Prelims 2013 · archive
Easy‘Economic Justice’ as one of the objectives of the Indian Constitution has been provided in
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) the Preamble and the Directive Principles of State Policy
The Preamble promises all citizens 'JUSTICE, social, economic and political'. Article 38, in the Directive Principles of State Policy, tells the State to build a social order in which the same three kinds of justice guide national life. No Fundamental Right is framed as a right to economic justice.
- ✗ (a) The Preamble does contain economic justice. But the Fundamental Rights (Part III) are justiciable individual rights such as equality, freedom and constitutional remedies. They do not set economic justice as an objective.
- ✓ (b) The Preamble lists 'JUSTICE, social, economic and political' among its objectives. Article 38 in Part IV carries the same idea as a directive to the State. Article 39 adds economic aims such as preventing the concentration of wealth to the common detriment.
- ✗ (c) The Directive Principles do carry economic justice. But economic justice is not a Fundamental Right, so this pairing fails.
- ✗ (d) The Preamble and the Directive Principles clearly contain it, so 'None of the above' cannot be right.
Remember · Justice – social, economic and political – is in the Preamble and in Article 38 (DPSP). Economic justice is a directive to the State, not a Fundamental Right.
Sources
- The Constitution of India (official text) – Preamble ↗ “to secure to all its citizens: JUSTICE, social, economic and political; LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith and worship; EQUALITY of status and of opportunity … The State shall strive to promote the welfare of the people by securing and protecting as effectively as it may a social order in which justice, social, economic and political, shall inform all the institutions of the national life.”
Question: UPSC Civil Services (Preliminary) 2013, General Studies paper. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 25 Oct 2026 (how we verify). ·