Q1. What is the fundamental nature of the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the Constitution of India?
DPSP and Fundamental Duties: RAS Prelims MCQs
99 RAS Prelims MCQs on the Directive Principles of State Policy and the Fundamental Duties cover the nature of the Directives, individual Articles, the amendments that added to them and the duties in Part IVA. Questions ask for the Article number, the subject and the amendment, and the explanations show how Directives differ from Fundamental Rights.
Practice questions based on the RPSC RAS Prelims syllabus. They follow the exam pattern but are not past-paper questions.
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Q2. Given below are two statements, one labelled as
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): The Directive Principles of State Policy are made non-justiciable in the Constitution.
Reason (R): At the time of independence, the Indian State did not possess sufficient financial resources to implement them simultaneously. In the context of the above statements, which one of the following is correct?
Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R):
Assertion (A): The Directive Principles of State Policy are made non-justiciable in the Constitution.
Reason (R): At the time of independence, the Indian State did not possess sufficient financial resources to implement them simultaneously. In the context of the above statements, which one of the following is correct?
Explanation
The framers of the Constitution made these principles non-justiciable because the newly independent Indian state lacked sufficient financial resources. They believed that implementing such vast socio-economic goals simultaneously was practically impossible. Consequently, they were kept as directives for the state rather than enforceable rights, allowing for implementation as the nation’s economic capacity grew over time.
Q3. In which part of the Constitution of India are the Directive Principles of State Policy and Fundamental Duties respectively located?
Explanation
The Directive Principles of State Policy are contained in Part four of the Constitution, spanning articles thirty-six to fifty-one. Conversely, the Fundamental Duties were added later through the forty-second amendment act of nineteen seventy-six and are housed in Part four-A under article fifty-one-A. Both parts represent the ethical and social obligations within the country’s legal framework.
Q4. The Constitution of India broadly categorizes the Directive Principles of State Policy into which of the following classifications?
Explanation
While the Constitution of India contains various directives for the state, it does not formally classify them into specific categories like socialistic or Gandhian. Scholars and experts usually categorize them based on their content and underlying philosophy for better understanding. However, the constitutional text itself presents them simply as a continuous list of articles within Part four of the document.
Q5. Read the following lists and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Directive Principle | Classification |
|---|---|
| A. Organization of village panchayats | i. Socialistic |
| B. Uniform Civil Code | ii. Gandhian |
| C. Equal pay for equal work | iii. Liberal-Intellectual |
| D. Protection of environment | iv. Liberal-Intellectual |
Explanation
Organizing village panchayats is a Gandhian principle, while the Uniform Civil Code and environmental protection fall under liberal-intellectual categories. Securing equal pay for equal work is a socialistic directive aimed at economic equality. These classifications help distinguish the various ideological influences that shaped the Constitution’s directives, though they are not explicitly mentioned in the document’s formal text.
Q6. Article 38 of the Constitution of India directs the State to promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order permeated by:
Explanation
Article thirty-eight directs the state to secure a social order for the promotion of the welfare of the people. This social order must be permeated by justice in three specific dimensions: social, economic, and political. It essentially acts as a foundational directive for the state to minimize inequalities and provide a just environment for all citizens in India.
Q7. Which specific Article of the Constitution of India requires the State to direct its policy towards securing equal pay for equal work for both men and women?
Explanation
Article thirty-nine contains several principles of policy to be followed by the state. Specifically, clause (d) of this article mandates that there should be equal pay for equal work for both men and women. This provision aims to eliminate gender-based economic discrimination and ensures that work of equal value is rewarded equally across the entire Indian workforce.
Q8. Consider the following statements regarding the provisions of Article 39 of the Constitution:
I. It directs the state to secure adequate means of livelihood for all citizens.
II. It mandates the equitable distribution of material resources of the community for the common good.
III. It promotes the establishment of village panchayats.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. It directs the state to secure adequate means of livelihood for all citizens.
II. It mandates the equitable distribution of material resources of the community for the common good.
III. It promotes the establishment of village panchayats.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Article thirty-nine directs the state to ensure that all citizens have the right to an adequate means of livelihood and that the ownership and control of material resources are distributed for the common good. However, the establishment of village panchayats is actually governed by Article forty, which is a separate Gandhian principle within the Indian Constitution’s listed directives.
Q9. Which amendment to the Constitution of India added Article 39A to promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor?
Explanation
The forty-second amendment act of nineteen seventy-six introduced Article thirty-nine-A to the Constitution. This article directs the state to ensure that the legal system operates on a basis of equal opportunity for justice. It specifically mandates the provision of free legal aid to the poor and needy to ensure that justice is not denied due to economic disabilities.
Q10. Arrange the following landmark Supreme Court cases involving the relationship between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles in chronological order:
I. Minerva Mills case
II. Golaknath case
III. Champakam Dorairajan case
IV. Kesavananda Bharati case
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
I. Minerva Mills case
II. Golaknath case
III. Champakam Dorairajan case
IV. Kesavananda Bharati case
Select the correct answer using the codes below:
Explanation
The legal relationship between rights and directives evolved through several cases. The Champakam Dorairajan case occurred in nineteen fifty-one, followed by the Golaknath case in nineteen sixty-seven. The landmark Kesavananda Bharati judgment was delivered in nineteen seventy-three, and the Minerva Mills case, which established the balance between rights and directives as a basic feature, took place in nineteen eighty.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 1 | (b) Non-justiciable but fundamental in the governance of the country |
| 2 | (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A. |
| 3 | (c) Part IV and Part IVA |
| 4 | (d) Formal classification is not provided in the text |
| 5 | (c) A-ii, B-iii, C-i, D-iv |
| 6 | (b) Justice: social, economic, and political |
| 7 | (d) Article 39 |
| 8 | (a) I and II only |
| 9 | (c) 42nd Amendment Act |
| 10 | (a) III, II, IV, I |
Key facts from DPSP and Fundamental Duties
- The Directive Principles are non-justiciable but fundamental in the governance of the country; they are in Part IV, and Fundamental Duties are in Part IVA.
- The Constitution does not classify the Directives, though they are grouped as socialist, Gandhian and liberal-intellectual.
- Article 38 asks the State to secure a social order based on social, economic and political justice.
- Article 39 deals with the equitable distribution of resources, and Article 39A, added by the 42nd Amendment, provides for equal justice and free legal aid.
- Article 41 covers the right to work, education and public assistance in unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement.
- Article 42 provides for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief.
Frequently asked questions
How many RAS Prelims practice MCQs are there on DPSP and Fundamental Duties?
This page has 99 practice MCQs on DPSP and Fundamental Duties (Indian Polity and Governance). Each has the correct answer, and most have an explanation.
Are the Directive Principles enforceable in court?
No. They are non-justiciable, which means a court cannot enforce them, but they are fundamental in the governance of the country. The State is expected to apply them in making laws and policies.
Which Amendment added Article 39A?
The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976. Article 39A directs the State to promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid so that opportunities for justice are not denied by economic or other disabilities.
In which Parts are the DPSP and the Fundamental Duties?
The Directive Principles are in Part IV (Articles 36 to 51) and the Fundamental Duties in Part IVA (Article 51A). The duties were added by the 42nd Amendment on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee.