Q10. Match List I with List II:
A. Abolition of titles;
B. Organisation of village panchayats;
C. Educational opportunities for children aged 6–14;
D. India, that is Bharat, is a Union of States.
List II:
1. Directive Principles;
2. Union and its Territory;
3. Fundamental Rights;
4. Fundamental Duties.
[CGPSC Civil Service, General Studies Paper I, 2019]
- (A) A-1, B-2, C-3, D-4
- (B) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
- (C) A-4, B-3, C-2, D-1
- (D) A-2, B-4, C-1, D-3
Answer: (B) A-3, B-1, C-4, D-2
Explanation: Abolition of titles comes from Article 18 under Fundamental Rights. Village panchayats are a Directive Principle in Article 40. Educational opportunities for children are a Fundamental Duty under Article 51A(k). Article 1 defines India as a Union of States.
Q9. Which of the following terms is NOT mentioned in the Fundamental Duties?
[RPSC Senior Teacher Grade II (Social Science), 17 February 2019]
- (A) Spiritual upliftment
- (B) Scientific temper
- (C) Humanism
- (D) Spirit of inquiry and reform
Answer: (A) Spiritual upliftment
Explanation: Article 51A(h) explicitly mentions scientific temper, humanism, and the spirit of inquiry and reform. Spiritual upliftment is not among those expressions or a separately listed Fundamental Duty. This question tests the precise constitutional language rather than a general understanding of ethics.
Q8. Which statements are true of the Fundamental Duties of an Indian citizen?
1. A legislative process has been provided to enforce these duties.
2. They are correlative to legal duties.
[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, GS Paper I, 2017]
- (A) 1 only
- (B) 2 only
- (C) Both 1 and 2
- (D) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (D) Neither 1 nor 2
Explanation: Article 51A does not establish a general legislative enforcement process for every duty, nor are Fundamental Duties defined as counterparts of legal duties. Parliament can enact specific implementing laws, but that does not make either proposition in the question correct.
Q7. When were Fundamental Duties mentioned in the Constitution?
[MPPSC State Service Preliminary Examination, General Studies, 2017]
- (A) At the time of constitution-making
- (B) On 26 January 1950
- (C) By the 42nd Constitutional Amendment
- (D) By the 41st Constitutional Amendment
Answer: (C) By the 42nd Constitutional Amendment
Explanation: Fundamental Duties were missing from the Constitution as originally adopted. They were introduced by the 42nd Amendment Act of 1976, through insertion of Part IV-A and Article 51A. The 41st Amendment did not introduce this chapter of duties.
Q6. According to the Constitution of India, which one of the following is NOT a Fundamental Duty?
[UPSC CDS General Knowledge Paper II, 23 October 2016]
- (A) To respect the National Flag
- (B) To defend the country
- (C) To provide educational opportunities to one’s child
- (D) To promote village and cottage industries
Answer: (D) To promote village and cottage industries
Explanation: Promotion of cottage industries is a Directive Principle under Article 43, not a citizen’s Fundamental Duty. Respect for the National Flag, defence when called upon, and providing educational opportunities to children aged six to fourteen are duties expressly covered by Article 51A.
Q5. Which are among the Fundamental Duties?
1. Preserve the heritage of composite culture.
2. Protect weaker sections from social injustice.
3. Develop scientific temper and inquiry.
4. Strive for excellence in individual and collective activity.
[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, 2012]
- (A) 1 and 2 only
- (B) 2 only
- (C) 1, 3 and 4 only
- (D) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer: (C) 1, 3 and 4 only
Explanation: Article 51A includes preservation of composite culture, scientific temper and striving for excellence. Protecting weaker sections from social injustice is an important constitutional objective but not stated as a Fundamental Duty in this list. Therefore statements 1, 3 and 4 qualify.
Q4. Under the Constitution of India, which one of the following is NOT a Fundamental Duty?
[UPSC Civil Services Preliminary Examination, 2011]
- (A) To vote in public elections
- (B) To develop scientific temper
- (C) To safeguard public property
- (D) To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals
Answer: (A) To vote in public elections
Explanation: Voting is not expressly listed under Article 51A, even though it is central to representative democracy. The other three obligations appear in the Fundamental Duties. The Swaran Singh Committee suggested certain additional duties, but not every recommendation was adopted in the Constitution.
Q3. The Fundamental Duties of a citizen do not include the duty:
[Uttar Pradesh Lower Subordinate Preliminary Examination, 2008]
- (A) To protect and improve the natural environment
- (B) To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom
- (C) To strive towards abolition of untouchability
- (D) To develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform
Answer: (C) To strive towards abolition of untouchability
Explanation: Article 17 abolishes untouchability as part of the Fundamental Rights, but Article 51A does not separately list striving for its abolition as a Fundamental Duty. Protection of the environment, following freedom-struggle ideals and developing scientific temper are expressly named as citizen duties.
Q2. Which of the following statements regarding Fundamental Duties is not true?
[UPPSC Preliminary Examination, 2003]
- (A) They can be enforced by writs
- (B) They can be promoted only by constitutional methods
- (C) They can be used for interpreting ambiguous statutes
- (D) The performance of a particular duty comes within constitutional law for the court to decide
Answer: (A) They can be enforced by writs
Explanation: Fundamental Duties are generally non-justiciable: courts do not issue writs simply to compel compliance with Article 51A. Nevertheless, courts may use these duties as interpretive guides, and legislation can give practical effect to obligations such as environmental protection or respect for national symbols.
Q1. Which of the following Amendment Acts is related to Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution?
[Uttar Pradesh Lower Subordinate Preliminary Examination, 2002]
- (A) 38th Amendment
- (B) 41st Amendment
- (C) 42nd Amendment
- (D) 45th Amendment
Answer: (C) 42nd Amendment
Explanation: The 42nd Amendment Act of 1976 incorporated Fundamental Duties into the Constitution through Part IV-A and Article 51A. The change followed the Swaran Singh Committee’s recommendation. The other numbered amendments in the options did not introduce the constitutional list of duties.
