UPSC Prelims Marathon 23 February – Fundamental Rights, Constitutional Amendments, and Constitutional Rights outside Part III – 2026

Regarding Article 31B and the Ninth Schedule, consider the following statements:
1.Article 31B is wider than Article 31A because it protects any law included in the Ninth Schedule from all Fundamental Rights, not just Articles 14 and 19.
2.According to the I.R. Coelho case (2007), laws placed in the Eighth Schedule after April 24, 1973, are open to judicial review if they violate the Basic Structure of the Constitution.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Consider the following pairs regarding rights found outside Part III of the Constitution:
ArticleNature of Right
I. Article 265No tax shall be levied or collected except by authority of law. Unlike Fundamental Rights, these rights are not enforceable by the Supreme Court under Article 32.
II. Article 300-ANo person shall be deprived of his property save by authority of law. If these rights are violated, the aggrieved person can approach the High Court under Article 226.
III. Article 326Right to be registered as a voter at elections to the Lok Sabha and Legislative Assemblies. The 63rd Amendment (1989) reduced the voting age under Article 326 from 21 to 18 years.
Select the correct answer:

With reference to the Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV), consider the following statements:
1.They were described by Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as ‘Novel Features’ of the Indian Constitution and are based on the ‘Instrument of Instructions’ of the GOI Act, 1935.
2.While not enforceable by any court, they are fundamental in the governance of the country and it shall be the duty of the State to apply these principles in making laws.
3.Their primary objective is to establish ‘Political Democracy’ in the country, supplementing the ‘Social and Economic Democracy’ of Fundamental Rights.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The 42nd Amendment Act, 1976, made several changes to the scheme of Fundamental Rights and DPSPs. Consider the following statements:
1.It gave precedence to all Directive Principles over the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by Articles 14, 19, and 31.
2.It added three new Directive Principles: Equal justice and free legal aid, Participation of workers in management, and Protection of the environment.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Regarding the 44th Amendment Act, 1978, consider the following statements:
1.It deleted the Right to Property (Article 19(1)(f) and Article 31) from the list of Fundamental Rights.
2.It provided that the enforcement of the rights guaranteed by Articles 20 and 21 can be suspended even during a National Emergency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

The 86th Amendment Act, 2002, is a watershed moment for educational rights. Consider the following statements:
1.It inserted Article 21A, making elementary education a fundamental right for children between 6 and 14 years.
2.It changed the subject matter of Article 45 (DPSP), shifting the focus to early childhood care and education for children below the age of six years.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

With reference to the 97th Amendment Act, 2011, consider the following statements:
1.It made the right to form co-operative societies a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(d).
2.It included a new Directive Principle of State Policy (Article 43B) on the promotion of co-operative societies.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?