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Quick recap: Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties on one page

తెలుగులో వివరణ

Directive Principles and Fundamental Duties · Quick recap · Fact-checked on 19 October 2026 · how we check

Written with AI from the sources listed at the bottom of this page, then fact-checked by a separate AI.

Both parts condensed for quick revision: the nature and families of the Directive Principles, later additions and implementation, the clash with Fundamental Rights from Champakam to Minerva Mills and the 2024 ruling, and the eleven Fundamental Duties, with an at-a-glance table and eight mixed questions.

Each idea is explained first in Telugu (తెలుగు), ending with the English and Hindi exam terms, followed by the same point in exam English. UPSC Prelims is in English or Hindi, so understand it in Telugu and revise it in English.

భాగం 4 (36–51) లో రాజ్య విధాన ఆదేశిక సూత్రాలు ఉన్నాయి. 'రాజ్యం' అంటే 12వ అధికరణలో ఉన్న అర్థమే (36). 37 ప్రకారం ఇవి న్యాయస్థానంలో అమలు చేయించలేని సూత్రాలు, అయినా పాలనకు మూలాధారం; చట్టాలు చేసేటప్పుడు వీటిని పాటించడం ప్రభుత్వ కర్తవ్యం. ఆలోచన ఐర్లాండ్ రాజ్యాంగం నుంచి; అంబేడ్కర్ వీటిని 1935 చట్టం కింది 'సూచనల పత్రం'తో పోల్చారు. పెద్దలు ఇంటి కొత్త కోడలికి 'ఇలా నడుచుకో' అని చెప్పే మాటల్లాంటివి — కోర్టు బలవంతం లేదు, కానీ ఎన్నికల్లో ప్రజలు లెక్క అడుగుతారు. (→ English: Directive Principles of State Policy · non-justiciable · हिन्दी: राज्य की नीति के निदेशक तत्व · न्यायालय द्वारा अप्रवर्तनीय)

In exam EnglishPart IV, Articles 36 to 51, contains the Directive Principles of State Policy. Article 36 gives 'the State' the same meaning as in Article 12. Under Article 37 the principles are non-justiciable: no court can enforce them, yet they are fundamental in the governance of the country, and the State has a duty to apply them in making laws. The idea came from the Irish Constitution, and Dr B.R. Ambedkar compared the principles to the Instrument of Instructions issued under the Government of India Act, 1935. Because no court can enforce them, they take effect through laws, schemes and budgets, and through the judgment of voters on how well a government has followed them.

At a glance: the Articles most often tested
Article	Subject	Note
37	Principles not enforceable by courts, yet fundamental in governance	Non-justiciable
38(2)	Minimise inequalities in income	44th Amendment
39(b), (c)	Material resources for the common good; no harmful concentration of wealth	Protected by Article 31C
39A	Equal justice and free legal aid	42nd Amendment
40	Village panchayats	Gandhian
43A / 43B	Workers in management / co-operative societies	42nd / 97th Amendment
44	Uniform Civil Code	Liberal-intellectual
45	Early childhood care and education up to six	86th Amendment
48A	Environment, forests and wild life	42nd Amendment
50	Separation of the judiciary from the executive	Liberal-intellectual
51A	Eleven Fundamental Duties	42nd (1976) and 86th (2002) Amendments

సూత్రాలను విద్యార్థులు మూడు కుటుంబాలుగా విభజిస్తారు, రాజ్యాంగం మాత్రం అలా విభజించలేదు. సామ్యవాద కుటుంబం — ఆర్థిక న్యాయం: 38 (ఆదాయ అసమానతల తగ్గింపు 38(2)), 39 (a)–(f), 39A (ఉచిత న్యాయ సహాయం), 41 (పని, విద్య, ప్రజా సహాయం), 42 (మానవీయ పని పరిస్థితులు, ప్రసూతి సహాయం), 43 (జీవన వేతనం), 43A (యాజమాన్యంలో కార్మికులు), 47 (పోషణ, ఆరోగ్యం). గాంధేయ కుటుంబం — పల్లె కేంద్రంగా: 40 (గ్రామ పంచాయతీలు), 43 లో కుటీర పరిశ్రమలు, 43B (సహకార సంఘాలు), 46 (బలహీన వర్గాలు, SC, ST), 47 లో మద్యనిషేధం, 48 లో పశు రక్షణ. ఉదార–మేధో కుటుంబం — ఆధునిక రాజ్యం: 44 (ఉమ్మడి పౌర స్మృతి), 45 (చిన్నారుల సంరక్షణ, విద్య), 48 శాస్త్రీయ వ్యవసాయం, 48A (పర్యావరణం), 49 (స్మారకాలు), 50 (న్యాయవ్యవస్థ–కార్యనిర్వాహక వేర్పాటు), 51 (అంతర్జాతీయ శాంతి). (→ English: Uniform Civil Code · हिन्दी: समान सिविल संहिता)

In exam EnglishStudents sort the principles into three families, though the Constitution itself does not. The socialist family aims at economic justice: Article 38 (a just social order, and under 38(2) reducing inequalities in income), Article 39 (a) to (f), Article 39A (equal justice and free legal aid), Article 41 (work, education and public assistance), Article 42 (just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief), Article 43 (a living wage), Article 43A (workers in management) and Article 47 (nutrition and public health). The Gandhian family includes Article 40 (village panchayats), cottage industries in Article 43, Article 43B (co-operative societies), Article 46 (weaker sections, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes), prohibition in Article 47 and the protection of cattle in Article 48. The liberal-intellectual family includes Article 44 (a Uniform Civil Code), Article 45 (early childhood care and education), scientific agriculture in Article 48, Article 48A (environment), Article 49 (monuments), Article 50 (separation of the judiciary from the executive) and Article 51 (international peace).

భాగం 4 సవరణల ద్వారా పెరిగింది: 42వ సవరణ (1976) — 39(f) మార్పు, 39A, 43A, 48A; 44వ (1978) — 38(2); 86వ (2002) — ప్రస్తుత 45 (అదే సమయంలో 21A విద్యా హక్కు); 97వ (2011) — 43B. భాగం 4 బయట మూడు ఆదేశాలు: 335 (ఉద్యోగాల్లో SC, ST), 350A (ప్రాథమిక స్థాయిలో మాతృభాషలో బోధన), 351 (హిందీ అభివృద్ధి). సూత్రాలకు ప్రాణం పోసిన చట్టాలు: భూసంస్కరణలు, న్యాయ సేవల ప్రాధికార చట్టం 1987, 73వ సవరణ, ఉపాధి హామీ చట్టం 2005, ఆహార భద్రత చట్టం 2013, మేజిస్ట్రేట్లను వేరుచేసిన CrPC 1973. కోర్టులు సూత్రాలను హక్కుల్లో చదివాయి: హుస్సేనారా ఖాతూన్ (1979) — ఉచిత న్యాయ సహాయం, త్వరిత విచారణ 21లో భాగం; ఉన్నికృష్ణన్ (1993) — విద్యా హక్కు. విత్తనం (సూత్రం) మొక్కగా మారాలంటే నేల (చట్టం) కావాలి. (→ English: Amendment · हिन्दी: संशोधन)

In exam EnglishPart IV has grown by Amendment. The 42nd Amendment (1976) reworded Article 39(f) and added Articles 39A, 43A and 48A; the 44th (1978) added Article 38(2); the 86th (2002) substituted the present Article 45 when education for children of six to fourteen became a Fundamental Right in Article 21A; and the 97th (2011) added Article 43B. Three directions sit outside Part IV: Article 335 (claims of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to services), Article 350A (instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage) and Article 351 (development of Hindi). Laws that carry the principles out include land reforms, the Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987, the 73rd Amendment, MGNREGA (2005), the National Food Security Act, 2013 and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, which separated judicial magistrates from the executive. Courts read the principles into rights: Hussainara Khatoon (1979) found free legal aid and a speedy trial in Article 21, and Unni Krishnan (1993) found a right to education.

