k), the duty of parents/guardians to provide educational opportunities to children aged 6–14 — was inserted later by the 86th Amendment Act, 2002. The same amendment added Article 21A (Right to Education) and modified Article 45, forming a constitutional triangle of Fundamental Right, DPSP, and Fundamental Duty on education.
- Protect environment — 51A(g)
- Develop scientific temper — 51A(h)
- Safeguard public property — 51A(i)
- Defend the country — 51A(j)
Pairs 1, 2 and 3 are correct — 51A(g) protect environment, forests, lakes and wildlife; 51A(h) develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry; 51A(i) safeguard public property and abjure violence. Pair 4 is wrong — "defend the country" is Article 51A(d); Article 51A(j) is to "strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity."
The Swaran Singh Committee, set up during the Emergency by the Indira Gandhi government, recommended the inclusion of Fundamental Duties to promote discipline, strengthen national unity, and balance rights with civic obligations. Its recommendations were given effect through the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976.
