SSC
It is the duty of every citizen to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform. This duty is laid down in:
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Answer: Option A — Article 51A(h)
Detailed Solution
Clause (h) of Article 51A requires every citizen to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.
Meaning of the duty:
- Scientific temper means a way of thinking based on reason, evidence and questioning rather than blind belief or superstition.
- Humanism means concern for human welfare and dignity.
- The spirit of inquiry and reform means a readiness to question old practices and to change them when they are harmful.
Origin of the phrase:
- The phrase "scientific temper" was used by Jawaharlal Nehru in his book "The Discovery of India" (1946).
- Nehru believed that a scientific outlook was essential for India's progress.
Importance of the duty:
- It helps fight superstition, blind faith and harmful social practices.
- It encourages education, research and innovation.
- It supports social reform movements against practices such as untouchability and dowry.
Related laws and policies:
- Maharashtra passed an Anti-Superstition and Black Magic Act after the murder of the rationalist Narendra Dabholkar.
- Karnataka later passed a similar law.
- National science policies and the celebration of National Science Day (28 February) promote scientific thinking.
Scientific temper in the Constitution's spirit:
- The Preamble's promise of liberty of thought and expression is closely linked to this duty, since free inquiry needs the freedom to question.
- A scientific outlook also helps citizens judge public claims, rumours and fake news on the basis of evidence.
Other clauses of Article 51A:
- Clause (e) is about promoting harmony and renouncing practices derogatory to women.
- Clause (j) is about striving towards excellence.
- Clause (k), added in 2002, is about education for children aged 6 to 14.
Nature of the duty:
- Like other Fundamental Duties, it is non-justiciable.
- Good to know
- Clauses (e), (j) and (k) deal with harmony, excellence and children's education, respectively.
Quick tip
Remember: Article 51A(h) = scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.
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DPSP & Fundamental Duties — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of DPSP & Fundamental Duties, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the Directive Principles of State Policy in Part IV (Articles 36-51), borrowed from the Irish Constitution, and the Fundamental Duties in Part IV-A (Article 51A), added on the recommendation of the Swaran Singh Committee by the 42nd Amendment in 1976. Questions often ask which article contains a directive (Article 44 on a uniform civil code, Article 40 on village panchayats, Article 45 on early childhood care), how DPSP differ from Fundamental Rights (they cannot be enforced in court), and how many Fundamental Duties there are now (eleven, after the 86th Amendment added the eleventh in 2002). Practise the DPSP and Fundamental Duties questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.