Fundamental Duties – Article 51A

Fundamental Duties play a vital role for a citizen of India. It built responsibility and moral obligation towards all the citizens, and these duties need to be followed by all. When people follow their responsibilities, it shows a sign of unity of a nation and a spirit of patriotism. The Fundamental Duties were added in the 42nd Amendment Act of the Constitution in 1976, along with the creation and promotion of culture, also help in strengthening the hands of legislature in enforcing these duties along with fundamental rights.

Fundamental Duties

Fundamental Duties

Although people’s rights and obligations are intimately intertwined, the original constitution only included fundamental rights and not fundamental duties. In other words, the Constitution’s founders did not believe it was important to include the citizens’ fundamental responsibilities in the document. They did, however, include the state’s responsibilities in the constitution as a directive element of state policy. The core responsibilities were introduced later in 1976. In 2002, a new fundamental responsibility was added.

The constitution of the former Soviet Union inspired fundamental duties. Perhaps the first democratic constitution in the world to feature a list of citizen responsibilities is Japan’s constitution. Socialist countries, on the other hand, valued citizens’ fundamental rights and obligations equally. As a result, the former USSR’s constitution established that citizens’ exercise of their rights and freedoms was inextricably linked to the execution of their duties and obligations. The 42nd amendment act added Article 51-A to the constitution, creating a new section IV-A that outlined citizens’ fundamental responsibilities.                                                          

11 Fundamental duties 

Every citizen of India has the duty, according to Article 51-A,

1. To uphold the constitution and to respect his principles and institutions, as well as the national flag and anthem.
2. To love and uphold the lofty principles that motivated the nation’s fight for independence.
3. To maintain and safeguard India’s sovereignty, unity, and integrity.
4. To defend the country and participate in national service when called upon.
5. To foster concord and a spirit of fraternal brotherhood among all Indians, regardless of religious, linguistic, regional, or sectional differences, and to condemn traditions that degrade women’s dignity.
6. To value and maintain the country’s diverse culture’s rich legacy.
7. To care for and safeguard the natural environment, which includes forests, lakes, rivers, and wildlife, as well as to have compassion for all living things.
8. To foster a scientific mindset, humanism, and an inquiry and reforming spirit.
9. To protect public property and to abstain from violence.
10. To strive for excellence in all realms of individual and collective activity so that the nation continues to soar to new heights of success and endeavor.
11. To offer his kid or ward between the ages of six and fourteen educational possibilities. The 86th constitutional amendment act of 2002 added this duty.

Background to Fundamental Duties

On the proposal of the Swaran Singh Committee, the 42nd Amendment of 1976 introduced Part IV-A and Article 51-A.
Fundamental obligations cannot be enforced through the use of writs. The fundamental duties are characterized as citizens’ moral duty to assist, encourage patriotism, and defend the constitution’s unity.

Article 51A states that it is a vital duty to cherish and maintain our composite culture’s rich legacy (f).
Protecting the poorer sections from social injustice is not one of the basic responsibilities; yet, all three choices are listed in Part IVA. It is not a fundamental obligation to work toward the removal of untouchability. The removal of untouchability is addressed under Article 17 of the fundamental rights, which is found in Part 3 of the Constitution.

• Article 51A(g) of the Constitution of India states that “it shall be the obligation of every citizen of India to safeguard and improve the natural environment” (Part- IVA).
• Article 51-A does not address the preservation of monuments and places of public interest.
• Part IV-A of the Indian constitution lists eleven fundamental responsibilities. Originally, there were only ten essential obligations, but the 86th amendment of 2002 added 11 more, including 51 A (k), which requires guardians to offer a chance for education to their children aged 6 to 14.

Importance of Fundamental Duties- Part IV- A

 Fundamental Duties are an important part of fundamental rights:

Sl.No.	Importance of Fundamental Duties
1	A reminder of citizens’ duty towards the society and nation.
2	Warn the citizens against anti-social as well as anti-national activities.
3	Inspires citizens and also promotes a sense of discipline and commitment
4	Help the courts with the examination and also the determination of the constitutional validity of a law.

Criticism of Fundamental Duties

1. Critiques have described the Fundamental Duties as a code of moral precepts because of their non-justifiable character and inclusion of the same in the constitution was described as superfluous.
2.  Some duties were described to be vague, ambiguous, and also difficult to understand.
3. Many other important duties like family planning, paying taxes, etc. are not covered.
4.  Inclusion in the form of an appendage to Part IV of the Constitution has reduced its importance.

Important Facts about Fundamental Duties

The following are important points on the facts of fundamental duties:

1. Fundamental duties are of two types- moral duty and civic duty.
2. They contain just a codification of tasks which is important for life.
3. They are confined to Indian citizens only.
4. They are non-negotiable like the Directive Principles of State Policy.
5. There is no concept of legal sanction against the violation of fundamental duties.

UPSC Questions Related to Fundamental Duties

Q 1. Which committee recommends adding Fundamental duties to the constitution?

1. Swaran Singh Committee
2. Goswami Committee
3. Kelkar Committee
4. Lakdawala committee

Answer-

 1. Swaran Singh Committee

Q 2. From which of the following country we borrowed Fundamental Duties?

1. America
2. Britain
3. Russia
4. USA

Answer-

3. Russia

Q 3. In which year Fundamental duties were added?

1. 1976
2. 1965
3. 1974
4. 1987

Answer-

1. 1976

Q 4. How many fundamental duties are there in our constitution at present?

1. 6
2. 7
3. 10
4. 11

Answer-

4. 11

Q 5. Which article mention the Fundamental duties?

1. Articles 12 to 35
2. Article 51A
3. Articles 36 to 50
4. Article 19

Answer-

2. Article 51A

Q 6. Which of the following statements is false?

1. Part IV-A is related to Fundamental Duties
2. Fundamental duties were added after the 42nd Constitutional amendment
3. The last fundamental duty was added, after the 82nd Constitution Amendment Act, in 2002
4. The Public Representation Act was built in 1951.

Answer-

3. The last fundamental duty was added, after the 82nd Constitution Amendment Act, in 2002.

Q 7. Fundamental Duty is not related to which of the following?

1. To  Safeguard the public property
2. To make compulsory education for children of 6 to 14 years
3. To obey the parents
4. To spread brotherhood among the people

Answer-

3. To obey the parents

Q 8. Which Constitutional Amendment Act was passed to provide compulsory education to children between 6 and 14 years?

1. 82nd
2. 83rd
3. 86th
4. 84th

Answer-

3. 86th

Q 9. Which of the following is related to safeguarding public property, and promoting communal harmony?

1. Fundamental rights 

2. Fundamental duties 

3. DPSP 

4. None 

Answer-

2. Fundamental Duties

Q 10. Which of the following option is related to the statement, ‘To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture’?

1. Fundamental right
2. Fundamental duty
3. Directive principles
4. Social morality

Answer-

2. Fundamental duty