Part IVA, Fundamental Duties

Fundamental Duties in the Indian Constitution are inspired by the Constitution of erstwhile USSR. Japanese Constitution is, perhaps, the only democratic Constitution in world which contains a list of duties of citizen.

Congress Party set up the Swaran Singh Committee to make recommendation about Fundamental Duties.

Congress government at center adopt this recommendation and enacted the 42nd Amendment Act 1976.

According to Article 51A, it shall be the duty of every citizen of India:

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 that inspired the 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 and to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women;
6. to value and preserve the rich heritage of the country's composite culture;
7. to protect and improve the natural environment including forest, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures;
8. to protect and improve the environment including, forest, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.
9. to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform;
10. to safeguard public property and to abjure violence;
11. to strive towards excellence in all spheres of individual and collective activity so that the nation constantly rises to higher levels of endeavor and achievement; and
12. to provide opportunity for education to his child or ward between the age of six and fourteen years. This duty was added by the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002.

Features of Fundamental Rights

1. Some of them are moral duties and other are civic duties.
2. They essentially contain just a codification of tasks integral to the Indian way of life.
3. They are confined to citizens only and do not extend to foreigners.
4. They are non-justiciable.