The Constitution Directive Principles

1. FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS &
DIRECTIVE PRINCIPLES OF
STATE POLICY
Neeraj 659 BA(P) Maths + Pol
IGP

2. Key Message:
◻ The roots are the ‘preamble’ and the trunk
is the ‘fundamental rights & directive
principles’.
◻ Understanding the Fundamental Rights
(FRs)and specific Articles.
◻ Different Activities related to the same.
◻ Raise some question at some particular points
in order to gain a lot more.

3. Right to Equality
◻ Art. 14
Equality
before law.
◻ Art. 15 Prohibition of
discrimination on
grounds of religion,
race, caste, sex or
place of birth.
◻ Art. 16 Equality of
opportunity in matters
of public employment.
◻ Art. 17 Abolition of
Untouchability
◻ Art. 18 Abolition of

4. Right to Freedom
◻ Art. 19 Protection of
certain rights regarding
freedom of speech, etc.
◻ Art. 20 Protection in
respect of conviction for
offences.
◻ Art. 21 Protection of
life and personal liberty.
◻ Art. 22 Protection
against arrest and
detention in certain
cases.

5. Right against Exploitation
◻ Art. 23 Prohibition of
traffic in human beings
and forced labour.
◻ Art. 24 Prohibition of
employment of children
in factories, etc.

6. Right to Freedom of Religion
◻ Art. 25 Freedom of
conscience and free
profession, practice and
propagation of religion.
◻ Art. 26 Freedom to
manage religious affairs.
◻ Art. 27 Freedom as to
payment of taxes for
promotion of any particular
religion.
◻ Art. 28 Freedom as to
attendance at religious
instruction or religious
worship in certain
educational institutions.

7. Cultural and Educational rights
◻ Art. 29 Protection of
interests of minorities.
◻ Art. 30 Right of
minorities to establish
and administer
educational institutions.

8. Right to Constitutional
Remedies
◻ Art. 32 Remedies for
enforcement of rights
conferred by this Part.
◻ Art. 33 Power of
Parliament to modify the
rights conferred by this
Part in their application to
Forces, etc.
◻ Art. 34 Restriction on
rights conferred by this
Part while martial law is in
force in any area.
◻ Art. 35 Legislation to
give effect to the
provisions of this Part.

9. Divide yourself into pairs. In this activity one of the partners should show power
and dominate the other person who is passive and swap the roles after few
minutes. While one partner plays the dominant role, the other partner stands
passive. The dominant partner can do anything with the passive partner who
merely follows instructions. When one partner is more powerful, the other has no
rights, he/she is completely under their control and can be made to do anything.
Allow five minutes for the whole exercise.
Activity 1

10. De-brief Questions:
1.What happened in the activity? What
did you do when you were powerful?
What did you do when you were
powerless?
2. How did it feel to be powerful? What do
you feel you have that makes you
powerful?
3. How does it feel to be powerless?
What do you lack that makes you
powerless?

11. De-brief Questions (Contd):
1.What rights are needed for us to live? - what is
needed for us to maintain our bodies? - what is
needed for us to move from this room to the city to
any place in India? - what is needed so that all
kinds of people – rich and poor, men and women
can have the same rights?
1. Can these rights be called basic human rights?

12. Split yourselves in to smaller groups of 3 or 4. Each group will take up a few Articles
from Articles 14 to 25 & 32 of Part III. It is important to remember these articles
and quote them especially when we are trying to uphold our or others’ rights. This
will assign a foundation to our claims and make them more relevant.
Activity 2

13. Groups at Work!
Discuss
groups:
•What
in
your this
Article/fundamental
right means
•Examples of how that
fundamental right has
been experienced in
real everyday life
•Thoughts on what
would life be like if that
fundamental right was
not there

14. De-brief Questions:
Which values do these rights flow from? What
do we notice about the way in which these
rights are grouped?

15. Split yourselves in to smaller groups of 3 or 4. Each group will take up a few
Articles from Articles 36 to 51 of Part IV. Not all of these may be relevant
today e.g. 43, 43 A, 48, 50 and 51 and are to be just read but need not be
discussed. The ones to be discussed are: 39, 39A, 41-48, 48A, 49.
Fundamental Rights & Directive Principles are different sides of the same coin.
Activity 3

16. De-brief Questions:
Which values of the Preamble do these
principles flow from?

17. Working in the same small groups, refer to the ‘Fundamental Rights
upheld by judicial action document’. Each group can discuss the cases
and share learning and insights with the larger group. The discussions
could look at some of the following points:
Activity 4

18. De-brief Questions:
1.What do we think was the judgement of the
Courts?
2. Which constitutional value was violated?
3.Referring back to the Articles in Part III,
identify which specific articles were upheld by
the Court in its judgement?
4. How has this case judgement affected our
everyday lives?

19. Working in the same small groups, refer to the ‘Directive Principles
upheld by judicial action’ document. Each group can discuss the
cases and share learning and insights with the larger group.
Activity 5

20. De-brief Questions:
1.What do we think was the judgement of
the Courts?
1.Which constitutional principles were
enforced?
1.How has this case judgement affected
our everyday lives?

21. Analogy:
The Preamble
Fundamental
Rights