Which of the following is NOT a Fundamental Duty?

Correct — A. There is no Fundamental Duty to prohibit trade in rare and endangered species.

What Article 51A(g) actually says is that it is a duty to protect and improve the natural environment, including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures.

Protecting wildlife is a citizen's duty. Prohibiting trade in it is a power the State exercises through legislation such as the Wild Life (Protection) Act, and no citizen can be under a duty to prohibit anything.

Why the others are wrong

• (b)
  To safeguard public property and to abjure violence — This is Article 51A(i) almost word for word — to safeguard public property and to abjure violence. It is a listed duty, so it cannot answer a NOT question.
• (c)
  To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India — This is Article 51A(c) — to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India. It appears verbatim in Part IVA of the Constitution.
• (d)
  To value and preserve rich heritage of the country’s composite culture — This is Article 51A(f) — to value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture. Listed, and therefore not the odd one out.

Fundamental Duties sit in Part IVA, Article 51A of the Constitution.

Ten were inserted by the 42nd Amendment in 1976, on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee.

An eleventh came with the 86th Amendment in 2002, requiring a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to a child aged six to fourteen.

They are non-justiciable: no court will issue a writ to enforce a duty against a citizen. Parliament may still legislate to give a particular duty effect, and courts read them when interpreting other provisions.

Key facts

• Fundamental Duties are in Part IVA, Article 51A of the Constitution.
• The 42nd Amendment, 1976 added ten duties, following the Swaran Singh Committee.
• The 86th Amendment, 2002 added the eleventh duty, on education for children aged six to fourteen.
• Article 51A(g) covers protecting the environment and wildlife but creates no power to ban any trade.

Common traps

• Reading a policy that sounds virtuous as though it were a constitutional duty.
• Missing the NOT in the stem and marking a duty that really is listed.
• Confusing a duty of the citizen with an obligation of the State under the Directive Principles.

No directly related past PYQ was found.