UPSC Prelims 2025 Q55: DPSP, Fundamental Duties & Rights — Explained
Consider the following pairs:
(Provision in the Constitution of India : Stated under)
I. Separation of Judiciary from the Executive in the public services of the State : The Directive Principles of the State Policy
II. Valuing and preserving of the rich heritage of our composite culture : The Fundamental Duties
III. Prohibition of employment of children below the age of 14 years in factories : The Fundamental Rights
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched?
- Only one
- Only two
- All the three
- None
Answer: (c) All the three
Statement-wise explanation
- I: correct — Article 50 is in Part IV, the Directive Principles of State Policy. It says: "The State shall take steps to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the State." It began as Draft Article 39-A, which first carried a three-year deadline; the deadline was dropped before adoption on 25 November 1948. The Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 gave effect to it by separating judicial magistrates from executive magistrates.
- II: correct — Article 51A(f) in Part IV-A asks every citizen "to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture". Article 51A was added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, on the advice of the Swaran Singh Committee. Do not mix it up with Article 29, a Fundamental Right that protects a section of citizens' right to conserve its own distinct language, script or culture.
- III: correct — Article 24 is in Part III, under the Right against Exploitation. It says: "No child below the age of fourteen years shall be employed to work in any factory or mine or engaged in any other hazardous employment." It is a Fundamental Right that can be enforced in court. Article 39(e)–(f) is the related Directive Principle; it only tells the State to protect children from abuse.
How to eliminate
This question cannot be solved by trick. All three pairs are correct, so 'All the three' is the answer, and you only get there if you know where each provision sits. Use the wording of each provision as a clue. Article 50 begins 'The State shall take steps…', which is how a Directive Principle is written: it is an instruction to the State, not a right. 'Composite culture' is a phrase you should link at once to the Fundamental Duties (Article 51A(f)), together with 'harmony and spirit of common brotherhood' (51A(e)). Article 24 is a flat ban ('No child… shall be employed'), which is how a Fundamental Right is written. The likely traps are Article 29 (cultural rights) for pair II and Article 39(e)–(f) (DPSP on children) for pair III. Facts to remember: Article 24 = FR, factories, mines and hazardous work, below 14; Article 50 = DPSP; Article 51A(f) = composite culture.
Know more
Same theme, three Parts of the Constitution. UPSC often picks one theme and asks which Part of the Constitution deals with it. Rights in Part III bind the State and can be enforced in court (Article 32). Directive Principles in Part IV guide the State but cannot be enforced in court (Article 37). Fundamental Duties in Part IV-A bind citizens and also cannot be enforced in court. Parliament can give a duty legal force through ordinary law.
| Theme | Fundamental Right (Part III) | DPSP (Part IV) | Fundamental Duty (Art. 51A) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Children | Art. 21A (free education 6–14); Art. 24 (no factory, mine or hazardous work below 14) | Art. 39(e)–(f) (protect children); Art. 45 (early childhood care below 6) | 51A(k): parents give children 6–14 chances to get an education |
| Culture | Art. 29 (minorities conserve their own language, script, culture) | Art. 49 (protect monuments of national importance) | 51A(f): value and preserve composite culture |
| Environment | Art. 21, as interpreted by courts | Art. 48A (added 1976) | 51A(g): protect the natural environment |
| Judiciary | Art. 32 (remedies) | Art. 39A (free legal aid); Art. 50 (separate judiciary from executive) | — |
Key dates
- Article 51A was added by the 42nd Amendment, 1976, following the Swaran Singh Committee. It began with 10 duties. The 86th Amendment, 2002 added the 11th, clause (k).
- The 86th Amendment also added Article 21A and changed Article 45.
- Article 50 was carried out mainly through the CrPC, 1973, which created separate judicial magistrates.
- The Child Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2016 goes further than Article 24. It bans employing children below 14 in any occupation (with family-enterprise exceptions) and bans adolescents aged 14–18 from hazardous work.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Separation of judiciary from executive: Pair I quotes Article 50 almost word for word, so you need to know which Part of the Constitution it is in.
- Directive Principles of State Policy: Pair I asks if a provision belongs to Part IV. This entry sets out what Part IV (Articles 36–51) covers.
- Fundamental duties: Pair II quotes one of the eleven duties under Article 51A. Knowing the list settles the pair.
- Classification of Directive Principles: Helps place Article 50 among the socialist, Gandhian and liberal-intellectual groups of Directive Principles.
- Separation of powers: Gives the idea behind keeping courts apart from the executive, which pair I is about.