Question

By which of the following Amendments of the Constitution, Fundamental Duties of the citizens were added to the Constitution of India?
1. 44^th Constitutional Amendment Act
2. 42^nd Constitutional Amendment Act
3. 86th Constitutional Amendment Act
4.  69^th Constitutional Amendment Act

Answer 1

Correct Answer - Option 2 : 42^nd Constitutional Amendment Act

The correct answer is the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act.

• By the 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, Fundamental Duties of the citizens were added to the Constitution of India.

• Fundamental Duties:
  • In 1976, the Fundamental Duties of citizens were added by 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act on the basis of the Swaran Singh Committee Report.
  • The list of Fundamental Duties are:
    • It shall be the duty of every citizen of India:
    • (a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;
    • (b) to cherish and follow the noble ideals that inspired the national struggle for freedom;
    • (c) to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India;
    • (d) to defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;
    • (e) to promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities and to
    • renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
    • (f) to value and preserve the rich heritage of the country’s composite culture;
    • (g) to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
    • (h) to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
    • (i) to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
    • (j) to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavour and achievement; and
    • (k) to provide opportunities for education to his child or ward between the age of six and fourteen years.
      • This duty was added by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002.

• 86th Constitutional Amendment Act added a new Art. 21A after Art. 21 which makes the right of education for children of the age of 6 to 14 years a Fundamental Right.
• 69th Constitutional Amendment Act: Delhi was given the status of National Capital Territory of India.
• 44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978: Right to property was taken away from the list of Fundamental Rights and placed in a new Art. 300A as an ordinary legal right.