UPSC Prelims 2017 · GS Paper I
Question 36: Polity and Governance
Which of the following statements is/are true of the Fundamental Duties of an Indian citizen ?
- 1.A legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties.
- 2.They are correlative to legal duties.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
AnswerUPSC’s answer is (d).
The Fundamental Duties (Article 51A, added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976) are non-justiciable: the Constitution provides no sanction or enforcement process for them, so Statement 1 is wrong. They are moral and civic obligations on citizens, not legal duties that go hand in hand with enforceable rights, so Statement 2 is wrong as UPSC puts it. Courts cannot compel a citizen to perform them, though Parliament may pass separate laws on some of them. Remember: Fundamental Duties are not enforceable by the courts.
- 1. The Constitution provides no enforcement process for the duties.
- 2. They are moral obligations, not legal duties with a sanction.
How you could have got this
- If you were sure statement 1 is not correct, (a) and (c) go: each of them includes 1.
What you needed to know: The Constitution provides no enforcement process for the duties.
- Then, if you were sure statement 2 is not correct, (b) goes: it includes 2.
What you needed to know: They are moral obligations, not legal duties with a sanction.
Only (d) is left. This one needs every statement.
Which options go is worked out from UPSC’s key and the options, not by a model.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Wrong: the Constitution provides no legislative process to enforce them.
- (b) Wrong: they are not legal duties correlated with enforceable rights.
- (c) Wrong: both statements are false.
- (d) Right: neither statement is correct.
Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.
Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.