Identify the correct pair mentioning the Directive Principles of State Policy in the Constitution of India -
- (1)Equal justice and free legal aid – Article 42
- (2)Organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry – Article 43
- (3)Organisation of village Panchayat – Article 41
- (4)That there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women – Article 39
Answer
Why
Correct — option (4), That there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women – Article 39.
Article 39 is headed "Certain principles of policy to be followed by the State". It says the State shall, in particular, direct its policy towards securing, among other things, in clause (d): "that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women".
The option reproduces clause (d) word for word and gives the right Article, so this pair is correctly matched.
Each of the other three pairs takes a real Directive Principle and attaches the wrong Article number. Equal justice and free legal aid is Article 39A, not 42; organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry is Article 48, not 43; organisation of village panchayats is Article 40, not 41.
The idea to remember: 39(d) equal pay; 39A free legal aid; 40 village panchayats; 41 right to work; 42 maternity relief; 43 living wage; 48 agriculture and animal husbandry.
Why the others are wrong
- (1)Equal justice and free legal aid – Article 42 — Equal justice and free legal aid is Article 39A, inserted by the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, with effect from 3 January 1977. It asks the State to provide free legal aid so that no citizen is denied justice by reason of economic or other disabilities.
Article 42 is "Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief".
- (2)Organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry – Article 43 — Organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry is Article 48. It asks the State to organise them on modern and scientific lines, and to preserve and improve breeds and prohibit the slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and draught cattle.
Article 43 is "Living wage, etc., for workers", which also mentions promoting cottage industries in rural areas.
- (3)Organisation of village Panchayat – Article 41 — Organisation of village panchayats is Article 40: the State shall organise village panchayats and give them powers to function as units of self-government.
Article 41 is "Right to work, to education and to public assistance in certain cases", such as unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement, within the limits of the State's economic capacity.
Concept
The Directive Principles of State Policy are in Part IV of the Constitution. Article 37 says they "shall not be enforceable by any court", but are "fundamental in the governance of the country", and it is the duty of the State to apply them in making laws.
Articles 38 to 43B deal largely with social and economic life: welfare of the people, the Article 39 clauses on livelihood, resources, wealth, equal pay, workers' health and children, legal aid, panchayats, work, humane conditions of work, a living wage, workers' participation and co-operatives.
Later Articles take up, among other subjects, a uniform civil code, nutrition and public health, agriculture, the environment, monuments, separation of the judiciary from the executive and international peace.
RPSC's 2021 syllabus lists "Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles of State Policy, Fundamental Duties." under Indian Constitution, Political System & Governance.
Several Directive Principles were added after 1950. The Forty-second Amendment inserted Articles 39A, 43A and 48A and substituted clause (f) of Article 39, all with effect from 3 January 1977. The Ninety-seventh Amendment inserted Article 43B on co-operative societies.
Article 40 on village panchayats connects to Rajasthan's local government. The Seventy-third Amendment later gave panchayats constitutional status in Part IX.
Key facts
- Article 39(d): the State shall direct its policy towards securing that there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women.
- Article 39A (equal justice and free legal aid) was inserted by the Forty-second Amendment, with effect from 3 January 1977.
- Article 40: organisation of village panchayats as units of self-government.
- Article 42: just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief; Article 43: living wage for workers.
- Article 48: organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines.
Source: Constitution of India, Part IV, as in force in October 2021.
Study next
Common traps
- Trusting a familiar number: each wrong pair gives the number of a different Directive Principle in Part IV (42 for 39A, 41 for 40, 43 for 48).
- Missing the lettered Articles: free legal aid is 39A, not 39 or 42, because the Forty-second Amendment inserted it after Article 39.
- Mixing Article 42 and Article 43: 42 is humane conditions of work and maternity relief; 43 is a living wage and cottage industries.
A question can pair Directive Principles with Article numbers and ask which pair is correctly matched, or which is not.
A question can also ask which amendment inserted a Directive Principle such as Article 39A, 43A or 48A.
Related PYQs
Match the following List – P (Directive Principles) with List – R (Articles) : List – P – List – R A. Equal justice and free legal aid – I. Article 48 A B. Protection of the environment – II. Article 39 A C. Right to Work – III. Article 41 D. Protection of Monuments – IV. Article 49 Select correct option :
- (1) A-I, B-III, C-IV, D-II
- (2) A-II, B-I, C-III, D-IV
- (3) A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II
- (4) A-II, B-III, C-I, D-IV
Answer(2)
Same skill of matching Directive Principles with Articles: that question matches equal justice and free legal aid, protection of the environment, right to work and protection of monuments with their Articles (RPSC's key: A-II, B-I, C-III, D-IV). This one asks which of four pairs is correct.
In which year it was inserted in the Constitution of India that the State shall secure free legal aid to any citizen by reason of economic or other disabilities ?
- (1) 1978
- (2) 1976
- (3) 1975
- (4) 1979
Answer(2)
Same Directive Principle as option (1): that question asks in which year the provision on free legal aid to any citizen was inserted in the Constitution (RPSC's key: 1976). This one tests the Article number of equal justice and free legal aid among other pairs.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
Which Article of the Constitution of India directs the State to take steps to secure the participation of workers in the management of industries?
- (a)Article 41
- (b)Article 43
- (c)Article 43A
- (d)Article 46
Answer(3) — Article 43A, inserted by the Forty-second Amendment, covers participation of workers in management of industries. Option (1) is the right to work, education and public assistance; option (2) a living wage; option (4) the educational and economic interests of weaker sections. - practice — not a real PYQ
The Directive Principle on just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief is contained in
- (a)Article 39
- (b)Article 41
- (c)Article 42
- (d)Article 47
Answer(3) — Article 42 is headed "Provision for just and humane conditions of work and maternity relief". Option (1) sets principles such as equal pay; option (2) the right to work, education and public assistance; option (4) nutrition, standard of living and public health.