ప్రాథమిక హక్కులు కోర్టులో అమలయ్యేవి, 'చేయకు' రూపంలో; సూత్రాలు అమలు చేయించలేనివి, 'చెయ్యి' రూపంలో. రెండూ ఢీకొన్నప్పుడు సమాధానం మెట్టుమెట్టుగా మారింది: చంపకం (1951) — సూత్రాలు హక్కుల కింద → మొదటి సవరణ: 15(4), 31A, 31B, తొమ్మిదవ షెడ్యూల్. గోలక్‌నాథ్ (1967, 11 మంది, 6–5) — హక్కులు తగ్గించే సవరణ కుదరదు. 24వ సవరణ (1971) — అధికారం తిరిగి; 25వ — 31C: 39(b), (c) చట్టాలకు 14, 19, 31 నుంచి రక్షణ. కేశవానంద (1973) — మౌలిక స్వరూపం సిద్ధాంతం; 31C మొదటి భాగం నిలిచింది, కోర్టును బయట పెట్టే భాగం పోయింది. 42వ సవరణ 31C ని అన్ని సూత్రాలకు పెంచింది; మినర్వా మిల్స్ (1980) దాన్ని కొట్టివేసి 'భాగం 3–భాగం 4 సమతుల్యతే మౌలిక లక్షణం' అంది. తాడు రెండు వైపులా సమంగా లాగితేనే గుడారం నిలుస్తుంది. (→ English: Fundamental Rights · basic structure · हिन्दी: मूल अधिकार · मूल ढांचा)

In exam EnglishFundamental Rights are justiciable and negative in form; the principles are non-justiciable and positive. When the two clashed, the answer changed step by step. Champakam Dorairajan (1951) held that the principles must run subsidiary to the rights, and the First Amendment replied with Article 15(4), Articles 31A and 31B and the Ninth Schedule. Golaknath (1967, eleven judges, six to five) barred amendments that abridge rights. The 24th Amendment (1971) restored the amending power, and the 25th inserted Article 31C, shielding laws for Article 39(b) and (c) from challenge under Articles 14, 19 and 31. Kesavananda Bharati (1973) laid down the basic structure doctrine, upheld the first half of Article 31C and struck down the clause that barred courts from testing a law's declaration. The 42nd Amendment extended Article 31C to every principle; Minerva Mills (1980) struck that down, holding that harmony and balance between Parts III and IV is a basic feature.

5 నవంబర్ 2024న తొమ్మిది మంది న్యాయమూర్తుల ధర్మాసనం ప్రాపర్టీ ఓనర్స్ అసోసియేషన్ కేసు తేల్చింది — ముంబై పాత భవనాలపై మహారాష్ట్ర చట్టం. మెజారిటీ: ప్రతి ప్రైవేటు వనరూ 39(b) లోని 'సమాజ భౌతిక వనరులు' కాదు; వనరు స్వభావం, కొరత, సమాజ శ్రేయస్సుపై ప్రభావం, ప్రైవేటు చేతుల్లో కేంద్రీకరణ చూసి నిర్ణయించాలి. మీ ఇంటి సైకిల్ ఊరి ఆస్తి కాదు, కానీ ఊరంతటికీ ఒకే నీటి వనరు ఒక్కరి చేతిలో ఉంటే వేరు. జస్టిస్ కృష్ణయ్యర్ 1977 అభిప్రాయం నుంచి వచ్చిన విస్తృత అర్థాన్ని పక్కనపెట్టారు; కేశవానంద రూపంలోని 31C అమల్లోనే ఉంది. (→ English: material resources of the community · हिन्दी: समुदाय के भौतिक संसाधन)

In exam EnglishOn 5 November 2024 a nine-judge bench decided Property Owners Association v. State of Maharashtra, a challenge to a Maharashtra law on old buildings in Mumbai. The majority held that not every privately owned resource falls within 'material resources of the community' in Article 39(b); whether one does depends on its nature, scarcity, effect on the community's well-being and concentration in private hands. It set aside the wide reading drawn from Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer's 1977 opinion, and held that Article 31C, as upheld in Kesavananda, remains in force.

