Fundamental Duties

1.1 Where are the duties written?

The duties sit in Part IVA of the Constitution. Part IVA has only one article, Article 51A.

The article begins with one line: it shall be the duty of every citizen of India to do the things listed below it.

1.2 When were they added?

The original Constitution of 1950 had no such Part. The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976 inserted Part IVA. Its section 11 did this, and it came into force on 3 January 1977.

NCERT notes that ten duties were listed at that time. In 2002 the 86th Amendment Act added an eleventh. That is clause (k), in force from 1 April 2010.

2.1 What do clauses (a) to (d) ask of a citizen?

These four duties are about loyalty to the country and its symbols.

• (a) Abide by the Constitution. Respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem.
• (b) Cherish and follow the noble ideals of our national struggle for freedom.
• (c) Uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India.
• (d) Defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so.

2.2 Who must follow them?

The article says every citizen of India. So the duties are addressed to citizens. They are not addressed to foreigners living in India.

3.1 What do clauses (e), (f) and (i) ask?

These duties are about living together.

• (e) Promote harmony and brotherhood among all people of India. This must go beyond religious, linguistic and regional differences. Give up practices that insult the dignity of women.
• (f) Value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture.
• (i) Safeguard public property and abjure violence.

3.2 What does abjure mean?

To abjure is to give something up for good. So clause (i) asks a citizen to give up violence, not just avoid it on one day.

4.1 What do clauses (g), (h), (j) and (k) ask?

These duties are about growing as a person and caring for the world around us.

• (g) Protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life. Have compassion for living creatures.
• (h) Develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.
• (j) Strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity.
• (k) A parent or guardian must provide opportunities for education to a child or ward between the ages of six and fourteen.

4.2 Why is clause (k) different?

Clause (k) is the only duty that speaks to one group of citizens. It speaks to parents and guardians.

It is also the newest duty. The 86th Amendment Act of 2002 added it.

5.1 What does the Constitution say about enforcing them?

NCERT says the Constitution does not say anything about enforcing these duties. So there is no clause that sets a penalty for breaking one.

Read Article 51A yourself and you will find the same. The article only lists the duties.

5.2 Do rights depend on duties?

No. NCERT says the Constitution does not make the enjoyment of rights dependent on fulfilling duties.

It adds that adding the duties did not change the status of fundamental rights.

5.3 How is this different from the Directive Principles?

Article 37 says the Directive Principles are not enforceable by any court. Even so, they are fundamental in governing the country.

Fundamental rights are different. Article 32 gives a remedy to enforce the rights in Part III.

6.1 What was the Verma Committee?

The Government set up a committee in July 1998. Its head was Justice J.S. Verma, a former Chief Justice of India.

Its aim was to find ways to teach fundamental duties to citizens. Other members included Dr L.M. Singhvi, Dr Karan Singh, Dr J.S. Rajput, Dr Subhash Kashyap and Dr A.K. Sharma.

6.2 What did it recommend?

The committee gave an interim report a year before, in January. The Minister, Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, handed its final report to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. PIB reported this on 11 January 2000.

The PIB lists these areas:

• Awareness and consciousness.
• School curriculum and teachers’ education.
• Higher and professional education.
• People’s representatives, from Panchayat to Parliament.
• Public administration and civil servants.
• Administration of justice, business and industry, and the media.

6.3 What was its main idea?

The committee held that the duty to perform duties rests on every citizen. No one has higher authority to teach them to others.

Dr Joshi said duty consciousness is a virtue and a value. The Government said it would look into the report and decide its actions.

7.1 Which mix-ups are common?

• Part: the duties are in Part IVA. Part IV holds the Directive Principles.
• Count: ten in 1976. Eleven since 2002.
• Who: citizens only. Not every person in India.
• Not listed: paying taxes is not one of the eleven duties.
• Newest: clause (k), the parent or guardian duty, covers ages six to fourteen.

7.2 How can you remember the eleven?

Group them. Nation is (a) to (d). Society is (e), (f) and (i). Nature, mind and effort are (g), (h), (j) and (k).

Each group matches one card above.