Directive Principles of State Policy – NDA Polity PYQs

NDA 2021-II

Q. 1. Who among the following described the Directive Principles of State Policy as the novel feature of the Constitution of India?

(a)  Jawaharlal Nehru

(b)  Rajendra Prasad

(c)  S.N. Mukherjee

(d)  B.R. Ambedkar

Answer: (d)  B.R. Ambedkar

Explanation: Dr. B.R. Ambedkar described the Directive Principles of State Policy as a ‘novel feature’ of the Indian Constitution. Ambedkar was the Chairman of the Drafting Committee and the person most closely associated with the constitutional architecture. His characterisation reflects the unique design of Part IV: embedding a welfare agenda in the Constitution without making it judicially enforceable. Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution and later became the first Prime Minister. Rajendra Prasad was the President of the Constituent Assembly. Neither described DPSPs specifically as a novel feature. Concept Tested: Ambedkar’s characterisation of DPSPs as a ‘novel feature’ of the Indian Constitution

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Attribution questions test whether candidates know who said what about which part of the Constitution. Ambedkar : novel feature of DPSPs. Nehru : Objectives Resolution. Rajendra Prasad : President of Constituent Assembly. These three roles are distinct and must not be confused.

NDA 2020-I/II

Q. 2. Which one of the following Directive Principles was inserted by the Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976?

(a)  The State shall minimise inequalities in income

(b)  Equal justice and free legal aid

(c)  Promotion of co-operative societies

(d)  Provision for early childhood care

Answer: (b)  Equal justice and free legal aid

Explanation: The 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act, 1976 added three new Directive Principles to Part IV: Article 39A (equal justice and free legal aid), Article 43A (participation of workers in management of industries), and Article 48A (protection and improvement of the environment). Option (b): equal justice and free legal aid: is Article 39A, added by the 42nd Amendment. This is the correct answer. Option (a): minimise inequalities in income: was added to Article 38 as clause (2) by the 44th Amendment, 1978, not the 42nd. Option (c): promotion of co-operative societies: was inserted as Article 43B by the 97th Amendment, 2011. Option (d): early childhood care: reflects the amended Article 45 after the 86th Amendment, 2002. The 86th Amendment changed Article 45 from free compulsory education (up to age 14) to early childhood care for children below six years. Concept Tested: 42nd Constitutional Amendment Act 1976: inserted Article 39A (equal justice and free legal aid) into Part IV

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Each wrong option here corresponds to a genuine DPSP added by a different amendment: 44th (minimise inequalities), 97th (co-operatives), 86th (early childhood care). Only Article 39A was added by the 42nd Amendment. The 42nd Amendment’s three Part IV additions: Articles 39A, 43A, and 48A.

NDA 2019-II

Q. 3. Article 46 of the Constitution of India refers to the promotion of educational and economic interests of

(a)  religious minorities.

(b)  Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections.

(c)  displaced persons from large irrigation projects.

(d)  the economically deprived.

Answer: (b)  Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and other weaker sections.

Explanation: Article 46 directs the State to promote with special care the educational and economic interests of the weaker sections of the people, and in particular of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. Article 46 also directs the State to protect these communities from social injustice and all forms of exploitation. The specific beneficiaries are: Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and other weaker sections: not religious minorities, not displaced persons from irrigation projects, and not a general economically deprived category. Article 46 belongs to the Gandhian category of DPSPs, reflecting emphasis on the upliftment of the socially marginalised. Concept Tested: Article 46: promotion of educational and economic interests of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and weaker sections

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: The distractors in this question: religious minorities and economically deprived: are plausible welfare categories. Article 46 specifically names Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The SC/ST anchor distinguishes it from general economic welfare provisions.

NDA 2018-II

Q. 4. Which one of the following is not a part of the Directive Principles of State Policy as enshrined in the Constitution of India?

(a)  Equal justice and free legal aid

(b)  Protection of monuments and places and objects of national importance

(c)  Protection of personal law

(d)  Separation of Judiciary from Executive

Answer: (c) Protection of personal law

Explanation: This is a negation question: the task is to identify the provision that is NOT a DPSP. Option (a): Equal justice and free legal aid: IS a DPSP. It is Article 39A, inserted by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment, 1976. Option (b): Protection of monuments and places of national importance: IS a DPSP. It is Article 49. Option (d): Separation of Judiciary from Executive: IS a DPSP. It is Article 50, which directs the State to separate the judiciary from the executive in public services. Option (c): Protection of personal law: is NOT a DPSP. The Constitution does not direct the State to protect existing personal laws. Article 44 actually directs the State to endeavour toward a Uniform Civil Code, which points in the opposite direction. Concept Tested: What is and is not a Directive Principle: Article 39A, Article 49, Article 50 are DPSPs; protection of personal law is not

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: Articles 49 and 50 (monuments and separation of judiciary) are confirmed DPSPs but often unrecognised by students. Protection of personal law sounds like a welfare provision but has no corresponding DPSP article. Article 44 actually aspires toward a Uniform Civil Code: not toward protecting existing personal laws.

NDA 2009-I

Q. 5. The Instrument of Instructions contained in the Government of India Act 1935 has been incorporated in the Constitution of India in the year 1950 as

(a)  Fundamental Rights

(b)  Directive Principles of State Policy

(c)  Fundamental Duties

(d)  Emergency Provisions

Answer: (b)  Directive Principles of State Policy

Explanation: The Government of India Act 1935 contained an Instrument of Instructions: directions given to the Governor-General and Governors on how to exercise their discretionary executive powers. When the Constitution of India was framed, this concept of executive direction was elevated and transformed into Part IV: the Directive Principles of State Policy. The DPSPs are non-justiciable constitutional directives addressed to the State as a whole, not to any individual executive. The philosophical model for DPSPs was the Irish Constitution of 1937, which itself contained non-justiciable welfare directives. But the immediate Indian ancestor was the Instrument of Instructions. Concept Tested: Historical origin of DPSPs: Instrument of Instructions, Government of India Act 1935

★ JOVIK Exam Insight: The Instrument of Instructions → DPSPs connection is a direct bridge between the 1935 Act and the 1950 Constitution. Fundamental Rights derive from the American Bill of Rights. Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Amendment inspired by the Soviet Constitution. These three sources are distinct.

---