SPI Polity · Free notes
Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance: SPI Polity
Fundamental Rights, DPSP and Local Governance has 13 questions in the SPI bank, one of them from the 2022 paper. Eleven are EASY: each asks for an article number, the group a right belongs to, or the name of a body or officer. The marks are lost where the options sit side by side, such as four article ranges in a row or the three tiers of Panchayati Raj, so these pages teach each list in its fixed order.
The handout has every subtopic, worked example, formula and trap with answers shown. The formula sheet is the chapter’s formulas and traps alone, on one page.
Subtopic notes
Fundamental Rights and Directive Principles
6 questionsThe six Fundamental Rights of Part III with their article numbers, the Right to Property that left that list, and the Directive Principles of Part IV that guide the government but cannot be enforced in court.
Panchayati Raj and Local Government
7 questionsGovernment closest to the people: the three tiers of Panchayati Raj, the Gram Sabha, the officials who run a village, the city's local bodies, and why power is passed down to them.
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 4 reference tables · 12 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Formula & revision sheet
0 formulas · 4 reference tables · 12 gotchas across all subtopics — the exam-eve cheat-sheet
Reference tables (2)
The six Fundamental Rights and their articles6 rows
| Right | Articles | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Right to Equality | 14 to 18 | Untouchability abolished (Article 17) |
| Right to Freedom | 19 to 22 | Assemble peacefully without arms |
| Right against Exploitation | 23 and 24 | No child below 14 in a factory or mine |
| Right to Freedom of Religion | 25 to 28 | Profess, practise and spread any religion |
| Cultural and Educational Rights | 29 and 30 | Minorities may run their own schools |
| Right to Constitutional Remedies | 32 | Go to the Supreme Court for a broken right |
The Right to Property and the Directive Principles7 rows
| Article | Directive Principle |
|---|---|
| 40 | Organise village panchayats |
| 43 | A living wage for workers |
| 44 | A uniform civil code for all citizens |
| 47 | Better nutrition and public health; prohibition of harmful drinks and drugs |
| 48A | Protect the environment, forests and wildlife |
| 50 | Separate the judiciary from the executive |
| 51 | Promote international peace and security; the last article of Part IV |
Watch out for (7)
- The four article ranges in a row→ The six Fundamental Rights and their articles
- Criticism is allowed, armed revolt is not→ The six Fundamental Rights and their articles
- Child labour is exploitation, not equality→ The six Fundamental Rights and their articles
- Secular does not mean against religion→ The six Fundamental Rights and their articles
- Property is no longer a Fundamental Right→ The Right to Property and the Directive Principles
- No single article holds all the Directive Principles→ The Right to Property and the Directive Principles
- Goals, not rights you can take to court→ The Right to Property and the Directive Principles
Reference tables (2)
The three tiers and the people who run a village7 rows
| Body or officer | Level | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Gram Sabha | Village | All adult voters; elects and checks the Gram Panchayat |
| Gram Panchayat | Village (lowest tier) | Elected panches headed by the Sarpanch |
| Panchayat Samiti | Block (middle tier) | Links the villages and the district |
| Zila Parishad | District (top tier) | Plans for the whole district |
| Panchayat Secretary | Village | Appointed by the government; assists the Gram Panchayat, keeps records |
| Patwari | Group of villages | Keeps the land records |
| Tehsildar | Tehsil | Supervises the Patwaris |
Decentralisation and taking part in local decisions5 rows
| Idea or body | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Decentralisation | Power passed down to local government |
| Participatory democracy | Citizens take part directly, as in ward meetings |
| Municipal Corporation | Local body of a big city; headed by the Mayor |
| Municipal Council | Local body of a smaller town |
| 74th Amendment (1992) | Gave city local bodies a place in the Constitution |
Watch out for (5)
- The Gram Sabha is not a tier→ The three tiers and the people who run a village
- One-third is for women→ The three tiers and the people who run a village
- The Secretary, not the Collector→ The three tiers and the people who run a village
- Voting alone is not participation→ Decentralisation and taking part in local decisions
- 73rd for villages, 74th for cities→ Decentralisation and taking part in local decisions
Question weightage by concept
4 concepts · 13 questions — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
Question weightage by concept
4 concepts · 13 questions — where the marks actually sit, so you know what to drill first
| Concept | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The six Fundamental Rights and their articles | 4 | 31% |
| The Right to Property and the Directive Principles | 2 | 15% |
| Concept | Qs | Share |
|---|---|---|
| The three tiers and the people who run a village | 5 | 38% |
| Decentralisation and taking part in local decisions | 2 | 15% |
Test yourself on a real paper
Sit a past SPI paper, timed and marked the way the exam marks it. You see your score and every answer the moment you finish. Free to start.