Which of the following Articles of the Indian Constitution contains Fundamental Duties?

Correct — C. The Fundamental Duties are listed in Article 51A, the only Article in Part IVA of the Constitution.

They were not in the original text. The 42nd Amendment (1976) inserted them on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee, and the 86th Amendment (2002) added an eleventh — a parent's duty to provide education to a child aged six to fourteen.

Read the number as 51 plus A: the Part is bolted on after Article 51, the last Directive Principle.

Why the others are wrong

• (a)
  45A — 45A does not exist. Article 45 does — the Directive Principle on early childhood care and education for children below six — which is why an A gets attached to it here.
• (b)
  32A — 32A does not exist either. Article 32 is the right to constitutional remedies, which Ambedkar called the heart and soul of the Constitution: a right, and the opposite of a duty.
• (d)
  62B — 62B is invented outright. Article 62 sets the time for holding an election to fill a vacancy in the office of President, and nothing in that Part touches duties.

Fundamental Duties are the citizen's side of the constitutional bargain. Part IVA holds exactly one Article, 51A, with eleven clauses running from (a) to (k).

They begin with abiding by the Constitution and respecting the flag and anthem, cherishing the freedom struggle, protecting sovereignty and defending the country.

They go on to promoting harmony, preserving composite culture, protecting the environment, developing scientific temper, safeguarding public property, striving for excellence, and providing education to one's child.

Like the Directive Principles they are not directly enforceable. No court will punish you for failing one, though Parliament may legislate to enforce a duty and judges read them in when interpreting other provisions.

Key facts

• Fundamental Duties sit in Article 51A, Part IVA, inserted by the 42nd Amendment in 1976.
• The Swaran Singh Committee recommended their inclusion.
• The 86th Amendment, 2002, added the eleventh duty, on providing education to a child aged six to fourteen.
• Fundamental Duties are not by themselves enforceable in a court.

Common traps

• Answering 51 instead of 51A, when Article 51 is the Directive Principle on international peace
• Counting ten duties, the original number, after the 86th Amendment made it eleven
• Assuming a duty must be enforceable because it appears in the Constitution

No directly related past PYQ was found.