Fundamental Duties: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Polity)
This page lists 4 previous year UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination (General Studies Paper-I) questions on Fundamental Duties (Polity), asked between 2011 to 2017. Choose an option to see the correct answer and the full explanation on the same page.
Showing 1–4 of 4 questions
UPSC 2017Polity · Fundamental Duties
Q1. 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:
Explanation
Fundamental Duties are enumerated in Part IV-A and consists of single Article 51A with 11 sub-articles.
Statement 1 is incorrect: Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution are outlined in Article 51A (Part IVA) and were added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976. These duties aim to promote a sense of responsibility, unity, and patriotism among Indian citizens. They serve as guidelines for citizens to contribute to the welfare of the nation. But no legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties. These duties are thus non-enforceable and non-justiciable in nature. However, courts have interpreted them as complementary to Fundamental Rights, and certain laws indirectly enforce them. Example: The Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 penalizes disrespect to the National Flag and National Anthem, indirectly enforcing Article 51A(a). Example: The Environment Protection Act, 1986 enforces Article 51A(g) (duty to protect the environment).
Statement 2 is incorrect: Fundamental Duties are not legally enforceable duties like legal obligations. They are moral obligations intended to promote civic responsibility and national consciousness, but there are no direct legal consequences for their violation.
Exam tip:
For S2, "Correlative" means they go hand-in-hand -- if you have a legal duty, then you also have a constitution-al duty, and vice versa. But that’s not necessarily true. Many legal duties (e.g. paying taxes, obeying traffic laws) exist regardless of Fundamental Duties. And many Fundamental Duties (like developing scientific temper or promoting harmony) are moral/ethical, not legal mandates. Hence S2 likely false.
UPSC 2015Polity · Fundamental Duties
Q2. "To uphold and protect the Sovereignty, Unity and Integrity of India" is a provision made in the:
Explanation
One of the Fundamental Duties is to "To protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India" A-51 A (c). among the 11 Fundamental Duties. Article 51A of part IV-A of the Indian Constitution deals with the Fundamental Duties. These duties are the moral and civic obligations that all citizens of a nation have. In 1976, the Fundamental Duties were first recommended by the Swaran Singh Committee by 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976.
Additional insight:
Justice J.S. Verma Committee was established in 1999 to make recommendations on how to enforce fundamental duties in India. The committee’s goal was to instill civic consciousness and a sense of responsibility in citizens.
UPSC 2012Polity · Fundamental Duties
Q3. Which of the following is/are among the Fundamental Duties of citizens laid down in the Indian Constitution? 1. To preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture. 2. To protect the weaker sections from social injustice. 3. To develop the scientific temper and spirit of inquiry. 4. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity. Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
Explanation
Article 51A of part IV-A of the Indian Constitution deals with the Fundamental Duties. These duties are the moral and civic obligations that all citizens of a nation have. In 1976, the Fundamental Duties were first recommended by the Swaran Singh Committee by 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976. One more Fundamental Duty was added by 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002. List of Fundamental Duties are - To abide by the Constitution and respect National Flag and National Anthem (Not national song) To follow the noble ideals that inspired the struggle for freedom. To protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. To render national service when called upon to do so. To promote the common spirit of brotherhood amongst all Indians and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women. To preserve the rich heritage of the country’s culture. To protect the national environment including forests, lakes, wildlife, etc. To develop scientific temper, humanism and spirit of reform and inquiry. To safeguard public property and to abjure violence. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individuals. To provide opportunity for education to his child between the age 6 and 14 years Thus, Protecting the weaker sections from social injustice is more relevant to Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP), not Fundamental Duties.
UPSC 2011Polity · Fundamental Duties
Q4. Under the constitution of India, which one of the following is not a fundamental duty?
Explanation
Article 51A of part IV-A of the Indian Constitution deals with the Fundamental Duties. These duties are the moral and civic obligations that all citizens of a nation have. To vote in public elections is not a fundamental duty as it is not included in article 51A. List of Fundamental Duties:
To abide by the Constitution and respect National Flag and National Anthem (Not national song) To follow the noble ideals that inspired the struggle for freedom. To protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. To render national service when called upon to do so. To promote the common spirit of brotherhood amongst all Indians + to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women. To preserve the rich heritage of the country’s culture. To protect the national environment including forests, lakes, wildlife, etc. To develop scientific temper, humanism and spirit of reform and inquiry. To safeguard public property and to abjure violence. To strive towards excellence in all spheres of individuals. To provide opportunity for education to his child between the age 6 and 14 years
Additional insight:
The Right to Vote in India is a constitutional right, not a fundamental right. It is provided under Article 326 of the Indian Constitution, which states that elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies shall be based on universal adult suffrage (for citizens aged 18 and above).
Answer key for these questions
Q
UPSC year
Correct answer
1
2017
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
2
2015
(d) Fundamental Duties
3
2012
(c) 1, 3 and 4 only
4
2011
(a) To vote in public elections
Frequently asked questions
How many previous year UPSC questions are there on Fundamental Duties?
This page covers 4 previous year UPSC Prelims GS Paper-I questions on Fundamental Duties (Polity), asked between 2011 to 2017. Each has the correct answer and an explanation.
How should I use previous year UPSC questions for Prelims?
Attempt each question first, then open the answer and read the explanation for every option. Repeat by chapter, and track which statements UPSC reuses across years. Previous year questions show the exam pattern and difficulty level.
Which years are covered for Fundamental Duties?
Questions on Fundamental Duties (Polity) are available for 4 years, from 2011 to 2017. Use the Year filter to practise a single paper.
