2017 GS Paper I, all questions

UPSC Prelims 2017 · GS Paper I

Question 47: Polity and Governance

In the context of India, which one of the following is the correct relationship between Rights and Duties ?

aRights are correlative with Duties.
bRights are personal and hence independent of society and Duties.
cRights, not Duties, are important for the advancement of the personality of the citizen.
dDuties, not Rights, are important for the stability of the State.

AnswerUPSC’s answer is (a).

Rights and duties are two sides of one coin: my right to something is a duty on others and on the State to respect it, and a citizen enjoys rights only if others perform their duties. In India the Fundamental Duties sit alongside Fundamental Rights for this reason. Rights are not independent of society, and neither rights alone nor duties alone are enough for personal development or the stability of the State. Remember: rights are correlative with duties.

Why each option is right or wrong
  • (a) Right: rights and duties are correlative.
  • (b) Wrong: rights exist in society and depend on others' duties.
  • (c) Wrong: duties matter too for the development of personality.
  • (d) Wrong: both rights and duties matter for stability.

Answer: UPSC’s key. Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 2017, General Studies Paper I, Series A. The paper on upsc.gov.in.