Which one of the following Directive Principles was inserted by the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976?
- (a)The State shall minimise inequalities in income
- (b)Equal justice and free legal aid
- (c)Promotion of co-operative societies
- (d)Provision for early childhood care
Correct — B, Equal justice and free legal aid. Article 39A ('Equal justice and free legal aid') was inserted into the Directive Principles by the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976, which also added Article 43A (participation of workers in the management of industries) and Article 48A (protection of the environment, forests and wildlife). So the DPSP added by the 42nd Amendment is option (b).
- (a)The State shall minimise inequalities in income — This is Article 38(2), inserted later by the 44th Amendment Act, 1978 — not the 42nd Amendment.
- (c)Promotion of co-operative societies — This is Article 43B, added by the 97th Amendment Act, 2011, decades after the 42nd Amendment.
- (d)Provision for early childhood care — Early-childhood care and education (the revised Article 45) was reshaped by the 86th Amendment Act, 2002, alongside the Right to Education.
The 42nd Amendment (1976), often called the 'Mini-Constitution', added three Directive Principles — Article 39A (equal justice and free legal aid), Article 43A (participation of workers in the management of industries) and Article 48A (protection and improvement of the environment and safeguarding forests and wildlife).
All four options are genuine Directive Principles; only the amendment that inserted each one differs. The task is to match the DPSP to its amendment, and Article 39A is the one tied to the 42nd Amendment.
- The 42nd Amendment, 1976 added DPSPs Article 39A, 43A and 48A.
- Article 39A guarantees equal justice and free legal aid.
- Article 38(2) (minimise income inequality) came via the 44th Amendment, 1978.
- Article 43B (promotion of co-operative societies) came via the 97th Amendment, 2011.
The 42nd Amendment (1976) added Articles 39A, 43A and 48A to the Directive Principles.
- Assuming every 'social justice' DPSP came from the 42nd Amendment.
- Confusing Article 39A (42nd Amendment) with Article 38(2) (44th Amendment).
Asked as 'which DPSP was inserted by the Nth Amendment' — memorise the 42nd Amendment's trio (39A, 43A, 48A).
The purpose of the inclusion of Directive Principles of State Policy in the Indian Constitution is to establish:
- (a) political democracy
- (b) social democracy
- (c) Gandhian democracy
- (d) social and economic democracy
Answer(d) social and economic democracy
Same topic — the Directive Principles of State Policy. UPSC tests the purpose of the DPSPs; this NDA item tests which specific DPSP (Article 39A) the 42nd Amendment inserted.
The Constitution (Seventy-third Amendment) Act provides for
- (a) an elaborate system of establishing municipal self-government
- (b) an elaborate system of establishing panchayats as units of self-government
- (c) establishing a Commission for Linguistic Minorities
- (d) the creation of the Jharkhand State
Answer(b) an elaborate system of establishing panchayats as units of self-government
Same concept — a constitutional amendment and what it introduced. That NDA item tests the 73rd Amendment (panchayats); this one tests the Directive Principle added by the 42nd Amendment.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which Article of the Constitution provides for 'equal justice and free legal aid'?
- (a)Article 38
- (b)Article 39A
- (c)Article 43A
- (d)Article 48A
Answer(b) Article 39A — inserted by the 42nd Amendment, 1976.
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which Directive Principle was added by the 42nd Amendment Act, 1976?
- (a)Promotion of co-operative societies
- (b)Protection of the environment (Article 48A)
- (c)Uniform Civil Code
- (d)Right to work
Answer(b) Protection of the environment (Article 48A) — added by the 42nd Amendment along with 39A and 43A.