Static Quiz 17 July 2026 (Indian Polity)

Option (b) is correct — the Directive Principles were explicitly borrowed from the Irish Constitution of 1937, itself drawing on the Spanish Constitution, embodying social and economic democracy alongside the political democracy of Fundamental Rights. Option (a) is wrong — Article 37 explicitly states DPSPs are non-justiciable, not enforceable by any court. Option (c) is wrong — Article 37 declares DPSPs fundamental in governance but expressly states they are not court-enforceable, contradicting the second half of this option. Option (d) is wrong — DPSPs blend socialist, Gandhian, and liberal-intellectual ideologies, spanning economic rights, Gandhian principles, and international relations principles, not exclusively socialist ones.

Pairs 1, 2 and 4 are correctly matched. Article 39(d) directs equal pay for equal work for men and women; Article 40 directs the State to organise village panchayats as self-government units, the constitutional foundation for the 73rd Amendment; and Article 51 directs the promotion of international peace, just relations between nations, and respect for international law. Pair 3 is incorrect — the right to work, education, and public assistance is covered under Article 41, not Article 45; Article 45 originally dealt with free and compulsory education for children up to 14, later elevated to Fundamental Rights status via the 86th Amendment and Article 21A.

Both A and R are correct, and R explains A. The negative-versus-positive obligation distinction is fundamental to understanding Parts III and IV of the Constitution: Fundamental Rights use language like "the State shall not deny," reflecting restraint, while DPSPs use language like "the State shall endeavour" and "shall secure," reflecting affirmative duties. This linguistic and constitutional distinction directly explains the assertion, making it a clean cause-and-effect pair.

Statements 1, 2 and 3 are correct. In Champakam Dorairajan (1951), the Supreme Court ruled Fundamental Rights prevail over DPSPs in conflict, prompting the First Amendment inserting Article 15(4). The 42nd Amendment (1976) expanded Article 31C to shield laws implementing all DPSPs from challenge under Articles 14 and 19, though Minerva Mills later restored it to cover only Articles 39(b) and 39(c). Minerva Mills (1980) is the landmark ruling that the balance between Fundamental Rights and DPSPs is itself part of the Basic Structure. Statement 4 is incorrect — Kesavananda Bharati (1973) established the Basic Structure doctrine, not absolute DPSP supremacy; that fabricated overstatement is precisely what Minerva Mills later prevented.

Option (b) is correct — the 86th Amendment (2002) inserted Article 21A as a Fundamental Right guaranteeing free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, while amending Article 45 to cover early childhood care below age 6, later operationalised through the RTE Act, 2009. Option (a) is wrong — equal pay under Article 39(d) remains only a Directive Principle, interpreted judicially but never formally elevated. Option (c) is wrong — Article 43A, inserted by the 42nd Amendment, remains a Directive Principle. Option (d) is wrong — Article 48 has never been given Fundamental Rights status.