ప్రాథమిక విధులు భాగం 4A లో, ఒకే అధికరణ 51A లో ఉన్నాయి; స్వరణ్ సింగ్ కమిటీ సిఫారసుతో 42వ సవరణ (1976) చేర్చింది; ఆలోచన పాత సోవియట్ యూనియన్ రాజ్యాంగం నుంచి. కమిటీ ఎనిమిది చెప్పింది, పార్లమెంట్ పది పెట్టింది, 86వ సవరణ (2002) పదకొండోది (k) చేర్చింది — ఆరు నుంచి పద్నాలుగేళ్ళ పిల్లలకు చదువు అవకాశం తల్లిదండ్రుల విధి. రాజ్యాంగం–జెండా–గీతం గౌరవం, స్వాతంత్ర్య ఆదర్శాలు, ఐక్యత, రక్షణ, సోదరభావం, స్త్రీ గౌరవం, మిశ్రమ సంస్కృతి, పర్యావరణం, శాస్త్రీయ దృక్పథం, ప్రజా ఆస్తి, శ్రేష్ఠత, చదువు — ఇవే విధులు. ఇవి ప్రతి పౌరుడికీ, విదేశీయులకు కాదు; రాజ్యాంగంలో శిక్ష లేదు, కోర్టులో నేరుగా అమలు చేయించలేం. జాతీయ గౌరవ అవమాన నిరోధక చట్టం 1971, వన్యప్రాణి–అటవీ చట్టాలు కొన్నిటికి బలం ఇస్తాయి; జస్టిస్ జె.ఎస్. వర్మ కమిటీ (1999) అలాంటి చట్టాల జాబితా తయారు చేసింది. (→ English: Fundamental Duties · citizen · हिन्दी: मूल कर्तव्य · नागरिक)

In exam EnglishThe Fundamental Duties sit in Part IVA, a single Article, 51A, inserted by the 42nd Amendment (1976) on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee; the idea is traced to the constitution of the former USSR. The committee proposed eight duties, Parliament adopted ten, and the 86th Amendment (2002) added the eleventh, clause (k), on a parent's duty to provide education to a child aged six to fourteen. The duties cover respect for the Constitution, the Flag and the Anthem, the ideals of the freedom struggle, unity and defence, brotherhood and the dignity of women, composite culture, the environment, scientific temper, public property, excellence and education. They bind every citizen but not foreigners, carry no penalty in the Constitution and cannot be enforced directly in court. Ordinary laws give some of them force, such as the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 and the wild life and forest laws, and the Justice J.S. Verma Committee (1999) listed such laws.

Exam traps

Directive Principles are non-justiciable (Article 37) but 'fundamental in the governance of the country'; they are not merely advisory.
The socialist, Gandhian and liberal-intellectual grouping is a study device; the Constitution does not classify the principles.
Articles 335, 350A and 351 are directions outside Part IV.
Article 31C came with the 25th Amendment (1971); the 42nd only extended it, and Minerva Mills (1980) struck the extension down.
Golaknath (1967): eleven judges, 6:5. Kesavananda (1973): thirteen judges, 7:6.
There are eleven Fundamental Duties: ten from the 42nd Amendment (1976) and clause (k) from the 86th (2002); they bind citizens only and carry no constitutional penalty.

Recap

Part IV, Articles 36–51; Article 37: non-justiciable yet fundamental; idea from Ireland.
Socialist: 38, 39, 39A, 41, 42, 43, 43A, 47. Gandhian: 40, 43 (cottage industries), 43B, 46, 47 (prohibition), 48 (cattle). Liberal: 44, 45, 48, 48A, 49, 50, 51.
Additions: 42nd (39(f) reworded, 39A, 43A, 48A), 44th (38(2)), 86th (new 45), 97th (43B).
Outside Part IV: Articles 335, 350A, 351.
Laws and courts: Legal Services Authorities Act 1987, MGNREGA 2005, NFSA 2013, CrPC 1973; Hussainara Khatoon (1979), Unni Krishnan (1993).
Clash: Champakam (1951) → First Amendment → Golaknath (1967) → 24th, 25th and Article 31C → Kesavananda (1973) → 42nd → Minerva Mills (1980): balance is basic.
2024, nine judges: not every private resource is a material resource of the community; Article 31C survives.
Fundamental Duties: Article 51A, 42nd Amendment, Swaran Singh Committee, USSR model, eleven duties, citizens only, enforced through laws.

Practice questions

Q1. Which one of the following Directive Principles was inserted by the Constitution (Ninety-seventh Amendment) Act, 2011?

Article 43B: promotion of co-operative societies
Article 43A: participation of workers in management
Article 48A: protection of the environment
Article 39A: equal justice and free legal aid

Show answer

Answer: A. Article 43B: promotion of co-operative societies

The 97th Amendment added Article 43B on co-operative societies. Articles 43A, 48A and 39A were all added much earlier, by the 42nd Amendment in 1976.

Q2. Consider the following statements:
1. Article 50 directs the State to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the State.
2. Article 48A was part of the Constitution as adopted in 1949.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Show answer

Answer: A. 1 only

Statement 1 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong: Article 48A on the environment was added by the 42nd Amendment in 1976. So '2 only' and 'both' are wrong, and 'neither' misses statement 1.

