Fundamental Duties: How Fundamental Duties became a part of our Constitution?

What are the Fundamental Duties?

The citizens of the country have not only been given certain rights but have also been entrusted with some duties that they have to fulfil. These duties are the moral obligation that the citizens should live up to as a citizen of the Nation.

Features of the Fundamental Duties-

• These duties were added only in 1976 through the 42^ndConstitutional Amendment Act.

• They are mentioned in Article 51 A.

• They have been borrowed from the Constitution of erstwhile USSR.

• However, these duties are non- justiciable and cannot be enforced by courts.

Who gave the Fundamental Duties in India?

The Sardar Swaran Singh Committee in 1976 recommended the inclusion of Fundamental Duties in the Constitution. The committee had suggested 8 duties, but 10 duties were finally included. Though the committee had also suggested that paying taxes should be a fundamental duty and punishment should be given for not fulfilling these duties, they were not included in the final list.

Read more: Directive Principles of State Policy- Everything you need to know

Here is a list of the duties as mentioned in Article 51- A-

1. To abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag and the National Anthem;

2. To cherish and follow the noble ideals which inspired our national struggle for freedom;

3. To uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India;

4. To defend the country and render national service when called upon to do so;

5. To promote harmony and the spirit of common brotherhood amongst all the people of India transcending religious, linguistic and regional or sectional diversities; to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;

6. To value and preserve the rich heritage of our composite culture;

7. to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wild life, and to have compassion for living creatures;

8. To develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;

9. to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;

10. 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;

11. who is a parent or guardian to provide opportunities for education to his child or, as the case may be, ward between the age of six and fourteen years. This duty was added by the 86^th Constitutional Amendment of 2002. 

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