Fundamental Duties

         In 1976 the Congress President appointed a Committee headed by Sardar Swaran Singh to examine the Constitution and to suggest changes “so that it may continue as a living document”. The report and recommendations of the Committee resulted in 42^nd Amendment of the Constitution in 1976. Apart from other things this amendment included the insertion of Part IVA and Article 51A in our Constitution. These contain fundamental duties of citizens. Presently there are eleven fundamental duties. Out of these ten were inserted in the Constitution by the 42^nd Amendment while one more fundamental duty referring to the duty of a parent to provide education to his children was incorporated by the 86^th amendment in 2002. The fundamental duties are:

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.