Q31. Article 50 of the Constitution of India directs the State to take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the:
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.
Showing 31–40 of 99 questions
Q32. Consider the following directives aimed at promoting international peace and security under Article 51 of the Constitution of India:
I. Promote international peace and security.
II. Maintain just and honourable relations between nations.
III. Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations.
IV. Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
I. Promote international peace and security.
II. Maintain just and honourable relations between nations.
III. Foster respect for international law and treaty obligations.
IV. Encourage settlement of international disputes by arbitration.
Which of the above statement(s) is/are correct?
Explanation
Article fifty-one outlines the state’s objectives regarding international relations. It directs the state to promote international peace and security, maintain just and honorable relations between nations, and foster respect for international law and treaty obligations. Additionally, it encourages the settlement of international disputes through arbitration, reflecting India’s commitment to peaceful coexistence and the global rule of law and cooperation.
Q33. Which of the following Directive Principles was NOT added by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act of 1976?
Explanation
The forty-second amendment act of nineteen seventy-six added directives regarding healthy child development, free legal aid, and environmental protection. However, the directive to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities, and opportunities under Article thirty-eight was actually added by the forty-fourth amendment act of nineteen seventy-eight. This later addition emphasized the state’s role in reducing socio-economic disparities among different groups.
Q34. The 44th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1978 added which directive to the Constitution of India?
Explanation
The forty-fourth amendment act of nineteen seventy-eight introduced a significant change to Article thirty-eight. It directed the state to minimize inequalities in income and eliminate inequalities in status, facilities, and opportunities among individuals and groups of people. This directive reinforced the constitutional commitment to egalitarianism and social justice, ensuring that the benefits of development are distributed more equitably across society.
Q35. Read the following lists and select the correct answer using the codes given below:
| Constitutional Amendment | Directive Principle added/modified |
|---|---|
| A. 42nd Amendment | i. Early childhood care and education (Article 45) |
| B. 44th Amendment | ii. Promotion of co-operative societies (Article 43B) |
| C. 86th Amendment | iii. Free legal aid to the poor (Article 39A) |
| D. 97th Amendment | iv. Minimize inequalities in income (Article 38) |
Explanation
The forty-second amendment added free legal aid, while the forty-fourth focused on minimizing income inequalities. The eighty-sixth amendment modified Article forty-five concerning early childhood education, and the ninety-seventh amendment introduced the promotion of co-operative societies. These various amendments reflect the evolving nature of the Directive Principles as they adapt to new social, economic, and political priorities within the Indian nation.
Q36. In which case did the Supreme Court of India first rule that in case of a conflict between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles, the former would prevail?
Explanation
In the nineteen fifty-one Champakam Dorairajan case, the Supreme Court first addressed the conflict between fundamental rights and directives. The court ruled that the Directive Principles must conform to and run as subsidiary to the fundamental rights. It established that rights are superior and cannot be overridden by directives, though they should be implemented without violating the core rights of citizens.
Q37. What was the core ruling regarding Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy in the Golaknath case (1967)?
Explanation
In the nineteen sixty-seven Golaknath case, the Supreme Court took a firm stance by declaring that fundamental rights are sacrosanct and transcendental. The court ruled that Parliament could not amend the Constitution to take away or abridge these rights, even to implement Directive Principles. This judgment significantly restricted the government’s power to prioritize socialistic directives over the individual liberties of citizens.
Q38. Consider the following statements tracing the judicial evolution of the relationship between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSPs):
I. In Champakam Dorairajan, the Supreme Court declared that DPSPs have to conform to and run as subsidiary to Fundamental Rights.
II. The 25th Amendment Act gave primacy to Article 39(b) and (c) over Articles 14, 19, and 31.
III. In Kesavananda Bharati, the Supreme Court struck down the entire 25th Amendment Act.
IV. The 42nd Amendment Act attempted to give primacy to all DPSPs over Articles 14, 19, and 31.
V. In Minerva Mills, the Supreme Court restored the balance between Fundamental Rights and DPSPs.
Which combination identifies the INCORRECT statements?
I. In Champakam Dorairajan, the Supreme Court declared that DPSPs have to conform to and run as subsidiary to Fundamental Rights.
II. The 25th Amendment Act gave primacy to Article 39(b) and (c) over Articles 14, 19, and 31.
III. In Kesavananda Bharati, the Supreme Court struck down the entire 25th Amendment Act.
IV. The 42nd Amendment Act attempted to give primacy to all DPSPs over Articles 14, 19, and 31.
V. In Minerva Mills, the Supreme Court restored the balance between Fundamental Rights and DPSPs.
Which combination identifies the INCORRECT statements?
Explanation
In the Kesavananda Bharati case, the Supreme Court did not strike down the entire twenty-fifth amendment. Instead, it upheld the first part of Article thirty-one-C, which protected laws implementing Articles thirty-nine (b) and (c). It only struck down the second part that precluded judicial review. The court maintained that while Parliament can amend rights, it cannot destroy the Constitution’s basic structure.
Q39. Article 31C, inserted by the 25th Amendment Act, originally sought to protect laws implementing which specific Directive Principles from being challenged on the grounds of contravention of Fundamental Rights?
Explanation
Article thirty-one-C was introduced by the twenty-fifth amendment act of nineteen seventy-one. It provided that any law enacted to implement the Directive Principles in Article thirty-nine (b) and (c) could not be declared void on the grounds of violating Articles fourteen, nineteen, or thirty-one. This was intended to give primacy to specific socialistic goals over certain fundamental rights in the Constitution.
Q40. In the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), the Supreme Court of India upheld the first provision of Article 31C but struck down its second provision. What did the second provision stipulate?
Explanation
The second provision of Article thirty-one-C stated that no law containing a declaration that it was for giving effect to such policy shall be questioned in any court on the ground that it does not give effect to such policy. In the Kesavananda Bharati case, the Supreme Court struck this down because it attempted to exclude judicial review, which is essential.Answer key for these questions
| Q | Correct answer |
|---|---|
| 31 | (a) Public services of the State |
| 32 | (d) I, II, III and IV |
| 33 | (b) Minimizing inequalities in income and status (Article 38) |
| 34 | (a) State to minimize inequalities in income, status, facilities, and opportunities |
| 35 | (c) A-iii, B-iv, C-i, D-ii |
| 36 | (d) Champakam Dorairajan case (1951) |
| 37 | (c) Rights are sacrosanct and cannot be amended for directives |
| 38 | (b) III only |
| 39 | (d) Article 39(b) and 39(c) |
| 40 | (a) No law declaring effect to DPSPs shall be questioned in any court |
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.