Q. Which of the following statement(s) 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:

  • 1 only
  • 2 only
  • Both 1 and 2
  • Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Fundamental Duties:
  • In the context of a nation, the Fundamental Duties of Indian Constitution refer to a set of duties prescribed for the citizens of that nation.
  • They act as a reminder to the citizens that in addition to the enjoyment of rights, they also have to perform certain duties towards the nation they live in.
  • In essence, Fundamental Duties can be summarised as a set of moral and ethical obligations that citizens are expected to uphold towards a nation.
  • The idea of Fundamental Duties is inspired from the Constitution of Russia.
  • These were incorporated in Part IV-A of the Constitution by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 on the recommendations of Swaran Singh Committee.
  • Article 51A in Part IV-A provides eleven Fundamental Duties of Indian Constitution.
  • Originally 10 in number, one more duty was added through the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002. All the eleven duties are listed in Article 51-A of the Constitution (the sole Article in Part-IV-A).
  • The fundamental duties serve as a reminder to citizens that while enjoying their rights, they have also to be quite conscious of duties they owe to their country, their society and to their fellow-citizens.
  • However, like the Directive Principles, the duties are also non-justiciable in nature.
Features of the Fundamental Duties
  • Non-Justiciable – These duties are non-justiciable, meaning they are not enforceable by law through the judiciary. However, they serve as moral obligations and guiding principles for citizens.
  • Scope of Applicability – These duties are confined to citizens only and do not extend to foreigners.
  • Derived from Various Sources– These duties draw inspiration from various sources, including the Constitution of the erstwhile Soviet Union, the thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi, and other constitutional experts. They reflect a blend of national and international values.
  • Directive Nature – These duties guide the behavior and conduct of citizens and serve as a moral compass for shaping a responsible and law-abiding society.
  • Codification of Indian Values – They refer to values that have been a part of Indian traditions and practices. Thus, they essentially are a codification of tasks integral to the Indian way of life.
  • Moral and Civic – Some of them are moral duties e.g. cherishing noble ideals of national freedom struggle, while others are civic duties e.g. respecting the Constitution.