Fundamental Rights, Writs and Citizenship
Fundamental Rights, Writs and Citizenship
Fundamental Rights (Part III, Articles 12 to 35) protect individuals against the State and can be enforced in court. NTPC asks which article guarantees which right, the five writs, and the ways of acquiring Indian citizenship.
1. Fundamental Rights
| Right | Articles | Key provisions |
|---|---|---|
| Equality | 14-18 | Equality before law (14); no discrimination (15); equal opportunity in public jobs (16); abolition of untouchability (17); abolition of titles (18) |
| Freedom | 19-22 | Six freedoms (19); protection in conviction (20); life and personal liberty (21); education for 6-14 years (21A, added 2002); protection against arrest (22) |
| Against exploitation | 23-24 | No forced labour (23); no child labour under 14 in factories, mines or hazardous work (24) |
| Religion | 25-28 | Freedom of conscience and religion |
| Cultural and educational | 29-30 | Minorities' rights to institutions |
| Constitutional remedies | 32 | Right to move the Supreme Court; Ambedkar called it the "heart and soul" of the Constitution |
The right to property was removed from Fundamental Rights by the 44th Amendment (1978); it is now a legal right under Article 300A
Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended even during a national emergency
2. Writs
| Writ | Meaning | Use |
|---|---|---|
| Habeas corpus | "To have the body" | Release from unlawful detention |
| Mandamus | "We command" | Order an official to do a public duty |
| Prohibition | "To forbid" | Stop a lower court acting beyond its jurisdiction |
| Certiorari | "To be certified" | Quash an order of a lower court |
| Quo warranto | "By what authority" | Question a person's right to hold a public office |
Supreme Court issues writs under Article 32; High Courts under Article 226 (wider: also for other legal rights)
3. Citizenship (Part II, Articles 5-11)
| Item | Facts |
|---|---|
| Law | Citizenship Act 1955 |
| Ways to acquire | Birth, descent, registration, naturalisation, incorporation of territory |
| Principle | India follows mainly jus sanguinis (by blood) after the amendments of 1986 and 2003, rather than pure birth (jus soli) |
| Type | Single citizenship (from Britain) |
✗ The right to property is a Fundamental Right | ✓ It was removed in 1978 and is now a legal right under Article 300A
✗ Mandamus can be issued against the President | ✓ It cannot be issued against the President, Governors or private individuals
हिंदी नोट: मौलिक अधिकार भाग III (अनुच्छेद 12 से 35) में हैं। अनुच्छेद 32 को अंबेडकर ने संविधान का "हृदय और आत्मा" कहा। पाँच रिट: बंदी प्रत्यक्षीकरण, परमादेश, प्रतिषेध, उत्प्रेषण और अधिकार-पृच्छा। सर्वोच्च न्यायालय अनुच्छेद 32 और उच्च न्यायालय अनुच्छेद 226 के तहत रिट जारी करते हैं।
Exam Pointer: Verified NTPC patterns: the article under which the Supreme Court issues writs (January 2021 CBT-1) and the citizenship principle India follows after the 2003 amendment (June 2025 Graduate CBT-1). Article-right matching questions are tagged syllabus-based.
Pariksha Pattern: Every Way NTPC Asks This Topic
Pattern 1: Writs and Article 32
[PYQ: NTPC CBT-1 19-Jan-2021 Shift-1]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Under which article does the Supreme Court issue writs to enforce Fundamental Rights?
Article 32.
Answer: Article 32
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which writ is issued to release a person from unlawful detention, and which questions a person's right to hold a public office?
Habeas corpus releases a person from unlawful detention; quo warranto questions the right to hold a public office.
Answer: Habeas corpus; quo warranto
Pattern 2: Article and right
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which article abolishes untouchability?
Article 17.
Answer: Article 17
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which article guarantees free and compulsory education for children aged 6 to 14, and in which year was it added?
Article 21A, added by the 86th Amendment in 2002.
Answer: Article 21A; 2002
Pattern 3: Changes to Fundamental Rights
[Pattern: syllabus-based, PYQ-style]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which amendment removed the right to property from Fundamental Rights?
The 44th Amendment, 1978.
Answer: 44th Amendment
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Under which article is property now a legal right, and which two articles cannot be suspended even in a national emergency?
Article 300A. Articles 20 and 21 cannot be suspended.
Answer: Article 300A; Articles 20 and 21
Pattern 4: Citizenship
[PYQ: NTPC Graduate CBT-1 10-Jun-2025 Shift-2]
EXAM LEVEL
Q. Which law governs Indian citizenship?
The Citizenship Act 1955.
Answer: Citizenship Act 1955
EXAMATLAS LEVEL
Q. Which principle of citizenship did India move towards after the 1986 and 2003 amendments, and what kind of citizenship does India have?
Jus sanguinis (citizenship by descent or blood) rather than birth alone; India has single citizenship.
Answer: Jus sanguinis; single citizenship
60-Second Revision
- Part III, Articles 12-35; six groups of rights.
- Art 17 untouchability; Art 21A education; Art 32 remedies ("heart and soul").
- Five writs; SC under Art 32, HC under Art 226.
- Property: 44th Amendment, now Art 300A.
- Citizenship Act 1955; single citizenship; jus sanguinis.