SSC
Which Directive Principle directs the State to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines, and to preserve and improve breeds and prohibit the slaughter of cows and calves?
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Answer: Option B — Article 48
Detailed Solution
Article 48 directs the State to endeavour to organise agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and scientific lines, and in particular to take steps for preserving and improving the breeds, and prohibiting the slaughter, of cows and calves and other milch and draught cattle.
Two aspects of Article 48:
- Modern and scientific agriculture and animal husbandry: This reflects the aim of improving the productivity of Indian agriculture, which was the main occupation of most people.
- Protection of cattle: The prohibition of cow slaughter reflects the Gandhian ideal and the religious sentiments of many Indians, as well as the economic value of cattle in agriculture.
Debate in the Constituent Assembly:
- Some members wanted a ban on cow slaughter to be made a Fundamental Right.
- Others felt that it should not be included at all.
- As a compromise, it was placed among the Directive Principles, and expressed in economic terms.
Implementation:
Many states have passed laws prohibiting or restricting the slaughter of cows and bullocks.
In the State of Gujarat v. Mirzapur Moti Kureshi Kassab Jamat case (2005), the Supreme Court upheld a total ban on the slaughter of cows and their progeny, including bulls and bullocks, in Gujarat.
Schemes for agriculture and animal husbandry:
The Green Revolution (from the 1960s) introduced high-yielding varieties of seeds, fertilisers and irrigation.
The White Revolution (Operation Flood, from 1970), led by Dr. Verghese Kurien, made India the largest producer of milk in the world.
The Rashtriya Gokul Mission (2014) aims to conserve and develop indigenous breeds of cattle.
Related provision:
Article 48A, added by the 42nd Amendment (1976), directs the State to protect and improve the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife.
Classification:
Article 48 is often classed among the Gandhian principles (cow protection) and the liberal-intellectual principles (scientific agriculture).
Why not the other options?
- ✗Article 48A deals with the environment; Article 47 with nutrition and public health; Article 49 with the protection of monuments.
Quick tip
Remember: Article 48 = organisation of agriculture and animal husbandry on scientific lines and protection of cows; Article 48A = environment, forests and wildlife.
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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.