Directive Principles of State Policy

Introduction
The Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) are
guidelines or principles enshrined in the Indian
Constitution, aimed at guiding the state in the
formulation and execution of policies and laws. These
principles are enumerated in Part IV of the
Constitution, from Articles 36 to 51. Unlike
Fundamental Rights, these principles are non-
justiciable, meaning they are not enforceable by any
court. However, they are fundamental in the
governance of the country, intended to ensure social
and economic democracy.

Historical Background and Inspiration

The concept of Directive Principles was borrowed from
the Irish Constitution. The framers of the Indian
Constitution were also influenced by the ideas of social
justice and welfare state as envisioned in the British
Constitution and the United States’ Bill of Rights. The
DPSP reflects the aspirations of the Indian people for a
socio-economic order where justice, liberty, and
equality are ensured.
Classification of Directive Principles
The Directive Principles can be broadly classified
into three categories:

1. Social and Economic Principles

- Article 38: The state shall strive to promote the
welfare of the people by securing a social order in
which justice, social, economic, and political, shall
inform all the institutions of the national life.
- Article 39: The state shall direct its policy towards
securing:
- The right to an adequate means of livelihood for all
citizens.
- The ownership and control of material resources of
the community are so distributed as best to subserve
the common good.
- The operation of the economic system does not
result in the concentration of wealth and means of
production to the common detriment.
- Equal pay for equal work for both men and women.
- Health and strength of workers, men and women,
and the tender age of children are not abused.
 - Children are given opportunities and facilities to
develop in a healthy manner and in conditions of
freedom and dignity.
- Article 41: The state shall, within the limits of its
economic capacity and development, make effective
provision for securing the right to work, to education,
and to public assistance in cases of unemployment, old
age, sickness, and disablement.
- Article 42: The state shall make provision for
securing just and humane conditions of work and for
maternity relief.
- Article 43: The state shall endeavor to secure, by
suitable legislation or economic organization or in any
other way, to all workers a living wage, conditions of
work ensuring a decent standard of life and full
enjoyment of leisure and social and cultural
opportunities.
- Article 47: The state shall regard the raising of the
level of nutrition and the standard of living of its
people and the improvement of public health as among
its primary duties.
2. Gandhian Principles
- Article 40: The state shall take steps to organize
village panchayats and endow them with such powers
and authority as may be necessary to enable them to
function as units of self-government.
- Article 43: The state shall endeavor to promote
cottage industries on an individual or cooperative basis
in rural areas.
- Article 46: The state shall promote with special care
the educational and economic interests of the weaker
sections of the people, particularly the Scheduled
Castes and the Scheduled Tribes, and shall protect
them from social injustice and all forms of exploitation.
- Article 47: The state shall endeavor to bring about
the prohibition of the consumption except for
medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and drugs
which are injurious to health.
- Article 48: The state shall endeavor to organize
agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and
scientific lines and shall, in particular, take steps for
preserving and improving the breeds and prohibiting
the slaughter of cows and calves and other milch and
draught cattle.
3. Liberal-Intellectual Principles
- Article 44: The state shall endeavor to secure for the
citizens a uniform civil code throughout the territory of
India.
- Article 45: The state shall endeavor to provide early
childhood care and education for all children until they
complete the age of six years.
- Article 48: The state shall endeavor to organize
agriculture and animal husbandry on modern and
scientific lines.
- Article 48A: The state shall endeavor to protect and
improve the environment and to safeguard the forests
and wildlife of the country.
- Article 49: The state shall protect every monument
or place or object of artistic or historic interest,
declared by or under law made by Parliament, to be of
national importance.
- Article 50: The state shall take steps to separate the
judiciary from the executive in the public services of
the state.
- Article 51: The state shall endeavor to:
- Promote international peace and security.
 - Maintain just and honorable relations between
nations.
- Foster respect for international law and treaty
obligations.
- Encourage settlement of international disputes by
arbitration.

Significance of Directive Principles

The Directive Principles of State Policy serve as a
yardstick for measuring the performance of the
government. They are intended to set a benchmark for
the government’s accountability in the realm of socio-
economic development and the establishment of a
welfare state. Though non-justiciable, these principles
act as a moral compass for the legislation and
governance, influencing laws and policies that aim to
uplift the socio-economic status of the citizens.
Judicial Interpretations and Amendments
Over the years, the Indian judiciary has interpreted the
relationship between Fundamental Rights and Directive
Principles, often using the latter to broaden the scope
of the former. Landmark cases like Kesavananda Bharati
vs. State of Kerala and Minerva Mills Ltd. vs. Union of
India have established that while Fundamental Rights
are paramount, Directive Principles are fundamental to
the governance of the country and aim to achieve the
noble objectives of the Preamble.

Conclusion
The Directive Principles of State Policy, though non-
justiciable, are crucial to the governance of India. They
embody the vision of the framers of the Constitution to
establish a society where social and economic justice
prevails, and the state functions for the welfare of the
people. The effective implementation of these
principles can significantly contribute to the
development of a just, equitable, and prosperous
society.