Extra 20 important long-answer questions from the chapter Fundamental Rights for Class 11 Political Science, along with their answers.
What are Fundamental Rights? Explain their significance in the Indian Constitution.
Fundamental Rights are the
basic rights
guaranteed to all Indian citizens under
Part III (Articles 12-35)
of the Constitution.
Significance:
Protect individual liberty.
Ensure equality.
Safeguard minorities.
Promote justice.
Maintain democracy.
Provide legal remedies (Article 32).
Explain the Right to Equality in detail.
The
Right to Equality (Articles 14-18)
ensures that all citizens are treated equally before the law.
Key provisions:
Article 14:
Equality before law & equal protection of laws
.
Article 15:
No discrimination on religion, race, caste, sex, or place of birth
.
Article 16:
Equal opportunity in public employment
.
Article 17:
Abolition of untouchability
.
Article 18:
Abolition of titles
.
Discuss the six freedoms under Article 19.
Article 19 grants six fundamental freedoms:
Freedom of
Speech & Expression
.
Freedom to
Assemble peacefully
.
Freedom to
Form associations/unions
.
Freedom to
Move freely
.
Freedom to
Reside & settle
anywhere in India.
Freedom to
Practice any profession
.
What are the reasonable restrictions on the Right to Freedom?
The state can
impose restrictions
under Article 19 in the interest of:
Security of the state
(e.g., preventing riots).
Sovereignty & integrity
of India.
Friendly relations with foreign states
.
Public order, decency & morality
.
Preventing defamation
.
Contempt of court
.
Explain the Right to Life and Personal Liberty under Article 21.
Article 21
states, "No person shall be deprived of life or personal liberty except according to the procedure established by law."
Expanded rights:
Right to
Privacy
.
Right to
Clean environment
.
Right to
Education
(Article 21A).
Right to
Health & medical care
.
What is the Right against Exploitation? Why is it important?
Articles
23 & 24
protect individuals from forced
labour
& child
labour
.
Article 23:
Prohibits
human trafficking, forced
labour
(
beggar
), and bonded
labour
.
Article 24:
Bans employment of
children below 14 years
in hazardous industries.
Importance:
Protects dignity.
Ensures social justice.
Prevents child
labour
exploitation.
Explain the Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25-28).
Key provisions:
Article 25:
Freedom of conscience and religion
.
Article 26:
Right to manage religious affairs
.
Article 27:
No tax for religious promotion
.
Article 28:
No religious instruction in state-funded institutions
.
Describe the Cultural and Educational Rights of minorities.
Articles 29 & 30
protect the rights of minorities.
Article 29:
Protects
language, script, and culture
of minorities.
Article 30:
Allows minorities to
establish & manage their educational institutions
.
Importance:
Preserves diversity.
Prevents cultural domination.
Promotes education among minorities.
What is Article 32? Why did
Dr.
B.R. Ambedkar call it the "Heart and Soul" of the Constitution?
Article 32
allows citizens to approach the
Supreme Court for Fundamental Rights violations
.
Reasons for importance:
Protects fundamental rights.
Provides legal remedies.
Empowers courts to issue
writs
.
Strengthens democracy.
What are writs? Explain different types of writs.
Writs
are special orders issued by courts for enforcement of Fundamental Rights.
Types:
Habeas Corpus
– "To have the body" (against illegal detention).
Mandamus
– "We command" (forces public officials to do their duty).
Certiorari
– Higher court reviews the decision of a lower court.
Prohibition
– Stops lower courts from exceeding their jurisdiction.
Quo
Warranto
– Prevents illegal occupation of a public office.
11. What is the Right to Constitutional Remedies? Why is it important?
Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32)
allows citizens to move the
Supreme Court or High Courts
if their Fundamental Rights are violated.
Importance:
Protects citizens from state violations.
Strengthens democracy by ensuring legal safeguards.
Empowers courts to issue writs.
