Which of the following statements is INCORRECT about the Directive Principles of State Policy?

Correct — D. Option (d) inverts the standard comparison. It is the Fundamental Rights that are described as personal and individualistic.

The Directive Principles are societarian and socialistic — they are aimed at the welfare of the community, and Part IV speaks to the State about the social order it must build, not to the individual about a right he can claim.

So 'they promote welfare of individuals, hence they are personal and individualistic' is the false statement, which is what a question asking for the INCORRECT one wants.

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  They are positive, as they require the State to do certain things. — True, so not the answer. Directive Principles are positive: they require the State to do things, where Fundamental Rights are negative and restrain it from doing things.
• (b)
  These have moral and political sanctions. — True, so not the answer. Being non-justiciable under Article 37, the Principles have no legal sanction. What backs them is moral and political pressure, chiefly the electorate.
• (c)
  They aim at establishing social and economic democracy in the country. — True, so not the answer. Establishing social and economic democracy, on top of the political democracy the Rights secure, is the declared purpose of Part IV.

Part IV of the Constitution, Articles 36 to 51, holds the Directive Principles. Article 37 makes them unenforceable in any court and, in the same sentence, fundamental in the governance of the country.

Learn them against the Fundamental Rights, because SSC tests the contrast rather than the list:

Rights are negative and restrain the State, Principles are positive and require it to act. Rights are justiciable, Principles are not. Rights are personal and individualistic, Principles are societarian and socialistic.

The idea was borrowed from the Constitution of Ireland.

Key facts

• The Directive Principles sit in Part IV, Articles 36 to 51.
• Article 37 makes the Principles non-justiciable but fundamental in the governance of the country.
• Fundamental Rights are personal and individualistic, Directive Principles societarian and socialistic.
• The Directive Principles were borrowed from the Constitution of Ireland.

Common traps

• Missing the word INCORRECT and picking the first true statement in the list
• Attaching an individualistic character to Part IV because the word welfare sounds personal

No directly related past PYQ was found.