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Directive Principles of State Policy
About 7 min · Indian Constitution & Public Administration · English
Time worked out from the lesson's 596 words at 150 words a minute, plus a minute for each question.
Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) form Part IV of the Indian Constitution (Articles 36-51) and serve as guidelines for the government to create a welfare state. While these principles are non-justiciable (not legally enforceable by courts), they are fundamental in governance and form the foundation for legislative and executive policies.
Key ideas
- Non-justiciable Nature: Courts cannot enforce DPSP directly, but use them to interpret ambiguous laws. Article 37 states DPSP are "fundamental in governance" though not enforceable by any court.
- Positive Obligations: Unlike Fundamental Rights (which restrict state action), DPSP impose positive duties on the state to actively create conditions for welfare, justice, and development.
- Tripartite Classification: DPSP are grouped into socialist principles (economic justice), Gandhian principles (village economy, prohibition), and liberal-intellectual principles (uniform civil code, environment protection).
- Supremacy Debate: Initially courts held Fundamental Rights supreme over DPSP (Champakam Dorairajan 1951). After the Kesavananda Bharati case (1973), a balance was struck — both are complementary and together form the "conscience of the Constitution."
- Amendment Process: DPSP can be amended only by the special majority procedure under Article 368 (not by simple majority). Several provisions have been added or changed via amendments (42nd, 44th, 86th, 97th).
Watch out for
- Confusing Article 45 with Article 21A: Students often remember "free education for children under 14" but miss that after 86th Amendment (2002), Article 21A made education for 6-14 years a Fundamental Right. Article 45 now covers children below 6 years.
- Treating DPSP as enforceable: DPSP are NOT justiciable. Courts cannot force the government to implement them through direct orders. However, they guide interpretation of laws and policy-making. Don't say "DPSP can be enforced in court" — they cannot.
- Missing which Amendment added what: Article 39A (free legal aid), 43A (workers in management), 43B (cooperatives), and 48A (environment) were added later — not part of original constitution. 42nd Amendment (1976) added three of these. 97th Amendment (2011) added Article 43B on cooperatives.
Quick reference
- Articles 36-51: DPSP = non-justiciable guidelines for welfare state governance.
- Article 37: Declares DPSP fundamental in governance but not enforceable by courts.
- Three classifications: Socialist (39, 41-43A), Gandhian (40, 43, 46-48), Liberal (44, 45, 48A-51).
- Key additions: 39A, 43A, 48A added by 42nd Amendment (1976); 43B added by 97th Amendment (2011).
- Implementation examples: Article 39A → Legal Services Act; Article 48A → Environment Protection Act; Article 45/21A → RTE Act 2009.
Check yourself: 3 questions
1. Which Article of the Indian Constitution contains the Directive Principle that states that the State shall endeavour to secure a Uniform Civil Code throughout the territory of India?
2. The Directive Principles of State Policy are classified into three broad categories. Which of the following correctly represents these categories?
3. In the case of Minerva Mills Ltd. vs. Union of India (1980), the Supreme Court held that there must be a harmony and balance between Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles. Which of the following statements best describes the enforceability of Directive Principles as established by judicial pronouncements?
This lesson is cut from the topic's note, not rewritten. Fact-checked on 17 Oct 2026: an AI-assisted check of this note against cited sources; the errors it found were corrected that day. Some errors may remain. The questions are from Shishya's validated question bank.
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