Significance of DPSPs vis-à-vis Fundamental Rights Definition, Types, Examples & Uses

Significance of DPSPs vis-à-vis Fundamental Rights

Subject: Polity

Book: Indian Polity by M. Laxmikanth

Although non-justiciable, DPSPs complement and reinforce Fundamental Rights by promoting social and economic conditions that enable the full enjoyment of rights. The Supreme Court, via landmark judgments like the “Keshavananda Bharati” case, has underscored the need to harmonize Parts III and IV. This synergy is essential in crafting welfare-oriented policies (e.g., right to education) that eventually become fundamental rights. While FRs protect individual liberties, DPSPs broaden the government’s responsibilities, indicating that liberty must coexist with social justice. This balance ensures India’s constitutional architecture remains dynamic, responding to evolving socio-economic realities.