SSC
The idea of a chapter of justiciable Fundamental Rights in the Indian Constitution was largely inspired by the constitution of:
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Answer: Option B — United States of America
Detailed Solution
The idea of a chapter of Fundamental Rights that can be enforced by the courts was largely inspired by the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States of America.
The American Bill of Rights:
- The first ten amendments to the US Constitution, adopted in 1791, are called the Bill of Rights.
- They guarantee rights such as freedom of speech, religion, the press and assembly, the right to a fair trial, and protection against unreasonable searches and cruel punishments.
- They limit the power of the government over individuals.
Fundamental Rights in India:
- They are given in a separate Part of the Constitution, and are called the "Magna Carta of India".
- They are justiciable, which means that a person can go to the courts if any of these rights is violated.
- They protect individuals against arbitrary actions of the State.
- They are not absolute; the State can impose reasonable restrictions on them in the interest of public order, morality, security of the State and so on.
The six Fundamental Rights (at present):
- The Right to Equality.
- The Right to Freedom.
- The Right against Exploitation.
- The Right to Freedom of Religion.
- Cultural and Educational Rights.
- The Right to Constitutional Remedies.
- The Right to Property was originally a Fundamental Right, but it was removed from this list by the 44th Amendment Act (1978), and made a legal right.
Historical background in India:
- The demand for fundamental rights was made by Indian leaders from the early days of the freedom struggle.
- The Karachi session of the Congress (1931) passed a resolution on Fundamental Rights and the National Economic Programme.
- The Advisory Committee on Fundamental Rights, Minorities and Tribal Areas of the Constituent Assembly was headed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Why not the other options?
- ✗Britain has no written bill of fundamental rights in its constitution; Canada and Australia were not the main source of this idea.
Quick tip
Remember: Fundamental Rights = inspired by the US Bill of Rights; called the "Magna Carta of India"; Right to Property removed by the 44th Amendment (1978).
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Ask a doubtMore Fundamental Rights Questions
View all ›- Q1.'Protection of life and personal liberty' is guaranteed under which Article of the Constitution?
- Q2.The right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice is provided under:
- Q3.The employment of children below the age of 14 years in factories, mines and other hazardous work is prohibited under:
- Q4.'Laws inconsistent with or in derogation of the Fundamental Rights shall be void' is provided under:
- Q5.Prohibition of discrimination on grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth is provided under:
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Fundamental Rights — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Fundamental Rights, 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.
Fundamental Rights are listed in Part III of the Constitution (Articles 12-35). This topic covers the six Fundamental Rights (equality, freedom, against exploitation, freedom of religion, cultural and educational rights, and constitutional remedies), the five writs, and the landmark cases that shaped these rights. Questions usually ask which article guarantees a right (Article 21 for life and personal liberty, Article 17 for abolition of untouchability), which writ serves which purpose, and why the right to property is no longer a Fundamental Right (it was removed by the 44th Amendment in 1978). B. R. Ambedkar called Article 32 the 'heart and soul' of the Constitution. Practise the Fundamental Rights 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.