Called the
“Heart and Soul”
of the Constitution by
Dr.
B.R. Ambedkar
.
12. Discuss the importance of Fundamental Rights in a democratic country like India.
Fundamental Rights
ensure
justice, liberty, and equality
, which are the pillars of democracy.
Importance:
Protect
individual freedom
.
Ensure
equality and non-discrimination
.
Prevent
arbitrary actions by the state
.
Promote
social justice
and uplift marginalized sections.
Provide
legal remedies (Article 32)
for rights violations.
13. Explain the restrictions on the Right to Freedom of Religion.
Though the
Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25-28)
allows people to practice their faith, the state can impose
reasonable restrictions
on grounds of:
Public order
– Prevents communal violence.
Morality
– Bans religious practices harmful to society (e.g., human sacrifices).
Health
– Prohibits harmful rituals like animal sacrifices in public places.
Social reforms
– Bans practices like
sati
and
untouchability
.
14. What was the impact of the 44th Amendment Act on Fundamental Rights?
The
44th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1978
brought major changes:
Removed Right to Property
(Article 31) from Fundamental Rights.
Made Article 300A
– Right to Property a
legal right
instead of a Fundamental Right.
Limited suspension of Article 21 during an Emergency
, unlike before.
Strengthened
Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32)
.
15. Describe how Fundamental Rights ensure social and economic justice in India.
Social justice:
Right to Equality (Articles 14-18)
abolishes discrimination.
Right against Exploitation (Articles 23-24)
bans forced
labour
.
Right to Freedom (Articles 19-22)
ensures personal liberty.
Economic justice:
Equal opportunity (Article 16)
in government jobs.
Right to Education (Article 21A)
promotes employment.
Protection of minority cultural institutions (Articles 29-30)
.
16. What is the difference between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP)?
|
Fundamental Rights |
Directive Principles (DPSP) |
|---|---|
|
Enforceable by courts |
Not legally enforceable |
|
Focus on individual rights |
Focus on social welfare |
|
Ensure political democracy |
Ensure social and economic democracy |
|
Given in Part III of the Constitution |
Given in Part IV of the Constitution |
|
Examples: Right to Equality, Right to Freedom |
Examples: Equal pay for equal work, free legal aid |
17. Explain how the Supreme Court has expanded the meaning of Article 21 over time.
Article 21:
"No person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law."
Over time, the Supreme Court has
expanded its meaning
to include:
Right to Clean Environment
(MC Mehta case).
Right to Privacy
(K.S.
Puttaswamy
case).
Right to Education (Article 21A)
.
Right to Health and Medical Care
.
18. Why was the Right to Property removed from the list of Fundamental Rights?
Originally in Article 31
, the Right to Property was removed by the
44th Amendment Act, 1978
.
Reasons for removal:
Obstructed land reforms
, preventing redistribution of land to the poor.
Created legal challenges
against government projects.
Now a legal right under Article 300A
, meaning the government can take property for public welfare but must provide compensation.
19. How does the Indian judiciary protect Fundamental Rights?
Judiciary ensures protection of Fundamental Rights through:
Judicial Review:
Courts can strike down unconstitutional laws.
Article 32 & Article 226:
Citizens can file cases in
Supreme Court and High Courts
for rights violations.
Issuing writs
like Habeas Corpus, Mandamus, Certiorari, Prohibition, and Quo
Warranto
.
Public Interest Litigation (PIL):
Allows citizens to seek justice for public causes.
20. Can Fundamental Rights be suspended? Explain the conditions under which they can be restricted.
Fundamental Rights can be suspended only during a National Emergency (Article 359).
Conditions for suspension:
During an Emergency (Article 352)
, the President can suspend rights except Articles 20 and 21.
State can impose reasonable restrictions
on rights under specific conditions (e.g., public order, sovereignty, morality).
Military rule or external aggression
can lead to temporary suspension of rights.
