The Constitution of India aims to establish not only political democracy but
also socio-economic justice to the people to establish a welfare state. With this
purpose in mind, our Constitution lays down desirable principle and
guidelines in Part IV known as the Directive Principle of State Policy.
Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are in the form
of instructions/guidelines to the governments at the centre as well as
states. Though these principles are non-justiciable, they are fundamental
in the governance of the country. The idea of Directive Principles of State
Policy has been taken from the Irish Republic. They were incorporated in our
Constitution in order to provide economic justice and to avoid concentration
of wealth in the hands of a few people. Therefore, no government can afford to
ignore them. They are in fact, the directives to the future governments to
incorporate them in the decisions and policies to be formulated by them.
Features
1. Resemble the ‘Instrument of Instructions’ enumerated in the Government of
India Act, 1935.
2. Aim at realising the high ideals of justice, liberty, equality and fraternity as
outlined in Preamble to the Constitution.
3. Embody the concept of a ‘welfare state’.
4. Seek to establish economic and social democracy.
5. Are non-justiciable.
6. Fundamental in the governance of the country.
7. Help the courts in examining and determining the constitutional validity of
a law.
Classification
The Constitution does not contain any classification of the Directive
Principles. However, on the basis of their content and direction, they can be
classified broadly into socialist, Gandhian and liberal-intellectual.
Socialistic Principles:
1. to promote the welfare of the people by securing a social order permeated by
social, economic and political justice and to minimise inequalities in income,
status, facilities and opportunities. (Art 38)
2. to secure (a) the right to adequate means of livelihood for all citizens; (b) the
equitable distribution of material resources of the community for common
good; (c) prevention of concentration of wealth and means of production;
(d) equal pay for equal work for men and women; (e) preservation of the
health and strength of workers and children against forcible abuse; and (f)
opportunities for healthy development of children. (Art 39)
3. to promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor. (Art 39A)
4. to secure the right to work, to education and to public assistance in cases of
unemployment, old age, sickness and disablement. (Art 41)
5. to make provision for just and humane conditions for work and maternity
relief. (Art 42)
6. to secure a living wage, a decent standard of life and social and cultural
opportunities for all workers (Art 43)
7. To take steps to secure the participation of workers in the management of
industries (Art 43A)
[Link] raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living of people and to
improve public health. (Art 47)
The Gandhian Principles:
Based on Gandhian ideology, these include
1. to organize village Panchayats and endow them with necessary powers and
authority to enable them to function as units of self government. (Art 40)
2. to promote cottage industries on an individual or co-operation basis in rural
areas. (Art 43)
3. to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic
control, and professional management of co-operative societies. (Art 43B)
4. to promote the educational and economic interests of SCs, STs and other
weaker sections of the society and to protect them from social injustice and
exploitation. (Art 46)
5. to prohibit the consumption of intoxicating drinks and drugs which are
injurious to health. (Art 47)
6. to prohibit slaughter of cows, calves and other milch and drought cattle and
to improve their breeds. (Art 48)
Liberal-Intellectual Principles:
These principles represent the ideology of liberalism and direct the state to
1. to secure for all citizens a uniform civil code. (Art 44)
2. to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they
complete the age of 6 years. (Art 45)
3. to organise agricultural and animal husbandry on modern and scientific
lines. (Art 48)
4. to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and
wildlife. (Art 48A)
5. to protect monuments, places and objects of artistic or historic interest
which are declared to be of national importance. (Art 49)
6. to separate the judiciary from the executive in the public services of the
state. (Art 50)
7. To promote international peace and security and maintain just and
honourable relations between nations; to foster respect for international law
and treaty obligations, and to encourage settlement of international disputes
by arbitration. (Art 51)
Added by 42nd Amendment Act, 1976:
1. to secure opportunities for healthy development of children. (Art 39)
2. to promote equal justice and to provide free legal aid to the poor. (Art 39A)
3. to take steps to secure the participation of workers in the management of
industries (Art 43A)
4. to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard forests and
wildlife. (Art 48A)
Added by 44th Amendment Act, 1978:
1. to minimise inequalities in income, status, facilities and opportunities. (Art
38)
Added by 97th Amendment Act, 2011:
1. to promote voluntary formation, autonomous functioning, democratic
control, and professional management of co-operative societies. (Art 43B)
86th Amendment Act, 2002 changed the subject matter of Art 45 and made
elementary education a fundamental right under Art 21A. The amended
directive requires the state to provide early childhood care and education for all
children until they complete the age of 6 years