Q3. Match List I with List II:
List I (Article)
A. Article 40
B. Article 41
C. Article 49
D. Article 51
List II (Subject)
1. Protection of monuments of national importance
2. Promotion of international peace and security
3. Organisation of village panchayats
4. Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases
Select the correct answer using the code given below:

A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2
A-4, B-3, C-1, D-2
A-3, B-4, C-2, D-1
A-1, B-4, C-3, D-2

Show answer

Answer: A. A-3, B-4, C-1, D-2

Article 40 is village panchayats (3), 41 work, education and public assistance (4), 49 monuments (1) and 51 international peace (2). The second code swaps 40 and 41, the third swaps 49 and 51, and the fourth swaps 40 and 49.

Q4. Which one of the following directions to the State is found outside Part IV of the Constitution of India?

Instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education
Early childhood care and education for children up to six years
Raising the level of nutrition and improving public health
Securing a living wage for workers

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Answer: A. Instruction in the mother tongue at the primary stage of education

Instruction in the mother tongue is Article 350A, in Part XVII. Early childhood care (Article 45), nutrition and public health (Article 47) and a living wage (Article 43) are all in Part IV.

Q5. In which case did the Supreme Court hold that harmony and balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles is a basic feature of the Constitution?

Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980)
State of Madras v. Champakam Dorairajan (1951)
I.C. Golaknath v. State of Punjab (1967)
Hussainara Khatoon v. Home Secretary, State of Bihar (1979)

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Answer: A. Minerva Mills v. Union of India (1980)

Minerva Mills said so while striking down the 42nd Amendment's extension of Article 31C. Champakam made the principles subordinate to rights, Golaknath barred amendments abridging rights, and Hussainara Khatoon concerned free legal aid and speedy trial under Article 21.

Q6. How many Fundamental Duties does Article 51A of the Constitution of India now contain?

Eight
Ten
Eleven
Twelve

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Answer: C. Eleven

Ten duties came with the 42nd Amendment (1976) and the 86th Amendment (2002) added clause (k), making eleven. Eight is the number the Swaran Singh Committee proposed, ten was the original count, and there has never been a twelfth.

Q7. Consider the following statements:
1. The idea of Fundamental Duties is commonly traced to the constitution of the former USSR.
2. The idea of Directive Principles of State Policy is commonly traced to the Constitution of Ireland.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

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Answer: C. Both 1 and 2

Both statements are correct, so the options naming only one statement, or neither, are wrong.

Q8. Hussainara Khatoon v. Home Secretary, State of Bihar (1979) is associated with which of the following?

Free legal aid and speedy trial as part of Article 21
The meaning of 'material resources of the community' in Article 39(b)
The basic structure doctrine
The right to education for children

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Answer: A. Free legal aid and speedy trial as part of Article 21

Hussainara Khatoon read Article 39A into Article 21 to secure free legal aid and speedy trial for undertrials. Article 39(b) was the subject of the 2024 nine-judge ruling, the basic structure came from Kesavananda (1973), and the right to education was recognised in Unni Krishnan (1993).

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Sources

Constitution of India: Articles 12, 13, 15(4), 21, 21A, 31A–31C, 36–51, 51A, 335, 350A and 351 — https://legislative.gov.in/constitution-of-india/
Constitution (First, Twenty-fourth, Twenty-fifth, Forty-second, Forty-fourth, Seventy-third, Eighty-sixth and Ninety-seventh Amendment) Acts; Legal Services Authorities Act, 1987; Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005; National Food Security Act, 2013; Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973; Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971 — https://www.indiacode.nic.in
Supreme Court of India: Champakam Dorairajan (1951); Golaknath (1967); Kesavananda Bharati (1973); Hussainara Khatoon (1979); Minerva Mills (1980); Unni Krishnan (1993); Property Owners Association v. State of Maharashtra (2024) — https://digiscr.sci.gov.in
Constituent Assembly Debates (Dr B.R. Ambedkar on the Directive Principles) — https://eparlib.nic.in
Report of the Committee to Operationalise the Suggestions to Teach Fundamental Duties to the Citizens of the Country (Justice J.S. Verma), Ministry of Human Resource Development, 1999 — https://www.education.gov.in