Fundamental duties are essentially the moral obligations that all members of a nation have, and now,

India has 11 fundamental obligations that are outlined in Part IV-A of the Constitution in order to
foster patriotism and strengthen national cohesion.

The 42nd and 86th Constitutional Amendment Acts added the fundamental obligations of India,
which were not originally included in the Indian Constitution. The portions of the Indian Constitution
that describe the fundamental obligations of the states to their citizens as well as the rights and duties
they possess as Indian citizens are the list of fundamental rights and obligations and the Directive
Principles of State Policy.

All citizens are entitled to the same rights, and they also have a fundamental obligation to protect the
other rights (listed in Article 21) and ensure that they are not violated. One cannot expect to use all
legal rights and freedoms without first fulfilling the accompanying obligatory obligations.

The Swaran Singh Committee, which was established by Indira Gandhi shortly after the declaration of
a national emergency and tasked with studying and amending the constitution, recommended the
addition of the Fundamental Duties in 1976.

The longest-serving union cabinet minister in India, Sardar Swaran Singh, served as the committee's
chairman. Through the 42nd Amendment, which covered the essential obligations under the Indian
Constitution, the government implemented various amendments to the Constitution, including his
proposals. This amendment also changed the Preamble.

However, as according to Article 51A, Part IV-A of the Indian Constitution, the initial 10 obligations
were then raised to 11 by the 86th Amendment in 2002.

Following is the list of 11 fundamental duties mentioned in the Indian constitution

1. Abide by the Constitution and respect national flag & National Anthem
2. Follow ideals of the freedom struggle
3. Protect sovereignty & integrity of India
4. Defend the country and render national services when called upon
5. Sprit of common brotherhood
6. Preserve composite culture
7. Preserve natural environment
8. Develop scientific temper
9. Safeguard public property
10. Strive for excellence
11. Duty of all parents/guardians to send their children in the age group of 6-14 years to school.

Article 51A of the Constitution classifies any breach of fundamental obligations as contempt of the
constitution, which is penalised by the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971.

It is simple to presume that constitutional duties correspond to the fundamental duties of an Indian
citizen. The Indian Constitution outlines the people' basic rights and responsibilities as well as the
obligations of the State to guarantee that these rights are upheld and accorded to all citizens
equitably. These duties were drafted on the lines of moral, ethical, and cultural code of conduct which
is to be followed by the people to uphold and protect the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of our
country. It also helps the government in maintaining proper governance and enabling the proper
functioning of a democratic society

Practically speaking, it was a smart choice to make fundamental duties non-enforceable, especially in
light of the non-enforceability of the Constitution's Directive Principles of State Policy. In fact, the
majority of the population in India is illiterate, thus many people are unaware of their constitutional
obligations, which is the reason for not making these duties enforceable. In this case, enforcing the
fundamental obligations would have resulted in disorder and harassment among the populace.

Implementing these fundamental obligations would have also been challenging because Article 51A's
list of fundamental duties lacks enough justification and is open to various interpretations by different
people. Furthermore, the performance of the State and the Directive Principle of State Policy
completely determine how well the fundamental obligations are carried out.

Following these duties correctly will be difficult if the State is unable to create an environment that
elaborates on them. These duties are not legally binding, hence no legal action can be taken against
an Indian citizen who violates one of them.

Although being non-enforceable, these duties are important because:

 Environmental pollution has become a great cause of concern, not only for Indians but for
humanity around the globe. Unless we all take the pledge to keep our environment free from
pollutants, there remains the threat of undesirable consequences.
 These duties of an Indian citizen provides education to children, especially to children below
14 years of age, safeguards the human rights, and is a major step towards the abolition of
social injustice that is prevalent in the society today.
 For the growth of a democratic country like India, it is imperative that all fundamental duties
are followed by the citizens while respecting the integrity and promotion of cultural harmony
in the country.
 These duties are a constant reminder to citizens to build a free, healthy, and responsible
society and they are expected to not act as recklessly and not indulge in anti-social activities.

The 11 fundamental duties of the Constitution are not merely statements of morality or religion
because they are subject to judicial enforcement and enactment. Building a free and healthy society
with fair treatment for all citizens is their obligation, according to Article 51A and the description of
fundamental duties.

A Supreme Court decision stated that no one could compel someone to sing the National Anthem if
they had legitimate religious responsibilities that could be prioritised over patriotism.

A citizen must understand that it is in their own best interest to adhere to their duties and fulfil all 134
legal and constitutional requirements since only by doing so, independently, can they contribute to
the development of the democratic republic as a whole.

Citizens must act in line with the ideal code of behaviour and the 11 essential duties, and failure to do
so is not subject to judicial action. The "Ganatantra Raj," which made every one of us accountable for
the happiness and wellbeing of our people, came into being with India's independence.